The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chavez for life president

CARACAS: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday he will govern until 2013 when his mandate ends, now that voters rejected constitutional reforms that would have allowed him to seek endless reelection. "The shouting is one thing, the reality another t The reform was not approved, so I have to leave the government in the year 2013. I will work tirelessly until the last day I have left here," Chavez said at an event in the capital.

Ingrid : Living like the dead

BBC Online: The Colombian rebel group Farc has cautiously welcomed French President Nicolas Sarkozy's offer to broker the release of 45 Farc-held hostages. Sarkozy is particularly keen to secure the release of Ingrid Betancourt, a Colombian politician who also holds French citizenship. Betancourt-who has French nationality through a former marriage-was kidnapped by Farc in 2002 while campaigning for the Colombian presidency.

Space shuttle launch delayed

CAPE CANAVERAL: NASA postponed Friday's launch of space shuttle Atlantis to resolve a fuel sensor problem and officials said it would be Saturday at the earliest before they tried again. It was the second time Atlantis' launch was delayed, having originally been scheduled to go aloft on Thursday until two sensors in its external tank failed a routine check.