The United Nations declared a famine on Wednesday in parts of southern Somalia and warned that the suffering could rapidly spread without a massive and immediate international response.

Libya's foreign minister has denied that Col Muammar Gaddafi's removal was being considered in efforts to end the country's conflict.

Germany and France have reached a common position on a second bailout of Greece in their effort to prevent the country's debt crisis from spreading through Europe, officials said on Thursday.

The US has said it will send aid to famine-hit areas of Somalia controlled by the Islamist group al-Shabab.

Egypt's reshuffled cabinet will be sworn in on Thursday before Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, state media quoted a military source as saying on Wednesday.

At their 44th meeting (AMM 44) in Bali, Indonesia, on July 19, Foreign Ministers discussed how to boost cooperation between ASEAN and its partners to ensure peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large.

The European Commission has approved seven schemes set up to ensure that biofuels used in the EU are produced in an environmentally sustainable way.

The United Nations declared a famine in parts of southern Somalia on July 20 amid the worst drought in 60 years, which has sent thousands walking for days to neighboring countries in search of food.

A large and powerful typhoon lashed Shikoku Island and parts of the Kinki region in western Japan early July 20, leaving one people missing and 50 injured in 15 prefectures, local press reported.

Hina Rabbani Khar on July 19 took oath as Pakistan's 26th Minister of Foreign Affairs just days ahead of the foreign ministerial-level talks with India, the Foreign Ministry said.