Новости за 23.08.2017

A 1,500-year-old mosaic floor with a Greek inscription has been uncovered during works to install communications cables in Jerusalem's Old City — a rare discovery of an ancient relic and an historic document in one. The inscription cites sixth-century Roman emperor Justinian as well as Constantine, who served as abbot of a church founded by Justinian in Jerusalem. Archaeologists think it will help them understand Justinian's building projects in the city. The full inscription reads: "The most... Читать дальше...

Displaced residents of Islamic State-held Deir ez-Zor complain that food, water and medicine are becoming increasingly scarce as more civilians seek refuge in their refugee camp because of fighting in the Syrian city. VOA's Zana Omar reports.

Though the LOCKN' Festival had been in the works for more than six months, the event taking place about 40 minutes from Charlottesville, Virginia, will now serve as an uplifting moment for the city following its racially charged rally that left one dead and others injured. Festival co-founder Peter Shapiro said the four-day event, which kicks off Thursday in Arrington, will bring positive vibes "to a place that needs to lift the energy." The Aug. 12 protest by white supremacists in Charlottesville... Читать дальше...

Protecting people rather than property or animals will be the priority under pioneering new German legal guidelines for the operation of driverless cars, the transport ministry said on Wednesday. Germany is home to some of the world's largest car companies, including Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW, all of which are investing heavily in self-driving technology. German regulators have been working on rules for how such vehicles should be programmed to deal with a dilemma, such as choosing between... Читать дальше...

Romania's justice minister proposed a significant overhaul of the judicial system Wednesday, which the president called an attack on the rule of law that would set the country back a decade. Romania is seen as one of the European Union's most corrupt states, and Brussels keeps its justice system under special monitoring. Attempts by the ruling coalition of Social Democrats and junior partner ALDE to weaken a crackdown on high-level corruption triggered the country's largest street protests in decades at the start of the year. Читать дальше...

The 11-year-old boy who was rescued in a 16-hour operation that also freed his two younger brothers after the earthquake that struck the island of Ischia said in an interview with Italian media Wednesday that "it is a miracle we are all still alive." Ciro Marmolo spoke to La Repubblica in a hospital room where he is being treated for a fracture suffered when his right foot was immobilized by rubble. Doctors say the fracture is not serious and is expected to fully heal, but the boy will be transferred... Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump's threat to shut down the U.S. government to secure funding for a wall along the Mexican border rattled markets on Wednesday and cast a shadow over efforts in Congress to raise the country's debt ceiling and pass spending bills. Congress will have about 12 working days when it returns on Sept. 5 from its summer break to approve spending measures to keep the government from shutting down, and a deadline also is closing in for raising the cap on the amount the federal government may borrow. Читать дальше...

Rival armed groups in northern Mali have agreed to the return of a state governor to the desert city of Kidal as part of a preliminary cease-fire deal agreed after weeks of fighting. The return of Governor Sidi Mohamed Ag Ichrach on Wednesday comes after a preliminary truce among fighters drawn mostly from competing Tuareg clans involved in remote desert battles since July that have killed dozens. The clashes have undermined a Western-backed peace process in the country and complicated efforts to counter al-Qaida-linked militants. Читать дальше...

Bruno Mars has met the man he's nicknamed after: former pro wrestling champion Bruno Sammartino.   The two met Tuesday night when the pop singing sensation's 24K Magic World Tour stopped in Pittsburgh.   Sammartino heard through friends that Mars, born Peter Gene Hernandez, was nicknamed “Bruno” by his father because he was a “chunky” baby. The wrestling legend - now 81 - was about 275 pounds in his prime and the favorite wrestler of Mars' father.   Sammartino told The Associated Press on Wednesday... Читать дальше...

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told Reuters on Wednesday that his recent conviction for corruption might mean that his Workers Party will have to field a candidate other than him in next year's election. In an interview during a marathon bus tour through Brazil's impoverished northeastern states, Lula said the Brazilian government should spend its way out of its worst recession on record and even use some of its international reserves instead of cutting government programs that hurt the poor. Читать дальше...

Just beyond the outskirts of Cairo on a desert road to the Suez Canal, a sprawling industrial zone is coming to life as Egypt's leather industry leaves behind its ancient tanning quarters for modern workshops of Robiki Leather City. The new complex is part of a major expansion drive of a sector Egypt considers as one of its most competitive. The trade ministry has set an official target for leather exports to reach over $1 billion a year in 2020, from about $200 million a year currently. By mid-2018... Читать дальше...

Angolans voted for a new parliament and president on Wednesday, but many say the balance of power in Africa's fifth-largest economy is unlikely to shift. Outgoing President José Eduardo dos Santos, who has ruled the country for 38 years, has left in place safeguards to ensure his legacy and influence, including the continued role of his daughter, Isabel dos Santos, as chief executive of the oil-rich nation's energy company, Sonangol. Dos Santos will also remain leader of Angola's ruling party... Читать дальше...

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd set out to wipe the slate clean in New York on Wednesday with a new Galaxy Note 8 phablet, hoping features such as dual rear cameras and its biggest-ever screen will extinguish memories of its fire-prone predecessor. The world's largest smartphone maker by market share has put safety at the center of a phone-cum-tablet that is likely to compete for pre-holiday season sales with a widely expected 10th anniversary iPhone from U.S. rival Apple Inc. The unveiling comes... Читать дальше...

A Connecticut farm once owned by Mark Twain is for sale for $1.8 million. The Connecticut Post reports the 18.7-acre property in Redding is next to Twain's country home, known as "Stormfield." He bought it for his daughter, Jean Clemens, in 1909 and named it "Jean's Farm." But Clemens died soon after. Twain died five months later, in April 1910. The real estate agency, William Raveis, says the house includes five bedrooms and four bathrooms. The property also includes a movie theater, saltwater swimming pool... Читать дальше...

Guest host Peter Clottey discusses African leaders seeking medical care abroad with Reverend Aniedi Okure, Executive Director, Africa Faith and Justice Network, David Dimas, Pastor, Inspirational Speaker, Blogger, IT Consultant, and with Dr. Osahon Enabulele, Former President of the Nigerian Medical Association.

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

Chinese and Russian officials have expressed objections to sanctions the United States imposed Tuesday against several companies for allegedly supporting North Korea's nuclear program. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing the sanctions are not helping U.S.-China cooperation on efforts to rein in North Korean nuclear activity.   She said the United States should "immediately correct its mistake," and reiterated China's calls for restraint and dialogue to resolve the situation with North Korea. Читать дальше...

Conservation groups are airing TV ads, planning rallies and creating parody websites in a last-minute blitz to stop Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke from downsizing or eliminating national monument areas that cover large swaths of land and water from Maine to California.   The deadline for Zinke to announce his recommendations is Thursday following a four-month review of 27 sites ordered by President Donald Trump.   The outdoor recreation industry has hammered home its message that peeling back protections on areas where its customers hike... Читать дальше...

U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley met Wednesday with the head of the United Nations atomic agency to discuss Iran’s compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal it signed with Western countries. U.S. President Donald Trump has routinely criticized the deal and threatened to cancel it, raising concerns about the future of the agreement. Reports from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), though, have shown Iran to be in compliance with the deal. According to a read-out of the... Читать дальше...

Whole Foods shareholders voted Wednesday to bless a $13.7 billion union with Amazon that the organic grocery chain's CEO had called ``love at first sight.''   That approval is one step required to close the deal, which is a bold move into physical stores for Amazon and has the possibility of making big changes to the supermarket industry and online grocery ordering. The deal also needs the go-ahead from government regulators.   By buying Whole Foods, Amazon will get more than 460 stores and potentially... Читать дальше...

Venezuela's ousted attorney general, Luisa Ortega, said Wednesday that she was "illegitimately" removed from her position to stop her from investigating top officials for corruption. "I was illegitimately removed from my position," Ortega said, addressing a gathering of Mercosur trade bloc prosecutors in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia. "And a person [the new attorney general] was designated to usurp the duties of the attorney general of the republic. A person who has six corruption investigations... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to issue an appeal for a more unified nation during a speech Wednesday in the western city of Reno. In prepared remarks to be delivered to the national convention of the American Legion -- a wartime veterans group -- Trump says it is "time to heal the wounds that have divided us, and to seek a new unity based on the common values that unite us." The president is also expected to say, "We are one people, with one home, and one flag." The speech comes one day after Trump used a speech in Phoenix... Читать дальше...

Panama's government said on Tuesday that from October Venezuelans wishing to enter the country would need a visa, accusing the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of undermining democracy at home and security abroad. Speaking a few days after a visit to Panama by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, the country's president Juan Carlos Varela said the visa requirement would take effect on October 1 and remain in place until "democratic order" was restored in Venezuela. "Given the break in the democratic order in Venezuela... Читать дальше...

Mexico and Canada on Wednesday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to scrap NAFTA, describing it as a negotiating tactic designed to gain an advantage during talks to update one of the world's biggest trading blocs. In comments that initially pushed Mexico's peso currency down by more than 1 percent, Trump on Tuesday reiterated his threats to terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump has long called the 1994 treaty a bad deal that hurt American workers, saying it should be re-negotiated or ended. Читать дальше...

Pakistan’s military chief reacted strongly Wednesday to President Donald Trump’s accusations that Islamabad takes billions of dollars in aid money from Washington and helps militants plotting deadly terrorist attacks against American troops in Afghanistan. “We are not looking for any material or financial assistance from USA, but trust, understanding and acknowledgement of our contributions,” General Qamar Javed Bajwa told the U.S. ambassador in a meeting at Pakistan army’s headquarters in Rawalpindi. Читать дальше...