Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president in a defiant speech Wednesday before masses of anti-government demonstrators who took to the streets to demand President Nicolas Maduro’s removal — a bold move that was immediately recognized by the Trump administration and a growing number of other Western nations.

President Donald Trump called on Maduro to resign and said the U.S. would use the “full weight” of its economic and diplomatic power to push for the restoration of Venezuela’s democracy. Canada as well as Brazil, Colombia and several other Latin American nations followed suit in throwing their support behind Guaido.

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With its troops and military infrastructure stationed just 50 kilometres from the Israeli border, Iran is threatening a military confrontation that could further destabilise the region, create a humanitarian catastrophe and send thousands more refugees fleeing for safety. Israel launched air strikes against Iranian military targets inside Syria on Sunday, killing four soldiers and injuring many more.

They came after the Israeli Iron Dome defence system intercepted missiles fired towards the disputed Golan Heights. “You should be afraid of the day that our precision-guided missiles roar and fall on your head,” Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Al Jafari had earlier warned Tel Aviv.

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At least seven Egyptian soldiers, including an officer, have been killed in clashes with jihadist militants in recent operations in restive northern Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptian army said Tuesday.

The military said in a statement that forces have killed at least 59 suspected militants and arrested another 142 suspected militants and criminals, and airstrikes destroyed 56 vehicles containing weapons and ammunition in the Western Desert, south and northeastern border areas.

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Egyptian security forces say they’ve killed 14 militants and seized a ton of explosives in an operation in the restive northern part of the Sinai Peninsula.

They said on Sunday that their offensive involved clashes with Islamic militants in desert areas outside the city of el-Arish, adding that the extremists had intended to plant roadside bombs in areas between there and the cities of Rafah and Sheikh Zuweyid.

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Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists attacked a United Nations peacekeeping base in Aguelhoc in northern Mali’s Kidal region, killing at least eight peacekeepers, the UN mission in Mali said Sunday.

“The current toll is eight blue helmets killed and several injured. The peacekeepers managed to neutralize some attackers, and a prosecution was initiated against those who fled,”said Myriam Dessables, spokesperson for UN mission in Mali.

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