Kidnapped baseball player found alive

The Venezuelan government has said that US Major League baseball player Wilson Ramos, who was kidnapped by armed men, has been found alive.

The 24-year-old, who was captured on Wednesday at his mother's home near the Montalban mountains, is a catcher for the Washington Nationals.

Venezuela's Information Minister Andres Izarra tweeted: "The baseball player Ramos found alive by security forces in mountainous zone."

Izarra went on to say it was "a rescue operation by air" authorised by President Hugo Chavez.

Most kidnappings in Venezuela are carried out with a view to a ransom demand, but there have been no reports of any such demand in this instance.