Recently in International News Category

Cuban leader Raul Castro announced he will step down in 2018, which would be the end of his second term as president, CNN reported.

Castro, 81, made the statement in a speech he gave following his reelection by the Cuban National Assembly in its opening session, Reuters said.

During this session, the assembly also voted Miguel Diaz Canel as First Vice President, meaning Canel would step into the leadership role if Castro were unable to fulfill his duties, Reuters said.

Castro first assumed the leadership of Cuba replacing his ailing older brother, Fidel Castro, in 2006, CNN said.

In a meeting with cardinals at the Vatican Monday morning, Pope Benedict XVI announced he will be resigning his position, NPR said.

After 8 years of papal service Pope Benedict XVI, 85, will step down on February 28 in a decision that he said was in the best interest of the Roman Catholic Church, NPR said.

The pope considered his advancing age and diminishing strength to be the two largest factors in his decision to be the first pope in almost 600 years to resign, the Telegraph said. The post requires "both strength of mind and body," Pope Benedict said.

A conclave of cardinals will be assembled in the Vatican to elect a successor by mid-March, the Telegraph said.

Stores in the UK are pulling food products believed to be beef off the shelves after tests showed the products actually contained high levels of horse meat.
UK food safety officials have been testing meat products as part of an ongoing investigation regarding the mislabeling of food items including lasagna distributed by the frozen food company Findus, said the Star-Telegram.
The results of these tests concluded that of the 18 frozen lasagna dishes tested, 11 contained anywhere from 60 to 100 percent horse meat, the Food Standards Agency said.
Following these findings, Findus foods has recalled their shepard's pie, lasagna bolognese, and moussaka in France and burger patties in Ireland due to similar test results were confirmed, CNN reported.
Although they have recalled these products, Findus said that their meals can still be eaten without any health risks.
"This is completely unacceptable - this isn't about food safety but about proper food labeling (and) confidence in retailers," British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted in reference to the recall of Findus food products, CNN said.

By Haley Egle
News sources have indicated that a vicious fire ripped through the Brazilian nightclub Kiss on Sunday morning killing over 230 university students. According to The Lede the fire is said to have been sparked as a result of a pyrotechnics display put on by the band Gurizada Fandangueira during their set. By the time party goers realized what was happening, it was too late. At that point the thick smoke that resulted from the blaze had spread throughout the club, causing the students to choke on the smoke they were inhaling. The crowd pushed toward the single exit where at first they were blocked from leaving by security guards said police inspector Marcelo Arigony according to the Star Tribune. First responder's attempts to help clear the mass of people from the club were hindered by the number of bodies blocking the entrance as Guido Pedroso Melo, commander of the city's fire department, told the O Globo newspaper. According to the Star Tribune, this nightclub fire is said to have been the deadliest the world has seen in over a decade.