1/09/13 Venezuelan President/Prisioner Exchange

Inauguration Date Legally Pushed Back

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was recently re-elected, but his inauguration is yet to happen. Chavez, currently ailing due to recent treatments for cancer, has not been well enough to accept the presidency. With Chavez yet to be seen, the question was whether it was legal to push back the inauguration date on which he can accept it. The issue with this is that his cabinet is currently ruling for the time being, and the push back date would allow this for a longer period of time, leading some to question who's truly in power at the moment. The Supreme Court ruled today that it was indeed legal to push back the inauguration date, and wait for Chavez to return to office at a later date.

 Prisoner Exchange

 In other news, an exchange was made between the Syrian government and the Syrian rebels. The rebels released 48 Iranians for 1,230 civilian prisoners, and the deal was brokered by Turkey and Qatar. This comes after the leader of the Syrian government's speech that declared they would continue to fight the "terrorists" in Syria.

Sources: Hugo Chavez story

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/10/world/americas/would-be-inauguration-in-venezuela-for-chavez.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-venezuela-chavez-20130109,0,1722479.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fworld+%28L.A.+Times+-+World+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes

Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Venezuela-delays-Hugo-Chavez-inauguration-as-crisis-deepens/articleshow/17951320.cms

BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20957164

Al Jazeera
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/01/201319231226159207.html

Prisioner Exchange Sources:

Ahram Times
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/62083/World/Region/Syria-to-swap-prisoners-for-rebelheld-Iranians--Tu.aspx

China Daily
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2013-01/10/content_16100817.htm