Southeast Asia
Burma opium war spills into China
After weeks of escalating tensions along the remote mountain border, a Burmese MiG-29 fighter jet carried out an air-strike on Chinese territory, killing four farm workers.
Mexico
Mexico: narco-gang decapitates mayoral candidate
Aide Nava, running for mayor in Mexico's conflicted southern state of Guerrero, was found decapitated a day after she was abducted in her hometown of Ahuacuotzingo.
Mexico
Mexico’s notorious ‘Z-42’ busted
Mexican authorities announced the capture of Omar Treviño AKA "Z-42"—leader of Los Zetas, the ultra-violent narco-paramilitary network that has long terrorized the country.
Mexico
Mexico: Knights Templar jefe busted
Mexican authoritie announced the capture of the country's most-wanted drug lord, Servando Gómez AKA "La Tuta"—boss of Michoacán's feared Knights Templar cartel.
The Andes
US troops to Peru’s coca zone
A force of US Marines has been mobilized to Peru's conflicted coca-growing jungle region, the Valley of the Apurímac and Ene Rivers, to assist in interdiction efforts.
Mexico
Latin America: cartels build own arms industry
Mexican authorities busted another Zetas "narco-tank factory" in Nuevo Laredo on the Texas border—days after Brazilian police made a similar find in Sao Paulo.
Mexico
Mexico cracks down on narco-oil
In an open acknowledgement that it cannot secure its pipeline system from plunder by criminal gangs, Mexico will no longer pump refined gasoline and diesel through the network.
Southeast Asia
Will Burma opium war draw in China?
The latest fighting in Burma's opium-producing hinterlands involves a Han Chinese ethnic group, the Kokang. Some 50,000 have fled across the border into China.
Iran
Netanyahu’s doublethink
Netanyahu's speech before Congress was mostly controversial over its perceived meddling in US politics—not its incessant barrage of lies, distortions and double standards.
Greater Middle East
PKK announces deal with Turkish state
Turkey and the Kurdish rebel movement announced a landmark political deal that calls for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to lay down arms and join the civil political process.
The Andes
Caracazo recalled in polarized Venezuela
Official commemorations of the 1989 popular anti-austerity rebellion come amid new protests over economic agony in Venezuela—and regime accusations of a coup conspiracy.
The Andes
Colombia: convictions in Uribe spying scandal
Colombia's supreme court convicted two close aides of former president Alvaro Uribe for illegal eavesdropping on the communications of the conservative leader's top opponents.