Новости за 11.05.2017

Venezuela's opposition is pushing other Latin American countries to pressure President Nicolas Maduro's government into implementing a “democratic agenda,” opposition leader Julio Borges said on Thursday. Borges, the president of Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly, traveled to Lima to meet with Peruvian legislators and President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who has been one of the most vocal critics of Maduro among Latin American heads of state. He said the humanitarian crisis and strong... Читать дальше...

Migrants from Central America's violence-plagued Northern Triangle region endure harrowing abuses while trying to make their way through Mexico toward the United States, a report from an international medical group said Thursday. Doctors Without Borders, or MSF for its initials in French, called the situation a “humanitarian crisis” that demands the U.S. and Mexican governments do more to process applications for asylum and humanitarian visas. It said the study was based on surveys and medical... Читать дальше...

In his workshop near Cairo's pyramids, Ahmed Saeed Omar has manufactured a mini four-wheeled vehicle that he hopes will fill a gap in the market. Omar's "mini car," a rectangular vehicle made of a solid steel body which seats up to six people, is cheaper than the widely-used imported auto rickshaw — not much more than a covered three-wheel scooter with a passenger bench —  because it is almost entirely locally produced. Prices of imported products have soared since Egypt devalued its currency... Читать дальше...

Doctors from the U.S.-based organization Clitoraid are in Nairobi this month performing restorative surgery on women who have undergone female genital mutilation, known as FGM. It's the first time this procedure has been done in Kenya. From Nairobi, VOA's Jill Craig has more.

The Mormon church, the largest sponsor of Boy Scouts troops in the United States, announced Thursday it is pulling older teenagers from the organization as the religion takes a step toward developing its own global scouting-like program. The Utah-based religion's announcement means an estimated 130,000-180,000 teenagers ages 14-18 will no longer participate in Boy Scouts starting next year, a significant loss for the Boy Scouts of America. Younger Mormon boys will remain in Boy Scouts. The faith... Читать дальше...

Cengiz seemed to have it all. A high-paying job in Germany's tech sector gave him money and prestige, but his life was spiraling out of control. A cocaine addiction had pushed him to the brink of suicide. Desperate for escape after waking up one morning in a pool of his own blood, he found salvation half a world away at a Buddhist monastery in Thailand known for its drug rehabilitation program. “Wat Thamkrabok absolutely changed my life,” said the 38-year-old Turkish German — now known as Monk Atalo ... Читать дальше...

As Washington considers sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, analysts are skeptical whether the move would help quell a resurgent Taliban or push the insurgent group to the negotiating table. U.S President Donald Trump is expected to announce his Afghan policy later this month and his advisers are reportedly recommending adding up to 5,000 additional American troops. Security analysts say a troop surge would not make a difference unless additional steps are taken including reforms within... Читать дальше...

Colombia's second biggest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), said on Thursday it did not expect to have reached a peace agreement by the 2018 elections and criticized the government for failing to tackle right-wing paramilitary groups. The ELN and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) held a joint news conference on Thursday in the Cuban capital after meeting in Havana with the government's approval to discuss their respective approaches to ending a half-century of civil war in the Andean country. Читать дальше...

A watercolor by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is being auctioned along with a Cartier watch she wore for years. Christie's said Thursday that the then-first lady, who painted as a hobby, created the artwork in 1963 as a gift for her brother-in law, Stanislaw Radziwill. Radziwill gave her the watch. Both commemorate a 50-mile hike that Radziwill undertook as part of President John F. Kennedy's physical fitness initiative. The first lady briefly joined the hike. The painting depicts Radziwill walking with a Kennedy family friend. Читать дальше...

Political acrimony over President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to fire FBI Director James Comey is playing into the hands of a longtime U.S. adversary, several current and former U.S. intelligence officials say. “From a geopolitical standpoint, the real winner is Russia,” said Luke Hartig, a former senior director at the National Security Council under former President Barack Obama. 'Could Russia want anything more?' Jeffrey Ringel, a recently retired 21-year veteran of the FBI now serving as director of The Soufan Group... Читать дальше...

The parents of a Brazilian boy whose recovery from a severe brain injury is being cited by the Vatican as the "miracle" needed to canonize two Portuguese children broke their silence Thursday to share the story. Joao Baptista and his wife, Lucila Yurie, appeared before reporters at the Catholic shrine in Fatima, Portugal, on the eve of Pope Francis' arrival. Francis will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the so-called Fatima visions of the Virgin Mary by canonizing two of the three Portuguese children who experienced them. Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump's nominee to be U.S. trade representative easily cleared a Senate hurdle Thursday despite clear frustration among some Republicans with the administration on trade.   The Senate voted 81-15 to advance Robert Lighthizer's nomination. A final confirmation vote could come as early as Thursday afternoon. Lighthizer served in the Reagan administration and has worked on trade issues as a lawyer representing various manufacturers and high-tech companies. He will take his cues... Читать дальше...

Buddhists across Asia commemorated the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha in Vesak celebrations this week. This year, the United Nations held its special Vesak Day celebrations in Sri Lanka, where a colorful lantern festival was organized with moving light displays and stalls to hand out free food and drinks to visitors. "This has given the opportunity not only to Buddhists but all the people of the country to showcase how we celebrate Vesak in this country," said Jagath Sumathipala, vice president of the World Buddhist Congress. Читать дальше...

Television journalist Julia Kirienko was sheltering with Ukrainian soldiers and medics two miles (three kilometers) from the front when their cellphones began buzzing over the noise of the shelling. Everyone got the same text message at the same time. "Ukrainian soldiers," it warned, "they'll find your bodies when the snow melts." Text messages like the one Kirienko received have been sent periodically to Ukrainian forces fighting pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country. The... Читать дальше...

The acting head of the FBI said President Donald Trump’s firing of former agency director James Comey has had no impact on an ongoing Russia investigation, but declined to comment on an eye-popping claim the president made in a letter notifying Comey of his dismissal. “The world of the men and women of the FBI continues despite any changes in circumstances,” acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe told the Senate Intelligence Committee Thursday. “There has been no effort to impede our investigation to... Читать дальше...

The U.S. informed French officials that Russia had hacked France's computer networks during the country's presidential election before the cyber attacks became public, a U.S. national security official told Congress Thursday. "We had become aware of Russian activity," National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We had talked to our French counterparts and gave them a heads up," Rodgers said. He added the U.S. offered to help French officials. Читать дальше...

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

We’re launching the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, for the week ending May 13, 2017. The chart again rises to the occasion, giving us another big new hit. Number 5: Future "Mask Off" Future spends a second straight week in fifth place with “Mask Off.” Last week, Future’s self-titled fifth album was certified gold, signaling sales of half a million — that’s in addition to the single “Draco” also going gold. That was the eighth plaque Future earned... Читать дальше...

Waves of lava flow inside the largest volcano crater on Jupiter’s fourth biggest moon, Loki. Researchers at the University of California Berkeley were able to take advantage of a celestial alignment between Loki and another moon, Europa, to make the discovery. Loki, which is the most volcanic body in the solar system, has over 400 active volcanoes, and Loki Patera is that moon's largest crater. Loki is named after the Norse god, and patera means a bowl-shaped volcanic crater. In 2015, when Europa passed in front of the moon Io... Читать дальше...

In just a few years, well-mannered self-driving robotaxis will share the roads with reckless, law-breaking human drivers. The prospect is causing migraines for the people developing the robotaxis. A self-driving car would be programmed to drive at the speed limit. Humans routinely exceed it by 10 to 15 mph (16 to 24 kph) — just try entering the New Jersey Turnpike at normal speed. Self-driving cars wouldn't dare cross a double yellow line; humans do it all the time. And then there are those odd... Читать дальше...

Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan has accused the neighboring country of contributing to the continuous violence in his war-ravaged nation by not cutting ties to the Taliban. Omar Zakhilwal told an international conference in Islamabad Thursday that neighboring and regional countries need to create a “broader” consensus to help end hostilities in Afghanistan and promote political reconciliation there. “We do not believe that Pakistan has yet given up on “strategic depth” in Afghanistan, unfortunately. Читать дальше...

Sprinkle the sequins, spark up the disco lights and get ready for battle — it's time for the Eurovision Song Contest , a celebration of kitsch and cheesy pop with an undercurrent of politics and patriotism. More than a singing contest, it's diplomacy in dancing shoes. This week musical acts from more than 40 countries are taking the stage in Kyiv to vie for the Eurovision crown, watched by some 200 million television viewers. The 62nd annual contest has clean-cut crooners, electro beats, yodeling Romanians and even a dancing gorilla. Читать дальше...

The United States’ top intelligence official believes the military conflict in Afghanistan will likely deteriorate in the coming years, even if the U.S. commits more troops to the 16 year-old fight. Speaking Thursday during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on global threats, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said the Taliban is likely to make gains in rural regions while the government is being undermined by the country’s “dire economic situation.” “Intelligence community assesses... Читать дальше...

Vigorous exercise can reduce aging at the cellular level by nine years, a new study claims. "Just because you're 40, doesn't mean you're 40 years old biologically," said Brigham Young University exercise science professor Larry Tucker. "We all know people that seem younger than their actual age. The more physically active we are, the less biological aging takes place in our bodies." The study, which was published in the journal Preventive Medicine, found that people who have “consistently high... Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump asserts in a NBC-TV interview he would have fired FBI chief James Comey even if Justice Department officials had not recommended it, calling Comey a show-off. "He's a showboat. He's a grandstander. The FBI has been in turmoil," Trump said to the network in his first interview since his surprise dismissal on Tuesday of Comey, who was directing an investigation into connections between the president’s election campaign last year and Russian officials, along with possible Russian meddling in the election. Читать дальше...