The Amazon

Brazil: Guarani leader slain by gunmen

A Guarani-Kaiowa indigenous leader was shot dead in Brazil's Mato Grosso do Sul state, one week after his community occupied part of their ancestral lands usurped by ranchers.

Southern Cone

Argentina: Mapuche blockade oil fields —again

Indigenous Mapuche residents blocked access to oil and gas wells to press demands over territorial rights, nearly shutting down production in Argentina's Neuquén province.

Palestine

Palestine and Vatican in UN flag fracas

Two months after formally recognizing Palestine, the Vatican objected to a Palestinian request for the two observer states to be allowed to raise their flags at UN headquarters.

Iran

Iran regime executes Kurdish activist

In a move protested by rights groups, Iran's regime hanged Kurdish political prisoner Behrouz Alkhani—despite a pending appeal of his death sentence before the country's high court.

Iraq

ISIS named in new Syria chemical attack

Aid workers in Aleppo governorate report treating patients for symptoms of a mustard-gas attack in a rebel-held town that had come under mortar fire by ISIS.

The Amazon

Bolivia: police attack indigenous roadblocks

Bolivian National Police used batons and tear-gas to break up a road blockade launched by Guaraní indigenous residents to protest gas exploitation on their traditional lands.

Mexico

Mexico: activist slain in missing students case

Miguel Ángel Jiménez Blanco, a leading activist in Mexico's violence-torn Guerrero state and a vocal advocate for the families of the 43 missing students, was himself assassinated.

The Andes

Ecuador: UN expresses concern on repression

UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz expressed urgent concern over ongoing violence against protesters by security forces in Ecuador.

The Andes

Colombia: FARC-paramilitary collaboration?

Colombia's FARC guerillas may be working under the table with their supposed bitter enemies in the ultra-right paramilitary groups, according to e-mails released by authorities.