Riot police in Tunis used tear-gas on Oct. 9 to disperse hundreds of young Islamists who fought back with stones, knives and sticks. At least 40 were arrested. The Islamists were protesting against Tunisia's long-standing ban on university enrollment by women who wear the niqab, or full-face veil, as well as a TV station's plan to broadcast animated film Persepolis, which they say denigrates their faith. Tunisians will vote in an Oct. 23 election for an assembly to draft a new constitution. The Islamist Ennahda party is expected to win the biggest share of the vote, alarming secularists. (AP, Reuters, Oct. 9)

Reporters Without Borders issued a statement protesting the Oct. 4 decision by a military court in Cairo to postpone the hearing of jailed blogger Maikel Nabil Sanad's appeal until Oct. 11. The postponement is way to keep Sanad in detention without hearing his case, the press freedom organization said. Family and supporters are more worried than ever about the young blogger’s deteriorating health, as he has now been on hunger strike for 48 days in protest of his detainment. However, at a press conference, his brother Mark said that Maikel is "staying strong and will not be broken."

At least 20 are dead after a march of 10,000 Copts on Cairo's state TV building was attacked by stone-throwing counter-protesters. A street battle ensued as the Coptic protesters fought back and hurled stones at their assailants. Gun shots were fired in the air as army troops intervened in the clash. Egyptian TV showed protesters throwing petrol bombs and army vehicles burning outside the television building. The dead include 16 protesters and two soldiers, with some 40 people injured. Among those killed are Mina Daniel, an activist and blogger; Wael Yunna, a journalist for Coptic TV; and Michael Mosaad, a leader of the Maspero Youth Union, which organized the protest.

Hundreds of Afghans marched through Kabul on Oct. 6—eve of the 10-year anniversary of the US military campaign in their country—to condemn United States forces as occupiers and demand the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops. About 300 men and women gathered early in the morning near a shrine in the city's center, holding placards and banners accusing the US of "massacring" civilians while denouncing President Hamid Karzai as a puppet of Washington. "Occupation—atrocities—brutality," read one sign, held by two women with scarves covering their head and face. (Reuters, Oct. 6)

Warlords are using threats to pressure municipal officials to fraudulently prepare ownership documents for the lands that they have already grabbed in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province, a local mayor said this week. Dozens of acres of land had been grabbed in Pul-i-Khumri by the strongmen, who are forcing municipal officials to give them ownership documents, Sahib Nazar Sangin told the local Pajhwok Afghan News. Employees of the land records department have been beaten up several times on order of the warlords, who have fighters and weapons at their disposal, the mayor complained. He added a retired general of the interior ministry, known as Habib, was among those who had seized the municipality's land in the Silo area, and is now using his influence and force to get documents. "Recently, the commander insulted me in my office for refusing to prepare documents for him," Sangin said.

Peru has leased its first five oil and gas exploration contracts since passing a new law designed to protect the country's indigenous peoples. Exploration blocks have been awarded to British firm Pitkin Petroleum (Lot 18, Piura region) and Colombia's Ecopetrol (Lot 179, Loreto region). Another British firm, Hydrocarbon Exploration, has contracts to explore two blocks (Lots 183 and 188, in Loreto and Ucayali). Another block is leased to Argentina's Tecpetrol (Lot 174, Ucayali). State agency PeruPetro said the companies, which won the exploration rights through a tender in July, re-signed in October with an added clause confirming "their commitment to strictly comply with the law of prior consultation." (FT, Oct. 4; RPP, Sept. 29; La Mula, Lima, Aug. 4)

Thousands of protesters returned to Madrid's central square, the Puerta del Sol, Oct. 6, as students, parents and teachers joined in a massive march against education spending cuts by the Spanish capital's provincial government. "Defend public education, make cuts for bankers," read the lead banner, while other slogans included "Yes, there is money, but the bankers have it," "Less vultures and more desks," and "Education is not a waste, it's an investment." Some 85% of the city's students walked out of class for the march. Media accounts of the march's size varied widely, with AFP putting it at 4,000, and El País claiming 68,000.

Authorities in Peru say National Police rescued 293 women from sexual exploitation in raids across the country's Amazonian region of Madre de Dios. At least four people were arrested in the regional capital Puerto Maldonado on suspicion of human trafficking. Among those rescued from about 50 brothels were at least 10 minors—the youngest being a 13-year-old girl. More than 400 police agents took part in the three-day operation across the region, known for its illegal gold mining. Authorities said some of the women were being held against their will in mining camps, while others had been forced to work as prostibares—prostitutes who operate out of bars that line the region's main road. Last month, the charity Save the Children said that more than 1,100 underage girls were being used as sexual slaves in illegal mining camps in Madre de Dios. Many were lured to the region with promises of work in shops or as domestic helpers, only to find themselves forced to work as prostitutes. (BBC News, Oct. 4; Crónica Viva, Lima, EFE, Oct. 3)