Rebels Seize Border Crossing in Eastern Ukraine

Rebel forces in eastern Ukraine seized border crossings, on Saturday.

They also were successful in seizing several military bases around Luhansk.

Government forces were able to take back part of Krasny Liman, and are attempting further gains.

The government claims that hundreds of separatist fighters have been killed, in fighting, while the separatists state that they have lost a mere dozen.

Civilian casualties are growing, as the fighting continues.

It is unclear at this time when the fighting will end, or if it will continue until a full on civil war takes over the country.

King Juan Carlos Abdicates

Juan Carlos signing his abdication

In a surprise announcement King Juan Carlos abdicated the Spanish throne, Monday morning.

The seventy-six year old king cited his health problems as the reason for the move.

His son, Crown Prince Felipe, forty-five, had been taking over more duties, as his father's health declined.

Felipe's coronation as king has yet to be scheduled, but will likely occur within the week.

Many Spaniards took the opportunity to call for the end to the almost entirely ceremonial monarchy.

US Army: Private First Class Jacob H. Wykstra

Private First Class Jacob H. Wykstra, twenty-one of Thornton, Colorado, died on May 28.

He was killed in an aircraft accident, in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

It was his first deployment.

Wykstra was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Carson, Colorado.

Remembering: Memorial Day

It began as a tradition during the Civil War, with the first unofficial events taking place on both sides of the war. The memorial days gained military recognition shortly after national military cemeteries began being created. After the war, and Abraham Lincoln's death, official occasions of the holiday began.
On May 1, 1865, black residents of Charleston, South Carolina, held a memorial to remember Union prisoners of war who had died at a prison camp there. That memorial was spread across the country by the newspapers, who called it "Decoration Day".

In the southern states "Confederate Memorial Day" began as a remembrance of Confederate war dead, in 1866. Most places chose April 26 as the day for the holiday, as it marked the day CS General Johnston surrendered to US General Sherman. Other areas chose to recognize various other auspicious dates, such as the death of CS General Jackson. Many of the southern states continue to recognize the day as a day to remember those who died for the South's cause, during the Civil War.

Then in 1868, a decree was issued, by the veterans' organization for Union Civil War veterans, The Grand Army of The Republic, for the holiday to be recognized nationally and annually. They copied much of their ceremonies from that of the southern states, and chose May 30 as the date for the holiday, mostly because no major battle had occurred on that date, and as flowers were readily available by then. Over the next few years it spread and by 1890 was recognized as an official state holiday in all of the northern states.

By 1882, Memorial Day was beginning to be used in northern states, instead of Decoration Day. However, it did not become common until after WWII. Then in 1967, Federal law officially declared it to known solely as Memorial Day. It was in 1968 that a law was passed to move Memorial Day, and other federal holidays, to only be held on Mondays, so as to allow for a three day weekend. In 1971, the law went into effect and Memorial Day was set to the last Monday of each May. Some feel that the move trivializes the meaning of the holiday.

Poroshenko Wins Ukraine's Elections

Petro Poroshenko won Ukraine's presidential elections, on Sunday.

He took more than fifty-four percent of the vote, while his nearest competitor took only thirteen.

Elections in much of the eastern part of the country had little or no turn out, due to threats of  violence from separatists.

Poroshenko, a billionaire who made much of his money as a candy maker, has pledged that he will not ever recognize Crimea's being part of Russia.

Russia seized Crimea, in March, and pushed through a referendum of secession from Ukraine, which most of the world considers illegal.

Ukraine Warns Off Encroaching Russian Helicopters

Ukrainian forces fired warning shots, on Saturday afternoon, at Russian helicopters.

Two MI-35 helicopters encroached upon Ukraine territory, north of Crimea.

A Ukrainian anti-aircraft battery fired to warn them off.

The Russian helicopters then turned back into Crimea, without damage or injury.

Al Shabaab Attack Leaves 10 Dead at Somalia's Parliament

Al Shabaab launched an attack on Somalia's parliament building, on Saturday.

The three hour attack left at least ten dead and eleven more wounded.

Officials said that multiple terrorist fighters were killed, but their dead were not included amongst the official numbers.

The attack began with a car being driven into the building and then exploded.

Other fighters then opened fire on security forces, civilians, government workers, and parliamentarians.

Security forces were eventually able to clear the area of the terrorists, some of whom had blown themselves up.

The attack highlighted the government's inability to defend itself, let alone the country from Al Shabaab.

Attack Near Donetsk Leaves 13 Soldiers Dead in Ukraine

Thirteen Ukrainian soldiers were killed when their checkpoint was attacked by separatists, outside of Donetsk.

Another thirty-three soldiers were injured in the attack.

Several military vehicles were pictured burnt out, at the site of the attack.

There was no word on separatist casualties.

Witnesses said that the separatists used an armored bank truck, which the soldiers waved through the checkpoint.

As they drove through, the separatists opened fire on the troops, at point blank range, leading to a very one sided battle.

Thailand's Army Announces Coup

On Thursday, Thailand's military announced that they were taking over the country's government.

They cited failed talks to stabilize things, after six months of anti government protests, as the reasoning for their coup.

Attempts to form protests against the coup were quickly dispersed by armed soldiers, who in some cases fired into the air to make their points clear.

Troops were also quick to disperse areas that had been occupied by the protesters, for the last six months.

The army had declared martial law, on Tuesday, but had still pushed for the different political parties to come to an agreement.

Their refusal to do so led to the military's move.

Terrorist Attack in China Kills 31

Thirty-one people were killed in a terrorist attack in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.

Thursday's attack struck at a market and wounded another ninety people.

Two cars were rammed into crowds at the market, while explosives were thrown out of the vehicles.

One of the cars exploded, killing the terrorists, before police could act.

The Xianjiang region has seen increased terrorism as tensions between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese grows.