That happened yesterday in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Syria says its military research facility was attacked by Israel. Syrian officials called it a declaration of war, U.S. officials say, Israel launched an air strike against Syria late last week. Israel hasn’t confirmed or denied either claim. What Israel will say is that it will take steps to stop weapons being transferred to terrorist groups like Hezbollah. Hezbollah is based in Lebanon. That country, Israel and Syria, all share borders with each other. And Hezbollah and Israel have fought against each other in the past. Israeli officials say, they’ll target any weapons movements that may threaten their country.

 

Now, let’s move across the Atlantic to the Central American country of Costa Rica. President Obama made his first trip there last week, he met with President Laura Chinchilla. The two leaders talked about ways to help the region’s economy grow. They said, one way to do that, is to focus on security issues, things like violence and drug trafficking. President Obama may only have visited one Central American country, but he met with the leaders of all seven Central American nations and the Dominican Republic. They talked about some of those same economics and security concerns.

 

In the United States, the First Amendment guarantees the right to free speech. So, for the most part, we can say whatever we’d like. But in some countries people don’t have that right. Saying what’s on their minds or writing about it on a blog, for instance, can have severe consequences. Atika Shubert reports on three bloggers from countries where that’s how things are.

 

A desperate struggle for freedom of speech, by women living in some of the world’s most restrictive countries.

 

A sign of our times, but also the subject of a new film "Forbidden Voices."

Yoani Sanchez from Cuba could not be here.

Yoani Sanchez’s blog gives a critical portrayal of Cuban life under its current government. It receives up to 14 million hits per months from around the world. Much to the anger of the official media in Cuba. Farnaz Seifi is an Iranian blogger and journalist living in Germany. Her role as a women’s rights activist in Iran has prevented her from returning home.

 

So, you learn to censor yourself from a very early age in countries like my country.