"Foreign rig workers 'paid $3 an hour'"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/27/3201880.htm

"Pakistan's blasphemy laws"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00g589l

"Sri Lanka: UN says shelling 'killed civilians'"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13190576

the story makes strong accusations to both sides, unlike the headline.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2011/04/2011425214422583975.html

"Gillard raises human rights with Chinese premier"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/26/3200617.htm

sounds rather non-specific, but at least it was mentioned...

"WikiLeaks reveals Guantanamo blunders"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/26/3200408.htm

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/04/201142561524783918.html

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135690396/detainees-transferred-or-freed-despite-high-risk

news from the USA of course focusing on those who were released after being identified as dangerous

"Tanks storm town in Syria crackdown"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/25/3200001.htm

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/2011425142513343584.html

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135696971/syrian-security-forces-storm-towns-witnesses-say

"Spanish photojournalist calls parents from Libya jail"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13181974

"Wikileaks: Many at Guantanamo 'not dangerous'"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13184845

"Syrian army 'attacks protest city of Deraa'"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13185185

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/20114255333825461.html

"Chinese human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong freed"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13139872

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/04/201142052845436935.html

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14994406,00.html

but it doesn't exactly seem to be a step forward

"Egypt unrest: 846 killed in protests - official toll "

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13134956

"Former bank boss Lee Farkas guilty of fraud in US"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13139151

1 down...

"Syria protests: Assad to lift state of emergency"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13134322

"Gunfire in locked-down Syrian city "

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/201141817736498882.html

"Hungary: Parliament votes for new constitution"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13122745

not much analysis of the actual document in the story but it does seem to be pushing a strong religious agenda. Note that philosophy events in Hungary are also currently being boycotted because of government interference in research.

"Syria: Clashes at mass Damascus protest"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13097926

"Algeria leader Bouteflika pledges constitutional reform"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13102157

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/2011415191127848291.html

"Man to be deported after 40 years in Australia"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/16/3193402.htm

shame I thought this would have stopped with the change in government. I have to say it really does look like, as his advocates say, he is being punished a second time for a crime he already spent 12 years in gaol for. Also it's not fair to England to say 'here, you deal with our criminals'.

"Egypt blogger Maikel Nabil jailed by military court"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13038937

Incredibly disappointing that the Military Council seem to be picking up where Mubarak left off. Perhaps not surprising though, as many point up Mubarak was part of the military. I suppose it was unrealistic to expect any serious changes in terms of human rights whilst the country is still under the control of an unaccountable government. Fingers crossed elections actually take place in September and the Council steps aside.

"UAE arrests democracy activists"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13043270

and now the UAE. No reports of torture that I have seen, as of yet anyway.

"Bahrain unrest: Torture fears as activists die in jail"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13033288

Bahrain has really dropped off the radar the last few days but activists are still being beaten to death in prisons there. Smaller scale perhaps but just as bad as what was done in Libya leading to the war.

"French face veil ban comes into force "

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/04/20114117646677858.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13031397

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/11/3188120.htm

tricky issue, at least as framed as a conflict of two freedoms. Despite the accusations of trying to win votes from racists the fact that there is serious penalty for coercing someone to wear the veil suggests that it is intended as an anti-oppression law. Oppression that is just ordinary within the 3 Western theism. I suppose that the concern is that this law is aimed at a practice withing just one of these religions.

For those who would oppose the ban because some women want to wear the veil, I would point out that not all women thought women were entitled to vote but that never constituted a reason to continue that form of oppression. 

"The new face of East Germany"

http://english.aljazeera.net/photo_galleries/europe/20101123133736357393.html

"Syrian city of Deraa hit by deadly clashes"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-13016843

"Leading Bahrain activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja arrested"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13023428

"Yemen unrest: Hundreds injured in Sanaa protests"

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3547840347194423444

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/201149124152735826.html

"Egypt's army to replace Mubarak-era governors"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13027762

"Egyptians defy army after Cairo crackdown"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/10/3187086.htm

"Bahrain workers fired for supporting protests"

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/2011460205145476.html

"Yemen unrest: Three die in Sanaa clashes"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12976208

"Defeated Haitian candidate Manigat rejects results"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12980581

need to keep an eye on this, interesting that no formal challenge is being made yet.

"Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%"

on American Plutocracy

http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105?currentPage=all

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/04/20114391843209245.html

"Iman Al-Obeid: "Every Day I Am Beaten"

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/04/04/135114911/iman-al-obeidi-every-day-i-am-beaten?sc=fb&cc=fp

apparently out of custody now, but only in a very lose sense.

a public voice against censorship of opposition in China

https://www.accessnow.org/page/s/Deleted-from-the-internet

well a petition at least.

"French forces take over Abidjan airport"

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/20114215401513945.html

"Yemen unrest: Police open fire on protesters in Taiz "

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12951786

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/2011449582611447.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12956262

"Syria: Minister to form cabinet as Douma buries dead"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12950039

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/03/135084924/ex-minister-picked-to-form-new-syrian-government

"Nigerian election postponed again"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12953393

"China police silent on artist Ai Weiwei's detention"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12954811

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/04/20114442824275563.html

another activist taken...

"Syria unrest: New protests erupt across country"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12938756