Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 18 SepteMber 2017

Raul Castro’s surprising response to harmed US diplomats

By JOSH LEDERMAN dressed the matter, devoid government didn’t dispute
MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN of the indignant, how-dare- that something troubling
ROB GILLIES you-accuse-us attitude the may have gone down on
Associated Press U.S. had come to expect Cuban soil.
HAVANA (AP) — Raul Cas- from Cuba’s leaders. Perhaps the picture was
tro seemed rattled. The Cubans even offered more complex? Investiga-
The Cuban president sent to let the FBI come down tors considered whether
for the top American en- to Havana to investigate. a rogue faction of Cuba’s
voy in the country to ad- Though U.S.-Cuban coop- security forces had acted,
dress grave concerns eration has improved re- possibly in combination
about a spate of U.S. dip- cently — there was a joint with another country like
lomats harmed in Havana. “law enforcement dia- Russia or North Korea.
There was talk of futuristic logue” Friday in Washing- In this March 17, 2015 photo, Cuba’s President Raul Castro Nevertheless, anger is rising
“sonic attacks” and the ton — this level of access speaks in Caracas, Venezuela. The Cuban president sent for the in Washington. On Friday,
subtle threat of repercus- was extraordinary. top American envoy in the country to address grave concerns five Republican senators
sions by the United States, “Some countries don’t want about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. wrote to Secretary of State
until recently Cuba’s sworn any more FBI agents in their (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Rex Tillerson urging him to
enemy. country than they have to kick all Cuban diplomats
The way Castro responded — and that number could nent hearing loss or mild campaign of aggression. out of the United States
surprised Washington, sev- be zero,” said Leo Taddeo, brain injury. The develop- The officials weren’t autho- and close America’s newly
eral U.S. officials familiar a retired FBI supervisor who ments have frightened Ha- rized to discuss the ongoing re-established embassy in
with the exchange told The served abroad. Cuba is in vana’s tight-knit diplomatic investigation and demand- Havana.
Associated Press. that group. community. ed anonymity. “Cuba’s neglect of its duty
In a rare face-to-face con- The list of confirmed Ameri- At least one other nation, When the U.S. has accused to protect our diplomats
versation, Castro told U.S. can victims was much France, has tested embas- Cuba in the past of mis- and their families cannot
diplomat Jeffrey DeLau- shorter on Feb. 17, when sy staff for potential sonic- behavior, such as harass- go unchallenged,” said
rentis that he was equally the U.S. first complained to induced injuries, the AP has ing diplomats or cracking the lawmakers, who in-
baffled, and concerned. Cuba. Today, the number learned. down on local dissidents, cluded Sen. Marco Rubio
Predictably, Castro denied of “medically confirmed” But several U.S. officials Havana has often accused of Florida, a prominent
any responsibility. But U.S. cases stands at 21 — plus say there are real reasons Washington of making it Cuban-American, and the
officials were caught off several Canadians. Some to question whether Cuba up. This time, although Cas- No. 2 Senate Republican,
guard by the way he ad- Americans have perma- perpetrated a clandestine tro denied involvement, his John Cornyn of Texas. q
Jamaica’s Violet Brown dies at 117; Japan woman now oldest

SANTO DOMINGO, Do- Gerontology Research at the Trittonvale Baptist
minican Republic (AP) Group lists Nabi Tajima Church and remained a
— The world’s oldest of Japan was the old- member throughout her
person has died in Ja- est surviving person. life, long serving as or-
maica. Violet Brown was She was born on Aug. ganist. She credited her
117 years and 189 days 4, 1900.Brown was born longevity to hard work
old. Violet Moss — or Mosse: and her Christian faith.
Prime Minister Andrew Both spellings were Her husband Augustus
Holness expressed his sometimes used — on Brown died in 1997 and
condolences in a Face- March 10, 1900, and the eldest of her six chil-
book post, calling her spent much of her life dren died in April at age
“an inspiring woman.” cutting sugar cane near 97.In an interview this
The woman known as her home in the Duan- year with The Associat-
“Aunt V” died Friday at vale district in western ed Press, Brown said she
a local hospital, where In this April 16, 2017 photo, the world’s oldest person Violet Jamaica.A biography was surprised but grate-
Brown poses for a photo at her home in Duanvale, Jamaica.
she had been treated Brown has died in Jamaica at the age of 117 years and 189 days posted on the website ful to have lived so long.
for heart arrhythmia and old, on Friday, Sept. 15, at a local hospital. With her death, the of a foundation named “This is what God has
dehydration. Gerontology Research Group lists Nabi Tajima of Japan was the in her honor said she given me, so I have to
With her death, the oldest surviving person. was baptized at age 13 take it,” she said.q
(AP Photo/Raymond Simpson)