Новости за 09.11.2017

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced it would tighten travel and business restrictions for Americans traveling to Cuba. The policy shift is part of President Donald Trump’s pledge to cancel what he has called a “one-sided deal” between Cuba and the United States. VOA’s Elizabeth Cherneff looks at what this announcement means for Americans and Cubans going forward.

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker has announced he will hold a hearing next week on the president’s “authority to use nuclear weapons.” Corker said the hearing is a part of the Senate’s examination of “the authority and process for using U.S. nuclear weapons.” He said Congress has not revisited the issue since 1976 and a “discussion is long overdue.” “A number of members both on and off our committee have raised questions about the authorities of the legislative and executive branches with respect to war making... Читать дальше...

Fantastic beasts, wizard adventures and magic spells will come to life in a new "Harry Potter" augmented reality mobile game from Pokemon Go developer Niantic and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment, the companies said on Wednesday. "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite" will bring author J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World to mobile phones and use augmented reality (AR) to create a real-world scavenger hunt, allow players to cast spells, find artifacts, team up and encounter magical beasts and characters from the popular book series. Читать дальше...

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he is planning to ask Beijing, during this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), what its intentions are in the South China Sea and if Southeast Asian countries will be allowed to freely navigate the disputed, strategic sea. During his almost 18 months in office, Duterte has adopted a largely nonconfrontational approach toward Beijing and its competing claims in the South China Sea. Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella explained in October... Читать дальше...

Executives from Google, Facebook and Twitter faced anger from lawmakers last week over their platforms' roles in Russian interference into the 2016 election. But for Silicon Valley, the biggest challenge lies ahead as tech companies look for ways to work with a U.S. Congress intent on closing legal loopholes before 2018 midterm elections. Congressional scrutiny showed U.S. law has fallen behind the rapid growth of social media. Without rules governing paid political advertising on social media... Читать дальше...

The United Nations has warned that unless a Saudi Arabia-led military coalition allows humanitarian aid access into Yemen, it will lead to “the largest famine the world has seen for many decades, with millions of victims.” Since Monday, all humanitarian operations to Yemen, including U.N. aid flights, have been blocked after Saudi Arabia forced every single air, land and sea port in the country closed. The move came in response to the interception of a missile fired toward the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Saturday. Читать дальше...

A recent national sleep foundation study found more than half of all drivers report driving while drowsy. And U.S. government statistics show nearly 72,000 accidents and 800 deaths in the United States were caused by drowsy driving. But some new technology could help solve this public health problem, VOA's Kevin Enochs reports.

The ScanPyramid team made news last week when they announced the discovery of a ‘void’ inside the Great Pyramid of Giza. And while the void may remain a mystery, the team's detailed map of the pyramid now allows visitors to roam its depths from anywhere in the world. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports.

In the United States, strolling through a corn maze is a popular family activity in the fall. The annual maze at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Pennsylvania is considered one of the best in the country. Located on a family farm, visitors can explore the winding pathways, while piecing together a map that shows the maze’s unique design. VOA’s Deborah Block takes us to the amazing maze.

After pledging to do more to combat foreign interference on social media platforms, the heads of Facebook, Google and Twitter will have to work with Congress to find a way forward. VOA's Congressional reporter Katherine Gypson sits down with California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, who represents Silicon Valley, to learn where the debate over the role of social media in American politics heads next.

President Donald Trump suffered a political setback Tuesday when Democrats won easy victories in governor's races in Virginia and New Jersey. In addition, Democrats cheered a turnout that could have major implications for next year's congressional midterm elections, when all 435 House seats and one-third of the Senate will be on the ballot. Democrats are pointing to exit polls in both Virginia and New Jersey that showed that anger at Trump was a major factor in stimulating Democrats to get to the polls. Читать дальше...

Newly declassified documents show that a quarter-century ago as worries were emerging over North Korea's nuclear ambitions, then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney told allies the U.S. should not consider military action because it could jeopardize diplomatic efforts. Cheney would later serve as vice president to George W. Bush. He was a leading advocate of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein over fears he had weapons of mass destruction, which turned out not to be the case. ... Читать дальше...

The recent mass shooting committed by Devin Kelley in Sutherland Springs, Texas, left 26 dead and 20 more wounded. As the town begins its healing process, so do its residents. VOA's Tina Trinh talked to the family of a local woman who managed to survive the massacre.

It was heartbreaking for Jennifer Berrones to explain to her 7-year-old daughter Kaylee that her friend and classmate Emily was not coming back to school after Sunday's church massacre in rural Texas. "At first my daughter didn't understand what had happened," said Berrones, 36, an assistant at Floresville South Elementary School, where her daughter and Emily Garcia were in second grade. "She asked me if Emily was sleeping, and I had to tell her that she was never going to wake up. I told my daughter... Читать дальше...

The U.S. State Department is ending the Central American Minors (CAM) refugee program established to stem the flood of children attempting to enter the United States from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The program, established in 2014 by the Obama administration, allowed certain parents lawfully residing in the U.S. to request a refugee resettlement interview for their children and eligible family members. But the Trump administration said it would end the program as part of its overall review of the refugees admissions process. Читать дальше...

The three UCLA men's basketball players arrested in China for allegedly shoplifting a day before U.S. President Donald Trump's visit cannot leave their hotel until the end of the legal process, which could last months, ESPN reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. The three University of California-Los Angeles players, freshmen LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, were arrested Tuesday, according to several media reports. Ball is the younger brother of National Basketball Association rookie Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers. Читать дальше...

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday that Janet Yellen has not said yet whether she plans to remain on the Federal Reserve board when her term as chair ends in February, but the administration is moving ahead with filling other vacancies. There are three vacancies on the seven-member Fed board and there could be a fourth if Yellen decides to leave. Her term as a board member does not end until 2024. In an interview on Bloomberg TV, Mnuchin said he had breakfast with Yellen on Wednesday... Читать дальше...

The Navy will conduct a joint exercise with three aircraft carriers in the Western Pacific for the first time in a decade. The USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt strike groups will conduct air defense drills, sea surveillance, replenishments at sea and other training in international waters Nov. 11-14, the Navy said Wednesday. “It is a rare opportunity to train with two aircraft carriers together, and even rarer to be able to train with three,” said U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Читать дальше...

The federal judge overseeing the upcoming criminal trial of two top former Trump aides has imposed a gag order in the case. Judge Amy Berman Jackson Wednesday ordered defendants Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, their lawyers, and all possible witnesses to “refrain from making statements to the media or in public settings that could pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice.” In all criminal cases, it is always possible that making statements for or against the defendants in the media could... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping early Thursday, and Trump has said he intends to press Xi to push North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday, his first visit as president to China, North Korea's closest ally. Trump is expected to call on China to expel North Korean workers from the country and eliminate some of its other dealings with Pyongyang. The talks between Trump and Xi will also deal with trade, a touchy subject... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Donald Trump is holding talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in which the U.S. leader has said he intends to press Beijing to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. At a welcoming ceremony early Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the two leaders walked side by side on a red carpet. The U.S. and Chinese national anthems were played by a military band and ceremonial cannon fire from Tiananmen Square saluted Trump. A crowd of jumping and gleeful schoolchildren waved American and Chinese flags.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross plans to completely divest from a shipping company that counts a Russian gas producer with ties to the Kremlin among its major customers.   A commerce department spokesman says Ross plans to sell all his shares of Navigator Holdings. That company ships products from Sibur, a Russian gas producer whose owners include two Russian oligarchs close to President Vladimir Putin and a businessman believed to be Putin's son-in-law.   Details of the Ross stake in Navigator... Читать дальше...

America’s national parks are a popular destination for tourists and vacationers from across the country and around the world. More than 330 million people visited them in 2016, enjoying the spectacular scenery and natural wonders… and increasing the need for road repairs, additional park staff and habitat restoration. For over a century, the federal government has paid to protect the parks through subsidies, plus entry fees at the most popular parks, fees that have remained relatively low and unchanged for more than 50 years. Читать дальше...

President Donald Trump suffered the sharpest political setback of his presidency Tuesday when Democrats swept to easy victories in governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey. Tuesday’s results have major implications for both political parties as they look ahead to next year’s midterm congressional elections. VOA national correspondent Jim Malone has more on the political fallout from Washington.

Cuban opposition leaders said they failed to get anyone nominated as a candidate for municipal elections, falling at the first hurdle as the Communist-run island embarks on a political cycle that will end 60 years of Castro brothers' rule. This month's municipal elections are the first stage in a process that will conclude with a new national assembly voting in February for a president to replace 86-year-old Raul Castro, who has promised to step down after two five-year terms. Some Cubans hope... Читать дальше...