Key US senator presses for suspension of aid to Egypt

US Senator John McCain pressed on Monday for the United States to suspend its $1.5 billion in annual aid to Egypt, saying the removal of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi from office appeared to be a coup led by the military.

McCain said he understood that Morsi's removal was undertaken with broad public support and could eventually lead to a more representative civilian government. But as Washington debates how to respond to events in Egypt, he said in a statement that US law forbids foreign assistance to countries where there has been a military coup against an elected government. (Reuters)