After meeting with UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour, Mexican President Felipe Calderón announced Feb. 6 that he would gradually remove army troops from drug enforcement duty, replacing them with newly-trained police units. Use of the military in Mexico’s war… Read moreCalderón to demilitarize Mexican drug war?
The New York Times reports Feb. 9 that military prosecutors are in the final phases of preparing a “sweeping” case against suspected conspirators in the 9-11 plot. The charges, to be filed in the military commission system at Guantánamo Bay,… Read moreSix at Gitmo to face trial in 9-11
Security sources in Cairo said Feb. 8 that hundreds of Egyptian nationals who have returned from the Gaza Strip over the past three days are under investigation following claims they were trying to join Hamas. The Egyptians were reportedly members… Read moreEgypt investigates hundreds of nationals for Hamas ties?
British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith signed an order Feb. 7 for the extradition of Abu Hamza al-Masri, the radical cleric imprisoned in the UK who is wanted by federal prosecutors in New York. Al-Masri, the former imam of north London’s… Read moreAbu Hamza al-Masri faces extradition to US
From the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI), Jan. 6: As a result of the continuous efforts and collaboration between the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) and the workers of the water supply… Read moreBaghdad waterworks employees in labor victory
The US Forest Service, with minimal public notice and no formal environmental review, has approved a permit allowing the UK's Vane Minerals company to explore for uranium in the Kaibab National Forest just outside the boundaries of Grand Canyon National… Read moreUranium exploration at Grand Canyon approved
Protesters from the Ardoch Algonquin and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations returned to the prospective uranium mining site near Sharbot Lake, Ontario, Feb. 4 after mediation talks with the provincial government that began last fall broke down. Robert Lovelace, co-chief of… Read moreAlgonquins resume blockade of Ontario uranium site
Russian authorities have formally agreed to extradite to Colombia former Israeli military officer Yair Klein, officials at Moscow’s embassy in Bogotá said. Colombia requested Klein’s extradition five months ago after he was arrested by Interpol and agents of the Anti-terrorist… Read moreRussia to extradite Israeli spook to Colombia
Hundreds of thousands of Colombians marched Feb. 4 against kidnappings and other violence by the FARC guerillas in cities across the country. In Bogotá, marchers wore matching white T-shirts reading: “Yo Soy Colombia” (I am Colombia), with the kicker: “Stop… Read moreUribe exploits mobilization against FARC
Human Rights Watch criticized Egypt Feb. 6 for eight arrests prompted by one man’s statement that he was HIV-positive, saying the detentions embodied “both ignorance and injustice.” The men, all arrested since October, were given HIV tests without their consent,… Read moreEgypt tortures gays
Turkish F-16 fighter planes Feb. 4 struck suspected PKK targets in northern Iraq, carrying out what Turkey’s Hurriyet daily counts as the fifth over the border operation in recent months. The Turkish military’s General Staff said the air raids, launched… Read moreTurkey bombs Iraq —again!
Emulating US strategies on the Mexican border, Israel has approved the construction of a reinforced fence along its border with Egypt to stop Palestinian militants reaching Israel via the Sinai desert. The measure was agreed by a security cabinet meeting… Read moreIsrael plans Egypt border “fence”
