Posts
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8191057.stm
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he is sending his ambassador back to Colombia following a diplomatic row.
Mr Chavez recalled Ambassador Gustavo Marquez last week after Colombia said rocket launchers found in a rebel camp came from Venezuela.
Relations between the two countries are also tense over Colombia's plans to allow US troops on its military bases.
Mr Chavez has said he fears the move amounts to preparation for an invasion of his country by US forces
"Go back to Bogota, Gustavo. Go to work, and you have a lot of it," President Chavez told Mr Marquez during a televised meeting at the presidential palace.
"We certainly don't have in our plans a break-up of our relations with Colombia," he added.
Weapons found
Mr Chavez withdrew his ambassador on 29 July after the Colombia government said weapons bought by Venezuela from Sweden in the 1980s had ended up with Colombian Farc guerrillas.
The Venezuelan leader denied the claim and accused Colombia of acting "irresponsibly".
In March last year, President Chavez broke off diplomatic relations with Colombia and recalled his ambassador following a cross-border attack by the Colombian military on a group of Farc rebels on Ecuadorean territory.
The action triggered one of the worst diplomatic disputes in the region since the end of the Cold War.
Colombian leader Alvaro Uribe has just returned from a tour of South American nations, in which he has tried to allay fears over his plans for US troops to use military bases inside Colombia.
The US wants to use Colombia as a regional hub for operations against drug-trafficking and terrorism.
Washington has been forced to look for a new base after Ecuador refused to renew the lease on its Manta base, which the US military was using.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Student beaten to death at Chinese internet addiction boot camp
Follow up to the article posted on July 10 regarding China's bootcamps for treating teens with "Internet Addiction":
Wall Street Journal article:
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinajournal/2009/08/04/when-internet-addiction-turns-deadly/
So-called “Internet addiction” among Chinese youths has led to a proliferation of clinics around the country that claim to be able to treat the recently defined disorder.
On Monday, police in the south China city of Nanning said that a 16-year-old boy died in at a boot camp for Internet addicts after being beaten by supervisors, according to the Global Times, in what would be the first reported case of a death at a treatment facility for Internet addiction.
The three adults who beat the teenager have been detained by police, his father told the Global Times, and the boy’s family is also planning a protest at local government offices to demand a full investigation and immediate closure of the treatment facility.
The clinic’s mission statement promised a tough environment but said that torture and “other methods that might damage a child’s health” were not used. Last month, the Ministry of Health ordered another Internet addiction center in northern China to stop using electroshock as a form of punishment after former patients complained online of harsh tactics.
China’s netizens have played a key role in drawing nationwide attention to recent cases of deaths in prisons and detention centers, so it should be no surprise that they are up in arms over the fate of one of their own. Many questioned the fairly new diagnosis of “Internet addiction” as a mental disorder.
“Internet addiction? It’s a term made up by some so-called ‘experts’, how come these parents believe what they’ve said?” said one commenter on the cnbeta Web site.
“[It] should be the parents’ problem. Why do they always exaggerate their kids’ hobbies, turning them into addictions or problems?” said another.
On Netease’s news forum, one netizen called for greater tolerance of Web habits: “I am sure only China has such a term: Internet addiction…. Why can’t its people accept new ideas and new things with an open mind?”
–Sky Canaves and Juliet Ye
China Global Times Article:
http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2009-08/453958.html
By Wen Ya
A teenager sent by his parents to a boot camp to cure his Internet addiction died after he was beaten by camp supervisors, police in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region claimed yesterday.
The three teachers who allegedly beat Deng Senshan, 16, were detained by local police Sunday, Deng Fei, the boy’s father, a businessman from Ziyuan county, told the Global Times yesterday.
“We are investigating a case where a high school student was beaten to death by his camp supervisors. The case is still under investigation,” a police officer at the Jiangnan branch of Nanning Public Security Bureau said.
He refused to give further details.
Deng graduated from Ziyuan No. 2 High School in Guilin in July and was sent to Guangxi Qihang Survival Training Camp, a branch set up by Guangzhou Self-help Teenager Development Training Center on Saturday by his parents.
They had read an ad about the camp online and hoped the experience would help rid their son of his Internet addiction.
Deng Fei paid the camp 7,000 yuan ($1,024) for one month of training.
He signed the camp agreement that said it aimed to help children to become independent and rectify their bad habitats by “close management with training teachers.”
“Our methods are tough but do not include torture or other methods that might damage a child’s health,” reads the mission statement.
But his son was put in solitary confinement within hours of his arrival and was then beaten to death by his trainers after they “scolded” him for running too slowly, Deng said.
“My son was very healthy and was not a criminal. He just had an Internet addiction when I left him at the camp.
“The police informed us that our child had died on Monday morning. We can’t believe our only son was beaten to death,” the father said.
The teachers who beat Deng realized he was badly injured and sent him to hospital in Wuxu town three hours later. He was declared dead about 3 am Sunday – 10 minutes after he arrived at the hospital, Deng Fei said.
The boy’s medical record, which was faxed to the Global Times, read: “The boy showed no response to emergency treatment.
“He arrived with a very weak heartbeat and could not breathe. He was exhausted after being beaten. We were unable to save him.”
The victim’s father was notified by the police of his son’s death and rushed to the town. He called the camp but officials there denied the incident had taken place.
The camp’s principal, a man surnamed Xia, denied Deng had been beaten by his teachers and told the father his son was sent to hospital because of a serious fever.
“But I was told the truth by my relative who is in the local police force,” the father said.
After arriving at the local funeral parlor to identify his son’s body, he saw “blood all over the his face” and “wounds on his wrists were bruises from where had been restrained by handcuffs.”
Photos of Deng’s body shown to the Global Times show visible injuries.
The forensic doctor, surnamed Gan, who carried out a postmortem examination on Deng refused to answer any question when contacted by the Global Times.
“The teachers promised me that they would not use any physical punishment on my son when I dropped him off,” Deng Fei said.
Some 40 people, including parents and Deng relatives, are calling for an investigation and demanding the camp be closed down immediately.
“We’re planning to sit before the local government for a protest tomorrow. If they don’t give us justice, we will go to the camp to confront them,” Deng said.
Wall Street Journal article:
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinajournal/2009/08/04/when-internet-addiction-turns-deadly/
So-called “Internet addiction” among Chinese youths has led to a proliferation of clinics around the country that claim to be able to treat the recently defined disorder.
On Monday, police in the south China city of Nanning said that a 16-year-old boy died in at a boot camp for Internet addicts after being beaten by supervisors, according to the Global Times, in what would be the first reported case of a death at a treatment facility for Internet addiction.
The three adults who beat the teenager have been detained by police, his father told the Global Times, and the boy’s family is also planning a protest at local government offices to demand a full investigation and immediate closure of the treatment facility.
The clinic’s mission statement promised a tough environment but said that torture and “other methods that might damage a child’s health” were not used. Last month, the Ministry of Health ordered another Internet addiction center in northern China to stop using electroshock as a form of punishment after former patients complained online of harsh tactics.
China’s netizens have played a key role in drawing nationwide attention to recent cases of deaths in prisons and detention centers, so it should be no surprise that they are up in arms over the fate of one of their own. Many questioned the fairly new diagnosis of “Internet addiction” as a mental disorder.
“Internet addiction? It’s a term made up by some so-called ‘experts’, how come these parents believe what they’ve said?” said one commenter on the cnbeta Web site.
“[It] should be the parents’ problem. Why do they always exaggerate their kids’ hobbies, turning them into addictions or problems?” said another.
On Netease’s news forum, one netizen called for greater tolerance of Web habits: “I am sure only China has such a term: Internet addiction…. Why can’t its people accept new ideas and new things with an open mind?”
–Sky Canaves and Juliet Ye
China Global Times Article:
http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2009-08/453958.html
By Wen Ya
A teenager sent by his parents to a boot camp to cure his Internet addiction died after he was beaten by camp supervisors, police in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region claimed yesterday.
The three teachers who allegedly beat Deng Senshan, 16, were detained by local police Sunday, Deng Fei, the boy’s father, a businessman from Ziyuan county, told the Global Times yesterday.
“We are investigating a case where a high school student was beaten to death by his camp supervisors. The case is still under investigation,” a police officer at the Jiangnan branch of Nanning Public Security Bureau said.
He refused to give further details.
Deng graduated from Ziyuan No. 2 High School in Guilin in July and was sent to Guangxi Qihang Survival Training Camp, a branch set up by Guangzhou Self-help Teenager Development Training Center on Saturday by his parents.
They had read an ad about the camp online and hoped the experience would help rid their son of his Internet addiction.
Deng Fei paid the camp 7,000 yuan ($1,024) for one month of training.
He signed the camp agreement that said it aimed to help children to become independent and rectify their bad habitats by “close management with training teachers.”
“Our methods are tough but do not include torture or other methods that might damage a child’s health,” reads the mission statement.
But his son was put in solitary confinement within hours of his arrival and was then beaten to death by his trainers after they “scolded” him for running too slowly, Deng said.
“My son was very healthy and was not a criminal. He just had an Internet addiction when I left him at the camp.
“The police informed us that our child had died on Monday morning. We can’t believe our only son was beaten to death,” the father said.
The teachers who beat Deng realized he was badly injured and sent him to hospital in Wuxu town three hours later. He was declared dead about 3 am Sunday – 10 minutes after he arrived at the hospital, Deng Fei said.
The boy’s medical record, which was faxed to the Global Times, read: “The boy showed no response to emergency treatment.
“He arrived with a very weak heartbeat and could not breathe. He was exhausted after being beaten. We were unable to save him.”
The victim’s father was notified by the police of his son’s death and rushed to the town. He called the camp but officials there denied the incident had taken place.
The camp’s principal, a man surnamed Xia, denied Deng had been beaten by his teachers and told the father his son was sent to hospital because of a serious fever.
“But I was told the truth by my relative who is in the local police force,” the father said.
After arriving at the local funeral parlor to identify his son’s body, he saw “blood all over the his face” and “wounds on his wrists were bruises from where had been restrained by handcuffs.”
Photos of Deng’s body shown to the Global Times show visible injuries.
The forensic doctor, surnamed Gan, who carried out a postmortem examination on Deng refused to answer any question when contacted by the Global Times.
“The teachers promised me that they would not use any physical punishment on my son when I dropped him off,” Deng Fei said.
Some 40 people, including parents and Deng relatives, are calling for an investigation and demanding the camp be closed down immediately.
“We’re planning to sit before the local government for a protest tomorrow. If they don’t give us justice, we will go to the camp to confront them,” Deng said.
Monday, August 3, 2009
'Moving newspaper' on flexible screen to be launched within months
View a demo here:
http://www.plasticlogic.com/
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article6736859.ece
It is the norm in the fictional world of Harry Potter: the magical daily newspaper where words and pictures come to life in the reader’s hands.
Now a revolutionary technology means that the moving imagery in The Daily Prophet is set to become a reality. A Cambridge-based company is months away from launching the world’s first flexible electronic screen.
Designed by scientists at the University of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory, to compete with the growing variety of electronic books from the likes of Sony and the US-only Amazon Kindle, the roll up A4-sized “intelligent plastic” display has taken a decade of development and cost £120 million. It is the first screen to be made from a microchip not of silicon but of cheap plastic.
However, Plastic Logic, the company behind the device, says that it dares not produce a roll-up screen yet because research showed that consumers don’t want flexibility. Martin Jackson, the vice-president of technology, said: “People worry that it will break if they roll up a device and dump it in their bag.”
Related Links
The touch-screen reader needs to be charged just once a fortnight and the screen uses no power when the image isn’t changing.
E-versions of newspapers are expected to be a popular use of the new technology because news can be downloaded at any time in return for a subscription equivalent to the price of buying printed copies in a newsagent.
Many titles are already published on the conventional Amazon Kindle in the US, including The Times, at prices from $6 (£3.50) to $15 a month, although Amazon has not yet announced plans to bring the device to Europe.
The Plastic Logic will be launched in the US at the beginning of next year at a similar price to the Kindle, which starts at $299. A British launch is set to follow in late 2010 or early 2011.
John Ridding, the chief executive of the Financial Times, which is also working with Plastic Logic, said: “We’re already beginning to see robust demand for newspapers on the Kindle, and before long we’ll see newspapers on a whole spectrum of devices as well as print. The advantage of this new device is that it won’t break when I drop it, but getting advertisers involved will be key, and they want to see a colour version.”
All electronic readers are, for the moment, black and white and text only, because they do not use a backlit display to ensure comfortable reading over long periods. That may prevent an immediate launch of moving images used on The Daily Prophet, a limitation similar to that faced by the first iPods when they were launched at the beginning of the decade. Mr Jackson predicted that “colour is a year or two off, and video will be a few years while later” as the technology develops.
By then, readers may be rolling up their plastic computers, too.
Apple tried to silence owner of exploding iPod with gagging order
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/personal_tech/article6736587.ece
Apple attempted to silence a father and daughter with a gagging order after the child’s iPod music player exploded and the family sought a refund from the company.
The Times has learnt that the company would offer the family a full refund only if they were willing to sign a settlement form. The proposed agreement left them open to legal action if they ever disclosed the terms of the settlement.
The case echoes previous circumstances in which Apple attempted to hush up incidents when its devices overheated.
Ken Stanborough, 47, from Liverpool, dropped his 11-year-old daughter Ellie’s iPod Touch last month. “It made a hissing noise,” he said. “I could feel it getting hotter in my hand, and I thought I could see vapour”. Mr Stanborough said he threw the device out of his back door, where “within 30 seconds there was a pop, a big puff of smoke and it went 10ft in the air”.
Mr Stanborough contacted Apple and Argos, where he had bought the device for £162. After being passed around several departments, he spoke to an Apple executive on the telephone. As a result of the conversation, Apple sent a letter to Mr Stanborough denying liability but offering a refund.
The letter also stated that, in accepting the money, Mr Stanborough was to “agree that you will keep the terms and existence of this settlement agreement completely confidential”, and that any breach of confidentiality “may result in Apple seeking injunctive relief, damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties”.
“I thought it was a very disturbing letter,” said Mr Stanborough, who is self-employed and works in electronic security. He refused to sign it.
“They’re putting a life sentence on myself, my daughter and Ellie’s mum, not to say anything to anyone. If we inadvertently did say anything, no matter what, they would take litigation against us. I thought that was absolutely appalling.
“We didn’t ask for compensation, we just asked for our money back,” he added.
Last week it emerged that Apple had tried to keep a number of cases where its iPod digital music players had started to smoke, burst into flames and even burned their owners, out of the public eye.
An American reporter obtained 800 pages of documentation on the cases from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) following a Freedom of Information Act request in that country. However, she was unable to get hold of the documents for months after “Apple’s lawyers filed exemption after exemption”.
In those cases, CPSC investigators suggested that the iPods’ lithium ion batteries could be the source of the problem.
In 2006 Apple and Dell recalled millions of lithium ion batteries because of overheating problems in laptop computers causing fires — some of the biggest consumer electronics recalls in history. As of September last year, 173,000,000 iPods have been sold worldwide.
A number of bloggers have reported cases where iPods have exploded — usually involving older versions of the digital music players. Last year the Japanese Government warned that iPod Nanos presented a potential fire risk, saying there had been 14 cases in the country where the players had caught alight, with two people suffering minor burns.
In March, a mother in Ohio began court proceedings against Apple, after her son’s iPod Touch allegedly exploded in his pocket, burning his leg.
An Apple spokesman said that, as the company had not looked at the Stanboroughs’ damaged iPod, it could not comment. Argos also refused to comment.
The Trading Standards Institute said that it could not comment on whether such letters were standard across the industry, but that it could understand that Apple would want to protect its reputation by trying to reach a confidential settlement.
Apple attempted to silence a father and daughter with a gagging order after the child’s iPod music player exploded and the family sought a refund from the company.
The Times has learnt that the company would offer the family a full refund only if they were willing to sign a settlement form. The proposed agreement left them open to legal action if they ever disclosed the terms of the settlement.
The case echoes previous circumstances in which Apple attempted to hush up incidents when its devices overheated.
Ken Stanborough, 47, from Liverpool, dropped his 11-year-old daughter Ellie’s iPod Touch last month. “It made a hissing noise,” he said. “I could feel it getting hotter in my hand, and I thought I could see vapour”. Mr Stanborough said he threw the device out of his back door, where “within 30 seconds there was a pop, a big puff of smoke and it went 10ft in the air”.
Mr Stanborough contacted Apple and Argos, where he had bought the device for £162. After being passed around several departments, he spoke to an Apple executive on the telephone. As a result of the conversation, Apple sent a letter to Mr Stanborough denying liability but offering a refund.
The letter also stated that, in accepting the money, Mr Stanborough was to “agree that you will keep the terms and existence of this settlement agreement completely confidential”, and that any breach of confidentiality “may result in Apple seeking injunctive relief, damages and legal costs against the defaulting persons or parties”.
“I thought it was a very disturbing letter,” said Mr Stanborough, who is self-employed and works in electronic security. He refused to sign it.
“They’re putting a life sentence on myself, my daughter and Ellie’s mum, not to say anything to anyone. If we inadvertently did say anything, no matter what, they would take litigation against us. I thought that was absolutely appalling.
“We didn’t ask for compensation, we just asked for our money back,” he added.
Last week it emerged that Apple had tried to keep a number of cases where its iPod digital music players had started to smoke, burst into flames and even burned their owners, out of the public eye.
An American reporter obtained 800 pages of documentation on the cases from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) following a Freedom of Information Act request in that country. However, she was unable to get hold of the documents for months after “Apple’s lawyers filed exemption after exemption”.
In those cases, CPSC investigators suggested that the iPods’ lithium ion batteries could be the source of the problem.
In 2006 Apple and Dell recalled millions of lithium ion batteries because of overheating problems in laptop computers causing fires — some of the biggest consumer electronics recalls in history. As of September last year, 173,000,000 iPods have been sold worldwide.
A number of bloggers have reported cases where iPods have exploded — usually involving older versions of the digital music players. Last year the Japanese Government warned that iPod Nanos presented a potential fire risk, saying there had been 14 cases in the country where the players had caught alight, with two people suffering minor burns.
In March, a mother in Ohio began court proceedings against Apple, after her son’s iPod Touch allegedly exploded in his pocket, burning his leg.
An Apple spokesman said that, as the company had not looked at the Stanboroughs’ damaged iPod, it could not comment. Argos also refused to comment.
The Trading Standards Institute said that it could not comment on whether such letters were standard across the industry, but that it could understand that Apple would want to protect its reputation by trying to reach a confidential settlement.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Nissan rolls out new electric car
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8180333.stm
Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn stands next to Nissan's new electronic vehicle, the Leaf.
Nissan sees "high potential" for electric vehicles
Japanese carmaker Nissan has unveiled its first electric car, taking it closer to its aim to become the first car firm to mass produce the vehicles.
The zero-emission hatchback vehicle, called Leaf, is set to go on sale in Japan, the US and Europe next year.
Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn did not announce the prices but said it would be "very competitive".
"The monthly cost of the battery, plus the electric charge, will be less than the cost of gasoline," Mr Ghosn said.
Nissan, Japan's third largest carmaker, has been slower than rivals Toyota and Honda to embrace hybrids, which run on petrol and electric engines, and is instead pinning its hopes on solely battery-powered cars.
We need to invest a lot of money to build the car plants
Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn
The future of electric motoring
Electric cars have struggled to become mainstream because of limited battery life and high costs.
But Mr Ghosn insisted that the Leaf would not be a niche-market vehicle.
"We need to invest a lot of money to build the car plants and the battery plants at a moment where all the auto companies are saving investments," he said.
"But there is such a high potential that we (will) go ahead with it."
Nissan has chosen the UK as one of its bases to produce batteries for electric cars.
It is investing £200m at its Sunderland factory, which is expected to create 350 jobs.
Nissan has said that it plans to make 100,000 electric cars a year by 2012.
Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn stands next to Nissan's new electronic vehicle, the Leaf.
Nissan sees "high potential" for electric vehicles
Japanese carmaker Nissan has unveiled its first electric car, taking it closer to its aim to become the first car firm to mass produce the vehicles.
The zero-emission hatchback vehicle, called Leaf, is set to go on sale in Japan, the US and Europe next year.
Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn did not announce the prices but said it would be "very competitive".
"The monthly cost of the battery, plus the electric charge, will be less than the cost of gasoline," Mr Ghosn said.
Nissan, Japan's third largest carmaker, has been slower than rivals Toyota and Honda to embrace hybrids, which run on petrol and electric engines, and is instead pinning its hopes on solely battery-powered cars.
We need to invest a lot of money to build the car plants
Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn
The future of electric motoring
Electric cars have struggled to become mainstream because of limited battery life and high costs.
But Mr Ghosn insisted that the Leaf would not be a niche-market vehicle.
"We need to invest a lot of money to build the car plants and the battery plants at a moment where all the auto companies are saving investments," he said.
"But there is such a high potential that we (will) go ahead with it."
Nissan has chosen the UK as one of its bases to produce batteries for electric cars.
It is investing £200m at its Sunderland factory, which is expected to create 350 jobs.
Nissan has said that it plans to make 100,000 electric cars a year by 2012.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Iran puts 100 protesters on trial
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8179470.stm
From BBC:
The trial has begun in Iran of 100 people arrested for their alleged involvement in post-election violence.
The charges included rioting, vandalism, "acting against national security", and conspiring against the ruling system, state media reported.
Key Defendents
Mohammad Ali Abtahi: former vice-president, member of the Assembly of Combatant Clerics
Mohsen Mirdamadi: leader of the biggest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation
Behzad Nabavi: member of the central council of the Organisation of the Mujahideen of the Islamic Revolution, former industry minister and former vice speaker of parliament
Mohsen Aminzadeh: former deputy foreign minister, served under reformist president
Mohammad Khatami, member of Islamic Iran Participation Front
From BBC:
The trial has begun in Iran of 100 people arrested for their alleged involvement in post-election violence.
The charges included rioting, vandalism, "acting against national security", and conspiring against the ruling system, state media reported.
Key Defendents
Mohammad Ali Abtahi: former vice-president, member of the Assembly of Combatant Clerics
Mohsen Mirdamadi: leader of the biggest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation
Behzad Nabavi: member of the central council of the Organisation of the Mujahideen of the Islamic Revolution, former industry minister and former vice speaker of parliament
Mohsen Aminzadeh: former deputy foreign minister, served under reformist president
Mohammad Khatami, member of Islamic Iran Participation Front
Dozens of radio stations shut down in Venezuela
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/08/01/venezuela.radio.stations/index.html
(CNN) -- At least 34 private radio stations in Venezuela were closed indefinitely Friday, and 206 more were at risk of being shut down, a government official said.
The stations were closed for various reasons, including expired permits and operation by unauthorized personnel, said Diosdado Cabello, minister of Public Works and Housing.
"Freedom of expression is not the most sacred freedom," Cabello was quoted as saying by CNN affiliate Globovision.
Cabello said the closings affected at least 11 states nationwide and 206 additional stations would shut down in the coming days.
Most station owners said the closures were politically motivated. The government of leftist President Hugo Chavez has cracked down on the media.
A "Special Bill Against Media Crimes" was introduced before the National Assembly this week, Cabello said, adding that he hoped the bill would pass.
The government has also heightened its battle against Globovision, the only critical private broadcaster in the nation. In June, it launched a fifth investigation into the network.
In early June, officials arrived at Globovision to accuse the station of not paying about $2.3 million in taxes for certain advertisements it aired in 2002 and 2003.
A few hours before, the government raided the home of Globovision President Guillermo Zuloaga, an avid hunter, to see whether he had killed any protected animals. It was the second raid on Zuloaga's home in two weeks.
"This is something to try to scare Globovision, to silence Globovision, something they are not going to achieve," Zuloaga said at the time.
RCTV, another independent station that criticized Chavez, lost its broadcast license two years ago. It had to go off the public airwaves and transmit solely on cable.
Other TV stations hung on to their frequencies by adjusting their editorial line, the Reporters Without Borders press organization said in its 2009 World Report.
Venezuelan officials have repeatedly denied any political motives. Chavez has labeled as "terrorists" any TV station owners who criticize the government.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)