Cubans seek return of agents held by U.S.
HAVANA – Cubans tied yellow ribbons to homes, trees and lampposts across the capital Thursday, in an organized mass campaign to press for the return of several espionage agents imprisoned in the United States on the 15th anniversary of their arrest.
By using a symbol with deeply held cultural significance for many Americans, the campaign aims to raise support for the so-called Cuban Five in the United States where the public is largely unaware of their case, even if it’s a daily cause celebre in Cuba.
The Five were arrested Sept. 12, 1998, and convicted three years later of spying on U.S. military installations in South Florida.
Israel still skeptical about Iran president
VIENNA – Israel on Thursday expressed skepticism of Western hopes that the election of a new Iranian president could reduce tensions about the country’s nuclear program, asserting that Tehran remains committed to building nuclear arms.
The Iranian envoy lashed back at a meeting of the U.N nuclear agency, accusing Israel of making “unsubstantiated allegations” about a nonexistent nuclear weapons program meant to divert attention from Israel’s own nuclear weapons arsenal.
Iran President, Hasan Rouhani, has said he wants to ease international confrontation about his country’s nuclear program.
“An evil regime,” Israeli delegate Ehud Azoulaysaid, “is about to turn ... (into) a nuclear-armed evil regime.”
Associated Press
