Новости за 25.12.2017

Lawyers and politicians in Turkey are warning that a new emergency decree could incite violence, and encourage formation of vigilante groups. Turkey's main lawyers' group, the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, says the decree is vaguely-worded and could lead to violence. The new law, passed Sunday, grants immunity to civilians who acted to stop an attempted coup in July 2016. Previously, the government gave immunity to law enforcement and government officials who took actions to thwart the coup. Читать дальше...

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Al-Shabab militants in Somalia have executed five people, including a 16-year-old boy, who they accused of spying for Kenyan, U.S. and Somali government forces. The boy and four men were publicly executed by a firing squad Sunday in the town of Idale, 60 kilometers south of Baidoa, after an al-Shabab judge convicted them based on their alleged confessions. The judge did not release evidence of the accusations against the victims. Al-Shabab has executed a total of 22 people this year — nine based on spying allegations... Читать дальше...

Israel is welcoming Guatemala's decision to follow the United States in planning to transfer its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "God bless you, my friend, President Morales," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, referring to his Guatemalan counterpart, Jimmy Morales. "Other countries will recognize Jerusalem and announce the relocation of their embassies. A second country did it and I repeat it: there will be others." Netanyahu said on Twitter, "It is just the beginning and it is important." Meanwhile... Читать дальше...

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Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny is calling for a boycott of the country's next presidential ballot after election officials barred him from running. Russia's Central Election Commission (CEC) voted Monday to bar Navalny from running in the March 2018 presidential election because of his conviction on criminal charges that the anti-corruption blogger and his followers say were politically motivated. The commission's decision came a day after Navalny declared he had collected the... Читать дальше...

Christians around the world are celebrating Christmas. But in the Holy Land, Israeli-Palestinian tensions have put a damper on festivities. Bells at the Church of the Nativity summoned the faithful to celebrate Christmas at the traditional birthplace of Jesus in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. But turnout was sparse in the wake of three weeks of Palestinian protests against U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. WATCH: Trump's Declaration Overshadows Christmas... Читать дальше...

Philippine officials say firefighters have found the remains of all 37 people who became trapped when a shopping mall went up in flames in the southern city of Davao. The fire broke out Saturday, but extreme heat and thick smoke prevented firefighters from retrieving all the bodies until Monday, said Davao Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio. One body was discovered Sunday. Authorities say the victims worked for a U.S.-based company in the mall. The regional chief of the Bureau of Fire Protection, Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu... Читать дальше...

Many Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh facing diminished income are supplementing their needs with work in the camps. Steve Sandford talks to a few young and old entrepreneurs who have set up new businesses in the refugee zones.

This Christmas, both Christians and Muslims are praying for peace to return to Cameroon. Until a few years ago, the country never experienced serious violence or unrest; but, the Boko Haram insurgency in the north, the spillover of violence from the Central African Republic and the turmoil in Cameroon's English-speaking regions have made life difficult for many. Thirty youths representing churches and mosques are roaming the streets of Cameroon's capital, urging everyone to pray that peace returns... Читать дальше...

Pope Francis calls for "peace for Jerusalem" and "mutual trust" on the Korean peninsula as he focused on the suffering of children in conflicts across the world, in his traditional Christmas Day address "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and to the World") from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.

Many Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh facing diminished income are supplementing their needs with work in the camps. Some have set up new businesses in the refugee zones. Many Rohingyas arrived in Bangladesh with just the clothes on their back after fleeing a brutal and sudden Myanmar army crackdown. While aid groups are struggling to provide basic food and shelter, many new arrivals are seeking extra income to make ends meet. They are setting up new businesses in refugee zones. Twelve-year-old... Читать дальше...

Pope Francis used his traditional Christmas message to call for a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to help bring peace to the Middle East.   Pope Francis said in his "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and to the World") address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica that children in the Middle East continue to suffer because of "growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians." He expressed his hope to tens of thousands of worshipers at the Vatican that... Читать дальше...

Pope Francis used his traditional Christmas message to call for a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to help bring peace to the Middle East.   Pope Francis said in his "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and to the World") address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica that children in the Middle East continue to suffer because of "growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians." He expressed his hope to tens of thousands of worshipers at the Vatican that... Читать дальше...

Pope Francis called for "peace for Jerusalem" and "mutual trust" on the Korean peninsula as he focused on the suffering of children in conflicts across the world, in his traditional Christmas Day address "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and to the World") from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. Francis spoke of "growing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians", expressing his hope that the "will to resume dialogue may prevail between the parties and that a negotiated solution can finally be reached... Читать дальше...

Aid agencies report thousands of people in conflict-ridden Ukraine face a bleak Christmas and New Year because of freezing temperatures and shortages of essential goods. Temperatures in Ukraine can plummet to minus 20 degrees Celsius in January. People throughout the country are suffering. But, those living in territory held by Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine are most affected by the shortages brought on by nearly four years of war. The U.N. refugee agency reports thousands of people... Читать дальше...

Russia and China each signaled Monday a desire for a peaceful resolution to the tensions surrounding North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile activity. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told state-run media that no one wants to see war on the Korean Peninsula and that he hopes the United States is not planning a military approach to resolving the situation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said during a briefing Monday that all countries should “exercise restraint and... Читать дальше...

The Somali Football Federation (SFF) has announced plans to host international games beginning next year because of improving security, the head of the body has announced. President of the SFF, Abdiqani Said Arab, says the time has come for Somalia to organize home games in the country’s soccer stadiums in 2018. “Due to the betterment of the security situation in Somalia we have decided to stage our home games at home,” Arab said in a statement. “The Somali people have the right to watch their... Читать дальше...

Doug Jones was a little speechless at first. Then he thanked the various voters who elected him the first Democratic senator from Alabama in 25 years. “I have always believed that the people of Alabama have more in common than to divide us.” His stunning victory was a fallout from a barrage of sexual harassment allegations that shook the country in late 2017. His Republican opponent, Roy Moore, campaigned while denying at least nine allegations of sexual misconduct, some involving women when they were teenagers. Читать дальше...

Widespread allegations of sexual harassment rocked many American institutions in 2017, including Congress, the media and the film industry. By the end of the year, numerous prominent men were suspended, fired or forced to resign from their highly visible jobs because of allegations of sexual harassment and even assault against women that happened in many cases years ago. VOA's Carolyn Presutti explains the change in social attitudes.

With control of the White House and Congress, Republicans expected a historic opportunity to carry out an ambitious legislative agenda in 2017. But the party's narrow margins in the Senate slowed progress on a range of priorities. VOA's congressional reporter Katherine Gypson looks back on a consequential, and often unexpected, year for the U.S. Congress.

Less than a year into his presidency, Donald Trump has reshuffled the list of priorities as to who, among the country's refugees, undocumented immigrants and immigrant hopefuls gets to stay in the United States, or enter the country. Few campaign promises have yet to come to fruition, and not without strong opposition and legal challenges. But for the many affected, 2017's decisions and reversals have led to a year of personal upheaval. Ramon Taylor reports.

The year 2017 saw amazing advances in some areas of medicine and avoidable setbacks in others. VOA's Carol Pearson has the highs and the lows in this report.

Taiwan is facing a new source of pressure from rival China as the communist government increasingly often sends military aircraft to skirt the island, a challenge to the local armed forces. Planes from China flew near Taiwan in November and December, raising concern last week at the presidential office in Taipei. Over the past two years, Chinese military units have sent planes 10 times just outside the Taiwanese air defense zone, former Taiwan defense minister Andrew Yang estimates. China considers... Читать дальше...

Pakistan allowed the wife and mother of convicted Indian spy, Kulbhushan Jadhav, to visit him Monday, reiterating the step was taken “purely on humanitarian grounds.” The meeting lasted about 40 minutes and took place at the Foreign Ministry shortly after Jadhav’s family members landed in Islamabad, officials said. Jadhav spoke to his wife and mother through a microphone from behind a specially arranged glass partition. The Indian deputy high commissioner in Islamabad was also allowed to accompany the visitors. Читать дальше...