Venezuela's Chavez returns home from Cuba - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Venezuela's Chavez returns home from Cuba - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has returned home to Venezuela after more than two months of medical treatment in Cuba after cancer surgery. Chavez, 58, announced his return in a series of messages on Monday on his Twitter account, and aides confirmed the news. They were the first messages to appear on the president's account since November 1. "We have arrived back in the Venezuelan fatherland. Thanks, my God! Thanks, my beloved people! Here we will continue the treatment," Chavez said via Twitter. "I'm clinging to Christ and trusting in my doctors and nurses," he said in another tweet. "Onward toward victory always!! We will live and we will triumph!!" There had been speculation Chavez was not well enough to travel despite wanting to return to his homeland for continued treatment for the disease he was first diagnosed with in mid-2011. Upon his return, he was immediately taken to the military hospital in Caracas, where the Venezuelan government had set aside an area in front of the hospital so that people could "be close to Chavez". Al Jazeera's Andy Gallacher, reporting from Caracas, described jubilant scenes outside the military hospital.

Facebook 'targeted' by hacker group - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Facebook 'targeted' by hacker group - Americas - Al Jazeera English
Facebook Inc has said that it been the target of a series of attacks by an unidentified hacker group, but it had found no evidence that user data was compromised.
"Last month, Facebook security discovered that our systems had been targeted in a sophisticated attack," the company said in a blog post posted on Friday afternoon, just before the three-day Presidents Day weekend. "The attack occurred when a handful of employees visited a mobile developer website that was compromised."
The social network, which says it has more than one billion active users worldwide, also said: "Facebook was not alone in this attack. It is clear that others were attacked and infiltrated recently as well."

Colombia's FARC frees two policemen - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Colombia's FARC frees two policemen - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Colombia's FARC rebels have freed two police patrolmen it seized last month, in an apparent goodwill gesture ahead of the next round of tense peace negotiations with the government. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the biggest armed group in Latin America, released the two uniformed officers on Friday even as the rebel leadership pledged to continue seizing members of the security forces until peace is reached. Patrolmen Cristian Camilo Yate and Victor Gonzalez were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in a mountainous area of southern Colombia, where the rebel group still holds a soldier.

Thousands rally against US oil pipeline, Al Jazeera americas

Protesters in Washington, DC call on Obama to reject controversial pipeline and honour pledge to act on global warming.

Thousands of protesters have gathered at Washington's National Mall calling on US President Barack Obama to reject the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline proposal and honour his inaugural pledge to act on climate change.
Organisers of the "Forward on Climate" event estimated that 35,000 people from 30 states turned out in cold, blustery conditions on Sunday for what they said was the biggest climate rally in US history.
Police did not verify the crowd size.
Protesters also marched around the nearby White House, chanting "Keystone pipeline? Shut it down".
The event came days after a bipartisan group of US senators made the latest call for Obama to approve the $5.3bn pipeline, seen by many as an engine for job growth and another step towards energy independence.
A new poll by Harris Interactive showed 69 percent of respondents said they support construction of the pipeline, with only 17 percent saying they oppose it.

'Carbon bomb'
One of Sunday's main organisers, climate activist Bill McKibben, said that approving the pipeline, which would transport crude oil from the oil sands of northern Alberta to refineries and ports in Texas, would be akin to lighting a "carbon bomb" that could cause irreparable harm to the climate.

"There is nothing else you can do if you let that pipeline go through. It doesn't matter what you do on smog rules and automobile rules - you've already given the whole game away." - Van Jones, Rebuild the Dream

"For 25 years our government has basically ignored the climate crisis: now people in large numbers are finally demanding they get to work," said McKibben, founder of the environmental group 350.org.
The proposed TransCanada Corp project has been pending for more than four years. A revised route through Nebraska, which would avoid crossing sensitive ecological zones and aquifers, was approved by that state's governor last month.
Backers of Keystone, which would transport 830,000 barrels of oil per day, say it would provide thousands of jobs in the US and increase North American energy security.
Van Jones, Obama's former green jobs adviser, said if the president approved the pipeline just weeks after pledging to act on climate change, it would overshadow other actions Obama takes to reduce pollution.
"There is nothing else you can do if you let that pipeline go through. It doesn't matter what you do on smog rules and automobile rules - you've already given the whole game way," said Jones, who is president of Rebuild the Dream, a non-government organisation.
Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the lone member of Congress to speak at the rally, told Reuters news agency Obama risked creating a "credibility gap" if he approved the pipeline.
"He would have to roll out a very complete and very strong package to offset something that on its own is described by government scientist as 'game-over' on climate," he said.
Still, some of Obama's core constituents favour the pipeline, including the labour union AFL-CIO's building and construction unit, which sees the potential for job creation for its members, and certain Democratic legislators.
In January, nine Democratic senators joined 44 Republicans in urging the president to approve Keystone XL

Venezuela devalues currency against US dollar

Bolivar loses 32 percent of its value against the dollar in move the government hopes will shrink the deficit. Last Modified: 09 Feb 2013 10:53

The move will trim Venezuela's budget deficit, but it could also push up already-high inflation rates [Reuters]

Venezuela is devaluing its currency by 32 percent against the dollar on the orders of President Hugo Chavez, in part to reduce the country's budget deficit. The bolivar will go from 4.3 to the dollar to 6.3 at the official exchange rate. The move was announced on Friday by Jorge Giordani, planning and finance minister, who said it will take effect on Wednesday. The goal is to "minimise expenditure and maximise results", he said. One effect of a devaluation is to make a country's exports cheaper and thus more enticing to buyers. But another effect is to cut the deficit, which in Venezuela last year was estimated to be nearly 10 percent of GDP. The economy grew 5.5 percent last year and inflation was 20 percent. That was down seven points from the previous year and hit the government target, but was still the highest official inflation rate in Latin America. Venezuela is South America's largest oil exporter and has the world's largest proven reserves. Its oil transactions are dollar-denominated, so the bolivar-value of those sales will now be higher, boosting state revenues on paper.

Colombia's FARC frees two policemen

Patrolmen handed over to Red Cross officials in mountainous southern Colombia, where rebel group still holds a soldier. Last Modified: 15 Feb 2013 18:34

The Red Cross traveled with former Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba to pick up the hostages in Campo Alegre [EPA]

Colombia's FARC rebels have freed two police patrolmen it seized last month, in an apparent goodwill gesture ahead of the next round of tense peace negotiations with the government. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the biggest armed group in Latin America, released the two uniformed officers on Friday even as the rebel leadership pledged to continue seizing members of the security forces until peace is reached. Patrolmen Cristian Camilo Yate and Victor Gonzalez were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in a mountainous area of southern Colombia, where the rebel group still holds a soldier. The FARC, considered a terrorist group by the United States and European Union, promised to free the soldier by Saturday. Television carried images of the two men embracing former Senator Piedad Cordoba after being freed. "We are thankful of and recognise this humanitarian gesture that undoubtedly is an important question for peace in the country," said Cordoba, who was stripped of her senate seat for alleged ties to the FARC and has been involved in many releases. Tough talks The liberation comes after a difficult last round of talks in Havana during which the two sides took public swipes at each other in response to an increase of violence, attacks on economic infrastructure and kidnappings. Talks are due to resume next week. For more than a decade, US-backed strikes against the FARC have severely weakened the rebels and limited their ability to attack the country's economic drivers, helping attract billions of dollars in foreign investment. But the FARC has escalated attacks since ending a unilateral ceasefire on Jan. 20 in a bid to pressure President Juan Manuel Santos to end hostilities while the two sides negotiate. Seven soldiers were killed in combat with the FARC on Wednesday in heavy fighting in the south, evidence that the guerrillas are negotiating from a position of relative strength. While Colombians are hopeful Santos's gamble at peace will succeed, he faces a monumental task attempting peace with the FARC, which has holed up in Colombia's jungle territory since 1964 and imposed tough demands in past negotiations. The government has demanded that the FARC stop its practice of kidnapping while the guerrillas have made clear they will continue to seize members of the armed forces, who they regard as prisoners of war. jacob k

Venezuela's Chavez returns after treatment

First messages since November 1 on president's Twitter announce "we will continue our treatment here". Last Modified: 18 Feb 2013 11:14

A recent handout photo shows Chavez with his daughters in Cuba, where he was undergoing treatment [AFP]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has returned home to Venezuela after more than two months of medical treatment in Cuba following cancer surgery. Chavez, 58, announced his return in a series of messages on Monday on his Twitter account, and aides confirmed the news. They were the first messages to appear on Chavez's Twitter account since November 1. "We have arrived back in the Venezuelan fatherland. Thanks, my God! Thanks, my beloved people! Here we will continue the treatment," Chavez said via Twitter. "I'm clinging to Christ and trusting in my doctors and nurses," he said in another tweet. "Onward toward victory always!! We will live and we will triumph!!" There had been speculation Chavez was unwell enough to travel despite wanting to return to his homeland for continued treatment for the disease he was first diagnosed with in mid-2011. But Vice President Nicolas Maduro said Chavez flew in at about 2:30am local time from Havana and was in a military hospital in Caracas. "We're so happy," Maduro said. Chavez's overnight return will thrill supporters in the South American nation of 29 million people, where his common touch and welfare policies have made him an idol to the poor. Fireworks going off Fireworks could be heard going off in some neighbourhoods of Caracas, the capital, as the news spread and celebrations begun among Chavistas. Venezuelan ministers were jubilant, one singing "He's back, he's back!" live on state TV. Given that ministers said he wanted to return when he was well enough to travel, Chavez's arrival implied some improvement in his condition, at least enough to handle a flight of several hours. But aides have emphasised in recent days his state remains "complex". Chavez underwent a six-hour operation in Cuba on December 11 - his fourth for the cancer first detected in his pelvic area in June, 2011. He had not been seen or heard in public since then until photos were published of him on Friday, showing him lying in hospital. Officials said he was breathing through a tracheal tube and struggling to speak. Jacob k