Новости за 30.09.2017

The Environmental Protection Agency said that an unknown amount of dangerous chemicals may have washed downriver from a contaminated site near Houston, Texas, in the flooding from Hurricane Harvey in late August. The EPA confirmed Thursday that the flooding damaged a protective cap at the San Jacinto River Waste Pits. The cap, made of rock and fabric, was meant to keep sediments contaminated with dioxins from spreading. Dioxin has been shown to cause cancer and birth defects. The EPA said its... Читать дальше...

Air Force Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria delivered a message to cadets at the academy Friday: Racism will not be tolerated. Silveria had gathered cadets and staff members to denounce racism following an incident at the Academy's preparatory school in which racial slurs were found scrawled on dormitory message boards. He told cadets that if they can’t treat other people with "dignity and respect," then they should simply “get out” of the Air Force Academy. It was a blunt message, but one Silveria thought important for his students to hear. Читать дальше...

The United States has opened a direct channel of communication with North Korea and is investigating whether the government of Kim Jong Un is interested in pursuing talks to give up its nuclear weapons, according to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was in Beijing Saturday seeking China's cooperation on a “maximum pressure” campaign against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Tillerson says Washington is probing to see if Pyongyang is interested in dialogue and revealed the two nations do talk. Читать дальше...

Iran, Iraq and Turkey – three countries with large Kurdish populations – are imposing restrictions on Iraqi Kurds following the Kurdish independence referendum this week that passed with more than 92 percent of the vote. Iraq’s central government is making preparations for its military to seize control of international borders along the northern Kurdish region in an attempt to isolate the Kurds from other countries. In Iran, armed forces spokesman Masoud Jazayeri told reporters Saturday his country... Читать дальше...

A human rights monitoring group says at least 28 civilians, including four children, have been killed in airstrikes in a rebel-held village in northwestern Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday the strikes were carried out on the town of Amanaz, located in Idlib province near the Turkish border. The Britain-based group said it was not immediately clear if the strikes were carried out by Syria or Russia, a key ally. Rescue workers have said, however, that Syrian and Russian... Читать дальше...

Turkey’s largest foreign military base in the world opened Saturday in Mogadishu, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Somali leaders, top Turkish military officials and diplomats. Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire and the head of the Turkish military, General Hulusi Akar have jointly inaugurated the 4 square kilometer (1.54 square mile) facility, which holds three military residential complexes, training venues, and sports courts. It had been under construction for the last two years. Читать дальше...

Dozens of Afghan forces are said to have been killed in repeated insurgent attacks over the past week in western Farah province, which borders Iran. Politicians and residents in the province have told local media that Taliban insurgents also have captured several security outposts in and around the Bala Buluk district. While officials have not yet discussed battlefield details, a provincial police spokesman told Ariana News channel Afghan forces, backed by airpower, have killed more than 30 Taliban... Читать дальше...

Authorities in Spain have begun sealing off polling stations and confiscating ballots ahead of a planned referendum vote Sunday that possibly could lead to the Catalonian region’s independence. The Spanish government says there will be no Catalonia independence vote Sunday, even as the regional government continues preparations for the referendum. Enric Millo, the highest-ranking Spanish security official in the northeastern region, said Saturday police had already blockaded half of the more... Читать дальше...

The World Health Organization warns a highly infectious, deadly form of pneumonic plague is spreading rapidly in Madagascar and quick action is needed to stop it.  Pneumonic plague, which is transmitted from person to person, has been detected in several cities in Madagascar.  This worries the World Health Organization as the disease is highly contagious and quickly causes death without treatment. Plague is endemic to Madagascar resulting in around 400 cases annually.  Most are cases of bubonic plague... Читать дальше...

A volcano threatening to erupt in the South Pacific has led to the evacuation of an entire island in Vanuatu.  A state of emergency has been declared on the island of Ambae, where an increase in volcanic activity has raised fears of a major eruption. Ash, stones and lava have been thrown from the mouth of the Monaro volcano in Vanuatu, an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean.  Officials have ordered the entire population of 10,000 to leave their homes on the island of Ambae.  Many have left for evacuation shelters in coastal areas. Читать дальше...

Officials in far east Russia say a soldier who opened fire at other servicemen during drills has been tracked down and killed. The military says the soldier, who killed three and wounded two other soldiers, offered resistance to arrest and was shot dead early Saturday following a massive manhunt. During Friday's incident, the soldier fired his Kalashnikov rifle at his comrades waiting to have target practice at a base outside the town of Belogorsk near the border with China and then fled. The... Читать дальше...

At the turn of the century, Bangladeshi immigrant Shaker Sadeak packed his bags in New York City and headed to Michigan — a state that he says afforded him the opportunity to make a living and go to school at the same time. Seven years later, he took another step, opening his own wholesale and retail fabric shop, India Fashion, in Hamtramck, Michigan's Banglatown. Surrounded by Bengali restaurants, spice shops and groceries, his business, like the street upon which it lives, has flourished over time. Читать дальше...

A bilateral cease-fire agreement reached earlier in September between Colombia’s government and the country’s last active guerilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN) takes effect Sunday. The head of the ELN, Nicolas Rodriguez, alias Gabino, in a rare video posted online Friday, was shown ordering rebels to stand down ahead of the cease-fire commencing date. “Today, Sept. 20th, I’m ordering all the troops across the entire length of the country to stop all offensive actions to faithfully... Читать дальше...

Acting Homeland Security Administration Secretary Elaine Duke flew over hurricane devastated Puerto Rico Friday and reassured residents the federal government understands the severity of the ongoing human catastrophe facing the U.S. territory. “I know the people of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are suffering,” Duke told a news conference in the capital, San Juan. “We are here and we have been here to help them. We are continuing to bring additional supplies and personnel to further assist... Читать дальше...

The president of Emily’s List rose to the podium at a recent New York fundraiser to make a proud announcement: More than 18,000 women had contacted the group since Election Day, looking to explore running for office, “an explosion,” she called it. Of course, they’re all Democrats. On the Republican side, there’s been no such explosion. While a tide of anti-Trump activism has led thousands of Democratic women to consider runs for office, their Republican counterparts are where they were before the 2016 election... Читать дальше...

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Beijing Saturday, seeking China’s cooperation on a “maximum pressure” campaign against North Korea’s nuclear aggression amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. He is scheduled to meet with top Chinese officials — President Xi Jinping, State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi — and focus on how to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. The talks will also include preparations for U.S. President Donald Trump’s first visit to China in November. Читать дальше...

Around half of the opposition members of Cambodia’s parliament have left the country in fear of a crackdown by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government, a deputy party leader said. The leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), Kem Sokha, was arrested Sept. 3 and charged with treason for an alleged plot to take power with U.S. help. The government has said there could be more arrests linked to the alleged plot, which the opposition says is just a ploy to ensure Hun Sen keeps his more than... Читать дальше...

A 5.5 magnitude earthquake rattled southwestern China’s Sichuan province Saturday, part of the country frequently struck by temblors, with initial reports of only minor damage. The quake struck 78 kilometers (48 miles) west of Guangyuan city, the United States Geological Survey said, with a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). People close to the epicenter said on Chinese social media that they felt shaking, and some posted pictures of people rushing outside of buildings. State media showed pictures... Читать дальше...

An official survey released Saturday said that China’s factory activity expanded in September at the fastest pace in five years, as the country’s vital manufacturing sector stepped up production to meet strong demand. The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 52.4 in September, up from 51.7 in the previous month and the highest level since April 2012. The report by the Federation of Logistics & Purchasing said production, new export orders and overall new orders grew at a faster pace for the month. Читать дальше...

The government of Malawi has drafted new regulations on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. Authorities say the move helps protect people's security and privacy, but some drone operators are against the proposed changes. The regulations would require drone operators to get authorization from the Department of Civil Aviation before flying their gadgets and have an adequate insurance policy. Those flouting the regulations would pay a fine of about $1,500 or be jailed for up to six months or both. Читать дальше...

Solar power is definitely the wave of the future. But in the future instead of a roof covered with solar panels, your own windows might not only be collecting power from the sun, but also helping your house conserve energy. VOA's Kevin Enochs reports.

The U.N. refugee agency warns that funds for humanitarian assistance for hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees have dried up, leaving only enough cash for the most essential needs. More than 420,000 Burundians, who have sought refuge in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance; but, the U.N. refugee agency says it has practically run out of cash. Only 19 percent of the agency’s revised $429 million appeal has been received. Читать дальше...

While it has sent relief to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, India has also announced plans to deport 40,000 Rohingya refugees. As VOA's Ritul Joshi reports, residents of a displacement camp in New Delhi are nervous.

Nearly all U.S. taxpayers say American tax law, which runs tens of thousands of pages, is an incredibly complicated, annoying mess. And there is no agreement on how to fix the problem. Republicans recently outlined a new effort they say will be clearer, fairer and helpful to the economy. Critics say the Republican plan would cut taxes for the rich and increase the U.S. debt. VOA's Jim Randle looks at how the system is supposed to work, and what critics say is wrong.

At least 16 people have died and millions are without power since Hurricane Maria walloped the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Once again, the U.S. military is answering the call to help federal government relief efforts. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb has the latest.