Новости за 19.08.2017

African Union and Somali government forces have captured the town of Bariire, a strategic militant base in the south of the country, officials and witnesses said Saturday. Commanders said the Islamist al-Shabab group fled following heavy fighting outside the town in which the joint troops approached from three directions. Bariire was one of al-Shabab's strongholds in the south and only 45 kilometers (27 miles) from Mogadishu, the country's capital. "The joint troops attacked the town from three directions... Читать дальше...

Thousands of leftist activists marched Saturday through downtown Boston in opposition to a planned free-speech rally that featured right-wing speakers, heavily outnumbering the few dozen people who showed up for the rally. WATCH: VOA's Carolyn Presutti in Boston WATCH: VOA Spanish service broadcast Celia Mendoza in Boston The rally was organized in July by a group calling itself Boston Free Speech, which says it is made up of a coalition of "libertarians, progressives, conservatives and independents." John Medlar... Читать дальше...

At least 23 people were killed and scores of others injured when a passenger train derailed Saturday in northern India, officials said. At least six coaches of the Kalinga-Utkal Express derailed and hit each other in Uttar Pradesh state, said Arvind Kumar, a top state official. Railway spokesman Neeraj Sharma said the cause of the accident was not known. Local volunteers helped police free passengers trapped in the wreckage. The injured were taken to a local hospital, where doctors said their conditions were stable. Читать дальше...

Thousands of leftist activists marched through downtown Boston Saturday in opposition to a planned free speech rally that featured right-wing speakers, heavily outnumbering the few dozen people who showed up for the rally.

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will not attend an annual ceremony at Washington's Kennedy Center honoring the lifetime achievements of select artists to avoid distraction, a White House statement said. "The president and first lady have decided not to participate in this year's activities to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction," the White House said. The Saturday announcement came after two of the five honorees, singer Lionel Richie and dancer Carmen de Lavallade... Читать дальше...

Recruiting for Jihad is a Norwegian expose on the practices extremist Jihadists follow to recruit young men to fight for ISIS. During filming, Adel Khan Farooq, one of the two filmmakers, had unprecedented access to a radicalized network of Islamists in Europe. He met them through Norwegian-born Ubaydullah Hussain, a notorious recruiter, currently serving a nine-year sentence in a Norwegian prison.   "In the beginning, he was very charming," Farooq told VOA, describing Hussain. "He was easy to talk with... Читать дальше...

Kenya’s opposition coalition has filed a petition at the Supreme Court challenging the re-election of incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta. The petition was filed 90 minutes before the deadline and includes more than 25,000 pages in an affidavit. Speaking after filing the petition the lead lawyer and opposition politician James Orengo described the just concluded election as a sham and said he has evidence to prove it. “This petition has been prepared meticulously, and the major consideration which constitutes... Читать дальше...

Conservative free speech advocates and left-wing counterprotesters are holding dueling rallies in the East Coast city of Boston as police say they will not tolerate violence from either side.

Thousands of leftist activists marched Saturday through downtown Boston in opposition to a planned free-speech rally that featured right-wing speakers, heavily outnumbering the few dozen people who showed up for the rally. The rally was organized in July by a group calling itself Boston Free Speech, which says it is made up of a coalition of "libertarians, progressives, conservatives and independents." VOA's Celia Mendoza reports from Boston John Medlar, one of the group's organizers, told... Читать дальше...

A stabbing attack carried out Friday by an 18-year-old Moroccan migrant in Finland is being investigated by Finnish authorities as “a likely terrorist act,” officials said. Speaking Saturday with reporters, Pekka Hiltunen, a spokeswoman for the Finnish Security Intelligence Service, told reporters the agency was investigating the suspect’s ties to the Islamic State group, as IS “has previously encouraged this kind of behavior.” Police have not released the name of the suspect in the stabbing attack. Читать дальше...

'Recruiting for Jihad' is a Norwegian expose on the practices extremist Jihadists follow to recruit young men to fight for ISIS.  During filming, Adel Khan Farook, one of the two filmmakers, had unprecedented access to a radicalized network of Islamists in Europe. Farrook and his partner Ulrick Rolfsen spoke to VOA’S Penelope Poulou on the growth of Islamist organizations in Europe.

U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Joseph Votel has concluded two days of talks with civilian and military leaders in Pakistan, underscoring the need for the two countries to work together to ensure “greater regional security ad stability.” “Military cooperation, and even stronger cooperation with Pakistan, is very important, and we deeply appreciate the hospitality and willingness to continue an honest and open relationship,” a U.S. Embassy statement issued Saturday quoted the general as saying.... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon Saturday, tweeting that working with Bannon was "great," while once again disparaging former Democratic presidential opponent Hillary Clinton. "I want to thank Steve Bannon for his service. He came to the campaign during my run against crooked Hillary Clinton — it was great! Thanks S." Vice President Mike Pence also recognized Bannon Saturday on Twitter, thanking him for serving with "distinction." "Steve served @Potus Trump with distinction. Читать дальше...

At least 10 people were killed on Saturday and 150 injured when a train came off the tracks in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the chief medical officer in Muzaffarnagar, where the crash happened, told Reuters. A police official earlier said 20 people had been injured but did not mention any people killed.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that his administration has made decisions on how to deal with the 16-year war in Afghanistan. One day after meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat with his national security team to consider strategic options, Trump tweeted, “Important day spent at Camp David with our very talented generals and military leaders. Many decisions made, including on Afghanistan,” he wrote, without providing details. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders... Читать дальше...

On Monday, Aug. 21, for the first time in 99 years, a solar eclipse will march across the United States from west coast to east coast, and excitement is building across the nation. Experts advise that people wear specific, protective eyewear to view the eclipse, but as VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports, finding the special lenses is becoming a difficult task.

A prosthetic hand is a critical tool that allows amputees to find normalcy in their lives, but some elements, such as complete freedom of movement and sensations of touch, are not the same as a real hand. “They’ve come a long way and they have a long way to go,” said amputee Charity McFarland, who lost her left hand in a car accident almost four years ago. McFarland said of the accident, “All I saw were lights and I basically was trying to avoid getting hit, but then the accident happened, so it was like a rollover. Читать дальше...

Russian authorities say "A man was moving along the main streets stabbing people" in the Siberian city of Surgut. Officials say eight people were injured in the attack Saturday. The Russian law enforcement committee said in a statement that "the attacker has been killed," without providing additional details. Russia's Tass new agency reports the man likely had a psychiatric disorder.

As it commemorates World Humanitarian Day, the United Nations is calling for a stop to the deliberate targeting of civilians and humanitarians who risk their lives to assist the many desperate men, women and children caught in war. August 19 is the day when the United Nations lost its innocence. On that day in 2003, the United Nations office in Iran’s capital, Bagdad was bombed, killing the head of mission, Sergio Vierra de Mello and 21 others. Mona Rishmawi, who was working as de Mello’s human rights agenda adviser... Читать дальше...

Police in Spain say the driver of the van that mowed down pedestrians on a Barcelona street Thursday may still be at large, contradicting earlier reports that the driver was among those killed after a similar attack hours later in a nearby town. Younes Abouyaaqoub, a 22-year-old Moroccan-born man sought by police is now seen as the possible ring leader of the group that carried out the attack in Barcelona and another in Cambrils, about 120 kilometers south of Barcelona along the Spanish coast.... Читать дальше...

Residents of a town on the Japanese coast held evacuation drills Saturday to prepare for any launch of North Korean missiles toward the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam that would fly over their homes. As sirens blared from speakers in the town of Kotoura, children playing soccer outside ran to take shelter in a school, along with their parents and their team coach. “I’ve been concerned every day that something might fall or a missile could fall in an unexpected place due to North Korea’s missile capabilities,” said the coach... Читать дальше...

It's pronounced AN-ti-fa — short for anti-fascists — and it is arguably either a violent far-left militia or a group of human rights activists so dedicated they will risk life and limb to protect democracy. Their participation in the Charlottesville protest last Saturday may have been behind President Donald Trump's assertion that “many sides” contributed to the violence that left three people dead. “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence... Читать дальше...

Left-wing activist groups, including Black Lives Matter and Antifa, have announced plans to protest an event that its organizers are calling a free speech rally Saturday in Boston, as a response to the violence in Charlottesville last weekend. The free speech rally in the East Coast state of Massachusetts was organized in July by a group calling itself Boston Free Speech, which says it is made up of a coalition of “libertarians, progressives, conservatives and independents.” WATCH:  Boston Prepares for Rallies John Medlar... Читать дальше...

A Russian court has banned the Jehovah's Witnesses' translation of the Bible following a drawn-out legal battle, another blow to followers of the pacifist Christian sect who have been branded extremists and driven to practicing their faith underground, as in Soviet times. The Jehovah's Witnesses' parent organization in Russia and 395 regional branches were formally placed on the Justice Ministry's list of extremist groups Aug. 17, a procedural move following the Supreme Court's decision to ban... Читать дальше...

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will return Saturday from medical leave in Britain where he has been since May 7, a presidential spokesman said. The presidency has not disclosed the precise nature of the 74-year-old's ailment, which has led to speculation in Nigerian media and on social media about his illness and whether he will seek a second term by contesting the 2019 election. Buhari, who took office in May 2015, handed over power to his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, in his absence to allay... Читать дальше...