In Cairo, demonstrators in Tahrir Square described a vibrancy and mood similar to the atmosphere of the protests earlier this year.
In an atmosphere of tension and protest within their ranks, and weary from days of debate over whether to approve the bishop-elect, the Rev. Canon V. Gene Robinson, the bishops here at the Episcopal Church USA convention seemed eager to create no further controversy, division or pain.
(In initial plea hearings, prosecutors described the atmosphere of many of the protests as being "violent", pre-emptively determining how the situation might be understood – many would indeed describe the protests as violent, but coming from the police rather than the protesters).
That assertion itself drew protests from the New York Civil Liberties Union, which said the city was fostering an atmosphere of tension that could stifle protest.
The atmosphere was one more of celebration than of protest, which seemed to fit well with their overall message of trying to bring people together.
There was a feeling of protest within Mexican life and the atmosphere of the Games.
One activist, who asked not to be named, said: "It's never been like this before, we've never seen this atmosphere of fear and attacks on protests".
This growing atmosphere of hate has sparked an unprecedented protest by scores of writers who have returned their awards to the country's premier literary body, the Sahitya Akademy, including most recently Arundhati Roy.
In light of the protests and general atmosphere of unrest there, "the governor felt the timing was not necessarily ideal and that it would be more appropriate to find a better date," Quinn spokeswoman Annie Thompson told the Chicago Sun-Times two weeks ago.
