Новости за 20.04.2017

A key U.S. Republican congressman who said this week he would not seek re-election or run for any other office next year now says he may leave Congress before his term in the House of Representatives runs out in early 2019. Congressman Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight Committee, rose to prominence on Capitol Hill through his dogged investigations of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton before the 2016 election. Chaffetz made headlines Wednesday when he wrote on Facebook... Читать дальше...

NATO member Romania plans to buy Patriot missiles from U.S. company Raytheon to help protect its airspace, a senior Defense Ministry official said Thursday. The purchase will be a key part of the European Union country's plan to modernize its military, benefiting from a gradual increase in annual spending. The defense budget in Romania — a NATO member since 2004 and one of Washington's staunchest allies in Eastern Europe, along with Poland — was 1.7 percent of its gross domestic product in 2016... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Canada on Thursday to stop shielding its dairy farmers from U.S. competition and reiterated his disdain for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), calling it "a disaster for our country." "What they've done to our dairy farmers is a disgrace," Trump told reporters Thursday in the Oval Office. "We can't let Canada or anybody else take advantage and do what they did to our workers and to our farmers." Canada protects its dairy industry with high tariffs... Читать дальше...

French President Francois Hollande says all signs point to terrorism in an attack on the Champs-Elysees in Paris that killed one policeman Thursday night and wounded two others. Hollande said security will be tightened ahead of Sunday's presidential election. "We shall be of the utmost vigilance, especially in relation to the election," he told the nation on television. Piecing together reports from witnesses, investigators said a gunman jumped out of a car near a subway station and opened fire on a police vehicle with a machine gun. Читать дальше...

Europe desperately needs short-term solutions to the migrant crisis, Italy's prime minister warned Thursday, saying a failure to act would further destabilize the region. Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said long-term efforts by Europe and the West to address root causes eventually could pay off, but without more urgent action, Europe will be engulfed by what he described as "waves of chaos" from across the Mediterranean Sea. "Too many Europeans have been living under the illusion that they could... Читать дальше...

Two children’s rights groups are calling for the U.N. secretary-general to put Saudi Arabia on a U.N. blacklist of countries that violate children’s rights, for its military actions in Yemen.   Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, and Save the Children, issued the appeal Thursday at the launch of a new joint report on how the destruction of Yemen’s health care infrastructure is harming children in that country.   “In Yemen, medical facilities and personnel are being systematically attacked as a tactic of war... Читать дальше...

Marijuana enthusiasts in the United States celebrate April 20 — or 4/20 — as an informal holiday, but this year they have something else to get excited about: New polling data show support for legalization of the drug is at an all-time high. Sixty percent of Americans say they support the legalization of marijuana, according to a poll released Thursday by Quinnipiac University. The same poll taken in December 2012 showed 51 percent of respondents supported legalization. "From a stigmatized, dangerous drug bought in the shadows... Читать дальше...

The Russian Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian sect, are an "extremist" group and ordered their Russian property turned over to the government. Supreme Court Judge Yuri Ivanenko declared the denomination's Administrative Center, its head office in Russia, an "extremist organization" and, on that basis, ordered the Jehovah's Witnesses group in Russia "dissolved" and its activities banned. Russia's Justice Ministry had sought the order, which the group said it will appeal. Читать дальше...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will meet in Washington next month with U.S. President Donald Trump, who called Erdogan on Monday to congratulate him on narrowly winning a disputed referendum that will significantly expand the powers of his presidency. Erdogan said Thursday in an interview with Turkish broadcaster A Haber that the two leaders would meet May 16-17 for the first time since Trump was elected in November. "I hope and pray that this tete-a-tete meeting in the United... Читать дальше...

Ending the conflict in South Sudan and preventing more famine there are entwined, but the situation only grows more complex as aid agencies struggle to deliver emergency food and other assistance to places where armed groups make travel dangerous. "We have a much more chaotic situation on the ground than, let's say, two years ago, when we had one government, one armed opposition," said Casie Copeland, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. Copeland says there now are dozens of armed opposition groups in South Sudan. Читать дальше...

The U.N. Security Council on Thursday "strongly condemned" the most recent ballistic missile test by North Korea, blaming Pyongyang for "greatly increasing tension in the region and beyond." North Korea last Saturday tried and failed to launch a missile from its submarine base at Sinpo off its eastern coast, the latest in a series of missile tests that violate U.N. sanctions against the North. In a unanimous statement, U.N. Security Council members expressed their "utmost concern" over Pyongyang's... Читать дальше...

Three armed sisters in central Pakistan reportedly have shot and killed a man accused of blasphemy 13 years ago, the latest incident of vigilante justice in a series of religiously motivated attacks. Police on Thursday identified the slain man as Fazal Abbas, 45, a member of the minority Shi'ite Muslim sect. The overnight attack happened near Sialkot, where police confirmed that the suspected assailants had been taken into custody and that an investigation was underway. Senior area police officer... Читать дальше...

Somalia’s al-Shabab militants are threatening to punish parents who send their children to Western-style schools and universities.   In a 26-minute audio recording aired by Radio Andalus, al-Shabab's mouthpiece in Somalia, group spokesman Ali Dhere said Western-style schools serve the interests of what he called "infidels" and aim to pull children away from Islam. “There are secular and non-Islamic schools and universities in our country, which serve to provide our youth with education that leads... Читать дальше...

The head of the International Monetary Fund says she "has every reason to believe" that the global lender can cooperate with the Trump Administration to support and improve global trade. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde spoke in Washington as economic and political officials gathered from around the world at this week's meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. Candidate Donald Trump blamed what he called unfair trade for the loss of many jobs in the United States, and proposed tax increases for imported goods. Читать дальше...

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

Anti-corruption activists in Nigeria say the president's suspension of two top officials is only a first step and must be followed up with more action. On Wednesday, Buhari suspended national intelligence agency chief Ayo Oke, who was linked to more than $40 million found in an empty Lagos apartment, and the secretary of his government, David Babachir Lawal, who allegedly collected money on a phony contract. Abdulkarim Dayyabu is chairman of the Movement for Justice in Nigeria, a non-governmental organization. Читать дальше...

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James were among seven sports figures named to Time Magazine's annual list of the world's most influential people, which was announced Thursday. While Brady and James have ample championships on their resume, polarizing NFL free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick also appeared on the list that included pioneers, artists and leaders. Chicago Cubs general manager Theo Epstein, 2016 Olympic gold-medal gymnast Simone Biles... Читать дальше...

With its century-old Spanish-style homes tucked behind immaculately trimmed hedges, San Marino, California, is among the most coveted spots to live in the Los Angeles area. Its public schools rank top in the state, attracting families affiliated with CalTech, the elite university blocks away. The city’s zoning rules promote a healthy lifestyle, barring fast-food chains. Home values in L.A. County census tract 4641, in the heart of San Marino and 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, can rival those in Beverly Hills. Читать дальше...

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations took aim at Iran and its proxy militia Hezbollah on Thursday, saying the United States would act against this “growing menace."   At the monthly meeting of the U.N. Security Council that focuses on the Middle East, specifically the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Nikki Haley said the council should expand its attention to focus on other threats in the region.   “We need to start with the chief culprit: Iran and its partner militia Hezbollah,” she said, referring to the Lebanese Shi’ite militant group... Читать дальше...

In Zimbabwe, the opposition formed two new alliances in the past 24 hours to challenge the country's longtime leader President Robert Mugabe in the 2018 polls. Zimbabwe's top opposition leaders, former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and former Vice President Joice Mujuru, signed a coalition agreement late Wednesday. Tsvangirai brings with him a large, well-established opposition party, while Mujuru, a former top Mugabe ally, brings with her defectors from the ruling Zanu-PF. Tsvangirai spoke at the signing... Читать дальше...

Oprah Winfrey doesn't scare easy and she wasn't frightened here. "But I was unsure and uncertain of myself going into this role," she says. "I did not want to do it. I never truly expected to do it. I had other people in mind to do it." Instead, it's Winfrey who erupts in the new HBO film "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" as a tormented woman in search of the mother she never knew whose tissue sample would yield medical marvels benefiting millions. The film, which premieres Saturday at 8 p.m. EDT... Читать дальше...

Atlantic salmon farming companies are designing huge pens to raise fish in the open seas in a radical shift from calm coastal waters where marine lice have slowed growth of the billion-dollar industry. The drive for new designs by Norway, producer of 54 percent of all farmed Atlantic salmon in 2016, will have to cope with ocean storms that can rip cages and free thousands of fish. Escapees disrupt natural stocks by breeding with wild cousins. "The industry has to develop and to solve the environmental challenges it has... Читать дальше...

There’s another kerfuffle about crowd size surrounding the president. On Wednesday, the Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots visited the White House to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. As is the tradition, there were plenty of photo opps, including a group photo. The New York Times then tweeted the group shot photo and compared it to the 2015 shot, which also featured the Patriots. Some players declined to visit the controversial president. Star quarterback Tom Brady, a friend of Trump... Читать дальше...

A Massachusetts high school teacher who was chosen National Teacher of the Year on Thursday is believed to be the first from a charter school to win the award. Sydney Chaffee, who teaches at the Codman Academy Charter Public School in Boston, was selected for the honor by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Last year, she became the first charter school teacher to be named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, and the council believes she is the first national award winner. Chaffee, 34... Читать дальше...

Cuban farmer Pascual Ferrel says his favorite fighting cock's prowess was "off the charts," so after it died of illness he had the black and red rooster preserved and displays it on his mantelpiece beside a television. "He fought six times and was invincible," the 64-year old recalled fondly, talking over the crowing of 60 birds in his farmyard in the central Cuban region of Ciego de Avila. Though it is banned in many parts of the world, cockfighting is favored throughout the Caribbean and in Cuba its popularity is growing. Читать дальше...