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UN hosted Syria peace talks begin in Geneva; Opposition declines to participate as Assad and Russian attacks continue

The meetings are part of a process outlined in a U.N. resolution last month that envisages an 18-month timetable for a political transition in Syria, including the drafting of a new constitution and elections. The opposition boycott is a blow to the U.N.’s attempt to bring representatives of President Bashar Assad’s government and his opponents together for the first time in two years.

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UN health chief: Zika virus is ‘spreading explosively’

The warning from the World Health Organization came amid a call to arms by officials on both sides of the Atlantic over the mosquito-borne virus, which has been linked to a spike in a rare birth defect in Brazil. Brazil’s president—noting there is no medical defense against the infection—called for a crusade against the mosquitoes spreading it.

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Pope Francis Meets Apple CEO Tim Cook

The pontiff spent around 15 minutes in a private conversation with Cook on Jan. 22. Francis regularly meets with dignitaries at the Vatican, but the arrival of the Apple chief raised eyebrows particularly for its timing. Just a week earlier the pope had met with Schmidt, currently executive chairman of Alphabet Inc., parent company of Google, where he served as CEO for a decade.

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