Syrian president Assad appoints a new governor for Daraa as he struggles to please the people demonstrating in unprecedented protests against his regime. (Al Jazeera)
Concern grows as Ai Weiwei, who has criticised his country's human rights record, fails to reappear more than 24 hours after his disappearance by guards at Beijing Airport. Police issue no comment, though they have since raided his studio. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (Radio Television Hong Kong)
The French and German foreign ministries call on China to release Ai Weiwei from prison, while Amnesty International is also critical of his detention. (BBC)
A three-panel Zhang Xiaogang oil painting sells for a record HK$79 million. (BBC) (The Hindu)
It is reported that China has succeeded in genetically modifying cows to produce "human" milk. (IBN Live)
Disasters
Indonesian earthquake and tsunami:
A 6.7 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Java in Indonesia. (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald)
A tsunami alert is issued after the earthquake in Indonesia. (Xinhua)
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake strikes western Nepal near the Indian border, and is felt in Delhi. (Times of India) (NDTV)
At least 10 people are killed and at least 16 others are injured as a United Nations plane breaks in two and ignites at Kinshasa Airport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (BBC) (Indian Express)
South Korea approves additional humanitarian aid worth 176 million won to North Korea. (Xinhua)
The Japanese Foreign Ministry issues a statement that 19 foreign nationals died in the earthquake and tsunami, with dozens more still missing, mostly from China and South Korea. (UPI)
Law and crime
North Korea executes former railways minister Kim Yong Sam in connection with the Ryongchon disaster in 2004. (Straits Times)
Three more human remains are found in the Gilgo area of Long IslandNew York bringing the total number of bodies to eight with a serial killer believed to be responsible. (Newsday)
Three people die in a shootout between Mexican security forces and gunmen in the resort of Acapulco. (BBC)
Politics and elections
Former First Lady of Austria Edith Klestil dies of cancer aged 78. (Austrian Independent)
A court in Vietnam jails prominent government critic Cù Huy Hà Vũ for seven years for spreading "anti-state propaganda". (BBC) (VOV News Vietnam)
Controversial Irish senator Ivor Callely, who last year was embroiled in an expenses scandal, is fined €60 by a court for breaching the law. (TV3) (The Irish Times) (RTÉ)
As part of the British government's package of welfare reforms, from today the one-and-a-half million people in the United Kingdom who claim incapacity benefit will begin to receive letters asking them to attend a work capability assessment. The tests are part of government plans to reduce the number of long-term claimants and will take until 2014 to complete. (BBC)
Sports
The candidates for FIFA's presidential election on 1 June are confirmed, with Qatari multi-millionaire Mohammed Bin Hammam to be Sepp Blatter's only challenger. (BBC Sport) (Sky Sports)