Africa
Protests rock Swaziland
Inspired by the Arab Spring, protesters in Swaziland are calling for King Mswati III—Africa’s last absolute monarch—to allow multi-party democracy and rescind salary cuts to public employees.
Greater Middle East
Yemen tipping into civil war?
At least seven were killed, including four police officers who clashed with a dissident army unit, as hundreds of thousands of anti-regime protesters again rallied across Yemen to demand the ouster of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Iran
Iran: labor strife, pipeline blast as tension grows in Persian Gulf
A wave of wildcat strikes has broken out in factories across Iran, as the regime blamed Western-backed “terrorists” for an explosion on a gas pipeline near Qom and military tensions rise in the Gulf region.
The Caribbean
Cuba: US loses Posada Carriles case —again
A federal jury in El Paso, Texas, acquitted Cuban-born former CIA “asset” Luis Posada Carriles of 11 counts of fraud and obstruction of justice, handing US prosecutors their latest defeat in the case.
The Caribbean
Haiti: “Sweet Micky” Martelly will be “new driver in same vehicle”
Popular singer Michel (“Sweet Micky”) Martelly defeated fellow right-winger Mirlande Hyppolite Manigat in the race for Haiti’s presidency—but real power still lies with the multinational Interim Haiti Recovery Commission.
Mexico
Mexico: US admits to mistakes in 32-year “drug war”
William Brownfield, US assistant secretary of state for international narcotics, admitted the architects of the hemispheric drug war were wrong in assuming the problem “could be resolved quickly with an aggressive campaign.”
The Andes
Colombia: rebels and paras provided security for Chiquita
Recently declassified internal documents show that Chiquita had a much closer relation with leftist rebels and rightwing paramilitaries than Chiquita has admitted in the past.
The Andes
Colombia: workers, students protest FTA, privatization
As many as 1.5 million unionists, students and teachers demonstrated in various cities to protest a free trade agreement (FTA) with the US and proposed changes in the education system.
North Africa
Morocco claims: Polisario rebels fight for Qaddafi
The Moroccan media are making much of a report in Italy’s Corriere della Sera that Western Sahara guerillas are fighting for Qaddafi—as well as claims from the Tripoli regime that they are fighting against Qaddafi!
East Asia
China: where is Ai Weiwei —and his website?
Dissident artist Ai Weiwei is being held incommunicado by Chinese authorities after posting a coded protest image to his website. The website remains online, but practically devoid of content—suggesting it has been heavily censored.
East Asia
Fukushima nuclear alert goes to level seven —on par with Chernobyl
Japan raised the severity level of its nuclear crisis to seven—putting it on par with the Chernobyl disaster—as stricken reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi complex continue to release large amounts of radioactive substances.
Africa
French forces aid in capture of besieged Ivory Coast leader Gbagbo
French special forces aided in the capture of Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo, who apparently surrendered after French tanks moved in on his residence while it was surrounded by opposition leader Alassane Ouattara’s forces.