Argentina
In the northern province of Santiago de Estero, Argentina, the local government has banned all types of public meetings that don’t have prior consent. Anyone not complying is subject to imprisonment between 1- 30 days or a fine of between 10-20 days pay.

The new law comes in response to demonstrations (all of which have been peaceful) and a memorial service to mark the first anniversary of the brutal torturing and murder of two young girls by an ex-policeman. Witnesses in the case have received death threats from the governor of the province. It seems the local authorities and police are closing ranks to suppress protests against violence, corruption and impunity, a return to the bad old days for Argentina. indymedia argentina

Genoa fallout
All those arrested by the Italian police at the brutal raid on the Diaz school in Genoa following the anti-G8 protests in 2001 have had all their charges dropped. But there are still cases against 73 police involved in the raid, including senior officers, who are facing trial for slander, false arrest, assault, battery, and abuse of authority. italy indymedia

Yanks... got to love 'em really
A US man is suing a cable television company for making his wife fat and turning his two teenage children into “lazy channel surfers.” “I believe the reason that I smoke and drink every day and that my wife is overweight is because we watched TV everyday for the last four years,” he said in a written complaint.

Timothy Dumouchel told his TV company to stop his cable service in August 1999 – but four years later he was still getting it for free. So just before Christmas, Timothy paid a visit to the company’s offices, where workers said he intimidated them with “low level threats”. Timothy is now demanding $5,000 or three computers, and a lifetime supply of free Internet service from the cable company in compensation for the suffering he has endured at the hands of cable television.