Protesters fortified street barricades and prepared petrol bombs Oct. 1 as Mexican navy helicopters buzzed over Oaxaca City for a second day, sparking rumors that federal forces were planning to retake the city center, which has been occupied by the protesters for over four months. But President Vicente Fox's Government Secretary Carlos Abascal, insisted the helicopters and military planes seen over the weekend were on routine supply runs.

As Lynne Stewart awaits sentencing, the New York Times Sept. 29 portrayed her as uncharacteristically contrite...

Lawyer in Terror Case Apologizes for Violating Special Prison Rules
Lynne F. Stewart, the once brashly defiant radical defense lawyer who was convicted in a federal terrorism trial last year, has acknowledged in a personal letter to the court that she knowingly violated prison rules and was careless, overemotional and politically naïve in her representation of a terrorist client.

From the New York Times, Sept. 29:

PORTOROZ, Slovenia — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld agreed Thursday to put 12,000 American combat troops in eastern Afghanistan under NATO command, possibly as soon as next month, officials said.

Are we terrified yet? From AP, Sept. 29, emphasis added:

BAGHDAD - Al-Qaida in Iraq's leader, in a chilling audiotape released Thursday, called for nuclear scientists to join his group's holy war and urged insurgents to kidnap Westerners so they could be traded for a blind Egyptian sheik who is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.

Freedom's on the march in America's NATO ally and GWOT partner. Perhaps someone will have some well-chosen words for the current US president in the guestbook at Monticello. From the Al-Jazeera, Sept. 27:

A Turkish court has fined an elderly man 10,000 Turkish lira ($6,700) for criticising the prime minister in a visitors' book at the former home of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

Freedom's on the march in liberated Iraq. From the New York Times, Sept. 29:

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Ahmed al-Karbouli, a reporter for Baghdadiya TV in the violent city of Ramadi, did his best to ignore the death threats, right up until six armed men drilled him with bullets after midday prayers.

From the Reuters, Sept. 30:

BAGHDAD - Iraq’s government shut down the capital with a one-day curfew on Saturday, ordering all cars and pedestrians off the streets and giving no reason for the measure.

From CBC, Sept. 21:

A North American security meeting was secretly held in Banff last week, attracting high-profile officials from the United States, Mexico and Canada.