Robert J. Burrowes In early 2011, as the Arab Spring was moving across North Africa and the Middle East, small groups of nonviolent activists in Syria, which has been under martial law since 1963, started protesting against the brutal dictatorship…
Category: Human rights
Democrat senator pushes to abolish US electoral college
Washington – A California senator introduced legislation Tuesday to rid the United States of its electoral college, the system that allowed Donald Trump to win the presidency despite Hillary Clinton’s lead of nearly one million votes, says a report released…
N’ganj city polls Dec 22: CEC
Dhaka – The election in Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) will be held on December 22 along party line, the first such polls in any city corporation of the country. Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Monday announced the election…
Chronicle of a death not foretold – Closing message of Himal
The editor’s farewell piece from ‘Fact and Fiction’ the last issue of Himal in its current incarnation. AUNOHITA MOJUMDAR reiterates the idea of Himal Southasian This may well be the last issue of Himal Southasian in its current incarnation that…
‘Riggin ironic: More Americans voted for Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton won popular vote, but Donald Trump won election because electoral system doesn’t treat each vote equally William Howell: Trump decried political system as “rigged,” but the system that distorts vote delivered him presidency (CNN)For the past year, Donald…
Trump: Obamacare key provisions to remain
US President-elect Donald Trump has said he is open to leaving intact key parts of President Barack Obama’s healthcare bill. Mr Trump, who has pledged to repeal the 2010 law, said he will keep the ban on insurers denying coverage…
Young man tortured over theft charge in Jessore
Dhaka – A young man was brutally tortured allegedly by some locals over a theft charge in Sharsha upazila of Jessore district on Thursday night.
Trump should govern with respect for rights – HRW
Washington, DC – United States President-elect Donald Trump should abandon campaign rhetoric that seemed to reject many of the United States’ core human rights obligations and put rights at the heart of his administration’s domestic and foreign policy agendas, Human…
U.S. election largely peaceful, despite intimidation, glitches
Reuters – Voters and civil rights groups reported long lines, isolated cases of malfunctioning equipment and some harassment at polling places in Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election, but fears of widespread violence at the polls did not materialize. Nationwide, civil rights…
“Stealing” election: Trump voters keep committing fraud at polls?
By Keegan Hamilton Donald Trump has repeatedly warned that the 2016 election will be “rigged” in favor of Hillary Clinton, but so far the voters caught committing fraud have been attempting to cast their ballots for the Republican nominee. On…
Hillary focuses on healing, Trump on emails in final hours
Manchester (AP/UNB) — With the cloud of an FBI investigation lifted, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump struck strikingly different tones as they moved into the final hours of a volatile, nearly two-years long presidential campaign. After days of full-throated attacks…
New chances for Trump but Clinton still ahead – CNN
Washington – There are very few things that the Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton campaigns agree on these days, but one point of total agreement is that this race has tightened over the last 10-14 days. That tightening is reflected…
12-year-old boy brutally tortured for alleged theft
Dhaka – A 12-year-old boy was brutally tortured by some influential person over a theft charge in Tarash upazila of Sirajganj last week, UNB news agencxy reported. The incident took place on Thursday last, but it came to light on…
BNP’s Nazrul smells early election in Bangladesh
Dhaka – BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Wednesday said the government will hold the next general election within a short time as it has got isolated from people, UNB news agency reported.
The case against democracy
If most voters are uninformed, who should make decisions about the public’s welfare? By Caleb Crain Roughly a third of American voters think that the Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability to each according to his need” appears…
UN urges states to strengthen journalists’ security
Dhaka: United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression David Kaye on Tuesday urged States to bring their understanding of what security of journalists involves into line with international human rights standards and to take active steps to ensure this…
AL candidates win 25 UP chairman posts, BNP 7
Dhaka – Awami League candidates won in 25 union parishads (UPs) while its rebel candidates in eight, and BNP candidates in seven among some 400 UPs where the election was held on Monday, UNB news agency reported. According to reports…
Supporters of UP candidates clash in Bhola: 5 hurt
Dhaka – Five people including a woman were injured in a clash between the followers of two member candidates of ward no. 2 in Bapta union parishad (UP) in Bhola after the voting began on Monday morning, UNB news agency…
First-ever voting in ex-enclaves begins
Dhaka – Voters of some 100 ex-Indian enclaves are exercising their franchise for the first time as the election of 22 union parishads (UPs) in those areas started on Monday morning, UNB news agency reported. The voting began at 8am…
Australia plans to ban asylum seekers from ever visiting
Canberra: Australia on Sunday announced plans to ratchet up its tough policy against refugees by banning any asylum seeker who attempts to reach its shores by boat from ever visiting the country. A previous government introduced a policy on July…
Reconstitute Election Commission in consultation with all: Ex-CEC
Dhaka – Former Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda on Saturday called for initiating a process right now for the reconstitution of a strong Election Commission on the basis of opinions of all political parties. “The tenure of present Election…
Int’l community must not lose sight of Myanmar challenges: warns UN expert
Dhaka: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, has called upon the international community not to forget about the human rights challenges in the country. “Significant steps forward have been made and the government deserves…
National Geographic’s ‘Afghan Girl’ faces deportation
They say one never forgets a face. One face hundreds of millions of people will never forget is that of 12-year-old Sharbat Gula. Captured by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry in a refugee camp in 1984, her piercing green eyes…
Brazil land grab threatens isolated tribes
The worst land grab in decades in the Brazilian Amazon is threatening the survival of isolated tribes that have no contact with the outside world, a rights group said Wednesday. Ranchers and settlers in the remotest reaches of northwestern Brazil…
From ISIS slave to human rights activist
By Shona Murray Lamiya Aji Bashar is adjusting to her new life in Europe after escaping IS captors who held her as a sex slave for two years in Iraq. Today, Bashar dares to feel safe again — happy, even.…
The election is over, says everybody except Trump’s kids
By Alex Thompson Donald Trump’s campaign sent out a press release Sunday afternoon with the yearning headline “Eric Trump: I really believe we’re going to win this.” But the candidate’s son might be the only one who’s still feeling optimistic…
‘4 million BD girls victims to early marriage in 2 yrs’
Dhaka – Some 40 lakh girls were married off at the age of 14 on average in the country in the last two years beginning from November 2014, according to an NGO, UNB news agency reported. Initiatives for Married Adolescent…
Human chain at BAU “seeking security of life”
Dhaka – Our culture is not in favor of justice. The procession of dead bodies is increasing day by day in universities. We are seeking our life-security in this situation.
Trump ‘dangerous’ for suggesting he won’t concede: Obama
Miami Gardens (AP/UNB) — Calling it “dangerous,” President Barack Obama said Thursday that Donald Trump’s attempt to “sow the seeds of doubt” about the integrity of elections in America undermines U.S. democracy and does the work of the nation’s adversaries.…
‘Don’t take World Bank’s $2 billion’: TIB tells govt.
Dhaka: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has voiced concerns over the World Bank’s intention of expanding its lending portfolio by providing a loan of $2 billion to Bangladesh as climate finance over the next three years. UNB News Agency Reported.