Peruvian congress elects new president

Members of the opposition in Peru have chosen a new president of Congress, in effect taking control of the institution for the first time in eight years.

The new congress president, Valentin Paniagua, who's a member of the Popular Action party, won in a secret ballot.

He'll replace Martha Hildebrandt, who was ousted after being accused of blocking attempts to investigate the disgraced former intelligence chief, Vladimiro Montesinos.

Correspondents say the election of Mr Paniagua is a further blow to the president, Alberto Fujimori, who's ability to govern is increasingly being questioned. Mr Fujimori cut short his term after Mr Montesinos was caught up in a bribery scandal.

Mr Montesinos is now on the run and thought to be somewhere in Peru.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service