Новости за 29.05.2017

The widow of South Sudan liberation hero John Garang is calling on government soldiers to forsake President Salva Kiir. Rebecca Nyandeng told VOA's South Sudan in Focus the country's internal conflict benefits mainly the president, who she said is amassing wealth while soldiers go without paychecks. “I am appealing to soldiers of the SPLA not to fight one another, to come back for peace, and leave this senseless war for President Salva,” Nyandeng said Monday. The SPLA, which fought for South Sudan's independence from Sudan... Читать дальше...

Cross-border fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan has suspended trade worth millions of dollars and stranded hundreds of trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables at the border, where the produce stands to spoil in the rising heat. Pakistan had temporarily closed the Chaman border crossing, across from Afghanistan's Spinboldak, after a frontier skirmish earlier this month between Afghan and Pakistani border guards left more than 10 people dead. Global economic institutions say South Asia is... Читать дальше...

The mayor of Paris said Monday that a "clear solution" has been found with organizers of a festival for black feminists, an event that had aroused her ire because four-fifths of the festival space was to be open exclusively to black women. Mayor Anne Hidalgo had strongly criticized and threatened to cancel the upcoming Nyansapo Festival a day earlier because it was “forbidden to white people.”   In a new series of tweets on the topic, Hidalgo said her “firm” discussion with organizers had yielded a satisfactory clarification... Читать дальше...

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

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday paid tribute to "a new generation of American patriots" who, he said, "are fighting to win the battle against terrorism." They are "risking their lives to protect our citizens from an enemy that uses the murder of innocents to wage war on humanity itself," added Trump. He made the remarks in a Memorial Day speech at the 253-hectare Arlington National Cemetery just after he laid a wreath to honor the more than 300,000 military veterans who are buried there. Читать дальше...

There are more than 100 entrepreneurship courses at Stanford University. But only one involves students running into the ocean fully dressed or donning explosives device uniforms. In the Hacking for Defense class, students tackle problems facing troops and defense agencies. They are expected to go out in the field to understand what it is like to be a soldier struggling with mapping technology or a returning veteran dealing with multiple injuries.   “They work on some of the toughest real world... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump is defending Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, who news reports say attempted to establish a back-channel communications link to Russian officials in the weeks before Trump assumed power in January. “Jared is doing a great job for the country,” Trump told The New York Times late Sunday.  “I have total confidence in him. He is respected by virtually everyone and is working on programs that will save our country billions of dollars.  In addition to that... Читать дальше...

U.S. Senator John McCain said Monday he views Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, as the "greatest challenge we have," even more so than that posed by the Islamic State group. Speaking during a visit to Australia, McCain told the Australian Broadcasting Company Russia has tried to "destroy the very fundamental of democracy" with efforts to influence the U.S. presidential election and others elsewhere in the world. The comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration faces investigations... Читать дальше...

Tiger Woods, once the top golfer in the world, has been arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in Florida. Police say Woods was arrested early Monday morning in the city of Jupiter and was released on his own recognizance several hours later. The greatest player of his generation and one of the best of all time, Woods, 41, has not won a major tournament since 2008. He held the world's number-one ranked golfer for nearly 700 weeks but is now ranked at number 876. Woods had been plagued in... Читать дальше...

U.S. golfer Tiger Woods said Monday that an "unexpected reaction to prescription medications," and not alcohol, was what led to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. Police arrested Woods early Monday morning in the city of Jupiter and released him on his own recognizance several hours later. In a statement, Woods said he understands the severity of his actions and takes full responsibility. "I didn't realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly," he said. ... Читать дальше...

Turkey has intensified its crackdown on Islamic State-associated militants since the deadly New Year's Eve attack on Istanbul's Reina nightclub that was claimed by IS, according to officials and analysts. Data gathered by the private Turkish firm S Bilisim Danismanlik said eight IS militants were killed in Turkey this year, with nearly 500 others arrested and 525 convicted. In addition, Turkey said its recently completed military operation in northern Syria, known as Euphrates Shield, killed 2,288 IS members since it began last August... Читать дальше...

The U.S. celebrates Memorial Day. Officially, Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday in May, has been set aside to honor all who died during military service throughout U.S. history. Congress declared Memorial Day a national federal holiday in 1971.

Immigration authorities in Pakistan have arrested three Afghan women before they were boarded a flight to London using fake British passports. Officials told VOA two employees of the state-run Pakistan International Airline have also been arrested for assisting the Afghan nationals at the Islamabad airport to fraudulently undertake the journey. The men, they said, are suspected of having links to a “major human trafficking network.” The women have told investigators they had paid “$20,000 per... Читать дальше...

In Kenya, the official campaign period has begun as the electoral body clears candidates to run for the presidency. The commission is calling on the candidates to maintain peace during the August polls. Kenya’s presidential campaign has begun with 70 days to the August elections. So far the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has cleared seven candidates and rejected three because of logistical issues. Addressing Jubilee Party supporters Monday in Nairobi, Deputy President William... Читать дальше...

The mosque where the Manchester bomber prayed is coming under the spotlight after it emerged at least two other British recruits of the Islamic State also worshipped there. One of the recruits, Khalil Raoufi, died fighting in Syria in 2014. The other, Ahmed Ibrahim Halane, is living in Denmark, where he holds citizenship and is banned from re-entering Britain. Halane's sisters, Zahra and Salma Halane, who traveled to Syria to become "jihadi brides," are believed also to have worshipped at the mosque, say local Muslims. Читать дальше...

The U.S. is celebrating Memorial Day to honor its war dead. President Donald Trump, in his first Memorial Day as the U.S. leader, laid a wreath Monday at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington. "We honor the noblest among us, the men and women who paid the ultimate price for victory and freedom," Trump said. "They made their sacrifice, not for fame, nor for money, or even for glory, but for country." Trump said the country's fallen warriors "died in war... Читать дальше...

South Sudanese soldiers accused of raping at least five foreign aid workers and killing their local colleague last year are due to stand trial in a military court on Tuesday, a key test of the government's ability to prosecute war crimes. Prosecutor Abubaker Mohammed, an army colonel, told Reuters that between 15 to 20 government soldiers face charges including murder, rape and looting during the attack on the Terrain hotel in the capital Juba on July 11, 2016. U.N. investigators and rights group... Читать дальше...

Congressional investigations have long timelines. House Republicans do not.   The November 2018 midterm elections will determine whether the House's 239 Republicans get to keep their jobs. They have to weigh the merits – and the costs – of supporting President Donald Trump.   On the face of it, House Republicans are in an enviable position because they are in the majority and have the opportunity to work with a Republican president to pass landmark legislation. But as waves of Russia-related allegations make headlines nationwide... Читать дальше...

Congressional investigations have long timelines. House Republicans do not.   Two-hundred and thirty-nine House Republicans are facing down a November 2018 mid-term election, which will determine whether they get to keep their jobs. They have to weigh the merits - and the costs - of supporting President Donald Trump.   On the face of it, House Republicans are in an enviable position because they are in the majority and have the opportunity to work with a Republican president to pass landmark legislation. Читать дальше...

A new ban imposed by India's government on the sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter to protect animals considered holy by many Hindus is drawing widespread protests from state governments and animal-related industries. Many state governments criticized the ban as a blow to beef and leather exports that will leave hundreds of thousands jobless and deprive millions of Christians, Muslims and poor Hindus of a cheap source of protein.   The rules, which took effect Friday, require that cattle... Читать дальше...

Indonesian police on Monday named an Islamist leader as a suspect in the exchange of pornographic messages and photos, a new legal threat to a cleric who helped organize mass Muslim rallies against Jakarta's former Christian governor. Habib Rizieq, a firebrand cleric who heads the hardline Islamic Defenders Forum (FPI), has also been made a suspect in a separate investigation over allegations he insulted the secular state ideology in the Muslim-majority nation. President Joko Widodo appears to... Читать дальше...

Egyptian and Libyan warplanes reportedly launched more airstrikes against Islamic militants who murdered 29 Egyptian Christians last week. Witnesses say Monday's attacks targeted the Libyan city of Derna, where Egypt says the militants have camps. Egyptian military officials have not confirmed Monday's attack. But a Libyan spokesman said two groups affiliated with al-Qaida were the targets. Egypt's air force began attacking the camps Friday, just hours after militants rounded up Christians... Читать дальше...

Warplanes launched three airstrikes on the eastern Libyan city of Derna on Monday, a witness said, an apparent continuation of Egyptian raids on the city that began last week after militants ambushed a bus and killed Egyptian Christians. There was no immediate confirmation of Monday's strikes from officials in Libya or neighboring Egypt, nor any claim of responsibility for the raid on the city at the eastern end of Libya's Mediterranean coast. However, Egypt has previously acknowledged conducting... Читать дальше...

A popular Chinese dating app for lesbians has been shut down, along with its website and main social media account, just as the gay community celebrates Taiwan's decision giving same-sex couples the right to marry, a first for Asia. The app, Rela, set up in 2012, has around 5 million registered users, a cached version of its entry on Apple's iTunes site shows. But users began noticing last week that the app, along with its Twitter-like Weibo account and website, was no longer accessible, according... Читать дальше...

Poll results released Monday show that about half of Japan's population supports a constitutional revision that would clarify the legality of the country's military, a new approach Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is proposing as his party struggles to gain public support for a change.   Abe proposed recently that Japan in some way indicate the existence of the Self-defense Forces, which is not spelled out in Article 9 of the constitution. The article renounces war and the use of force to settle international disputes. Читать дальше...