EUobserver: British strikes take on EU dimension - by Honor Mahony

For the complete report from the EUobserver click on this link

British strikes take on EU dimension - by Honor Mahony

A series of strikes in Britain revolving around a key EU internal market law have taken on a European dimension as a group of leftist MEPs take up the protesters' cause. Five MEPs from the Socialist, Green and leftist factions in the European Parliament on Wednesday (4 February) signed a declaration pledging to veto the swearing in of the next European Commission in autumn if the law is not changed.

Note EU-Digest: Trying to change the key EU law of free access to member state labor markets would be the kiss of death to the existence of the EU and return Europe once again to a status of instability.

Press TV: Venezuela aid to Latin America greater than U.S.

President Chavez of Venezuela and President Lula of Brazil
For the complete report from Press TV click on this link

Venezuela aid to Latin America greater than U.S.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his country's financial aid to Latin America has surpassed that of Washington. ``Venezuela, as modest as it is, is helping Latin America much more than the United States,'' Chavez said on Wednesday in a radio address. His comments follow a tour by U.S. President George W. Bush in the region, which was widely seen as an initiative to hold back Chavez' spreading influence.

For the first time Chavez provided the estimated value of oil contracts with 17 Caribbean and Latin American countries. According to Chavez, the country is currently exporting some 200,000 barrels of oil per day, allowing recipients to settle part of the bill in non-cash payments like nutmeg and bananas.

Calculated at an average oil price of U.S.$60 a barrel, because much of it includes more costly refined products than crude, the number amounts to U.S.$4.8 million a day in financial assistance solely through oil shipments.