In what the Colombian press is explicitly portraying as a "farcpolítica" scandal to rival the "parapolítica" outrage, chief prosecutor Mario Iguarán asked the Supreme Court to investigate three opposition legislators for alleged links to the FARC guerillas. The investigations were reportedly prompted by data from laptop computers seized in the March 1 cross-border raid into Ecuador. Under suspicion is Sen. Piedad Cordoba (Liberal Party), who helped mediate the recent release of six FARC-held hostages. She maintains her links with FARC were only to help free the hostages. Only the high court can bring charges against sitting legislators.

ETA commander Francisco Javier López Peña AKA "Thierry"—on the run since 1983 and held responsible for ending the last ceasefire—was arrested late May 20 in Bordeaux in a joint operation involving the French Gendarmerie and Spanish Guardia Civil. Arrested with Thierry at a downtown apartment were Ainhoa Ozaeta Mendiondo, Igor Suberbiola and Jon Salaberría, a former member of the Basque parliament and Batasuna leader. All four were armed, but did not resist. Ozaeta Mendiondo is the voice who reads ETA's communiqués in media releases, and said to be the lover of the son of veteran militant Josu Ternera. (ThinkSpain, May 21)

Tashi YangtsoFrom the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, May 21:

Three Tibetan nuns from Tehor Nyagay Nunnery, in Kardze County were arrested by the County Chinese security forces for staging a peaceful protest, according to reliable sources within Tibet.

The Chinese government is refusing to issue visas to thousands of Hindus seeking to make the traditional summer pilgrimage to a Tibetan mountain said to be the home of Lord Shiva. The Indian foreign ministry, which is working with Chinese authorities to make arrangements for almost 1,000 pilgrims selected by lottery, said Beijing had informed New Delhi it was not ready for the visitors—presumably due to the ongoing unrest.

The New York Times's Nazila Fathi writes in a May 20 story entitled "Iranian Clerics Tell the President to Leave the Theology to Them":

TEHRAN — In his almost three years as president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been harshly criticized in the West. But he is increasingly drawing fire from Shiite clerics here, who accuse him of using religion to distract attention from his government’s failure to deliver on promises of prosperity and political freedoms.

Egyptian authorities escalated their crackdown on Darfur rebel groups maintaining offices in Cairo, expelling Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) representative Hafiz Youcif Hamoda from the country. The move comes with increasing pressure on Sudanese migrants and refugees in Egypt. No explanation was given for the expulsion of Hamoda, an adviser to SLM leader Abdel Wahid al-Nur and member of the SLM negotiating team. Speaking with Sudan Tribune from Nairobi, Hamoda said the Egyptian decision is motivated by the "tremendous rapprochement between Khartoum and Cairo."

For the past three days, the disputed Sudanese territory of Abeyi has been undergoing what one local SPLA official calls a "bloodbath," with Misseriya ethnic militiamen attacking local Ngok (Dinka) residents, and Battalion 31 of the Sudan Armed Forces shelling the area "indiscriminately." The SPLA and Ngok residents accuse the Sudan Armed Forces of arming the Misseriya militia in violation of the peace agreement. (New Sudan Vision, May 20)

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change accused President Robert Mugabe's government of setting up a sham investigation into electoral violence to deflect international criticism. The MDC says 43 of its members have been killed and scores forced from their homes by militias loyal to Mugabe since disputed March elections. It says the violence is intended to throw a June 27 run-off vote pitting Mugabe against the MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai.