Voters approve Panama Canal expansion

PANAMA CITY, Panama – Voters overwhelmingly approved the largest modernization plan in the 92-year history of the Panama Canal on Sunday, backing a $5.25 billion expansion that will allow the world’s largest ships to squeeze through the shortcut between the seas.About 79 percent of Panamanians voted in favor the canal expansion with 42 percent of 4,416 polling stations reporting, according to preliminary results released by the country’s electoral tribunal. Nearly 21 percent opposed the plan. There were not enough ballots remaining to be counted to reverse the trend.