Africa
US sea raid on Somali rebel stronghold
US forces launched a night raid on a rebel-held town in Somalia’s southern Lower Shabelle region from the sea—apparently an effort to kill the leader of the Shabaab.
Greater Middle East
Syria: thousands of detainees lost in ‘black hole’
Human Rights Watch finds that tens of thousands who peacefully demonstrated against President Bashar Assad are languishing in Syrian prisons, subjected to an policy of torture.
Afghanistan
Pakistan stock market soars on terror wave
Over the past year of growing violence and chaos in Pakistan, the Karachi Stock Exchange surged more than 44%, placing it among the world’s top-performing stock markets.
The Andes
Justice catches up to Chile, Ecuador war criminals
An ex-general in Chile killed himself rather than face transfer to a general-population prison, as trial opened in Quito for three former officers accused in extrajudicial killings.
Syria
Evo Morales betrays Syrian people
By saying the US “funds rebels that fight against presidents who don’t support capitalism or imperialism,” Evo Morales allies himself with a regime that is committing war crimes.
The Andes
Bolivia, Venezuela reject US drug criticism
For a fifth year running, the White House "blacklisted" Bolivia and Venezuela for perceived insufficient anti-drug efforts—and both governments reacted with anger.
Southeast Asia
Blood jade empire as Burma warlords diversify
Burma’s military and the rebel Kachin Independence Army vie in control for a semi-underground jade industry in the northern jungles, with the exports going to China.
Africa
NYC Congolese protest Paul Kagame, Elie Wiesel
New York area Congolese protested a panel on Syria that Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel shared with Rwandan President Paul Kagame—who they accuse of massive war crimes.
Greater Middle East
Syria war portends Middle East ‘balkanization’?
Elements of Washington wonkdom are calling for the break-up of Syria into ethno-sectarian mini-states, and see the separatist contagion spreading to the rest of the Middle East.
Greater Middle East
Greek fascists fight for Assad in Syria
Greek "National Socialist" organzation Black Lily boasts that it has dispatched a brigade to Syria to fight for Bashar Assad against "the American-Zionist war machine."
Greater Middle East
Syria: what is the imperial agenda?
Obama's UN speech pledged: "We will ensure the free flow of energy" from the Middle East. Yet intervention risks a conflagration that could threaten imperial control of the oil reserves.
Greater Middle East
Syria: civil wars in the civil war
As the Free Syrian Army now battles jihadist rebels as well as the regime, the two biggest jihadist factions are fighting each other for control over oilfields in Syria’s north.