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Gaddafi's designs and control of Zimbabwe and Africa***Relations between Mugabe and Gadaafi have been warm for some time but it is only in the last year, as Zimbabwe's shortage of foreign exchange has caused repeated fuel cut-offs that Mugabe has several times flown to Tripoli to plead with Gadaafi for deliveries on credit. Gadaafi, who has despaired of his efforts to play a leadership role in the Arab world, has begun to use his financial muscle to make interventions right across black Africa where he has made Zimbabwe a special case, advancing Mugabe a loan of $100 million. In effect Gadaafi seems to be making a bid to save Mugabe which, if successful, would create a virtual Libyan client state at the far end of Africa. Already there is evidence of direct Libyan involvement in the violence which racked Zimbabwean farms in the last ten days. ***

Venezuela: With Strikes Looming, All Eyes on PDVSA*** Source: Central Bank of VenezuelaCaracas proposed an emergency fiscal adjustment package May 30 that was designed to cut government spending and raise revenues. So far, this package has been a dismal failure. Proposed tax hikes are languishing, and multilateral agencies have refused to lend, forcing Chavez to seek a $5 billion bridge loan from Libya, sources say. Attempts to refinance Venezuela's debt have been equally unsuccessful, primarily because domestic and foreign investors are wary of the risk. Caracas was able to raise only around $4 million, or 10 percent of its goal, in a late-June auction of two-month treasury bills. With $6 billion in debt coming due this year, Caracas can ill-afford another work stoppage, especially if it involves its primary revenue source, PDVSA. Oil exports account for 80 percent of Venezuelan exports and about 35 percent of the gross national product.***

Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba resuming in August - Libya studying Cuba's oil refinery*** Rodriguez added that Cuba and Venezuela had studied the possibility of modernizing Cuba's Cienfuegos refinery but decided the project isn't feasible. He said OPEC member Libya is conducting a similar study and that Venezuela is sharing information on Cienfuegos with Libya.***

Cuba Supplies BW Technology To Libya, Syria***"So that while I'm concerned about what Cuba and its biotechnological capability may be providing other countries like Iran," Ford told a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee last week, "I'm also concerned about their associations with countries that also have a chemical or biological warfare capability and there can be an exchange of ideas, exchange of capabilities and, again, is part of the process of showing an interest and watching very carefully what they're up to in Iran and Iraq, Syria, Libya, wherever else they may be talking to people."***