Indigenous people in Peru have concluded a week of nationwide militant protests against new laws that would have opened their lands to exploitation for oil and gas. An estimated 12,000 people from 65 tribes participated in actions including armed road blockades, clashes with police (2 officers taken hostage), and the seizure of a gas field and an oil pipeline, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in two provinces and the repeal of the challenged laws.


Another belated yet heart-warming item: Silverton, OR - Between 4:15 and 6:00 am on the night of August 1, someone slashed 20 tires in the Silverton Police Department's parking lot, immobilizing 4 of the town's 6 cruisers. Police have claimed the damage cost between $5,000 and $7,000.