Iraqi PM Calls for Government Shakeup

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced a plan on Sunday to eliminate three vice presidential posts and the offices of three deputy premiers in the wake of mass protests against his government as ISIS continues to occupy a third of the country. The prime minister's Cabinet backed the seven-point plan, which still requires parliamentary approval, in an effort to cut spending and end corruption in the nation's political system. The proposal would also aim to force out former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has been criticized for inciting sectarian tensions and appointing less-qualified senior officers to Iraq's military before ISIS militants' offensive last year. The plan would also reduce spending on personal bodyguards and instead redistribute the responsibility to the interior and defense ministries. The proposal also entails review of all corruption cases by a committee of experts, with new trials for officials accused of any criminal activity.