Iraq
Iraq: jihadi terror targets Christians —again
Gunmen stormed two homes in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, killing the two male heads of the households, the latest in a series of attacks targeting Christians.
North Africa
International protests follow Western Sahara repression
Thousands demonstrated in Madrid against Morocco’s recent crackdown on protesters in the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara, which has left several dead.
Mexico
Mexico: retaliation feared after slaying of Gulf Cartel kingpin
Mexican authorities fear retaliatory violence after the killing of Gulf Cartel kingpin Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén AKA “Tony Tormenta” in a three-hour shootout with soldiers in Matamoros, Tamaulipas state, on Nov. 5. Three cartel gunmen, two members of the security forces… Read moreMexico: retaliation feared after slaying of Gulf Cartel kingpin
Southeast Asia
Torture video reveals “Indonesia’s Abu Ghraib”
In the wake of Barack Obama’s visit to Indonesia, a video has emerged showing the torture of helpless detainees by security forces in the restive territory of West Papua.
Southeast Asia
Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi walks free
Burmese opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi was released by from house arrest after seven years. But critics say the move is “about public relations, not democratic reform.”
Greater Middle East
Lebanon: military court convicts cleric on terrorism charges
A Lebanese military court convicted radical cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed in absentia on terrorism charges and sentenced him to life in prison.
Central America
Google Maps at issue in Central American border conflict
Nicaragua has refused to withdraw troops from a disputed island along the river border with Costa Rica, and is asking Google not to change its maps with respect to the contested area.
Watching the Shadows
No charges to be filed in CIA videotape destruction case
No criminal charges will be brought against CIA officials for destroying videotapes of terror suspect interrogations during the Bush administration, the Justice Department announced.
The Amazon
Peru: CIA releases report on “drug plane” shooting
The CIA has released the full text of a 2008 report on the 2001 downing of a civilian plane in Peru, finding numerous procedural violations that “CIA officers knew of and condoned.”
The Caribbean
Haiti: hurricane passes, cholera spreads
At least eight people died and two disappeared when Hurricane Tomas struck Haiti; the cholera epidemic continues, and health experts fear the flooding from Tomas may help it spread.
Central America
Costa Rica: gold mine protesters end fast
A group of Costa Rican environmental activists held a “Cultural Festival for Life” to conclude a hunger strike they began on Oct. 8 against the projected Las Crucitas open-pit gold mine.
Central America
Guatemala: is the Goldcorp mine still polluting?
Guatemala’s Environment Ministry has filed a criminal complaint against the local subsidiary of the Goldcorp mining giant for possible pollution of the Quivichil River.