VOA NEWS

July 9, 2015

From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Forrest reporting. Greece asks for a new three-year bailout.



Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told the European Parliament in Strasbourg that his government would "immediately implement" tax and pension reforms. He said he would produce "new concrete proposals" by Thursday. Lisa Bryan has more.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras spoke before ??? European Parliament just hours after the end of an inconclusive summit in Brussels, and just hours before a Thursday deadline for Greece to deliver a credible reform plan to fellow eurozone members.

Mr. Tsipras received a mix of boos and cheers as he said Greece will continue its reforms and deliver the proposals Greek creditors want in return for securing new bailout funds.

But he said Greeks also need a sign there is light at the end of a difficult tunnel, hope an exit to the crisis.

Lisa Bryant, Paris.



Russia has vetoed a draft United Nations resolution condemning the 1995 massacre at Srebrenica as an act of genocide.

The killings took place during the Bosnian war and the U.N. Security Council vote was 10-0, four abstentions.

U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said Russia refused to recognize the Srebrenica genocide for what its was.

"But Russia had a red line; the resolution could not reference the genocide in Srebrenica. It could not reference a fact." :U.S. ambassador Samantha Power.



Witnesses say at least 3,000 Ethiopian troops have entered Somalia, reportedly for an attack on al-Shabaab militants.

Residents of the Gedo region say troops and tanks and armored vehicles began crossing the border Monday and have been seen in the town of Luq.



This is VOA news.



The U.S. homeland security chief says investigators have collected "strong evidence" leading to a prime suspect in the recent cyber breach of government records.

The head of Homeland Security says the government is not ready to disclose who it thinks was behind the cyberattack on its computers. Earlier, the director of National Intelligence said Chinese state interests are "the leading suspect."



Trading on the New York Stock Exchange resumed Wednesday after being halted for nearly four hours for unknown internal technical reasons.

The FBI says there was no indication of a cyberattack.



Top U.S. and Iranian nuclear negotiators met for at least three hours Wednesday in Vienna. They were trying to resolve the remaining differences blocking a way to an agreement

No details of the meeting were released.

The negotiators have extended yet another deadline to reach a final accord that would limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for an end to sanctions.



A southern rebel alliance is making another big push to try to capture the Syrian city of Dara'a. Syrian warplanes are hitting back with intense air raids. Rebel commanders and political activists say the raids include the dropping of barrel bombs on [prominent] predominantly civilian districts.

If the rebels manage to secure the city, it would have an enormous effect on government.



The first direct talks between Afghan government and Taliban representatives in neighboring Pakistan are being widely welcomed and seen as an important step toward ending years of hostilities in Afghanistan. Ayaz Gul takes a look.

Intelligence sources tell VOA a four-member Taliban delegation attended the Pakistan-hosted talks near Islamabad with "complete consent" of the insurgent group's fugitive "central leadership."

American and Chinese representatives participated as observers in what is being dubbed an "ice-breaking, historic" meeting that lasted several hours and ended after midnight.

Pakistani intelligence officials told VOA the discussions were "mature" and held in an "extremely positive atmosphere," and officials privy to the meeting described the conversations as "introductory." Both sides have agreed to meet again after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Ayaz Gul, Islamabad.



Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika ordered emergency measures in central Ghardaia province Wednesday. That's where ethnic violence between Arabs and Berbers has killed at least 22 people this week.



South Sudan's rebel leader says the country's civil war will continue as long as President Salva Kiir remains in power.

Riek Machar spoke to reporters in Nairobi on Wednesday as South Sudan's parliament formally gave President Kiir a new three-year mandate.



From the VOA news center in Washington, I'm David Forrest.

That's the latest world news from VOA.