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Friday 14 September 2018
U.S., Cuba meet on mysterious 'health attacks' in Havana

By MATTHEW LEE U.S. said two embassy staff-
AP Diplomatic Writer ers were affected in a sin-
WASHINGTON (AP) — gle occurrence in late May
As American authorities in a diplomatic residence
search for answers into at which both officers were
mysterious "health attacks" present. Those were the first
that began two years ago confirmed cases in Havana
in Havana, U.S. and Cuban since August 2017.
officials met Thursday to One U.S. official said Thurs-
renew efforts to determine day's meeting was orga-
the method and motive nized after Cuba com-
behind incidents that have plained that Washington
left some diplomats with has withheld important
brain injuries. details about the affected
The talks at the State De- Americans' medical condi-
partment came as na- tions. The official was not
tional security agencies authorized to discuss the
and members of Congress matter publicly and spoke
express frustration about on condition of anonymity.
the lack of answers about In congressional testimony
what the U.S says were de- last week, State Depart-
liberate attacks on some ment medical personnel
two dozen staffers at the In this Oct. 3, 2017, file photo, tourists ride classic convertible cars on the Malecon beside the suggested they had shared
U.S. Embassy in the Cu- United States Embassy in Havana, Cuba. more information with Chi-
ban capital.Recent reports na about the incident in
have suggested investiga- personnel in Cuba," she fore the talks. does not dispute the symp- Guangzhou than they had
tors have narrowed their told reporters. The Cuban Embassy said toms but insists there is no with the Cubans about
suspicions about the cause Cuba officials scheduled a the team was proposing "a evidence to support any what has happened in Ha-
and culprit, although State news conference Thursday dispassionate examination assertion that they were vana.
Department spokeswoman evening to discuss devel- of health reports of U.S. dip- caused by premeditated In two classified briefings
Heather Nauert denied opments. lomats in Cuba according attacks on its soil. Cuba has with congressional aides
that any conclusions had Earlier, Cuba's foreign min- to the rules of science." repeatedly denounced and lawmakers last week,
been drawn about either. istry said nine members of Nauert did not address the the U.S. accusations as po- the officials repeated that
"We still don't know the the scientific team it as- Cuban comments and said litically motivated and un- they had not come to any
cause, we still don't know sembled to look into the the meeting "involves pri- proven. conclusions about what
what or who is responsible incidents met with U.S. law- vate medical information Twenty-five U.S. Embassy caused the injuries or who
for health attacks that took makers and the National that is coming forth from workers in Cuba, as well as might be responsible for
place that affected our Academy of Sciences be- some of our people." one at the U.S. consulate in them, according to officials
She and other officials have Guangzhou, China, have familiar with the meetings.
previously played down or been affected by mysteri- Initial speculation had cen-
denied reports that investi- ous health incidents that tered on some type of son-
gators have focused on a began in the fall of 2016. ic attack, owing to strange
microwave device as the The range of symptoms sounds heard by those af-
source of the attacks and and diagnoses includes fected. But an interim FBI
that Russia is the leading mild traumatic brain injury, report in January found
suspect. also known as concussion. no evidence that sound
Those reports have raised The last case from Havana waves could have caused
protests from Cuba, which was confirmed in June. The the damage.q
FEMA head denies intentionally

misusing federal vehicles

By COLLEEN LONG "Doing something unethical weekend trips home to
WASHINGTON (AP) — The is not part of my DNA and Hickory, North Carolina.
head of the government's it's not part of my track re- Tyler Houlton, a spokes-
disaster relief agency said cord in my whole entire ca- man for Homeland Secu-
Thursday he never inten- reer," said Long, who leads rity, FEMA's parent agency,
tionally misused federal ve- the Federal Emergency referred questions to the
hicles, following a report he Management Agency. inspector general's office,
was under investigation by Long said the inspector which didn't immediately
the Homeland Security De- general was looking into respond to a request for
partment's internal watch- vehicle usage, but he comment.
dog. didn't confirm that the re- Houlton said in a statement
Brock Long discussed the view concerned his use of that Homeland Security is
investigation, first reported an official vehicle. Politico "fully focused on prepar-
by Politico, at a briefing on reported Long was under ing for, responding to, and
Hurricane Florence, saying investigation for possibly recovering from Hurricane
he would cooperate and misusing government re- Florence and the storms in
own up to any mistakes. sources and personnel on the Pacific."q