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From Washington, this is VOA news. The U.S. voices concerns about reports from the Malaysian crash site. International protests over Israel's offensive in Gaza. I'm Vincent Bruce reporting from Washington.
International monitors at the site of the downed Malaysian airliner in the eastern Ukraine report they were given better access Saturday than Friday. Michael Bociurkiw is spokesman for the Organization for Security and Cooperation: "We had a team today of 16 international monitors who went to one of the crash scenes. We arrived at about 12:30 and we were there to about 3:20, so obviously the time spent there today was longer than yesterday. And in addition, we were able to traverse a far larger area than yesterday." Bociurkiw told reporters in Donetsk some of what he saw at the site he visited. "We observed for the first time today bodies being removed and packed into body bags. Typically these bags were placed on both sides of the closed roadway. As some of you observed, some of the bags were open and exposed to the elements. We don't quite know why." Earlier Saturday, Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States is "very concerned" about reports that debris and bodies from the downed Malaysian airliner have been taken from the crash site in eastern Ukraine. The State Department says Kerry spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by telephone Saturday. He told Lavrov he is also concerned that European monitors are not being given proper access to the crash site. After a third day of Israeli ground operations in the Gaza Strip, Israeli soldiers Saturday said they repelled a cross-border tunnel raid and uncovered more than a dozen tunnels into Israel. [Palestinian medics report] Palestinian medics report that more Israeli air strikes and shelling have killed 25 more Palestinians. As Israel continued its ground offensive in Gaza, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched against the violence in cities across France, defying a government ban on the demonstrators. From Paris, Lisa Bryant has a report. Saturday's rally in Paris turned violent as riot police clashed with demonstrators and lobbed tear gas. Authorities had banned protests in many French cities because of the violence last week at a similar protest in Paris which included attacks on a pair of synagogues. France is Europe's largest Jewish and Muslim populations and there are ongoing fears that violence in the Middle East will play out on French streets. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is holding talks in the region to try to end the fighting. Lisa Bryant, for VOA news, Paris. Security officials in Egypt say gunmen armed with rocket-propelled grenades have killed at least 20 guards near the border with Libya. Officials say the attack Saturday took place at a border guard post in Wadi al-Gadid. Egypt's state news agency MENA said three of the attackers were killed. A similar attack in the same area a few months ago killed at least five border guards. Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy returned from overseas Saturday to be greeted by thousands of supporters just days before the anniversary of last year's disputed general elections. Ron Corben reports for VOA from Bangkok. Up to 20,000 cheering supporters were on hand to welcome Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy on his return to Phnom Penh. In an address to his supporters Saturday, Sam Rainsy called on the government to once again allow freedom of speech. Sam Rainsy also called for the detained politicians to be released. Cambodia's political climate remains highly charged almost a year after the disputed general elections nominally won by Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party, CPP, but disputed by the opposition and international observers. Ron Corben, for VOA news, Bangkok, Thailand. A series of bombings rocked Baghdad on Saturday, killing at least 26 people in one of the worst series of violence in the capital since Islamist insurgents captured the city of Mosul last month. There were no immediate claims of responsibility. At least 19 people aboard a migrant boat bound for Italy reportedly have died from toxic fumes. Italian rescuers say 18 of the migrants were found dead in the hold of the boat which was stuffed with people. There were hundreds on board the boat. Officials say one of the three men rushed to the hospital in Palermo, Italy, died while en route. More details at voanews.com. I'm Vincent Bruce in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |