CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan officials are denouncing a report that links the head of the socialist South American country’s parliament to the drug trade. Two Spanish-language newspapers reported Monday that the chief bodyguard of National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello has gone to the United States with information implicating him. The …

An American is in stable condition after unidentified assailants shot at him and another American driving in a car in eastern Saudi Arabia Friday. The Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman told Fox News the shooting happened in the al-Ahsa province of eastern Saudi Arabia. The two were driving when they came …

VIENNA – Diplomats say the U.S and Iran are discussing a compromise that would let Iran keep much of its uranium-enriching technology but reduce its potential to make nuclear weapons. The two diplomats told The Associated Press that such a compromise could break the decade-long deadlock on attempts to limit …

FRANKFURT, Germany – Industrial machinery maker Siemens AG says it will cut 7,800 administrative jobs worldwide as part of an effort to streamline the sprawling company and its many businesses. Munich-based Siemens said in a statement Friday that 3,300 of the job losses will be in Germany. Siemens CEO Joe …

BERLIN – Germany’s Foreign Ministry says talks between senior officials from Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine to pave the way for a summit of leaders in Minsk will resume in the Belarusian capital. The ministry says that officials from the four countries will meet again in Minsk Tuesday evening, following …

PARIS – A French official says Egypt has agreed to buy 24 Rafale jets as part of a 5.2 billion-euro (US$5.93 billion) defense deal, marking the first foreign sale of the French-made fighters. The official said French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was expected to travel to Cairo on Monday …

ALGIERS, Algeria – The U.N. representative to Mali has expressed hope over the latest round of peace talks set to begin Monday between the warring factions in the country. The talks which began in Algiers in September are between Mali’s government, a series of separatist rebel groups based in the …

LONDON – A teenage British convert to Islam who said he wanted to decapitate a soldier has been convicted of terrorism. A jury at London’s Central Criminal Court found 19-year-old Brusthom Ziamani guilty Thursday of preparing an act of terrorism. Prosecutors said Ziamani was inspired by the two Islamic extremists …

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – New Zealand will send a small number of troops to Iraq to help train local forces in their battle against the Islamic State group, Prime Minister John Key announced Tuesday. Key told lawmakers the country would deploy up to 143 military personnel, who would be based …

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Argentina’s Congress has approved a law overhauling an intelligence agency under fire from the president as well as the opposition. The measure approved early Thursday comes after President Cristina Fernandez said the agency was out of control and suggested a top spy could have been involved …