Former Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi dies

PARAMARIBO, Suriname (AP) – Former Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, an ex-police commissioner who investigated the 1982 killings of more than a dozen political opponents that deeply scarred the South American country, has died. He was 67.

US stocks rise and oil prices trim their gains

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks rose after surging on optimism about a ceasefire in the war with Iran. The S&P 500 erased its dip and rose 0.6%. The Dow Jones climbed 0.6%, and the Nasdaq added 0.8% after Israel's prime minister authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon. Oil prices pared some of their earlier gains but remained higher.

Clowns take to the streets of Bolivia to protest decree

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) – Dozens of clowns marched through the streets of Bolivia’s capital on Monday to protest a government decree that limits extracurricular activities, threatening their livelihoods. Wearing full face paint and their signature red noses, the clowns gathered in front of the Ministry of Education in La Paz to oppose a decree published in February.

Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Latest Updates

MANILA, Philippines (AP) – The Philippines unveiled a major coast guard base Thursday on an island in the South China Sea to serve as a “steadfast sentinel of our sovereignty” in a disputed region closely guarded by China’s forces.

Chile's president vows tougher school security following recent stabbing

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – President José Antonio Kast said Monday that his administration will tighten security measures at Chile’s schools, following two incidents involving weapons and amid growing concern about school violence in the South American country.

Lebanon digs for survivors after Israeli attack kills over 300

BEIRUT (AP) – Lebanon reeled Thursday after the deadliest day of the renewed war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, with the death toll exceeding 300 people as more remains were pulled out of the rubble and bodies identified at hospitals.

US reopens embassy in Venezuela months after military operation to remove Maduro

WASHINGTON (AP) – The United States has formally reopened its embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, after the restoration of full diplomatic relations with the South American country following the Trump administration’s ouster of then-President Nicolas Maduro in early January.

Editorials from The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian and others

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

Brazil's dual-fuel ethanol fleet stabilizes gasoline prices despite Iran war oil shock

SAO PAULO (AP) – As the war in Iran rattles global oil markets, Brazil is partially shielded by a decades-old buffer against shocks that is both cheap and environmentally friendly: Tens of millions of drivers here can choose between filling their tank with 100% sugarcane-based ethanol or a gasoline blend that contains 30% of biofuel.