The Andes
Ecuador: ecology group ordered closed
Ecuador's government ordered Quito-based activist group Acción Ecológica closed amid a wave of repression against indigenous anti-mining protesters in the Amazon.
Author: CounterVortex
The Andes
Colombia: denialism on slayings of social leaders
Amid concern that Colombia's peace process could be jeopardized by ongoing assassinations of social leaders, the Defense Ministry said the slayings are "not systematic."
The Andes
Colombia: new attacks threaten talks with ELN
Colombian authorities are blaming ELN guerillas in a wave of attacks on security forces around the country, again jeopardizing the planned opening of peace talks.
The Andes
Colombia: FARC amnesty law approved
Colombia's Congress approved an amnesty law as part of the peace process, protecting guerilla fighters from prosecution over most crimes related to the conflict.
Inner Asia
Russian blogger jailed for protesting Syria war
A Russian court sentenced blogger Alexei Kungurov to two-and-a-half years in prison for "justification of terrorism" over a post criticizing Moscow's military intervention in Syria.
North Africa
Libya: civilians detained in evacuation of Sirte
Human Rights Watch issued an urgent call for Libya's government to protect civilians who were detained after fleeing former ISIS stronghold Sirte.
Greater Middle East
Assad delivers ultimatum to Aleppo Kurds
Kurdish forces will have to hand over control of their enclave of Sheikh Maqsoud in Aleppo to the Damascus regime by the end of the year, according to an Assad military advisor.
Iraq
‘Factually Incorrect’ with Bill Weinberg: episode 1
Bill Weinberg fights the post-truth plague by taking down fiction-spewing bloviators whether of the left or right—starting with Jimmy Dore of “Aggressive Progressive” vlog.
Greater Middle East
UN approves monitors for Aleppo evacuation
Alarmed at the "devastating" humanitarian crisis in Aleppo, the Security Council called on the UN to carry out "neutral monitoring" of evacuations from the war-ravaged city.
The Andes
Colombia: unrelenting terror against social leaders
Despite advances for the peace process with the FARC rebels, the wave of assassinations of social leaders across Colombia by presumed paramilitary hitmen is unabated.
The Andes
FARC demobilization back on after court ruling
Colombia's Constitutional Court approved the government's plan for "fast track" authority to expedite congressional approval of terms for a peace deal with the FARC rebels.
Europe
‘Systematic persecution’ of Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars have faced systematic persecution by Russian authorities since the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, Amnesty International charges.