Armed conflicts and attacks
Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)
Three bombings in and around Baghdad kill at least 14, including Shiite pilgrims, and injure more than 30. (Reuters via Trust) (Washington Post) (Reuters)
War in Somalia, War on Terror
The first of seventy British military personnel arrive in Somalia to help combat the threat of Islamist militants. The remaining troops will join the United Nations peacekeepers and AMISOM soldiers in countering Al-Shabaab later on this year. This deployment is part of a greater effort by the United Kingdom to target terrorism. (The Guardian)
Syrian Civil War
Syrian Army troops surround the central prison in Hama after inmates revolted, seizing several guards. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says inmates were protesting against a planned transfer of prisoners from Hama to Sednaya Prison near Damascus. (Reuters)
American-led intervention in Syria, Military intervention against ISIL
Artillery shelling and drone attacks by the U.S.-led coalition strike Islamic State positions in Syria, according to Turkish authorities, killing 63 militants and destroying multiple rocket launcher and gun positions. (AP)
Business and economy
The Philippines stock market suffers the biggest drop since February amid uncertainty about the upcoming elections. (Bloomberg)
Australian tech entrepreneur Craig Steven Wright claims he is Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of the Bitcoin currency. There are about 15.5 million bitcoins in circulation. However, questions have been raised as to authenticity of his assertion. (The Economist) (BBC) (The Economist²) (AP via The Charlotte Observer)
Puerto Rican government-debt crisis
Puerto Rico defaults on a $422 million debt payment. The Governor of Puerto Rico Alejandro García Padilla calls the situation a "humanitarian crisis". This is the third time Puerto Rico has defaulted on bond payments. (CNN)