Новости за 31.03.2017

Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked militants are quickly moving to drum up outrage over a spike in civilian casualties said to have been caused by U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, posting photos online of a destroyed medical center and homes reduced to rubble. "This is how Trump liberates Mosul, by killing its inhabitants," the caption reads. During two years of fighting to push back IS, the U.S.-led coalition has faced little backlash over casualties, in part because civilian deaths have... Читать дальше...

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

Deadly cholera is spreading through drought-ravaged Somalia as clean water sources dry up, a top aid official said, deepening a humanitarian crisis in a country that is on the verge of famine. The Horn of Africa nation has recorded more than 18,000 cases of cholera so far this year, up from around 15,000 in all of 2016 and 5,000 in a normal year, Johan Heffinck, the Somalia head of EU Humanitarian Aid, said in an email on Thursday. The current strain of the disease is unusually deadly, killing around 1 in 45 patients. Читать дальше...

Security forces violently repressed small protests that broke out in Venezuela's capital Friday after the government-stacked Supreme Court gutted congress of its last vestiges of power, drawing widespread condemnation from foreign governments. Governments across Latin America condemned the power grab, with the head of the Organization of American States likening it to a "self-inflicted coup" by socialist President Nicolas Maduro's "regime" against the opposition-controlled congress. The United... Читать дальше...

The U.S. Army is considering trucking hazardous wastewater from a chemical weapons destruction plant in Colorado to another state because the plant isn't yet fully operational. Incinerators in Texas and Arkansas are under consideration to destroy up to 250,000 gallons (946,000 liters) of wastewater from the Pueblo Chemical Depot, but officials couldn't immediately provide the exact locations Thursday. The southern Colorado plant is dismantling and neutralizing shells containing mustard agent... Читать дальше...

The main rebel group in South Sudan is threatening to disrupt oil production in the country, a day after it released three foreign oil workers it kidnapped earlier in the month. An official of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM IO) said the government is using oil revenue to purchase weapons and kill civilians. “People in South Sudan are not receiving their money (from oil revenue). This money is going to their pocket (of government officials) and for buying arms for killing our people. Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump is poised to sign legislation overturning privacy protections for Internet users, a move supporters say will level the playing field for providers but critics argue will hurt consumers. The bill eliminates Obama-era regulations that required Internet service providers, or ISPs, to get permission before collecting or selling sensitive user data, such as Internet browsing history. Supporters say the bill will create a more even field for ISPs, which are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. Читать дальше...

For the last five years, Michael J. Sharp lived in one of the most dangerous countries in Africa, trying to broker peace between armed groups. "He was following his passion and mission to make peace in the world — a very broken and violent world," his father, John Sharp, told VOA in an interview late Thursday. That mission ended when Sharp, Swedish colleague Zahida Catalan and their interpreter, Betu Tshintela, were killed after being abducted in Kasai Central province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier this month. Читать дальше...

More than two dozen photos of the Pentagon taken after a plane crashed into it on September 11, 2001, have reappeared in recent days on the FBI's website six years after they were first made public. The posting misled some to believe the photos from 9/11 had never before been seen. FBI spokeswoman Jillian Stickels told The Associated Press on Friday that the 27 photos were first posted online in 2011, but disappeared from the site because of a technical glitch. They were restored to public view once the FBI was alerted they were missing.

The Trump administration is appealing the stay placed on President Donald Trump's executive order banning entry to people from six majority-Muslim countries and halting refugee admissions. A U.S. federal judge extended a suspension of the travel order Wednesday, placing a preliminary injunction against Trump's order at the request of the state of Hawaii. U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson had temporarily prohibited the government from enforcing the order in a March 15 decision. Both orders apply nationwide. Читать дальше...

A judge has approved an agreement for President Donald Trump to pay $25  million to settle lawsuits over his now-defunct Trump University. The decision Friday by U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego ends nearly seven years of legal battles with customers who claimed they were misled by failed promises to teach success in real estate. The ruling settles two class-action lawsuits and a civil lawsuit by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Trump had vowed never to settle but... Читать дальше...

A U.S. government monitoring agency says that its review of the conditions and status of USAID-funded schools in northern Afghanistan has detected "extreme discrepancies between reported and observed students and teachers." The review by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) focused on the relatively peaceful and prosperous Balkh province. The agency released its findings on Friday. "On average, officials reported an enrollment of 2,461 students at each of the... Читать дальше...

In Zimbabwe, a tractor loaded with tobacco arrives at an auction floor in Harare driven by farmers from Hurungwe area, about 300 kilometers north of the capital. One of them is Felix Tarutsvira. "I prefer [to sell] tobacco because when we compare prices, maize [corn] prices are lower than tobacco's," Tarutsvira said. "So as farmers want money quickly, they tend to grow tobacco." But maize remains the country's staple crop and, in an effort to recover from drought-induced food shortages, the government... Читать дальше...

When Ebola struck Liberia, consumption of bushmeat dropped dramatically. But in an odd twist, poorer households cut their consumption much more than well-to-do households. The findings have implications for public health, as well as wildlife conservation. Education campaigns about the risks and consequences of bushmeat hunting have focused on rural villagers near protected nature reserves. But, it turns out, the more tenacious consumers may be the wealthier city-dwellers. Bushmeat — wild animals like monkeys... Читать дальше...

Palmer Luckey, the co-founder of Facebook's Oculus virtual-reality business, is leaving the company. Facebook didn't give a reason for Luckey's departure. His last day is Friday. Luckey, who is 24, is leaving Facebook in the heels of controversies. Earlier this year, a federal jury found that Oculus, Luckey and co-founder Brendan Iribe violating the intellectual property rights of video-game maker ZeniMax Media. The jury awarded $500 million in damages, including $50 million from Luckey. Luckey... Читать дальше...

In Washington, the Pentagon announced Thursday that President Donald Trump has given it more authority to launch airstrikes in Somalia to attack al-Shabab.   The Pentagon said Trump approved a request for additional precision airstrikes in Somalia to help African Union and Somali ground troops “increase pressure” on al-Shabab and to deny the terrorists safe havens from which to attack U.S. citizens or interests in the region. General Thomas Waldhauser, head of the U.S. Africa Command, had said... Читать дальше...

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday funding cuts to foreign aid programs implemented by President Donald Trump will be disastrous for women around the world. Trump has revived by presidential memorandum (an executive action) the so-called "Mexico City" policy, which bans U.S. foreign aid from being granted to organizations that provide abortions or information about terminating a pregnancy. Clinton, who since her stunning and unexpected loss to Trump last November has been largely silent... Читать дальше...

We’re lighting up the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending April 1, 2017. As has been the case, we welcome one new song this week…and it’s a big jumper. Number 5: The Weeknd & Daft Punk "I Feel It Coming" The Weeknd and Daft Punk surge seven slots to fifth place with “I Feel It Coming.”  Here’s an item to pique your curiosity: on March 14, mastering engineer Rob Small went on social media to publicize an upcoming Daft Punk release. Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump will host Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and Jordan's King Abdullah II separately in the first week of April. Trump reached out to al-Sissi just days after his January 20 inauguration, calling his counterpart to discuss how the two countries would work together to fight terrorism. The White House has said the conversation was productive and a testament to the positive relations between the two countries. "We hope next week's visit continues this positive momentum," a senior White House official said. Читать дальше...

The battle to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appears to be over - at least as far as the Trump administration is concerned. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Thursday that Washington’s “priority is no longer to sit and focus on getting Assad out.” Haley’s remarks drew the ire of American lawmakers who have argued for a more robust U.S. effort to topple Assad. Republican Senator John McCain warned the Trump administration against making a "Faustian bargain" (a... Читать дальше...

The U.N. Security Council has approved a resolution cutting 500 troops from the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo and focusing its work on protecting civilians and enabling presidential elections to be held by the end of the year.   The Trump administration has pressed for cuts and reforms to U.N. peacekeeping and the resolution adopted unanimously Friday is the first reflecting that goal.   The resolution takes steps to improve the operation of the mission, authorizing the replacement of some... Читать дальше...

Teachers across Poland staged a strike Friday to protest a sweeping overhaul of the education system by the populist government that will see middle schools eliminated this fall. Many fear the change is a pretext for introducing a more nationalistic and old-fashioned curriculum which will leave children less prepared for the modern world. The education overhaul has become a flashpoint between the ruling Law and Justice party, led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and liberal opponents who accuse the powerful... Читать дальше...

Hong Kong’s Occupy organizers face charges, and Beijing detains a pro-democracy advocate. South Korea arrests its former president. Why did China and Australia fail to ratify an extradition treaty? Plus, the diplomatic standoff between North Korea and Malaysia ends. VOA’s Steve Miller gives you a glimpse at what happened March 27-31, 2017.

Battle for Full Control of Mosul VOA Cairo correspondent Heather Murdock, reporting from Iraq, and VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb talk about the final stages of the fight against IS militants in Mosul.