Venezuela's Maduro to meet with Xi for talks on financing, energy

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro embarked on a trip to China late Monday to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on financing and energy matters, Bloomberg reported. The visit, to be followed by a tour of OPEC countries, comes as as plunging oil prices and shrinking GDP sap government revenue in Venezuela, where Maduro’s approval rating has fallen after protests last year against crime and economic conditions, including the world’s fastest inflation and shortages of basic goods, paralyzed cities throughout the country.