Politics

• Monday, April 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva blames farm subsidies and oil for food crisis

  Brazilian president Lula da Silva, currently visiting Ghana, blamed rising oil prices for the current global food crisis, saying that bio-fuels had nothing to do with the problem, as some have suggested. He insisted escalating oil prices are pushing up freight costs, which in turn affects world food prices.

• Sunday, April 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguay cracks six decades of iron fist one party rule

  

  Former Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo won a historic victory in Paraguay's Sunday presidential election, signaling the demise of more than six decades of one-party hegemonic rule in one of South America's poorest countries.

• Saturday, April 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  “Puerto Deseado” surveying north Falklands' waters

  

  The Argentine Navy scientific research vessel Puerto Deseado set to sea last Thursday towards the Falkland Islands to conclude collecting data and double checking on previous information referred to the outer limits of the continental shelf, contemplated in the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, reports the Argentine press.

• Friday, April 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Ecuador's Correa warns FARC and Colombian Gov.

  Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa warned Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces, FARC that any incursion into Ecuadorian territory would be considered an “act of war” and asked for a “helpful hand” from the Organization of American States, OAS, to put an end to the “disrepute campaign” launched by the Colombian government.

• Friday, April 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers and government reach agreement on beef

  Argentine farmers and government officials reached on Thursday a first agreement on a single issue beef, but insisted that many more points remain to be addressed. On Friday discussions will be focused on dairy and Monday on grains and the sliding export levies which triggered the 21 day farmers' strike and shortages conflict.

• Friday, April 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

  

  Headlines: Final product on the way to market; Work starts on West ferry head; Queen's Birthday marks end of summer time; Uganda crew and patients reunite; FIDC interim manager withdraws.

• Friday, April 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Paraguay: old regime could begin to crumble on Sunday

  

  The last 48 hours before Sunday's vote to elect president and a new Congress in Paraguay are showing the strains of an ancient regime that has ruled undisputedly in the country for over six decades but which seems condemned according to the prevailing opinion polls for the last twelve months.

• Friday, April 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Tibet and impeached minister mark a new low for M. Bachelet

  The government of Chilean president Michelle Bachelet marked this week a new low when her Education minister was impeached and barred five years from office, and the Lower House approved a proposal condemning repression in Tibet and calling on Beijing to hold talks with the Dalai Lama.

• Friday, April 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Inquiry into death of British priest during Pinochet period

  Arrest orders have been extended for six Chilean naval officers allegedly involved in the abduction and torture of a British Catholic priest and other political prisoners during the early days of the September 1973 military coup that ousted elected Socialist president Salvador Allende.

• Friday, April 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina continental shelf claim “on time for May 2009”

  

  Argentina ratified this week that it will present on time (May 2009) continental shelf claims before the United Nations Continental Shelf Limits Commission as stipulated under the Law of the Sea. Argentine officials also denied Britain allegedly was trying to extend its continental shelf westerly from the Falkland Islands towards Tierra del Fuego.