Venezuelan opposition politician placed under house arrest after release

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Juan Pablo Guanipa, a close political ally of Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado, has been placed under house arrest, his family said on Tuesday, two days after he was released from prison.

US stocks wobble after feeling upside and downside of strong jobs report

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks wobbled after feeling both the upside and downside of a surprisingly strong report on the U.S. job market. After initially rising toward its all-time high on Wednesday, the S&P 500 flipped between gains and losses before finishing with a miniscule drop of less than 0.1%. The Dow Jones slipped 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.2%.

Venezuela frees several opposition members after lengthy detentions

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s government on Sunday released from prison several prominent opposition members, including one of the closest allies of Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, after lengthy politically motivated detentions.

Top Asia Pacific Breaking News: Morning Edition

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers on Thursday that it believes the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is close to being designated as the country’s future leader as he moves to extend the family dynasty to a fourth generation. NIS officials are closely monitoring whether Kim’s daughter will appear with him before the Workers’ Party Congress.

Venezuelan opposition leader says close ally kidnapped after prison release

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Monday said one of her closest allies was kidnapped hours after being released from prison.

US allies at NATO focus on Europe as the Trump administration steps back

BRUSSELS (AP) – European allies at NATO on Thursday brushed aside concerns that the United States has stepped back from its leadership role of the world’s biggest security organization, leaving them and Canada to do the lion’s share of defending Europe.

Seed guardians of the Amazon: A family's fight to save endangered plants

ALTO ILA, Ecuador (AP) – On a recent journey into the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle, Ramón Pucha realized he was being trailed. Fresh puma tracks now lined the path alongside his own footprints. Unfazed, he continued his trek, focused entirely on the precious cargo he carried – seeds from some of the world’s most endangered plant species.

Editorials from New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and others

Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad:

US strikes another alleged drug-trafficking boat in Eastern Pacific

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. military said Thursday that it has carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. U.S. Southern Command said on social media that the boat “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.”