Battle-scarred Tamils emerge as kingmakers
UK Telegraph - 5 hours ago
The Tamil Tigers lost their fight for an independent homeland in May, but observers say that Tamil voters could decide who becomes the next Sri Lankan president. The two main candidates - the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapakse, and a former army chief, Sarath Fonseka - both claim credit for crushing the Tigers and ending the island's bloody ethnic conflict.
Sri Lankan journalist jailed for 20 years after criticizing the govt gets bail pending appeal Chicago Tribune
Croatia's softly spoken 'Mr Clean'
UK Telegraph - 5 hours ago
Ivo Josipovic, the social democrat who was elected Croatia's president on Sunday, capitalises on his image as a soft-spoken intellectual and a squeaky-clean political reputation. Voters, who were seemingly fed up with the graft scandals that engulfed Croatian politics over the past months, turned to Josipovic who had promised to usher in "the return of morals into politics".
Jurist Josipovic wins Croatia presidential vote Reuters
Debt Plan in Argentina Sets Bank Against the President
New York Times - 14 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO — A disputed plan by President Cristina Fern?ndez de Kirchner of to use billions of dollars in foreign currency reserves to repay debt has inflamed political tensions in that country, Latin America’s third-largest economy. Mrs. Kirchner’s cash-poor government is seeking to use $6.5 billion of Argentina’s nearly $48 billion in central bank reserves to help cover $13 billion in international debt that is due this year.
Argentine Leader in Decisive Battle Wall Street Journal
Hatoyama Scolds Finance Minister
Wall Street Journal - 2 days ago