Barbados Prime Minister dies

MEXICO: Barbados Prime Minister David Thompson died Saturday of pancreatic cancer at the age of 48.

Thompson, who had not been seen in public for months, died at his home. Taking office in January 2008 at the age of 46, he was the youngest ever elected prime minister for the Caribbean island state.

Thompson's deputy Freundel Stuart was appointed as the new Prime Pinister by Barbados' Governor-General Clifford Husbands. Stuart was sworn in on Saturday.

Thompson made his last national radio address September 30 when he announced a cabinet reshuffle and passed his portfolios to Cabinet members.

Thompson was born in 1961 in Britain, but grew up in Barbados.

After a career in law, he entered politics, winning a by-election for the Democratic Labour Party in 1987. He became head of the party in the early 1990s. Mexico City, Sunday, Xinhua