Новости за 25.10.2017

Spurred by the chemical industry, President Donald Trump's administration is retreating from a congressionally mandated review of some of the most dangerous chemicals in public use: millions of tons of asbestos, flame retardants and other toxins in homes, offices and industrial plants across the United States.   Instead of following president Barack Obama's proposal to look at chemicals already in widespread use that result in some of the most common exposures, the new administration wants to limit... Читать дальше...

Spurred by the chemical industry, President Donald Trump's administration is retreating from a congressionally mandated review of some of the most dangerous chemicals in public use: millions of tons of asbestos, flame retardants and other toxins in homes, offices and industrial plants across the United States.   Instead of following president Barack Obama's proposal to look at chemicals already in widespread use that result in some of the most common exposures, the new administration wants to limit... Читать дальше...

A vibrant Muslim community exists in the indigenous Maya heartland of Mexico, a predominantly Roman Catholic country. In the southern state of Chiapas, home to a lush mountainous landscape, a Reuters journalist took pictures of members of the small Muslim community, made up of hundreds of mostly Tzotzil men and women, many of whom converted to Islam from Christian denominations. The Muslim men here are distinguished by their prayer caps, or kufis, and the women by their hijabs, which take the form of traditional Maya shawls. Читать дальше...

A vibrant Muslim community exists in the indigenous Maya heartland of Mexico, a predominantly Roman Catholic country. In the southern state of Chiapas, home to a lush mountainous landscape, a Reuters journalist took pictures of members of the small Muslim community, made up of hundreds of mostly Tzotzil men and women, many of whom converted to Islam from Christian denominations. The Muslim men here are distinguished by their prayer caps, or kufis, and the women by their hijabs, which take the form of traditional Maya shawls. Читать дальше...

A bipartisan measure to stabilize the U.S. health insurance markets would save the government money, but do little to cut the cost of premiums for consumers or substantially change the number of people who have insurance to help pay their medical bills, a new independent study concluded Wednesday. With Republican efforts stalled in Congress to dismantle national health policies championed by former President Barack Obama, two senators, Republican Lamar Alexander and Democrat Patty Murray, reached... Читать дальше...

A former United States ambassador to the United Nations chided lawmakers Wednesday for engaging in a “little bit of a fake debate” surrounding President Donald Trump’s decision not to certify Iran’s compliance with an international nuclear accord. During testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mark Wallace, former ambassador to the U.N., representative for U.N. management and reform, who now heads the activist group United Against Nuclear Iran, said the decision by the Trump administration... Читать дальше...

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved bipartisan legislation to block the flow of illegal funds to Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, and also to sanction Hezbollah for using civilians as human shields. The measures were approved by voice vote Wednesday and are a blow to the group, designated a terrorist organization, that lawmakers say has close ties to the government of Iran. The bill that targets Hezbollah funding places sanctions on people and businesses engaged in fundraising and recruitment for the group. Читать дальше...

A former United States ambassador to the United Nations chided lawmakers Wednesday for engaging in a “little bit of a fake debate” surrounding President Donald Trump’s decision not to certify Iran’s compliance with an international nuclear accord. During testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mark Wallace, former ambassador to the U.N., representative for U.N. management and reform, who now heads the activist group United Against Nuclear Iran, said the decision by the Trump administration... Читать дальше...

Shaka Ssali discusses Kenya’s repeat presidential election with Vincent Makori, VOA, Managing Editor and Anchor, of Africa 54, David K. Gacheru, Kenya Embassy, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Professor David Onserio Monda, City University of New York.

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An aspiring actress has sued The Weinstein Co. alleging it was aware of sexual misconduct by its co-founder, Harvey Weinstein.   Dominique Huett claims in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles that Weinstein performed oral sex on her against her wishes at a Beverly Hills hotel in 2010.   A representative for The Weinstein Co. and Weinstein himself did not immediately respond Wednesday to emails seeking comment.   Huett's negligence lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.   Her attorney, Jeff Herman... Читать дальше...

The ruling party’s bid to remove the presidential age limit from Uganda's constitution is stirring up controversy again, this time over the disbursement of a total of $3.5 million to lawmakers to fund ongoing consultations on the proposed amendment. The opposition has rejected the payments as a bribe. Each of Uganda’s 445 members of parliament has received a transfer of $8000 since late Tuesday, a total sum of $3.5 million. The opposition is calling it dirty money as parliament prepares to vote... Читать дальше...

The Trump administration said Wednesday that it will not support a massive water project proposed by California, the latest and most serious blow for Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to re-engineer the state's water system by building two giant water tunnels.   “The Trump Administration did not fund the project and chose to not move forward with it,” Russell Newell, deputy communications director for the U.S. Interior Department, said in an email.   Asked if that meant the Trump administration did not support California's tunnels project... Читать дальше...

A university engineering department has developed what amounts to a Tinder app for criminals — a computer program that matches inmates with suitable prisons. The software, unique in the corrections field, has saved the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections about $3 million in its first year. It's resulted in fewer prison assaults, shortened wait times for treatment programs by nearly two months, reduced the number of prison transfers and lightened the workload of corrections staff. Corrections... Читать дальше...

Israel on Wednesday approved construction of nearly 200 new homes in a Jewish housing development of east Jerusalem, pushing ahead with a recent spike of settlement construction. The decision by Jerusalem city officials followed last week's approval to move forward with roughly 3,000 new homes in the West Bank. A senior Cabinet minister meanwhile said government officials are set to advance a plan that would make a group of West Bank settlements part of greater Jerusalem. The spate of settlement... Читать дальше...

Israel on Wednesday approved construction of nearly 200 new homes in a Jewish housing development of east Jerusalem, pushing ahead with a recent spike of settlement construction. The decision by Jerusalem city officials followed last week's approval to move forward with roughly 3,000 new homes in the West Bank. A senior Cabinet minister meanwhile said government officials are set to advance a plan that would make a group of West Bank settlements part of greater Jerusalem. The spate of settlement... Читать дальше...

Russia has freed two prominent Crimean Tatar activists opposed to Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region, their lawyer said Wednesday. Ukraine's leader thanked Turkey's president for helping broker the release. Ilmi Umerov, deputy head of the Crimean Tatars' semi-official Mejlis legislature before it was suspended by Moscow, was sentenced last month by a Russian court to two years in jail for separatism. Ahtem Chiygoz, another Crimean Tatar leader, was sentenced at the same time to eight years for stirring anti-Russian protests. Читать дальше...

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Jordan's high and rising public debt has worried the International Monetary Fund and prompted a downgrade from Standard & Poor's. So the government is planning a blast of austerity by year-end. Tax hikes and subsidy cuts —- likely to be highly unpopular —- are on the agenda as the country's debt to GDP ratio has reached a record 95 percent, from 71 percent in 2011. "Postponing problems might increase the popularity of the government but would be a crime against the nation," Prime Minister... Читать дальше...

The re-run of Kenya’s presidential election has inflamed political tensions in the country. Nowhere has that been more evident than in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu, where protests against the electoral commission continued Wednesday, the day before the vote. Taking to the streets for the fifth time this week, Kisumu residents demanded reforms before Thursday’s presidential re-run. They marched to the electoral body offices. Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters throwing rocks and trying to block streets. Читать дальше...

While the recent recapture of the Syrian city of Raqqa is a significant blow to the Islamic State and will help seal the defeat of the militants, U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say the country likely will remain unstable for years because of other militant groups. VOA's Mahmoud Bali reports.

Two Somali civilians, an African Union soldier and four al-Shabab militants were killed in an ambush early Wednesday on the outskirts of Mogadishu. Gunfire followed the explosion of an improvised explosive device that targeted an AU military vehicle, witnesses and officials said. AMISOM spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Wilson Rono told VOA Somali a Ugandan soldier was killed and a second soldier was seriously injured in the ambush. He said AMISOM troops exchanged gunfire with al-Shabab militants, killing four of them. Читать дальше...

There are 105 women in the US Congress. Out of a total of 535 members. That’s the highest number in history. Yet, the percentage is well below the number of women who live in the US. The Center for American Women and Politics lists 400 women who are running for national office next year. They, along with many other groups, are urging women to enter politics with training sessions with names like “Ready to Run,” “Elect Her” and “Teach a Girl to Lead.” VOA’s Carolyn Presutti reports

African tourism is changing, say travel industry leaders, moving away from the traditional safaris and packaged tours and towards the intimate, indefinable, infinitely Instagrammable lure of “experiences.” Chris Lehane, head of global policy for Airbnb, said the service has seen huge growth on the continent in the last year, reaching two million bookings this year. But the new lure, he said, is experiences, which Airbnb offers in several African destinations. In Nairobi, for example, guests can... Читать дальше...