WORLD IN BRIEF : PORTUGAL : Defense Minister to Head Ruling Party

Portuguese Defense Minister Fernando Nogueira, despite two recent political scandals, was elected to succeed Prime Minister Anibal Cavaco Silva as leader of the governing Social Democratic Party. Nogueira said his priorities would be to preserve party unity, help Cavaco Silva complete his mandate, and then win elections after Cavaco Silva steps down later this year. Nogueira has been criticized for the air force’s involvement in repairs of aircraft for the governments of Angola, a former Portuguese colony enmeshed in civil war, and Indonesia, Portugal’s foe in the conflict in East Timor, also a former Portuguese colony.