May 18, 2004

Sonia Gandhi declines the post of Prime Minister of India. (BBC)
Preliminary field tests suggest that the shell found near Baghdad on May 15 contained about four liters of the chemical agent sarin, which attacks the nervous system. (New York Times/AP) (Fox News) (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Israel launches a large offensive against the city of Rafah dubbed Operation Rainbow, cutting it off from the rest of Gaza. Amnesty International has called on Israel to stop and accused it of committing war crimes by its destruction of more than 3,000 Palestinian homes in Israel and the occupied territories since the intifada began three and a half years ago. (Independent) (Democracy Now!) (AFP)
The International Olympic Committee selects London, Madrid, Moscow, New York City, and Paris as finalists to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. The winner will be announced on June 6, 2005. (AP) (BBC)
Randy Johnson pitches the 17th perfect game in Major League Baseball history in a 2-0 win by the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Atlanta Braves. (ESPN)