Ukraine’s leader rallies for unity in country
MARIUPOL, Ukraine – Seeking to rally national unity, President Petro Poroshenko visited a southeastern port Monday that has been assaulted for days by pro-Russian separatists and declared the city would remain a part of Ukraine.
After a series of military defeats to increasingly confident rebel forces in the country’s eastern regions, Ukraine signed a cease-fire deal Friday that has been widely viewed at home as an act of capitulation.
Also Monday, the European Council formally adopted a package of further sanctions against Russia but delayed enforcement to see if the cease-fire holds.
Iraqis approve partial new Cabinet
BAGHDAD – Iraq’s parliament officially named Haider al-Abadi the country’s new prime minister late Monday and approved most of his proposed Cabinet amid calls by the Arab League for its members to combat the Sunni militant group violently advancing across Iraq and Syria.
Lawmakers approved all of the candidates proposed for Iraq’s new government, with the exception of a few posts, namely the defense and interior ministers. Al-Abadi requested an additional week to name them.
Outgoing Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and former Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujeifi were given the largely ceremonial posts of co-vice president. Kurdish politician and former Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari was named as one of three deputy prime ministers. Former premier Ibrahim al-Jafaari was named foreign minister.
The U.S. and other countries have been pushing for a more representative government that will ease anger among Sunnis, who felt marginalized by al-Maliki’s administration.
Afghan candidate rejects election outcome
KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah said Monday he will not accept the expected official results of the election, breaking a pledge he made to the U.S. secretary of state and injecting new tension into an already-drawn-out political process.
Abdullah told a nationally televised news conference that he believes he won both times Afghans voted this year. He accused election authorities of violating the desires of voters by ignoring widespread fraud and preparing to declare his opponent, former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, the winner.
Abdullah’s announcement effectively pre-empts the country’s election commission, which is expected to announce the second-round results later this week. The winner would succeed the outgoing president, Hamid Karzai.
4th American with Ebola coming to U.S.
ATLANTA – A fourth American who contracted Ebola in West Africa was expected to arrive in the U.S. for care today and will be treated at an Atlanta hospital where two other aid workers successfully recovered from the disease, the hospital said Monday.
Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. James Wilson said the patient, as in past cases, would be flown into Dobbins Air Reserve Base outside Atlanta. Emory University Hospital said in a news release that the patient would be treated in its isolation unit but cited confidentiality in not releasing more information about the person.
Associated Press
