■ Venezuela
State seizes idle factory
A governor ordered the seizure of a plant owned by the country's largest food company, saying the expropriation was justified because the plant was no longer being used. Hugo de los Reyes Chavez, father of President Hugo Chavez and governor of the southwestern Barinas state, ordered the expropriation on Monday amid rising tensions between the government and business groups. Seizure of the plant owned by Ramavenca, an affiliate of Venezuelan food giant Alimentos Polar, came as business representatives requested a meeting with Chavez to discuss concerns about expropriations and land reform.
■ Darfur
Envoy says violence worse
The UN envoy for prevention of genocide warned that violence is increasing in the war-torn region of Darfur and criticized the Sudanese national courts for doing little to try suspects accused of atrocities. "The situation in Darfur now is disturbing, violence is spreading, and the displaced don't trust the Sudanese police or the Sudanese judiciary system," Juan Mendez said on Monday after his second assessment visit to Darfur. He also lashed out at the Sudanese national courts for not doing enough to punish those suspected of involvement in the violence.
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