Up to two million marched in Rome's Circus Maximus Oct. 25 to protest the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi under the slogans "Save Italy" and "Another Italy is possible." Walter Veltroni, leader of the center-left opposition, told the crowds that Berlusconi is incapable of handling Italy's financial crisis—and said the country is moving in a fascist direction under his leadership.

Conservative Colombian congressman Oscar Tulio Lizcano is free Oct. 26 after more than eight years as a hostage of the FARC guerillas—their longest-held captive. But news accounts diverge widely on the details of his liberation. CBS says he was "freed" by the Colombian army. RTT News reports he was "rescued" by the armed forces. But Reuters writes that Lizcano "escaped through the jungles with one of his captors," and they "traveled for three days before reaching an army post where the guerrilla surrendered."

The Mexican government has offered a $370,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the killers of Andres Dimitriadis, sub-prosecutor for organized crime with the Prosecutor General of Morelos. Dimitriadis was shot in his car with his two guards in the Morelos capital of Cuernavaca as he drove home late on Oct. 23. More than 100 rounds of ammunition were fired at the vehicle. The attack took place just 300 meters from the Cuernavaca federal police headquarters. (BBC News, Oct. 26; La Jornada, Oct. 25)

A statement from the Iraq Freedom Congress, Oct. 19:

Thousands of Workers Took To the Street against the Minister of Finance
US Troops and National Guards Surround the Event While the Labor Leaders Deliver Their Speeches
In a series of demonstrations led by workers of the Ministry of Industry against the Minister of Finance and government decisions that intend workers salaries cut back under terms of the International Monetary Fund, a massive demonstration was organized today October 19, 2008 in Firdaus Square in Baghdad, where thousands of workers have participated.

Some 30,000 indigenous protesters arrived in the Colombian city of Cali Oct. 25, where President Álvaro Uribe pledges to meet with their leaders this weekend for a dialogue on land conflicts and investigations into 1,240 indigenous Colombians who have been killed in the six years he has been in power.

Brazilian military exercises along the border with Paraguay are escalating tensions between the South American neighbors. Operation Southern Border II mobilized 3,500 soldiers from the Brazilian armed forces Oct. 19 along the border, as part of a larger force of some 10,000 soldiers also deployed along the borders with Uruguay and Argentina. The troops are to remain in place until Oct. 24. Paraguay's President Fernando Lugo warned Brazil in a news conference in Asunción that "not even one millimeter of the territorial sovereignty of the country can be bothered"—or "the Paraguayan reaction will be swift."

Supposed Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Jesús "El Rey" Zambada was among 16 arrested Oct. 22 after a street battle with police in which a grenade destroyed a car. Prosecutor General Eduardo Medina said Zambada's son and nephew, two federal police officers and one state police officer were also among those arrested. Zambada was identified as the brother of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who allegedly heads the cartel along with the wanted Joaquin "Shorty" Guzmán.

Colombian authorities announced Oct. 21 they've broken up a drug and money laundering ring in an international operation that included the capture of three suspected of shipping funds to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. More than 100 suspects were arrested in Colombia and overseas on charges that they trafficked drugs and laundered cash for Colombia's Norte del Valle cartel.