Energy Security, Global Health Among Top Priorities at UNGA 2018

((INTRO)) [[World leaders from across the international community are meeting this week at the annual U.N. General Assembly in New York.On this week’s Plugged In, VOA Contributor Greta Van Susteren speaks with policy makers about the top global topics on the agenda.VOA’s Elizabeth Cherneff has more.]] ((NARRATOR)) There is no shortage of global issues on the agenda at this year’s U.N. General Assembly in New York.  There are signs of a possible deal on the Korean peninsula, following the latest meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea.  Early negotiations are underway for a possible second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Nuclear security is also at the forefront. The leaders of Iran and the United States are trading sharp criticisms in their U.N. speeches.  Since pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal in May, President Trump has re-imposed economic sanctions that were previously lifted, but challenges remain. ((MIKE PREGENT, HUDSON INSTITUTE)) “It is still difficult, there is a way to skirt sanctions.China’s very good at that, Russia’s very good at that, but our European countries use the U.S. dollar, they use SWIFT (the international bank Identifier codes).So it is still a deterrent.Some of the government-owned companies, some of the smaller companies are still willing to do business with Iran.But it is just because the spotlight has not been shown on them yet."  ((NARRATOR)) World health is also a focus.For Tamryn Green, a tuberculosis survivor who was crowned this year’s Miss South Africa, the issue is personal. ((TAMRYN GREEN, MISS SOUTH AFRICA 2018))  “It is an ugly disease-people think that you have to have HIV to have TB.And as a medical student, I was in my third year and I contracted the disease and I really thought that as an educated woman studying medicine I would not feel the stigma, but no.I was still worried people were going to isolate me.” ((NARRATOR)) First Lady Melania Trump, is also in attendance at the U.N. General Assembly. She announced she will travel to Africa next month in her first solo trip abroad as First Lady. ((ELIZABETH CHERNEFF, VOA NEWS, WASHINGTON))