Politics

• 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”.

• Thursday, May 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers flexible but hope for “national celebration”

  Argentine farmers said on Wednesday they are willing to discuss the controversial sliding levies on grains and oil seed exports but also cautioned they were looking forward to a grand national celebration in the scheduled Sunday rally at Rosario, and not another occasion of “protest and claims”.

• Thursday, May 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Leaders meet to launch Union of South American Nations

  A South American leaders' summit is scheduled for Friday in Brazil where the visiting heads of government and host President Lula da Silva will be signing the legal framework of the charter for the Union of South American Nations, Unasur.

• Thursday, May 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguay & Uruguay agree on new approach to Mercosur

  Paraguay's President elect Fernando Lugo and Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez agreed to work jointly in Mercosur affairs to help improve the bargaining power of the junior partners that have repeatedly complained that the block has become a two member club, Argentina-Brazil.

• Wednesday, May 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Farmers' conflict: all seems ready for talks to begin Thursday

  Argentine farmers and government will most probably resume negotiations on Thursday while tomorrow details of the meeting will be jointly agreed according to sources from the Ministry of Economy and published in the Buenos Aires press.