A disease that medicine had almost defeated makes a troubling comeback – A judge is under fire for blaming the victim and handing an egregiously light sentence to a convicted rapist – Weeks after it sank, the Korean ferry Sewol claims another life – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Two years ago, polio was almost eradicated.  But the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global health emergency because three countries – Pakistan, Syria, and Cameroon – have allowed the polio virus to fester and spread to neighboring countries.  The declaration imposes travel restrictions on the three countries, saying all residents should be vaccinated before traveling abroad.

One of the reasons the UN is imposing travel restrictions on those countries is to keep polio from spreading into countries where the medical infrastructure is practically non-existent – such as the Central African Republic.  And things there just got a little worse, because the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or “Doctors Without Borders” is suspending all but emergency care in the CAR for one week.  This is because of the government’s failure to condemn the killing of 16 people, including three staffers, at one of its clinics.  The CAR is in a state of near-chaos, trying to recover from a cop by Muslim Seleka rebels, and attacks from Christian “Anti-Balaka” counter insurgents.

A neighbor of Oscar Pistorius testified for the defense at the South African Olympic Athlete’s murder trial.  Johan Stander said Pistorius was “torn apart” and desperately trying to save girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp minutes after fatally shooting her at his home last year.  Pistorius doesn’t deny shooting her, but claims he mistook her for a burglar in his bathroom.

There is disgust for and condemnation of a US judge’s decision to sentence a rapist not to 20 years in prison, but to 45-days of community service at a rape crisis center.  Where, you ask?  Texas (Always Texas).  Why, you wonder?  Judge Jeanine Howard told the Dallas Morning News it was because the 14-year old victim wasn’t a virgin.  Prosecutors say the crap ruling sends a horrible message to victims.  And the rape crisis center rather understandably says a rapist isn’t welcome to sweep floors there.

Soon after Northern Ireland Police released Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams from four days of interrogation about a 32-year old murder case, cops were back on his doorstep – to warn him about death threats made against him.  Gerry says the cops told his wife of a “serious threat to my life from what they described as criminals”, but it’s a risk he and others take to keep the peace process alive.

A civilian diver is dead after taking part in the recovery effort at the sunken wreck of the Sewol ferry off of South Korea’s southern tip.  The 53-year old diver fell unconscious underwater and later died at hospital.  The Sewol sank on 16 April, and 260 bodies have been recovered so far, with about 40 still missing.

A French security agent assigned to protect the European Union mission in Yemen’s capital was shot and killed.  A second French officer and their Yemeni driver were wounded in the attack.  This comes as Yemen is carrying out operations against al Qaeda militants in the country, killing about 37 of them so far.

An ancient crusader castle in Syria has been heavily damaged in fighting in the civil war.  The Krac des Chevaliers once held off a siege by the Muslim warrior Saladin some 900 years ago.  But now its walls are gouged by heavy artillery, its roof is punctured by air strikes, and its religious artifacts are torn up by machine gun fire.  Before the war, the UNESCO World Heritage site had been the best-preserved relic of that particular chapter in history.  Not so much anymore.

El Salvador suspects its former president has fled to avoid charges of embezzlement, illegal enrichment and disobedience – specifically, mishandling a US$15 Million donation from Taiwan.  Authorities believe Francisco Flores of the ultra-conservative Arena party snuck out of the Central American country and possibly gone to neighboring Panama.  El Salvador’s current president is asking Panama not to grant asylum to Flores, and to return him for trial.