Portal:Current events/2014 May 12

May 12, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

A new video released by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram claims to show 100 girls they kidnapped last month as they seek a prisoner exchange. (BBC News)
Mexican Drug War:
- Galindo Mellado Cruz, one of the founding members of the Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas, and four other armed men are killed in a shootout with Mexican security forces after they raided Cruz's hideout in the city of Reynosa. (BBC News)
Post-coup unrest in Egypt:
- Egyptian security forces arrested an alleged member of the Free Syrian Army in Giza's Imbaba. They also seized a number of explosives they claimed would allegedly be used in terror attacks in the country before the upcoming presidential elections. (Al-Ahram)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Pro-Russian insurgents in Donetsk and Luhansk declare the cities independent states whilst on choosing to join Russia after controversial hastily-arranged referendums. (The Washington Post)
Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal)
- Forty-nine people have been killed and 69 wounded in a series of attacks across Iraq including attack by Iraqi security forces on insurgents in Anbar province. (Biharprabha News)

Arts and culture

A Facebook page called "My Stealthy Freedom", in which women across Iran are posting photos of themselves without the hijab, has garnered more than 130,000 likes, a week after it was created. (The Guardian) (BBC News)

Business and economy

The European Central Bank has watered down standards for an ongoing review of Europe's banks, waiving deadlines and some data requests, according to a Reuters report based on "sources familiar with the process." (Reuters)
The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 hits record highs. (Time)

International relations

The European Court of Human Rights orders Turkey to pay $124 million in compensation for the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, which established the internationally unrecognized state of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. (Washington Post)

Law and crime

Politics and elections

Indian general election, 2014
- The ninth and final phase of the election concludes in India, with an all time high voter turnout of 66.64%. Final results will be declared on May 16. (Times Of India)