Новости за 02.06.2017

Sources within the Afghan presidential palace confirmed Friday to VOA’s Afghan Service that President Ashraf Ghani has signed an execution order for 11 jailed insurgents on death row. They include four members of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network that the government has blamed for the suicide bombing Wednesday that killed more than 80 people and injured hundreds more in Kabul’s tightly guarded Green Zone. However, Anas Haqqani, son of group founder Jalalluddin Haqqani, was not on the execution list. Читать дальше...

The European Union and China recommitted Friday to the 2015 Paris climate deal, one day after the United States announced it would withdraw from it. In a joint statement, the EU and China said climate change and clean energy "will become a main pillar" of their bilateral partnership. European Council President Donald Tusk said the fight against climate change would continue, with or without the United States: "Today, China and Europe have demonstrated solidarity with future generations and responsibilities for the whole planet," he said. Читать дальше...

The Islamic State terror group appears to be engaging in a war of words with Philippine authorities, insisting an attack on a casino in Manila was the work of one of its fighters. Philippine officials have repeatedly downplayed any possible links between the deadly incident at the Resorts World Manila complex early Friday and IS, describing it as a botched robbery. But nearly 24 hours after the incident which killed 36 people, most from smoke inhalation after the gunman set fires to the inside the gambling hall... Читать дальше...

U.N. member states elected six countries Friday to temporary seats on the Security Council, the U.N. body responsible for maintaining international peace and security. Starting January 1, 2018, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Poland and Peru will serve two-year terms, while the Netherlands will join for one year, in a special arrangement with Italy. The vote in the U.N. General Assembly generated little suspense, as regional groups had already decided among themselves which countries to put up as their candidates... Читать дальше...

A Russian cosmonaut and a French astronaut returned to Earth on Friday aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule after six months at the International Space Station, while their U.S. crewmate remained on the orbiting laboratory for an extended stay, a NASA television broadcast showed. Russia's Oleg Novitskiy and Thomas Pesquet, with the European Space Agency, strapped themselves inside the spacecraft and left the station at 6:47 a.m. EDT (1047 GMT) as the complex sailed 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. They... Читать дальше...

State governors and city mayors were quick to claim the mantle of U.S. leadership in fighting climate change after President Donald Trump said on Thursday the country will pull out of the Paris climate agreement. The officials said they collectively could show the international community that the United States remained committed to cutting the emissions that scientists blame for global warming. Governors and analysts cited moves including California's effort to get 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources... Читать дальше...

We’re interfacing with the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending June 3, 2017. After several weeks of big moves, the chart falls asleep: absolutely nothing changes. Number 5: Kendrick Lamar "Humble" Kendrick Lamar treads water in fifth place with his former chart-topper “Humble.” Kendrick kicks off his North American tour on July 12…and fans can get ready with a new batch of tour merchandise. The TDE company has released new T-shirts... Читать дальше...

Three ex-Pennsylvania State University administrators were sentenced Friday to jail time and house arrest on child endangerment charges in connection with a years-old child molestation scandal involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. Former Penn State President Graham Spanier and former Vice President Gary Schultz will have to spend two months behind bars, while former athletic director Tim Curley will spend three months in jail. All three will then be placed under house arrest for the remainder of their sentences. Читать дальше...

Forecasters are warning that Ethiopia could face more rainfall deficits, deepening a drought that has left nearly eight million of the country's people in need of aid. Dr. Chris Funk is a climate scientist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) whose research focuses on African and Asian countries. He told VOA's Horn of Africa Service that there is a 50 percent chance another El Nino weather event could form in the Pacific Ocean this year. “If it's a moderate or strong El Nino, that would definitely tilt towards odd... Читать дальше...

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe called on Friday for unity in his ruling ZANU-PF party, which has been riven by infighting over who will eventually succeed the world's oldest leader. Mugabe, 93, has ruled the southern African nation since independence from Britain in 1980 and wants to seek another five-year term next year, his last under the constitution, despite concerns over his health. The veteran leader, who looks increasingly frail, has made two trips this year to Singapore for medical checks... Читать дальше...

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt said Friday Americans should not apologize about President Donald Trump's decision to pull out from the Paris climate agreement. "We have nothing to be apologetic about as a country," Pruitt told reporters at a White House media briefing. Pruitt said the president withdrew from the landmark accord after "thoughtful deliberation." Pruitt did not directly respond to a question about whether Trump believes human-caused climate change is a hoax... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed into law two bills enhancing benefits for law-enforcement officers and providing funds to encourage veterans of military service to join police forces. Trump signed the bills Friday in the Diplomatic Reception room of the White House. "This has been a long time in the making," he said as he posed for photographers with copies of the new laws, a broad smile on his face. "Supporting law enforcement is my unwavering commitment," Trump said. Earlier Friday... Читать дальше...

Reacting to President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the landmark Paris climate agreement, leading scientific organizations say evidence clearly shows the world’s climate is changing and urgent measures must be taken to slow the warming of the planet. The organizations say the scientific evidence is clear that human activity is behind the changing climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an independent scientific assessment body, warned that without additional efforts beyond those already in place... Читать дальше...

South Africa’s ruling ANC party has called for an investigation into potentially explosive graft allegations against President Jacob Zuma and government officials. Two media outlets say they have obtained tens of thousands of emails and documents showing undue influence by the wealthy Gupta family. President Jacob Zuma finds himself embroiled in yet another corruption scandal. On Thursday, two South African media outlets, the Daily Maverick and Amabhungane, published reports saying they have... Читать дальше...

Plans for cricket matches between Pakistan and neighbors India and Afghanistan raised hopes that the sport could grease the wheels of diplomacy again. Instead, Pakistan, facing fresh accusations from its neighbors that it harbors terrorists, finds its isolation intensifying in the fallout from attacks that inflame cross-border suspicions and raise concerns about the safety of athletes and fans alike. Most International Cricket Council members have refused to play in Pakistan since a terror attack on Sri Lanka’s team in 2009. Читать дальше...

The Trump administration is considering handing back two Russian diplomatic compounds along the U.S. East Coast after they were seized last year as punishment against the country, according to a report. The compounds, one in coastal New York and the other along Maryland’s Eastern Shore, were believed by the Obama administration to have been used for intelligence purposes and were vacated on December 29 when former president Barack Obama sanctioned Russia for its alleged role in trying to sway the 2016 presidential election. Читать дальше...

American Comedian Kathy Griffin responded to mounting criticism against her after she published a photo of herself holding what resembled the severed head of U.S. President Donald Trump, accusing “a bunch of old white guys” of trying to silence her. During a news conference Friday, a teary-eyed Griffin accused the president and his allies, whom she referred to as “nut jobs,” of launching a campaign to get her fired from her jobs, simply because she is a woman. “This wouldn’t be happening to a guy. Читать дальше...

Iran has kept advances in its nuclear program within the parameters set under the 2015 accord it signed with world powers, the United Nations’ atomic watchdog agency said Friday. A new International Atomic Energy Agency report says Iran has greatly reduced its nuclear activities and kept its stock of enriched uranium below the agreed upon limit. The assessment says Iran has not enriched uranium above the levels required to make a weapon and "has not pursued the construction of the Arak... reactor,"... Читать дальше...

Kenya launched a new Chinese-built railway this week aimed at connecting the port of Mombasa to the capital, Nairobi, and ultimately to the rest of the East Africa region. VOA hopped aboard for the train’s first journey. Mohammed Yusuf has the story from Nairobi with reporting contributed by Amos Wangwa.

Virgin Galactic has conducted another unpowered test flight of its space tourism spacecraft over the Southern California desert. The company says Thursday's glide flight incorporated a special ballast tank filled with water at the rear of the craft to check handling qualities with more weight on board and with the center of gravity shifted to the rear. Water was then jettisoned to check handling as the center of gravity moved forward. Virgin Galactic says the ship landed smoothly and safely at Mojave Air & Space Port. Читать дальше...

Thousands of people are falsely claiming to have attended last month's Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England when it was attacked in order to get in for free to a benefit concert being held this Sunday, according to ticket seller Ticketmaster. People who attended the May 22 event have been offered free tickets to the Sunday show, which will feature Grande and a slew of other musicians, including Robbie Williams, Little Mix, Take That, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber. Ticketmaster... Читать дальше...

The families of two men killed by Indian forces near the de facto Kashmir border are calling on India to turn over their remains to be buried according to Islamic ritual. Noor Hussain, 57, and Abdul Aziz, 63, were killed May 26 during an alleged gunfight near Fellan, their ancestral village on the Pakistani side of the disputed territory. Pakistani authorities flew a small group of reporters to the heavily-militarized so-called Line of Control, or LoC, that separates the Pakistani and Indian parts of the scenic Himalayan region... Читать дальше...

As California caps the number of international students at its public universities next year, educators worry that action and a Trump administration proposed travel ban on some Muslim-majority countries send the wrong signal to students overseas.   Educators meeting in Los Angeles say the United States remains the destination of choice for the world’s students, despite unwelcoming signals. In May, the University of California decided to limit enrollment of out-of-state undergraduates to 18 percent... Читать дальше...