In brief: Chavez approval at 7-year low

Caracas, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez’s allies launched their campaigns Wednesday for crucial congressional elections that come just as recession, crime and inflation have pushed the socialist leader’s popularity to a seven-year low.

A survey by the Venezuelan polling firm Consultores 21 indicates just 36 percent of Venezuelans approve of Chavez’s performance, the lowest figure since 2003, when Chavez survived an opposition-led strike that devastated the economy, pollster Saul Cabrera said.

The results suggest Chavez allies could face a difficult struggle to keep control of the National Assembly in the Sept. 26 election.

Chavez’s popularity has suffered a decline of 12 percentage points over the past year and a half, Cabrera told the Associated Press.

New Delhi – After a long, bruising political battle, the lower house of India’s parliament on Wednesday passed a civilian nuclear liability bill that would pave the way for American and other foreign companies to join a nuclear-reactor building spree.

Passage of the measure came in advance of President Barack Obama’s November trip to the country.

Nuclear equipment suppliers from the United States, Japan, France, Russia and India, including Westinghouse Electric and General Electric, have salivated over this nation’s $150 billion nuclear market but were reluctant to enter without clarity on their liability in the event of an accident.

The bill would cap liability per accident at $320 million, up from the $106 million initially proposed, an amount to be paid out to victims immediately after an accident.

The bill still must be approved by the upper house of Parliament, but that is expected to be far less difficult.