Новости за 10.03.2017

Labor secretary nominee Alexander Acosta is expected to face questions at his Senate confirmation hearing about an unusual plea deal he oversaw for a billionaire sex offender while U.S. attorney in Miami. Acosta has won confirmation for federal posts three times previously, but he has never faced scrutiny on Capitol Hill for his time as U.S. attorney. Critics, including attorneys for some underage victims of financier Jeffrey Epstein, say the plea agreement was a “sweetheart deal” made possible only by Epstein's wealth... Читать дальше...

The families of some 200 Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram nearly three years ago celebrated the return of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari from seven weeks of medical treatment in Britain as a boost to hopes of their daughters being freed. Shortly after arriving from London on Friday, the 74-year-old former general told officials he would need more rest and health tests, raising questions about his ability to run Africa's biggest economy and most populous nation. Yet his return to... Читать дальше...

A man facing possible deportation has some notable names in his corner ahead of a meeting with federal immigration authorities in New Jersey on Friday. Several dozen clergy members marched toward a federal building in Newark in support of a man facing possible deportation. Clergy including Cardinal Joseph Tobin, leader of New Jersey's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, led a rally for supporters of Catalino Guerrero on Friday morning along with U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez. Organizers said the 59-year-old... Читать дальше...

The Democratic Republic of Congo's power company says it may have to severely reduce hydroelectric production because of historically low levels in the Congo River. "We fear that if we don't have enough water, we would have to stop the turbines because they cannot function when the water is below a certain level," said Medard Kitakani, an official of the National Electricity Company (SNEL). Congo is one of many African countries struggling with the effects of an extended regional drought. SNEL... Читать дальше...

It's been five months since Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in response to widespread protests and unrest, and there are no signs indicating when it might end.   Since October, thousands have been arrested and sent to military-style camps where they live in squalid conditions, perform strenuous exercises and get beaten when they falter, according to Befeqadu Hailu, a former detainee. The prisoners have also undergone reeducation training, including a crash course on the country’s constitution. Читать дальше...

As Tibetans around the world marked the 58th anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day, Chinese officials in Beijing vowed to "resolutely strike" against the "Dalai Lama clique's separatist activities." Che Dalha, the newly appointed chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said Beijing would take "a clear-cut stand against separatism." China views the Dalai Lama, Tibet's Buddhist spiritual leader, as a dangerous separatist. The Nobel Peace laureate denies espousing violence and says he only wants genuine autonomy for Tibet. Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump declared in his inauguration speech January 20, "From this day forward, it's gonna be only America first! America first!" At the time, he probably had no idea he was touching off a viral video sensation that would inspire people in countries around the world to mock not only him, but their own countries. A talk show host in the Netherlands started it. Comedian Arjen Lubach aired a video on his talk show extolling the virtues of the Netherlands in a bid for runner-up. Читать дальше...

The World Health Organization says about half a million Africans die of cancer each year, or six percent of global cancer deaths annually. The leading cancers in Africa affect the breast, cervix and prostate, according to WHO. Dr. Andre Ilbawi, the technical officer for cancer control at WHO headquarters in Geneva, says the cause of the illness in Africa is not always clear, though factors that may contribute to breast cancer include alcohol use, obesity and lack of physical activity. Weakened immune systems also play a role... Читать дальше...

Faced with a shrinking pool of visas, the U.S. embassy in Kabul has started turning away Afghan military translators and other Afghan nationals seeking to immigrate to the United States through a decade-old special visa program. A State Department official said Friday the embassy stopped scheduling new special immigrant visa interviews for Afghans on March 1 after concluding that it had enough unused visas only for those who are already in the final stages of the application process. As of March 5... Читать дальше...

As Haiti prepares for Saturday’s state funeral for former President Rene Garcia Préval, his death has taken on an air of intrigue. When the 74-year-old died March 3 at a suburban Port-au-Prince hospital, the cause of death initially was cited as cardiac arrest. But, in the Caribbean country where voodoo still is practiced, rumors of foul play arose. "Many people are talking about the possibility of Préval being poisoned,” District Attorney Danton Leger told a group of Haitian journalists in explaining... Читать дальше...

In stepping up legal challenges to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, Democratic attorneys general are trying to use the court system to thwart the executive branch in the same way their GOP counterparts did under President Barack Obama. Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said Thursday he was asking a federal judge to find that his order last month halting the old travel ban applies to the new one, too. Ferguson's action came a day after Hawaii launched its own lawsuit. Washington... Читать дальше...

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Friday he hopes to launch formal talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico in a little over three months. U.S. President Donald Trump was strongly critical during his election campaign of NAFTA and other trade agreements that he said harmed American workers, pledging to review such deals. Ross told reporters that "sometime in the next couple of weeks" he hopes to send a letter notifying Congress that the Trump... Читать дальше...

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife are expecting their second child.   In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg says his wife Priscilla Chan is pregnant with a girl. The couple already has a 1-year-old daughter.   In his post, Zuckerberg writes that he's happy his first daughter, Max, will have a sister. Zuckerberg says he grew up with three sisters and they taught him to learn from smart, strong women. He also says his wife grew up with two sisters.   Zuckerberg says he and his wife... Читать дальше...

European leaders at a meeting Friday were divided over the idea of accepting a multi-speed Europe - threatening to deepen tensions at a Brussels summit later this month. At the meeting, Poland was the most vocal in its efforts to quash the concept. The idea of multi-speed allows some member states to go faster, or slower with European integration than others on certain policies and topics. Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo accused French President Francois Hollande of trying to "blackmail" Poland... Читать дальше...

The New York City medical examiner's office will not release the cause and manner of death for Russia's ambassador to the United Nations. An autopsy was performed after Ambassador Vitaly Churkin died suddenly last month, but the death required further study. Spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said Friday the city's law department instructed the medical examiner's office not to disclose the information. On February 24, the U.S. Department of State requested that his cause of death not be revealed because his diplomatic immunity survives his death. Читать дальше...

We’re coming on strong with the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending March 11, 2017. Last week, if you recall, we had a big new entry in fourth place. Well, THIS week, we have a big new entry in fourth place! Number 5: The Chainsmokers and Halsey "Closer" The Chainsmokers and Halsey continue their record-setting run in the Top Five with “Closer” – it’s been there for 27 weeks now. On February 5, The Chainsmokers ruled the iHeart Radio Music Awards in Los Angeles. Читать дальше...

A new report accuses Turkey’s security forces of widespread and systematic human rights violations, including massive destruction of towns and killings of mainly Kurdish people in the southeast. Turkey has denied repeated requests for access to the country by U.N. human rights investigators, so they have been forced to gather evidence through satellite imagery and interviews. The report documents accounts of torture, enforced disappearances, violence against women and other human rights violations... Читать дальше...

If the tech industry is drawing one lesson from the latest WikiLeaks disclosures, it's that data-scrambling encryption works, and the industry should use more of it.   Documents purportedly outlining a massive CIA surveillance program suggest that CIA agents must go to great lengths to circumvent encryption they can't break. In many cases, physical presence is required to carry off these targeted attacks.   "We are in a world where if the U.S. government wants to get your data, they can't hope... Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump will ask Chancellor Angela Merkel for advice on how to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. officials said on Friday, as the U.S. and German leaders meet next week after sometimes pointed disagreements in recent months. Merkel will visit the White House on Tuesday for talks with Trump and a joint news conference in what will be their first face-to-face meeting since the new U.S. president took power on Jan. 20. They are expected to discuss Germany's level of defense spending for the NATO alliance... Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump has asked former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Russia, a position likely to come with heavy scrutiny as questions swirl around Trump’s alleged connections to Moscow. Media reports say Huntsman has indicated his willingness to accept the position, though he has made no formal statement on the matter. Huntsman boasts a long diplomatic career, having served twice as an ambassador under both Democratic and Republican presidents. He served as... Читать дальше...

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is suggesting the FBI director should come forward to dispute President Donald Trump's baseless claim that he was wiretapped by former President Barack Obama.   Asked Friday about James Comey's responsibility in the matter, Pelosi responded: "Theoretically do I think that a director of the FBI who knows for a fact that something is mythology but misleading to the American people, and he should set the record straight? Yes, I do think he should say that publicly.''   Trump's claim... Читать дальше...

Pope Francis will visit Colombia in September, President Juan Manuel Santos said on Friday, stopping in Bogota, Medellin, Villavicencio and Cartagena during a four-day trip. The pope has been a key supporter of Colombia's peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebels, even brokering discussions between Santos and his top opposition rival, former president Alvaro Uribe. "His holiness gave us courage, he gave us momentum, he encouraged all Colombians to persevere in... Читать дальше...

For the second time this year, the United States has deported a group of Somalis to their home country. A plane carrying 68 Somalis landed Friday at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport. The deportees were accompanied by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who handed them over to Somali authorities, officials say. One of those deported, Nur Mohamed Mohamud, told VOA's Somali Service that he had traveled through more than 10 countries over a two-month period to reach... Читать дальше...

Extremely brief but powerful radio bursts coming from billions of light years away could be evidence of an advanced alien civilization, according to a new paper. Fast radio bursts, which are “millisecond-long flashes of radio emission” could be “leakage” from “planet-sized transmitters” that power alien spaceships over incredible distances. "Fast radio bursts are exceedingly bright given their short duration and origin at great distances, and we haven't identified a possible natural source with... Читать дальше...

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