DR Congo Rebels in Standoff (Al Jazeera, 10/14/07)
General Laurent Nkunda shocked the continent last week when he called for his men to take up arms again against militia and government forces. After a short thaw when he offered to demobilize 500 of his men, he has suddenly returned to his former position, insisting that further talks are needed before he will do anything. The general cites concerns over Rwandan Hutu forces combining with the government to kill Tutsis en masse. Already dozens have died on both sides since the clashes began. The fight has even spilled into Virunga National Park, endangering the habitat of some the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas (National Geographic News 10/11/07).

Good Turnout in Togo Elections (Al Jazeera, 10/14/07)
With over 2000 candidates standing for election from one of 31 parties, this year’s election has been a step in the right direction for the Togolese Republic. Official results are expected to be in on Wednesday at the earliest.

Waziristan Aflame
Musharraf has given the country several new reasons to hate him. His recent election win amid the protests of the public, civil servants and lawyers has set the country aflame. Bin Laden had been calling for a holy war against the pro-U.S. president-by-coup; now clashes have begun between the Pakistani military and militants on the Afghanistan border. It began shortly after Musharraf’s controversial win, when 300 militants who are possibly linked with the Taliban and al Qaeda bombed a lorry full of troops, killing 22 and wounding 11(The Economist, 11/10/07). The military responded with a brutal air strike and ground attack that left 250 dead (The Guardian, 11/9/07) and forced tens of thousands to flee the area. The latest report say that dozens of women and children have been killed in the attacks (Al Jazeera, 10/10/07). The injured are being vacated in their beds because supplies cannot get through. The tribal fighters seem to be little weaker than when the attacks began since they have taken 250 Pakistani soldiers hostage , releasing 25 but killing 3 when Musharraf gave them a warning (Al Jazeera, 10/10/07). Incidentally, the American administration considers this province a safe haven for al Qaeda insurgents; the same administration is incensed over France’s rumoured arms deal with Pakistan (Asia Times Online, 11/10/07). Musharraf has made deals with more than just the U.S. ; he has also signed for exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to be pardoned of the corruption charges against her (Asia Times Online, 10/11/07). This action comes not out of the goodness of his heart but in preparation for the power-share deal the two are setting up for January’s parliamentary elections (BBC News, 10/10/07). Bhutto will be vying for her old prime ministerial chair (Times Online, 10/13/07), and has mentioned in an interview that she will get the army back under the control of the legislative branch (Asia Times Online, 10/11/07). All this takes for granted that Bhutto will return; currently the rebellious Pakistan Supreme Court is hearing five petitions filed against Bhutto being given amnesty (BBC News, 10/12/07). This is the same court that has yet to approve Musharraf’s nomination for the presidential seat, and has fought him tooth and nail when he tried unsuccessfully to control it.

Iraqi Fighters Form Resistance Group (Al Jazeera, 10/13/07)
Thousands of fighters have been joined together by a new alliance between armed Sunni groups. The collective have put forth a 14-point statement of intent, which includes a refusal to recognize laws passed in the country during occupation by the U.S. and a plan to create a non-sectarian government.

Indonesia and Malaysia: No Brotherly Love (10/11/07)
The stealing of a national tune caused the latest in a round of quarrels between the two neighbouring nations. Indonesians have for years been protesting the sometimes deplorable treatment of migrant workers in Malaysia, the wealthier of the two countries. The existence of the Rela, a group of Malaysian government-hired thugs who hunt down illegal Indonesian workers, and the recent beat-up of an Indonesia referee at a karate championship, does not help assuage any wounds. Prime ministers of both countries are trying to calm things down.

Table Talk for Monotheists (The Economist, 10/11/07)
138 Muslim scholars have called for a dialogue with Christian readers, declaring that the future of the world depends on their relations. The statement was made towards the end of the holy month of Ramadan, and may help repair relations between the world’s two largest religions. Meanwhile, insurgent forces undertook a special Ramadan bombing campaign in Kabul, killing 49 civilians (Al Jazeera, 10/13/07).

Iraqis Sue Blackwater in the U.S. (Al Jazeera, 10/11/07)
Several families of Iraqis killed by Blackwater security forces are suing the firm in the U.S., citing the company’s violation of U.S. law and fostering of lawlessness among its employees. The law suit follows a series of encounters between Iraqi civilians and mercenaries hired as part of the U.S. occupational force in the country, all of which left several of the former dead or wounded. The Iraqi government has already demanded that the U.S. end its involvement with the security agency (BBC News, 10/09/07).

A Love and Hate Triangle in the Palestinian Territories
The nation is getting increasingly hostile against Palestinians as of late. Israel is planning to confiscate 23 hectares (Al Jazeera, 10/10/07) from residents in the West Bank in order to connect various Palestinian regions. These regions were separated in the first place because of the Israeli wall that is meant to keep all sorts of unwanted people out of the country. Palestinian say that the number of hectares they want to seize is closer to 110. The Israeli army is also barring Palestinian students from Israeli universities (The Guardian, 10/11/07), even though the high court has ordered such restrictions to be relaxed. The students are basically being told that their birthright is nothing but the poverty of the stateless. Recent reports tell of sick Palestinians in need of care being kept out of Israel (United Press International, 10/14/07) because of the culture of fear in that country. Israel is also planning to resume the al-Aqsa dig in an effort to build a pedestrian walkway that desecrates holy sites (Al Jazeera, 10/14/07). After all that, the country also wants a summit meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, a Fatah party member who has been increasingly friendly with the Israeli prime minister. The increasing sophistication of Palestinian rockets may be one of the reasons Israel wants the summit (The Economist, 10/11/07). Hamas has decried the meeting, but has also urged Abbas to be firm with the Israelis (Al Jazeera, 10/12/07). The party has even offered to begin talks with the Fatah party, being willing to even relinquish control over the Gaza strip (BBC News, 10/10/07). Abbas in turn has denied reports that he is in talks with the rival party (United Press International, 10/14/07).

Safe Abortion Services Services Virtually Non-existent Despite 1985 Law (IRIN, 10/12/07)
Despite the fact that Ghana has one of Africa’s most liberal abortion laws (which allows abortions in the case of rape, incest or harm to the mother or child), many women shy away from abortion clinics because of the social stigmata involved. A shocking number have hazardously performed the procedures on their own, greatly increasing the risk of harming themselves.

Iran Leader Urges Summit Boycott (BBC News, 10/13/07)
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the state, is urging Muslim countries to stay away from next month’s U.S.-organized conference. He seconds Palestinian group Hamas’ concern that the summit will strengthen Israel’s position in the Middle East at the cost of the Palestinian territories.

Burma Activist ‘Dies in Custody’ (BBC News, 10/11/07)
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) says that Win Shwe, a 42-year-old activist, has died during torture-based interrogation at the hands of Burmese authorities. The White House has demanded an investigation into his death. This incident is just one of many that are being unveiled from the first-hand recollections of captured monks and activists (The Guardian, 10/11/07).

Vaccine-linked Polio Hits Nigeria (BBC News, 10/10/07)
69 children in the north of the country have caught a deadly form of Polio from their immunized counterparts. Islamic leaders brought a halt to WHO’s immunization program in 2003, leaving many children wanting. WHO says that this outbreak proved the need for more immunization (the Muslim leaders claimed that the vaccine would render women infertile).

Throwing Rice at the Middle East
U.S. Secretary of State has been taking on some world travel, meeting with Putin in Russia before heading off to the Middle East. She was critical of the Kremlin, saying without irony that too much power was concentrated in the Kremlin (BBC News, 10/13/07). She headed down to meet with the Israelis and Palestinians knowing full well that there would be no breakthrough, though progress could be coerced (International Herald Tribune, 10/14/07). Rice rejected Israeli Trade and Labour Minister Yishai’s request to hold an economic meeting with the Palestinians, citing that Abbas represented only 40% of the Palestinian people (United Press International, 10/14/07). She even warned Israel about its imminent plan to seize Palestinian land (10/14/07). Rice also warned Turkey on its riding ambition to invade Iraq to route out Kurdish fighters that have been attacking its border (Al Jazeera, 10/13/07).

Soldiers Storm Maldives Mosque (The Guardian, 10/10/07)
Hundreds of soldiers invaded makeshift Dhar-ul-Khair mosque on Himandhoo Island. The raid came after the kidnapping of a policeman by 70 masked men armed with swords and iron rods. Events such as a recent bomb blast in Male are causing fear among government officials about the emergence of radicalism in the island region.

In India, a $2,500 Pace Car (International Herald Tribune, 10/11/07)
Tata Motors will soon unveil a People’s Car, as it is called, priced economically at $2,500. There is a large demand for these automobiles in the world’s second fastest-growing car market, and makers are rushing to meet this demand. India is also on its way to clearing up some of the congestion in its major cities by introducing better mass transport systems (Asia Times Online, 10/12/07)

Special: Reports on Africa
The decade’s worst meningitis epidemic will hit Africa after the rain season, according to the World Health Organization (IRIN, 10/09/07). The region known as the ‘meningitis belt,’ stretching from Ethiopia to Mauritania, will be hit the worst. 80 million people in 21 countries are at risk. War in Africa costs U.S. $18bn annually (AllAfrica, 10/10/07), according to this combined report. In fact, the amount spent on international aid to the continent equals the cost of the conflict (Al Jazeera, 10/11/07).

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For an excellent look at labor relations around the world, check out Nathan Coe’s Labor News Roundup. For an under-the-microscope view of politics and the emerging consumerist culture, read mwm’s If you knew… this week. Also take a look at Sam Urquhart’s look at the various forms of resistance against government and corporations in Reliable Resistance.