Politics

• Monday, May 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia calls on new FARC leaders to talk peace

  The Colombian government appealed on Sunday to the new head of the rebel guerrilla group FARC, Alfonso Cano and his commanders, to “walk into the door of peace” or they will face the same strong determination as happened to the recently deceased Manuel Marulanda Velez.

• Sunday, May 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers and government dig into their positions

  

  Argentine farmers and the government held huge separate rallies in shows of strength ahead of talks scheduled for Monday aimed at resolving a two month and a half conflict over export levies on grains and oilseeds which has expanded to demand a new farm policy.

• Sunday, May 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  UK, US and Canada steelworkers union to become global

  The United Kingdom's biggest trade union Unite is reportedly on the brink of merging with a counterpart in North America, reported on Sunday The Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times.

• Saturday, May 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Canadian team gathers evidence of Arctic cap break up

  Dramatic evidence of the break-up of the Arctic ice-cap has emerged from research during an expedition by the Canadian military. Scientists traveling with the troops found major new fractures during an assessment of the state of giant ice shelves in Canada's far north, reports BBC.

• Saturday, May 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine officials attitude “boosting” farmers Sunday's rally

  

  The Argentine government attitude towards camp has given farmers scheduled Sunday rally in the city of Rosario “its greatest boost” and “they will have to expand the city to get all the people in” said farmers'leaders.

• 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.