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WHO declares state of emergency over Zika

Tuesday, 02 February 2016 2:42 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 02 February 2016 2:42 AM ]

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Margaret Chan (AFP Photo)

Here is a round-up of global news developments:

The World Health Organization has declared a state of emergency over the outbreak of Zika virus. Zika has already affected the Americas and been spotted in Indonesia. The virus produces flu-like symptoms and is blamed for causing grave brain damage in newborns.
Human Rights Watch has released a report slamming human right violations in the United States. The report on the situation of human rights in 2015 says many US laws and practices violate internationally-recognized human rights. It also blasts racial discrimination against African-Americans in the country.
US presidential candidates are making their last pitch to undecided voters as polls show a close race in both Democratic and Republican caucuses. Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton is ahead of Senator Bernie Sanders by around three percentage points, and Republican Donald Trump is ahead of Ted Cruz by a 7-point margin.
Israel is set to release another suspect of last July’s deadly arson attack in the occupied West Bank which killed three members of a Palestinian family, including an 18-month-old Palestinian toddler. Eviatar Slonim will be freed in the coming days, after being in detention for six months.
French authorities have demolished a makeshift mosque and church at the Calais Jungle refugee camp. A local official said the demolition was aimed at establishing a 100-meter safe zone around the perimeter of the camp. The destruction has outraged refugees and activists at the site.
At least five Turkish soldiers have been killed in two separate attacks by Kurdish PKK militants in the southeast of the country. Several soldiers and police officers are reported injured in the fighting. Ankara has launched a military campaign against the militants in the Kurdish-populated areas.
The United Nations says Syria has agreed to allow aid into several areas which Damascus says are besieged by militants. The spokesman of the UN's humanitarian agency, Jens Laerke, says the aid convoys are to be sent to the town of Madaya as well as Kafriya and Fu’ah villages.
In Yemen, one person has been killed and seven others were wounded in fresh Saudi airstrikes in Dhamar province. Earlier, Saudi forces shelled the border province of Sa’ada, killing a mother and her daughter. Over 8,300 Yemenis have been killed in Saudi attacks since March 2015.

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