Activists in Latin America have been galvanized by atrocities like the recent massacre of 72 migrants near the U.S. border to step up their efforts on behalf of migrant rights.

After the Orange Revolution five years ago, Ukraine enjoyed more freedoms than its ex-Soviet neighbors, with the exception of the Baltic states. Just six months into office, the government of President Viktor Yanukovych is restricting free speech, breaking up peaceful protests, and manipulating election laws.

Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung urged the country’s police to continue to crush any fledgling political bodies that might threaten the ruling Communist Party regime. He told the security services to fight the “cunning plots of hostile forces and to prevent political opposition parties setting up to threaten our government.”

Amazon Watch and International Rivers have teamed up to create a state-of-the-art 10-minute Google Earth 3-D tour and video narrated by actress Sigourney Weaver, with technical assistance from Google Earth Outreach, in support of Brazil's Movimento Xingu Vivo Para Sempre (Xingu River Forever Alive Movement).'

To the utter dismay of the Spanish Government eleven Spanish activists were arrested Saturday in El-Aaiún, the capital of Western Sahara, by the Moroccan police during a demonstration for the territory’s independence. Released and deported back to Spain, the eleven activists claim they were tortured by the Moroccan police, who they plan to take to court.