UN; 3 Feb 2018; GANASHAKTI: The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recognized, Friday, the representation of the Venezuelan Government - led by its Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza - while rejecting the interests of deputy of the National Assembly (AN), Juan Guaido, who unconstitutionally proclaimed himself "president in charge" on Jan. 23.

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN secretary-general, confirmed that Guterres responded to a letter, which was sent by Juan Guaido asking the agency to send humanitarian aid to Venezuela.

DAMASCUS, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led coalition targeted a Syrian artillery in eastern Syria overnight Saturday, wounding two soldiers, the Syrian state TV reported.

U.S.-led warplanes struck the Syrian artillery west of the al-Bukamal city in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, leading to its destruction, according to the report.

It is not the first time the United States has targeted Syrian military posts in Syria.

In December, the U.S.-led coalition fired several missiles on military sites in central Syria, causing damage.

GENEVA; 03 Feb 2019; AA: Venezuela’s envoy to the UN told Anadolu Agency that the people of his country were prepared to resist a possible U.S. military intervention.

“We are totally prepared for any military aggression by a foreign country,” said Ambassador Jorge Valero, the permanent representative of Venezuela to the UN.

“We have millions of people prepared for a long resistance […] with any kind of arms,” he added.

MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Russian government will provide necessary mechanisms to finance the development of new weapons, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday, in response to Washington's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

"Given the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty and the response steps announced by the President of Russia, the government of the Russian Federation will provide the necessary means and mechanisms to finance the development of new types of weapons," Medvedev said on Twitter.

BAGHDAD; 03 Feb 2019; AA: Iraqi military forces on Sunday were redeployed in the northern Kirkuk province, according to an army officer.

"The redeployment came shortly after the forces arrived in the area," the officer told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

"The new military units will replace the anti-terrorism forces ahead of their withdrawal," he said.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Resisting widespread calls for his resignation, Virginia’s embattled governor on Saturday pledged to remain in office after disavowing a blatantly racist photograph that appeared under his name in his 1984 medical school yearbook.

In a tumultuous 24 hours, Gov. Ralph Northam on Friday apologized for appearing in a photograph that featured what appeared to be a man in blackface and a second person cloaked in Ku Klux Klan garb. In a video posted on Twitter, he said he could not “undo the harm my behavior caused then and today.”

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has named Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson as assistant to the president and chief medical adviser, the White House announced Saturday.

The president also nominated Jackson for a promotion to a two-star admiral in the U.S. Navy on Friday.

Jackson, the president's former physician, was tabbed last year to lead the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs before he withdrew after allegations of misconduct and mismanagement during his service in the White House surfaced.

BERLIN; 03 Feb 2019; AA: Germany said on Saturday that it would oppose stationing new medium-range nuclear missiles in Europe after the U.S. and Russia announced that they are pulling out of a landmark arms treaty.

“Stationing medium-range nuclear missiles in Europe now would be the wrong answer. We can’t fight a fire by adding fuel to the fire,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in an interview with Funke Media Group.

03 Feb 2019; AFP: China is fast-tracking a foreign investment law at an unprecedented pace to meet Washington's demands on trade, but businesses fear that time to review and raise objections on a crucial piece of legislation has been cut short.

The law will eliminate the requirement for foreign enterprises to transfer proprietary technology to Chinese joint-venture partners.

It also includes other steps to level the business playing field that Western trading partners have long demanded.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rami Malek says working with director Bryan Singer before Singer was fired from “Bohemian Rhapsody” was “not pleasant.”

The actor, nominated for his Freddie Mercury on the Queen biopic, said Friday at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival: “In my situation with Bryan, it was not pleasant, not at all. And that’s about what I can say about it at this point.”

The film earned five Academy Award nominations, including Malek’s best actor nod.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Krzysztof Strzemeski watched with unease as a high school friend voiced support for Poland’s nationalist government on social media, followed by hate-filled extremist posts. But when the liberal mayor of Gdansk was stabbed to death in public in January, he could no longer hold back his anger.

“Congratulations for your perseverance sharing right-wing filth,” the 58-year-old university lecturer wrote to his former classmate. The two haven’t communicated since.

BUENOS AIRES; 03 Feb 2019; AA: The death toll rose to 121 after a dam burst in southeastern Brazil on Jan. 25, according to the local media.

At least 226 people have been missing near the town of Brumadinho after the dam broke at an iron ore mining complex operated by the Brazilian mining giant Vale S.A.

Search-and-rescue efforts remain ongoing in the area.

So far, a total of five people were arrested over the incident.