Recently in International News Category

Two kindergarten kids from Hebei Province were poisoned to death after drinking a bottle of yogurt that appears to have been deliberately tainted with rat poison by the jealous head of a rival kindergarten, local police confirmed with the Global Times on Thursday.

The two girls, aged five and six, ate the yogurt on the morning of April 24 in Liaghe village of Pingshan county. One of the girls died on the way to hospital and the other passed away Wednesday afternoon, reported Global Times.

The girls' grandmother found the yogurt, which was left in a bag with a pile of notebooks, on the road near their school, reported Mail Online.

She took the books and yogurt back home and let the girls have it when they came back from school, reported Mail Online.

A preliminary probe found that the yogurt was tainted with rat poison. According to the police, the head of a rival kindergarten confess that she injected the poison into the yogurt, and asked a man to place it, along with school supplies, along the road to Liaghe kindergarten, reported Global Times.

Officers believe poisoning was motivated by competition for students between the schools, reported Mail Online.

At least 80 people died Wednesday when an eight-story building housing garment factory collapsed, reported news sources.

Mohammed Neauzuddin, secretary of the health ministry, confirmed the death toll, and local police said hundreds more people remained trapped under the rubble, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Some staff had complained of cracks in the building, triggering a temporary evacuation yesterday before their managers forced workers back to the production line, reported ABC News.

Building collapses are common in Bangladesh where developers often flout the official construction code, reported ABC News.

The Wall Street Journal reported that more than 700 workers in Bangladesh have died in fires over the past decade, according to labor groups.

President Barack Obama has said he doesn't believe North Korea can fit a nuclear warhead on a missile reported news sources.

This casts strong doubt on an alarming assessment disclosed last week by the Pentagon's intelligence arm, reported Fox 6 Now.

The president warned the young North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that weeks of threats against the United States and South Korea had only served to isolate the regime further, reported CNN.

Asked in an NBC News interview whether North Korea could put a nuclear weapon on a ballistic missile, Obama said, "Based on our current intelligence assessments, we do no think that they have that capacity," reported Fox 6 Now.

According to a part of a document read out by a congressman as a House Armed Services Committee hearing last week, the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency believes "with moderate confidence" that the North had developed nuclear weapons it could deliver on a ballistic missile, although with low reliability, reported CNN.

U.S. and Japanese officials say their countries are committed to new talks with North Korea if the reclusive communist government beings abiding by previous agreements on its nuclear program, reported news sources.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry tells reports in Tokyo that there is a clear course of action available to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reported Kare 11.

Japan's foreign minister, Fumio Kishida says North Korea must put in place deals that it previously has committed to regarding its nuclear and missile programs on returning kidnapped foreigners, reported Kare 11.

Kerry is scheduled to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday and then return to the US later the same day, reported CBS News.

Oscar Pistorius wants to train again and recently went back to visit his regular track in South Africa's capital, reported news sources.

Pistorius, the Olympian runner, is charged with murder for the Feb. 14 shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, reported Fox News.

Peet Van Zyl, Pistorius' agent, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Pistorius met with him and coach Ampic Louw on Tuesday to discuss a return to running, reported Fox News.

There was still no decision on an exact date for his return, but during their meeting Pistorius was "definitely keen to get back on the track to resume training," Van Zyl said, reported USA Today.

"He hasn't trained at all since the incident and you can't expect him to go into competition. More important, mentally he is not there yet, he is some way off," Van Zyl said, reported USA Today.

Pistorius has been released on bail. His next court appearance is June 4, reported Fox News.

Cyprus avoided bankruptcy when European Union officials accepted a last-minute deal to secure a $13 billion bailout, news sources reported.

The deal came as euro ministers in Brussels threatened to cut off crucial emergency assistance to Cyprus' embattled banks after business on Monday if no agreement was reached, reported Fox News.

"It's not that we won a battle, but we really have avoided a disastrous exit from the eurozone," Cyprus' Finance Minister Michalis Sarris told The Associated Press.

Under the deal, Laiki, the country's second-largest bank, will be restructured, with all bond holders and people with more than 100,00 euros in their accounts facing significant losses, reported Fox News.

To pay back the loan, the Cypriot government will raise money by seizing bank assets from large deposits, with the remaining coming from tax increases and privations, reported Fox News.

"The near future will be very difficult for the country and its people," the EU Commission's top economic official, Olli Rehn told The Associated Press. "But (the measures) will be necessary for the Cypriot people to rebuild their economy on a new basis."

First Latin American pope, Pope Fancis, undergoes complications from the 'dark times' in his life, news sources reported.

In 1976, when dictators ruled Argentina and Francis was the nation's top Jesuit, the navy kidnapped priests Orlando Yorio and Francisco Jalics, reported CNN.

Pope Francis was accused of knowing about the serious human rights abuses but failed to do enough to halt them, reported The New York Times.

The allegations have against Francis have never been proved, reported CNN.

However, the sandal left hard feelings toward Pope Francis. The human rights group Center for Legal and Social Studies in Argentina opposes Francis' selection as pope, reported CNN.

Others admire Pope Francis' personality and are excited to see the changes he will bring to the Roman Catholic Church.

"I think the name Francis was a great choice," Maria Augusta Barbosa reported to The New York Times. "His speech and demeanor, even his tunic, was so humble. My favorite part was when he asked us to bless him, before he blessed us. It was one of the most emotional moments of my entire life."

Venezuela is mourning the death of their president, Hugo Chavez, who passed away from cancer Tuesday, news sources reported.

Leading much of South America to independence and reaching for revolutionary changes, Chavez was re-elected three times and won the admiration among many in Venezuela. Throughout his 14 years in office, Chavez developed social programs such as new public housing, free health clinics, and educational programs, the Star Tribune reported.

Chavez was diagnosed with cancer in June 2011, but the government never revealed the exact type of cancer. During the election campaign in 2012, tests showed he was cancer-free, but two months later Chavez went to Cuba for yet another cancer-related surgery, the Star Tribune reported.

In Caracas, Venezuela flags flew at half mast and branches of the government and the military came together in remembrance of President Chavez Tuesday, CNN reported.

Venezuela's Vice President, Nicolas Madura, will hold presidency until the elections are held in 30 days, according to CNN.