Shortly after 9:30pm on July 31, after more than two years of detention, Muslim community leader Abdel Jabbar Hamdan walked out of the Terminal Island federal detention center in San Pedro, California, and returned to his Buena Park home with… Read morePalestinian detainee Abdel Jabbar Hamdan freed at last
With all eyes elsewhere, it seems authorities in Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas, scene of the ongoing Zapatista rebellion, are taking the opportunity to repossess lands occupied the rebels. Recognition of the “agrarian reform” carried out by adherents of the… Read moreChiapas: police evict Zapatista village
Some 300 primary and secondary school students and their mothers occupied the municipal auditorium in the conflicted Mexican village of San Salvador Atenco Aug. 5, holding the municipal president Pascual Pineda Sanchez captive for eight hours. The protesters accuse Pineda… Read moreMexico: protesters detain Atenco mayor
On Aug. 5 the seven judges of Mexico’s Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Branch of the Federation (TEPJF) unanimously rejected a motion by center-left presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for a full recount of the 41 million ballots cast… Read moreMexico: Electoral Tribunal refuses full recount; protests escalate in DF, Oaxaca
From Canada Free Press, Aug. 7 (links, annotation and emphasis added by WW4 REPORT): With world attention trained on Israel and Hezbollah, the situation is tense in Bogota, Colombia, today as President Alvaro Uribe prepares for his inauguration for a… Read moreColombia braces for inauguration violence
Seems like both sides in the Cuban political divide are atempting to co-opt Santeria, which is definitely bad news for the doves and chickens of Miami and Havana. Apparently neither the Fidelistas or the anti-Fidelistas are playing to the animal-rights… Read moreMiami-Havana Santeria wars
This July 30 Chicago Tribune story is suddenly much more relevant, since Fidel ceded executive powers—just one day after it appeared! The existence of groups like Elizardo Sanchez’ Cuban Commission of Human Rights and National Reconciliation (about which more below)… Read moreIndependent Cuban dissidents to Uncle Sam: No, gracias!
A story on new international interest in Cuba’s offshore oil rights made the front page of the New York Times in May. But very interesting that the London Times gives it similar top billing Aug. 5, just as Fidel has… Read more“Scramble” for Cuba’s oil
The undiscriminating nature of aerial warfare is producing some surreal ironies in the Israel-Lebanon mess. As we have noted, Israel appears to be loaning military support to Iraqi Kurds due to mutual enmity for the Arabs, leading Arabs and Turks… Read moreIronies of war: Israel kills Kurds, Hezbollah kills Arabs
From La Jornada, Aug. 1, via Chiapas95 (our translation): Guerilla groups will “not permit the imposition” Chilpancingo, Guerrero, July 31 — The guerilla organizations Revolutionary Workers Command “Mexico Barbaro”; the Comando Jaramillista Morelense “May 23”; the Popular Revolutionary Command “Fatherland… Read moreMexico: guerillas pledge to resist Calderon
A communique in support of prisoners from the village of San Salvador Atenco, being held at Santiaguito prison in Mexico state. Via Chiapas95, Aug. 1 (our translation): SANTIAGUITO PRISONERS DENOUNCE ATTACK BY GUARD AGAINST POLITICAL PRISONER published by Radio Pacheco… Read moreMexico: Atenco prisoners protest attack
From the Spanish news service EFE via Chiapas95, Aug. 1 (our translation): Women of the Popular Assembly of the State of Oaxaca (APPO) today took by force the installations of the [state-owned] Oaxacan Television and Radio Corporation, which operates one… Read moreOaxaca: women seize TV station
