■ Mexico
Iraqi immigrants detained
Mexican officials said Wednesday they have detained four Iraqis with false passports trying to enter the US. Under secretary of Interior Armando Salinas told reporters the Iraqis were "undocumented and some had committed crimes such as counterfeiting official documents in third countries." A National Migration Institute spokesman said the four Iraqis had been arrested upon arrival at Mexicali's airport in northwestern Mexico, 2,700km northwest of the capital. They were being interrogated by Mexican prosecutors, the spokesman said.
■ Canada
Anti-Sikh comments blasted
A Canadian radio station was formally reprimanded on Wednesday after one of its presenters insulted immigrants to Canada and then said the Sikhs of northern India were "a gang of bozos." The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council said the item on Montreal's CKAC-FM was "abusive and unduly discriminatory" and ordered the station to make a public apology. In a show broadcast in December 2003, CKAC-FM presenter Pierre Mailloux told listeners that immigrants who came to Canada should abandon their habits and traditions. "You cultural communities come from a wacko country. You live a wacko culture. Don't bring it with you. That's the message to convey," he said.
■ Canada
Nuke plant to be closed
Canada and the US announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at closing one of the last reactors producing military grade plutonium in Russia. The memorandum is meant "to assist with the permanent closure of one of the final operating weapons-grade plutonium production reactors in Russia," the countries said in a statement. Ottawa will contribute C$9 million (US$7 million) to the US Department of Energy's Elimination of Weapons-Grade Plutonium Production program. Under the deal three Russian nuclear reactors would be shut down and replaced by fossil fuel burning plants.
■ Colombia
Mass graves uncovered
Investigators uncovered five mass graves in northern Colombia containing the bodies of 36 people -- many showing signs of torture -- who were killed by suspected right-wing paramilitary fighters, authorities said Wednesday. Forensic experts have begun the painstaking work of identifying all the victims, who apparently were killed over a span of several years. Four suspected paramilitary hit men have been arrested, the attorney general's office said. Relatives seeking news of missing loved ones located the burial sites near San Onofre, 600km north of the capital, Bogota, two days ago before calling on authorities for help in digging up the remains.
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