Новости за 02.02.2023

Canada is touting the arrival of a record number of new permanent residents in 2022, consolidating its status as one of the most welcoming countries for families and individuals seeking to make a new life in a foreign land. That image is reinforced by polling showing that, not only do Canadians strongly support high levels of immigration, but despite its relatively harsh climate, the country ranks second only to the United States as a desirable destination for would-be emigrants. Canada admitted... Читать дальше...

The embassies of Britain, Norway, and the United States have expressed grave concerns about possible new fighting in South Sudan's Upper Nile State. The warning by the so-called Troika Embassies comes just days ahead of Pope Francis' first visit to South Sudan on Friday for what the Vatican is calling a pilgrimage of peace. Serious security alarms have been sounded barely 24 hours before Pope Francis arrives in South Sudan’s capital for what is seen as an attempt by Vatican to find a lasting peace in the war-torn nation. Читать дальше...

Malawi has suspended the head of its Anti-Corruption Bureau over a leaked audio clip that where she suggested high-ranking officials were obstructing justice. Martha Chizuma was arrested in December for the same issue but released on the order of President Lazarus Chakwera. Malawi media reports say Chizuma's suspension came just hours before the bureau planned to issue arrest warrants for top officials. In a letter made public Wednesday, Colleen Zamba, who is the secretary to the president and cabinet... Читать дальше...

The United Nations says its humanitarians will not leave Afghanistan and will continue delivering lifesaving aid despite Taliban restrictions on Afghan women’s work for nongovernmental organizations. “The humanitarian community does not go on strike,” Martin Griffiths, a top U.N. official for humanitarian affairs, told representatives of member states on Wednesday. The announcement comes as some international aid agencies have suspended their operations in Afghanistan to protest a December 24... Читать дальше...

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission says an attack Wednesday on its offices in southeast Anambra state destroyed hundreds of ballot boxes and other election materials. Authorities say armed men also attacked a police station in the area and killed a teenager. It's the latest attempt to disrupt Nigeria's preparations for February 25 elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC, said Thursday it is making plans to replace some 700 ballot boxes, 243 voting cubicles... Читать дальше...

The Republican-led House of Representatives voted after raucous debate Thursday to oust Democrat Ilhan Omar from the chamber's Foreign Affairs Committee, citing her anti-Israel comments, in a dramatic escalation after Democrats last session booted far-right Republican lawmakers over incendiary remarks. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was able to solidify Republican support against the Somali-born Muslim woman in the new Congress, although some Republican lawmakers had expressed reservations. Removal... Читать дальше...

Israel's top legal official is warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay out of his cabinet's push to overhaul the judicial system, a plan that critics say could give the government "unlimited power." Adding to tensions over the controversial proposal, Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said in a letter to Netanyahu made public Thursday that he “must avoid as part of your role as prime minister involvement in initiatives related to the legal system.” Netanyahu has been the subject... Читать дальше...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to China as Washington seeks to put guardrails on ties with Beijing amid rising tensions. But as State Department Bureau Chief Nike Ching reports, expectations are low for Blinken’s trip to reset the fraught relationship between the two countries. Contributor: Yihua Lee, VOA Mandarin

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

Jeers filled the air when lawmakers of the ruling ZANU-PF party celebrated after the Private Voluntary Organizations Amendment Bill, which regulates non-governmental organizations, passed in Zimbabwe’s Senate late Wednesday. The legislation, which still awaits President Emmerson Mnangagwa's signature, makes it a criminal offense for NGOs to support or oppose political parties or candidates in any election.  Supporters say the legislation is designed to curb financing for terrorism and money laundering in Zimbabwe. Читать дальше...

Majid Khan, a Pakistani man who has disclosed how he was tortured by the Central Intelligence Agency after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, has been transferred from the Guantanamo Bay U.S. detention facility in Cuba to Belize, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Khan, 42, admitted in 2012 to conspiring with members of the al-Qaida Islamist militant organization responsible for the 2001 attacks to commit murder as well as providing material support for terrorism and spying and had been serving as a government witness since... Читать дальше...

Officials say most member states in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, have failed to honor a ban on raw timber exports that was enacted last year to conserve forests and create jobs by locally processing wood. The six member countries of the Central African bloc agreed to ban raw timber exports starting in January 2022. The ban is aimed partially at combating climate change by protecting forests from excessive logging. However, an online meeting of CEMAC forestry and... Читать дальше...

A legendary U.S. groundhog, from the (east central U.S.) town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was pulled from his burrow early Thursday, with local officials declaring he saw his shadow, indicating, according to legend, there will be at least six more weeks of winter. The annual observance of Groundhog Day on February 2 brings thousands of revelers to the town—located about 105 kilometers northeast of Pittsburgh—each year. Local officials, dressed in top hats and long coats, make a show of pulling... Читать дальше...

Aviation history was made this week when U.S. aerospace company Boeing delivered the last of its iconic 747 airliners. Natasha Mozgovaya has our story from Washington state. Video editing by Bakhtiyar Zamanov and Jason Godman.

Iran on Thursday blamed Israel for a drone attack that took place Saturday in the central Iranian city of Isfahan. A letter posted on the website of Iran’s mission to the United Nations said preliminary indications were that Israel “was responsible for this attempted act of aggression.” The letter did not include specific evidence. Iran said the attack involved three drones that targeted a military workshop, and that two of them were shot down. Iran’s defense ministry said the attack caused minor damage to the building. Читать дальше...

Pope Francis addressed a crowd of tens of thousands of young people gathered Thursday in a stadium in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The event in Kinshasa came on the third day of the pope’s visit to the country, which has included appeals for peace and reconciliation.  Francis celebrated Mass with about a million people Wednesday in Kinshasa.  He continues his trip Friday as he travels to South Sudan.  Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

Iran’s atomic energy organization on Wednesday dismissed a report by the United Nations nuclear watchdog that said Iran had made an undeclared change to uranium enriching equipment at its Fordow plant.  The International Atomic Energy Agency said its inspectors found a modification to an interconnection between two clusters of centrifuges that was substantially different than what Iran had declared to the agency.  IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said in a statement that the change is “inconsistent with... Читать дальше...

Personal possession of a small amount of hard drugs is now legal in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The controversial move is intended to reduce deaths from drug use. The personal possession of 2.5 grams of hard drugs, including cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and morphine, has now been decriminalized. This temporary exemption means a person found with a small quantity of these drugs will not have them seized nor face arrest or any criminal charges.  An average... Читать дальше...

Israeli forces carried out airstrikes early Thursday in the Gaza Strip, hours after Israeli air defenses intercepted a rocket fired from Gaza.  Israel’s military said the airstrikes targeted a rocket production facility used by the militant group Hamas.  There were no reports of casualties.  Following Wednesday’s rocket intercept, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir tweeted that he would go forward with plans to toughen conditions for Palestinian prisoners.  The rocket attack... Читать дальше...

The United States says Russia is violating the New START Treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the two countries. In August, Russia suspended inspections of its nuclear facilities as required by the treaty. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. Contributed to by Harry Knyagnitsky.

Vice President Kamala Harris paid her respects Wednesday at the funeral of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died last month after a brutal beating by Memphis police officers. Activists say more needs to be done to strengthen laws to prevent police brutality, which disproportionately affects people of color. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House.