Chavez making ‘gradual but clear progress’, officials sayFebruary 4, 2013 - 09:39 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is making gradual but clear progress as he recovers from cancer surgery in Cuba, Venezuelan officials say, according to BBC News. National Assembly Speaker Diosdado Cabello said he had visited Chavez in hospital, and that the president's health was "clearly improving". The Venezuelan leader has not been seen or heard in public since he had surgery almost eight weeks ago. The nature of his cancer has not been revealed. In address broadcast on TV, Cabello said he had visited Chavez in Cuba last week. The fact that all the updates on the president's health are delivered by members of his party rather than the medical team treating him has fuelled speculation within Venezuela and abroad about the president's state. The opposition has demanded clarity about who is running the country after Mr Chavez missed his own inauguration for a fourth presidential term on 10 January. The Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled that he could be sworn in at a later date. But the opposition argues that in the continuing absence of President Chavez, Mr Cabello should take over and elections called within 30 days. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |