The March English edition of Le Monde Diplomatique has an in-depth story on the state of the world’s oil industry, “Hydrocarbon nationalism: States claim back their energy reserves,” which sheds much light on the underlying imperatives for the Iraq adventure…. Read moreSpecter of “hydrocarbon nationalism” drives Iraq war
Indonesia has collected DNA samples from relatives of major terrorism suspects, police officials said March 26 at the opening of a new DNA laboratory developed jointly with the Australian Federal Police. Indonesian national police chief General Sutanto told reporters that… Read moreIndonesia: DNA surveillance of “terrorists”
India’s Maoists guerillas threatened more attacks March 26, 11 days after they killed 55 police and tribal militia in a raid on their camp in the central state of Chhattisgarh. The two-page statement signed by “Azad” called the attack a… Read moreIndia: Maoists pledge to resist anti-guerilla drive
NATO warplanes carried out airstrikes in Helmand province March 25, killing 19 militants and bringing the toll from a four-day operation to 99, the Afghan defence ministry said. (AFP, March 26) Fighting in the region continues to claim the lives… Read moreAfghanistan: more civilians bombed
Pakistani agents recovered three Iranian policemen who were kidnapped by Baluch militants and handed them back to authorities in Iran, while a fourth is believed to have been killed. The four police were abducted Feb. 27 by the Jundallah militant… Read moreIran-Pakistan cooperation against Baluch rebels
The Tamil Tiger rebels launched their first air strike March 26, hitting a Sri Lankan air base near Colombo. They Defense Ministry said three airmen were killed and 16 wounded, but the military’s newly-purchased MIG fighter jets were not damaged…. Read moreAl-Qaeda link to Tamil Tigers?
US and Iraqi officials are in contact with representatives of some Sunni insurgent groups to build an alliance against al-Qaeda in Iraq, outgoing US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad announced March 26, saying he is cautiously optimistic that “success is possible.” Khalilzad… Read moreNext in Iraq: Sunnni civil war?
Venezuela has announced it is working on a number of new oil deals with China, as it aims to reduce its dependence upon crude exports to the US. The China National Petroleum Corporation is expected to sink new investments in… Read moreVenezuela seeks China oil deals
The Los Angeles Times reported March 25 on new CIA intelligence indicating that the Colombia’s army chief, Gen. Mario Montoya, collaborated extensively with right-wing paramilitaries that Washington considers terrorist organizations. The report circulated within the CIA and obtained by the… Read moreColombia rejects CIA report on army-para ties
Early on March 20 in Tirua, in Chile’s Region VIII, police arrested Jose Huenchunao Marinan, a Mapuche community leader (werken) and activist who had been in hiding for nearly three years. Huenchunao, a member of the Arauco-Malleco Mapuche Coordinating Committee,… Read moreChile: another Mapuche leader arrested
On March 24 Salvador Garcia Ledesma, general operations director of the Mexican mining company Luismin, offered to pay the community of Nuevo Carrizalillo, Eduardo Neri municipality, in the southern state of Guerrero, an annual rent of 8,000 pesos (about $726)… Read moreMexico: Guerrero mine blockade continues
Followers of the People’s Front in Defense of the Land (FPDT) from the central Mexican village of San Salvador Atenco marched and blocked the Texcoco-Lecheria federal highway to demand the liberation of 31 of their comrades from Altiplano and Santiaguito… Read moreMexico: Atenco campesinos march for political prisoners
