By Randy Woods, Business News Americas - New Mexico-based Hyperion Power Generation, which makes small-scale nuclear reactors, is in talks with developers in the Cayman Islands, Panama and the Bahamas to install its technology, company CEO John R (Grizz) Deal told BNamericas. "Our first installation is just under five years away in Romania," he said. "Then it follows really quickly in a bunch of island nations and US protectorates in the Pacific. We now have a six-year waiting list." The company, which does not have direct competitors, aims to sell 4,000 units in the first 10 years of production. "My dance card isn't nearly full," Deal said. "We have lots of opportunity to work with people." Hyperion's modular non-weapons-grade reactors are roughly 1.5m wide and provide 70MW thermal or 25MW electric capacity via steam turbines for 7-10 years. They cost roughly US$25mn-30mn each. Production costs are some US$0.05/kWh, according to Deal. "We're talking to a developer in the Cayman Islands who says people there are pretty anti-nuke. We say, tell them they can get electricity for US$0.05/kWh and they're currently paying US$0.48/kWh," he said. "This will be a lot cheaper and we'll prove the safety and security around it. And of course, they were interested in meeting with us." Invented at the US Los Alamos National Laboratory, the units are designed for industrial use such as oil shale and sands drilling and processing and primary power supply for remote areas. BNamericas will run the in-depth interview with Deal in Friday's Perspectives.

By Leonardo Flores for La Prensa - After the former lawmaker Haydeé Milanés de Lay revealed that presidential hopeful Balbina Herrera offered to pay her $750,000 dollars in exchange for her support so that the Partido Revolucionario Democrático, in 1999, would gain control of the National Assembly, the former Housing Minister remained silent. In spite of insistent calls by this newspaper there was no answer. Nevertheless, Héctor Alemán, one of her spokesmen and also a lawmaker at that time, said Balbina Herrera never visited the house of Milanés de Lay. “I was there until early in the morning," remembered Hector Aleman, who was also named in the political denunciation as part of the campaign. Milanés de Lay, who had the decisive vote in that election, said on the program "Trocha Abierta" that Herrera offered her the Presidency of the National Assembly on the night of 31 August 1999, but she declined due to a "commitment" that she had to the then President of the Republic Mireya Moscoso. She said Herrera insisted with the same proposal on 1 September 1999. “She insisted and she took me in her car," said Milanés de Lay, saying that when Herrera saw some journalists she said it would be better if they spoke somewhere else. Milanés de Lay blames the PRD of being behind the action of the Electoral Tribunal (TE) for having condemned her of electoral crimes and removing her from her position in 2004. He also says that the recent decision of the TE that determined that she was not born in Panama to be more political persecution.

LONDON (AFP) — John Darwin, who faked his death in a canoeing accident so he and his wife could claim a life insurance payout, has launched a bid to appeal against his jail sentence, his lawyer said Friday. Darwin, 58, was jailed in July for six years and three months after admitting faking his own death to allow his wife Anne make fraudulent insurance and pension claims in a scam which fooled even their two sons. Darwin's solicitor, John Nixon, said he had made an application to the courts for the right to challenge the sentence. Nixon said: "It is an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal. "An application will go before a single judge who will either grant leave to appeal or if that is refused, Mr Darwin will likely ask the full Court of Appeal for the right to be heard." (more)

By Carmen Boyd Marciacq for El Siglo - The news fell like a bomb. Just when PRD presidential candidate Balbina Herrera was celebrating the closure of her primary campaign under a heavy downpour, the former lawmaker Haydeé Milanés de Lay provided details in an interview on the program "Trocha Abierta" of one of the best kept political secrets: Why she declined to be the President of the National Assembly in 1999 and details of a supposed bribery attempt. The newly elected President of the Republic Mireya Moscoso would take possession of the Presidency on the afternoon of 1 September 1999, and on the morning of that day it would be defined if she would have a ruling majority in the National Assembly or not. The forces of the PRD and the allies of Moscoso were practically tied in the National Assembly and Milanés de Lay had the decisive vote. (more)

Maritime Global Net - PANAMA CITY, Panama, September 3, 2008 – On September 3, 2007, Panamanian President Martín Torrijos, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and several former and current heads of state witnessed and celebrated the historic groundbreaking of the Canal Expansion Program. Expansion, which will build a new lane of traffic along the waterway through the construction of a new set of locks, will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships. In addition, it will significantly augment the Canal’s revenue stream while maintaining the viability of the route. That September morning, joined by more than 30,000 Panamanians, the ACP kicked off its first major construction project of expansion – the dry excavation of Paraiso Hill. The project will ultimately help create the new Pacific locks access channel that will connect the Gaillard Cut (the narrowest stretch in the Panama Canal) and the area where the new Pacific locks will be built. Today, one year later, the ACP celebrates the achievements of all those who have contributed to the Expansion Program and looks forward to the future with optimism and great anticipation.

By Luis Carlos Rodríguez for La Critica - Two women intoxicated three private security agents. Authorities are trying to find two women who "slipped a mickey" to three private security guards who were working for an armored car company in order to steal a satchel full of cash. This strange but true robbery took place near the El Rey supermarket on the road leading away from the Coronado Resort and Spa at about 7:30 pm on Tuesday. The two women offered the three security guards, 37 year-old Grimaldo Tovar De Gaiza, 35 year-old Rubén Mata, and 52 year old Ángel María Quiróz, what was supposed to be free samples of an energy drink. Minutes after drinking the samples all three men lost consciousness, and they did not wake up until a police patrol found them unconscious in the armored car near the entrance to the old Howard Air Force Base, in the district of Arraiján at 2:05 am, yesterday, Wednesday morning. A undisclosed amount in addition to a weapon was taken in the robbery.

By Yessika Valdés for the Panama America - Both of the principal presidential candidates for the Partido Revolucionario Democratico (PRD), Balbina Herrera and Juan Carlos Navarro, held triumphant campaign closing rallies yesterday afternoon, in which they each reiterated what they would do if they win the primary election and become the official PRD candidate for the general national elections in 2009. Balbina Herrera said the important thing is to fortify party unity in order to leave 7 September 2008 behind triumphantly, and above all she thanked her supporters, friends, and family members for the support they have given her during these months of the primary campaign. The former Housing Minister said that in the 150 days of the campaign have been the hardest of the past eight years, but in any case she feels secure that she will win the primary election in order to guarantee triumph 2009. (more) (Photo Credit: Erick Barrios) (Article Continues and Comments Follow)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - A long time ago I would flood my links section with a hyperlink to just about any website that had anything to do with Panama, in English. Then, once I started learning about SEO, I realized the major search engines generally penalize websites who have large collections of outgoing links with no links coming back in - they are seen as "link farms." So, I trimmed my links section down from 400+ links to 139 today. And, those links remaining in my database have been clicked an astounding 256,864 times, for an average of more than 1,847 clicks per link. Obviously those companies who advertise with me are getting more - for example the #1 link in the system goes to Panama Realtor with 13,680 clicks. Also, if you search Google for "Panama Real Estate" you will see that the Panama Realtor site is #1. And, those who don't advertise at all and only swap links might see just a few hundred clicks. In any case, more proof that swapping links is a great idea from an SEO point of view, so go forth and link up for the good of the team. Hoo-ya!

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By Rafael Pérez G. for La Prensa - The proposal to reform the constitution that would expand the number of Supreme Court justices from nine to twelve, would grant the the new Room of Guarantees the faculty to authorize the interception of telephone communications, recording, or filming private activities as part of an investigation. This initiative appears in the project to which a technical sub-commission - designated by the State Commission on Justice - is making the final adjustments. The reform project, that has as its major backer the Judicial Branch of Government, will return to the hands of the mentioned commission whose members are programmed to meet today, Thursday. The sub-commission meetings are attended by, among others, Ricardo Quirós of the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Administration, Rigoberto González and Rafael Pérez Jaramillo of the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Nation, the magistrate Adán Arjona, Heriberto Araúz in representation of the Judicial Branch, and Carlos Vásquez for the Defensoria del Pueblo. Also in attendance were Juan Antonio Ledezma and José del Carmen Murgas, managers of the National College of Lawyers, who work in the National Assembly. The Citizen's Alliance, which is against these reforms, did not send a representative. Faculties of the new room: HÁBEAS DATA: It will decide those cases when they deal with requests for information from authorities, functionaries, or corporations with jurisdiction in all the Republic, or two or more provinces. HONOR: They will decide issues pertaining to the right to honor for not complying with a publication means or the diffusion of a replica. (Huh?) (See Comments)

PANAMA CITY (AP) — Public transportation is scarce and most construction sites are stilled in Panama because of a nationwide strike. Demonstrators want the government to halt the rising cost of living. They say officials should impose price controls on basic food items and increase salaries by 20%. They also want Panamanian Interior Minister Daniel Delgado to step down because they say his security reforms are repressive. Delgado says the reforms are necessary to battle drug trafficking. Thursday's marches included university students blocking one busy road. No major violence was reported. Panama's economy is growing, but inflation hit 9% earlier this year because of the world food crisis and rising oil prices.

Linda Young - AHN Editor Panama City, Panama (AHN) - Panama is still experiencing a nationwide strike over the rising cost of living there, inflation hit 9 percent earlier this year. Protesters are calling on the government to stop the rising cost of living by imposing price controls on basic food items. They are also calling for salary increases of 20 percent to cope with higher prices. The strike was crippling public transportation on Thursday and most construction sites lacked workers. A strike by workers at two of the nation's ports at opposite ends of the Panama Canal ended Tuesday after one day and didn't significantly affect traffic on the canal that handles 5 percent of global trade, according to reports. Union workers ended the strike by accepting an offer from the labor ministry to arbitrate the disagreement over pay for shift work.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - I went out to talk to the protesters this morning. Most of them were construction workers from the SUNTRACS labor union. University students closed down Transistmica briefly but by the time I got there, they had already returned to the campus and the street was open. I heard on RPC Radio that the protesters were gathering in front of the Public Ministry on Ave. Peru so I headed over there. Upon arrival there were only about 100 or so guys hanging around, all with SUNTRACS flags. I spoke to a few of them, and their plan was for everyone to gather there at 12:00 noon and then to march down to the National Assembly to deliver a list of demands. Their primary bitch and complaint was the rising costs of living. (more)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Dale just shot me this image, taken in front of the Atlapa convention center. Striking SUNTRACS construction workers have closed Via Israel. And as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The woman who was found dead in her apartment in the Belagio tower in Punta Pacifica was Kelly Abner, the General Manager of Bunker Vessel Management, S.A.. Their business was to supply fuel to vessels transiting the Panama Canal, and one of the vessels under their control was the ubiquitous Canal Trader. Her husband Raleigh Abner, an avid golfer and member of the Summit Golf Course in Panama, discovered her body.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Welcome aboard to our latest link swapper, InPanamaCity.com. From their webpage: "Welcome to Panama City, Panama's Only Dedicated Business Directory! InPanamaCity.com provides free listings for your business, club or Panama City related web site. In addition to free listings, we offer Featured Listings that move your business to the top of the list with a highlighted entry. Free listings link directly to the web site (assuming you have one), while featured listings get a full page to communicate with potential customers." Proving their incredible intelligence and good taste, the fine folks at InPanamaCity.com have elected to swap links with Panama-Guide.com as part of our long established link exchange program. This is a free and relatively easy way to boost your website from an SEO point of view, and do your share towards creating a really useful network of interlinking, active, and interesting English language websites pertaining to the Republic of Panama. And remember, there's always room for one more in a circle-jerk such as ours... (grin)

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - The "warning strike" by FRENADESO, supported by some sectors of the transportation unions, teachers, doctors, and university students, has started. Right now there are a handful of protesters from the University of Panama who have closed Transistmica (as predicted.) The "Bloque Popular Universitario" (BPU) (University Popular Block) are now allowing traffic to pass, and already the journalists have the protesters outnumbered. IN about ten to fifteen minutes the National Police riot control units will show up and disburse these guys. In addition, at some bus stations less buses than normal are leaving, making it hard for people to get to work. It's going to be a long day.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By Luis Carlos Rodríguez for La Critica - Authorities are investigating if the American Kelly Ann Abner, 44 years old, whose body was found with a single gunshot wound to the temple at dawn on Tuesday, was a homicide or a suicide. The corpse of the foreigner was found by a close friend in apartment 16 on the 16th floor of the Bellagio tower in the exclusive Punta Pacifica in the San Francisco area of Panama City. The body was recovered by authorities from the Public Ministry who started an investigation into the case. Neighbors in the building said they did not see or hear anything strange. (Comments Follow)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - There are now three potential hurricanes churning in the waters of the Caribbean and equatorial Atlantic ocean, Hanna, Ike, and Josephine, while we're just getting finished with Gustave that threatened to flood New Orleans (again.) I say again - if you're tired of starting down the barrel of the hurricane potential in Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the South East coast of the United States, then consider Panama (wanna buy a condo?) Seriously - one of the best things Panama has to offer is just that - no hurricanes. They don't come here. It can rain like hell, but no 150 mph winds, storm surges, Category whatever, or evacuations. Think about it. Oh, it doesn't snow here, either. What more do you want?

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - We here at Panama-Guide.com have had an established link exchange program for years. I've been clearing out the "submissions" holder folder lately, and noticed that a lot of people have submitted their websites to be listed in our links section but without following through with a reciprocal listing on their website for www.panama-guide.com. In short, if you don't link to me I won't link to you. Take a look at this article about our Link Exchange Program and if you follow those simple instructions then I will be quite simply delighted to swap spit with you. Otherwise, not so much...

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Both Balbina Herrera and Juan Carlos Navarro planned to hold rallies to celebrate the end of their primary campaigns in Panama City this afternoon at 5:00 pm, but it looks like these late afternoon showers are going to dampen the turnout a little. The election will be held this weekend on Sunday, 7 September, and the winner will very likely be the next president of Panama. This is a very important election. Of course, all attention is focused on the two primary presidential contenders, but don't forget there are literally thousands of candidates on the ballots all around the country, for everything from local municipal representatives, assemblymen for the National Assembly, mayors, dog catchers, you name it. Those who win in the primary will go on to face their opposition from other parties in the general national election in May 2009.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Just in case you've been sleeping under a rock somewhere, I thought I would gently remind you that the 2008 National Football League season starts tomorrow night, with the World Champion New York Giants hosting the Washington Deadskins at the Meadowlands. The game kicks off at 7:00 pm EST. These two teams last played on 16 December 2007, a game the Giants won 22-10. These teams are bitter rivals in the National Football Conference (NFC) Eastern Division, and no matter what happens its always a good, hard-hitting game. The Giants are without a doubt the most disrespected champion team ever, after having upset the New England Patriots in Superbowl XLII in a game they were simply not supposed to win. Well, all that's history now, and it's on to the start of a brand new 16 game season. Enjoy.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By Milerick Alvendas for El Siglo - The American citizen Kelly Albeck, 43 years-old, was found dead in the bathroom of her residence with a gunshot wound in the right temple and half-naked. Her husband Riley Albeck, 75 years old, found her body and notified authorities. The situation happened on the 16th floor of the Belagio building in Punta Pacifica on Monday night, and a supposed inheritance is being investigated that might be relevant. A telephone call to police authorities of the San Francisco area was registered at 9:45 pm on Monday night, when a desperate voice of English and mixed with some Spanish indicated the death of the woman.

La Critica - The call to strike made several days ago by the National Front for Economic and Social Rights (FRENADESO) to other unions is having an effect, now that the National Medical Negotiating Commission (COMENENAL) has announced they will support the action. The coordinator of this union, Julio García Valarini, said they made the decision to support the strike because they want to prevent in some form a drastic deterioration of public health. Valerini said that all patients who go to health centers, hospitals, or clinics will be taken care of. He added that the Santo Tomas hospital complex, among others, will support the strike.