North Africa

Italy to intervene in Tunisia?

Tunisia’s government harshly condemned a suggestion by Rome that Italian security forces could be sent to the North African country to stem the flow of undocumented migrants.

North Africa

Self-immolation in Morocco

A young man died in central Morocco after setting himself on fire in despair at his economic situation—recalling the incident that set off the Tunisian revolution.

Greater Middle East

Bahrain: one dead as toops fire on funeral march

Security forces in Bahrain fired tear gas and bird shot on mourners gathered for a funeral procession for a man killed in the first Egypt-inspired protests to reach the Gulf.

Greater Middle East

Egypt: paranoids see neocon conspiracy (again)

The fact that Egyptian protesters drew inspiration from Serbia’s Otpor and international nonviolence guru Gene Sharp is fueling further conspiranoid speculation about an astroturf revolution.

Europe

Nazis turned back in Dresden, march in Budapest

Thousands of anti-fascists encircled Dresden to block a neo-Nazi “funeral march” commemorating the city’s 1945 bombardment, while fascists marched in Budapest to mark its fall to the Allies.

East Asia

Russo-Japanese arms race over Kuril Islands

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's trip last year to the disputed Kuril Islands has sparked both a regional military build-up and a diplomatic war of words with Japan.

The Andes

Bolivia: protests over food prices

Bolivian President Evo Morales retreated from the southern mining city of Oruro after protesters angered by rising food prices and shortages jeered him and set off dynamite.