Venezuela's economy fails to emerge from recession, shrinks 0.4 percent more in 3rd quarter

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...

Spanish pop star Alejandro Sanz back in Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — 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...

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...

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...

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'
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..

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...

New 'Stress Tests' Would Let Banks Boost Dividends
The nation's largest banks must undergo new Stress Tests to show they can weather another Recession, and the Federal Reserve said those that pass them can boost Dividends paid to investors. Banks would need to show the Fed's bank examiners that they're in good Financial health and that they have adequate capital to absorb potential losses over the next two years. The Fed oversees Wall Street's biggest banks, including Citigroup, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Wells Fargo. Banks have ...

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...

Colombia spurns US extradition for reputed narco
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — 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. Th...

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 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...

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...

Danger in the Andes: November 17, 2010
Are Democracy and Human Rights in danger under the “21st Century Socialism” of Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia? Does the ALBA Alliance of Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua constitute a threat to U.S. interests and inter American security? Is current U.S. policy toward the region equipped to respond to the erosion of Democracy and the pernicious influence of such hostile actors as Iran, foreign and Domestic Terrorist groups, and narcotics traffickers? Four key U.S. Me...

Danger in the Andes: November 17, 2010
Are Democracy and Human Rights in danger under the “21st Century Socialism” of Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia? Does the ALBA Alliance of Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua constitute a threat to U.S. interests and inter American security? Is current U.S. policy toward the region equipped to respond to the erosion of Democracy and the pernicious influence of such hostile actors as Iran, foreign and Domestic Terrorist groups, and narcotics traffickers? Four key U.S. Me...

We Don't Need More Inflation, We Need to Put An End to Obama's Job Killing Policies
The current Inflation Rate of 2 percent is "too low." That is at least if you believe Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. With The Economy growing "too slowly to bring down Unemployment," Mr. Bernanke's solution is to Increase Inflation. The Federal Reserve last week started printing up $600 Billion to buy U.S. Treasury Bonds and another almost $300 Billion to buy Mortgages. The printing more dollars will reduce the value of The Dollar just as doubling the number of apples will reduce the pri...

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...

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....

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...

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's Santos: Not the Friend the United States Thought
Colombia's recently elected President, Juan Manuel Santos, has yet again proven that he puts regional political pressure above his commitment to Colombia's most important ally – the United States. This morning, in delivering the report for his first 100 days in office, Santos announced that he would seek Extradition for Walid Makled, Venezuela's most significant Drug kingpin, captured on August 18th in Colombia and wanted by the United States for Drug trafficking, back to Venezuela. In his spee...

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...

Applied Materials Fourth-Quarter Earnings More Than Triple
Applied Materials' (AMAT) fiscal Fourth-quarter profit more than tripled as the world's biggest maker of computer-chip-production machinery recorded steady growth of sales for its semiconductor- and Solar-panel-manufacturing equipment. Net income for the Quarter was $468 million, or 35 cents a share, up from $138 million, or 10 cents, a year earlier, Applied Materials said Wednesday. Revenue surged 89% to $2.89 Billion. Wall Street expected the company to earn 31 cents a share on $2.59 Billion...

The Latin American Time-Warp
Below is an excerpt from a Speech by Óscar Arias, the former president of Costa Rica, at the Summit of the Americas, Trinidad and Tobago, April 18, 2009. It was translated from the Spanish by our South American correspondent BG: When one goes to a Latin American University, it still looks as though we are back in the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s. It looks as though we forgot that something very important happened on Nov 9th, 1989, when the Iron Curtain in Berlin fell, and the world ...