OSD

Chavez's heir Maduro to take over divided Venezuela

Caracas: Hugo Chavez's hand-picked successor, Nicolas Maduro, has officially won Venezuela's presidential election by a stunningly narrow margin that highlights rising discontent over problems ranging from crime to power blackouts. His rival demanded a recount, portending more headaches for a country shaken by the death of its dominating leader.

One key Chavista leader expressed dismay over the outcome of Sunday's election, which was supposed to cement the self-styled "Bolivarian Revolution" of their beloved president as Venezuela's destiny. National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, who many consider Maduro's main rival within their movement, tweeted: "The results oblige us to make a profound self-criticism."

Maduro's victory followed an often ugly, mudslinging campaign in which the winner promised to carry on Chavez's legacy, while challenger Henrique Capriles' main message was that Chavez put this country with the world's largest oil reserves on the road to ruin. Despite the ill feelings, both men sent their supporters home and urged them to refrain from violence.

Capriles insisted on a recount and Maduro said he was open to one, though it was not immediately clear if election officials might permit it. "We are not going to recognize a result until each vote of Venezuelans is counted," Capriles said. "This struggle has not ended."...more    

High court affirms Maduro as acting president

Venezuela's Supreme Court says Vice President Nicolas Maduro became acting president the moment Hugo Chavez died, and can run for president. The decision comes just hours before Maduro is to be sworn in as acting president before the National Assembly and it was issued during the state funeral for Chavez. National Assembly speaker Diosdado Cabello had earlier announced the planned swearing-in, which the opposition says it is boycotting. ...  

St Stephen's College row: Thampu's appointment illegal

New Delhi: After the announcement of the players flying to the Carribean to slog it out in the island of West Indies in a limited overs and a Test series, the average Indian cricket fan would have had a bittersweet taste. Bitter because the World Cup heroes that took centrestage after their triumph against Sri Lanka at Wankhede to fulfill every Indian's dream of a second World Cup victory, will...