UNITED NATIONS, April 10 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations on Wednesday rejected U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's accusation against China over Venezuela.

"China categorically rejects the accusation," Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told a Security Council meeting on the situation in Venezuela.

CAIRO, April 11. /TASS/. The Sudanese Military Transitional Council headed by First Vice President and Defense Minister Awad Mohamed Ahmed Ibn Auf is making arrangements to assume the power in the country for a year, the local Baj News website says. According to the officially unconfirmed reports, a group of military officials has staged a coup d’etat in the country, completely ousting President Omar al-Bashir from power.

CHEBAA, Lebanon (AP) — Akram Kanaan looked toward an Israeli military position on a snow-capped mountain that overlooks the village of Chebaa in southern Lebanon, pointing toward the scenic area captured by Israel more than five decades ago. No matter how long it takes, he says, it will eventually return to Lebanon’s sovereignty.

UNITED NATIONS, April 10 (Xinhua) -- A senior Indonesian official urged Tuesday that humanitarian assistance to Venezuela "must be free from political objectives."

Speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Venezuela, Dian Triansyab Djani, Indonesia's permanent representative to the United Nations, said aid should be delivered in close coordination with the Venezuelan government and in full respect of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

TASS, April 11. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has stepped down, and consultations are now being held to set up a transitional council, the Reuters news agency reported on Thursday, citing government sources.

According to the news agency, Minister of Production and Economic Resources in the North Darfur State Adel Mahjoub Hussein told the Dubai-based Al-Hadath TV channel that "there are consultations to form a military council to take over power after President Bashir stepped down."

CAIRO, April 11. /TASS/. Sudanese Prime Minister Mohamed Tahir Ayala, who assumed the post less than two months ago, has been arrested in Khartoum, the Al-Mashhad Al-Sudany news website reported on Thursday.

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved John Abizaid to become the new U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, filling the position that has been void for more than two years.

The Senate voted 92-7 to approve the retired Army general for the position, which has been in the center of contention between the Republican and Democratic parties amid a rocky relationship between the U.S. Congress and Saudi Arabia.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials have been predicting for months that embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro would soon give up power in the face of economic sanctions and a coalition of more than 50 nations calling for him to step down.

But it hasn’t worked out that way.

MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and his colleagues have been placed under house arrest, former Sudanese Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi told the Al-Hadath TV channel on Thursday.

"Al-Bashir and other top officials are under house arrest," the TV channel quotes him as saying.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Humanity got its first glimpse Wednesday of the cosmic place of no return: a black hole. And it’s as hot, as violent and as beautiful as science fiction imagined.

In a breakthrough that thrilled the world of astrophysics and stirred talk of a Nobel Prize, scientists released the first image ever made of a black hole, revealing a fiery doughnut-shaped object in a galaxy 53 million light-years from Earth.

11 Apr 2019; DW: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Thursday that fresh parliamentary elections will be held on May 18.

The vote will present a challenge for the conservative government, which will seek a third term in office.

Morrison made the announcement after holding a meeting with Governor General Peter Cosgrove to dissolve parliament and plan the vote. Cosgrove represents Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Australia's head of state.

(AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee wants his party to scrap any thoughts of impeaching President Donald Trump and instead focus on voting him out of office.

“We should have a dramatic, engaged, concerted, energetic and successful effort in November 2020 to make Donald Trump a blip in history,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said during a CNN town hall Wednesday.

He said damning details still could emerge about Trump’s 2016 campaign and business dealings but added that a Republican-led Senate would never remove the president.