BBC News, with David Austin.
The United States most senior military officer General Martin Dempsey has been meeting US commanders in Iraq, preparing to expand the American assistance to Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State. After visiting Baghdad where he also met the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, he went on to the semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Hugh S reports.
More than 1000 non-combat American troops are already here to train and assist the Iraqi military. Washington has promised another 1500. Two days ago General Dempsey told the highest armed service committee in Washington that the door remained open to send a modest number of American combat troops back to Iraq to join the fight against Islamic State. "We are certainly considering it", he told the committee. Combat troops could only return at the invitation of Iraqi government. And any American troops actually engaging in combat with ISIS would be on the same side as Iranian backed Militia who are also fighting them.
The United Arab Emirates which belongs to a US led coalition fighting Jihadists has issued a list of Islamic groups which are classified as terrorist organizations. The black list: the Shia Muslim Houthi movement of Yemen, the Al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front, Islamic State and Muslim Brotherhood.
Western leaders gathered in Australia for the G20 Summit have warned Russia to abide by a cease-fire deal in Ukraine or face further sanctions. Earlier the Australian Prime Minister Tony Albert urged the summit to fulfill promises to boost global economic growth. Patrick John Donovan reports from Brisbane. Economic issues were over shadowed by discussions on Russia’s behavior in Ukraine.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis was the main talking point. President Vladimir Putin cut something of an isolated figure. President Obama described Russia’s actions against Ukraine as appalling. The British Prime Minister David Cameron said Russia could face further sanctions and had what his office called a robust exchange of views with Mr. Putin. And the Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper reported told the Russian leader, “I guess I will shake your hand, but I have only one thing to say to you, get out of Ukraine.”
Tens of thousands of people have demonstrated in the Georgian capital Tbilisi against a planned agreement between Russia and Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia. The proposed agreement envisages the creation of joint Russian and Abkhazia military forces. The rally was organized by Georgia’s main opposition party, the United National Movement. A party leader GB said the march was sending a message to the 2 governments.
“This is the clear message on Georgia Republic that we will never accept the fact of dismantling our sovereignty by Putin's friend and Russia. And that we will never withdraw the path we have chosen to go back as a natural part of a free world, natural part of Europe.” GB.
World News from the BBC.
A French court has charged a Canadian University lecturer over a fatal bombing at a synagogue in Paris more than 30 years ago. The man, Hassan Diab, who was a Lebanese descent was flown to Paris overnight after a long extradition battle through the Canadian courts. 4 people were killed and 40 injured when the bomb hit in the saddlebags of a motorcycle exploded in front of the synagogue on rue Copernic in western Paris.
The Sierra Leonean doctor who contracted Ebola has arrived in the United States for treatment. Martin Salia who has US residency and is married to an American would be treated in an isolated unit in Nebraska. The hospital said he was critically ill.
3 Brazilians have been given prison sentences of more than 20 years each for killing a young woman and eating parts of her body. Jorge Silveira and 2 associates were arrested in April, 2012 and had confessed to the crime. Will Davis sends us report from Rio de Janeiro.
Aided by his wife Isabel and mistress Bruna Silva, Silveira murdered and dismembered his victims. According to police reports from P, the victim’s flesh was used to make Empanadas or pastries which were eaten by members of the household. When police raided Silveira’s house, they found some of the victim’s remains and initially the 3 told police they belonged to a religious sect. Lawyers for the defendants said they will be appealing against the sentences but prosecutors indicated they've already been linked with several other as yet unresolved murders.
A 2-day auction of more than 1000 items linked to Napoleon Bonaparte is taking place in France. Among the objects for sales is one of his famous hats, worn by Victoria's Napoleon at the battle of Marangal in 1800. The auctioning is hoped to raise more than 600,000 dollars. The M is being sold by Monaco’s royal family to help fund the restoration of its palace.