Новости за 07.03.2017

Russia this year is marking 100 years since the Russian Revolution ended the country's monarchy, an event that led to the creation of the Soviet Union, a communist regime that for much of the 20th century ruled an empire. Despite the significant anniversary, Russian authorities have been cautious about how to observe it, apparently fearful of inciting divisions, especially in the wake of a revolution in neighboring Ukraine. The Russian Revolution changed the course of history as the monarchy was replaced by a communist government ... Читать дальше...

In a move likely to anger neighboring Serbia, Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci on Tuesday filed a draft law to convert the country's lightly armed security forces into a national army. Calling the militarization of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) “a normal step of a sovereign and independent state,” he issued a statement saying the initiative “aims at protecting territorial sovereignty and integrity, preserving peace and defending the Republic of Kosovo's interests and also contributes in building... Читать дальше...

A lawyer suing Vice President Mike Pence for refusing to release public records as Indiana's governor says his case should get a fresh look after revelations that the Republican used a private AOL email account to conduct state business. Democratic attorney William Groth is asking Indiana's Supreme Court to send his lawsuit back to a lower court to examine the private emails.   He cited recent news stories revealing details of Pence's use of the account. Groth said Tuesday he may seek additional... Читать дальше...

Africa's largest film festival, Fespaco, recently celebrated its 25th edition. The main venue, as always, was the old and respectable Cine Burkina, in the heart of the capital Ouagadougou. The city used to have at least nine dedicated cinemas — now only two remain. It is a picture that is repeated across the continent. In Senegal, don't go looking for the Cinema de Paris, the old film temple at the Place de l'Independence in downtown Dakar. It's gone. It was knocked down in 2011, and the hole... Читать дальше...

The U.S. trade deficit in January hit the highest level in nearly five years. Tuesday's report from the Commerce Department says the gap between what Americans sell to foreigners and what U.S. customers buy from overseas grew by 9.6 percent for the month to $48.5 billion. U.S. exports rose six-tenths of a percent, as American companies sold more cars overseas, but U.S. commercial aircraft sales faltered. Export gains were overwhelmed by a surge in imported cell phones and autos, along with rising costs for oil imports. Читать дальше...

The secret to better job satisfaction may be as easy as having a healthy sex life, a new study suggests. According to researchers at Oregon State University, married employees who “prioritized sex at home” were better workers and enjoyed work more. On the other hand, the research showed that people who bring work-related stress home “impinges on employees’ sex lives,” leading researchers to recommend leaving work at the office. The reason sex helps workers enjoy work more is that it releases dopamine and oxytocin... Читать дальше...

The U.S. top general, Joseph Dunford, along with the chief of Russia's general staff, Valery Gerasimov, were hosted by their Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, in the Mediterranean resort of Antalya. According to officials, the meeting sought to find ways to avoid potential confrontations among the forces operating in Syria. "First the de-conflicting issue between Russian and U.S. forces, which are only 10 kilometers apart from each other," suggested former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen,... Читать дальше...

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

Vitamin D is for Decongestant

In a pediatric ward at Queen Elizabeth Central hospital, the largest referral health facility in Malawi, mothers look frustrated because of a long wait for a nurse to check on their children. A visit to other outpatient wards reveals more packed waiting rooms. Such is the situation in public hospitals across Malawi where 65 percent of nursing positions remain vacant. The shortages leave the country’s public health system in dire need of nurses, and recruiting trained staff remains difficult as... Читать дальше...

Organizers of January's Women's March are calling for women to take the day off Wednesday and encouraged not to spend money to highlight women's role in society. The one-day protest is being billed as “A Day Without a Woman” is aimed at calling attention to economic bias faced by women. It coincides with the U.N.-designated International Women's Day. Organizers say they want to “stand with women around the globe.” They also want to show solidarity to the majority-women protests held around the... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to knock down reports that his White House is engulfed in turmoil. "Don't let the FAKE NEWS tell you that there is big infighting in the Trump Admin.," Trump wrote in a comment on his Twitter account Tuesday. "We are getting along great, and getting major things done!" Trump offered his commentary after several days of accounts in major U.S. news outlets that he was angry at his staff for their handling of controversies that have erupted around him. ... Читать дальше...

A Chinese telecommunications company has agreed to pay $892 million for violating U.S. sanctions on Iran, settling a case that resulted in increased tension between the U.S. and China. ZTE Corporation, one of the world's largest telecommunications gear makers, pleaded guilty to signing contracts to sell hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of hardware and software from U.S. technology giants, including Microsoft, Intel and Qualcomm. The penalties are among the largest ever imposed in a sanctions case. Читать дальше...

Heavy rains and strong winds from a cyclone hit northeast Madagascar on Tuesday, raising concerns about flooding and landslides. Aid workers were on alert as Cyclone Enawo lashed the coastline. The storm was expected to move south through the island nation for several days, affecting the capital of Antananarivo along the way.   Some of the worst weather occurred near Antalaha in the Sava area. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.   Enawo is the strongest storm to hit Madagascar... Читать дальше...

The president of CNN says it is "shocking" to watch the political establishment's silence regarding President Donald Trump's attacks on the media, calling it an abdication of their responsibility. Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, told the INTV media conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday that Trump's labeling of the media as the enemy of the state was dangerous and that "words can have consequences." He also said he was stunned politicians had not spoken out fiercely against the assault on the free press. Читать дальше...

A German court rejected a temporary injunction against Facebook on Tuesday in a case brought by a Syrian refugee who sued the social networking site for failing to remove faked posts linking him to crimes and militant attacks. The Wuerzburg district court said in a preliminary ruling that Facebook is neither a "perpetrator nor a participant" in what it said was "undisputable defamation" by Facebook users, but simply acting as a hosting provider that is not responsible for preemptively blocking offensive content under European law. Читать дальше...

China is trying to implement an ambitious "Made in China, 2025" plan to upgrade technology and product quality in a desperate move to battle rising pollution and falling exports. It is seeking the best technologies from the Western world in areas like new generation Information Technology, semiconductors, robotics, new energy vehicles and medical devices. Chinese leaders are losing patience with China's image as "factory to the world" for low-end goods. They want local industry to add value by scaling up their capabilities in engineering... Читать дальше...

The White House has reopened public tours for the first time since President Donald Trump took office. The line of visitors erupted in cheers as President Donald Trump himself greeted them at the White House door. At the front of the line, 10-year-old Jack Cornish of Birmingham, Alabama, who got the thrill of a lifetime, posing with the president as the network TV cameras rolled. The president offered the visitors a bit of advice.  "Work hard, everybody. Work hard," Trump advised. The tours... Читать дальше...

IOC member Frank Fredericks has stepped down from his role overseeing the 2024 Olympic bidding process after a $300,000 payment from a banned track official was revealed. Fredericks says "Paris and Los Angeles are presenting two fantastic candidatures and I do not wish to become a distraction." The Namibian sprinter, a four-time Olympic silver medalist, says stepping aside as IOC evaluation chairman is "in the best interests" of the bidding process. Fredericks would have led an April 23-25 visit to Los Angeles. Читать дальше...

North Korea says its last missile launch was a training drill. The diplomatic row between Kuala Lumpur and Pyongyang worsens. Plus, death returns to the Philippines’ drug war. VOA’s Steve Miller has your Asia news, in a minute.

Members of the Danish parliament's foreign policy committee have been asked to leave smartphones, tablets and computers at home during a visit to Russia at a time of increased security concerns. "Goodbye smartphone," former Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard of the Social Liberal Party said in a post on Facebook. "On the way to Russia with the Foreign Policy Committee, where we have been advised not to bring gadgets for the sake of safety," Lidegaard wrote. During his time as foreign minister... Читать дальше...

The chairman of China's biggest beverage maker, Hangzhou Wahaha Group, said the United States would suffer more in any trade war with China, with a loss of access to cheap Chinese-made goods hitting American wallets. U.S. President Donald Trump had campaigned on a promise to confront China more aggressively on trade, including by levying new tariffs on goods from abroad and branding China a currency manipulator. Beijing says it will work with Washington to resolve any trade disputes, but Chinese... Читать дальше...

The Oklahoma City bombing nearly 22 years ago was an act of domestic terror by U.S. military veteran Timothy McVeigh and his accomplice, Terry Nichols. The bombing destroyed one third of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, killing 168 people and injuring 680 others. In his documentary, Oklahoma City, filmmaker Barak Goodman revisits the bombing as the first major domestic terrorist attack in the United States on April 19, 1995. It was the number of civilians killed - especially the 15 children... Читать дальше...

Actor Alec Baldwin said that his impersonation of U.S. President Donald Trump on NBC's sketch show "Saturday Night Live" has revived his "dead" comedy career after he wrapped up sitcom "30 Rock" in 2012. "I didn't realize in the comedy terms that I was dead," Baldwin told Reuters on Monday when asked if he felt he was entering a new era with his comedy. "Maybe I was in a coma ... now I'm waking up from a coma and now I'm ready to do some comedy." The actor was promoting his latest film, DreamWorks'... Читать дальше...

Workers demanding better conditions and benefits have destroyed the production line of a Chinese-owned factory making clothes for Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz, in one of the most violent labor disputes in Myanmar in years. The month-old dispute, which also saw managers attacked, highlights the need for Aung San Suu Kyi's government to enact social and labor reforms, analysts say, while at the same time reassuring investors looking to tap the opening of one of the world's fastest growing economies after decades of isolation. Читать дальше...