Month: August 2018

U.S. halts funding to U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees WASHINGTON/RAMALLAH (Reuters) - The United States on Friday halted all funding to a U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees in a move likely to further heighten tensions between the Palestinians and the Trump administration. FILE PHOTO: Palestinian schoolchildren participate in the morning exercise at an UNRWA-run school, on the first day of a new school year, in Gaza City August 29, 2018. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the decision as “a flagrant assault against the Palestinian…

U.N. Palestinian refugees agency voices regret, surprise at U.S. halting funds WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees said a U.S. decision on Friday to halt funding was disappointing and surprising, and rejected the U.S. assertion that its programs were irredeemably flawed. “We reject in the strongest possible terms the criticism that UNRWA’s schools, health centres, and emergency assistance programs are ‘irredeemably flawed,’” Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, said in a series of Twitter posts. Reporting by Mohammad Zargham; Editing…

Exclusive - U.S. accuses China of 'super aggressive' spy campaign on LinkedIn WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States’ top spy catcher said Chinese espionage agencies are using fake LinkedIn accounts to try to recruit Americans with access to government and commercial secrets, and the company should shut them down.     William Evanina, the U.S. counter-intelligence chief, told Reuters in an interview that intelligence and law enforcement officials have told LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft Corp., about China’s “super aggressive” efforts on the site. He said the Chinese campaign includes contacting thousands…