Planet Watch

Canada’s high court upholds aboriginal title

First nations across British Columbia are celebrating a unanimous ruling by Canada's Supreme Court that recognizes aboriginal title to traditional territories outside reserves.

Southern Cone

Chile: HidroAysén dam project is scrapped

Years of protests have succeeded in blocking a giant dam project in southern Chile, but Barrick Gold is still working to reopen construction at its mammoth Pascua Lama mine.

Mexico

Mexico: more narco-mineral exports seized

Mexican authorities seized a ship carrying 68,000 tons of illegal iron ore bound for China—hailed as the latest blow against the drug cartels' contraband mineral sideline.

Greater Middle East

Turkish miners: ‘Burn AKP!’

Thousands of Turkish workers went on strike to express their outrage over the mining disaster at Soma, where angry protests by local miners and their families continue.

The Andes

Peru: OAS rights body rules in Conga case

The Organization of American States rights commission ordered Peru's government to protect local residents facing threats over their opposition to the Conga mining project.

The Andes

Ecuador: face-off in Intag Valley mining dispute

Hundreds of police troops occupied Ecuador's Intag Valley, backing up a team sent to carry out an impact study for the Junín mining project—over the protests of local campesinos.

Oceania

Rival trade pacts vie for Pacific hegemony

China is proposing a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP) in  a race with the US-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) for hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Andes

May Day mining disaster in Colombia

An unknown number of miners—perhaps as many as 40—were buried alive as an illegal gold mine collapsed at El Palmar, in Colombia's southern region of Cauca.

Central Asia

US plays Mongolia card against China

Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel signed a "joint vision" statement with Mongolia calling for expanded military cooperation—clearly aimed at further encirclement of China.