Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is traveling to Myanmar on the first visit to the country by a Japanese leader in 36 years, as Tokyo bids to reassert its position as a top economic partner after decades of frosty relations with the previous military regime.

At least 15 people injured

A steady decline in the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota and has won solid support from Japan's main trading partners, who are betting the impact on their own currencies will be offset by gains from a recovery in the world's third-largest economy.

A massive power failure has affected more than 8 million people in Thailand's 14 southern provinces, including popular tourist areas such as Koh Samui and Phuket, in one of the country's biggest blackouts in recent memory.

The agency says in a press release Monday that the illegal items were seized between May 6 and May 10 at an international mail facility and at Los Angeles International Airport.

Graeme McDowell battled back from an early deficit and claimed the World Match Play Championship title on Sunday with a 2 & 1 victory over Thongchai Jaidee.

Former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell will play Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee in the final of the World Match-Play Championship in Bulgaria.

Graeme McDowell avenged last year's World Match Play Championship defeat on Saturday and advanced to the semifinals with a 2 & 1 victory over Nicolas Colsaerts.Eliminated by Colsaerts in last year's title match and the 2011 quarterfinals, McDowell atoned at Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort and sent the reigning champ packing

Third-round victories on Saturday morning by defending champion Nicolas Colsaerts and Graeme McDowell set up a rematch of last year's World Match Play Championship final.This time, the pair will meet in the quarterfinals after Colsaerts prevailed over Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano at Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort and McDowell ousted Bo Van Pelt, the only American in the field, The reigning champ took the first five holes from Fernandez-Castano, but needed all 18 to finally secure a 2-up victory

Graeme McDowell advanced to the World Match Play Championship round of 16 with a win over Stephen Gallacher on Friday, while Ian Poulter suffered an early exit.McDowell, ranked eighth in the world, defeated Chris Wood at Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort on Thursday before dispatching Gallacher, 4 & 2, a day later to clinch a third-round berth