Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday warned Russia against selling arms to Venezuela, and Moscow immediately rebuffed her criticism, saying a $120 million deal it has signed with Caracas violates no laws or treaties.The United States fears that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a longtime ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, will use his newly purchased weapons to prop up left-wing governments and to aid left-wing rebellions in the region -Washington Times

THE FBI is closing in on two senior officials at the UN as prosecutors vow to “wring the towel dry” in their investigation of the Oil-for-Food corruption scandal.A senior Western diplomat said yesterday that the scandal meant that Kofi Annan was “not wholly safe” as UN Secretary-General, a job he holds until the end of next year -London Times UK

Condoleezza Rice's first trip to Moscow as US secretary of state ended amid disagreement last night when the Kremlin contradicted her claim that Russia was considering letting American inspectors check its nuclear sites.Ms Rice told the Ekho Moskvy radio station that she had "achieved an improvement of our access to [Russia's nuclear facilities]" during a dinner on Tuesday night with the Russian defence minister, Sergei Ivanov, who is a confidant of Mr Putin -Guardian UK

Americans got hit with an economic double whammy last month.They had to pay more for gasoline, clothes, airline tickets and a lot of other products.And their wages did not keep up with inflation. Politicians from both parties were scrambling to deal with the two new economic reports Wednesday that contained bad news for families

On December 31, sixteen portions of the USA Patriot Act are set to expire - or, in legal parlance, "sunset." Currently, Congress is holding hearings on the Act.It is considering, among other issues, whether to amend it to curb the broad surveillance powers the Act bestowed on the federal government.In this column, I will focus on just a few of the Act's sunsetting provisions - each of which, in my view, should be repealed or, at a minimum, allowed to expire this December -Anita Ramasastry/FindLaw

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, a Vietnam veteran whose military postings have ranged from the ceremonial halls of the White House to the violent streets of Somalia, is expected to be named chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a senior official said Wednesday. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has recommended Pace to President Bush, who is expected to announce his choice soon, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity

The government is preparing for war.The enemy is the United States, which covets Venezuela's oil -as it did Iraq's.An invasion is imminent by the aggressors from the empire. Statements to the contrary by the White House, Pentagon, State Department and Congress are proof of their opposite intentions.This is the astonishing view of Venezuela's leaders today. They are absolutely convinced they see something that fools refuse to see, and conspirators lie about. Therefore, the government must act to defend national sovereignty.To do so, the society must be fully militarized -thank God, half the job was already done -Michael Rowan/el universal VE

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday she "pretty pointedly" told Russian officials that the outcome of the criminal case against former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky will affect prospects for business investment in Russia.Khodorkovsky, who was Russia's wealthiest man when he headed Yukos Oil Co., was charged with tax evasion, fraud and embezzlement, while Yukos -- once Russia's second-biggest oil exporter -- has been dismantled in a parallel tax case -Washington Post

Connecticut on Wednesday became the second state to recognize same-sex civil unions, and the first to do so without court pressure.--FOX News