Police fire rubber bullets to scatter protesters as violence flares in South African towns

October 6th, 2009 Madagascar police use tear gas on protestersANTANANARIVO, Madagascar — Police have dispersed protesters with tear gas outside a meeting of mediators who hope to smooth over Madagascar's post-coup political turmoil. African Union commissioner Jean Ping says the third meeting of African Union and southern African mediators on Tuesday hopes to reach a peaceful political solution after a coup in March.

September 25th, 2009 Pittsburgh braces for more clashes at G-20 summitPITTSBURGH — Authorities braced for scattered protests at dozens of businesses and organizations Friday, one day after riot police turned back hundreds of demonstrators on the first day of the Group of 20 summit, arresting nearly 70 people. Police, in an overwhelming show of force, declared a Thursday afternoon march illegal almost as soon as it began, firing rubber bullets and canisters of pepper spray and smoke after small bands of anarchists responded to calls to disperse by rolling huge metal trash bins, throwing rocks and breaking windows.

September 17th, 2009 South African president condemns soldiers' protestCAPE TOWN, South Africa — South Africa's president on Thursday strongly condemned striking soldiers who recently clashed with police, calling their actions "despicable in the extreme," but he pledged to address their concerns. Jacob Zuma told reporters that a special forum will be established to improve the soldiers' working conditions.

September 16th, 2009 SAfrica police bust drug smuggling syndicateJOHANNESBURG — South African police say they've busted an international drug smuggling syndicate housed in a warehouse with African souvenirs. South Africa's prosecuting authority says three Britons face drug smuggling charges.

September 6th, 2009 MIDRAND - The South African government is fast-tracking the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system negotiation process with the taxi industry, BUaNews reported Sunday. "The negotiation process will continue.

August 30th, 2009 Report: S. African army investigates kidnap plotJOHANNESBURG — A South African newspaper reported Sunday that the army is investigating an alleged plot by disgruntled soldiers to kidnap the defense minister and top military officials. But the leader of a soldier's union dismissed the allegations, saying they were merely part of a government campaign to discredit the union.

August 26th, 2009 SAfrican police clash with protesting soldiersJOHANNESBURG — Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas as violence flared during a wage protest by South African soldiers in the streets of Pretoria, the capital. A policeman and several soldiers were injured.

August 22nd, 2009 Thousands demonstrate over Venezuela education lawCARACAS, Venezuela — Police dispersed opponents of President Hugo Chavez's government on Saturday as thousands demonstrated both for and against an education law that critics fear will lead to political indoctrination in schools. Officers fired tear gas, a water cannon and rubber bullets to scatter opposition marchers as they tried to break through a police barrier.

August 7th, 2009 Protesters clash with UN troops in rural HaitiPORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Gunshots were fired during a confrontation between U.N. troops and demonstrators on Haiti's central plateau that injured at least three people, peacekeepers said Thursday.

July 23rd, 2009 Security forces kill 12 protesters in south YemenSAN'A, Yemen — Yemeni security forces on Thursday opened fire on thousands of protesters in the south chanting anti-government slogans, killing 12 and wounding scores of others, medics and eyewitnesses said. Yemen's north and south were separate countries until they united in 1990, only to dissolve into a monthslong civil war four years later when the south tried unsuccessfully to secede.

July 23rd, 2009 Marseille fire under control after evacuationsPARIS — France's prime minister accused Foreign Legionnaires of "serious professional errors" Thursday for firing tracer bullets blamed for a fire that spread across countryside to the city of Marseille. Three firefighters and four police officers suffered light injuries, according to the local police headquarters.

June 12th, 2009 Police fire tear gas in Peru protestsLIMA, Peru — Riot police have fired tear gas to keep protesters away from Peru's Congress as thousands march in favor of Amazon Indians who want it to overturn laws they say threaten their lands. Some 4,000 students, labor unions and other native Peruvians from the country's Andean highlands to its jungle lowlands joined the mostly peaceful nationwide protests.

June 2nd, 2009 Police say 61 miners found dead in South AfricaJOHANNESBURG — Police say the bodies of another 25 illegal miners have been brought up from an abandoned shaft where 36 others had been found dead over the weekend in central South Africa. Police are calling on relatives to help identify the 61 victims who died searching for gold.

June 1st, 2009 South African mining co.: 36 illegal miners killedJOHANNESBURG — An underground fire in an abandoned shaft has apparently killed 36 illegal miners, South Africa's Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited said Monday. In a statement, the company said the bodies were brought to the surface by other illegal miners over the weekend.

May 6th, 2009 Several said injured in Georgia clashTBILISI, Georgia — Police armed with truncheons have beat opposition leaders during a protest in Georgia. It appeared to be the most serious outbreak of violence in more than three weeks of demonstrations calling for President Mikhail Saakashvili's resignation.