Hugo Chavez

Venezuela’s empty schools

Venezuela’s empty schools

19 Photos

The social and economic chaos stalking Venezuela is ripping apart its once-enviable school system, robbing poor students of what would otherwise be their best chance to escape lives fast becoming unbearable. The late President Hugo Chavez made education a centerpiece of his socialist revolution, using the riches from a historic boom in the price of oil to train teachers and distribute free laptops, but in just a few years, all of that progress has been undone.
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Evicted after a life lived in Venezuela’s “High Rise Slum”

Evicted after a life lived in Venezuela’s “High Rise Slum”

40 Photos

Venezuelan soldiers and officials began moving hundreds of families Tuesday out of a half-built 45-story skyscraper that dominates the Caracas skyline and is thought to be the world’s tallest slum.

The mass eviction from the “Tower of David,” originally intended to be a bank center but abandoned since 1994 and later home to some 3,000 needy Venezuelans, proceeded peacefully.

“Necessity brought me here, and the tower gave me a good home,” said Yuraima Parra, 27, cradling her baby daughter as soldiers loaded her possessions into a truck before dawn.

“I was here for seven years. I’m going to miss it, but it’s time to move on.”

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Jan. 10 Photo Brief: Whales trapped under Canadian ice, dog sled races in Poland and orthodox snowman in Israel

Jan. 10 Photo Brief: Whales trapped under Canadian ice, dog sled races in Poland and orthodox snowman in Israel

16 photos

Killer whales trapped under Canadian ice, Border Rush dog races along the Czech-Poland border, a Jewish boy makes an orthodox snowman next to the Western Wall in Jerusalem and and more in today’s daily brief.

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Jan. 8 Photo Brief: Betty White’s early birthday surprise, Alabama’s Nick Saban gets dunked and is Hugo Chavez dead?

Jan. 8 Photo Brief: Betty White’s early birthday surprise, Alabama’s Nick Saban gets dunked and is Hugo Chavez dead?

20 photos

Betty White gets a hunky 91st birthday surprise on Anderson Live, head coach Nick Saban is dunked with Gatorade following Alabama’s win over Notre Dame in the 2013 BCS Championship, speculation abounds about the health status of Venezuela’s cancer-stricken president and much more in today’s daily brief.

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