daily news updates

Venezuela has told dozens of expatriate staff working for Citgo Petroleum Corp in the United States that they must return to Caracas by the end of February, people familiar with the matter said, following U.S. sanctions aimed at forcing socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2GifBrJ

Australia's two biggest mining firms on Thursday backed calls for an indigenous advisory body in parliament, saying Prime Minister Scott Morrison's opposition to the proposal did not "stand up to scrutiny." from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2FVWJz6

Thousands of commuters flock to Manila's railway tracks every day, but rather than boarding the trains, they climb on to wooden carts pushed along the tracks, to avoid the Philippine capital's infamous traffic gridlock. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2HQsETg

Venezuelan authorities detained three foreign journalists and a driver working for the Spanish news agency EFE on Wednesday, the company said, in the latest arrests of reporters covering U.S.-backed efforts to oust President Nicolas Maduro. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2BegZrI

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday he was dispatching a team to make preparations for the next summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to be held somewhere in Asia late in February. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2TnsjsT

Canada has decided to cut the number of diplomatic staff in Cuba by up to half after another person fell ill, Ottawa said on Wednesday, bringing the total to 14 Canadians suffering mysterious symptoms since 2017. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2RpHuji

Three days after proclaiming himself Venezuela's head of state, Juan Guaido wrote to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asking for help in tackling the country's urgent humanitarian crisis. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2FWd0nX

Venezuela's opposition has had clandestine meetings with members of the country's military and security forces, Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, said in an opinion piece published on Wednesday. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2MHDr1d

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence plans to head to Miami on Friday, home to the country's largest community of Venezuelan exiles, to rally support for the opposition ahead of Venezuelan protests against President Nicolas Maduro, a White House official said. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2RsQxjp

White House national security adviser John Bolton said he had a "very productive meeting" on Wednesday with Citgo's executive team, two days after Washington slapped sanctions on the company's parent, Venezuelan state-owned oil firm PDVSA. from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2SfhkUL

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó says his team has held talks with the army about regime change. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2SeYuxi

At least eight people have died in the deep freeze, which has paralysed transport services. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2FYNLkW

European settlement of the Americas killed so many people, it disturbed Earth's climate. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2RsVJ75

The number of people who logged into the site at least once a month rose 9% last year. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Uu7wUu

The New England Patriots quarterback was labelled a "known cheater" during a Pittsburgh broadcast. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GbzBvV

In an interview, the White House press secretary says Donald Trump had divine support. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Bm9a3B

Hundreds of princes and billionaires were held and more than $100bn recouped by the state since 2017. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2S0hQGQ

France's interior minister says "the fanatic committed suicide" after killing one and injuring five. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2B96bLC

Senator Rand Paul was awarded more than $580,000 (£441,000) in damages after his neighbour attacked. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2UopeIW

A 14th employee at Canada's embassy in Havana falls ill, and the country cuts staff there by half. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2sWTxuQ

The data comes as several global firms warn China's slowing economy will hit their bottom line. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2UvE5l2

Nantes pay tribute to missing former striker Emiliano Sala during their 1-1 draw with Saint Etienne. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2SbuBxT

The BBC has gained rare access to Athlan village, the site of a major US attack on al-Qaeda in Yemen. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2UqHYHO

The deep freeze gripping much of the US has been blamed on a polar vortex. Here's what that means. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Sex5LW

Stars support Empire actor Jussie Smollet, the victim of a suspected hate crime in Chicago. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2CRvIJi

The fears of six athletes who claimed asylum in Australia after the 2018 Invictus Games. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2S8Sgz1

Six women tell the BBC they were raped by security forces as part of a government crackdown. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2CRqD3G

Kennedy Agyapong tells the BBC he regrets journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale’s death, but has a clear conscious. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2sVKNEY

Two Saudis who sought asylum in the UK explain why they risked everything. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2SdhEnb

The actor and superfan was "overcome with emotion" when Streisand replied to his childhood letter. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2MGAb66

The Lord of the Rings director will use unseen footage of the tense sessions for their final album. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2SdIgEx

Social media outcry puts controversial construction on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast under scrutiny. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Uxh9C1

Japan is in the grip of an elderly crime wave. Poverty and loneliness are two of the possible causes. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2sUSv2f

A US state could become one of the first places in the world to allow corpses to become fertile soil. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2S04WbU

In most places, a crocodile would send people scurrying in fear. But not in this part of India. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Sbqv8X

The international community is split over who it recognises as the country's current president. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2BbqOqp

The story of Nastya Rybka, who was questioned in a Thai jail by the FBI about the Trump-Russia inquiry. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2HHJ9kz

Imagine onions - tonnes of them, rotting in a customs queue. It's a Dutch farmer's Brexit nightmare. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2DLoiZL

More support animals seen on college campuses despite national debate For Sam Hojnowski her freshman year at La Salle University was challenging. There were many mornings where her anxiety kept her in bed. But now her 9-month-old kitty, Lace, has helped ease those worries. via FOX NEWS https://fxn.ws/2S2h1h7

More support animals seen on college campuses despite national debate As emotional needs increase, more students at some of the country’s major universities may have four-legged roommates living with them in their dorms via FOX NEWS http://bit.ly/2CTakTR

Doctor who prescribed pot cookies to 4-year-old for 'temper tantrums' gets license revoked over diagnosis The Medical Board of California has revoked the license of a doctor in Los Angeles who told a father to give marijuana cookies to his son as a way to treat the boy’s temper tantrums. via FOX NEWS https://fxn.ws/2GcYJCk

Lawmakers are promising a sweeping investigation into what is causing the price of insulin to skyrocket A new study by the Health Care Cost Institute shows insulin costs for Type 1 Diabetes patients jumped more than 99 percent from 2012 to 2016; Jonathan Serrie reports. via FOX NEWS http://bit.ly/2MI19ue

Many diabetics are rationing their insulin as prices skyrocket Memorial Sloan Kettering drug pricing researcher Dr. Peter Bach says that lawmakers failed to take action early on to ensure that insulin drug prices did not become unaffordable. via FOX NEWS http://bit.ly/2HGOAAx

California doctor loses his license after he recommended a 4-year-old eat marijuana cookies for 'temper tantrums' California state medical board also found Eidelman hastily diagnosed ADHD and Bipolar Disorder in the child in addition to approving marijuana edibles to give him for his 'uncontrollable behavior and tempter tantrums. via FOX NEWS http://bit.ly/2UtwsLI

New Jersey barbershop owner arrested after botched laser surgery leaves woman with facial scars, cops say New Jersey man has been arrested on charges of aggravated assault and practicing medicine without a license after he allegedly performed laser surgery on a woman that left her with facial scars. via FOX NEWS https://fxn.ws/2UusJOc

Woman unexpectedly delivers baby after stopping by friend's house to drop off food A woman in the U.K. happened to be in the right place at the right time when she dropped by her friend’s house and wound up delivering another woman’s baby. via FOX NEWS https://fxn.ws/2sVPe2L

Will a pill fix nation's loneliness 'epidemic'? Do you feel lonely? You are not alone. via FOX NEWS https://fxn.ws/2MGOkAd

Dr. Marc Siegel says Kamala Harris' 'Medicare for all' plan is a job killer Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris' 'Medicare for all' proposal would be hurt the quality of your health care, your access to doctors and the jobs market, argues Fox News medical correspondent Dr. Marc Siegel. via FOX NEWS http://bit.ly/2GbtA2o