Mother's Day

Don't be surprised if you can't find a seat in church on May 13. After Easter and Christmas, Mother's Day in the United States is often ranked third in most-attended Sunday services.

Mladic trial

Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic will face trial on May 16 at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTFY) to answer for his alleged role in war crimes that claimed the lives of 100,000. The ICTFY has charged Mladic with 11 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity, and other war crimes.

Annular eclipse

An annular eclipse will occur on May 20 when the moon passes in front of the sun, leaving only a flaming, bright ring outside the moon's silhouette. The eclipse will be visible from China, islands in the Pacific Ocean, and across western North America, although NASA warns that it is not safe to look at an annular or partial eclipse without proper equipment.

Egyptian elections

On May 23, Egyptians begin a two-day election to select a new president. The presidential election is Egypt's first since the revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak.

Olympic 2020 short list

Officials with the International Olympic Committee will announce on May 23 a short list of three or four contenders for the 2020 Summer Games. The officials will cut one or two cities off a list of five: Istanbul, Tokyo, Madrid, Baku in Azerbaijan, and Doha, Qatar.

Torch Relay

The Olympic Torch Relay for the 2012 Summer Games begins on May 25 at Land's End in Cornwall-the most westerly point in England. When the torch relay ends on July 27 in London for the opening ceremony, it will have traveled nearly 8,000 miles.