VOA NEWS

October 28, 2014

From Washington, this is VOA news. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. says West Africa's need for help in fighting Ebola is staggering, and an American nurse who is quarantined in the U.S. after returning from West Africa is allowed to go home. I'm Michael Lipin reporting from Washington.



The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is calling for a greater international response to the Ebola outbreak that has killed almost 5,000 people in West Africa.

In a Twitter message posted on Monday as she spent a day in Guinea, Samantha Power said the "scale of need is staggering." She also said the provision of the "most basic resources to the affected countries will help to save lives."

Power later touched down in Sierra Leone for the second leg of her regional tour, which also will take her to Liberia.

Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia all have been hit hard by Ebola.

In Guinea, Power highlighted the efforts of Doctors Without Borders and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to treat Ebola patients, build medical facilities and educate people about the virus.



A U.S. nurse quarantined for exposure to Ebola has been cleared to return home as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control issued new guidelines for health workers returning from West Africa.

The CDC said Monday that health workers at the highest risk of infection should voluntarily quarantine themselves at home.

But the U.S. agency said most medical workers returning from West Africa would not need isolation and could simply be monitored by U.S. authorities.

The new guidelines come as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced that an American nurse quarantined by state officials could finish her quarantine at home.



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International humanitarian officials who have just returned from Iraq say a major humanitarian emergency is unfolding in the conflict-ridden country.

A joint mission by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs visited the Iraq regions of Baghdad, Irbil and Dohuk and viewed the situation along the Iraqi-Turkish border. Lisa Schlein has more on what they found.

The mission says the situation is particularly dramatic in Kurdistan, which is bearing the brunt of the displacement crisis.

That region currently is hosting 850,000 of the 1.8 million people who have fled attacks from the so-called Islamic State group.

Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Hesham Youssef says humanitarian requirements are enormous.

"Winterization and shelter are priorities, particularly in the north because of those who are living in dire conditions. Medical care also is a priority because many camps do not have adequate medical facilities and schooling perhaps is the biggest problems for many. But, as far as displaced persons are concerned, there are zero schools."

Last week, the United Nations appealed for $2.2 billion to meet the humanitarian needs of 5.2 million Iraqis through 2015.

Lisa Schlein, for VOA news, Geneva.



Countries in the Horn of Africa will receive more than $8 billion for economic development as part of a new initiative unveiled in Ethiopia.

Monday's aid pledges came from the European Union and three international development banks in a regional meeting in Addis Ababa hosted by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The multi-billion dollar initiative is designed to help eight Horn of Africa nations to reduce poverty and create economic growth and opportunities.

The nations include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.



Tunisia's main opposition party is claiming victory after Sunday's election for a new parliament.

The secular Nidaa Tounes party said Monday that it has won almost 80 seats in the 217-member assembly, citing exit polls and preliminary results.

Those figures indicated that the moderate Islamist Ennahda party would take around 60 seats.

About 90 parties competed in the election, the latest democratic step since Tunisians overthrew their authoritarian leader, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, in 2011.

Presidential elections are set for late November.



I'm Michael Lipin in Washington.

That's the latest world news from VOA.