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Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Feb.3

Xinhua, February 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

The United States has not decided whether to provide lethal assistance to Kiev as it evaluates options on how to support the Ukrainian government against pro-Russian rebels, a State Department spokeswoman said on Monday.

"We haven't taken options on or off the table. It's an ongoing discussion. Obviously, we take into account events on the ground," said spokeswoman Jen Psaki at the daily briefing of reports which said that the White House was taking a fresh look at whether to arm Ukrainian forces with lethal weapons. (U.S.-Ukraine-Assistance)

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LONDON -- The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed on Monday evening that a case of avian flu was found in a chicken farm in Hampshire, southern England.

Defra said the severity of the case is very low and it posed very low risk to human health. Tests have confirmed the outbreak as H7 strain of the disease.

"Based on what we know about this strain of avian influenza and the actions that have been taken, the risk to human health in this case is considered very low. Public Health England continues to work closely with Defra throughout this investigation," said Nick Phin, director for Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control. (Britain-Bird Flu)

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LAGOS -- A senior official warned that the Nigerian government would not relent in sanctioning broadcast stations that used inflammatory materials in their political broadcasts.

Emeka Mba, the director-general of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) announced this in a statement reaching Xinhua Monday, saying some stations operate in a manner that could become counter-productive to the national objective of peaceful, free and fair elections.

"We have already written to those stations to desist and are still considering further sanctions in line with the provisions of the law," he added. (Nigeria-Sanction)

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SANAA -- As Many as 35 migrants fleeing Africa were unaccounted for after their boat sank off the Yemeni coast on Monday, Yemeni state Saba news agency reported.

The small vessel carrying 49 people capsized off the Red Sea coast of Yemen's southwest province of Taiz due to bad weather, said Saba, citing General Saleh al-Sabbari. (Yemen-African-Sink) Endi