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African Swine Fever Spreads Across Vietnam, Threatens Food Supply
The Vietnamese government on Friday raised concerns over the growing spread of African swine fever, warning that the outbreaks could disrupt food supplies across the Southeast Asian nation.
Vietnam has this year detected 514 outbreaks in 28 out of 34 cities and provinces nationwide, the government said in a statement, adding that the authorities have culled more than 30,000 infected pigs.
“The risk of African swine fever is on a rising trend, negatively affecting the pig farming industry, food supplies and the environment,” the government said.
Disruption In Global Pork Market
African swine fever has disrupted the global pork market for years. In the worst outbreak over 2018-19, about half the domestic pig population died in China, the world’s biggest producer, causing losses estimated at over $100 billion.
The recent outbreaks in Vietnam have prompted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to send an urgent directive to provinces and government agencies this week to deploy measures to curb the disease.
Vaccination Rate Low
Vietnam in 2023 approved the domestic commercial use of its first home-grown African swine fever vaccines, but officials said the rate of vaccinated pigs remains low.
“Only around 30% of the pigs in my province have been vaccinated,” said an animal health official of Quang Ngai province, where infections have been reported over the past few weeks.
“It’s not clear why the rate is low – it could either be the issue of vaccine availability, efficiency or cost,” said another provincial official, who declined to be named as the person is not authorised to speak to the media.
The agriculture ministry’s Department of Animal Health didn’t respond to Reuters’ request for comment. Calls to AVAC Vietnam JSC, the country’s main African swine fever vaccine producer, went unanswered.
AVAC said last month it had sold 3 million vaccine doses in the domestic market and exported 600,000 doses to the Philippines and Indonesia.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Trump Diagnosed With Common Vein Condition, Says Doctor
The White House on Thursday confirmed that US President Donald Trump is experiencing swelling in his lower legs and bruising on his right hand, following the circulation of photographs showing his ankles appearing swollen and makeup seemingly covering the affected area on his hand.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, reading a letter from Trump’s doctor at a press briefing, said both ailments were benign. His leg swelling is from a “common” vein condition, and his hand is bruised from shaking so many hands, she told reporters.
The disclosure sought to put to rest a raft of internet rumours that the 79-year-old Trump might be suffering from a serious ailment based on the photographic evidence.
‘Chronic Venous Insufficiency’
After Leavitt’s briefing, the White House released the letter from a US Navy officer who is Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella. It said Trump underwent a suite of tests about the issues.
Barbabella said an ultrasound on the president’s legs “revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70”.
The letter said there was no evidence Trump had contracted deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.
Additional exams identified no signs of heart failure, kidney impairment, or a systemic illness, Barbabella said.
Leavitt told reporters Trump was not experiencing discomfort due to the condition.
Barbabella also said that Trump had bruising on the back of his right hand.
Trump In ‘Excellent Health’
He described this as “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen”.
“President Trump remains in excellent health,” he said.
Kwame Amankwah, a physician who is chief of vascular surgery at the University of Connecticut in Hartford, said chronic venous insufficiency is usually an issue with the lower legs in which the veins have problems sending blood from the legs back to the heart.
It is usually treated with compression stockings and leg elevation, he said.
“Even if he doesn’t have heart disease, the condition needs to be addressed. If it’s not managed with compression stockings and elevation, severe swelling and ulcers can develop, warranting more significant medical interventions,” Amankwah said.
‘Quality Of Life Issue’
Todd Berland, a physician who is director of outpatient vascular interventions at NYU Langone Health, said chronic venous insufficiency “has no overall effect on life expectancy. It’s a quality-of-life issue, not a quantity of life issue”.
Trump underwent an extensive physical examination on April 11 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington. It said Trump had a normal heart rhythm and no major health problems.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Trump Slams ‘Fake’ Epstein Letter, Vows Legal Action
In a fresh controversy, US President Donald Trump’s name has surfaced in a risque 2003 personal note allegedly addressed to Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday. Trump has denied the authenticity of the letter, calling it fake.
The Journal reported that the letter was one of several included in a leather-bound album meant to celebrate Epstein’s 50th birthday, about three years before sex-abuse allegations emerged against the financier.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the letter.
Trump To Sue Rupert Murdoch
Trump quickly responded to the story on his Truth Social platform, saying he would sue the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, who controls its publisher, News Corp.
“The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued,” Trump wrote. “President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly.”
A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones & Co, declined to comment on its story or Trump’s threat to sue. Representatives for News Corp and Murdoch could not immediately be reached for comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The White House has been roiled by questions about disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Epstein, after the Justice Department this month concluded that there was no evidence to support a number of long-held conspiracy theories about his clients and 2019 death in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including “a lot of names” and “a lot of flight logs”.
‘Big Hoax’
Some Trump supporters have demanded the release of more information on Epstein, causing a rare fracture within his base of support. Trump has pushed back.
“It’s all been a big hoax,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, as calls increased for the release of more information on Epstein’s clients.
The Journal said the letter, bearing Trump’s name, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker. The newspaper said the letter concludes “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret”, and featured the signature “Donald”.
‘Utter Bullshit’
Vice President JD Vance responded to the story on X, saying, “Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it.”
Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 – after the birthday book was compiled – and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal. Epstein died in 2019 in jail after he was arrested a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Lula Slams US’ Brazil Tariff As ‘Unacceptable Blackmail’
In a strong rebuke, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday asserted that he would not accept instructions on tariffs from a foreign leader — referring to US President Donald Trump — and went on to describe the United States’ threatened import duty as “unacceptable blackmail”.
The comments, made during two separate events, mark a continuation of a spat between the two leaders that escalated when the US announced a 50% tariff on Brazil last week.
Trump attributed the tariff, set to start in August, to Brazil’s treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro and to trade practices against US companies that he said are unfair. The tariff announcement came days after Lula called Trump an “emperor” the world does not want.
‘Gringo’
Lula and members of his cabinet have rejected the reasoning behind the tariffs and insisted on Brazil’s sovereignty, while calling for trade negotiations with the United States.
“No foreigner is going to give orders to this president,” Lula said in a speech, using the slang word ‘gringo’, which in Brazil is a common term for foreigners without the pejorative sense it carries in other parts of Latin America.
He added that Brazil would go ahead with regulation and taxation of US tech firms, telling a gathering of leftist student activists in the state of Goias that tech firms are conduits of violence and fake news disguised as freedom of expression.
Later on Thursday, during an evening TV and radio address to the nation, Lula said the defence of Brazil’s sovereignty extends to protecting itself against the actions of foreign digital platforms.
Blackmail, False Information
During the near five-minute address, Lula said Brazil has been negotiating with the US over tariffs, and repeated that the Latin America country had sent a proposal in May.
“We expected a response, and what we received was unacceptable blackmail, in the form of threats to Brazilian institutions and false information about trade between Brazil and the United States,” Lula said.
Brasilia has been holding discussions with industry groups and companies that will be affected by the US tariff, while also readying potential retaliatory measures if talks fall through.
Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told CNN Brasil separately on Thursday that Lula was open to talks with Trump, who had not yet met each other.
“If the circumstances are given, they will speak,” he added.
Lula, who is in his third non-consecutive term as president of Latin America’s largest economy, saw his approval ratings start to rebound after the trade spat with Trump last week.
(With inputs from Reuters)
India Can Secure Oil Needs From Alternatives If Russian Supply Hit by Sanctions: Minister
India is confident it can meet its oil requirements through alternative sources if Russian supplies are disrupted by secondary sanctions, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.
Earlier this week, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that countries purchasing Russian exports could face sanctions if Moscow fails to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine within 50 days.
Separately, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned on Wednesday that some countries, including India, could be hit very hard by the sanctions if they continued to do business with Russia.
India should be able to deal with any problems with Russian imports by seeking supplies from other countries, Puri said. He noted there are many new suppliers coming onto the market, such as Guyana and supply from existing producers such as Brazil and Canada.
Additionally, India is increasing exploration and production activities.
“I’m not worried at all. If something happens, we’ll deal with it,” Puri said at an industry event in New Delhi.
“India has diversified the sources of supply, and we have gone, I think, from about 27 countries that we used to buy from to about 40 countries now,” he said.
‘Overriding Priority’
Responding to Rutte’s comments, India’s foreign ministry spokesperson said that securing energy needs was an “overriding priority” for the country, in which it was guided by what was on offer in markets and the “prevailing global circumstances”.
“We would particularly caution against any double standards on the matter,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing.
India’s oil imports from Russia rose marginally in the first half of this year, with private refiners Reliance Industries Ltd and Nayara Energy making about half of the overall purchases from Moscow.
Russia continued to be the top supplier to India, accounting for about 35% of India’s overall supplies, followed by Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, the data showed.
In case Russian supplies are hit, Indian Oil Corp will “go back to the same template (of supplies) as was used pre-Ukraine crisis when Russian supplies to India were below 2%,” company Chairman A.S. Sahney told reporters at the event.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Turkiye PM Erdogan Risks Nationalist Backlash Over Peace Overture To PKK Militants
President Tayyip Erdogan risks alienating Turkiye’s nationalist voters by pursuing peace with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants, after last week’s weapon-burning ceremony was dismissed by some as mere theatrics.
A backlash to Erdogan’s call on Saturday for wide parliamentary support for the process underlines the challenge he faces in balancing nationalist and Kurdish demands, with a failure to do so potentially jeopardising the plan’s success.
Erdogan’s own future is also at stake: his term runs out in 2028 unless parliament backs the idea of early elections or a change in the constitution to extend a 22-year rule in which he has raised NATO member Turkiye’s profile on the world stage. He insists that personal political considerations play no role.
“The doors of a new powerful Turkiye have been flung wide open,” he said on Saturday of the symbolic initial handover of arms.
While his AKP party’s far-right nationalist coalition partner, MHP, drove the peace process, smaller nationalist parties have condemned it. They recalled his years condemning the pro-Kurdish DEM party as being tied to the 40-year PKK insurgency that the PKK now says is over.
Erdogan’s comments about “walking together” with DEM drew a cool response from the pro-Kurdish party itself, with DEM lawmaker Pervin Buldan saying there was no broad political alliance between it and the AKP.
AKP spokesperson Omer Celik reaffirmed the president’s nationalist credentials in response to a request for comment on his statement, saying the process “is not give-and-take, negotiation, or bargaining.”
Parliament is convening a commission tasked with deciding how to address Kurdish demands for more autonomy and the reintegration of fighters complying with the February disarmament call of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan.
The nationalist opposition IYI Party is refusing to take part, with its leader, Musavat Dervisoglu, describing the peace process at the weekend as a betrayal after a conflict which has killed more than 40,000 people.
“We will not allow the Republic to be destroyed, we will not allow the Turkish homeland to be divided, we will not surrender to betrayal,” he said.
Umit Ozdag, head of the opposition Victory Party, also sought to stir nationalist passions, slamming the commission as a bid to legitimise the PKK and dismissing the event where 30 PKK members burned their guns as a “barbecue party”.
“You don’t just burn 30 rifles and call it a day. Weapons are surrendered, and PKK members interrogated one-by-one.”
A senior Turkish official said the gun burning was an “irreversible turning point”. It is part of a five-stage process culminating in legal reforms and social reconciliation by early 2026, according to another Turkish source.
Number Crunching
While those parties could not derail the peace process alone, Erdogan, a shrewd political operator, is likely to closely monitor public reaction as the commission starts its work.
A private June survey by the Konda pollster, seen by Reuters, showed that only 12% of respondents believe the PKK, designated as a terrorist group by Turkiye and its Western allies, has abandoned the insurgency that it launched in 1984.
It also showed potential candidates for the opposition CHP, now subject to a wide-ranging legal crackdown, beating Erdogan in head-to-head votes in an election.
Erdogan critics say the peace process is aimed at drawing Kurdish support for a new constitution that would both boost their rights and allow him to be a candidate in 2028. He says reform is needed because the constitution is outdated, rather than for any personal reasons, and he has not committed to running again.
It is unclear whether the commission will propose a constitutional change, but such changes require the support of 400 MPs in the 600-seat assembly, with the potential for a referendum if more than 360 MPs vote in favour. The AKP-MHP alliance has 319 seats, while the DEM have 56.
Any move to hold early elections would also require 360 votes, but that – and the peace process itself – would depend on keeping DEM on board.
After meeting the justice minister on Wednesday, DEM’s Buldan said she had insisted that PKK disarmament proceed in lock-step with legal changes.
“The minister expressed commitment to ensuring the process proceeds legally and constitutionally,” she said, adding that there was no specific timeline for disarmament.
(With inputs from Reuters)
India: Investigators Say Too Early To Conclude Cause Of Air India Crash
India’s aircraft accident investigation agency said on Thursday that it was too soon to draw any “definite conclusions” about the cause of last month’s fatal Air India Boeing crash that claimed 260 lives.
“We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process,” Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) chief GVG Yugandhar said, adding that the investigation is still not complete.
Earlier on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with U.S. officials’ early assessment of evidence, reported that a cockpit recording of dialogue between the two pilots of the flight indicated that the captain cut the flow of fuel to the plane’s engines.
Cockpit Voice Recording
The AAIB’s preliminary report on the crash on Saturday said one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel and “the other pilot responded that he did not do so.” It did not identify who made those remarks.
The two pilots in the flight deck were Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, who had total flying experience of 15,638 hours and 3,403 hours, respectively.
Kunder, who was flying the plane, asked Sabharwal why he moved the fuel switches to the “cutoff” position seconds after lifting off the runway, according to the Journal report.
The newspaper did not say if there was any evidence that Sabharwal did move the switches, beyond the verbal exchange it cited.
But it quoted U.S. pilots who have read the Indian authorities’ report as saying that Kunder, the pilot actively flying, likely would have had his hands full pulling back on the Dreamliner’s controls at that stage of the flight.
Almost immediately after the plane lifted off the ground, closed-circuit TV footage showed a backup energy source called a ram air turbine had deployed, indicating a loss of power from the engines.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Western Diplomats Were Metres Away From Israeli Strikes In Damascus: Sources
Western diplomats were driving past Syria’s defence ministry in Damascus in an armoured convoy when Israel launched several missiles at the building on Wednesday, according to two people familiar with the incident, including a Syrian eyewitness.
No-one in the convoy was injured and it continued on its way, the people said, declining to give further details on the nationalities or number of those involved.
Israel launched powerful airstrikes on Damascus on Wednesday, blowing up part of the defence ministry and hitting near the presidential palace, while also striking government security forces operating against terrorists from the country’s Druze minority in the southern province of Sweida.
The attacks marked a significant Israeli escalation against the Islamist-led administration of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. They came despite his warming ties with the U.S. and his administration’s evolving security contacts with Israel.
Israel Vows To Protect Druze
Describing Syria’s new rulers as barely disguised jihadists, Israel has said it will not let them move forces into southern Syria and vowed to shield the area’s Druze community from attack, encouraged by calls from Israel’s own Druze minority.
The U.S. said the fighting would stop soon.
“We have engaged all the parties involved in the clashes in Syria. We have agreed on specific steps that will bring this troubling and horrifying situation to an end tonight,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media.
A Syrian medical source said the strikes on the ministry killed five members of the security forces.
An Israeli military official said the entrance to the military headquarters in Damascus was struck, along with a military target near the presidential palace. The official said Syrian forces were not acting to prevent attacks on Druze and were part of the problem.
“We will not allow southern Syria to become a terror stronghold,” said Eyal Zamir, Israel’s military chief of staff.
Israel says its strikes were part of an effort to protect the Druze minority in southern Syria, an assertion rejected by Syria’s president, who said Israel aimed to undermine the new government’s efforts to bring the country together.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Spain Steps Up Investigation Of Far-Right Groups After Clashes
Spain announced on Thursday that it would intensify investigations into alleged offenses committed by members of far-right and racist groups. The move follows four consecutive nights of violent clashes with African migrants, marking some of the country’s most serious unrest in recent years.
Authorities have detained 11 people and filed more than 60 complaints over hate crimes and disorder since violence erupted last Friday following an attack on a local man in his 60s in the town of Torre Pacheco in southeastern Murcia region.
Police have detained three Moroccan men over the attack in a town where one third of the inhabitants are of migrant origin.
The Interior Ministry said Spain’s terrorism and organised crime intelligence specialists have been asked to include hate crimes within their remit and to monitor online spaces for incitement to violence.
Far-right groups will be investigated for links to national movements, the ministry said, after government claims that Vox, the nationalist party that is now Spain’s third largest electoral force, was inciting violence in Torre Pacheco.
“We cannot allow hatred to take root in our society,” Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said during a meeting of law enforcement officials.
“Crime is not on the rise, nor is it linked to migration,” he added, countering a common refrain of far-right groups.
Vox has denied responsibility for the unrest and blamed the socialist-led government’s migration policies.
Despite a 54% rise in foreign residents between 2011 and 2024, crime has dropped seven percentage points, with hate crimes down 13.8% last year and Spain among the world’s 25 safest nations, Grande-Marlaska said.
‘Unacceptable Attitudes’
As well as the Torre Pacheco trouble, in Alcala de Henares, west of Madrid, there were protests earlier this month after a man – identified as Malian by El Pais newspaper – was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault outside a migrant reception centre.
Four people arrested during an unauthorised protest in front of the same centre are being investigated for disorder.
Grande-Marlaska condemned the Torre Pacheco attack that triggered the unrest and highlighted swift police action to detain the three suspects including the suspected main perpetrator who was attempting to flee to France.
Calls went out on social media for people to go to the town to “protect Spaniards” and “hunt north Africans”.
“These are unacceptable attitudes that have grown in recent years, encouraged by anonymity on social media, but also, and more seriously, by irresponsible politicians,” the minister said.
Spain has been open to migration and its economic benefits, even as other European governments have tightened borders. But debate has reignited, led by Vox, as plans to relocate unaccompanied underage migrants from the Canary Islands to the rest of Spain have been confirmed in recent weeks.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Iraq Hypermarket Fire Kills 69, 11 Missing In al-Kut
A devastating fire broke out at a hypermarket in al-Kut city, southern Iraq, resulting in at least 69 fatalities and leaving 11 people missing, according to the city’s health authorities and police sources, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Reuters’ footage of the aftermath of the overnight fire showed the blackened exterior of “Corniche Hypermarket” building, with rescue teams and security forces still at the site.
Videos verified by Reuters showed firefighters spraying water on the blazing building overnight and people climbing from the roof with the help of rescue teams.
Cause Unclear
“We have more bodies that have not been recovered still under fire debris,” city official Ali al-Mayahi told Reuters.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but an initial police report suggested that the fire had first erupted on the floor where perfumes and cosmetics are sold.
“Raging fires trapped many people inside the mall, and everyone was desperately trying to find a way out,” said Ali Al-Zargani, whose house is next to the market building and who entered the premises after the fire had subsided.
“I saw the charred bodies of children and women lying on the ground — it was a horrifying scene.”
While some of the bodies were prepared for burial, with mourners weeping and praying over the coffins, the remains of more than 15 severely burned victims required DNA testing for identification, a Reuters witness said.
As rescuers combed the smoke-charred building for more bodies, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an immediate investigation to “uncover any shortcomings”, his office said in a statement.
A statement from his office called for national mourning.
Lawsuits Filed
The provincial governor said initial results from an investigation would be announced within 48 hours, the INA state news agency reported.
“We have filed lawsuits against the owner of the building and the mall,” INA quoted the governor as saying.
A lack of safety measures in Iraq has led to large death tolls in fires. In 2023, more than 100 people were killed after a fire swept through a crowded wedding hall in a northern town.
(With inputs from Reuters)