Colombia warned its forces were on "maximum alert" and were prepared to defend against any attack, amid rising tensions with neighboring Venezuela.

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia will not be provoked into armed conflict with Venezuela despite its neighbor's aggressive rhetoric and dynamiting of two border bridges, Colombia's defense minister said on Friday.

Chavez defends Carlos the Jackal, calls imprisoned Venezuelan 'revolutionary fighter'. Hugo Chavez has defended the alleged terrorist mastermind Carlos the Jackal, saying the Venezuelan imprisoned in France was an important "revolutionary fighter" who supported the cause of the Palestinians.

Think twice before investing in these places . Investors spend a good deal of time determining the best places to invest, but do you ever wonder which countries are the worst places in the world to invest? If you invest in mining companies, you should. After all, when you invest in a mining company, you?re not just investing in a company but also the government and communities in which the company is exploring for and developing deposits. So much about the success of a project depends upon the jurisdiction in which it exists that most institutional investors simply won?t put money into a company operating in certain countries. Sure you can find a deposit in Venezuela, for example, but leaders like Hugo Chavez, who are in the habit of decreeing bizarre legislation such as a recent ban on singing in the shower in Venezuela also have a penchant for stealing mineral deposits from whomever they please. The Fraser Institute?s Survey of Mining Companies 2008/2009 is one measure of how mineral

An alliance between Iran and Venezuela is a necessity at this point in time according to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Venezuelan officials said here Wednesday.

SAN ANTONIO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan soldiers on Thursday blew up two makeshift foot bridges that stretched across the border to Colombia in the latest incident to stoke a diplomatic dispute between the Andean neighbors.

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras's de facto leader said he may give up his presidential duties for a week so voters can focus on an election that Washington hopes will help end a five-month-old political crisis.

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia captured four members of the Venezuelan National Guard on Colombian soil and said on Saturday it would send them home in a gesture aimed at lowering diplomatic tensions between the neighboring countries.

Colombia detains 4 Venezuelan national guard troops, plans repatriation to calm relations. Four soldiers from Venezuela's National Guard captured in Colombian territory will be repatriated in a bid to ease tensions between the South American neighbors, President Alvaro Uribe's government said Saturday.

Hugo Chavez invites ex-Cuban leader Fidel Castro to meeting of ALBA trade bloc in Havana. President Hugo Chavez is inviting former Cuban leader Fidel Castro to next month's meeting of the regional ALBA trade bloc being held in Havana.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez says he will join a team of Cuban scientists on flights to "bomb clouds" to create rain amid a severe drought that has aroused public anger due to water and electricity rationing.

Venezuelan official says nation exploring uranium deposits with Russia. Venezuela's science and technology minister said his country is working with Russia to detect deposits of uranium but withdrew an earlier denial that the country was also working with Iran.

South American nations agree on development bank with startup capital of $20 billion. Seven South American nations on Saturday signed an agreement to create a Bank of the South with startup capital of $20 billion.

Leaders representing over 60 African and South American countries backed a new regional financial system Sunday for the two continents to gain more clout and boost development.

PORLAMAR, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez proposed on Sunday that South American and African nations unite to create a cross-continental mining corporation to keep control of their resources.

Venezuela's Chavez builds alliances with Africa at 'South-South' summit. Hugo Chavez made diplomatic inroads in Africa on Sunday at a summit of South American and African leaders where he offered Venezuela's help in oil projects, mining and financial assistance.

PORLAMAR, Venezuela (Reuters) - Anti-imperialist rhetoric and ambitious ideas flowed on Sunday at a summit dominated by South America's leftist leaders and some of Africa's best-known former anti-colonial fighters.

Chavez, Gadhafi build alliances at Africa-South America summit in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez made diplomatic inroads in Africa on Sunday at a summit of South American and African leaders where he offered Venezuela's help in oil projects, mining and financial assistance.

Leaders representing more than 60 African and South American countries signed agreements at a summit here aimed at creating a new regional financial system for the two continents to gain more clout and boost development.

At UN, Cuba moderately conciliatory toward US; wants to hold talks on drugs, people smuggling. Cuba told the United Nations Monday that the communist regime is ready to normalize relations with the United States and will work with Washington in the meantime on other issues such as fighting drug smuggling.