Mercosur

• Wednesday, January 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  China rejects Chilean decision to slash permits for local port access

  Chinese fishing authorities consider that the Chilean government's unilateral decision to restrict the access of Chinese fishing vessels to the South American country's ports will damage the efforts taken by both parties and will hinder future cooperation, said a trading advisor in China's Embassy to Santiago, Chen Yuming

• Wednesday, January 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Bolivian president-elect visits South Africa

  Bolivian President-elect Evo Morales arrived in South Africa on Tuesday on an international tour that already has taken him to Europe and China.

• Tuesday, January 10th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine squid fishery kicks off February 1

  Members of Argentina's Squid Monitoring Commission agreed on February first as the starting point for the next shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) season. The decision enforced in Argentina's EEZ had been notified to industry representatives.

• Tuesday, January 10th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Flight to check volcanic eruption in South Sandwich

  Mount Belinda on Montagu Island in the South Sandwich Islands is erupting, reports the South Georgia government.

• Tuesday, January 10th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Caruana to London for Trilateral and Defence talks

  Gibraltar Chief Minister Peter Caruana is scheduled to meet with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in London this week. This was confirmed to the Gibraltar Chronicle by the local government.

• Tuesday, January 10th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  “Minor seism” felt in Ushuaia and Rio Grande

  A slight seism, with a II to III Mercalli intensity was felt Monday night in two of Tierra del Fuego's main cities, the capital Ushuaia and Rio Grande.

• Tuesday, January 10th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Latinamerican countries condemn US migration proposal

  Foreign Affairs ministers from ten Central and South American countries met in Mexico Monday and condemned United States proposals to tighten border controls including the building of a wall along parts of the US-Mexico frontier.

• Monday, January 9th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Spain's Army Commander relieved for “indiscipline”

  Spain's Army Commander Lieutenant General Jose Mena Aguado was relieved from his duties following threatening comments on Spain's unity, which Defence Minister Jose Bono described as an act of “indiscipline” but “isolated”.

• Monday, January 9th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Migration to the US, key issue of Mexican election

  The illegal migration of Mexicans to United States is rapidly becoming a key topic of this year's Mexican presidential election: the current administration claims the number of “wetbacks” has considerably dropped in recent years and the opposition argues poverty and unemployment is pushing hundreds per day to the north.

• Monday, January 9th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chinese buses and trains for Cuba

  Cuba received twelve locomotives and the first 80 out of a total 1,000 buses purchased from China, an operation involving 100 million US dollars.