News In Brief

El Salvador expels Venezuelan
diplomats
AFP, San Salvador
El Salvador has ordered Venezuela’s diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, in line with President Nayib Bukele’s position that the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro is illegitimate.
More than 50 countries have switched their recognition to national assembly speaker Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate acting president.

5 candidates for Algeria’s contested presidential vote
AP, Algiers
Algeria’s electoral body Saturday announced five candidates for the Dec. 12 presidential election, including two former prime ministers and all products of the system challenged by months of pro-democracy protests.
The electoral authority validated the candidacies of former prime ministers Ali Benflis and Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and two former ministers, one of them a moderate Islamist, plus the head of a small party.

Toll in Philippine quakes climbs to 21
AFP, Manila
The death toll in two powerful quakes that struck the southern Philippines in the past week has risen to 21, authorities said Sunday, as survivors struggled to access food and water.
The 6.6-magnitude and 6.5-magnitude quakes hit the island of Mindanao two days apart, destroying buildings and displacing tens of thousands of residents.

Egypt to try train conductor in death of youth
AP, Cairo
Egypt’s top prosecutor says a train conductor who allegedly forced two poor street vendors without tickets to jump off a moving train, leading to the death of one of the youths, will stand trial.