Rebel towns under attack
The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights says the Syrian army and fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah launched an attack on Thursday. They targeted rebel-held towns north of Homs. The observatory added that Russian air strikes supported the operation, hitting targets around the town of Talbiseh and the villages of Teir Malla, Dar Kabira and Khalidiya. Homs is mainly a government-held city. The US, Turkey, and several Arab states accuse Russia of using its operations in Syria to attack rebels fighting against the government.
Refugee crisis
Leaders from the European Union are set to meet about the refugee crisis. This time they’re focusing on helping Turkey. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says it’s crucial they create a joint-action plan with Ankara, which is a major transit point for people crossing into Europe. Turkey has taken in 2 million Syrian refugees.The plan would give Turkey more than 1.1 billion dollars to deal with the crisis. It would also allow some refugees who are already in Turkey to be resettled elsewhere. EU leaders want to strengthen patrols of Turkey's coast to prevent people smuggling. In exchange, Ankara wants to become part of the EU’s visa-free Schengen Zone more quickly.
Peace deal
The government has signed a peace deal with eight rebel groups. They’ve been in talks for two years. But seven other groups have refused to be part of the National Ceasefire Agreement. Many see it as the first step towards ending Myanmar’s six-decade long conflict with ethnic minorities. President Thein Sein is up for re-election next month. The ceasefire deal had been one of his biggest political promises.
Ebola not so easy to eradicate
Scientists say that the Ebola virus can live inside semen for at least nine months after signs of infection appear. The World Health Organization says this discovery highlights the struggle West Africa still faces in controlling the epidemic. The number of people being infected has decreased sharply, but the organisation warns that could still change. Despite the presence of the virus in semen, the WHO says Ebola transmission through sexual contact appears to be rare. More than 11 thousand people have died in the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia that began last year.
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