YouTube will remain blocked in Turkey in spite of a court order ruling that the ban is a violation of freedom of speech. The prohibition of social media in Turkey sparked public ire and mass protests against internet censorship. Turkey’s Communication Technologies Institution (BTK) announced on Thursday that while “criminal content” remains on YouTube, the ban will remain in place. “Some content... 

A new bill introduced in Congress looks to ban states from implementing their own labeling laws when it comes to food containing genetically engineered ingredients. According to Reuters, US Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) introduced the legislation on Wednesday, which is intended to head off bills in about 24 states that would require companies to inform customers when their food is produced using genetically... 

Four parliamentary parties in Ukraine nominated candidates for the presidential election. Not all of these candidates are registered, but they are the most likely contenders. The Russian Federation was in a difficult situation. On the one hand, it is clear that the elections are illegitimate, on the other hand, it will be necessary to establish relationship with the new president. Recognizing the... 

On Friday, the uber-liberal loudmouth, Bill Maher, said there is a gay mafia. It wrecks the careers and reputations of people who do not tote the gay agenda. “I think there is a gay mafia. I think if you cross them, you do get whacked,” Maher said during an exchange on the step down of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich, who committed the unpardonable sin of making a thousand dollar donation eight years... 

Australia’s highest court has officially admitted the existence of a third “non-specific” gender, putting an end to years of legal battle for sexual equality by the activist, Norrie. From now on, not everyone on the koala continent will be forced to identify themselves as a man or woman when dealing with officials, and could describe themselves as gender neutral. “The High Court…... 

British government will determine what is an acceptable degree of love and affection. State decides how much love a child receives and scofflaws will be sent to prison. Not loving a child to the degree mandated by a new standard established by the British state will result in a prison term for parents, according to The Telegraph. Under a new “Cinderella Law,” denying children love and affection... 

The United States is set to free convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to save the so-called peace talks between Palestinian Authority (PA) and Tel Aviv, reports in the Israeli news media say. With the talks on the brink of collapse, US officials have offered to release Pollard, 59, as a carrot to Israel to break the deadlock over a scheduled release of Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli... 

Sharia principles are to become enshrined in the UK legal system for the first time, with The Law Society publishing guidelines for drawing up documents according to Islamic rules, which would exclude non-believers and encroach on women’s rights. The new guidelines were produced by The Law Society earlier this month. Under the guidance, High Street solicitors will be able to write Islamic wills... 

Thousands of people celebrate with Kosovo and Albanian flags in Pristina on February 17, 2009 (L). Sevastopol residents at a celebratory show held after the referendum on Crimea’s status (R). The West has so far refused to legitimize Crimea’s decision to secede from Ukraine. Yet Kosovo, which was a part of Serbia, also broke away from its parent country, but has been recognized by the US and... 

Slavic Union head Dmitry Demushkin takes part in the Russian March in Moscow. Dmitry Dyomushkin has been found guilty of organizing a “criminal organization” after it was established that his group, the Slavic Union was renamed and continued to operate despite a legal ban. A district communist magistrate court in Moscow sentenced the nationalist to a fine that should be then be lifted due... 

Image from NO McDonalds in The Dandenong Ranges Facebook page. The Australian state of Victoria’s parliament passed a bill giving police power to suppress protests, including ordering a rally to move on based on a suspicion that it may turn violent. Opponents call the powers excessive and undemocratic. The Summary Offences and Sentencing Amendment Bill passed through the upper house of the Victorian... 

Plans to impose a censorship and mass surveillance framework may now commence. On Friday the U.S. Commerce Department released its grasp on the internet. Oversight of ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, will be passed on to the “global internet community” next year. ICANN, under a Commerce Department contract, has issued domain names since 2000. The United States has... 

Yet more previously secret surveillance operations waged by the United States National Security Agency were made public Wednesday morning thanks to leaked documents supplied by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The files — published first by The Intercept this week and dissected over the course of a 3,000-word article attributed to journalists Glenn Greenwald and Ryan Gallagher — bring to... 

The State of Connecticut is now demanding that gun owners across the state turn in all newly-banned, unregistered firearms and magazines or face felony arrest. The State Police Special Licensing & Firearms Unit began mailing out notices to gun owners who attempted to register their firearms and accessories with the state but did not do so in time for the Jan. 1 deadline of Connecticut’s newly... 

Footage capturing an aggressive arrest by Austin police of a non-violent jaywalker yesterday near the University of Texas campus is spurring outrage. Witnesses say a jogger wearing headphones ran past an officer and was quickly subdued for jaywalking. She was later arrested for failing to produce identification. “I was sitting at the Starbucks at 24th and San Antonio,” one witness told The Daily...