Afghanistan

Afghanistan: NATO raid kills civilians —again

A woman and seven young children were killed in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province when a NATO patrol called in an airstrike against insurgents firing on them from a mud compound, local officials said.

Palestine

Tel Aviv rent protesters repudiate “West Bank solution”

A group of tent town rent protesters have issued “Letter from Tel Aviv,” calling for Jewish-Arab unity in confronting the housing crisis, protesting the “Judaization” of urban space, and rejecting the colonization of the West Bank as a solution.

Mexico

Mexico: police arrest Acapulco cartel boss wanted in massacre

Moisés Montero Álvarez AKA “El Coreano,” alleged leader of the Independent Cartel of Acapulco (CIDA), was captured by Mexican federal police and charged in the massacre of 20 abducted vacationers from Michoacán who were mistaken for members of a rival cartel.

Planet Watch

Planet of the Apes: Relax, it’s only a movie

A federal appeals court rules that human genes can be patented, as the Daily Mail reveals that British scientists have created more than 150 human-animal hybrid embryos. Relax, popcorn-heads, it’s only a movie.

North Africa

Libya: NATO bombs TV station, kills Qaddafi’s son?

Organizations that monitor attacks on the media are demanding a UN investigation of a NATO air-strike on Tripoli’s TV station. The Tripoli regime meanwhile denies rebel claims that Qaddafi’s youngest son Khamis was killed in an air-strike.

Greater Middle East

Syria: tens of thousands defy regime in Ramadan protests

Tens of thousands of Syrians returned to the streets in towns and cities across the country for the first Friday protests of Ramadan, declaring their support for residents of Hama, where some 200 have been killed in a military crackdown over the past week.

Palestine

Israel: Will “Hilltop Youth” co-opt rent protests?

Militant West Bank settlers have joined the Tel Aviv tent town protest, pitching a line that aggressive settlement of the Occupied Territory is the solution to the crisis. Will the protest movement take the bait?

North America

Brutal ICE raids continue —despite Obama’s new policy

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is under fire for recent brutal raids against immigrant families from California to Virginia. Obama has called off the ICE workplace raids, but continued so-called “anti-gang” sweeps.

Palestine

Israel slaps 12 militant settlers with restraining orders

Twelve Israeli settlers accused of setting fire to Palestinian mosques, property and vehicles have been slapped with restraining orders limiting their movement in the West Bank, the military announced on the recommendation of Shin Bet.

North Africa

Libya: Qaddafi regime flips the script, will ally with jihadists

Saif Qaddafi, the dictator’s son, announced an alliance with Libya’s Islamists to defeat the rebels—after the regime had for months portrayed the rebels as Islamist extremists. Hugo Chávez hailed Qaddafi in a speech: “Live and be victorious. We’re with you.”