Cuba Again Denies Role in ‘Health Attacks’ on US Diplomats

The Cuban government on Tuesday again denied any involvement in or any knowledge of a mysterious series of health incidents that have affected American diplomats in Havana. Cuba also strongly objected to President Donald Trump’s critical comments about the island in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly. At a meeting on law enforcement cooperation …

US Navy Blames Collisions on Operations Pace, Failure to Prioritize Safety

The U.S. Navy is blaming the high pace of operations, budget uncertainty and naval leaders who put their mission before safety for recent deadly incidents at sea. The destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker last month off the coast of Singapore, leaving 10 U.S. sailors dead and five injured. And the …

US State, City Leaders Vow Support for Paris Agreement

The White House Monday reaffirmed its commitment to withdrawing from the Paris Climate agreement, saying it poses serious obstacles for the United States. But at the state and city level, U.S. officials say they’re pressing ahead to curb emissions and promote clean energy sources even without Washington’s participation. VOA’s Daniel Schearf reports from New York. …

Trump, Guterres Agree Bureaucracy Makes UN Less Effective

During his first official meeting at the United Nations, U.S. President Donald Trump said the organization is not reaching its full potential because of bureaucracy and mismanagement. Addressing leaders of more than 120 member nations on Monday, Trump praised U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his efforts to modernize the world body. Guterres said the old …

Seattle Honors Cambodian Refugee’s Affordable Housing Campaign

For Sameth Mell, this is a good week.  A Cambodian refugee, he learned in May that he had won this year’s community voice award for championing social justice, given by the Seattle International Examiner.    Mell, who works to assist Southeast Asian refugee and immigrant communities, will receive the award at a ceremony on Thursday. …

Iraqi Supreme Court Suspends Kurdish Referendum

Iraq’s supreme court has approved a request by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to suspend an independence referendum that the country’s Kurdistan region planned to hold later this month. The court said Monday the vote will be on hold until it reviews cases regarding the constitutionality of the vote. Abadi has repeatedly spoken out against the …

India Seeks Deportation of Rohingya for Security Reasons

A petition has been filed with India’s Supreme Court, challenging the government’s plan to deport as many as 40,000 Rohingya who have fled Myanmar. The top court began hearing the plea Monday. The government said in a statement to the court that the Rohingya are “illegal” immigrants and some of them pose “a very serious …

2017 Emmys: New Shows, New Platforms, and Politics

American television’s biggest stars are walking the red carpet Sunday in Los Angeles, posing for photos and interviews before the 69th annual Emmy awards presentation. Late-night talk show personality Stephen Colbert will host the award show, which is sure to get political this year.  Colbert, who’s Late Show often pokes fun at President Donald Trump …

Fatah Group Urges Hamas to Implement Reconciliation Accord

Following days of talks Egyptian mediators have gotten rival Palestinian factions to agree to reconcile, although Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah group is insisting rival Hamas implement the conditions it has agreed to before taking the next step. Efforts to resolve a decade-old schism between the two main Palestinian factions appears to be coming …

Serbian Prime Minister Joins Belgrade Gay-Pride March

Hundreds of gay-rights activists attended a pride march in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, on September 17 under massive police supervision. Among the participants was Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, the country’s first-ever female head of government and the first high-ranking LGBT politician in the Balkans. A handful of counterprotesters along the march route included Orthodox clergy. …

Former CIA Chief Warns of N. Korea’s Other Nuclear Weapon 

Advances in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs are pushing the international community to respond with increasingly strict sets of sanctions, with the latest round, passed this week, capping the country’s oil imports while banning its lucrative textile exports. Despite the pressure, the Kim Jong Un regime continues to pursue the development of a nuclear-tipped …

New Tropical Storms Forming in Active Hurricane Season

Hurricane season roared on Saturday as Jose threatened heavy surf along the U.S. East Coast, Tropical Storm Norma edged toward Mexico’s resort-studded Baja California Peninsula, and Tropical Storm Maria formed in the Atlantic and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane, taking aim at some already battered Caribbean islands. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lee formed in …