Новости за 29.01.2023

A key U.S. congressional leader called Sunday for a national conversation on policing in America in the aftermath of the brutal beating of a Memphis, Tennessee, man at the hands of five police officers who stand accused of murdering him after a traffic stop. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin told ABC’s “This Week” show, “We’ve got to do better.” Durbin called for better screening and training, so that police officers who are hired “really are stable.” Durbin said he did not know how a situation could exist... Читать дальше...

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

Israel's new hard-right government said Sunday it had dropped a year-old tax that had significantly reduced the consumption of single-use plastic plates and utensils. The decision, in apparent defiance of global efforts to reduce the amount of plastic waste that is polluting oceans, came after opposition to the levy from religious parties that said it unfairly targeted their communities. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the tax was canceled and urged customers to check that stores were lowering prices of plastic wares. Читать дальше...

Coal-rich but energy-starved South Africa will not immediately abandon its fossil-fueled electricity generating plants as it transitions to cleaner forms of power, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Sunday.  South Africa, one of the world's largest polluters which generates about 80 percent of its electricity through coal, is in the grip of an energy crisis.  It has been blamed on ageing power stations, sabotage and theft of coal and spare parts by organized gangs.  Since 2021, the country has... Читать дальше...

Screenwriter Gregory Allen Howard, who skillfully adapted stories of historical Black figures in “Remember the Titans” starring Denzel Washington, “Ali” with Will Smith and “Harriet” with Cynthia Erivo, has died. He was 70. Howard died Friday at his home in Miami after a brief illness, according to a statement from publicist Jeff Sanderson. Howard was the first Black screenwriter to write a drama that made $100 million at the box office when “Titans” crossed that milestone in 2000. It was about... Читать дальше...

Ahead of World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day Monday, the World Health Organization is calling for action to tackle these debilitating illnesses, which affect an estimated 1.65 billion people globally.  A diverse group of 20 parasitic and bacterial tropical diseases is categorized as neglected. This is because they disproportionally affect people who live in poor, remote communities and are not on the list of global health priorities. Ibrahima Soce Fall is director of WHO’s Department of Neglected Tropical Diseases. Читать дальше...

The National Prayer Breakfast, one of the most visible and long-standing events that brings religion and politics together in Washington, is splitting from the private religious group that had overseen it for decades, due to concerns the gathering had become too divisive. The organizer and host for this year's breakfast, scheduled for Thursday, will be the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation, headed by former Sen. Mark Pryor, a Democrat from Arkansas. Sen. Chris Coons, a regular participant and chairman of the Senate ethics committee... Читать дальше...

Boeing's BA.N 747, the original and arguably most aesthetic "Jumbo Jet", revolutionized air travel only to see its more than five-decade reign as "Queen of the Skies" ended by more efficient twinjet planes. The last commercial Boeing jumbo will be delivered to Atlas Air AAWW.O in the surviving freighter version on Tuesday, 53 years after the 747's instantly recognizable humped silhouette grabbed global attention as a Pan Am passenger jet. "On the ground it's stately, it's imposing," said Bruce Dickinson... Читать дальше...

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk Saturday called on Venezuela to reform its political and judicial system and to release arbitrarily detained prisoners. He made his remarks at the end of a two-day official visit to Venezuela. During his visit, Turk met with senior officials, civil society representatives, victims’ groups, and human rights defenders. He said that from what he had seen and heard, it was clear Venezuelan society was riven by a profound loss of trust between the government and the people. Читать дальше...

Environmentalists protested over the weekend at the building site of a new airport in Albania's south meant to boost tourism but which they say will endanger sanctuaries for some 200 bird species including flamingos and pelicans. The picturesque Vjose-Narte lagoon close to Albania's Adriatic seaside is a crucial stop for flocks of birds in their annual migration between Europe and Africa. The government is building the airport just 5 kilometres (3 miles) from the Adriatic coast with pristine... Читать дальше...

At least 41 people died Sunday in southern Pakistan when a bus traveling from Quetta to Karachi fell into a ravine in Balochistan’s Lasbela district. Lasbela Assistant Commissioner Hamza Anjumk told Dawn, a Pakistani newspaper, “Due to speeding, the coach crashed into the pillar of a bridge while taking a U-turn near Lasbela. The vehicle subsequently careened into a ravine and then caught fire.”  Also Sunday, 10 children died when their boat capsized in Tanda Dam lake in northwest Pakistan, authorities said. Читать дальше...

Tunisian polling stations were quiet on Sunday for runoffs in a parliamentary election that drew only 11% turnout in December's first round, an outcome critics of the president said undermined his claims of public support for sweeping political change. With political parties boycotting the vote, most candidates are independents and attention is likely to focus on whether there will be higher participation than there was in December. The electoral commission said that turnout stood at 4.7% at 11 a.m. on Sunday... Читать дальше...

The discovery of an asteroid the size of a small shipping truck mere days before it passed Earth on Thursday, albeit one that posed no threat to humans, highlights a blind spot in our ability to predict those that could actually cause damage, astronomers say. NASA for years has prioritized detecting asteroids much bigger and more existentially threatening than 2023 BU, the small space rock that streaked by 2,200 miles from the Earth's surface, closer than some satellites. If bound for Earth, it would have been pulverized in the atmosphere... Читать дальше...

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has fired the chairman of the Conservative Party. Sunak removed Nadhim Zahawi on Sunday, following an investigation into Zahawi’s personal taxes. The prime minister said in a letter to Zahawi that “it is clear that there has been a serious breach of the Ministerial Code.” Laurie Magnus, the independent adviser who conducted the investigation into Zahawi’s taxes, said in a letter to Sunak that Zahawi showed "insufficient regard" for the requirement "to be honest... Читать дальше...

Police in Peru say 24 people died Saturday when a bus carrying 60 passengers plunged over a cliff in the El Alton district in the northern region of the country. Agence France-Presse reports that the bus had departed from Lima and was headed to Tumbes, when the accident happened at a difficult road location known as “Devil’s Curve.” The injured were transported to nearby hospitals. Officials said many of the bus passengers were from Haiti. The bus was owned by the Q'Orianka Tours Company. Читать дальше...

Across the U.S., there's a silent frustration brewing about an age-old practice that many say is getting out of hand: tipping. Some fed-up consumers are posting rants on social media complaining about tip requests at drive-thrus, while others say they're tired of being asked to leave a gratuity for a muffin or a simple cup of coffee at their neighborhood bakery. What's next, they wonder -- are we going to be tipping our doctors and dentists, too? As more businesses adopt digital payment methods... Читать дальше...

For New York teacher Michael Flanagan, the pandemic was a crash course in new technology — rushing out laptops to stay-at-home students and shifting hectic school life online. Students are long back at school, but the technology has lived on, and with it has come a new generation of apps that monitor the pupils online, sometimes round the clock and even on down days shared with family and friends at home. The programs scan students' online activity, social media posts and more — aiming to keep them focused... Читать дальше...

As Indonesia assumes the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for 2023, pressure is mounting on Jakarta to formalize an appropriate response to member Myanmar’s military – the Tatmadaw – which seized power from an elected government two years ago. Analysts said the descent into civil war had effectively annulled a much-touted ASEAN peace plan, known as the five-point consensus, but added that it had paved the way for Indonesian President Joko Widido to take a new, much stronger... Читать дальше...

In Somalia, al-Qaida-affiliated militant group al-Shabab has been on a gradual retreat for months, and this could be the beginning of their end, experts told VOA. In a televised speech in August 2022, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced a "total war" against the group, days after it staged a deadly hotel siege in Mogadishu, killing at least 21 people and wounding more than 100 others. The president’s announcement came as local clans in central Somalia were revolting against the presence... Читать дальше...

In the months he was held in detention in Texas during his legal fight to remain in the United States, Afghan soldier Abdul Wasi Safi thought he would eventually be returned to his home country and likely meet death at the hands of the Taliban because of his work with the U.S. military. But Friday, he stood a free man, filled with hope that the help he provided the U.S. military will ultimately help him secure asylum in the U.S. Amid hugs from his brother and lawyers, Wasi Safi proudly smiled... Читать дальше...

Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou, on Saturday in support of the ruling junta, days after France confirmed its special forces there would withdraw, according to an AFP journalist at the rally. Packing Nation Square in central Ouagadougou, protesters held signs bearing slogans including "Down with imperialism," "Down with French policy in Africa" and "Forward for Burkina's sovereignty." "We do not want any more foreign military bases on our soil," Lazare Yameogo... Читать дальше...

A loud explosion at a military plant in Iran's central city of Isfahan was caused by an "unsuccessful" drone attack, Iranian state media reported Sunday, citing the defense ministry. "One of (the drones) was hit by the ... air defense and the other two were caught in defense traps and blew up. Fortunately, this unsuccessful attack did not cause any loss of life and caused minor damage to the workshop's roof," the ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency IRNA. Iranian news... Читать дальше...

A farmworker charged with killing seven people at two Half Moon Bay mushroom farms reportedly told investigators he was spurred to carry out the shootings after his supervisor demanded he pay $100 to repair a forklift damaged at work. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe confirmed to the Bay Area News Group on Friday that Chunli Zhao was enraged by the equipment bill, saying that a coworker was to blame for the collision between his forklift and the coworker's bulldozer. KNTV-TV... Читать дальше...

Iranian Olympic skier Atefeh Ahmadi has quit her home country and applied for asylum in Germany, a Persian-language media outlet outside Iran reported Saturday, publishing an emotional interview with the athlete. Ahmadi, in her early 20s, was the only Iranian woman to qualify for last year's Beijing Winter Games. "I left Iran to reach my goal, but my heart is with Iran. I love my Iran. I love my people," she told London-based Iran International. "If I could, I would stand by the people so that we can reach freedom together," she said. Читать дальше...

The Memphis police chief on Saturday disbanded the unit whose officers are charged with beating to death Tyre Nichols as the nation and the city struggled to come to grips with video showing police pummeling the Black motorist. Police Director Cerelyn "CJ" Davis said she listened to Nichols' relatives, community leaders and uninvolved officers in making the decision. "It is in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the Scorpion unit," she said in a statement. She said the officers... Читать дальше...