Madrid, February 21 (RHC)-- The Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) has strongly criticized the government of Mariano Rajoy for the excessive use of force in breaking up a student demonstration in Valencia.  The opposition party requested the appearance before the parliament of Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez to answer charges of repressive tactics.

Washington, February 21 (RHC)-- Hundreds of activists with the Occupy Wall Street movement gathered outside San Quentin Prison in the U.S. state of California as part of a campaign for the release of political prisoners in the United States.  Between 600 and 700 demonstrators protested peacefully in front of the eastern gate of the prison, located north of San Francisco.

Kabul, February 21 (RHC)-- Chanting "Death to Foreigners," thousands of Afghans demonstrated outside a major U.S. military base near Kabul on Monday.  Protesters said they were angered by reports that the Koran, the Muslim holy book, was being burned at the Bagram Air Base.

Santiago de Chile, February 21 (RHC) -- Human rights observers in Chile have denounced excessive police violence in the protests against the high cost of living in the region of Aysén.

Tegucigalpa, February 21 (RHC) -- The Attorney General of Honduras, Luis Rubi, assured that the fire in the Comayagua penitentiary center on February 14th was an accident and not deliberate. The fire caused the deaths of more than 350 people.

La Paz, February 21(RHC) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales said that the number of affected families by the rains in the area of Pando increased to 900, mainly as a consequence of the flooding of the Acre River.

Damascus, February 21 (RHC)-- Iran and Syria have signed a free trade agreement in a bid to boost bilateral trade, especially in industry, mining and agriculture.  The daily Tehran Times reported on Monday that the accord will help confront Western pressures on Syria.

Quito, February 21 (PL-RHC) -- The University of Guayaquil in Ecuador will host the next debate organized by Parliament on the new Communications Act.

Mexico City, February 21 (PL-RHC) -- Participants in an informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Group of 20 (G-20), recently held in Mexico, agreed on the need to make multilateral agencies more efficient.

Jerusalem, February 21 (RHC)-- The Israeli non-governmental human rights organization B'Tselem has denounced the recent increase in 'administrative detentions' of Palestinians -- noting that the legal mechanism allows imprisonment without charge or trial and based on secret evidence.

Brussels, February 21 (RHC)-- Eurozone finance ministers have reached an agreement on a second bailout for Greece, according to officials involved in the negotiations.  The deal, which came after some 12 hours of talks in Brussels, is said to be worth 130 billion -- about $170 billion U.S. dollars.

Moscow, February 21 (RHC)-- Russia will not participate in the so-called "Friends of Syria" conference to be held on Friday in Tunisia.  According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich, Moscow received an invitation to attend the meeting, but has officially informed the meeting's organizers that it will not take part.

San Salvador, February 21 (PL-RHC) -- The government of El Salvador plans to create 30 new energy efficiency committees in the same number of public institutions by 2012, in a bid to improve the saving and adequate use of electricity.

Lima, February 21 (ANDINA-RHC) -- The application of the Law on Prior Consultation, which will be ready in the next days, will be essential to guarantee the rights of Amazonian and indigenous peoples, according to Peruvian national Ombudsman.

Tehran, Feb 21, (RHC), -- Iran would take preemptive action against its enemies if it felt its national interests were endangered, Mohammad Hejazi, deputy head of the Islamic Republic's armed forces told Fars news agency Tuesday.