Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and two Latin American allies accused the United States government yesterday of conspiring to undermine the region’s leftist governments.

Colombian Marxist guerrillas have said they will turn over three hostages to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez just weeks after Bogota ended the leftist leader’s efforts to broker the release of rebel captives.

Edmonton — It’s been a good year for Edmonton indie label Pop Echo Records. The little label that started out as an off-the-cuff, “let’s put out some albums” idea in 2004 has grown to be a force on the local scene and, now, the national scene as well.