Washington's UN envoy quits post

The US ambassador to the United Nations is to leave his post when his temporary appointment runs out, officials say.

John Bolton was unable to win the necessary Senate support for him to continue in the job.

He took up the UN posting last year during a Congressional holiday after his nomination stalled in the Senate.

He is the second high-profile member of President George W Bush's team to leave after the Republicans fared badly in last month's mid-term polls.

Amid fierce opposition to Mr Bolton from Democrats and even some Republicans, Mr Bush had used a presidential power called a recess appointment to give him the job in August 2005.

It was a procedural manoeuvre that avoided the need for him to be confirmed until the end of this year.

That procedure cannot be repeated, and the new climate in Congress would make it all but impossible for him to win a two-thirds majority of senators.

Mr Bolton's critics said a man who once declared there was "no such thing" as the UN was hardly a suitable choice to join the body.

But his admirers said he was a bright, hard-working realist - whose scepticism about the UN's role made him an ideal envoy.

A White House spokeswoman said that among Mr Bolton's accomplishments, he assembled coalitions addressing North Korea's nuclear activity, Iran's uranium enrichment and reprocessing work and the horrific violence in Darfur.

Story from BBC NEWS

More surgery for ailing Pinochet

Chile's former military leader Augusto Pinochet needs further surgery after his heart attack, doctors at his Santiago hospital have said.

They say Gen Pinochet remains in a critical condition after an initial intervention to widen a blood vessel.

He suffered an acute heart attack on Sunday morning and at one point received the last rites from a priest.

Gen Pinochet was in power from 1973-90, during which time more than 3,000 people were killed or "disappeared".

A few days ago he was indicted over two 1973 deaths and put under house arrest.

As well as charges relating to the execution of two bodyguards of former President Salvador Allende's, whom Gen Pinochet overthrew in 1973, he is also accused of dozens of human rights violations, but has never faced trial because of poor health.

Angioplasty procedure

One of the medical staff at the Santiago Military Hospital, Dr Juan Ignacio Vergara, said Gen Pinochet was in a stable condition but his life was not out of danger.

He was taken to the hospital early on Sunday morning after suffering "an acute" heart attack and a build-up of fluid on his lungs, a statement from the hospital said.

Doctors had carried out "procedures that rescued him virtually from death," Gen Pinochet's son, Marco Antonio Pinochet told reporters gathered outside the hospital.

"He's in a pretty serious state...We're in the hands of God and the doctors."

The former leader received the last rites from a Catholic priest, a family spokesman said.

Gen Pinochet underwent angioplasty, a procedure designed to widen a narrowed or totally obstructed blood vessel, to stabilise his condition, he said.

Now, according to reports on Chilean state television, he needs a second operation.

The BBC's Jane Chambers in Santiago says the general's family has authorised a second operation.

'Political responsibility'

General Pinochet overthrew the elected government of the left-wing President Allende in 1973 in a bloody coup.

Today, close to the end of my days, I want to make clear that I hold no rancour toward anybody, that I love my country above all else
Pinochet's birthday statement
He was placed under house arrest earlier this week over the abduction of two people in 1973.

The charges relate to the Caravan of Death - a military operation to remove opponents to Gen Pinochet's rule.

He currently faces two other indictments - one for human rights abuses and another for tax evasion.

As a former president he enjoys legal immunity, but the courts can strip him of this privilege on a case-by-case basis.

On 25 November, his 91st birthday, Gen Pinochet issued a statement in which he took "political responsibility" for acts that took place under his rule, saying that he had believed they were in Chile's best interests.

He also alluded to his failing health.

"Today, close to the end of my days, I want to make clear that I hold no rancour toward anybody, that I love my country above all else," he said.

Gen Pinochet has been in ill health in recent years. He suffers from diabetes and arthritis, and has also had a number of suspected strokes.


Story from BBC NEWS

Chile's Pinochet has heart attack

Chile's former military leader Augusto Pinochet is in a serious condition after a heart attack, hospital officials say.

The 91-year-old, who has been under house arrest, is in a military hospital in the Chilean capital, Santiago.

Gen Pinochet was in power from 1973-90, during which time more than 3,000 people were killed or "disappeared".

He is accused of dozens of human rights violations but has never faced trial because of poor health.

He was taken to hospital early on Sunday morning after suffering "an acute" heart attack and a build-up of fluid on his lungs, a statement from the hospital said.

"His condition is serious but stable," the hospital said.

'Political responsibility'

General Pinochet overthrew the elected government of the left-wing President Salvador Allende in 1973 in a bloody coup.

He was placed under house arrest earlier this week over the abduction of two people in 1973.

The charges relate to the Caravan of Death - a military operation to remove opponents to Gen Pinochet's rule.

He currently faces two other indictments - one for human rights abuses and another for tax evasion.

As a former president he enjoys legal immunity, but the courts can strip him of this privilege on a case-by-case basis.

On 25 November, his 91st birthday, Gen Pinochet issued a statement in which he took "political responsibility" for acts that took place under his rule, saying that he had believed they were in Chile's best interests.

He also alluded to his failing health.

"Today, close to the end of my days, I want to make clear that I hold no rancour toward anybody, that I love my country above all else," he said.

Gen Pinochet has been in ill health in recent years. He suffers from diabetes and arthritis, and has also had a number of suspected strokes.


Story from BBC NEWS

Venezuela to vote for president

People in Venezuela are set to go to the polls in a presidential election.

Hugo Chavez, the left-wing incumbent and outspoken critic of the United States, is seeking a new six-year term to complete his socialist revolution.

His main challenger Manuel Rosales - a state governor - wants to maintain a market-based system.

The BBC's Greg Morsbach in Caracas says Mr Chavez is widely expected to win as most poor and working class voters like his anti-poverty programme.

However, our correspondent adds, Mr Rosales has been gaining in popularity and leads an opposition that seems more united than it did a year ago.

'Last chance'

Venezuela's 16 million voters must decide whether Mr Chavez should be rewarded with another term in office.


Rising to power in 1999 on a wave of general dissatisfaction, he used the boom in oil revenues to redistribute wealth to the poor.

"Chavez was sent here by God," Rosa Gonzalez, 41, told the Associated Press news agency.

"He knows what it is to be poor. He suffered it as a boy, and that's why he understands us and tries to help us," she said.

However, Margarita Nunez, a 23-year-old student told AP that she feared the radical plans that Mr Chavez may have in mind.

"This is our last chance. This is the last time we can stop him from ruining this country," she insisted.

Deep divisions

Mr Rosales, governor of the oil-rich western state of Zulia, insists Venezuela's long-term interests lie in free-market policies and attracting foreign investment.

He has pledged to roll back policies which, he says, are leading the country towards a Cuban-style communist system.

Whoever wins the election will have to try to unite a deeply divided country or face much political instability in the future, our correspondent says.

Hundreds of international observers are currently in the country.

The high price of oil in recent years has led to economic growth and increased spending in Venezuela - a key oil exporter.


Story from BBC NEWS

Ailing Castro misses Cuban parade

The Cuban capital, Havana, is staging a military parade in honour of Fidel Castro but the ailing leader was not present at the start of events.

The parade, on a key date in the Cuban revolution, is part of delayed 80th birthday celebrations for Mr Castro.

President Castro underwent emergency intestinal surgery at the end of July and has not been seen in public since.

He could still appear as the parade continues, but his apparent absence is fuelling more doubts about his health.

Events are being led by the acting president, Raul Castro, Fidel's younger brother and the island's defence minister.

The parade began with Raul Castro riding on a jeep through Havana's main square after a 21-gun salute before he launched into a speech praising the Cuban revolution and attacking the United States.

"Long live Fidel! Long live a free Cuba!," he concluded in front of a crowd of thousands of Cubans.

It had been thought that President Castro might take the opportunity to make his first public appearance in four months on such a significant date.

Exactly 50 years ago to the day, Mr Castro made another comeback, returning to Cuba from exile in Mexico to launch a guerrilla war aided by Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

Three years later, their 9,000-strong force overthrew the regime of Fulgencio Batista.

Soviet-era tanks and missile launchers are on show in Havana's Revolution Square.

Soldiers have been marching past and at one point a replica of the Granma, the yacht that carried Fidel Castro back from exile, was pulled along the street.

Socialist future

Senior Cuban government figures say that speculation about the Cuban leader's health is ill-informed and spread by his enemies.

At a gala on Friday attended by several Latin American leaders, Cuban Vice-President Carlos Lage said Mr Castro's health was improving and that the country would remain socialist long into the future.

"When Fidel is no longer with us, his work his ideas and his example will be," Mr Lage said, adding: "Fidel is recovering. We will have him among us, he will keep leading and we will ask him to keep doing so for some years more."

If there is no appearance at all by President Castro, it will be a sign that it is unlikely he will be back holding the reins of power, correspondents say - a development that would be life-altering news for Cubans, most of whom know no other leader.

Birthday celebrations were initially scheduled when the Cuban leader turned 80 in August, but were moved to December after he became ill.

His last appearance on Cuban television, looking frail and wearing pyjamas rather than his trademark military fatigues, was more than a month ago.

Story from BBC NEWS