VOA NEWS

August 5, 2014

From Washington, this is VOA news. Coming up, Israel and Hamas agree to another truce. Nigeria confirming a second Ebola case. Hello everyone, I'm Steve Norman.



Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 72-hour cease-fire in the Gaza Strip beginning early Tuesday.

That announcement came late Monday in Cairo, where Egyptian mediators held talks with a Palestinian delegation on terms of a durable truce in the Gaza conflict.

A senior Israeli official was quoted as saying an Israeli delegation was headed to Cairo for talks during the three-day cease-fire aimed at reaching agreement on a long-term truce.

Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country's military forces were nearing the end of their push to destroy tunnels Hamas has used to store weapons and infiltrate Israel.

But he said Israel's 28-day campaign to demilitarize Gaza and end Hamas rocket launches into Israel will end only when there is "a [long] prolonged period of quiet and security" for Israeli citizens.



The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has jumped to almost 900, with dozens of new fatalities reported in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The World Health Organization released the new figures Monday as authorities in Nigeria reported the country's second confirmed case of Ebola -- a doctor who treated the first patient who died July 25th in Lagos.

We get more now from VOA's Heather Murdock.

The Nigerian government says it is increasing health screenings at airports and international land borders after tests confirmed over the weekend that a Nigerian doctor has Ebola.

The Lagos doctor cared for Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American finance consultant, who died of Ebola on July 25th a few days after traveling from Liberia to Nigeria through Ghana and Togo.

The doctor, whose name was not released, is currently being treated in isolation.

Heather Murdock, for VOA news, Abuja.

A New York hospital is testing a man with possible symptoms of the Ebola virus. He was suffering from a high fever in gastrointestinal problems when he arrived at the emergency room of Mount Sinai Hospital early on Monday and was quickly isolated.

They say the patient recently traveled to a West African country where Ebola has been reported and he is now undergoing tests to determine the cause of his illness.

No other details about the man were given.

Meantime, an American missionary doctor who contracted Ebola while treating patients in Liberia is reported to be improving at a hospital in the southern U.S. city of Atlanta.

Another U.S. missionary who contracted the disease in Liberia is expected to arrive at the Atlanta hospital on Tuesday.



U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told African leaders visiting Washington for a three-day summit the United States is ready to strengthen its business ties with Africa. VOA's Pam Dockins has details.

Kicking off a series of events, Secretary of State John Kerry says a dramatic transformation is possible in Africa and it's possible within the next few years. He urged African ministers to embrace free market ideals and U.S.-Africa cooperation.

"So I say unabashedly: We want and we will work hard to get more American companies to invest in Africa. We also want more African companies to invest here in the United States, and there's no reason that they shouldn't."

But he also called for greater transparency and a commitment to fight corruption.

Pam Dockins, VOA news, the State Department.



Russian officials say their military is beginning exercises in the central and western regions of the country, which would include the Ukraine border region.

The officials say the drills involving more than 100 fighter jets and helicopters will last through the end of the week.

While the announcement did not mention Ukraine, the military exercises could increase tensions in the already volatile region.

The United States and its European allies accuse Russia of arming pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, as well as building up military forces along the border with Ukraine and cross-border shelling.



The White House press secretary who was shot and suffered a devastating head wound in the 1981 assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan, James Brady, has died. He died Monday at the age of 73.

He was near President Reagan outside a Washington hotel when a gunman opened fire in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the president.

Mr. Reagan was hit twice but recovered while Brady was left paralyzed and permanently disabled.

He went on to conduct a life-long campaign for tighter U.S. gun controls.



That's the latest world news from VOA.