U.N. voices worry over excessive force in Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela — A group of U.N. human rights experts voiced concern Thursday over reports of excessive use of force against protesters and journalists during the recent wave of anti-government demonstrations that has spread across the country.
In Venezuela, campaign takes on form of a fire sale
CARACAS, Venezuela — The transportation minister appeared on live television from an auto-parts store, trumpeting prices that had been slashed in half, at least. A top regional official, broadcasting from another shop, boasted that prices of toys and other goods had been cut to the bone. From an appliance store, the commerce minister called on shoppers to buy washers and dryers at new, low-low prices.
Snowden said to claim US is attempting intimidation
Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive former U.S. security contractor, appeared to break his silence Monday for the first time since he flew to Moscow eight days ago. WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy group, issued a statement attributed to Snowden that denounced President Barack Obama for revoking his passport, opposing his asylum requests and leaving him a “stateless person.”
US and Venezuelan diplomats agree to work toward talks
CARACAS, Venezuela — After months of tensions between the United States and Venezuela, Secretary of State John Kerry met on Wednesday with the Venezuelan foreign minister, Elías Jaua, in Antigua, Guatemala, and announced the start of talks aimed at improving relations between the two countries.
Meeting in Cuba roils in Venezuelan opposition while Chavez absent
CARACAS, Venezuela — With the president absent and ailing, the country on edge and the government eager to portray a sturdy sense of continuity, there might be nothing unusual about the most powerful officials in Venezuela meeting over the weekend, except for the location they chose for the sit-down: Havana.
President of Ecuador to pardon four in libel case
CARACAS, Venezuela — Declaring victory over what he called a “media dictatorship,” President Rafael Correa of Ecuador said Monday that he would pardon three newspaper executives and a columnist who were sentenced to three years in prison in a libel case.
More Cows, Producing More Milk, and More Headaches
Three years ago, a technological breakthrough gave dairy farmers the chance to bend a basic rule of nature: no longer would their cows have to give birth to equal numbers of female and male offspring. Instead, using a high-technology method to sort the sperm of dairy bulls, they could produce mostly female calves to be raised into profitable milk producers.