On Jan. 20, nation-wide protests over large-scale metal mining called by the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) brought out some 12,000 people from indigenous, campesino, environmentalist and human rights organizations across eleven provinces of the small Andean nation. Although large-scale metal exploration has been ongoing since the early '90s, no project has yet reached production. Mining activities are currently suspended until a new law is passed.

With a short memo on Inauguration Day, President Barack Obama blocked plans to loosen some air quality standards and to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list. But he did not stop several other controversial, late-term environmental regulations issued by the Bush administration, including a weakening of the Endangered Species Act, a first step in opening Western lands to oil shale development, leases for oil and gas drilling near some national parks, and the start of a process to allow new oil rigs off the Atlantic, Gulf, Alaska and California coasts. (LAT, Jan. 22)

In his first call to a foreign leader, President Barack Obama spoke to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on the phone Jan. 21, saying he wants to work "as partners to establish a durable peace in the region," according to an Abbas aid. He shortly followed the call up with one to and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Israel is currently withdrawing the last of its troops from the Gaza Strip, but prevented Abbas' administration from transferring $80 million to Gaza to pay Palestinian Authority workers there. Israel told the UN and other aid agencies they must apply for project-by-project Israeli approval and provide guarantees none of the work will benefit Hamas. (Bloomberg, Reuters, Jan. 21)

Hours after taking the oath of office, President Barack Obama called for a halt to the Guantánamo tribunals, directing military prosecutors to seek a 120-day "continuance" (legalese for postponement) in proceedings underway at the prison camp against five accused 9-11 co-conspirators, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Four employees of Minera Afrodita and two people who were traveling with them in the Peruvian Amazon were held hostage for a sixth day on Jan. 20, by protesters angry over mining development. The group, which includes two administrative workers, two security guards, their boat captain and his helper, was seized last week in the remote community of Huampami, Cenepa district, Condorcanqui/Bagua province, Amazonas department. The company said its workers were there to invite local leaders to a meeting to talk about mining projects.

Peruvian agricultural producers ended three days of mobilizations on Jan. 17 after Enrique Málaga, president of the National Users Council of the Irrigation Districts of Peru (JNUDRP), met with Prime Minister Yehude Simón and Agriculture Minister Carlos Leyton. "The strike has been suspended in consideration of our having reached an agreement for approval of the General Law of Water, which we were demanding," Málaga told the media. "This law is going to be promulgated next week." Málaga indicated that the agreement also included the formation of a commission for the solution of small agricultural producers' debt problems. (24 Horas Libre, Peru, Jan. 17; Univision, Jan. 17 from AFP)

On Jan. 13 Honduran teachers began a series of protests against the government's delays in paying salaries for some 2,600 teachers and its failure to pay full year-end bonuses. For the first phase of the mobilization, the unions representing the nation's 48,000 teachers called for "informational assemblies" throughout the country. The assembly held in the Hibueras de Comayaguela Institute in Tegucigalpa quickly turned into a demonstration. At 11 AM the participants marched to the Education Secretariat. Entering the building, they chanted: "Out with [Education Minister Marlon] Breve!" and "We want to be paid, we're hungry!" Ministry employees left their offices, and the teachers shut the doors to the building. Breve accused the teachers of sedition and sent for the police. About 30 agents of the National Police with shields and nightsticks blocked the doors to keep more teachers from entering. After an all-night standoff, the agents removed the protesters at about 4 AM on Jan. 14.

Nine Dominican police agents, including two officers, should be tried for the Dec. 30 shooting deaths of five men in Santo Domingo's Mirador Sur section, according to a report that a special commission presented to National District attorney general Alejandro Moscoso Segarra on Jan. 15. The police had claimed that the five men died during an exchange of gunfire, but an autopsy report from the Forensic Pathology Institute found that four of the victims had been shot in the back. One of the four was shot in the back of the neck at close range, according to forensic physician Sergio Sarita, and the fifth victim was shot "in front while seated, lying down or on his knees." Attorney General Moscoso Segarra said he would decide in 48 hours whether to proceed with the case.