VOA news for Friday, January 29th, 2016 (real time)

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• published: 29 Jan 2016
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VOA news for Friday, January 29th, 2016 Thanks to http://gandalf.ddo.jp/ for audio and text From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David DeForest reporting. A dangerous disease spreads. The World Health Organization will convene an emergency committee next week on the Zika virus. Jeff Custer takes a look. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said the Zika virus was considered to be a little threat to humans when it was first discovered in Uganda in 1947. But since that time, she said, it has spread throughout the world and in recent years become associated with neurological complications. “Last year the virus was detected in the Americas, where it is now spreading explosively.” Chan stressed that the direct, causal relationship between Zika virus and these birth effects, known as microcephaly, has not been firmly established, but she said it is strongly suspected. Jeff Custer, Washington. The Syrian opposition says it will not be at talks on the situation in Syria scheduled to begin in Geneva on Friday. The Saudi-backed group known as the High Negotiations Council says the responses they received to their demands for an end to airstrikes and the lifting of a siege in Syria are not acceptable. Staffan de Mistura, U.N. special envoy to Syria, says the talks are important. “We are planning to launch what we call the Intra-Syrian talks, negotiations, in order to have progress in the context of reaching, finally, stability and peace and dignity back in Syria.” :the U.N.'s Staffan de Mistura. Political leaders in Somalia have agreed to a framework for holding elections this year. The framework was announced Thursday after two days of talks in Mogadishu. No dates for the elections were announced. The current government's mandate to rule runs out in September. For more, check our website voanews.com. This is VOA news. Seven U.S. Republican presidential candidates are set to debate again on Thursday. The party's leading contender, Donald Trump, is holding firm that he will boycott the event. Trump is protesting the inclusion of a debate moderator he contends has treated him unfairly. A U.S. Senate panel unanimously approved tougher sanctions against North Korea. The sanctions target the North's nuclear program, the cyber activities and violations of human rights. French police have arrested a man who was carrying two handguns and ammunition at a hotel in the Disneyland Paris theme park. Authorities say the man's bag triggered metal detectors at the hotel. A woman was believed to be traveling with the man. She slipped away and was unable to be found and detained. Police said the man had papers indicating he lives in Paris, and he had a reservation at the hotel. The American teenager wanted for violating his probation in a deadly drunk driving crash has been deported from Mexico to the United States. Ethan Couch was sent to a juvenile detention center. He arrived at a Texas airport escorted by police officers Thursday. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has signed trade agreements with France worth billions of dollars. The signing followed the lifting of international sanctions [opposed over] imposed, rather, over Iran's nuclear program. Mr. Rouhani met with French President François Hollande at the Elysee Palace. Some 20 agreements were signed in the presence of the two leaders, some of them dealing with issues of health, agriculture and the environment. Here is the latest on the French migrant crisis. The Netherlands, which holds the European Union presidency, is presenting a plan. It would require a group of European nations to accept about 250,000 refugees coming from Turkey, that in exchange for sending back to Greece hundreds of thousands of migrants who have already arrived. Meanwhile, the bodies of at least 18 migrants who drowned when their boat capsized were recovered Thursday off the coast of the Greek island of Samos. Authorities say 10 people were rescued. Most of the fatalities were children. The U.S. Army general picked to lead U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. He is warning that the security situation in that country is deteriorating. Lieutenant-General John “Mick” Nicholson told the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday terrorist groups, such as the Islamic State and al-Qaeda, continue to see Afghanistan as an attractive sanctuary. Opposition groups in Zambia are accusing the police there of using the nation's Public Order Act that violates citizen's constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. A spokesman for the police says political groups must coordinate their activities with authorities to maintain peace and stability. A local Catholic Bishops Conference is calling on police to be impartial and non-partisan as elections approach. I'm David DeForest. That's the latest world news from VOA.