Latin America

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro asked for global acceptance on Sunday as he cast an unusual pre-dawn vote for an all-powerful constitutional assembly that his opponents fear he'll use to replace his country's democracy with a single-party authoritarian system.

President Nicolas Maduro's adversaries staged a two-day national strike on Wednesday in a final push to pressure him into abandoning a weekend election for a super-congress they say will institutionalize autocracy in Venezuela.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Defying pressure from abroad and at home, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday that an election would go ahead next weekend for a controversial new congress his foes say will institutionalize dictatorship.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Defying pressure from abroad and at home, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday that an election would go ahead next weekend for a controversial new congress his foes say will institutionalize dictatorship.

Venezuelan opposition leaders called Monday for a 24-hour nationwide strike to increase pressure on the socialist government after more than 7 million people rejected a plan to rewrite the constitution.

Venezuelan opposition leaders called Monday for a 24-hour nationwide strike to increase pressure on the socialist government after more than 7 million people rejected a plan to rewrite the constitution.

About 75,000 NFL fans will be attendance on Monday night when the Houston Texans and the Oakland Raiders clash in the league’s first game in Mexico City since 2005.

About 75,000 NFL fans will be attendance on Monday night when the Houston Texans and the Oakland Raiders clash in the league’s first game in Mexico City since 2005.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters said Wednesday the economic and civil unrest in socialist Venezuela is worse than conditions in the Soviet Union.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ralph Peters said Wednesday the economic and civil unrest in socialist Venezuela is worse than conditions in the Soviet Union.

Pacific Rim trade ministers meeting in Vietnam committed Sunday to move ahead with the Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact after the United States pulled out.

Pacific Rim trade ministers meeting in Vietnam committed Sunday to move ahead with the Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact after the United States pulled out.