Damascus, May 17 (RHC)—Syrian and international media outlets highlighted recent statements by President Bashar al-Assad on his country´s situation, in which he warned that any aggression against Syria would impact global stability.

Paris, May 17 (RHC)-- The new finance minister of France, Pierre Moscovici, says that the incoming administration of President Francois Hollande will refrain from ratifying the European austerity treaty without a growth component.  The intergovernmental agreement, adopted in March by 25 of the 27 EU countries requires signatories to have balanced budgets and stay within strict debt limits.

Tegucigalpa, May 17 (RHC) -- Social organizations in Honduras denounced the participation of agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in a military operation that killed four people and wounded four others in the eastern part of the Central American country.

La Paz, May 17 (RHC) -- The government of Bolivian President Evo Morales and trade unions will resume talks to discuss the Pension Act and other issues.

Caracas, May 17 (RHC) -- Representatives of various political parties in Venezuela are currently testing an automated voting system to be used during the general elections on October 7th.

Port-au-Prince, May 17 (PL-RHC) -- Laurent Lamothe was sworn in Wednesday as the new Prime Minister of Haiti.

Bogotá, May 17 (PL-RHC) -- The House of Representatives of Colombia approved a draft bill to establish a legal peace framework in the country for a possible negotiation with armed groups within the law.

Rio de Janeiro, May 17 (Xinhua-RHC) -- The Negro River in Brazil’s Amazonas state, in the Amazon Rainforest region, is suffering the worst flooding ever registered in the area, according to local authorities.

Lima, May 17 (ANDINA-RHC) -- In April, Peru was ranked as the country that provides the most optimal conditions for business, after showing a steady growth in the last months, according to the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) from Brazil and Ifo Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich in Germany.

Madrid, May 17 (RHC)-- The Spanish economy officially entered recession in the first quarter of 2012, registering a decline of 0.3 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), according to the National Statistics Institute (INE).

Damascus, May 17 (RHC)-- Syrian authorities today reported violations committed by Israel in the occupied Golan Heights, including settlement construction, oil exploitation and the burial of nuclear waste.

Benghazi, May 17 (RHC)-- Clashes in a western Libyan city left six dead and at least 20 injured on Wednesday, according to a government spokesman.  Nasser al-Manei said unidentified assailants attacked an airport and a hospital in Ghadamis near the Algerian border, some 450 kilometers southwest of the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

Washington, May 17 (RHC)-- The U.S. military has announced plans to deploy a combat brigade to Africa beginning next year.  On Wednesday, the Pentagon said small teams of soldiers operating out of the U.S. Africa Command will be sent around the continent to conduct training and take part in military exercises.

Kabul, May 17, (RHC), -- At least 11 people have been killed on Thursday after gunmen stormed a government compound in western Afghanistan.

Athens, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The Greek caretaker government, which will lead the country to the second round of national polls in June, was sworn in on Thursday morning at a ceremony held at the Presidential mansion in Athens.