Politics

• Monday, May 4th 2009 - 11:03 UTC

  Conservative businessman elected president in Panama

  

  Panamanian opposition leader and supermarket mogul Ricardo Martinelli has won Panama's presidential election, the head of the country's electoral tribunal said Sunday. Martinelli, of the conservative Democratic Change party, edged out former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera of Panama's ruling Democratic Revolutionary Party, said Erasmo Pinilla of the electoral tribunal.

• Monday, May 4th 2009 - 09:14 UTC

  Ahead of tough week British ministers rally behind PM Gordon Brown

  

  British senior ministers have insisted Gordon Brown is the best man to lead the Labour Party, after criticism of the government from inside the cabinet. Both Health Secretary Alan Johnson and Justice Secretary Jack Straw defended the prime minister's leadership, at the end of a tough week for the government.

• Monday, May 4th 2009 - 08:33 UTC

  Former US president Jimmy Carter honoured in Sao Paulo

  

  Former US president and Nobel Peace Prize Jimmy Carter was honoured Sunday by the governor of Brazil’s powerhouse state Sao Paulo for his contributions to the development of the state.

• Monday, May 4th 2009 - 07:45 UTC

  Iranian president visits South America; US calls it “disturbing”

  

  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad begins this week a tour of South America visiting three countries, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela, reported Iranian Foreign Affairs minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

• Saturday, May 2nd 2009 - 09:57 UTC

  Gurkha veterans fighting for better treatment from UK government

  

  Jubilant former Gurkhas living in Swindon, some of them Falklands veterans have welcomed the surprise news that their former colleagues could be given equal right of residence to live in the United Kingdom. Mahendra Rai, from Liden, who saw action in the Falkland Islands with the 7th Gurkha Rifles including the bitter battle at Goose Green, was among the veterans at Westminster on Tuesday who witnessed the Government’s defeat on the issue in the House of Commons.

• Saturday, May 2nd 2009 - 09:53 UTC

  Bolivia announces agreed nationalization of BP aviation fuel division

  

  Bolivian President Evo Morales announced the nationalization of the local unit of BP's aviation division on Friday, further tightening state control over the energy industry. At a May Day rally, Morales said he signed a decree to take over Air BP, a division of British oil major BP Plc.

• Saturday, May 2nd 2009 - 09:39 UTC

  “Itaipú proposal” waits President Lugo when he visits Brazil

  

  Brazil could anticipate payments to Paraguay for the energy from the shared huge Itaipu dam, which should help the Treasury of the weakened President Fernando Lugo. However Brazil would also like to see an end to Paraguay’s intention of modifying the Itaipu dam accord, according to the Brazilian press quoting government sources.

• Friday, May 1st 2009 - 13:31 UTC

  Falklands’ customers disenchanted with telecoms provider

  

  Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update. Headlines: Lack of trust between Cable and Wireless and the customer; Reckless driving: verdict today

• Friday, May 1st 2009 - 12:43 UTC

  Cuba reacts to US blacklisting calls Washington “international criminal”

  

  Cuba reacted strongly on Thursday calling the US government an “international criminal” after Washington said it was keeping Cuba on a list of countries that allegedly support terrorism. The US State Department released a report lumping Cuba with Iran, Syria and Sudan on a blacklist as sponsors of terrorism.

• Friday, May 1st 2009 - 00:40 UTC

  A US diplomat and lobbyist who helped carve recent Latinamerican history

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner surfaced this week the name of a former US ambassador, and US corporation lobbyist, linked to notorious events of Latinamerican history of the last century at a ceremony in Government House.