VOA NEWS

September 4, 2019

(This is) VOA news. I'm Marissa Melton.



Hurricane Dorian has begun to edge closer to the mainland United States on Tuesday and the National Hurricane Center says it's picking up strength again.

Dorian shrank from a powerful Category 5 to a Category 2 storm as it hovered over the Bahama islands for more than a day, damaging or destroying some 13,000 structures and causing at least five deaths.

Now as Dorian creeps northwest toward the coast of Florida, the Hurricane Center says the storm will track dangerously close to the southeastern United States coast, with not only Florida but the states of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina in its path over the next two days.



British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he has no choice but to call for early elections after a group of rebel lawmakers in Parliament seized control over the issue of Brexit.

"Mr. Speaker, I don't want an election, the public don't want an election, I don't believe the right, honorable gentleman wants an election. But if the House votes for this bill tomorrow the public will have to choose ...."

Tuesday's 328 to 301 vote in the House of Commons means lawmakers can consider a motion to delay once again Britain's exit from the European Union and block Johnson's so-called "no-deal" departure.

An election sometime this year is the most likely outcome of this week's parliamentary maneuvers.

Britain's Conservative Party could split with several former ministers forming a breakaway party.



U.S. President Donald Trump warned China today against delays in reaching a new trade agreement in hopes he is defeated for re-election in 2020. He says in a tweet if he wins he will be "MUCH TOUGHER" in setting the terms of a deal.

Trump, who is engaged in a tit-for-tat tariff war with Beijing, says the United States is "doing very well in our negotiations with China," although dates for the next round of talks planned for later this month in Washington have not yet been set.



More on this story at voanews.com. From Washington, this is VOA news.



Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has denied that she discussed resigning with Chinese officials amid growing pro-democracy protests despite having been heard in a leaked audio recording saying she would step down if she had a choice.

"... for a chief executive to have caused this huge havoc to Hong Kong is unforgivable. It's just unforgivable. If I have a choice, the first thing is to quit."

But Lam told reporters Tuesday she "had not even contemplated" discussing a resignation with Chinese leaders.

Nevertheless, many Hong Kong residents said the recording confirmed what political scientists and protesters have long believed - that despite Hong Kong's separate constitution, Beijing runs the city.



U.N. investigators say an array of human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law committed by Yemen's warring parties over the past five years may amount to war crimes.

Lisa Schlein reports for VOA on a report by eminent international and regional experts on Yemen. The report will be submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council next week.

The reports documents a long list of gross violations perpetrated with impunity by the government of Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, the Houthi rebels and affiliated armed groups.

International expert Charles Garraway tells VOA all the warring parties are complicit in the crimes.

"There are no clean hands in this contest. It is not a matter of trying to work out who has committed more offenses than any other. Everybody, everybody is responsible."

The panel of experts says the world must stop turning a blind eye to the catastrophic situation and prolonging the suffering of the Yemeni people.

Lisa Schlein, for VOA news, Geneva.

The experts are urging countries, including the United States, to not provide arms to parties in the conflict. They say the continued supply of weapons to the fighting forces is perpetuating the conflict and prolonging the suffering of Yemeni people.



Walmart says it will discontinue sales of ammunition for handguns and some assault-style rifles in stores across the United States. That's in response to the recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

The largest U.S. arms retailer has been under pressure to change its policies on gun sales. Walmart said it will discontinue handgun sales in Alaska as well, as the only state where it still sells the particular kind of gun.

Walmart has already ended sales of assault rifles and raised the minimum age for gun purchases to 21. This latest move will leave it focused on weapons for hunting.



I'm Marissa Melton. You're listening to VOA news.