Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe has ordered his military to intensify efforts to free hostages in the hands of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC)—asserting that they are being held in “concentration camp” conditions “more cruel” than those of the Nazis…. Read moreColombia: Uribe calls for military raids to rescue FARC hostages
A home-made bomb ripped through a bus terminal in Mindanao’s Cotabato City May 18, killing three and injuring 15 others. About half of the casualties were children. Authorities said the motive was probably extortion, as the bus company had been… Read moreMore terror in Mindanao
An Israeli airstrike targeting a minivan supposedly carrying a Hamas fighter in northern Gaza City killed three people and wounded 12 on May 18. Israeli tanks also fired five shells near a housing project in the northern Gaza town of… Read moreGaza: towards re-occupation?
Mexico May 15 called upon the US to prevent weapons from landing in the hands of drug gangs that increasingly use them to kill soldiers and police. “The firepower we are seeing here has to do with a lack of… Read moreMexico: US arms narco gangs
Fidelity Investments of Boston is denying that a sharp reduction in holdings of oil companies doing business in Sudan is a result of activist pressure over Darfur. Anne Crowley, a spokeswoman for the mutual-fund giant, said the sales were decided… Read moreBig finance feels pressure on Darfur?
Colombian National Police officer Jhon Frank Pinchao, held hostage by the FARC guerillas for nearly nine years, escaped his captors and spent 17 days lost in the jungle of Vaupes department before he was found by an army patrol on… Read moreColombia: FARC hostage escapes
Thirteen of the 19 suspects on trial for the 2004 Madrid rail bombings that killed 191 have gone on hunger strike in protest of what they call unfounded accusations against them. Javier Gómez Bermúdez, the presiding justice, warned the men… Read moreSpain: 3-11 suspects on hunger strike
Two radio reporters covering a provincial governor in south-central Somalia were gunned down May 16 when the official’s motorcade was ambushed by clan militia. News editor Abshir Ali Gabre and reporter Ahmed Hassan Mahad of Radio Jowhar were killed when… Read moreSomalia: road ambushes target officials, kill journalists
Taliban leader Mullah Omar has formally confirmed the death of top commander Mullah Dadullah, through a spokesman, and nominated Mullah Bakht Mohammad as his replacement. The elusive Mullah Omar also claimed there are thousands of fighters ready to avenge Dadullah’s… Read moreAfghanistan: Taliban leadership shake-up, more border clashes with Pakistan
During the May 15 Republican presidential debate at the University of South Carolina, Libertarian gadly Rep. Ron Paul (TX) dared to speak logic about the reasons behind 9-11—and made clear that he, at least, has actually read al-Qaeda’s communiqués. “Have… Read moreRon Paul was right!
Two years ago, following rumors that Osama bin Laden had taken refuge in Nuristan, we warned that the remote mountain region immortalized as “Kafiristan” in Rudyard Kipling’s The Man Who Would Be King would be drawn into Afghanistan’s war. Now,… Read moreAfghanistan: war comes to Kipling’s “Kafiristan”
The US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has brought in trainers from Colombia to prepare a new Afghan anti-narcotics force. Opium cultivation has steadily grown in Afghanistan since the US invasion of 2001, leaping from 183,000 acres in 2002 to 408,000… Read moreAfghanistan: opium booming
