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From Washington, this is VOA news. EU tightens sanctions on Russia. Iraq's parliament approves new government. I'm Ray Kouguell reporting from Washington.
The European Union is expanding sanctions against Russia amid reports of new fighting in Ukraine that threatens a fragile cease-fire agreement. Lisa Bryant reports. European Union officials say the latest sanctions are reversible, depending on Moscow's next moves on Ukraine -- notably in finding a resolution to the conflict. European Policy Center analyst Paul Ivan says possibly the most significant measure targets several top Russian oil producers and pipeline operators. It would bar them from raising capital and borrowing on European markets. "Some of them have been also sanctioned by the U.S. From this point of view, it's a bit of Europe catching up with what the United States has been doing. It would just increase the costs. It will not be possible to expand some projects." The new EU measures also expand visa bans and asset freezes on Russian companies and individuals, as well as some Ukrainian separatists. Lisa Bryant, for VOA news, Paris. The World Health Organization says the Ebola virus is spreading exponentially in Liberia and says it expects thousands of new cases in the coming weeks. The agency says the number of new cases in Liberia is moving far faster than the capacity to manage them. Liberia already accounts for about half of all cases and deaths of Ebola in West Africa. The Somali militant group al-Shabab is taking responsibility for two suicide car bombings near Mogadishu that killed at least 14 people and wounded more than 30 others. The attacks Monday were the first since the death of the group's leader, Ahmed Godane, in a U.S. strike one week ago. This is VOA news. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has called the Iraqi parliament's approval of a new unity government a milestone for Iraq and a cornerstone of U.S. efforts against the Islamic State extremist group. Secretary Kerry says the government led by new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has the potential of bringing together all of Iraq's diverse communities and building the future its people desire. The United States has said a unity government that includes Shiites, moderate Sunnis and Kurds is essential for destroying Islamic State, the brutal Sunni militant group that's taken over much of northern Iraq and Syria and threatens Baghdad. Islamic State militants attacked the riverside town of Duluiyah, 80 kilometers north of Baghdad, with gunboats and a car bomb Monday, killing at least 17 people. The new U.N. human rights chief is calling for the protection of women and children targeted by Islamic State militants. In a speech Monday in Geneva, Zeid Raad al-Hussein said any country run by Islamic State "would be a harsh, mean-spirited house of blood." "In particular, dedicated efforts are urgently needed to protect religious and ethnic groups, children, who are at risk of forcible recruitment and sexual violence and women, who have been the targets of severe restrictions": U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein. Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah says talks to strike a post-election power-sharing deal with his opponent Ashraf Ghani are deadlocked. Ayaz Gul has more. Afghan election authorities are preparing to release the results of the U.N.-supervised audit of eight million votes from the June 14th presidential runoff, but hopes for a long-awaited inauguration of the new president of Afghanistan suffered another blow on Monday when candidate Abdullah Abdullah said he will reject the audit, again declaring himself winner of both rounds of the presidential election. Abdullah spoke hours after a final round of people discussions with his rival candidate Ashraf Ghani to strike a power-sharing deal again stalemated. "The future of Afghanistan cannot be built, the future of stable Afghanistan. The future of Afghanistan could not be based on the foundation of fraud." Ayaz Gul, for VOA news, Islamabad. South Africa's president will travel to Lesotho today to try to help resolve sharp political disagreements that led to last month's apparent coup attempt. President Jacob Zuma led an emergency meeting last week, during which a deal was brokered to ease Lesotho's political crisis. A spokesman for Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane told VOA that the security and political situation in the country remains tense despite efforts to resolve disputes in the coalition government. I'm Ray Kouguell in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |