Palestine

Multi-sided struggle for Jerusalem

Even as the Israeli government turns more East Jerusalem land over to hardline Jewish settlers, ultra-orthodox Jews clashed with police at Beit Shemesh suburb over a crackdown on their attempts to enforce gender segregation.

World War 4 Report goes on holiday semi-hiatus

From now through the first week of January, World War 4 Report will be on semi-hiatus, with a low level of activity, while editor and chief blogger Bill Weinberg takes a well-earned stay-at-home vacation and sees to some personal matters.

Southeast Asia

Unnatural disaster in Mindanao

Local environmentalists and Philippine opposition lawmakers charge that unbridled logging and mining activities in Northern Mindanao are behind the devastating floods that have left nearly 1,000 dead and hundreds missing.

Southeast Asia

West Papua: gunmen fire on Freeport-McMoRan chopper

Unknown gunmen opened fire on a helicopter carrying Freeport-McMoRan mining company workers in Indonesia’s restive West Papua, injuring one passenger. The attacks comes as thousands of workers settled a months-long strike.

Inner Asia

Kazakhstan: security forces fire on striking oil workers

Kazakh interior ministry troops fired on striking oil workers in the Caspian Basin city Zhanaozen, leaving at least 10 dead. The violence came in a move to oust hundreds of workers from a square they had been occupying for six months.

North Africa

Libya threatened by Berber revolt: report

The Germany-based Society for Threatened Peoples warns that Libya could face an imminent Berber revolt, if the ruling National Transitional Council does not end Qaddafi’s policies of “Arabization” and recognize cultural rights.

Afghanistan

Pakistan: drone victims seek arrest of CIA officials

The Pakistan-based Foundation for Fundamental Rights, representing the victims of drone attacks, is seeking an international warrant for the arrest of CIA station chief Jonathan Banks who has fled the country to avoid prosecution.

Mexico

Zetas: we are not terrorists

“Narco-banners” hung from Nuevo Laredo overpasses and signed in the name of Los Zetas declared: “We are not terrorists or guerrillas. We concentrate on our work and the last thing we want is to have problems with any government.”