The World Health Organization (WHO) has called its second emergency meeting ever (it was founded in 1948) to discuss the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome–coronoavirus (MERS-CoV). There have only been 79 documented cases in the world–in 9 countries, but mostly in Saudi Arabia. But of the 79 cases, 42 have proven to be fatal, which makes MERS-CoV one of the most lethal viruses ever. It does not appear to be highly contagious, but WHO is worried that with millions of pilgrims expected to visit Saudi Arabia during the holy month of Ramadan the virus may spread globally in a very short period of time. Unfortunately, it has quite a long incubation period so screening people before they leave Suadi Arabia does not promise to be highly effective.
Many people have been killed in the recent violence in Egypt, and it seems that little progress is being made in creating a government that could effectively rule. The Muslim Brotherhood has called for an “uprising” of the Egyptian people to “restore” democracy to Egypt. The call signals an intent not to cooperate with efforts to forge reconciliation. Without the cooperation of the Brotherhood, such an outcome appears impossible at this time.
A special COmmission in Pakistan has accused the Pakistani government, especially the military and the intelligence services, of gross incompetence in its handling of the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden for about 10 years. The report was leaked to Al Jazeera and can be accessed here. The report also accuses the US of the “murder” of bin Laden and for humiliating the sovereignty of Pakistan. Needless to say, the failure of Pakistan to identify bin Laden for such a long time strained US-Pakistani relations for an extended period of time.
World Politics News 
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