East Asia
Edward Snowden a hit on Sina Weibo
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been a big hit among freedom-hungry Chinese cyber-cognoscenti, placing Beijing in a bind on whether to support or betray him.
Greater Middle East
Kuwait woman sentenced to 11 years for tweeting
A criminal court in Kuwait sentenced a woman to 11 years in prison for remarks she made on Twitter, including insulting Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.
Watching the Shadows
US charges Gitmo detainee with war crimes
The Pentagon announced that military commission charges have been filed against Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, who has been held at Guantánamo Bay since 2007.
Mexico
Mexico: army rescues 165 kidnapped migrants
Thousands of migrants continue to be killed or kidnapped each year as they try to cross Mexico to the US; activists say Mexican officials are involved in some of the crimes.
Mexico
Mexico: three Guerrero activists found murdered
Some 1,000 people turned out for the funeral of three activists found murdered five days after they disappeared following a protest.
The Amazon
Brazil: top indigenous official resigns
Indigenous protests heat up as another Terena protester is shot while trying to occupy lands the Terena say are their territory; tensions continue over the Monte Belo Dam.
Southern Cone
Argentina: eight activists arrested in mine protest
Greenpeace activists carried out a banner drop to dramatize the threat Barrick Gold’s open-pit mining poses to a biosphere reserve in the western province of San Juan.
Central America
Panama: campesinos demonstrate against dams
Campesinos are protesting three dams planned for the area where they live; meanwhile, the indigenous Ngöbe Buglé are still fighting a dam being built in their territory.
Peru backslides on indigenous rights
An indigenous woman pointing to her land expropriated for a copper project at Tintaya village, Cuzco. Recent statements from the Peruvian government do not bode well for implementation of Peru’s new Indigenous Peoples Consultation Law. President Ollanta Humala contends that “there are… Read morePeru backslides on indigenous rights
Javier Diez Canseco, ¡Presente!
On May 7, thousands filled the streets of Lima, as notables and activists from across the spectrum of Peru’s political left joined the funeral march for Javier Diez Canseco, longtime leader of the progressive bloc in the country’s Congress and… Read moreJavier Diez Canseco, ¡Presente!
The Andes
Colombia: indigenous to open dialogue with FARC
Indigenous leaders in Colombia exchanged letters with FARC commander "Timochenko" to discuss a face-to-face dialogue over guerilla aggression against native peoples.
The Amazon
Ecuador violates prior consultation: Amnesty
Amnesty International charges that Ecuador is not respecting the right of indigenous peoples to prior consultation on development decisions impacting their territories.