Reuters News Service BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU veterinary authorities have eased the bloc's blanket ban on poultry imports from Canada and the United States, imposed due to avian flu, to one region in each country, the European Commission said today.
"The current disease situation and available information now allow a reduction of the protective measures to a confined area," the Commission said in a statement.
"For the USA, the import restrictions are now limited to the state of Texas and for Canada to a part of the province of British Columbia," it added.
The vets' decision refers to the EU's ban in imports of live poultry, poultry meat and products and eggs from both countries.
For the United States, the narrower ban will apply until Aug. 23, and for Canada until Oct. 1. A large buffer zone will be set up in case of future outbreaks of the highly contagious disease.
An outbreak of a different strain of the highly contagious virus in Asia has caused at least 24 deaths and prompted the slaughter of tens of millions of fowl.
Vietnam has now said it has stamped out avian flu, after 16 people died from the disease. China has said the same.
Progress has been slower elsewhere in Asia. Thailand has not officially declared the epidemic over, while Indonesia said last week it hopes to declare itself disease-free "in a short time."
The EU is a major importer of hatching eggs from Canada.
It takes one-quarter of its annual egg imports from the United States, which is also a major poultry exporter to the EU.
By MIKE GLENN
Gunmen in two different vehicles opened fire on another car in north Houston on Tuesday night, killing one passenger and sending a second to the hospital, police said.
Others occupants in the vehicle that was attacked told police they were driving on West Rankin Road near Spears Road about 9 p.m. when a sports utility vehicle and an Acura pulled up beside them. The assailants began riddling the victims' white Mitsubishi with gunfire from a large-caliber pistol and a shotgun.
"None of them that we talked to so far know the people that shot at them," said Sgt. Russ Hayes with the Houston police homicide division. "They are saying that they were shot at unprovoked."
An 18-year-old in the front passenger seat was struck in the head and died in the car. A 17-year-old in the back seat also was shot in the head but survived the attack and was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital.
"He's apparently stable right now," Hayes said early today.
The victims fled but soon were stopped at Ella near Pennbright when a Harris County Sheriff's deputy spotted sparks flying from the heavily-damaged vehicle.
"One of the tires had been shot out (and) they were running on the rim," Hayes said.
While they claimed to be innocent victims of the assault, detectives said the people in the Mitsubishi also had been armed.
"We have reason to believe that they stopped their vehicle and threw the weapons out," Hayes said. "We're looking for those right now."
Police at the scene said they didn't have a viable description of the suspects. The motive also was unknown late Tuesday.