Venezuela's interim leader sacks general in charge of Maduro's guard
The general in command of Venezuela's presidential honour guard, Javier Marcano Tábata, has been sacked days after Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was seized by US forces in a raid in Caracas and taken to New York to stand trial on narco-terrorism charges, BBC reported.
The presidential honour guard is the military force which provides the bodyguards tasked with protecting the head of state.
While the Venezuelan government has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of casualties, members of the guard are thought to be among the dozens of people killed in the US operation to seize Maduro, according to BBC.
Violent clashes reported as Iran protests spread to more areas
There were violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in several locations in Iran on Wednesday, as a wave of unrest sparked by the country's economic crisis continued for an 11th day, BBC reported.
Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guards, said two policemen were shot and killed by armed individuals in the south-western town of Lordegan.
Videos posted on social media showed a tense stand-off between protesters and security forces, with the sound of gunfire in the background, according to BBC.
US seizes two 'shadow fleet' tankers linked to Venezuelan oil
The United States says it has seized two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil exports in "back-to-back" operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, BBC reported.
US forces boarded the Russian-flagged Marinera after a pursuit lasting almost two weeks as it travelled through the waters between Iceland and Scotland. The UK Royal Navy gave logistical support by air and sea.
A second tanker - the M/T Sophia - was accused by the US of "conducting illicit activities" and boarded in the Caribbean, according to BBC.
Cambodia extradites alleged scam mastermind to China after arrest
Cambodia says it has extradited to China a billionaire businessman accused of masterminding a vast cryptocurrency scam in which trafficked workers were lured to forced labour camps to defraud victims globally, BBC reported.
Chen Zhi was among three Chinese nationals arrested on 6 January after a joint investigation into transnational crime lasting several months, Cambodia said.
The US charged the 37-year-old, who was born in south-east China, last October with running internet scams from Cambodia that it said had stolen billions in cryptocurrency, according to BBC.
