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”
On Jan. 14, US Attorney Johnny Sutton filed a lawsuit on behalf of the US Department of Justice against the city of Eagle Pass, Texas, to seek access to land for a planned border fence. It was the first of… Read moreFeds sue Texas border towns over Homeland Security “fence”
As of Jan. 29 Mexican officials and representatives of the National Union of Mine and Metal Workers of the Mexican Republic (SNTMMRM) said they had agreed on a “no aggression” pact and were ready to negotiate starting on Jan. 30…. Read moreMexico: mine union set to deal?
After 112 days on hunger strike, on Jan. 30 imprisoned Chilean activist Patricia Troncoso Robles ended a protest which started in October around demands for the release of 20 indigenous Mapuche prisoners and an end to the military’s presence in… Read moreChile: Mapuche activist ends fast
Ecuador’s government announced [Feb. 1] that it was revoking Ascendant Copper’s mining concessions for the controversial Junin Project. Mining and Petroleum Minister Galo Chiriboga told reporters that the government decided to revoke a total of 587 mining concessions for reasons… Read moreEcuador boots Ascendant Copper
Tamils in the UK marked the 60th anniversary of Sri Lankan independence Feb. 5 with a hundreds-strong protest at Downing Street demanding “real freedom” and “real rights” for the Hindu minority on the island. That same day, at least 14… Read moreTamil Tigers in London?
Jane’s Country Risk News reports Feb. 1 that renewed US attempts to woo Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov to open his country’s vast natural gas reserves may be “too little, too late.” Russia already accounts for 97% of Turkmenistan’s gas exports…. Read moreTurkmenistan tilts to Russia, China
Iraq has halted oil exports to Austria’s OMV, Central Europe’s leading oil and gas group, to protest a deal with the autonomous Kurdish region. An official at the Oil Ministry said OMV will no longer receive 10,000 barrels per day… Read moreIraq cancels oil contracts in showdown over Kurdistan
Seemingly irregular oil contracts have emerged as a factor in the ongoing political scandal that last week brought down Peru's president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Following accusations from left-opposition congressmembers, state agency PeruPetro admitted that hours before leaving office, Kuczynski had issued a Supreme Decree initiating the process of approving five offshore oil concessions with a private company—but without the involvement of PeruPetro in vetting the contracts, as required by law. Calling the deals "lobista," Dammert is demanding that new President Martín Vizcarra declare the contracts void. (Photo: Gestión)
