The week in pictures: May 5 – May 11, 2015

Last week a roller coaster ride of news stories so lets take a moment to look back at some of the biggest to hit the headlines both on our site and around the globe

In the UK the Conservative party surprised everyone, including the bookies, by winning an overall majority in an election pegged as too close to call. Winning 331 seats, giving them a slim majority of five, the Conservatives won at the expense of both the Labour party who saw their support slump by 26 seats, and the Liberal Democrats who were all but obliterated losing 49 seats at the polls. Both losing parties are now looking for a new leader.

There were services of remembrance held across Europe to mark the 70th anniversary of VE, Victory In Europe, day that commemorates the surrender of the Nazi regime. The Russians held their traditional display of military might in Moscow, attended by other world leaders including the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General, and various other dignitaries. Many western leaders stayed away in protest over the ongoing situation in Ukraine.

Microsoft development executive, Jerry Nixon, has said that Windows 10 will be the last incarnation of the evergreen operating system with no more stand alone releases but instead a regular schedule of installments updating and improving the system as necessary. This means there will be no Windows 11 and is evidence of the changing manner in which the core software for modern computing is being developed and offered to the public. Microsoft have yet to decide on a name for this new system.

In sport Andy Murray beat Rafael Nadal in the final of the Madrid Masters on Sunday to win his first Masters title on clay. Winning the game in straight sets, 6-3 6-2, Murray ended Nadal's unbeaten run in the competition and pushed him out of the world's top five rankings for the first time in a decade. Will he bounce back in time for the French Open? You'll have to read our daily news pages to find out but in the meantime lets look at what grabbed our headlines last week.

1. Cherry AB opens Svea Casino  targeting especially Scandinavian gamblers. 


2. Mellowed Riviera hotel and casino remains an icon even after its closure. 


3. The members of the German Sport Advisory Board resigns,  so the country`s sports betting situation remains chaotic. 


4. City of Dreams Manila receives its regular gaming license,  which is the first of its kind in the Philippines. 


5. Amaya announces football phenomenon Neymar Jr. as PokerStars’ new ambassador. 


6. The European Council asks the European Commission to prepare a Digital Single Market in the EU,  but the plans face monumental difficulties ahead. 


7. Giro D'Italia's stage 2 participant cries out for safety of cyclists. 


Meanwhile a man known only as Renaud died in Le Starter bar in France after drinking 56 shots of a variety of alcohol. Having already consumed 14 shots before he started the 57 year old was attempting to beat a world record highlighted on the bar's wall. He began by drinking 30 shots in a single minute, and after 56 went into cardiac arrest. He died the next day in hospital and the bar owner is now charged with manslaughter.