VOA news for Monday, June 1st, 2015

• published: 01 Jun 2015
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Thanks to http://gandalf.ddo.jp/ for audio and text Monday, June 1st, 2015 From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Forrest reporting. The Senate considers a surveillance bill. The U.S. Senate has started debating whether to extend its authorization of the country's national security surveillance operation, or let it lapse at midnight when a law expires. Lawmakers gathered in Washington just hours after the U.S. intelligence chief warned that global terrorists are looking to take advantage of any halt in the spying effort. A leading U.S. newspaper says the rebel group that seized power in Yemen has at least four U.S. prisoners. The Washington Post reports efforts to secure their release have failed. The paper says (the) Americans are believed to be held at a prison in Sana'a. East African Community leaders say Burundi elections should be delayed. Richard Sezibera is the group's secretary-general: "The summit, concerned at the impasse in Burundi and the need for further dialogue, called for a longer postponement of the elections in Burundi for a period not less than one and a half months.” A statement following the emergency summit Sunday called "on all parties to stop violence.” India waited for the start of the annual monsoon season amid a heat wave that has killed more than 2,200 people across the country. Showers and thunderstorms in parts of southern India Sunday brought some much-needed relief. The International Monetary Fund has lowered its growth forecast for Ukraine's economy to minus 9 percent. The IMF says progress toward an agreement with Ukraine on reforms could clear the way for further financial help. The negative growth projection is down from a 5 percent estimate in April. This is VOA news. Five people were killed near the Libyan city of Misrata on Sunday in a suicide bombing claimed by Islamic State militants. The explosives-laden car detonated at a security checkpoint west of the city. Misrata is aligned with the unofficial government in Tripoli. An internationally recognized government operates out of the city of Tobruk. An Egyptian-American prisoner freed by Egypt after it jailed him for nearly two years for his alleged involvement in the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood has returned to the United States. Frail-looking Mohamed Soltan was embraced by relatives and friends as he arrived Saturday at Washington's Dulles International Airport. An Egyptian appeals court Sunday sentenced lawyer and human rights activist Mahinour el-Masry and two others to 15 months in prison on charges of attacking police. She and her co-defendants originally were given two-year jail terms. They appealed and lost, but were given reduced sentences. Beau Biden, the 46-year-old former Delaware state attorney general, died Saturday of brain cancer. He was the oldest son of Vice President Joe Biden. Mitch McConnell is the majority leader in the Senate where Vice President Biden was the presiding officer: "Beau Biden was known to many as a dedicated public servant, a loving father of two, and a devoted partner to the woman he loved: Hallie.” The vice president said the entire Biden family is saddened beyond words. Beau Biden is survived by his wife and two children. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will remain in a Swiss hospital overnight after breaking his leg in a bicycle accident on Sunday. Kerry is hospitalized in Geneva in stable condition. Kerry, who fractured his femur, will receive further treatment in Boston. He was in Switzerland for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Thousands of Nepalese children affected by last month's earthquake have returned to school classrooms. Schools have reopened five week's after the disaster. Geeta Rana is principal of Galaxy High School: "We have to start, there's no choice. Because education means future, if you don't start now even it's going to affect your future, so that's why we are planning to start the school.” Two British banks say they have launched internal reviews into how allegedly corrupt payments were funneled through their institutions in the current football bribery scandal. Barclays and Standard Chartered were among dozens of banks mentioned in the U.S. indictment last week. No banks have been charged with wrongdoing in the case. Meanwhile, British [secretary of state] Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport John Whittingdale is calling for the resignation of the president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter. I'm David Forrest in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA.