The Andes
Third-party candidates marginalized …in Venezuela
In Venezuela as in the US, third-party candidates were roundly ignored by the media—including a veteran labor leader who challenged Hugo Chávez from the left.
Peruvians stand up to Newmont Mining
Members of a ronda campesina (peasant self-defense patrol) at March 22 rally at the site of US-based Newmont Mining’s proposed Conga gold mine in Peru’s northern region of Cajamarca. Peasant protesters occupied the concession bloc to mark World Water Day, in defiance… Read morePeruvians stand up to Newmont Mining
Palestine
Israel shoots down Hezbollah drone?
Israeli warplanes swooped low over Lebanese villages in a show of force apparently aimed at Hezbollah the day after a mysterious incursion by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The Andes
US to revise defense pact with Peru
Leon Panetta in Lima secured an agreement to revise Washington’s 60-year-old defense cooperation pact with Peru—as Sendero guerillas attacked pipeline infrastructure.
The Andes
Peru warned on repression of peasant protests
Human Rights Watch urged Peru’s President Ollanta Humala to take steps to prevent the unlawful killing of peasant protesters, noting growing incidents of deadly force.
Central America
Guatemala: peasant massacre under investigation
Seven were killed and some 40 wounded when security forces attacked a protest road blockade by Maya indigenous campesinos in the Guatemalan highlands.
Afghanistan
Pakistan: mobilization against drone strikes
Hundreds of Pakistanis, joined by dozens of activists from the US, launched a motorcade “march” against US drone strikes that they hope will reach the Afghan border region.
Inner Asia
Tibetan writer self-immolates in TAR
A Tibetan poet, Gudrup, died after setting himself on fire in the Tibet Autonomous Region, leaving a blog post calling for Tibetans not “lose courage” in the struggle for freedom.
South Asia
Buddhist-Muslim tensions follow Bangladesh riots
Buddhists in Burma and Sri Lanka held anti-Muslim protests after Muslim rioters in Bangladesh torched Buddhist temples in response to a Facebook post denigrating the Koran.
Afghanistan
US military death toll in Afghanistan hits 2,000
A checkpoint shooting in eastern Afghanistan’s Wardak province brought the US military’s death toll in the war past 2,000. About as many Afghan civilians are killed each year.
Iran
Tehran protesters: ‘Forget Syria!’
At angry protests over economic conditions in Tehran, slogans included “Allahu akbar!” (God is great, associated with the 1979 revolution) and “Leave Syria alone, instead think of us!”
Greater Middle East
Turkey authorizes Syria ‘military operations’
Turkey’s parliament in an emergency session authorized military action against Syria following deadly cross-border fire—while insisting it was not a war mandate.