Politics

• Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 04:36 UTC

  Iran’s statements on Israel divide Uruguayan ruling coalition

  

  Uruguay’ Foreign Affairs official rejection of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad latest statements regarding Israel and the Holocaust have caused “disappointment” in certain groups of the ruling coalition since they believe the government “caved in to lobbying from the local Israelite Committee”, reports the Montevideo press.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 04:10 UTC

  US Free trade agreement, top priority of Panama’s president-elect

  

  Panama's president-elect Ricardo Martinelli has said finalising a free trade deal with the United States is a priority. Martinelli, a supermarket tycoon, beat the governing centre-left party's candidate by more than 20 points in Sunday's presidential election.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 04:04 UTC

  Canada prepared to challenge EU ban on seal products in WTO

  

  Canada pledged on Tuesday it would launch a World Trade Organization challenge of the European Union's planned ban on seal products, unless the EU agrees to exempt humane and sustainable sealing.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 03:46 UTC

  Royal support for Gurkha’s rights to settle in Britain

  

  A senior member of the British Royal Family has privately expressed support for Joanna Lumley's campaign for Gurkha settlement rights, the actress revealed. Ms Lumley told a committee of MPs she had received a letter of support from a royal but would not name them.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 10:58 UTC

  Spain complains about Gibraltar flag during G20 summit negotiations

  

  Spain made a formal complaint to the United Kingdom and the United States over the manner in which the tax information agreement was signed on March 31 between Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Peter Caruana and United States Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in London ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 10:49 UTC

  Panamanian president elect compared to Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi

  

  Panama president-elect and supermarket tycoon Ricardo Martinelli, 57, of Italian origin has been compared to the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi by Panamanian media and political analysts.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 08:10 UTC

  Head of British Army on three day official visit to Chile

  

  British Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff General Sir Richard Dannatt begun on Monday an official three-day visit to Chile invited by the Chilean Army.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2009 - 08:00 UTC

  Iranian president postpones visit to South American countries

  

  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cancelled on Monday a trip to Brazil this week without explanation amid criticism in Teheran from the country’s clerical leader and US concern about Iran’s growing influence in Latin America.

• 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.