CARACAS, Nov 14 (Reuters) – Venezuela’s economy grew more
than 3.5 percent during the third quarter of 2011 compared with
the same period a year ago, the head of the central bank in the
South American OPEC member said on Monday.

Its economy expanded 2.5 percent in the second quarter and
4.8 percent in the first quarter versus the same periods in
2010, boosting the government’s confidence in sustained growth
following an 18-month recession that ended late last year.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Major League Baseball star Wilson Ramos described his fear on Saturday as Venezuelan security forces swooped onto a mountain hideout to rescue him from kidnappers in a hail of bullets.

The 24-year-old Washington Nationals catcher had been seized by gunmen from outside his mother’s home on Wednesday night during an off-season visit to the South American nation.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan security forces rescued kidnapped Major League Baseball player Wilson Ramos on Friday, two days after he was abducted in a case that underlined the country’s security problems.

The 24-year-old Washington Nationals catcher was abducted by armed men on Wednesday night while he chatted with friends and relatives at his mother’s home in the Venezuelan city of Valencia.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Friends and family of kidnapped U.S. Major League Baseball player Wilson Ramos in Venezuela prayed for his safe return on Friday from gunmen who seized him during an off-season visit to the South American country.

The 24-year-old Washington Nationals catcher was at his mother’s home in the city of Valencia on Wednesday when four men dragged him into a stolen car and sped off. He had been due to play for the local Aragua Tigers during the off-season.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Friends and family of kidnapped U.S. Major League Baseball player Wilson Ramos in Venezuela prayed for his safe return on Friday from gunmen who seized him during an off-season visit to the South American country.

The 24-year-old Washington Nationals catcher was at his mother’s home in the city of Valencia on Wednesday when four men dragged him into a stolen car and sped off. He had been due to play for the local Aragua Tigers during the off-season.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuelan police hunted on Thursday for a gang who kidnapped Major League Baseball player Wilson Ramos at gunpoint from a family home, in a case highlighting the country’s appalling crime problem.

The 24-year-old catcher for the Washington Nationals, who was preparing to play for Venezuela’s Aragua Tigers during the U.S. off-season, was snatched on Wednesday from a house in the city of Valencia night.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – The killing of Colombia’s top guerrilla boss will quiet criticism of President Juan Manuel Santos, whose popularity has taken a hit over perceptions the Andean nation’s security gains were being reversed.

In one of the largest strikes against the guerrillas, Colombian forces killed FARC leader Alfonso Cano Friday. But the insurgents vowed to fight on, dampening hopes that Cano’s death might bring the nation closer to peace.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – The killing of Colombia’s top guerrilla boss will quiet criticism of President Juan Manuel Santos, whose popularity has taken a hit over perceptions the Andean nation’s security gains were being reversed.

In one of the largest strikes against the guerrillas, Colombian forces killed FARC leader Alfonso Cano on Friday. But the insurgents vowed to fight on, dampening hopes that Cano’s death might bring the nation closer to peace.

BOGOTA (Reuters) – Colombia’s FARC rebels scorned the “happy laughter” of their foes and rejected a plea to demobilize after the killing of their leader Alfonso Cano gave President Juan Manuel Santos his biggest military victory.

Many Colombians hoped the death of the 63-year-old Marxist commander in a raid on his jungle hideout on Friday might would herald the beginning of the end of nearly five decades of civil war that have wracked the Andean nation.

CARACAS, Nov 1 (Reuters) – Increasing speculation about
President Hugo Chavez’s health after cancer treatment, falling
oil output that could slow an economic recovery, and political
maneuvering ahead of next year’s presidential election are the
main risks to watch in Venezuela.

CHAVEZ’S CANCER

The 57-year-old socialist has declared himself free of
cancer following four sessions of chemotherapy and four months
after surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his pelvis.