At least 5,000 workers have been laid off recently in free trade zone (FTZ) factories in the Dominican Republic's Santiago province, according to the United Unions Federation, which is made up of 38 unions in the northern Dominican Republic. FTZs are industrial parks for tax-exempt assembly plants producing for export. The job cuts included layoffs of 1,000 workers at FM Industries, which makes pants for export to the US, on April 7; the dismissal of 2,000 workers by a plant that made cigars for export to the US and Europe; and the loss of 600 jobs when a footwear company closed after 50 years in business. (Latin American Herald Tribune, April 9 from EFE)

A spokesperson for the Iranian Judiciary announced April 14 that an imprisoned US journalist has been tried on espionage charges. The Revolutionary Court of Iran conducted the trial of Roxana Saberi, accused of passing classified information to US intelligence agencies, in proceedings closed to the public.

US Army Sgt. John Hatley entered a plea of not guilty to murder charges at his court-martial April 13 for the killing of four unarmed Iraqi prisoners in 2007. Hatley, along with Sgt. Michael Leahy, Jr. and Sgt. 1st Class John Mayo, was charged in September with premeditated murder, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice. Hatley also faces murder charges for a separate killing of a prisoner during early January 2007. The trial opened at a US military base in Germany, with a verdict expected later this week. If convicted, Hatley could face life in prison.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the April 12 killing of Sitara Achakzai, a women's rights advocate in Afghanistan and a member of Kandahar's provincial assembly. Achakzai, who had returned to Afghanistan to fight for women's rights after living in Germany during the Taliban's rule, was shot outside her home after being approached by gunmen on motorcycles.

At least six paramilitary troops of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were killed in India's eastern Orissa state after dozens of Maoist guerillas attacked a NALCO bauxite mine April 12. Four guerillas also died in the nine-hour battle in the Panchpatmali area. Police said they rescued 150 people trapped by the fighting. The Naxalite guerillas apparently sought to steal explosives from the mine but fled without them, police said. (One India, BBC News, April 13) On April 10, a Naxalite ambush on a jungle patrol in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh state left 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troops dead, including a deputy commandant. (PTI, April 10)

Peru's Sendero Luminoso guerillas killed 13 soldiers in two ambushes April 9 in the Valle del Ríos Apurimac y Ene (VRAE) zone of Ayacucho region, military authorities have announced. In the first ambush, one soldier was killed, three were wounded, and two are missing. A captain and 11 soldiers died in a second rebel ambush on a patrol, using dynamite and grenades. Two other soldiers were wounded in the second attack, and one is still missing. The army is carrying out searches in the area where the attacks took place, around Sanabamba community, Ayahuanco district, Huanta province. Authorities have cut telephone communications in the area. (BBC News, April 12; RPP, Peru, April 11)

Mexico's ambassador to the US, Arturo Sarukhan, speaking to Bob Schieffer of CBS' "Face the Nation" April 12, once again called the norteamericanos to task for allowing a highly unregulated gun trade which is fueling armed violence south of the border. Transcript from CQ Politics:

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in El Paso deported former Gulf Cartel kingpin José Manuel Garza Rendón back to Mexico, handing him to Mexican federal authorities across the international bridge with Ciudad Juárez April 10. Garza Rendón had already served a nine-year term in a US federal prison in West Texas for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. He has been wanted in Mexico since 2002 on charges of organized crime, attempted murder and possession of firearms that can be legally used exclusively by the Mexican army. (Reuters, April 11)