ASUNCION (AP) – Paraguay’s Vice President Pedro Alliana was sworn in as the new president, following the impeachment and removal of former President Santiago Pena. The Senate voted unanimously to remove Pena from office following an impeachment trial over alleged misconduct linked to the collapse of Ueno Bank, with all 44 senators present voting in favor. Pena faced accusations of conflicts of interest involving the private bank, regulatory manipulation and misuse of pension funds. Pena submitted his resignation Thursday amid a crisis triggered by the authorities’ intervention in Ueno Bank, apparently seeking to avoid impeachment.

 

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Venezuelan national was arrested near the White House after allegedly threatening to kill U.S. President Donald Trump. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Friday that Secret Service officers approached the man on Thursday evening after noticing him behaving suspiciously inside a parked car in Washington, DC. The suspect told officers that voices in his head had instructed him to travel to the capital and kill Trump. Officers searched the vehicle, which was reported stolen, and found three firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle and two handguns, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition.

 

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump named trusted aide Stephen Miller as his chief of staff on Nov 6, giving the architect of some of his toughest domestic policies one of the most powerful jobs in Washington after Republicans lost control of Congress. Miller, who will replace Susie Wiles, assumes the role as the President prepares to confront a Democratic-led House of Representatives and Senate and a wave of congressional investigations into his administration. A long-time proponent of expansive presidential authority, Miller takes over at a moment when the Republican Party’s defeat in the Nov 3 midterm elections could leave Trump more reliant on executive power to advance his domestic agenda.

 

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PARIS  (AFP)  - Lawyers said they would sue the interior minister over alleged police brutality during France’s ongoing protests, which they say has led to severe injuries, including several demonstrators hit in the eye. France has been rocked by high-school student blockades and cost-of-living protests in recent weeks, less than six months before elections to replace centrist President Emmanuel Macron after his maximum two terms, with the far-right leading in the polls. Rights activists have accused law enforcement of using disproportionate force, following several incidents including a 15-year-old losing a hand to a crowd-control grenade.

 

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BRUSSELS (AFP) - Spain and the Netherlands nominated candidates to succeed European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, following her decision to step down early next year. The Eurogroup announced that two official candidacies were submitted by member states ahead of the deadline to replace the outgoing central bank chief. The two nominees in the race are former Bank of Spain Governor Pablo Hernandez de Cos and Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot. Lagarde formally informed the European Council on Oct. 29 that she would resign from her position at the helm of the ECB by Feb. 7, 2027.