Posted on Wed, Jun. 18, 2003 By KEVIN G. HALL AND DUNE LAWRENCE The Miami Herald-Knight Ridder News Service

BRASILIA - Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will visit the White House on Friday for the second time in seven months, a sign of the growing importance of South America's largest economy and the international stature of its leftist leader.

Da Silva, a former machinist, labor leader and union organizer, initially frightened Wall Street and the White House with fiery populist campaign rhetoric. But since taking office Jan. 1, da Silva -- known affectionately to Brazilians as Lula -- has pursued his social agenda without challenging the free-market policies that brought Brazil billions in foreign investment in the 1990s.

By holding the line, Brazil has remained one of the most attractive markets for international investors, and da Silva arrives in Washington with a strong hand, even as much of Latin America is in an economic crisis. He also has a reputation for charm.

''Lula has a record of being quite effective in these personal appearances, and he still has an aura about him,'' said Thomas Skidmore, a longtime Brazil expert at Brown University's Watson Institute of International Affairs in Providence, R.I. ``It's pretty sensational that a former metal worker is flying around the world to negotiate with the strongest country in the universe.''

U.S. and Brazilian diplomats expect the two leaders to disagree sharply on some issues but will seek to highlight areas of agreement. As Celso Amorim, Brazil's foreign minister, said last week in Washington, ``A mature relation means that you explore to the maximum the points of convergence, you try to limit the points of difference and you respect the diversity.''

Bush and da Silva differ on Cuba and on U.S. military involvement in fighting drug-funded Marxist guerrillas in neighboring Colombia. They also differ on the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, which Brazil opposed.

More important, da Silva wants Bush to drop tariffs on Brazilian steel, citrus and other agricultural exports as a condition for Brazil's assent to a hemispheric free-trade zone by 2005. Brazil has been reluctant to endorse the so-called Free Trade Area of the Americas, which would reduce tariffs and barriers to trade after the year 2005.

Brazil insisted on several modifications to the official agenda for the Washington visit, a top Brazilian foreign service officer told Knight Ridder.

One stipulation was adding an item called ''fighting protectionism'' to protest what Brazil complains is a U.S. trade policy that unfairly keeps out its exports.

The United States maintains that is not so, citing two-way trade that grew from $15.6 billion in 1994 to almost $26 billion last year.

The Brazilian official said the two countries' representatives expect to address ''hot spots,'' including ways to resolve Venezuela's political crisis, how to best promote democracy in Cuba and how to help Argentina out of its deep economic crisis.

The Miami Herald, Posted on Wed, Jun. 18, 2003 BY ELISA TURNER elisaturn@aol.com

When prizes were handed out at this year's sweltering Venice Biennale, the world's famed showcase for modern and contemporary art, art lovers wilting in unseasonable heat were stunned to learn that one winner was an exhibit from Luxembourg: Air-Conditioned.

Not only was it notable for an unusually apt title, but the show also marked the first time a national exhibit had won a prize while located outside the Giardini, a leafy park at the city's eastern edge and the Biennale's main venue.

But the real heat was provided by Venezuela, which has had a coveted pavilion at the park since 1954, yet wasn't even in the running for an award this year. In May, the Venezuelan government censored the art chosen for its own exhibit, an interactive digital work, CityRooms, by Pedro Morales.

Stirring controversy were the work's caricature images of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and scenes showing the country degenerating into a ramshackle mass of shanties.

So during the Biennale's gala invitation-only opening on June 12, the pavilion for Venezuela was locked up tight. (Only two Latin American countries, Venezuela and Brazil, are represented among the 26 nations at the Biennale.)

There was no art inside the low-slung, modernist structure designed by renowned Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa. A cart of construction trash blocked the entrance, next to piles of dead leaves. A few days later limp bunting, colored like the Venezuelan flag, also blocked the entrance in protest.

`SEX, HUMOR'

And standing outside the pavilion on opening day, next to the debris and dead leaves, was Morales, the man who had put up the bunting. He watched forlornly as influential flocks of curators, collectors, and critics rushed in and out of the nearby Danish pavilion.

Brushing away rivulets of sweat, he offered to speak about his work -- displayed on a small video camera -- to anyone who would listen.

Two weeks ago, Morales said he received a statement from the Venezuelan government claiming that his art ''was disrespectful of the images in my country. I think the real thing is that they don't understand my proposal,'' he said. ``They say my work has a political view only, but that's not true. There's sex, humor, and violence. It's an extensive work of interactive art.''

''It's unacceptable that a country censors art,'' said Irma Arestizábal, an Argentine curator of Latin American art at the Biennale. ``It's a sin for Venezuela, because every country in the world wants a pavilion [here].''

The cultural attaché for the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, D.C., Carolina Márquez, could not be reached for comment.

In the Giardini, Morales' situation also drew the sympathy of a Venezuelan curator who was touring the Biennale with fellow trustees from New York's Museum of Modern Art. ''No, I am not surprised by what is going on in my country. They should be ashamed,'' she said, asking that her name not be used in order to protect family members in Venezuela.

OTHER CONTROVERSY

Morales is not the first Venezuelan artist to be sucked into controversy swirling around his country's representation in Venice. On March 3, artist Javier Téllez, also chosen to exhibit in the Venezuelan pavilion, circulated an open letter to his country's ministry of culture announcing his decision to withdraw his participation, condemning the government's ``corruption and struggle for power that are choking the country.''

Last Friday, Biennale president Franco Bernabé said his organization was trying to find a way for Morales to exhibit as an individual; the Biennale ends in November. Information about Morales' CityRooms project for Venice can be seen on his website at www.pedromorales.com.

AME Info United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, June 18 - 2003 at 08:43

Downhole Products PLC, a specialist designer and manufacturer of quality oilfield equipment, today announced that plans to strengthen its presence globally are proceeding as planned.

With the addition of its new U.S. region headquarters in Houston, manufacturing facilities in both the USA and Venezuela, and a regional office for the Middle East in Abu Dhabi, the company is offering much improved services to its customers worldwide. Combined with the major expansion of Downhole Products' international headquarters in Aberdeen, it has been a dramatic year.

Expanded Aberdeen Headquarters Offers Major Benefits In order to better serve its growing customer base, Downhole Products has taken a number of significant steps during recent months, beginning with a $750,000 extension of its world headquarters in Aberdeen. Located on 2-1/2 acres in the Badentoy Business Park, the company's 27,000 square foot base is now more than twice the size. The new complex offers significant benefits to clients and staff, with improved operations, manufacturing and equipment warehouse facilities. In addition to accommodating Downhole Engineering in the custom built machine shop facility with new CNC machines, the new warehouse houses a comprehensive range of solid centralisers and reamer shoes, including the Spir-o-lizer™, Spir-o-mizer™ and the Econ-o-lizer™. With approximately 25 permanent staff based in Aberdeen, Downhole Products will continue to provide a comprehensive range of solid centralisers and reamer shoes to the international oil and gas industry, as well as quick response precision machining services to the aviation and marine industries.

US Presence Strengthened with New Facilities in Houston and Louisiana This spring saw the opening of Downhole Products in the United States, with a new regional US office in Houston. "As Houston is the gateway to the North American market, it is the perfect location for our new regional office. The new facility will play a key role in Downhole Products' ability to keep pace with the demand we're experiencing in North America, particularly for our Spir-o-mizer™ and Econ-o-lizer™ centralisers and Pen-o-trator™ reamer shoes," said Bill Barron, Director of Downhole Products. "With our new manufacturing facilities, we have more than doubled the company's manufacturing capability. In addition, we store approximately $4 million in equipment, which is good news for customers in North America," he added.

With 24 years in the oil industry, Kelly Smith, 48, was appointed General Manager – U.S. for Downhole Products. In his new role, Smith is based in Houston where he oversees all aspects of operations and financial management for the company in North America. Before joining Downhole Products, Smith worked in a variety of marketing and operational roles for Third Wave Group and Oiltools International in Singapore. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Smith is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Oklahoma State University.

New Venezuela Base a Stepping Stone to South America In a move to make it possible for customers operating in South America to purchase quality equipment, Downhole Products has opened a new manufacturing facility and company called Downhole Products, Venezuela. Venezuela is a "free trade" country that benefits from the Andean Pact Treaty. As a result, customers operating in South America can now purchase Downhole Products' goods, including centralisers and reamer shoes, at an extremely competitive rate.

Jose Herrero, 39, has been appointed Director of Downhole Products Venezuela C.A.– South America. Herrero is also responsible for all operations and finance, as well as marketing activities throughout South America. Previously, he was President of Herrero Supply of Maracaibo, Venezuela for seven years, during which time he served as Downhole Products' distributor in Venezuela. Herrero is from Venezuela and earned a BBA degree from Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Hartford in Hartford, Connecticut, USA.

McRobbie Appointed Region Manager - Middle East With a substantial and growing demand for its products and services in the Middle East, Downhole Products has opened a new base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The new facility serves as the region headquarters, and accommodates a substantial stock of Downhole Products equipment. George McRobbie, 49, has been appointed Sales Manager – Middle East for Downhole Products to drive all new business development efforts in the region. With 25 years experience in the oil industry, McRobbie has worked for Downhole Products, Aberdeen for three years. Previously, he was employed Odjfell Drilling of Aberdeen for five years and has worked in a variety of roles, including tubular inspection in Aberdeen and worldwide. A native of Aberdeen, Scotland, he is now based in Abu Dhabi.

Related Information The new Downhole Products facility in the U.S. is located at:

Downhole Products USA 600 Kenrick drive, Suite C-28 Houston, TX 77060 Tel: 281-272-6000

The new base in Venezuela is located at:

Downhole Products South America Calle 66 entre Av. 4 y 8 Galpon No. 4-107 Maracaibo, Edo. Zulia, Venezuela

The new Middle East base is located at:

Downhole Products Middle East Al Ghaith Tower, Suite 1402 POS Box 268 Abu Dhabi, UAE Tel: 971-2-627-5080

About Downhole Products

Downhole Products specialises in the design and manufacture of specialist quality oilfield equipment for the international upstream oil and gas industries. Founded in 1994 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Downhole Products is known throughout the industry for its range of solid centralisers and reamer shoes. The Spir-o-lizer™, the company's flagship solid body centraliser that was introduced in 1994 remains the unrivalled industry first choice, as illustrated by its successful performance in the Middle East, Scandinavia, The Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. It offers superior torque and drag reduction, with the lowest friction co-efficient of any centraliser material available.

The Spir-o-lizer was followed by the introduction in 1998 of the Pen-o-trator™, a patented reamer shoe. The Pen-o-trator™ tool quickly established itself as the Best in Class Reamer Shoe because of its fast and easy drill-out ability, low torque reaming features, and minimal surge pressure while running in-hole. In 2002, two new centraliser products, the Spir-o-mizer™ and the Econ-o-lizer™, were introduced and continue to be used by major operators worldwide

With more than $6 million in specialist stock housed at its Aberdeen headquarters in addition to equipment located at strategic sites worldwide, Downhole Products dispatches equipment daily by air, sea and land around the world. As the leading centraliser design and manufacturing company in Europe, most major operators have utilised Downhole Products' range of centralisers and reamer shoes to maximise oil production performance safely and economically.

For further information, contact:

The Directors Downhole Products PLC Badentoy Road Badentoy Park Portlethen Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom AB12 4YA Tel: 01224 784411 in the UK or +44 1224 784411 outside of the UK Website: www.downhole.co.uk

Sharon Roe, Managing Director Spinnaker Communications 11 Walker Place St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom KY16 9NY Tel: 01334 473 754 in the UK or +44 l334 473 754 outside of the UK

   Posted by Anne-Birte Stensgaard, News Editor Wednesday, June 18 - 2003 at 08:43 UAE local time (GMT+4) Replication or redistribution in whole or in part is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AME Info FZ LLC.

Index : Company News : Downhole Products People who read this article also read:   MasterCard launches regional priceless travel experience   EMAAR opens registration for Burj Dubai – the world's tallest skyscraper   Emirates places biggest aircraft order in history   Singapore Airlines, super deals

Today's most read articles:   KLM to resume Baghdad flights   Al Jazeera Net provides the first voice portal service via phone in the United...   Tejari's CEO Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi highlights Dubai's safe society and...   Hotels in Dubai fill up with families   Paramount Computer Systems first to offer solutions to consolidate and control...

Most read articles the past week:   Linux unstoppable in Middle East says IBM   Is there a financial crash in the making?   British Airways increases Alexandria-London Capacity by 30 per cent   UAE gold trade in trouble   Time to sell Placer Dome Inc

Disclaimer: Articles in this section are primarily provided directly by the companies appearing or PR agencies which are solely responsible for the content. The companies concerned may use the above content on their respective web sites provided they link back to www.ameinfo.com

<a href=www.businessnews.com.au>Business News, 19-June-03 Written by Staff Reporters Garry Flanagan  Name: Garry Flanagan Title: Commercial Analysis Coordinator Company: ChevronTexaco Location: Houston Texas

A brief explanation of your company and where it sits in the corporate landscape: World's fourth largest publicly traded, integrated energy company (based on oil equivalent reserves and production).

It is the second largest in the US with operations in 180 countries. 

Job last held in Perth and when you left it: Senior Project Engineer (ChevronTexaco Australia) until July 2002.

What is your current role: Coordination of project economic and shipping-logistical analysis as well as strategic planning and contract management for ChevronTexaco’s Liquefied Natural Gas business based in Houston.

What other roles do you play in your industry or local business community: I represent the company at energy conferences and regularly presented aspects of the industry to year 10 classes in Perth high schools as part of the Schools Information Program. 

I have supported functions put on by the Australian American Chamber of Commerce, most notably the 2003 Australia Day Ball held in San Francisco.  I also assist the company with cultural integration.

Explain how you got this particular job:  ChevronTexaco encourages development opportunities for selected employees in international locations. 

I expressed an interest in working overseas and was ‘loaned’ to our head office in San Francisco for three months last year. The International Gas Group wanted an experienced Engineering MBA to assist in some strategic planning work and from this I was fortunate enough to secure a longer-term assignment in Houston.

Outline your office culture: The company has recently been through a merger (Chevron and Texaco) and there is a lot of energy going into creating a new culture.

It is an exciting time for our company and working for a global company gives you the opportunity to work with people from all over the world.

My department has people from the US, Venezuela, Australia, the UK and Canada. We work a nine-day/80-hour fortnight and my hours are typically 7am – 6pm.

How much commuting do you do:

It is a 10-15 minute drive each way from my home in the West University district to our office in downtown Houston. Occasionally I will visit one of the other ChevronTexaco office locations in the Houston area.

Does your job involve travel, if so how much, where to and to what purpose: Mainly to San Francisco where our global headquarters is located and some international trips to places such as Japan and Canada.

How well did your work in Perth equip you for your current job:  The main advantage is the international perspective I bring to the team and my involvement with our Australian gas business, such as the Gorgon gas development. The team is also impressed with my social coordinating skills. I have introduced a proud Aussie tradition to the team – the sundowner.

Can you see yourself returning to Perth, if so how long and under what circumstances: My current assignment may last anything from two to five years with the possibility of another international post such as Asia or Europe.

In the meantime, I am making the most of working in an overseas location with the ultimate aim of returning to Australia because this is where my home and allegiances are.

What is your email address: garrytflanagan@yahoo.com

p Do you want to nominate someone you know for the Internet Interview? If they are working interstate or offshore in an interesting job send us their email address and some details to editorial@wabusinessnews.com.au

BBC News Last Updated: Wednesday, 18 June, 2003, 03:34 GMT 04:34 UK

Two Miami radio hosts say they have fooled Cuban leader Fidel Castro by pretending to be President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela in a prank call.

The two hosts of the radio programme El Vacilon de la Manana (Morning Joker) spliced together clips from a Chavez speech and played them to trick Mr Castro into thinking he was talking to the Venezuelan leader.

Then they revealed themselves and called Mr Castro a killer, reportedly prompting a tirade of abuse before Mr Castro hung up.

The radio hosts, Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero, played the same joke on Mr Chavez in January, using a recording of Mr Castro.

The two Latin American leaders are allies.

In the latest prank, the DJs pretended to be an aide phoning Mr Castro to ask about a suitcase Mr Chavez allegedly lost when the two men were both in Argentina.

When they got through to a man who listeners say appeared to be the Cuban president, they had a brief conversation then told him he had fallen for their prank.

It has not been possible to confirm that the victim was Mr Castro himself.

The radio hosts regularly include a slot called "Fidel's on the phone for you" in which they try to fool victims with recordings of the Cuban's voice.

Miami is home to a large Cuban expatriate population, much of it fiercely anti-Castro.

The Cuban Government has not commented on the prank.