Stories for June 2008

Saturday, June 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentina bans all fishing in S. Atlantic Burwood Bank

Argentina banned all fishing activities to the south of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands and to the east of the Isla de los Estados in an area dominated by the Burwood bank. The ban, “total and permanent” was decided to preserve biodiversity in the area and in the framework of commitments agreed with FAO.
Saturday, June 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Punta Arenas short of staples because of farmers' conflict

Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile is suffering a critical shortage of staples mainly sugar, rice and flour as a direct consequence of the Argentine farmers conflict that has been dragging for over 100 days.
Saturday, June 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Mercosur blasts EU immigrants “return directive”

Mercosur and associate members expressed on Friday their strong rejection to the “discriminatory” set of restrictions agreed by the European Union and confirmed by the EU Parliament regarding immigrants in irregular situation
Friday, June 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Gibraltar Minister not returning before “irrelevant” C24

Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana 13th appearance before the United Nations General Assembly Special Committee of 24 was his last. In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday he robustly indicated that it was pointless to keep returning because the Committee of 24 had never acted on Gibraltar's behalf but had always chosen and continued to be silent.
Friday, June 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Venezuela formalizes nationalization of cement industry

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's nationalization of three foreign-owned cement businesses took effect on Thursday with the publication of the resolution in the Official Gazette according to the government run Bolivarian News Agency.
Friday, June 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
EU lifts Cuba sanctions to the dismay of U.S.

The European Union agreed to lift limited sanctions against Cuba, a hotly contested move designed to encourage the country's new government under Raúl Castro to liberalize
Friday, June 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update

Headlines: Co-op to shut up shop after 50 years; Queen's birthday honours; Mid-winter madness; No plan to move Ocean 8 or the oil Stanley Sports Association
Thursday, June 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentine farmers extend grain export ban until Friday

Argentine farmers decided on Wednesday to extend the ban on grains and oil seeds exports until next Saturday disappointed with a farm bill sent for Congressional consideration and direct allegations to farm leaders from President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
Thursday, June 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
China hikes fuel prices 18% causing petroleum to drop

China, the world's second-largest consumer of oil, is to raise the price of petrol and diesel by 18%. The move, which could depress demand for oil from the fast-growing economy, caused the price of crude to fall 4 US dollars.
Thursday, June 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
EU summit undecided over the Irish vote aftermath

European Union leaders meeting in Brussels refused to set a deadline for a deal on the stalled Lisbon Treaty after its rejection by the Irish and insisted that real issues as Europe's economic situation are the priority.