1) Zika: even worse than we thought
The World Health Organization gave an update this week on the latest scientific research into the Zika virus and it was pretty much all bad news. Zika is more easily transmittable through sexual contact than was previously thought, said the WHO. Also, the WHO said that preliminary research suggests that the virus is having a particularly easy time to infect fetuses at most stages of pregnancy. Accordingly, it warned pregnant women from visiting Zika-endemic countries, the number of which now stands at 33. Finally, the WHO said that the correlation between Zika and a neurological disorder known as Guilliane Barre Syndrome is stronger than expected. All in all, it seems that the more we learn about this disease, the scarier it gets.
Go deeper: WHO http://bit.ly/1LdnsVm
2) Balkans Shut Borders
Four countries in the Balkans, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia completely shut their borders to migrants this week. This all but cuts off access to northern Europe for migrants and refugees who have fled to Greece. These countries enacted these restrictions with the implicit backing of the European Union, which is currently negotiating a deal with Turkey that would involve sending refugees and migrants back to Turkey from Europe. Meanwhile, the number of refugees and migrants stuck in Greece is increasing dramatically by the day. Needless to say, these moves are in contravention of international refugee and asylum law. Under great stress, Europe is failing to live up to its international obligations toward refugees and migrants.
Go deeper: NYT http://nyti.ms/1Ugit7K
3) The USAID Administrator Sets Her Agenda
There is only one year left in the Obama administration. but the newly confirmed USAID administrator, Gayle Smith, laid out a big agenda for US development policy in a speech on capitol hill this week. In it, Smith praised the by partisan consensus around global development issues and committed USAID to “help economies become less dependent on aid by driving steady flows of domestic and private capital. And…to craft what I would call “systemic” public private partnerships that achieve impact across supply chains, delivering results for development and changing business models for the better.”
Go deeper: USAID http://1.usa.gov/1UgidFR
4) US intensifies intervention in Somalia
There was a pronounced policy shift in American military intervention in Somalia this week, embodied in two events. Over the weekend, US drones and airstrikes destroyed a suspected al Shebaab training facility, killing over 150 people. Then, on Tuesday night, US Special Operations forces participated in a spectacular night raid against a shebaab village in Somalia. The US claims that these assaults were compelled by intelligence suggesting that shebaab, a violent and horrific terrorist group, was preparing to launch new attacks against Somali and international targets. The two strikes signal the US is willing and committed to escalate a military offensive against al Shebaab.
Go deeper: Reuters http://wapo.st/1UgiHMm