Новости за 14.04.2017

An investigation of Brazil's biggest constructor found new evidence of possible corruption in the building and financing of half of the 2014 World Cup stadiums. Plea bargain testimonies from Odebrecht executives published Wednesday by Brazil's top court indicated irregularities in six arenas: The Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, which hosted the final, the new Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, and in Brasilia, Recife, Fortaleza, and Manaus. The testimonies open the door for investigations of corruption... Читать дальше...

Grammy-winning guitarist and singer Glen Campbell is releasing his final studio album, recorded shortly after his Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in 2011.   The record label, Universal Music Enterprises, announced Friday that the album, "Adios,'' will be released on June 9. Campbell hasn't performed since 2012 and is in a long-term care facility, but his wife, Kim Campbell, said in a statement that he felt a sense of urgency after his diagnosis to record one last time.   Campbell's hits include... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said Friday that it would not disclose the names of people who have visited the White House, ending a policy of President Barack Obama's that was designed to promote transparency. The Obama White House posted the records online about three months after the visits took place, except those that included names of people considered sensitive or who had personal relationships with the Obamas. Citing "grave national security risks and privacy concerns," however... Читать дальше...

Arms raised to the heavens, tens of thousands of Haitians flocked to a craggy hillside to pray and seek renewal in one of the spiritually steeped country's biggest annual pilgrimages — one of many exuberant expressions of Good Friday devotion across the Americas. At a hilltop crucifix, some raised passports to heaven, pleading for visas, or dog-eared photos of sick relatives. Others prayed for a loving relationship or a steady job. Some at the ritual site in tiny Ganthier marched along a steep... Читать дальше...

The magic of nature and its wildlife often takes great patience for the humans who want to revel in it. Disneynature's new film, Born in China, is a perfect example of that. The documentary is a little over an hour, but it was shot over three years. Dame Jane Goodall, an ambassador for Disneynature, said the imagery was breathtaking and shows the personality of the multiple species captured. "These photographers wait year in and year out and so they're able to show the characters of these animals,"... Читать дальше...

Lawyer Savas Ersoy and his wife turned down many chances to leave Turkey and work abroad. But after a failed coup, a wave of bombs and the referendum on expanding presidential powers on Sunday, they are packing their bags. Like other professionals who are leaving Turkey, the Ersoys say they are uncertain about the country's political future and afraid of instability. "We have been thinking of moving abroad for about a year and a half. However, with the developments in Turkey over the past six to seven months... Читать дальше...

Kosovo warned on Friday of possible attacks against senior politicians and Kosovan institutions during the Easter holiday, a day after the U.S. Embassy in Pristina alerted its citizens to the risk of violence. There were increased police patrols on the capital's streets and two officers told Reuters their shifts had been extended to 12 hours from the usual eight for the next few days. The government gave no details about who was plotting the potential attacks. "Groups have planned to commit... Читать дальше...

Turkish expatriates in Europe are on edge ahead of Sunday's referendum in their homeland, troubled by diplomatic tensions and wide-ranging threats against "no" vote campaigners. A "yes" vote in the constitutional balloting would give President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broad new powers, which supporters argue are needed to carry forward his program to develop Turkey. But opponents argue he is trying to establish a modern dictatorship in which he could retain power until at least 2029. Tensions over the contest... Читать дальше...

The Lebanese government was urged on Thursday — the 42nd anniversary of the start of the nation's civil war — to help families of the thousands of missing by approving a project to collect DNA samples to try to trace their whereabouts. With families still struggling to cope with their loss, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and non-government organization Act for the Disappeared staged a one-day exhibition in Beirut of chairs made by families of the missing. "People who have... Читать дальше...

Democratic voters still hurting from Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss are hoping that an upcoming special election deep in Atlanta’s suburbs will send a message of disapproval to President Donald Trump. Almost 100 days into Trump's presidency, voters in Georgia's historically Republican 6th Congressional district will choose a lawmaker to fill the seat opened by the departure of Tom Price, who is now Trump's Health and Human Services secretary. But with the president's approval ratings hovering around 40 percent... Читать дальше...

Russia on Friday hosted a trilateral foreign ministers meeting with Iran and Syria, as well as an international conference on Afghanistan, just days after a chilly Moscow reception for U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Russia's increasingly assertive foreign policy in Syria and Afghanistan is clashing with U.S. goals, but analysts say both countries are needed for a negotiated peace. VOA's Daniel Schearf reports from Moscow.

Tensions continue to rise on the Korean peninsula. Abu Sayyaf militants attack a Philippines resort island. Philippines’ President Duterte cancels his trip to the South China Sea. Defendants in the Kim Jong Nam murder worry their case may be compromised. Plus, Toyota looks to help the elderly in Japan. VOA’s Steve Miller gives you a glimpse at what happened April 10-14, 2017.

The US military targeted an Islamic State bunker complex in northeastern Afghanistan with a GBU-43 bomb known as MOAB - Massive Ordnance Air Blast. Described by military officials as the "mother of all bombs" here are some details on this powerful weapon used for the first time on April 13, 2017.

Multi-nation talks on the prospects for Afghan security and national reconciliation, the third such round since December, began Friday in Moscow. Eleven countries are taking part in discussions, including Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan and India. Former Soviet Central Asian states have been invited to attend for the first time. The United States was also invited to the Moscow talks but Washington didn't attend, saying it was not informed of the agenda beforehand and was unclear of the meeting's motives. Читать дальше...

More than a decade after it was proposed, India’s most ambitious tax reform measure is set to roll out in six weeks following the passage of a law that will replace a plethora of confusing levies with a single, nationwide tax.   The new goods and services tax (GST) will unite the world’s fastest growing economy into a common market of 1.3 billion people. The measure is seen as a major achievement for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who struggled for two years to build a political consensus. ... Читать дальше...

The so-called “Mother of All Bombs,” may be the biggest conventional weapon in the U.S. arsenal, but it’s not the biggest non-nuclear bomb in the world. That title goes to Russia’s “Father of All Bombs,” which is reportedly four times heavier than the 10,300-kilogram Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), the official name of the U.S. GBU-43/B. FOAB is also quite a different kind of bomb. While the MOAB is conventional, the FOAB is thermobaric, meaning it uses oxygen in the atmosphere to increase the damaging effects. Читать дальше...

Texas has a wealth of oil and gas production facilities, hundreds of ranches ... and 14 national park sites that protect and preserve some of America’s most precious natural, cultural and historic land and waterscapes. National parks traveler Mikah Meyer, who’s on a mission to visit all of the more than 400 sites within the National Park Service, crossed into Texas via its eastern border, eager to begin his ambitious adventures across the vast state. Magical moments First stop, Big Thicket National Preserve... Читать дальше...

Christians around the world are observing Good Friday marking the day that Jesus was crucified. VOA was on scene where the events took place in Jerusalem. Thousands of pilgrims packed into the narrow cobblestone alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City for the traditional Good Friday Procession.  Singing hymns and reading from the Gospel, they retraced the footsteps of Jesus to the 14 Stations of the Cross. Many of the faithful hoisted large wooden crosses upon their shoulders. It was a big turnout... Читать дальше...

U.S. use of a massive bomb against Islamic State extemists in Afghanistan has proven divisive in the region, winning support from political and military authorities in Kabul but strong condemnations from former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan.   In a series of three tweets, Karzai said, “I vehemently and in strongest words condemn the dropping of the latest weapon, the largest non-nuclear #bomb, on Afghanistan by U.S. military. This is not the war on terror... Читать дальше...

Congolese authorities have arrested two people suspected of involvement in the murder of two U.N. workers in central Democratic Republic of Congo, but one of the prisoners has escaped, a senior prosecutor said Friday. The announcement was the first reported sign of progress in an inquiry into the deaths of American Michael Sharp and Swede Zaida Catalan, investigators monitoring U.N. Security Council sanctions against individuals and armed groups in Congo. Their bodies were discovered in a shallow grave on March 27... Читать дальше...

North Korea says it’s ready to launch a pre-emptive strike against the United States if the US shows any signs of what Pyongyang calls “reckless aggression”. VOA’s Steve Miller and VOA Korean reporter Eunjong Cho talk about the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula as Pyongyang continues threatening military action.

Russia, Syria and Iran issue strong warnings to the United States against launching new airstrikes on Syria. VOA Moscow correspondent Daniel Schearf and VOA State Department correspondent Cindy Saine discuss this week’s high-profile meetings in Moscow between US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his counterpart Sergei Lavrov, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

More than 20 million people are at risk of famine in Somalia, Yemen and Nigeria in a tragedy already affecting 100,000 people in war-torn South Sudan. VOA reporters Jeffrey Young and Salem Solomon Fekadu talk about the growing threat of famine facing potentially millions of Africans.

Korean Tensions 0:50, US-Russia Relations 11:49, African Famines 22:33

The Trump administration is dropping a lawsuit against North Carolina after the state moved to undo its "bathroom bill." Justice Department lawyers filed a motion Friday to dismiss their federal lawsuit. The move doesn't directly affect separate pending litigation by LGBT rights advocates who say the new North Carolina law doesn't go far enough to ensure rights for all. North Carolina's compromise deal last month got rid of the most well-known provision of House Bill 2 that required transgender... Читать дальше...