Baghdad, August 2 (RHC)-- At least ten Iraqi security agents were killed in attacks across the country on Wednesday, according to sources in Baghdad.  The attack took place in the northwestern city of Tikrit, when resistance forces hit an Iraqi police checkpoint.

Havana, August 2 (RHC) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he is in good health and denied rumors that he had medical checkups during his visit to Brazil, aimed at making Caracas’ entry into the South Common Market (MERCOSUR) official.

La Paz, August 2 (RHC) -- Farm laborers and social movements in the Bolivian city of Sucre, in Chuquisaca department, celebrate the Day of the Production, Agricultural and Community Revolution on Thursday with the signing of four presidential decrees and the delivery of 11,500 land titles.

United Nations, August 2 (RHC)-- The United Nations General Assembly postponed until Friday a vote on a resolution on Syria by Arab countries, which attempts to blame the government of President Bashar al-Asad for the violence sweeping the country.

Arab countries have pushed ahead with the symbolic, non-binding UN General Assembly resolution that calls on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign and turn over power to a transitional government.

The draft resolution circulated up through Wednesday notes that the UN Security Council has failed to act on Syria.  Russia and China have used their vetoes in the smaller, more powerful Council three times to kill resolutions that could have opened the door to foreign military intervention in Syria.

The General Assembly draft resolution, written by Saudi Arabia and lobbied for by Egypt and Bahrain, is an attempt to get around the stalemate in the Security Council.  A vote had been set for Thursday, but has now been postponed until Friday morning.

UN officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be quoted, said the Arab countries might be ready to weaken some provisions of the draft resolution to guarantee a larger majority vote.

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Washington, August 2 (RHC)-- U.S. President Barack Obama has reportedly issued secret authorization for the United States to support rebels seeking to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Mexico City, August 2 (RHC) -- The Mexican Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity said a memorial to the victims of violence in this Latin American country will be built in the capital’s Chapultepec Park.

Washington, August 2 (RHC)-- The U.S. Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the U.S. economy is losing strength and repeated a pledge to take further steps to stimulate growth if the job market doesn't show sustained improvement.

Asuncion, August 2 (MERCOPRESS-RHC) -- Paraguay urged the Organization of American States (OAS) Wednesday to say whether or not it will be taking measures against the country after the ouster of constitutional President Fernando Lugo, a political incident that has reverberated throughout the entire continent.

Moscow, August 2 (RHC)-- Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated the rejection of his country's involvement in military operations in Afghanistan and said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, is a relic of the past.

Quito, August 2 (MERCOPRESS-RHC) -- Ecuador wants to prevent Julian Assange’s extradition to Sweden because it is disappointed that the Scandinavian country has rejected an offer to question the WikiLeaks founder in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño said on Wednesday.

Tel Aviv, August 2 (RHC)-- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has wrapped up a visit to Israel with a renewed vow to leave open the use of force against Iran.  In a joint public appearance on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to criticize the U.S. role in international talks over Iran’s nuclear program, saying diplomacy has failed.  In response, Panetta assured Netanyahu "all options" remain on the table.

Washington, August 2 (RHC)-- A new study is predicting that U.S. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s tax plan would boost the income of the nation’s wealthiest taxpayers, while reducing that of the middle class.

Santiago de Chile, August 2 (MERCOPRESS-RHC) -- The Chilean opposition has registered its candidates for the upcoming municipal elections in October, but was unable to reach an overall agreement to face the ruling conservative parties.

Buenos Aires, August 2 (PL-RHC) -- Planning Minister Julio De Vido said Thursday that a key Argentinean delegation made up of government officials and business executives will visit China next month.

Ramallah, Aug 2, (RHC), -- Gaza's ruling Hamas movement has criticized a Palestinian official for visiting a memorial at the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz and paying respects to its 1.5 million victims there, most of them Jews.