Southern Cone

Chile: students lay out plans for more protests

Student protesters in Chile say they’ll keep up the pressure on the government at least until Sept. 11, the anniversary of the bloody coup that started the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.

North Africa

Tear gas in Tunis as workers call for “new revolution”

Tunisian police fired tear-gas as a rally called by the General Workers’ Union (UGTT) was joined by some 2,000 protesting the lack of political reform since the overthrow of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January.

Mexico

Sinaloa Cartel kingpin charges DEA gave him “carte blanche”

Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Jesus Vicente Zambada Niebla AKA “El Mayito” filed pleadings in US court accusing the DEA of giving the cartel “carte blanche to continue to smuggle tons of illicit drugs into Chicago and the rest of the United States.”

The Amazon

Bolivia: indigenous mobilize against inter-oceanic highway

Indigenous people in the eastern lowlands of Bolivia are preparing to set out on the long overland march to La Paz to protest plans for a trans-oceanic highway to be built through their rainforest lands with the backing of the Brazilian government.

The Andes

Bolivia signs lithium exploration deal with China

Bolivia’s President Evo Morales, on a visit to Beijing, signed an agreement with the China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) to conduct lithium exploration in the Andean country’s Coipasa salt flats.

Europe

The Economist fears “Anarchy in the UK”

The Economist sees “Anarchy in the UK” in the riots that have spread from London to Birmingham and Liverpool, as Trinidadian writer Darcus Howe tells the BBC the riots are “an insurrection of the people,” similar to what “is happening in Syria.”