News stories by Carey L. Biron, page 12

WASHINGTON, Sep 10 (IPS) - The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) says it is "deeply concerned" over the Venezuelan government's decision to withdraw from the American Convention on Human Rights, a move that went into effect Tuesday.

WASHINGTON, Sep 07 (IPS) - Between concluding rounds of negotiations towards the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a major U.S.-proposed free trade agreement, a divisive fight has heated up over the extent to which countries should be allowed to regulate the sale of foreign – potentially far cheaper – tobacco products.

WASHINGTON, Sep 05 (IPS) - U.S. officials on Wednesday issued strict new guidelines on the use of solitary confinement for detainees being held on immigration charges, the first federal policy decision following a strengthened public debate on the country's unprecedented dependence on "segregated housing".

WASHINGTON, Sep 04 (IPS) - An international convention enters into effect on Thursday that could eventually extend labour rights to as many as 100 million domestic workers across the globe, a constituency that has historically been bypassed by national laws.

WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (IPS) - The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday issued surprise guidance directing its attorneys not to sue states that have moved to de-criminalise the recreational use of marijuana, so long as those states implement strict regulatory regimes.

WASHINGTON, Aug 29 (IPS) - Workers at fast-food restaurants in 60 cities across the United States went on a one-day strike Thursday, the largest action yet in a strengthening year-long push for higher wages and the opportunity to form unions without retaliation.

WASHINGTON, Aug 28 (IPS) - Three years after the passage of landmark legislation aimed at strengthening regulation of major U.S. companies, one of the most criticised disparities characterising today's corporate culture – the outsized compensation offered to top executives – continues to grow.

WASHINGTON, Aug 23 (IPS) - Arms control advocates are decrying a new U.S. Department of Defence announcement that it will be building and selling 1,300 cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia, worth some 641 million dollars.