After showdown, UN rights body OKs more scrutiny of Belarus
(World News USA)

GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.`s top human rights body on Friday passed a resolution backed by the European Union seeking quick and enhanced scrutiny of alleged violations in Belarus by authorities under President Alexander Lukashenko, after rejecting efforts to squelch speakers and water down the text. The Human Rights Council voted 23-2 with 22 abstentions on the resolution that calls on the U.N. human rights chief to look into the situation of rights in the former Soviet republic and report back by year-end. The 47-member body rejected 17 amendments that had sought to alter the language. The vote followed a dramatic “urgent debate” in which Belarus and backers like China, Russia and Venezuela...