Africa

Somalia: West to groom Sufis as proxies?

More voices are raised calling for the West to play a Sufi card against Islamist insurgents in Somalia, as well as Pakistan and elsewhere. But will this only destroy the Sufis’ credibility?

Europe

Spain: ETA cell busted?

Spanish police arrested three suspected ETA suspects in Guipúzcoa June 23. The Interior Ministry said the three formed an “armed commando” which was prepared to go into action immediately, but denied it was responsible for a June 19 car bomb… Read moreSpain: ETA cell busted?

Iran

Iran: wave of sit-ins at universities

While the fate of dozens of detained students remains in limbo, students at universities across Iran continue daily sit-ins to protests what they are calling the “electoral coup” of June 12.

Afghanistan

US bombs Pakistan —again

At least 45 were killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan’s South Waziristan region. Those killed had been attending a funeral for others killed in a US drone strike earlier in the day.

Central America

Guatemala: protesters burn mine equipment

Indigenous protesters set fire to equipment at the Canadian-owned Marlin gold mine in western Guatemala, saying the company illegally operated on their land, endangering their water supply.

Iran

Iran: Revolutionary Guards pledge repression

Police again broke up protests in Tehran, as the Revolutionary Guards warned they would crush what they called “rioters” opposing the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.