South America

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU), the sport's anti-corruption body, has provisionally banned Brazilian ATP world tour player Joao Souza.

In a statement on Saturday, the London-based organization did not provide details of the suspension but said it formed part of an anti-corruption program involving the ATP and WTA - the main men's and women's tours - and world tennis governing body ITF.

The probe is being headed by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, who has previously investigated cases related to match fixing.

MOSCOW, April 4. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has put the country’s military on alert because of a plot by the opposition to assassinate him that was exposed, and called on militia units to join the pro-government armed forces known as colectivos, the Venezuelan leader said in a phone interview with Venezolana de Television TV.

BUENOS AIRES, April 5. /TASS/. Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry has dismissed as rumors a report that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will be kicked out of the republic’s embassy in London soon, El Comercio newspaper reported.

"Ecuador is not answering rumors, hypotheses or suggestions, which are not confirmed by any documents," the newspaper quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.

CARACAS, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly (ANC) on Tuesday unanimously approved the revocation of parliamentary immunity for Juan Guaido, the National Assembly president and head of the opposition.

ANC President Diosdado Cabello read the message sent by President of Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) Maikel Moreno, who had asked the governing body to consider revoking Guaido's parliamentary immunity.

CARACAS, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Monday that he had decided to name a new minister of electricity.

"I have decided to designate a worker from the electricity industry with 25 years of experience, an electrical engineer," said Maduro, referring to the newly appointed minister Igor Gavidia.

Gavidia is an engineering graduate from the Central University of Venezuela and was president of the former electricity company Electrificacion del Caroni.

CARACAS, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) President Maikel Moreno on Monday reconfirmed the order to prohibit opposition leader Juan Guaido from leaving the country and asked the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) to strip him of his parliamentary immunity.

Moreno said a "certified copy of the decision will be sent to the ANC for the purpose of stripping Juan Guaido's parliamentary immunity."

CARACAS, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela was hit by a new blackout on Sunday morning that knocked out power nearly nationwide.

Twitter users reported power outages in at least 20 of the country's 23 states, including the capital Caracas.

Venezuela's Communication and Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said officials decided to extend the suspension of classes in the wake of the latest power outage.

They also called on government offices and private businesses to limit hours of operation to 2 p.m. while electricity workers are trying to restore service.

30 Mar 2019; DW: The Red Cross on Friday said it would begin distributing aid in Venezuela in two weeks' time, as President Nicolas Maduro and his opposition rival Juan Guaido continue to vie for power.

Following talks in capital Caracas, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent head Francesco Rocca said the organization will have "unhindered access to bring humanitarian aid into Venezuela."

CARACAS, March 30. /TASS/. The military cooperation between Moscow and Caracas should not be a source of concern for other states, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said on Friday.

"It’s of no secret to anyone that our country has been maintaining the defense cooperation with Russia since 2001, but their [Russian servicemen’s] visit has sparked a scandal," the Venezuelan Defense Ministry quoted Padrino as saying in a Twitter post. "Nobody should worry about cooperation to increase our operative readiness."

CARACAS, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido will be barred from holding public office for 15 years following an investigation which showed irregularities in his financial records, Venezuela's Comptroller General Elvis Amoroso said on Thursday.

"Disqualify from holding any public office the citizen Juan Gerardo Antonio Guaido Marquez," Amoroso said, following the investigation into his declaration of assets.