It is with great sadness that the International Institute (I.O.I.) has learned about the tragic death of Ms. M'Bam diatigui Diarra, the Mali Médiateur de la République, who died in a car accident on January 18, 2011.

Mr Hussein Ismail has been elected by the National Assembly to the position of Deputy Ombudsman of Bulgaria. He was nominated by the Ombudsman Konstantin Penchev.

Catalan Ombudsman Rafael Ribó delivered the first report of the Catalan Authority for the Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment to the Office of the President of Parliament on 10 January 2011.

The Estonian Chancellor of Justice has, as of 1 January 2011, formed a new division in his office dealing only with children's rights. This is done in the framework of preparatory activities for becoming Children's Ombudsman.

Transport Malta “systematically ignored” the Ombudsman investigating a serious complaint by a Qawra resident, a damning report reveals.

In December 2009 Copenhagen was host city for the UN climate summit, attended by the world’s political leaders and a very large number of NGOs. A large number of demonstrations was registered with the police. Some organisations had indicated through the press that they might not use only legal methods in connection with the demonstrations – a promise which some of them later fulfilled.

Following the successful first I.O.I. edition of the “Sharpening Your Teeth”-Training that was attended by 38 participants from 17 different states, the I.O.I. is organising a second SYT training which will be held from 5 to 8 June 2011 at the I.O.I. General Secretariat in Vienna, Austria. This three-day training on systemic investigations for staff members of Ombudsman institutions is based on the format “Sharpening Your Teeth” that was successfully invented by the Ontario Ombudsman.

Kim Young Ran is now the new third Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Korea.  She has been working as a judge for 30 years, including six years as the first female Justice of the Supreme Court in Korea.