Afghanistan
Nazis occupy Afghanistan —really
Two Czech soldiers serving in Afghanistan wore the insignia of SS divisions on their helmets, as German troops are engaged in their first ground offensive since World War II.
The Andes
Colombia: court rules against US bases plan as more details revealed
A Colombian court finds that the new agreement for US military bases in the country must be approved by legislators, as a Pentagon document says the deal allows “full spectrum operations.”
Central America
Honduras: political deal “dead”; bogus “unity government” declared
The US and OAS are divided on whether to recognize the Honduran elections after the collapse of the Washington-brokered deal to solve the political crisis in the Central American country.
Africa
Eritrea: rights report blasts torture state
A new report by the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights details “extensive and systematic” rights violations faced by thousands of political prisoners in Eritrea.
Watching the Shadows
Conspiracy vultures descend on Fort Hood shootings
The conspiro-sphere is abuzz with the revelation that the presumed gunman in the Fort Hood shootings worshipped at the same Virginia mosque as two 9-11 hijackers—and other anomalies.
Europe
Dresden synagogue defaced with swastikas —on Kristallnacht anniversary
Giant swastikas appeared on the walls of the synagogue in Dresden, Germany, on the eve of the Kristallnacht anniversary. The Special Commission on Right-wing Extremism is investigating.
Southern Cone
Inter American Press Association: free speech under attack across hemisphere
Coverage of IAPA’s annual meeting in Buenos Aires focused on legal measures limiting press freedoms in populist regimes, but use of terror against the media is escalating in US allies such as Mexico.
The Amazon
Peru: indigenous people face off with Hunt Oil in rainforest
Some 200 indigenous people have gathered at the settlement of Salvación, the local base for Hunt Oil in the rainforest region of southeast Peru, in an ongoing occupation to halt the company’s operations.
Europe
Czech neo-Nazis planned terror attacks, police abductions
The neo-Nazi organization White Justice has been preparing terrorist attacks and abductions of police officers and “highly positioned Jews” in the Czech Republic, local media report.
Southern Cone
Paraguay: military shake-up amid coup rumblings
Paraguay’s President Fernando Lugo fired the head of the armed forces two days after he sacked the commanders of the army, navy and air force amid rumors of a coup.
The Amazon
Venezeula: isolated Amazon people die in “swine flu” epidemic
Seven Yanomami Indians in Venezuela have died from an outbreak of suspected “swine flu” in the last two weeks. Another 1,000 Yanomami are reported to have caught the virulent strain of flu.
Greater Middle East
Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen?
The Defense Ministry in Sanaa denied local media reports that Saudi jets struck within Yemeni territory after Houthi rebels seized territory along the kingdom’s southern border.