Japan confirms first bird flu case since 2011
TOKYO (Reuters) – Two chickens have tested positive for avian influenza at a farm in Japan where more than 1,000 chickens have died, marking the country’s first case of bird flu in three years, the Agricultural Ministry said on Sunday.
Mexico prepares first illegal drug financing blacklist
(Reuters) – Mexico is preparing to implement new regulations that will allow the government to identify individuals and businesses linked to drug trafficking and ban financial firms from doing business with them, the finance minister said on Saturday.
In Assad’s coastal heartland, Syria’s war creeps closer
LATAKIA, Syria (Reuters) – For three years, residents of Syria’s Mediterranean provinces have watched from their coastal sanctuary as civil war raging further inland tore the country apart, killing tens of thousands of people and devastating historic c…
Fire engulfs parts of Chile’s Valparaiso port, 100 houses destroyed
VALPARAISO, Chile (Reuters) – A fire pushed by strong Pacific coast winds ripped through parts of the Chilean port city Valparaiso on Saturday, destroying at least 100 houses and causing the evacuation of thousands of residents as authorities battled t…
Australia says progress towards G20 growth target “unacceptable”
PERTH, Australia, April 13 – Slow progress towards meeting economic growth targets set by the Group of 20 bloc of advanced and developing nations this year is “unacceptable”, Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said on Sunday.
French foreign minister meets Raul Castro on historic visit to Cuba
HAVANA (Reuters) – France’s foreign minister met with Cuban President Raul Castro on Saturday during the first visit to the island by such a high-ranking French official in 31 years and a sign of the quickening pace of improving ties between the Europe…
France’s Hollande approval at record low, prime minister far ahead
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande’s popularity fell sharply in April to the lowest levels since he was elected in May 2012, taking his rating below that of the Prime Minister Manuel Valls to the largest gap ever calculated between th…
French foreign minister on historic visit to Cuba
HAVANA (Reuters) – France’s foreign minister arrived in Cuba on Saturday for a brief but historic visit, the first by such a high-ranking French official in 31 years and a sign of the quickening pace of improving ties between the European Union and Hav…
Strong quake hits near Solomon Islands; tsunami warning cancelled
(Reuters) – A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands on Sunday morning, triggering a tsunami warning that was later cancelled, according to U.S. government agencies, and there were no immediate reports of damage.
Ukraine prepares armed response as city seized by pro-Russia forces
KIEV/SLAVIANSK, Ukraine (Reuters) – Armed separatists took control of a city in eastern Ukraine on Saturday and Kiev prepared troops to tackle what it called an “act of aggression by Russia”, pushing the conflict between the neighbors into a dangerous …
