Southern Cone
Chile: ‘terrorist’ attacks in Mapuche region
The Chilean government prepared to step up repression against Mapuche activists after an elderly couple died in a fire set at their estate by some 20 masked men.
Central America
Honduras: two more campesinos killed in Aguán
Two campesinos were shot dead as violence continued in land disputes in the Lower Aguán Valley; the victims had been occupying land claimed by a university.
The Caribbean
Dominican Republic: Haitian workers protest
About 100 Haitian immigrant workers protested in front of the Labor Ministry in Santo Domingo, while hundreds more blocked a bridge at the border in the northwest.
The Caribbean
Haiti: Aristide gets questioned; Duvalier gets new passport
A prosecutor met with former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide for about 30 minutes to discuss criminal complaints accusing Aristide of theft, swindling and abuse of confidence.
Afghanistan
Pakistan: Sufi leads anti-corruption protests
Thousands of Pakistanis chanitng “we want change” filled the streets of Islamabad in a massive anti-corruption protest led by Sufi cleric Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri.
Afghanistan
Pakistan: Shi’ites stage die-in —for real
Shi'ites in Quetta, capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, spent three nights in the freezing cold with the bodies of their slain loved ones at one of the city's main intersections.
Mexico
Peace of the graveyard in Ciudad Juárez?
Violent deaths in Ciudad Juárez dropped to 800 last year, down from a peak of 3,622 in 2010—likely because the Sinaloa Cartel has finally crushed local rival, the Juárez Cartel.
The Amazon
Bolivia: deforestation decree protested
A new law promulgated by Bolivia’s President Evo Morales forgives past illegal deforestation in the name of boosting food production—drawing criticism from ecologists.
Planet Watch
Chief Spence maintains hunger strike —despite Ottawa meetings
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Gov-Gen. David Johnston met with First Nations chiefs in Ottawa, but Chief Theresa Spence announced that she will maintain her hunger strike.
North Africa
French air-strikes open Mali intervention
France carried out air-strikes against Islamist rebels in Mali, helping government forces halt a drive southward by the militants who control the country’s desert north.
Palestine
Palestinian activists occupy E1 Corridor
Palestinian activists have established a protest encampment in the E1 Corridor, where Israel plans to build new settlements linking Jerusalem with the Ma’ale Adumim settlement bloc.
The Andes
Bolivia wins coca-chewing victory at UN
Bolivia was re-admitted to the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs —with a special dispensation recognizing traditional use of coca leaf as legal within its borders.