10 things you need to know today: October 8, 2012

Chavez wins re-election in Venezuela, Romney will give a "major" foreign policy speech, and more in our roundup of the stories that are making news and driving opinion

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez speaks at the Climate Change Conference in 2009 in Copenhagen: Chavez narrowly won re-election on Sunday, beating his opponent just 55 percent to 45 percent.
(Image credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

1. VENEZUELA'S CHAVEZ WINS RE-ELECTION

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who first came to power in 1999, won re-election to a six-year term in what's being seen as a "new endorsement of his socialist project." Chavez won 54 percent of the vote to his challenger Henrique Capriles' 45 percent. His victory on Sunday could extend his rule to 20 years. It was Chavez's closest race yet; Capriles, a former state governor, accused Chavez of using Venezuela's oil wealth and his control of state institutions to his personal advantage. [Associated Press]

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