Americas

Two individuals, who identified themselves as members of the far-right paramilitary group United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), shot Colombian journalist Gustavo Adolfo Valencia Ayala inside his home in the eastern city of Popayán on March 16, 2009, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported quoting local news reports. The journalist, who was injured but is in stable condition...

On March 28, 2009, several gunshots were fired at the home of Juan Antonio Zavala Hernández, publisher of the weekly newspaper Mi Ciudad in the town of Romita in central Guanajuato state, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported. There were no injuries, the journalist told CPJ. Zavala, who said he has been repeatedly threatened by the local mayor, said he believes the attack was in...

Two photographers reported being shot at by bodyguards outside the home of Brazilian supermodel Giselle Bündchen in the western Costa Rican city of Santa Teresa de Cóbano on the afternoon of April 4, 2009, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported quoting local and international news reports. No one was injured. Yuri Cortez, a Salvadoran photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP)...

On April 2, 2009, a professional mixed-martial arts fighter and boxer was charged with assaulting a food critic for the Times Union newspaper in Albany, New York. Police are investigating whether the assault was a premeditated attack in retaliation for a critical review of an area restaurant the year before. The professional fighter, Jerry Spiegel, was arraigned on two counts of misdemeanour...

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Guatemalan authorities to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the shooting of a two-man TV crew in Guatemala City on Wednesday. Unidentified gunmen killed veteran reporter Rolando Santiz and injured cameraman Antonio de León. At around 5:10 p.m., Santiz and de León, a news crew for the national television station Telecentro...

Gunmen shot and killed Honduran radio journalist Rafael Munguía Ortiz Tuesday night in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported quoting local news reports. Honduran authorities must conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into Munguía's killing and bring those responsible to justice, CPJ said today. At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, unidentified...

A court in Colombia has issued an arrest warrant for prominent journalist Daniel Coronell for contempt of court after he failed to correct for a second time a story linking a local businessman to drug trafficking, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has learnt. CPJ has called on the judge to withdraw the contempt ruling until an appeal is heard. On March 18, the Penal Court of the Granada...

Ecuadoran journalist Emilio Palacio has told local reporters that he had received threats against himself and his family following a March 1 article criticising President Rafael Correa's weekly radio address. According to reports in the Ecuadoran press, Palacio, editor of the Guayaquil-based daily El Universo, said he has received multiple death threats via e-mail since late 2008. The journalist...

On February13, 2009, Venezuelan authorities arrested Rafael Segundo Pérez, a former sergeant for the Carabobo police, in connection to the January 16 killing of journalist Orel Sambrano, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has reported quoting local news reports. Pérez is accused of working as a hired assassin and conspiring to commit a crime. Police Commissioner Robinson Castillo told...

US federal authorities have confirmed that 92 videotapes detailing the interrogation of detainees at secret prisons were destroyed in 2005 by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) is urging the new Obama administration to lead an investigation into this infringement upon the American people's constitutional rights and punish those who are responsible. "The sheer...