Inner Asia

Tibet: self-immolations continue —and spread to India

Two Tibetan monks set themselves on fire in Sichuan province—bringing the total of protest self-immolations in little more than a year to over 30. Days earlier, a Tibetan exile self-immolated a protest in New Delhi.

Greater Middle East

Yemen: AQAP seizes territory, drawing US drone fire

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has seized several provinces in southern Yemen, keeping government troops at bay—and in the latest clash, seizing two tanks. The US launched at least six drone strikes against AQAP targets last month.

Southern Cone

Dirty war justice blocked in Brazil; exhumations in Uruguay

A Brazilian federal judge blocked a move to try retired army colonel Sebastiao Curio Rodrigues de Moura AKA “Dr. Luchini” for abuses committed during the military dictatorship, as more human remains were unearthed at a barracks in Uruguay.

Mexico

Mexico violence to top Calderón’s final NAFTA summit

Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón, constitutionally barred from re-election, will meet with Obama in the White House this week for his final NAFTA summit—with his country’s bloody cartel wars topping the security agenda.

North Africa

Libya: Toubou people charge “ethnic cleansing”

The head of Libya’s Toubou people called for international intervention after deadly clashes at the southern oasis of Sabha. Issa Abdel Majid Mansur said the Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya was being revived, and broached secession.

North Africa

Mali: Tuareg rebels press offensive in wake of coup

Tuareg rebels of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) launched an attack on Mali’s northern city of Kidal—following through on a promise made in the wake of last week’s coup d’etat to advance on government-held towns.