|
From Washington, this is VOA news. U.S. Secretary of State Kerry pushes Iraq for a more inclusive government. Egyptian court sentences Al-Jazeera journalists to prison. I'm Ray Kouguell reporting from Washington.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is pressing Iraq's top Shiite leaders to create a more inclusive government in the face of a militant Sunni insurgency that's captured vast territories in northern and western Iraq. Secretary Kerry met for more than an hour and half with Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Monday in Baghdad. Mr. Kerry warned the Iraqis they must act quickly to block the advance of the militants who call themselves the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. "I emphasized that defending Iraq against ISIL depends largely on their ability, all of them, to form a new government and do it quickly. It is essential that Iraq's leaders form a genuinely inclusive government as rapidly as possible within their own constitutional framework." Secretary Kerry says he was assured Iraq would meet a July 1st deadline to start forming a new government. The international chemical weapons watchdog charged with ridding Syria of its stockpile says it has received the last of the country's toxic chemicals identified for removal. The head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says it will now take up to four months to destroy the 1,300 tons of chemicals. An Egyptian court sentenced three Al-Jazeera television journalists accused of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood to prison terms of seven to ten years. The court convicted Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed as spreading false news and supporting the banned Islamist group -- charges they all deny. Edward Yeranian reports. The judge spoke slowly and deliberately as he pronounced his sentences in the heavily publicized trials of the Al-Jazeera journalists. He put a particular emphasis on the seven-year sentence he was giving to Australian Peter Greste. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says her country respects the independence of Egypt's judiciary but she reacted with shock to the verdict. "We are deeply dismayed by the fact that a sentence has been imposed and we are appalled by the severity of it." Some Egyptian journalists called the sentences excessive and say the could be thrown out by an appeals court. Edward Yeranian, for VOA news, Cairo. A court in the United Arab Emirates handed down sentences to seven men convicted of operating an al-Qaeda linked terror cell within the country and channeling funds to militants fighting the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad. Phillip Walter Wellman has more from Dubai. According to prosecutors, the group tried to recruit UAE citizens to the al-Nusra Front militant group in the hope they would provide additional financial backing for its cause. The defendants had also been accused of attempting to carry out bomb attacks in the Emirates and abroad. A Palestinian tried in absentia was given a life sentence for organizing the cell, while six other men, all of Arab origin, were given seven-year prison terms. Two others were acquitted of all charges. All of the men pleaded innocent, but the verdict by the Federal Supreme Court is final and not subject to appeal. This is Phillip Walter Wellman for VOA news, Dubai. A leader of pro-Russian separatists battling Ukrainian troops in eastern Ukraine says rebels will observe a cease-fire until June 27th. Alexander Borodai announced the deal Monday in Donetsk as rebels joined Russian envoys and Ukrainian negotiators in talks aimed at ending the crisis gripping the former Soviet republic. A South Korean army sergeant accused of killing five fellow soldiers is expected to survive a self-inflicted gunshot wound received before his capture Monday. The 22-year-old, identified only by the last name of Lim, hid in a forest after a rifle and grenade attack Saturday that killed five soldiers and wounded seven at an outpost near the demilitarized zone bordering North Korea. At football's World Cup Monday, host Brazil, Mexico, the Netherlands and Chile all advanced to the second round. Brazil defeated winless Cameroon, 4-1, Mexico with a 3-1 win over Croatia. The Netherlands picked up goals from two substitute players to defeat Chile, 2-0. Both are advancing to the second round. In the next round, Brazil will face Chile and the Netherlands will play Mexico. Defending champion Spain finished up with a 3-0 victory over Australia, both going home. I'm Ray Kouguell in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |