From the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq (OWFI), Jan. 22:

To: Kurdistan Regional Government

International Campaign to remove Article No 7 from the Kurdistan regional constitution!

Article 7 of the proposed constitution for Kurdistan is an open threat to the rights and freedoms of the people.

This is what George Bernard Shaw called "the extreme form of censorship." From the New York Times, Jan. 19:

ISTANBUL — The editor of Turkey's only Armenian-language newspaper was assassinated today on an Istanbul street.

From the China Daily, Jan. 18:

An online campaign initiated by a television host to drive Starbucks out of the Forbidden City has won the backing of more than half a million netizens, who see the presence of the coffee chain in the heart of Beijing as an insult to Chinese culture.

From the AP, Jan. 19:

CAIRO — An Egyptian blogger went on trial Thursday on charges of insulting Islam and causing sectarian strife with his Internet writings. Egypt's first prosecution of a blogger came as Washington has backed away from pressuring its Mideast ally to improve its human rights record and bring democratic reform.

Another glimmer of hope—or is someone going to rain on our parade by demonstrating that these people are all domesticated neocons or State Department dupes? From the AP, Jan. 19:

NEW YORK - In a statement to be published next week, more than 100 Iranian activists outside that country have condemned its recent conference questioning the Holocaust.

From the New York Times, Jan. 18:

BRASÍLIA — Far more Indian groups than previously thought are surviving in Brazil’s Amazon rain forest isolated from the outside world, but they risk destruction at the hands of encroaching loggers and miners, experts said Wednesday.

From the New York Times, Jan. 18:

BISBEE, Ariz. — A Mexican immigrant was shot and killed on Friday by a Border Patrol agent in Arizona, prompting an investigation by federal authorities and condemnation from President Felipe Calderón of Mexico.

The following statement from DeleteTheBorder.com, was presented to the Zapatista Encuentro held in Chiapas over the New Year weekend:

As long as the US/Mexico border has existed, people having been struggling against it. It is a highly militarized, violent boundary marking an internal space of strict migration controls while allowing for unrestricted movement of capital and wealth. This border exists in a global context of apartheid borders and restriction of movement. For years around the world people have been tearing down fences, freeing detainees and fighting for the rights of migrant people. A global movement against borders and migration controls is rising. One of many tactics in this movement is the no border camp - a space for direct action and building community. Join us for a transnational no border camp on the Mexico/US border.