|
From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm Joe Parker reporting. Conflicting views from the presidents of the U.S. and Russia.
U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin clashed sharply today at the United Nations on how to end four years of fighting in Syria. Ahead of a face-to-face meeting between the two world leaders set for later on the day, Mr. Obama told the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering that after so much bloodshed and carnage, Syria cannot return to a pre-war status quo. "Unless we work with other nations under the mantle of international norms and principles and law that offer legitimacy to our efforts, we will not succeed." He called for a managed transition to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. However, Vladimir Putin, making his first U.N. speech in a decade, warned there would be an enormous mistake to not cooperate with the Assad government in fighting Islamic State insurgents trying to oust the Syrian leader. He called for a broad coalition to combat Islamic State fighters, much like the anti-Hitler alliance that fought together during World War II. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Monday that the nuclear deal agreed to between the six major powers and Tehran should signal a new era to help lead to peace and stability in the Middle East. Speaking at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Rouhani said the nuclear deal is "not the final objective, but a development which can and should be the basis of further achievements to come." Burkina Faso's army says the elite presidential guard, known as the RSP, that was behind a recent coup attempt, is refusing to be disarmed. The cabinet is expected to hold an emergency meeting today to discuss the situation. This is VOA news. Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have seized control of Kunduz after staging a well-coordinated offensive against the northern city -- the first time the insurgents have taken a major urban area since being ousted from power in 2001. The insurgents have also released hundreds of prisoners from the city's detention facility. Afghan officials say commando units of national security forces have arrived in Kunduz and are preparing to launch a counteroffensive to retake control. A bill to keep the U.S. government funded for several months advanced in the Senate late Monday. A majority of Republicans joined a unified Democratic caucus. VOA's Michael Bowman reports the procedural vote boost chances, a federal shutdown will be averted and sidelines a pitched battle over abortion in the chamber. The stopgap bill extends all federal funding into December. Unlike previous measures blocked in the Senate, this measure includes funds for Planned Parenthood, the nation's leading provider of abortions. Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell described the bill as far from ideal. "It doesn't represent my first, second, third, or 23rd choice when it comes to funding the government. But it will keep the government open through the fall." Democratic Leader Harry Reid expressed hope the bill will pass both houses of Congress and be signed into law before federal spending authority expires at midnight Wednesday. "Let's put the threat of a government shutdown to bed now." Michael Bowman, VOA news, the Capitol. Even if a shutdown is averted this week, the battle could refought in December. NASA scientists have found strong evidence of salt water streams on Mars, at least during the red planet's summer, the space agency announced today. The lines of "hydrated" salt minerals found would require water for their creation. This is John Grunsfeld. He is the NASA Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate. "These observations from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are giving us a much better view that Mars has resources that are useful to future travels. When you have water, you know, that's for hydrogen and oxygen - that's what we make rocket fuel out of. Prochlorites, the Space Shuttle, rocket boosters, are ilmenite prochlorites. In principle, you can make sort of rocket fuel and as we've talked about prochlorites are ubiquitous around Mars." Care, he says, is being taken not to pollute. "It's not only protecting the Earth from bringing some alien life form to Earth, but more so right now. It's protecting the environment that we go to whether it's Mars or Europa to make sure, you know, that we don't contaminate other planet before we find out if we are alone in the universe." For more on this story, visit our website at voanews.com. Joe Parker reporting Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |