US among those cited on rights

US among those cited on rights

LONDON

Amnesty International accused the United States, Russia and China today of ignoring human-rights violations by allies and failing to open their own records to scrutiny in an annual survey meant to pressure governments to act more compassionately.

The human-rights organization took the U.S. to task for President Barack Obama’s failure — despite promises — to close its prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and criticized Russia and China for what it described as blocking international scrutiny of the Sri Lankan government’s conduct during its bloody conflict with insurgents.

Libertarian chief: Paul betrays values

FRANKFORT, Ky.

A week after a come-from-behind victory over the GOP’s establishment candidate in a Kentucky Senate primary, Rand Paul is facing a possible challenge by the Libertarian Party and is shaking up his staff after comments he made about racial segregation caused a firestorm.

Despite his pedigree as the son of former Libertarian presidential candidate Ron Paul, Libertarian Vice Chairman Joshua Koch said Rand Paul has betrayed the party’s values with stands he’s taken, and they were considering finding a candidate to run for the seat.

Explosion kills 5

ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia

An explosion tore through the center of a southern Russian city Wednesday, killing five people and wounding at least 20 as locals gathered for a Chechen dance concert, officials said.

The blast bore the hallmarks of terrorist attacks that plague Russia’s North Caucasus region, though the city of Stavropol rarely suffers the separatist-related violence that pervades Chechnya and other bordering provinces.

Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a website statement that the blast occurred near an outdoor cafe that served as a cultural center. A renowned Chechen dance company was scheduled to perform there 15 minutes after the blast struck.

Poll: 48% approve of Obama’s job

LOS ANGELES

For the first time this year, more people approve of President Barack Obama’s performance than disapprove, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.

According to Quinnipac, American voters approve of Obama’s job by 48 percent to 43 percent, up from April when 44 percent approved and 46 percent disapproved. The overall approval was the first since December, according to the poll.

’79 case of missing boy under review

NEW YORK

Six-year-old Etan Patz vanished May 25, 1979. One of the most-extensive missing-child searches was mounted to find him, but two decades later, the boy was officially declared dead. No one has been arrested.

Now, the Manhattan district attorney’s office will take a fresh look at the evidence collected against the prime suspect, a convicted child molester serving 20 years in prison in Pennsylvania.

By looking into the cold case, Cyrus R. Vance Jr. will be making good on a campaign promise.

Etan Patz vanished while walking from his lower Manhattan home to a bus stop two blocks away. His disappearance spawned the national movement to publicize the cases of missing children. His photo was the first put on a milk carton, and his case turned May 25 into National Missing Children’s Day.

Combined dispatches