<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 By: Eric Jackson

The Panama News editor Eric Jackson reports: In a "controversy" that lasted a few days, it was announced in Caracas that Miss Venezuela wouldn't be attending the Miss Universe pageant here because her country's economic and political crisis would not allow it.

The Venezuelan part of Miss Universe is owned by Gustavo Cisneros, the billionaire golfing and fishing buddy of former US president George H. W. Bush and owner of the Miami-based Univision cable network and the Venezuelan Venevision TV network.

Venevision has, for most of the past year, stopped taking commercial advertising, as part of the opposition's attempt to shut down the Venezuelan economy.

In April of 2002, Venevision urged viewers to march on the Presidential Palace and overthrow President Hugo Chavez Frias ... after violence broke Chavez was abducted and a would-be Chamber of Commerce/military junta briefly declared itself to be in power.

Here in Panama, the commercial media reported the Cisneros organization's claim that Miss Venezuela couldn't attend because of currency export controls imposed by the government ... without mentioning Cisneros's role in the dispute or noting that, in fact, the billionaire with ample assets already outside Venezuela was by no means too broke to send his candidate to the pageant.

• Within Venezuela, opposition media blamed Chavez for ruining Venezuela's Miss Universe hopes, while Chavez supporters sneered at the political ploy.

In the end, it seemed that most Venezuelans were not convinced by Cisneros' tactic and Miss Venezuela flew to Panama in a private plane to sign in for the competition after all.

The Panama News www.thepanamanews.com

May 28 (<a href=quote.bloomberg.com>Bloomberg) -- Colombia's economy probably grew at its fastest pace in two years in the first quarter, as low interest rates and growing confidence in the government's security and economic policies boosted demand, especially for houses and cars.

The $82 billion economy likely grew 2.78 percent in the quarter from a year earlier, compared with 2 percent in the fourth quarter, according to a median of eight economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

``People aren't afraid of taking out loans anymore because interest rates are stable,'' said Oscar Ivan Rodriguez, a car salesman at Chevrolet dealership Continautos SA, who says his sales doubled from a year ago.

Interest rates near historic lows have helped spur construction and purchases of big-ticket items such as homes and cars. Falling unemployment in turn has boosted retail sales, increasing orders for manufactured goods and helping to spur economic growth.

The national statistics agency may announce preliminary first- quarter growth figures today.

A senior planning department official told a local Internet news service, Primerapagina.com, that the economy grew 3.3 percent in the first quarter, even as statistics agency officials said the figures were still being calculated.

The benchmark interest rate -- the average of 90-day deposit rates on which most rates are pegged -- averaged 7.7 percent in the first quarter, from 11.1 percent a year earlier.

``I sold three properties in February compared with only one a year ago as people are buying again because of the low rates and government incentives,'' said Enrique Mendoza, a real estate salesman at Ospina & Cia Ltda real-estate agency.

Prices, Subsidies

Along with the low interest rates, construction is also getting a boost from prices near decade-old levels, a shortage of available units, government subsidies for low-cost housing and tax breaks for high-income home purchases.

Building approvals rose 34 percent in February to 872,601 square meters (1,047,121 square yards) from a year ago, while approvals for the 12 months through February gained 20 percent from the same year- earlier period. Construction has been rising since 2000, even as it hasn't recovered to 1995 levels.

Retail car sales rose 34 percent in March from a year earlier, as low interest rates and promotions offered by dealers boosted purchases. Car loan rates are about 21 percent, down from about 30 percent a year ago.

Continautos' Rodriguez says he sold about 30 vehicles in the first quarter, double what he sold last year, thanks to the low rates and promotions his company was offering. Of those, nine were sport utility vehicles, compared with none a year ago, as theft of the four- wheel drive vehicles dropped off as the government stepped up its war against leftist rebels.

`Highly Prized'

Nobody wanted to buy them when they were being stolen and taken to the former demilitarized zone, as they were highly prized'' by the rebels, said Rodriguez. Now the security measures in place are giving people confidence to travel by road again and investment in general is picking up.''

The army's February 2002 invasion of a former demilitarized zone used for peace talks was the prelude to a general government crackdown on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia's four-decade insurgency that has led to a decline in kidnappings, increased security on highways and greater investor confidence in the nine- month-old administration of President Alvaro Uribe.

Another sign of restored confidence is the strength of the peso, which is unchanged for the year, compared with a 21 percent decline last year. The 10 percent coupon global bond due in January 2012 rose in February and March and reached a historic high of 114.8 on May 12, with its yield down at 7.6 percent.

Industrial Production

Industrial output, excluding coffee processing, rose 5 percent in February from the year-earlier month, an eighth consecutive month of gains. Output of building materials has helped lead the rise in industrial output. Industrial sales rose 5.7 percent.

``The strong use of installed capacity in factories and the high energy usage growth of 4.3 percent in April from a year ago, indicate that industry should do well,'' said Felipe Gomez, head of research at Suvalor brokerage in Medellin.

Exports to Venezuela, the No. 2 trading partner, have been slashed two-thirds due to a strike and currency controls in the neighboring country. Still, Colombia has countered that effect by increasing exports to the U.S. and other markets.

Alberto Bernal, who covers Colombia for IDEAglobal.com, said construction should gain 6.5 percent, manufacturing 6 percent, retail 2.75 percent and financial services 4 percent in the quarter from a year earlier.

The following chart provides a breakdown by analyst and research firm of forecasts for GDP growth for the first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier.

Firm Forecast

Alianza Valores 2.75% IDEAglobal.com 2.8% Acciones y Valores SA 2.8% Corfinsura SA 2.29% Suvalor SA 2.29% Santander Investment 3.4% BBVA Banco Ganadero SA 2.6% Citibank Colombia SA 3.0%

Bloomberg News survey estimate (median): 2.78%

 (Source: Bloomberg News; figures for the calculation were

provided by the National Statistics Department and the National Planning Department)

Last Updated: May 28, 2003 08:23 EDT

Story last updated at 7:06 a.m. Wednesday, May 28, 2003 Knight Ridder Newspapers

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA--Cuban dictator Fidel Castro's ability to draw more than 10,000 Argentine supporters to an off-the-cuff outdoor speech on a cold night illustrates the aging communist strongman's resurgent appeal in Latin America.

In the 1990s, when Latin American nations undertook free-market reforms that yielded economic booms, most leaders kept their distance from Castro. But most countries in the region are now in economic crisis, poverty is rising and Castro's identification with efforts to lift the poor is back in vogue.

Leftists wary of privatization and unbridled open markets now rule in Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador. Politicians described as center-left and populist rule in Peru, Paraguay and Argentina. Only war-ravaged Colombia and Bolivia have clearly conservative presidents.

Castro stole the show at Sunday's inauguration of Argentine President Nestor Kirchner. Two years ago in Mexico, Cuba's human rights record earned him cold shoulders from regional leaders.

But on Sunday, Argentine lawmakers received Castro with thunderous applause, overlooking his recent jailing of prominent artists and dissidents and the summary trial and execution of three ferry hijackers.

On Monday night, Castro was to deliver an address at the University of Buenos Aires law school, known for promoting human rights in a country where 30,000 are believed to have been killed by military dictatorships.

Hordes of listeners, thousands more than the law school's auditorium could hold, overran security guards and trampled those inside. The event was moved outside onto university steps, where hours later thousands arrived to hear a trademark fiery Castro speech that lasted more than two and a half hours.

What is Castro's appeal? One explanation is the failure of U.S.-espoused economic reforms to narrow social gaps, followed by the election of a new batch of leftist leaders in South America who are friendly to Castro's social views.

Carlos Manfroni, a conservative Argentine political analyst, blames rampant corruption for the failure of the economic policies of the 1990s to improve the lot of the poor and for the gains of Castro supporters in South America. "When countries fail because they cannot combat corruption effectively, this discredits the free market and leads to nostalgia for positions that are more statist and protectionist," he said. "This is what opens the microphones again for the left."

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 By: Alan Large

British educationalist Alan Large writes: In the autumn of 2002 I traveled to London with three students from the school where I teach in Lincolnshire, England. William, Hafiza and Toni were about to become the “Britkidz” whose visit to Venezuela was to be a feature in VHeadline.com some weeks later. We were to meet the Venezuelan Ambassador to the UK, Alfredo Toro-Hardy ... the embassy was an elegant, though slightly jaded, house of Georgian origins that stared across the busy road to the Natural History Museum in West London.

Our entry into the embassy and brief wait set the scene for the meeting with the Ambassador. We were greeted in a warm and slightly informal manner and sat in comfy leather sofas as we waited for our meeting with the Ambassador. I had only met one Ambassador before this ... an American who was trying to balance his official duties with a natural flair for taking an interest in those whom he encountered. The result was a paradox, someone who you could engage with, but not enough time to make it worthwhile ... he moved on to the next engagement having barely scratched to surface of the first.

We were shown into the Ambassador’s study. “Good morning, sir” (I’m not comfortable with official titles, and “Your Excellency” didn’t seem to fit the building or the room which was both business-like and friendly at the same time). Just for a second, I thought my family doctor had a new post as Venezuelan Ambassador, but perhaps it was just his long-lost older brother. Having overcome the surprise of the visual, I found the man and the embassy were one and the same: business-like and friendly. For about fifty minutes we had the undivided attention of an obviously intelligent and educated man who has a deep-rooted commitment to his country and who has the communication skills to ensure his “mixed ability” audience (of a disengaged student, one with a bubbly personality, a would-be sophisticate and a balding teacher) were both entertained and educated about his homeland and his role as Ambassador.

So why this long introduction?

Simply that it sets in context the man and his book: Reading Alfredo Toro Hardy’s book “The Age of Villages” was a similar experience, and was no surprise to me. The book covers a vast range of modern issues, it puts across its message quietly and effectively, and provides that same experience I had in visiting the Ambassador in London ... I came away from the embassy (and the book) better informed than before either encounter. I had not been force-fed in either encounter but gently and persuasively led along new paths.

At university, more years ago than I am prepared to admit, I was lectured by those who had masses of facts to impart and others who knew their facts but could paint the bigger picture. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in the facts but in “The Age of Villages” Alfredo Toro Hardy navigates his way through these with the astuteness of one who has not only educational pedigree but also the experience of world events at the sharp-end. Undergraduates will welcome the clarity of clearly defined hierarchies (… ”in first place … at the regional level…”). The references to other authorities, briefly quoted to add weight to the smooth-flowing commentary, but students will need to read this book fully as there is no index by which specific issues can be pin-pointed.

 “The Age of Villages” is a comfortable read ... it may be my own prejudices which create this “comfort zone” but I found myself both agreeing with much (and feeling a little smug, “that’s what I thought”). The carefully constructed line of argument has a smooth logic which, to readers such as myself, who have too little time to keep up with everyday demands, let alone read about world events, will find satisfying as we are led through a maze of different influences which are shaping the world around us.

Toro Hardy allows the reader to get to grips with the contradictory forces of globalization and increasing local pre-occupations.

As I see and experience the impact of refugees moving in greater numbers into my home town, through reading this book I gain greater insight into why this is happening ... and possibly more importantly ... why I and many friends feel the way we do about such issues.

I would struggle to explain this to a wider audience ... Toro Hardy does this by bringing together a multitude of factors, each clearly explained. These build up into as full a picture as non-specialists such as myself can cope with, and yet make the reader feel they are not ignorant of the wider world. To achieve this broadening of horizons whilst staying within a “comfort-zone” is to be applauded.

In conclusion “The Age of Villages” seems a very good read, but there are a few issues to take up. In providing the reader with clarity and order Toro Hardy could be criticized for taking away the need to think and judge for one’s self. The nature of the subject matter means the book was out-of-date before it was published ... we now know the USA’s response to Saddam’s Iraq and the outcome of that war. Perhaps some editor with an eye to quality commentary and comment on the “big world picture” will entice the author to contribute to a regular column ... students of current affairs and those who seek a thoughtful perspective on our fast-changing world would be well-served by more of Alfredo Toro Hardy’s gentle but incisive writings.

Alan Large Alan.Large@queen-eleanor.lincs.sch.uk

Joe Ivansco / AJC

Why would al-Qaida want to go after an international peace symbol?

Norway? That was the big question last week after an audiotape purported to be the voice of Ayman al-Zawahri, Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, urged followers to attack the interests of America, Great Britain, Australia and Norway. Norway? Why Norway -- land of the Nobel Peace Prize and Valhalla ice cream?

One theory was that Norway simply had been confused with some other nation. The Netherlands, perhaps. "I have twisted my brain trying to find an answer, and after rejecting most theories I am left with this: Al-Qaida knows a local group is ready to attack a Norwegian target," Stein Toenesson of the International Peace Research Institute, Oslo, told Aftenposten.

"Of course he means Denmark," said Helle Lykke Nielsen, a terrorism expert at the University of Southern Denmark. "Looking at the context, he evidently is talking about the members of the coalition." Denmark was part of the coalition that backed the war in Iraq. Norway was not.

But Norway was part of the coalition in Afghanistan. Norwegian special ops troops helped track bin Laden in that country. "We take the threats seriously and have informed Norwegian embassies, businesses and citizens in relevant nations," declared Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik.

Mohammed Salah, head of the London-based Alhayat newspaper's Egypt office, offered Norwegians some hope. The word "Norway" may have been a camouflaged reference to an attack against a completely different target. Nauru, perhaps, or the Northern Mariana Islands. The United States, for one, was taking no chances. It immediately closed its embassy in Oslo.

And, then, Norway has that problem with fat dogs

As if Norway didn't have enough trouble with terrorist threats, veterinarians there are reporting a dog obesity crisis. A recent report said that half the canines in Norway are overweight. Vet Carsten Glindoe at Fredrikstad Animal Clinic told Aftenposten that he often sees dogs that suffer from rheumatism, diabetes and heart problems due to their unhealthy diet. He also warned of pregnant dogs having problems giving birth because they are so overweight. Many animal clinics have started offering diet programs for dogs, and diet dog food is gaining in popularity.

Ugly Betty, other soaps captivate Malaysia

Malaysians are getting hooked on soap operas, regardless of what language they are in or what part of the world they come from, according to the New Straits Times. What appears to be the most popular one is in Spanish, from Colombia: "Yo Soy Betty La Fea (I am Betty, the ugly one)." Already a cult classic in Latin America, the sad saga has seized the Malaysian imagination. According to the Times, some spellbound civil servants were said to have closed public counters early to watch bespectacled Betty, prompting cynical questions in Parliament. The lineup begins at 11 a.m. and runs until around 8 p.m. Among the offerings: "Pangako Sa Yo," "El Amor No Es Como Lo Pintan," "La Intrusa," "Mis Tres Hermanas," "Juana's Miracle" and "My Love, Patzzi." "No wonder the house is in a mess," one exasperated telenovela widower complained to the Times.

Ex-Atlantan feels the heat at embassy in Venezuela

Former Atlantan Charles Shapiro, the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, is under fire from that country's government for allowing a comedy act at the embassy on World Press Freedom Day that poked fun at President Hugo Chavez. As the controversy ballooned, Shapiro provided a complete text of his speech at the event on the embassy Web site, embajadausa.org.ve/wwwh079.html, and also told Radio Union News Network that he apologized to anyone who was offended by the event. At issue was a sketch by a Venezuelan comedian who, according to the government, portrayed opposition TV presenter Marta Colomina using Chavez as a puppet.

High-tech pub in Moscow helps clubgoers stay wired

Moscow has opened its first high-tech pub, called the Phlegmatic Dog. According to the Moscow Times, the club offers both electronic and live music, as well as Internet access for patrons on several dozen computer terminals, electronic menus and ordering, and a club-based intranet system that patrons can use to introduce themselves to folks at a table across the room. One room houses 60 terminals with all the latest software and is serviced by a staff of waiters and waitresses who supply patrons with beverages and snacks, which they order via the electronic menu. Proprietors say they will open 25 such clubs across Russia if the Dog makes a go of it.

Deal lets Miss Venezuela get to contest in Panama

Miss Venezuela made it to the Miss Universe contest in Panama after all. According to VHeadline.com, Venezuelan media tycoon Gustavo Cisneros struck a deal with Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso, who had insisted that Venezuela attend the event. Cisneros had been among those contending that the country could not afford to send Mariangel Ruiz to Panama because of a freeze on the exchange of Venezuelan currency for dollars. Cisneros told reporters, "Panama is celebrating the anniversary of its independence from Spain, so it is an important date for Latin America . . . we have decided to bring Mariangel Ruiz to Panama."

WORLD WRAP Rwanda held its first constitutional referendum. . . . Spain's governing Popular Party managed to hold power in many cities in municipal elections. . . .The Norwegian Federation for Animal Protection is opposing a program to give fishing poles to schoolchildren. . . . Kenya Cabinet Minister Najib Balala says he underwent humiliating security checks during a recent visit to the United States. . . . China plans to reopen the thousand-year-old Huqiu Tower, often referred to as China's "leaning tower," after 17 years of repairs.

QUOTED "We were chuffed in the '60s when we heard The Beatles were big in Russia. We thought, 'Wow! The power of music!' " Paul McCartney former Beatle, who gave his first performance in Russia over the weekend.

Compiled by Ron Taylor from news services and newspaper Web sites from around the world.