Venezuelan leader says construction workers see Chavez apparition

By Andrew Cawthorne

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said an image of his political idol and predecessor, the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, had appeared miraculously in the wall of an underground construction site.

In the latest of a series of accusations since taking office in April, Maduro also accused U.S.-based social network Twitter of colluding with his foes in a "massive attack" on his and other prominent government members' accounts.

Since his death from cancer earlier this year, Chavez has taken on mythical proportions for supporters, and Maduro has spoken of seeing his former mentor's spirit several times, including in the shape of a bird.

In the latest incident, Maduro said Chavez's face briefly appeared to workers building a subway line in Caracas in the middle of the night.

"My hair stands on end just telling you about it," Maduro said on state TV late on Wednesday, showing a photo of a white-plaster wall with marks that appear like eyes and a nose.

"Who is that face? That gaze is the gaze of the fatherland that is everywhere around us, including in inexplicable phenomena," added Maduro, who won an April election to replace Chavez after his 14-year presidency.

Maduro's reverence for Chavez plays well with government supporters, who treat the charismatic former leader's memory with religious adoration. The 50-year-old Maduro, who mixes Catholic beliefs with a penchant for Asian spirituality, has been a devoted personal follower of Chavez since first meeting him at a jail in 1993.

Workers took the photo with a mobile phone during the image's brief appearance, the president added.

"Just as it appeared, so it disappeared. So you see, what you say is right, Chavez is everywhere, we are Chavez, you are Chavez," Maduro said during an event on live TV.

Stories of Chavez appearances draw mockery, however, from the roughly half of Venezuelans who do not support Maduro. Many of them regard him as a buffoon riding on Chavez's image and causing embarrassment for Venezuela's international standing.

Both sides are gearing up for local elections in December that will be a major test of Maduro's standing in the OPEC nation of 29 million people. Rampant violent crime and economic problems are the main issues taxing voters.

On Thursday, Maduro's information minister, Delcy Rodriguez, said 6,600 followers of the president's @NicolasMaduro account had been suspiciously taken off, while her own and others' accounts had been suspended.

A formal complaint to Twitter was being made, she said.

"We are discovering a massive attack by the Twitter company and the international right wing against the accounts of Bolivarian and Chavista patriots," Maduro said on state TV.

There was no immediate response to queries sent to San Francisco-based Twitter's press office.

The president's first six months in office have been characterized by dozens of accusations ranging from assassination and coup plots to sabotage of the power grid. Critics say that is a smokescreen to cover up domestic problems.

(Additional reporting by Deisy Buitrago; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Politics & GovernmentHugo ChavezTwitter

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Venezuelan leader says workers see Chavez apparition at building site

By Andrew Cawthorne

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said an image of his idol and predecessor, the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, has appeared miraculously in the wall of an underground construction site.

Since his death from cancer earlier this year, Chavez has taken on mythical proportions for supporters and Maduro has spoken of seeing his former mentor's spirit several times, including in the shape of a bird.

In the latest incident, Maduro said Chavez's face had briefly appeared to workers building a new subway line in Caracas in the middle of the night.

"My hair stands on end just telling you about it," Maduro said on state TV late on Wednesday, showing a photo of a white-plaster wall with marks that appear like eyes and a nose.

"Who is that face? That gaze is the gaze of the fatherland that is everywhere around us, including in inexplicable phenomena," added an awed Maduro, who won an April election to replace Chavez after his 14-year presidency.

Maduro's reverence for Chavez plays well with government supporters, who treat the charismatic former leader's memory with religious adoration. The 50-year-old Maduro, who mixes Catholic beliefs with a penchant for Asian spirituality, has been a devoted personal follower of Chavez since first meeting him at a jail in 1993.

Workers took the photo with a mobile phone during the image's brief appearance, the president added.

"Just as it appeared, so it disappeared. So you see, what you say is right, Chavez is everywhere, we are Chavez, you are Chavez," Maduro said during an event shown on live TV.

Stories of Chavez appearances, however, draw mockery from the roughly half of Venezuelans who do not support Maduro. Many of them regard him as a buffoon riding on Chavez's image and causing embarrassment for Venezuela's international standing.

Both sides are gearing up for local elections in December that will be a major test of Maduro's standing in the OPEC nation of 29 million people. Rampant violent crime and economic problems are the main issues taxing voters.

(Editing by Diego Ore and Doina Chiacu)

Politics & GovernmentHugo Chavez

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Belarus leader beats Putin's pike with man-sized catfish

MINSK (Reuters) - Just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin landed a giant pike on a fishing trip, his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko has boasted about catching a man-sized catfish.

Putin's office said last week he had caught a 21 kg (46 lb) pike while fishing in Siberia, describing it as a "gigantic animal". The latest in a long string of macho exploits by the Kremlin leader drew skepticism and mockery on social media.

On Wednesday, Belarussian state television showed Lukashenko telling a government meeting about his own catch, including a 57 kg (126 lb) catfish hauled out of the Pripyat river. He did not mention Putin or say exactly when he had landed the monster.

"It was as long as I am tall," said Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Rusiy.

Although Belarus is Russia's closest ally, the relationship between Lukashenko, 58, and Putin, 60, has long been uneasy. The pair have exchanged critical and sometimes sarcastic comments about each other for years as Lukashenko has resisted the strengthening of Russia's influence over its smaller neighbor.

(Reporting by Andrei Makhovsky; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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North Korean leader Kim praises military sings, oungum-style

SEOUL (Reuters)-forget "Hail to the Chief". In North Korea, the army sing their Praises leaders with a chorus of "we'll defend Gen. Kim Jong-un at the Cost of Our Lives", or the catchy accordion and Tap Dancing tune, "The Naval port in the evening".

Kim, the third of his rule in North Korea, praised musical instruments made from 1.2 million-strong army of the North on Sunday, the State News Agency KCNA reported.

Tensions have risen on the Korean peninsula as new UN sanctions were imposed after the North carried out its third nuclear test in February. Pyongyang has threatened to destroy the United States with nuclear weapons, bombing its bases Pacific and South Korea by shell in response.

Putting aside the rhetoric rising, Kim inspected guitars and drums made by the army and said it was important to make the quality tools so soldiers could "spend their days worth in the army filled with joy and militant optimism," said the KCNA.

Kim, "Supreme Commander" of the North's armed forces, inspected also coats for students at the best military schools in the country and suggested improvements, the KCNA reported.

According to independent observers, huge North Korea's military, believed to be the fourth largest in the world, spend most of their time in activities such as manufacture or for fishing for crabs because Drills are too expensive for the country impoverished and need feeding.

Kim field guide follows the example of his father, Kim Jong-il, who gave advice to factories and farmers, as well as the army.

Kim Jong-un, 30, still has some way to go in emulating the accomplishments reported by his father.

Feats of his father, according to the KCNA, including inventing the oungum, a musical instrument like banjo that is "popular" in North Korea and scored 11 holes-in-one in a single round of golf.

(Reporting by Somang Yang; Editing by Paul Tait)

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Amish sect Leader of Ohio sentenced to 15 years for attacks

A former NFL cheerleader is shoot the cyber bullies after supporters of a rival soccer team called her "ugly" and "an eyesore" on Facebook. Kaitlyn Collins of Eagle River, Wisconsin, who used to be a cheerleader, Green Bay Packers, posted a video response to YouTube ...

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