Venezuela

By Adam Raney in Americas on January 10th, 2012
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shake hands during a welcoming ceremony [Reuters]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad exchanged warm embraces and signed several trade and political agreements on Monday.

Few details were given to the press - other than that the agreements were meant to expand research in science, nanotechnology, industry and politics.

It was more a display of how they were deepening ties on economic development projects and strengthening their political alliance. Chavez touted ongoing projects such as food processing plants, and tractor and bicycle factories - all of which were built in Venezuela with Iran's help.

He even included pre-recorded segments at the press confence where workers gave viewers tours of corn processing plants and milk treatment plants.

For two of the world's most oil-rich countries though, the projects seemed a bit small scale to be highlighted for the international press.

By Al Jazeera Staff in Africa on March 2nd, 2011

As the uprising in Libya continues, we update you with the latest developments from our correspondents, news agencies and citizens across the globe. Al Jazeera is not responsible for content derived from external sites.

By Rhodri Davies in Americas on July 30th, 2010
Photo by EPA

Argentina has been playing a double-headed role in attempting to resolve the latest dispute between Bogota and Caracas over Colombian rebels allegedly operating in Venezuela.

Both Nestor Kirchner, the former president and secretary general of regional grouping Unasur (the Union of South American Nations) and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, the incumbent president and Nestor’s wife, held talks with Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia’s president-elect this week.

Nestor said that his meeting with Santos, who was in Buenos Aires as part of a regional tour, was "fruitful", while Cristina talked of "establishing dialogue".

Nestor has conducted a series of phone calls with Alvaro Uribe and Hugo Chavez, Colombia and Venezuela’s incumbent presidents respectively, and other Latin American leaders on the issue.

He is also chairing Unasur's meeting on Thursday in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, in a special session to try to ease tensions.

The two Kirc

By Teresa Bo in Americas on July 28th, 2010
Photo by EPA

So Diego Maradona is out as coach of Argentina's national team.

He came back to Buenos Aires from South Africa and found a hero's welcome in spite of the fact that Argentina had lost to Germany 4-0. 

But Diego did not take advantage of the people's goodwill and the respect and admiration they continue to have for him. Immediately after flying home rumours about Diego Maradona's future began.

Maradona was supposed to have met Julio Grondona, the president of the Argentine Football Association, but he said had something more important to do.

He flew to Venezuela to meet with President Hugo Chavez and stood by him when Chavez announced that he was breaking, once again, his diplomatic relations with Colombia.

By Rob Reynolds in Americas on February 10th, 2010
Photo by EPA

Demonstrators from a women's group rallied outside Haiti's ruined National Palace on Tuesday.

They said they are angry with their government, and with the United Nations, which they believe isn't doing enough to provide shelter.

"We don't have any tents! We haven't gotten help from anyone," one of the demonstrators told me.

Over and over, Haitians tell foreign visitors they have lost all faith in their government. Many say they are pinning their hopes on their superpower neighbour to the north.

"If the Americans stay, my life will change. Everyone's life will be changed. We want the Americans to take over the country, today," a man selling fruit outside the palace grounds told me.

"We want American people to be in charge, not the Haitians. If Haitians officials are in charge of the aid, they will only help their own families and friends."

By Omar Chatriwala in Americas on January 13th, 2010
Photo by AFP

"Help Haiti" is the cry that's been tweeted and retweeted over and over, with the tag remaining a trending topic on the social-messaging website Twitter for most of the day of Wednesday.

International aid groups are rushing to get relief workers and supplies to Haiti after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on Tuesday. The Red Cross says up to 3 million people may have been affected.

By Gabriel Elizondo in Americas on November 28th, 2009
Photo by AFP
It was billed as a summit of presidents of Amazon countries. But most of the presidents didn’t bother to show up, making the ‘summit of presidents’ in Manaus one with few actual presidents in attendance.
 
About half of the mysterious place called "the Amazon" is in Brazil. The other half is divided between 8 other countries - Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
 
So Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil's president, organised Thursday's one-day summit of Amazon countries as a chance for them to come together a forge a common agenda ahead of the all important Copenhagen climate change summit starting on December 7 - which is being billed as the biggest climate change meeting in generations.
By Teymoor Nabili in Americas on October 25th, 2009
Photo by Reuters

When Jennifer Aniston announced that she restricts her shower time to three minutes to save water, she was lauded as a "Friend of the Planet".

When Hugo Chavez talks about saving water, as part of a broad-based government policy designed to address the country's critical situation of water and power shortages, it drives some columnists into a frenzy of anti-socialist bloviating.