Politics

• Saturday, May 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Calls for the immediate grounding of RAF Nimrod fleet

  The entire RAF Nimrod fleet should be grounded, a coroner has urged as he concluded the inquest into the deaths of 14 servicemen in a crash. The fleet had “never been airworthy”, Andrew Walker said, recording narrative verdicts at the Oxford hearing.

• Saturday, May 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Union of S.A. Nations born amid controversies

  The South American Union of Nations was officially born Friday in Brasilia as leaders of the region's 12 nations signed the constitutional charter, the latest of the region's integration mechanisms. Brazil's president, Lula da Silva, who hosted the summit, invited other Latin American and Caribbean nations to join the venture.

• Saturday, May 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile's Bachelet nominated Unasur's first president

  Chile's Michelle Bachelet was chosen as the first president of the Union of South American Nations which was formally founded on Friday in Brasilia when the leaders of its twelve country members signed the constitutional charter.

• Saturday, May 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia military confirms rebel leader “Sureshot” is dead

  Colombia's Defense Ministry said Saturday it believes the legendary leader of Latin America's largest guerrilla army is dead and President Alvaro Uribe announced he is willing to offer rebels who free hostages “conditional liberty” and passage abroad.

• Friday, May 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile Bachelet's State of the Nation speech energy laden

  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet chimed into the national energy debate Wednesday, using her annual May 21 State of the Nation speech to downplay the country's current electricity scarcity – which she described as “transitory” – and to plug the continued use of Chile's waterways for hydroelectric generation.

• Friday, May 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  FAO forecasts higher harvest volumes but still insufficient

  

  High food prices have particularly hit vulnerable populations in many countries that spend a substantial part of their income on food, according to a report released Thursday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome.

• Friday, May 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Cristina Kirchner's support plummets 30 points since January

  

  The protracted conflict with the farmers and growing inflation demolished in two months the support for Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner according to the latest public opinion poll from the consultants Poliarquía released on Thursday.

• Friday, May 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Frustrated Argentine farmers promise great Sunday rally

  While Argentine government officials expressed “optimism”, following the Thursday meeting with camp representatives to discuss tax policies, farmers said they were “let down” and “feel frustrated” by the government's attitude of delaying proposals and discussions.

• Friday, May 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update

  Headlines: Landings commemorated at Blue Beach; Popular teenager killed in road accident; Governor applies for drug duo's deportation; May Ball tonight; Budget session looms.

• Friday, May 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Conservatives take their first by-election since 1982

  

  Britain's Conservative leader David Cameron says their first by-election gain since 1982 marks “the end of New Labour”. Mr Cameron told cheering supporters in Crewe and Nantwich that Labour had run a negative, xenophobic and class war campaign that “completely backfired”.