New political powers for President Chavez

The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, is expected to approve special presidential powers later today.

The powers, which the Venezuelan congress approved last week, will allow President Chavez to bypass congress when enacting laws in six key areas -- the financial sector, industry and agriculture, infrastructure, personal and legal security, science and technology, and the public sector.

The president says he will use the laws to start a new phase of what he called Venezuela's economic and social revolution, concentrating on land reform, and encouraging people to return to the countryside. This is the second time during Mr Chavez's presidency that he has been granted special political powers.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service