May Day Melee: Turkish Protesters Defy Ban, Police Respond With Tear Gas

Thursday, May 1, 2014

IMAGE: EMRAH GUREL/ASSOCIATED PRESS

May Day in Istanbul has historically been one of protests, and this year's was no different.

All across Istanbul on Thursday, Turks — both those in labor unions as well as unaffiliated citizens — took to the streets of Turkey's largest city to protest against the government's ban on a traditional May Day march.

comments | | Read More...

If You Watch 100 Porn Videos, Pornhub Will Plant a Tree

Arbor Day 2014 has come and gone, but Pornhub is still offering users a way to make greener use of their, um, private moments.

comments | | Read More...

U.S. calls on Sri Lanka to end reprisals against human rights defenders

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Dec 07, Washington, DC: The United States Friday reiterating its call for the Sri Lankan government to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee report said it is concerned by the continuing reprisals against human rights defenders.

Responding to a question at the Daily Press Briefing, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf said the U.S. continues to be concerned about ongoing issues regarding restrictions on freedom of the press and expression, the erosion of the rule of law, and violence against religious minorities.

"And we also note with concern that human rights defenders have continued to face reprisals. Obviously, this is something that needs to end," Harf said.

When asked about the Sri Lankan government's statement that Sri Lanka needs more time for reconciliation, the spokesperson said the U.S. has long urged the government to fulfill its commitments.

"The U.S. has long urged the Government of Sri Lanka to fulfill its public commitments, to implement the recommendations of its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee report, and to develop credible justice mechanisms to address outstanding allegations concerning serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law."

Recently, Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, during his visit to Colombo to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), issued a warning that UK will do whatever in its power at the next session of the United Nations Human Rights Council if Sri Lanka fails to conduct a credible, transparent, and independent investigation into the alleged human right violations by March 2014.

comments | | Read More...

Manmohan Skipping CHOGM Was A Lost Opportunity: Lankan Envoy To Delhi

Thursday, December 5, 2013

India has lost an opportunity by not attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo last month, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam told the Telegraph in Calcuta.

The newspaper said the Lankan envoy had described as “unfortunate” Manmohan Singh’s absence from last month’s Commonwealth meeting in Colombo.

Indian PM

Kariyawasam denied knowledge of a visit by Prime Minister Singh to the Northern capital of Jaffna as announced by Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram last week.

“It was unfortunate that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo,” Sri Lanka’s high commissioner in India Prasad Kariyawasam told The Telegraph.

He said Singh’s decision to be absent at CHOGM was an “opportunity lost”.

The Lankan High Commissioner told the newspaper that not only would have Singh’s presence at the CHOGM been widely applauded, he would have also had the chance to see the “enormous progress” in the work done with Indian help in the northern province of Jaffna that is home to Tamils.

“The progress we have made in the northern province with Indian help is enormous. Had the PM visited Jaffna for CHOGM, he would have been able to see it himself. It would have helped the India-Sri Lanka partnership and the reconciliation process further. It was an opportunity lost,” Kariyawasam said. The envoy said the Lankan government had no information about any forthcoming visit by Singh.

The newspaper also quoted a senior official at the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi as saying that it was sad that Manmohan Singh succumbed to internal pressures without thinking about the long-standing relationship between the two countries.

The newspaper quoted a diplomat in Delhi as saying that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was “highly disappointed”. “When heads of all states were arriving at CHOGM, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif got the biggest applause. This applause would have gone to Singh if he had attended the meeting because he would have appeared as the tallest leader of the region who did not succumb to any internal pressure,” the diplomat said.

comments | | Read More...

Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s First Black President, Dies Aged 95

Nelson Mandela passed away earlier today, an announcement just made by South African president Jacob Zuma. Nelson Mandela, the towering figure of Africa’s struggle for freedom and a hero to millions around the world, has died at the age of 95.

South Africa’s first black president died after years of declining health that had caused him to withdraw from public life.

comments | | Read More...