Venezuelan prosecutors open criminal investigation into anti-Chavez TV station

September 7th, 2009 'South of the Border' to make Venice fest premiereVENICE, Italy — Director Oliver Stone says his new documentary "South of the Border" is meant to illustrate the sweeping changes in South America in recent years. Stone spent extensive time with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for the film, and also interviewed the leaders of Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba and Paraguay.

September 7th, 2009 Chavez walks Venice red carpet with Oliver StoneVENICE, Italy — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez received a movie star welcome Monday at the Venice Film Festival, where he walked the red carpet with director Oliver Stone for the premiere of the documentary "South of the Border." Hundreds of admirers, some chanting "president, president," gathered outside of the Casino for the leader's arrival. A few held up Venezuelan flags and a banner in Spanish that read "Welcome, president." Chavez threw a flower into the crowd and touched his heart, and at one point took a photographer's camera to snap a picture himself.

September 7th, 2009 Anti-Chavez TV faces possible 72-hour shutdownCARACAS, Venezuela — A leading television channel aligned with Venezuela's opposition said Monday that it could be shut down amid a new investigation of alleged violations of broadcasting laws. Globovision TV — the last major channel on Venezuela's regular airwaves strongly critical of President Hugo Chavez — has been formally notified of the investigation by the telecommunications commission.

September 4th, 2009 2 radio towers in Wash. state toppledEVERETT, Wash.

August 25th, 2009 Miss Universe says crown fulfills improbable goalNASSAU, Bahamas — The 2009 Miss Universe says her title fulfills a lifelong dream — and an improbable one for a girl who finished last in one of her first beauty pageants. Stefania Fernandez, an 18-year-old Venezuelan, said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press that despite the rocky start, she continued competing in order to keep busy.

August 24th, 2009 Cuban TV shows Fidel Castro greeting studentsHAVANA — Former Cuban President Fidel Castro appeared on state television on Sunday for the first time since June 2008, meeting with a group of students from Venezuela. The broadcast showed the 83-year-old Castro looking healthier and rested and talking with the students at an undisclosed location on Saturday.

August 4th, 2009 Correa: Ecuador to take over radio, TV stationsQUITO, Ecuador — Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa says "many" radio and TV frequencies will revert to state control due to what he's calling irregularities. The president has been at war with Ecuador's news media since taking office in January 2007.

July 22nd, 2009 Chavez eyes handing radio stations to socialistsCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday that hundreds of radio stations his government plans to seize for allegedly operating illegally could be turned over to Venezuelans who share his socialist vision. "We are going to retake control of the radio waves," Chavez told a crowd of supporters.

July 18th, 2009 Prosecutors charge head of anti-Chavez TV channelCARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan prosecutors filed charges against the head of an opposition-aligned TV news channel on Friday, accusing him of usury and conspiracy to commit a crime after authorities seized 24 new vehicles on his property. Guillermo Zuloaga, president and owner of Globovision, called the charges "harassment" as he left a prosecutors' office, insisting he has done nothing illegal.

July 16th, 2009 UK prosecutors decline new privacy investigationLONDON — British prosecutors say they won't reopen an investigation into a phone-hacking case that saw a tabloid reporter sent to jail. The News of the World's royal editor and a private investigator were jailed in 2007 for hacking into the phones of employees of the royal family.

June 14th, 2009 Venezuela TV outlet calls for talks with presidentCARACAS, Venezuela — A pro-opposition television station called on Saturday for talks with President Hugo Chavez after the Venezuelan leader warned the broadcaster to behave or be shut down. Stepping up his recent verbal attacks on Globovision, Chavez warned its executives Thursday to "reflect" on the station's tough criticism of his government or else it "won't be on the airwaves much longer." Globovision, the last stridently anti-Chavez channel left on the regular airwaves, said Venezuela's socialist president should sit down with the station's managers to discuss the rising tensions between them.

June 5th, 2009 Venezuelan prosecutors charge anti-Chavez TV chiefCARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan prosecutors charged the head of an anti-government television station with usury on Thursday, ending a weeks-long investigation into his business activities that he called politically motivated. Dozens of National Guard troops accompanied prosecutors to the upscale residence of Globovision president Guillermo Zuloaga on Thursday evening to gather evidence, according to state television footage.

May 30th, 2009 Chavez invites intellectual opponents to debateCARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday backed away from a direct debate with prominent critics a day after he invited Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa and other Latin American intellectuals to join him on live television this weekend. On Thursday, Chavez said he would be willing to join a group of left-wing intellectuals in a debate with his critics on Saturday at the presidential palace during his program "Hello President." But Friday night, he said he would probably moderate, not participate in the debate.

May 29th, 2009 Venezuela's Chavez launches 4-day talkathonCARACAS, Venezuela — There's nothing Hugo Chavez relishes more than addressing the nation for hours on end, and on Thursday the loquacious Venezuelan leader seized the airwaves like never before. Chavez began what he said will be a four-day "Hello President" radio and television show celebrating the 10th anniversary of the program that has been widely emulated by other Latin American leaders.

May 12th, 2009 Russia media say cargo ship docks at space stationMOSCOW — An unmanned Russian cargo ship docked at the international space station Tuesday. Russia's state-run Vesti-24 television showed footage of the Progress M-02M hooking up with the orbital station.