Sri Lanka is a "bloodbath": After reports of heavy civilian casualties at the weekend, The United Nations has described the situation in northern Sri Lanka as a "bloodbath" - a UN spokesman in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, said more than 100 children died during the "large-scale killing of civilians." The Sri Lankan government objected to the remarks and said it would formally complain.

Tsvangirai saves the day for human rights activists: Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, intervened yesterday to get bail reinstated for 15 political and human rights activists. The activists were pending trial on charges of a plot to overthrow Robert Mugabe when they were sent back to jail after they claimed to have been tortured whilst in prison.

The little town of Bethlehem stays little: The Israeli military occupation around Bethlehem is severely restricting its growth, undermining its economy and compromising its future, according to a UN report. Numerous Israeli military interventions have let just 13% of Bethlehem's governorate available for Palestinian use. While there are about 175,000 Palestinians living in the Bethlehem area, there are now at least 86,000 Israelis living in the area.

Obama faces a grim backdrop: Barack Obama met with leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan while Afghan citizens protested against what they claimed was a US coalition air strike that left more than 100 civilians dead. Hillary Clinton said the Obama administration "deeply, deeply" regretted the loss of innocent life and promised a full review of the incident.

Another step back for Hamid Karzai: Afghanistan's president has been criticised by senior diplomats and human rights workers for selecting a powerful warlord as his running mate in Afghanistan's presidential election. Mohammad Qasim Fahim took over as military chief of the Northern Alliance two days before the World Trade Centre attacks and is accused of involvement in criminal and arms smuggling. According to one senior diplomat, the president is "moving the country backwards."

Cannes controversy for China: Director Lou Ye will defy a five-year Chinese state ban on making films by premiering a new movie at the Cannes Film Festival. Ye was given the ban in 2006 for screening a film at the Cannes festival without Chinese government permission. Ye's new film, a story about homosexuality shot secretly with a handheld camera in China using five actors, is competing for this year's Palme d'Or.

Violence in Brighton: May Day protests in Brighton ended in violence with over three activists arrested and three police officers suffered minor injuries. The protests were held to show anger at arms manufacture EDO MBM Technology.

Words: Richard Lemmer. News editor for Ctrl.Alt.Shift.
Photo: Fil Kaler (Indymedia).