Spanish pop star Alejandro Sanz back in Venezuela

Spanish pop star Alejandro Sanz back in Venezuela after canceled concerts in spat with gov't
Caracas, Venezuela — Spanish pop star Alejandro Sanz is in Venezuela to perform for the first time in years after Concerts in 2007 and 2008 were canceled amid friction between the entertainer and President Hugo Chavez's government. Sanz was in the western city of Maracaibo on Tuesday to sing in the first of three Concerts in Venezuela. The pop star canceled a Caracas concert in 2007 after a government official said Sanz wouldn't be allowed to use a state-controlled stadium due to his cr...

Venezuela sets up 'CNN rival'
In a popular shopping area of Caracas, with street musicians playing a bolero in the background, Jorge Botero is filming a promo for Latin America's most ambitious new satellite channel. A young journalism Student walks into shot and says: "The news on Telesur, the true face of Latin America." Telesur is a new pan-Latin American TV channel based in Venezuela. It aims to rival CNN and the other Spanish-language news channels coming out of Miami and Atlanta. Some have already dubbed it Al-Boliv...

Venezuela's economy fails to emerge from recession, shrinks 0.4 percent more in 3rd quarter
Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuela's economy shrank 0.4 percent during the Third Quarter from a year earlier, the Central Bank said Tuesday in a report that revealed the South American nation's struggle to emerge from Recession. The latest dip in gross domestic product in the July-September period was largely caused by a 4.4 percent drop in commerce from the same period of 2009, the report said. Economic performance was an improvement from the 4.6 percent contraction in the Third Quarter of...

Chavez Creates `Socialist' Bourse With `High Yields'
Source: Bloomberg Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he is creating a “Socialist” state-run Public Bond Market that will offer local investors high yields to stimulate saving and allow nationalized companies to seek financing. The Public Bond Market, which will begin operations in December, will allow state-run companies to sell Debt to finance operations and individuals to seek investment opportunities, Chavez said. Chavez tightened his grip on the financial industry this year by closing m..

Colombia to extradite 'drug lord'
Colombia says an alleged Venezuelan Drugs kingpin arrested earlier this year will be extradited to Venezuela, rather than the US. President Juan Manuel Santos said he had given his word to President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela that the suspect, Walid Makled, would be sent home. Mr Makled is accused of Smuggling tons of Cocaine into the US. He alleges he was supported by Venezuelan officials. The decision is a sign of improving ties between Colombia and Venezuela. President Chavez had expressed c...

From the Latin American Department of Newspeak Floods the Zone
Washington, DC - An event this Wednesday on Capitol Hill entitled “Danger in the Andes: Threats to Democracy, Human Rights, and Inter-American Security” has raised the ire of leftist governments and Activists in Latin America. Several news stories from the state-controlled media in Venezuela and Bolivia have included scurrilous attacks, evidently designed to demonize their critics. El Cambio, the state-run newspaper of Bolivia, whose Orwellian masthead reads “The truth wi...

Building bother
"Expropriese!" came the cry from Hugo Chavez, a command which has come to fill Private investors in Venezuela with dread: "Expropriate it!" Hilton, Banco Santander, Williams, Cargill, Owens Illinois - the list of companies whose Venezuelan subsidiaries have been on the receiving end of President Chavez's orders in recent months reads like a Who's Who of major foreign investors. Alongside them are Latin American companies like Agroisleno, Sidetur, Exito and Cemex. B...

Colombia to extradite accused Venezuelan drug lord
By Luis Jaime Acosta Bogota | Tue Nov 16, 2010 2:00pm EST Bogota (Reuters) - Colombia will extradite a businessman accused of being a Drug kingpin back to his native Venezuela, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Tuesday, in a move bound to warm already improving ties between the neighbors. Walid Makled, known as "The Turk," was captured in August in Colombia in a joint operation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and was also wanted for Extradition to the United States on Charges...

Chavez Creates `Socialist' Bourse With `High Yields'
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he is creating a “Socialist” state-run Public Bond Market that will offer local investors high yields to stimulate saving and allow nationalized companies to seek financing....

Colombia spurns US extradition for reputed narco
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos gestures during a Press Conference marking his first 100 days in office at the presidential palace in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday Nov. 16, 2010. Bogota, Colombia -- Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos spurned a U.S. request to extradite an alleged Cocaine kingpin from Venezuela, saying Tuesday that the suspect will be sent back to face charges in his home country. Walid Makled, 41, has claimed close ties with Venezuela's Socialist Government and the U.S...

Colombia spurns US extradition for reputed narco
Bogota, Colombia - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos spurned a U.S. request to extradite an alleged Cocaine kingpin from Venezuela, saying Tuesday that the suspect will be sent back to face charges in his home country. Walid Makled, 41, has claimed close ties with Venezuela's Socialist Government and the U.S. State Department last year called him that country's "largest drug trafficker." The announcement drew fierce criticism from U.S. Rep. Connie Mack. The Florida Republican accuse...

Colombia spurns US request to extradite reputed Venezuelan cocaine kingpin, will send him home
Bogota, Colombia — Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos spurned a U.S. request to extradite an alleged Cocaine kingpin from Venezuela, saying Tuesday that the suspect will be sent back to face charges in his home country. Walid Makled, 41, has claimed close ties with Venezuela's Socialist Government and the U.S. State Department last year called him that country's "largest drug trafficker." The announcement drew fierce criticism from U.S. Rep. Connie Mack. The Florida Republican accus...

Florida Rep. Mack says Obama must get tough with Venezuela's Chavez - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com
Florida Rep. Connie Mack asked the U.S. State Department last Friday to come out swinging in the fight to extradite a Venezuelan Drug Lord who has threatened to expose high-level government Corruption in his homeland. Walid Makled-Garcia, who has been in a Colombian jail since August, says he paid Venezuelan officials millions of dollars for access to airports he used to ship Cocaine to Central America on its way to the United States. Makled-Garcia, who was indicted in New York Federal Court l...

Colombia to extradite accused Venezuelan drug lord
By Luis Jaime Acosta Bogota | Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:03pm EST Bogota (Reuters) - Colombia will extradite a businessman accused of being a Drug kingpin back to his native Venezuela, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Tuesday, in a move bound to warm already improving ties between the neighbors. Walid Makled, known as "The Turk," was captured in August in Colombia in a joint operation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and was also wanted for Extradition to the United States on Charge...

Venezuela gets Spanish patrol boat
Published: Nov. 15, 2010 at 2:48 PM Madrid, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has completed construction of the second of four patrol vessels ordered by the Venezuelan Military. The Yavire was officially turned over to the South American country in a ceremony at the company's facility in San Fernando in southern Spain. The Yavire is 262 feet long and displaces 1,453 tons. It has a top speed of 22 knots. It can perform a variety of missions, including Surveillance and coastal zone pro...

Charlie Crist Moves to Pardon Jim Morrison
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, about to vacate his office after an unsuccessful campaign for Senate, says that he plans to recommend that late rock star Jim Morrison be pardoned for two convictions related to a 1969 Miami concert. Crist tells the New York Times, “I’ve decided to do it, for the pure and simple reason that I just think it’s the right thing to do. In some ways it seems like a tragic conclusion to a young man’s life to have maybe this be a lasting legacy, where ...

Paul McCartney to perform at the Apollo
Published: Nov. 17, 2010 at 12:03 PM Sir Paul McCartney speaks at a Press Conference at the Library of Congress in Washington on June 1, 2010. McCartney will be presented the LibraryÕs Gershwin Prize for Popular Song award by U.S. President Barack Obama at a concert at the White House on June 2. UPI/Alexis C. Glenn NEW YORK, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- British rock icon Paul McCartney has been booked to perform at the famed Apollo Theater in New York, Sirius XM announced. The invitation-only c...

Agencia Venezolana de Noticias
Todo indica que la noticia no debía salir pública y que fue un conjurado indiscreto que la regaló a la agencia Argentina Télam este viernes. Cada detalle fue luego confirmado por participantes bolivianos y otras fuentes. La lista de los principales participantes cuyos nombres se conocen por esa vía conforma el principio de un verdadero inventario de quienes quieren manejar el destino de América Latina de acuerdo con sus ideas de perfil neofascista. Aquí est...

Public transportation prices in 80 worldwide cities
Any good Budget traveler can tell you that one of the best and easiest ways to save money in almost any city is to use the Public Transportation system, especially on longer journeys. As we recently displayed in our world taxi prices comparison, even a short trip can be incredibly Expensive in some cities. So below we’ve compiled Public Transportation prices in 80 of the Most popular tourist cities all over the world. Since nearly every one of these systems is subsidized by the city, some ...

Drug traffickers swap sea for sky - Crime - NZ Herald News
Seized Cocaine is torched in Panama City. South American Drug Smugglers are sending Drugs to Europe via Africa. Photo / AP Seized Cocaine is torched in Panama City. South American Drug Smugglers are sending Drugs to Europe via Africa. Photo / AP NEW YORK - United States prosecutors in a series of Court Cases say they are beginning to unravel the latest development in Drug Smuggling: South American gangs that are buying old planes, filling them with Cocaine and flying them more than 5000km across...

Bolivia moves to nationalize pensions
By Carlos Alberto Quiroga LA PAZ | Tue Nov 16, 2010 5:26pm EST LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivia's leftist government said on Tuesday it had agreed a Bill to nationalize the country's Pension system and lower the Retirement Age to 58. The ambitious Pensions Reform Bill, which would dismantle the two private Retirement funds that have administered the system for years, will immediately be sent to Congress, President Evo Morales said. The Bill was agreed after four years of negotiations with trade uni...

Flying drugs to West Africa
Image via Wikipedia Guardian: US investigators have identified a new trend in Drug Smuggling: South American gangs are buying old jets and flying the Cocaine across the Atlantic to meet European demand. At least three gangs have struck deals to fly Drugs to West Africa and from there to Europe, according to Court statements in the US. One trafficker claimed he already had six Aircraft flying. Another said he was managing five planes. Because there is no radar coverage over the ocean, big aircr...

'Megamind' keeps box office gold
Will Ferrell's super-villain Comedy "Megamind" kept its hold on the North American Box Office for the second weekend in a row, cashing in 30.06 million dollars, industry estimates showed Sunday. DreamWorks Animation's 3D animation movie, which also features the voices of Brad Pitt, Tina Fey and Jonah Hill, pulled ahead of "Unstoppable" despite its strong opening, according to Box Office tracker Exhibitor Relations. Starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine as two daring, blue-collar heroes try...

"Megamind" tops box offices for second week
Los Angeles (Reuters) - Animated Comedy 'Megamind' topped film charts for the second week on Sunday, claiming No. 1 at North American Box Offices with $30 million and beating new releases, including action flick "Unstoppable." The family-oriented Comedy pushed its two-week total to $89.8 million and showed staying power in theaters with a decline of 35 percent from last week's debut of nearly $48 million for its producers at DreamWorks Animation. The relatively small drop, compared to other maj...

Will Ferrell's villainous 'Megamind' continues box office reign, staying at No. 1 with $30M
Los Angeles — Will Ferrell's dastardly schemes continue to succeed, with the animated "Megamind" staying at the top of the Box Office. The DreamWorks Animation 3-D comedy, featuring Ferrell as the voice of a super villain, made just over $30 million in its second week in theaters, according to Sunday studio estimates. It's now made nearly $90 million total. "Megamind" also Features the voices of Brad Pitt, Tina Fey and Jonah Hill. Opening in second place is the 20th Century Fox Action t...