Europe

Spain: thousands of “indignados” defy protest ban

Tens of thousands of protesters have filled the main squares of Spain’s cities for the past week to protest government austerity measures—in defiance of a government ban imposed ahead of municipal and regional elections.

Planet Watch

“Global weirding” seen in extreme weather events

Extreme weather events, such as the flooding now devastating much of the South, are likely to increase in the future due to biospheric imbalance that once scientist terms “global weirding.”

North Africa

Libya: ethnic cleansing in Nafusah Mountains?

Moammar Qaddafi’s forces are carrying an offensive into Libya’s western Nafusah Mountains that is not only targetting rebel training camps and supply routes, but villages of the indigenous Amazigh (Berber) population.

Central America

Guatemala arrests ex-Kaibil in Zeta massacre

Guatemalan police arrested a presumed leader of the Zetas narco-paramilitary network who authorities say is likely commander of the assassin squad that carried out this week's grisly massacre of 27 farmworkers.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan: US raid sparks local uprising

At least 11 people were killed and more than 80 injured as a protest demonstration sparked by a deadly US raid erupted into clashes with security forces in Taliqan, capital of Afghanistan’s northeast Takhar province.

Greater Middle East

Al-Qaeda appoints interim successor to bin Laden: report

Saif al-Adel, an Egyptian ex-military officer who helped establish the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, has reportedly been named as al-Qaeda’s interim leader as the organization awaits a formal successor to Osama bin Laden.

Mexico

Mexico: government accused of GMO violations

The Mexican government is violating its own laws on genetically modified organisms (GMO) in the way it handles experimental corn crops, according to a complaint by Greenpeace.