BRAZIL: Politicians in the lower house of Congress approved a Bill today aimed at reducing the time that former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro spends behind bars for his coup attempt from 27 years to just two years and four months.

The Bill will now go to the Senate and will need to be sanctioned by President Luiz Inacio Lula da  Silva, who has previously said he would veto it.

Politicians voted 291-148 in favour of the Bill following a contentious session in which scuffles broke out.

SIX COUNTIES: Workers have warned of Guinness 0.0 shortages on supermarket shelves over Christmas amid a pay dispute with Diageo, with the drinks giant insisting there would be no impact to supply.

Unite union members at the Diageo packaging plant in Belfast have voted to reject an “inadequate” pay offer from the company and to take strike action.

About 90 workers will commence an eight-day strike between Friday and Saturday December 20.

VENEZUELA: Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado’s daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her mother’s behalf today, hours after officials said Ms Machado would miss the ceremony.

Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee, told the award ceremony that although Ms Machado was not be able to reach the ceremony, “we are profoundly happy to confirm that she is safe, and that she will be with us here in Oslo.”

GENEVA: The UN human rights chief Volker Turk said today that his office is facing a $90 million (£67.4m) funding shortfall this year and staff cuts would include about 300 posts over the course of the year.

“Our resources have been slashed along with funding for human rights organisations, including at the grassroots level around the world,” Mr Turk told reporters on Human Rights Day.

“We are in survival mode,” he said.