Around the world in 180 characters

Every weekend Paste BN takes a bite-size look in approximately 180 characters per item at the past week's top stories from around the world.

It's a zoo in there

A Danish zoo euthanized — to prevent inbreeding — a healthy giraffe named Marius. The giraffe was then fed to lions.

The Italian job

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta resigned, paving the way for the 39-year-old mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, to take over.

What Cuba embargo?

Despite the trade ban, there's plenty of commerce between the U.S. and Cuba: U.S. companies exported more than $350 million in goods to the island last year.

Korea to Korea: Let's talk

Senior officials for North and South Korea met for the first high-level talks between the two foes in seven years.

Giving it back

German lawmakers introduced a new law to ease the return of art looted during World War II.

Warship diplomacy

Iranian warships headed to the U.S. coast pose little danger to the United States but could be a dry run for the future, security officials said.

Blame game

Protesters went on the rampage in Caracas in some of the largest protests yet against the government of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro.

Peace has no chance

Peace talks in Syria's civil war all but failed, and the crisis that is now heading into its fourth year leaves no other alternate plan from the West to stop the carnage.

Medal tracker

As the week was ending, Germany was leading the overall gold medal count at the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia.