Новости за 02.11.2017

Augustine Deen, a 31-year-old officer with the Sierra Leone Police Force, was on night duty at his post in Freetown, counting down the hours, when disaster struck. In the early morning of August 14, a major mudslide hit Mount Sugarloaf, which overlooks the capital, slicing it in two. The collapse killed 400 people, with hundreds more still missing, and left an estimated 3,000 homeless. Corpses floated in the floodwaters, while some families were forced to dig for the bodies of their loved ones under the rubble. Читать дальше...

White men still overwhelm the boardroom but for the first time, women and minorities together accounted for half of the new independent directors appointed by corporate America this year, a recruitment firm said on Thursday. Executive recruiting firm Spencer Stuart tracked appointments of independent directors made by S&P 500 companies, firms whose shares are listed on major U.S. stock indexes, NYSE or NASDAQ. It found that diversity was on the rise, signalling its growing importance as firms aim to better reflect wider society. Читать дальше...

Lego is having a sleepover at its newly-opened Lego House in Denmark. The Danish toy company has teamed up with Airbnb to allow one family to stay the night at its new attraction — a 12,000 square-meter (129,167 square-foot) building filled with 25 million colorful plastic bricks. There's a parents' bedroom that features a Lego cat, slippers, a coffee pot, and even a newspaper made from the bricks. In the children's bedroom there's a Lego teddy bear, lamp and story book. Towering above the child's... Читать дальше...

A U.S. judge rejected a bid Thursday by two former campaign officials for President Donald Trump to end their house arrest pending trial on charges they laundered millions of dollars they were paid to represent one-time Ukrainian strongman Viktor Yanukovych so they could hide the income from U.S. authorities. Paul Manafort, who for three months last year was Trump's campaign chairman, and his business protege, Rick Gates, who was the deputy campaign chairman, had asked a Washington judge to end their home confinement. Читать дальше...

In the photo taken at the Argentine airport Saturday, the eight men are smiling, their arms looped over each other's shoulders in easy camaraderie. Friends since high school, they were embarking on a long-planned trip to New York to join two other pals and celebrate the 30 years since their graduation. They wore matching white T-shirts emblazoned with the Spanish word "LIBRE," a joke that they would have a few days of freedom from their wives and workaday responsibilities. On Thursday, some of... Читать дальше...

Economic growth among countries in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to rebound this year from 20-year lows in 2016, according to the International Monetary Fund's biannual report. But despite the modest recovery, the  Washington-based organization warns public debt is rising and soon could become unsustainable in some African countries. After a slowdown in 2016 where the sub-Saharan regional economy grew by just 1.4 percent, the IMF said growth is expected to almost double this year to 2.6 percent... Читать дальше...

Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey is seeking unspecified treatment, according to his representatives, following allegations of sexual misconduct that have forced a halt in production of his Netflix show "House of Cards" and a social media backlash. "Kevin Spacey is taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment," his representatives said in a statement late Wednesday. No details on the nature of the treatment were provided. An email from Reuters seeking further comment wasn't returned. Читать дальше...

Lawyers for internet giants Facebook, Google and Twitter met with three congressional committees this week to answer questions about Russian efforts to use the platforms to spread disinformation in the 2016 presidential election, and what they are doing to stop it from happening again. Lawmakers were clear in their position that Russian use of the platforms was unacceptable, and several even called it an act of war. "Cyber is an attack against our country. When you use cyber in an affirmative way to compromise our democratic... Читать дальше...

After years of public controversy and debate, work is finally set to begin on a massive memorial to President Dwight Eisenhower. A groundbreaking ceremony Thursday marked the start of the project, which has been plagued for years by a bitter fight over the memorial's design and aesthetics. Speakers at the ceremony included members of the Eisenhower family, architect Frank Gehry and Kansas Senator Pat Roberts. Gehry, who designed the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao... Читать дальше...

Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA faced a $1.2 billion bond payment on Thursday, a test of the ruling Socialist Party's resolve to pay its foreign debt despite a crippling economic crisis that has spurred widespread food shortages. Markets remained optimistic that President Nicolas Maduro's government would make the payment, though investors expected delays. PDVSA last week struggled for days to deliver funds for a separate bond payment amid confusion over which banks were charged with transferring the money. Читать дальше...

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

With seemingly no end to the crisis that has displaced some 600,000 Muslim minority Rohingya from Myanmar, senior U.S. State Department officials are traveling to Myanmar and neighboring Bangladesh this week to address humanitarian and human rights concerns and explore ways to improve the delivery of aid. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel for the first time as the top U.S. diplomat to Naypyidaw, Myanmar, on November 15 to address the Rohingya crisis and U.S. support for Myanmar's democratic transition. Читать дальше...

Jacob Zuma told South Africa's parliament on Thursday he had received no payments from private companies or individuals during his time as president, as opposition lawmakers walked out in protest over the cost to the state of his legal fees. Allegations by government and opposition politicians that the wealthy Gupta family of businessmen used a friendship with Zuma to control state businesses and influence appointments are among many scandals that have dogged his presidency. The Guptas and Zuma... Читать дальше...

Scientists say they have found a hidden chamber in Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza, in what would be the first such discovery in the structure since the 19th century and one likely to spark a new surge of interest in the pharaohs. In an article published Thursday in the journal Nature, an international team said the 30-meter void deep within the pyramid is situated above the structure's Grand Gallery and has a similar cross section. The purpose of the space is unclear, and it's not yet known whether... Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Federal Reserve says he will work to make sure the Fed stays "vigilant and prepared to respond to changes" in the market.   Jerome Powell was introduced by Trump in the Rose Garden.   The nominee says the U.S. economy has made "substantial progress" since the 2008 financial crisis and the financial system is much stronger.   Powell says the Federal Reserve understands that monetary decisions "matter for American families" as he awaits confirmation by the Senate.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will go to Myanmar and accompany President Donald Trump on his visit to Asia, the State Department said in a statement Thursday. Tillerson will travel to Tokyo November 5 through 7 with the president and participate in bilateral talks between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Tillerson and Trump will then travel to South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The secretary of state will make an additional trip to Myanmar. "The secretary’s... Читать дальше...

Romania's president on Thursday accused the leftist government of mishandling the economy, slamming it for overspending and failing to attract investment. President Klaus Iohannis said that current annual economic growth of more than 5 percent was “not sustainable,” as it was based on spending. He noted foreign and local investment had fallen by 20 percent in the last year.   Iohannis said revenue from taxes had fallen to the equivalent of one fourth of GDP, less than the 35 percent forecast for the year. Читать дальше...

Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives, with the support of President Donald Trump, unveiled a vast overhaul of the country's tax policies on Thursday, changes that would sharply cut taxes for corporations and some middle-class families. The $1.5 trillion plan, produced by senior lawmakers after months of internal debate, would cut the corporate tax rate from the current 35 percent to 20 percent, a longtime goal of Republicans looking to give American companies an edge over foreign... Читать дальше...

Cancer patients with high levels of good gut bacteria appear more likely to respond to immunotherapy, potentially opening up a new way to optimize the use of modern medicines that are highly effective but only work in some people. The finding, reported in two scientific papers on Thursday, suggests patients may in future be told to actively nurture their good bugs when taking so-called PD-1 drugs like Merck & Co's Keytruda or Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo. The twin publications in the journal... Читать дальше...

The Federal Reserve System is the United States' central bank, a nationalized institution that regulates the production and distribution of money and credit to help ensure the efficient operation of the U.S. economy. According to the system, also known as the Fed, it performs the following five broad functions: — Manages monetary policy to encourage maximum employment, stable prices and moderate long-term interest rates. — Fosters the reliability of the financial system and suppresses systemic risks. Читать дальше...

The United Nations refugee chief says the growing crisis of global displacement is the result of weak international cooperation and the inability to prevent, contain and resolve conflicts. "Have we become unable to broker peace?" U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi asked the U.N. Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security. He noted that a series of new crises has caused massive displacement across virtually every region of the world. ... Читать дальше...

Robert Mercer, a billionaire who is a major financial supporter of conservative causes and has close ties to President Donald Trump, is stepping down from his position as chief executive officer of the New York investment firm Renaissance Technologies. Mercer, 71, is also selling his stake in the pro-Trump website Breitbart News to his daughters. He announced his decision in a Thursday letter to investors that also condemned white supremacists and distanced himself from former Trump strategist Steve Bannon. Читать дальше...

Los Angeles is preparing to stage the 2028 Olympic Games, and hopes to avoid the high costs that have hurt other host cities in recent years. In some cases, financial worries prompted other cities to drop their bid to host Olympic games. But organizers in Los Angeles are applying lessons in efficiency and frugality from previous times the city staged the Olympics. The games in 1932 and 1984 produced significant surpluses. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee reports.

Lawyers for Internet giants Facebook, Google and Twitter met with three different congressional committees this week to answer questions about Russian efforts to use the platforms to spread disinformation in the 2016 presidential election, and what they are doing to stop it from happening again. Lawmakers were clear in their position that Russian use of the platforms was unacceptable, and several even called it an act of war.

What did Americans think about the presidential elections on Election Day last year? In the documentary 11/8/16, executive producer Jeff Deutchman showcases 16 Americans from all walks of life throughout that day. The result is an eye-opening documentary about the political and cultural divides that still polarize Americans today. VOA’s Penelope Poulou spoke with Deutchman about his work.