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New legislation to tackle outbreaks of animal diseases, such as African swine fever, more effectively, restrict the introduction of dangerous new pests and enable the EU to act quickly but responsibly in emergencies was adopted by the agriculture committee in two separate votes on Tuesday.

Special Coordinator of the Joint Mission of the OPCW and the UN Sigrid Kaag (second left) inspecting preparations for the elemination of chemical weapons at the Syrian Port of Latakia in December 2013.

South Sudanese Refugees

WFP staff in deserted streets of Baba Amer, Homs, Syria in June 2013.

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomes France's President Francois Hollande to the White House Tuesday for the first state visit by a French president since 1996. Discussions will cover Iran nuclear negotiations, Syria, counter-terrorism efforts in Africa, trade, economic issues and climate change.

Switzerland risks having to renegotiate its agreements with the EU, warned EP President Martin Schulz after voters backed the introduction of quotas for migrants in a referendum. “If Switzerland has to modify laws and to limit free movement also for EU citizens, then we have to react, discuss and perhaps negotiate the agreements," he said. “It is difficult to limit the free movement of citizens and not limit the free movement of services, for example. We have many negotiations ahead."

Hundreds of farmers have rallied outside Thailand's Justice Ministry in the capital, Bangkok, to demand overdue payments for rice sold in a controversial rice subsidy program.

A view of thousands of internally displaced people at Bangui's airport, Central African Republic (CAR). Many of the new arrivals in eastern Cameroon say they fled from Bangui to escape clashes.

Taiwan and China hold official talks this week, a historic first for the two governments since a civil war ended more than six decades ago.

The Israeli military says it launched an airstrike Sunday on a Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip who had fired rockets into southern Israel.