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Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to US President Donald Trump on Thursday during a White House meeting, as she tries to gain some influence over how the president shapes the South American country's political future, Reuters reported. 

A White House official confirmed that Trump intends to keep the medal.

In a social media post on Thursday evening, Trump wrote: "Maria presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done. Such a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. Thank you Maria!"

Machado, who described the meeting as "excellent", said the gift was in recognition of what she called his commitment to the freedom of the Venezuelan people, according to Reuters. 

The Election Commission (EC) has explicitly stipulated the duties, responsibilities and authorities of the returning officers for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections announced for March 5.  

According to the EC-determined 'HoR Member Voting Directive, 2082', the returning officers, once appointed, shall participate in the election related training program and receive the election materials after verifications. 

Likewise, the directive has specified an arrangement that the election officers shall receive other election materials related to voters' ID card and polling centers after verifications. 

The returning officers shall reach the designated polling center and coordinate with the assistant returning officers, other staff, and security personnel assigned. 

The designated officer shall reach the stipulated site to set up the polling center, and in cases voting cannot take place at the assigned polling center due to security, geographical difficulties, or any other reasons, another polling center needs to be established immediately, the directive stated. 

And, this information shall be promptly conveyed to the chief election officer, it is noted. 

Voter identity cards must be distributed in advance before the polling day. 

Staff and volunteers assigned to the polling center must be allocated tasks and involved in the voting work. 

The directive has arranged that before giving the ballot paper to the voters, signatures must be placed on the ballots, and the polling process must be carried out efficiently with vigilance, monitoring of the polling activities, and informing the election officer about the activities on polling day from time to time. 

On voting day, the returning officer must inform various mobile teams, observers, journalists, facilitators, and security personnel coming to the polling center about the voting situation, ensure full compliance with the election code of conduct, prevent any illegal activities, and perform such tasks. 

Similarly, before and after voting, they must have the ballot boxes and other election materials properly documented and submit them securely to the election officer. 

Likewise, it is the duty of the returning officer to exercise the powers provided under the Election (Offenses and Punishment) Act, 2073 BS, and to ensure that the election is conducted in a free, fair, and independent manner. 

Cuba on Jan 15 received the remains of its 32 soldiers killed in combat during the US attack on Venezuela and stunning capture of its president, Mr Nicolas Maduro, paying homage to the troops as national "heroes".

The remains of the soldiers, members of Cuba’s armed forces and intelligence agencies, arrived early on Jan 15 at Havana’s international airport, in caskets draped in the Cuban flag, Reuters reported. 

Cuba has provided some security for Mr Maduro since he came to power. It was not clear how many of the fallen Cubans were guarding the Venezuelan president when they died, or how many may have perished elsewhere.

Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday that she was submitting a proposal to reform the country's hydrocarbon law, as investors in the U.S. push for easier access to the South American country's oil industry, Reuters reported. 

Rodriguez said the reforms would "allow these investment flows to be incorporated into new fields, fields where no investment has ever been made and into fields where there is no infrastructure."

Rodriguez said funds from oil would go to workers and public services, according to Reuters. 

A small French military contingent has arrived in Greenland's capital Nuuk, officials say, as several European states deploy small numbers in a so-called reconnaissance mission, BBC reported. 

The limited deployment, which also involves Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK, comes as US President Donald Trump continues to press his claim to the Arctic island, which is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the initial contingent would be reinforced soon with "land, air, and sea assets".

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has told reporters that she presented the medal for her Nobel Peace Prize to President Donald Trump at a private White House meeting on Thursday, but did not say if he accepted it, BBC reported. 

"I think today is a historic day for us Venezuelans," she said after meeting Trump, the first time the two have met in-person. 

In the weeks after US forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Trump has declined to endorse Machado, whose movement claimed victory in 2024's widely contested elections, as its new leader, according to BBC. 

Iran reopened its airspace after a near-five-hour closure amid ⁠concerns about possible military action between the US and Iran that forced airlines to cancel, reroute or delay some flights, Reuters reported. 

Iran closed its airspace to all flights except international ones to and from Iran with official permission at 5:15 p.m. ET (2215 GMT) on Wednesday, according to a notice on ‌the US Federal Aviation ‌Administration website. 
 

A British diplomat has been ordered to leave Russia, with officials accusing the man of being an intelligence agent working undercover at the embassy in Moscow, BBC reported. 

The man, who has not been identified, has been stripped of his accreditation and must leave the country within two weeks, Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry added that it had summoned British charge d'affaires Danae Dholakia over the matter, according to BBC.