Portal:Current events/2016 February 1

February 1, 2016 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Disasters and accidents

February 2016 North American storm complex
- A snow storm in the United States is affecting multiple regions in Colorado, California and elsewhere, with more than 70,000 people in southern California losing power. (AccuWeather)

Health

2015–16 Zika virus epidemic
- The World Health Organization declares the spread of the Zika virus a global public health emergency requiring an urgent, united response. (BBC)
The United Kingdom Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority gives licensing rights to the Francis Crick Institute to genetically modify human embryos to study the early stages of embryo development though still needs the approval of a local research ethic board. (BBC) (Nature)

Law and crime

Chinese authorities arrest 21 people involved in the Ezubao online finance scheme accused of allegedly defrauding 900,000 people of 50bn yuan ($7.6bn; £5.3bn) in a Ponzi scheme. (BBC)
Two men are sentenced to death for the murder of Tibetan religious leader Akong Rinpoche, his nephew and his driver in 2013. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

The Assembly of the Union for Myanmar meets with Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy having the majority for the first time. (TIME)
United States presidential election in Iowa, 2016
- Voters in Iowa go to Democratic and Republican Party caucuses in the first formal stage of the U.S. elections. (Yahoo! politics)
- Hillary Clinton narrowly wins the Democratic caucus; this makes her the first woman to win an Iowa caucus. (The Hill) (Who TV)
- Ted Cruz wins the Republican caucus; this makes him the first Hispanic person to win an Iowa caucus. (CNN) (Fox News)
- Republican candidate Mike Huckabee suspends his campaign. (ABC News) (CNN)
- Democratic candidate Martin O'Malley suspends his campaign. (Washington Post)