VOA news for Wednesday, August 29th, 2018
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This is VOA news. I'm Tommie McNeil.
Reuters reports said French authorities revealed in a memo (a) foiled plot to bomb a rally near Paris earlier in the summer that was attended by among others U.S. President Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.
Reuters Matthew Larotonda has more.
The French government's not publicly implicated Iran in the plot, but it also cited a hardening of Tehran's attitude to France in the memo.
The warning comes as Iran is trying to shore up support among European allies for its tattered nuclear deal. The U.S. pulled out in May and imposed sanctions. But France has been one of the strongest advocates of saving the 2015 pact between Iran and world powers.
The French Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the memo or say whether embassy staff had been asked to repatriate their families. And Iranian officials at the embassy in Paris did not respond to a request for comment.
The memo underscores how confidence in the Tehran government's been eroded even as President Emmanuel Macron talks up preserving the nuclear accord.
Reuters Matthew Larotonda.
Internet company Google has responded to criticism by U.S. President Trump by saying its search engine is not used to promote any political agenda.
Google released a statement on Tuesday saying it never ranks "search results to manipulate political sentiment." It also said its major goal was to give users "the most relevant answers.”
President Trump had both tweeted and spoken about it.
"I think what Google and what others are doing, if you look at what's going on with Twitter and if you look at what's going on in Facebook, they better be careful because you can't do that to people. You can't do it. We have tremendous, we have literally thousands and thousands of complaints coming in, and you just can't do that.”
Questioned about the president's allegations, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters "We're taking a look at it.”
This is VOA news.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is lauding the new tentative trade deal with Mexico as a win for both countries.
The deal was announced by President Trump Monday although all details of the agreement have yet to be released. But some of the specific terms in the U.S.-Mexican agreement are aimed at boosting the manufacture of cars in the two countries to curb the import of vehicles from Asia, especially China.
It's part of President Trump's plan to end the North American Free Trade Agreement, also known as NAFTA, and start anew. Trump has said that Canada can also negotiate a deal.
The U.S.-Mexico deal still must be approved by governments of both countries.
A group of current and former U.S. officials from across the political spectrum is set to take part in Saturday's memorial service for Senator John McCain, one of the last in a string of services honoring the longtime lawmaker who died Saturday at the age of 81.
The service at the National Cathedral in Washington will feature eulogies by former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
A 41-page report by the Group of (Regional and International) Eminent Experts on Yemen paints a bleak picture where civilians have suffered at the hands of all warring parties, especially since March of 2015. That is when the Saudi-led coalition entered the war in support of the Yemeni government.
The report accuses Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and Houthi rebels in Yemen of committing indiscriminate attacks and heinous acts.
Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.
The U.N. expert Charles Garraway says individuals in the government of Yemen and the coalition, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, may have conducted attacks in violation of the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution that may amount to war crimes.
"... and also acts that may amount to war crimes including cruel treatment and torture, outrages upon personal dignity, rape and conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 or using them to participate actively in hostilities.”
Garraway says the group of experts has documented similar crimes committed by rebel Houthi forces. He says arbitrary detention is widespread throughout the country as is ill treatment and torture in some facilities.
Lisa Schlein, for VOA.
While in Cape Town in a first stop of a three-nation visit, British Prime Minister Theresa May said she wants to boost national interests and deepen trade ties with the African Continent.
"So I want to put our development budget and expertise at the center of our partnership as part of an ambitious new approach - and use this to support the private sector to take root and grow.”
She meets with leaders in Nigeria Wednesday before wrapping up her trip in Kenya on Thursday.
I'm Tommie McNeil, VOA news.
