Kyrgyzstan interim President Roza Otunbayeva on Tuesday announced that the referendum seeking approval of a new constitution and a popular mandate for the interim government will be held June 27 despite ongoing ethnic violence against the Kyrgyz Uzbek population. The constitution was approved by the interim government in May and would shift power from the [...]

Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi on Tuesday called for the prosecution of those who committed fraud during the 2009 presidential election and vowed to continue leading the resistance movement against incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . The statement was posted on Mousavi's website following the June 12 anniversary of the election and outlined new policy [...]

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Monday sent a letter to the Venezuelan government expressing their concern over the increasing threat to freedom of expression in the country. The IACHR cited three recent cases that caused them particular concern. In the first case, a journalist was sentenced to over three years in prison [...]

The Swiss Federal Assembly on Tuesday approved an agreement with the US that will allow Swiss bank UBS to disclose account information of clients suspected by the US government of tax evasion, but also voted to send it to a referendum. The Swiss National Council , the lower house of parliament, voted 81-61 to pass [...]

The Israeli cabinet on Monday unanimously approved plans for an internal probe into the May 31 Israeli raid on several Turkish ships bound for the blockaded Gaza Strip . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his hope that the probe would show that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acted appropriately. During the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu [...]

The US Conference of Mayors on Monday passed two resolutions opposing Arizona's immigration law and supporting federal immigration reform at their annual conference in Oklahoma City. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon (D) and three mayors outside Arizona submitted Resolution 41, which criticizes the state's immigration law as being "unconstitutional and un-American." Speaking at the conference, Gordon [...]

The US State Department (DOS) on Monday released its annual report on human trafficking conditions across the globe, finding that the US adequately complies with international regulations but still has a "'serious problem with human trafficking, both for labor and commercial sexual exploitation." The report also listed 13 countries with the worst records on human [...]

Israeli human rights group B'Tselem on Monday released its annual report , noting an advancement in the rights of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories but calling for greater improvement. The report, examining the human rights situation of Palestinians since the conclusion of Israel's Operation Cast Lead in January 2009, found that fatalities had declined by [...]

The Barcelona city council on Monday announced the banning of all face coverings, including the burqa , in public areas administered by the city. Barcelona Mayor Jordi Hereu indicated that the ban was put in place out of a concern for public safety , and was not aimed at any particular religious group. He contends [...]

An anti-constitution rally in Nairobi's Uhuru Park turned deadly on Sunday after two explosions caused a stampede leaving five dead and more than 70 injured. The rally was organized by Christian groups opposed to Kenya's draft constitution because it retains recognition of existing Islamic courts and includes a clause on abortion. Kenyan Prime Minister Raila [...]