Новости за 13.03.2023

Failure to provide timely aid and protection to Syrian earthquake victims has cost the lives of many civilians caught in this catastrophic disaster, according to a U.N.-appointed commission of inquiry on Syria. The three-member independent body accuses the Syrian government and other parties to that country's conflict, the international community, and the United Nations of the abandonment of millions of Syrian civilians in dire need. "Syrians for good reason felt abandoned and neglected by those... Читать дальше...

The U.N. high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, said more needs to be done to support survivors in Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of last month's devastating earthquake as the death toll from the tragedy continues to climb. Grandi, who concluded a five-day visit to earthquake-devastated areas, said in a statement Monday, "The needs on the ground in both countries are enormous and the response must be better resourced." He said the focus needs to be not just on long-term rebuilding projects, but on immediate assistance. Читать дальше...

Malawi has diverted flights and suspended schools in its southern districts due to Cyclone Freddy, which has killed at least 40 people, according to the country's disaster management agency.  Cyclone Freddy hit Malawi on Friday and has caused damage in at least 10 districts in the country's south. The government in Lilongwe suspended schools in southern Malawi until further notice. In Blantyre, authorities suspended flights at the Chileka International airport for much of Sunday and Monday. ... Читать дальше...

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

Human rights groups have called on Nigerian authorities to end sectarian attacks that left at least 35 people dead in northern areas over the weekend. Amnesty International is among human rights groups condemning the recent attacks in Nigeria and calling for accountability. In a statement Sunday, the group urged authorities to "immediately and decisively end incessant attacks by gunmen on communities in southern Kaduna." Kaduna is a state in northern Nigeria. Armed men on Saturday night... Читать дальше...

Boeing structural analysis engineer George Ndayizeye, who grew up in Burundi, has won a 2023 Black Engineer of the Year Legacy Award. He spoke with VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya outside Seattle.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Monday announced it would approve a trimmed-down version of ConocoPhillips' Willow oil and gas drilling project in Alaska, triggering angry reactions from climate activists. Here are some details about the project: What is the Willow Project? The Willow project is a $6 billion proposal from ConocoPhillips COP.N to drill oil and gas in Alaska. It would be located inside the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a 23 million-acre (93 million-hectare)... Читать дальше...

A new maximum-security prison in El Salvador, considered to be the largest in Latin America, was built under orders of President Nayib Bukele as part of his crackdown on crime and gangs that has helped reduce violence in the country. But the project has raised human rights concerns, as we hear from Claudia Zaldaña. Camera: Claudia Zaldaña Produced by: Veronica Villafañe

The presidents of Botswana and Zimbabwe are to discuss scrapping passport requirements between their countries to allow for the easier flow of people and goods. Addressing ruling party supporters over the weekend, Botswana's president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, said he will soon meet his Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to discuss the issue.  Botswana reached a similar deal last month with Namibia, and Masisi said he also plans to discuss the issue with the Zambian president. Some analysts... Читать дальше...

The more than two-year-long civil war in Ethiopia has left many children orphaned or separated from their families. The psychological trauma lingers for these children. Mulugeta Atsbeha visited children at a school-turned-shelter in this story narrated by Salem Solomon.

The number of hate crimes in the United States jumped to a 20-year high in 2021, the FBI said in an updated report released Monday. The FBI initially issued its annual hate crimes report in December showing 7,262 incidents for 2021. But the report excluded data from about 4,000 law enforcement agencies, including large police departments in New York, Chicago and California. The FBI said it has since received enough additional data from police departments around the country to provide a more... Читать дальше...

A top U.N. official warned Monday that ramping up enforcement alone will not fix the problem of thwarting illegal cross-Channel migration, following a major agreement between Britain and France. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron last Friday agreed a new pact worth over 500 million euros to thwart illegal migration across the Channel. "An enforcement-only approach won't fix the challenges that they're facing," Amy Pope, the deputy head of the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM), told AFP.

Pfizer Inc PFE.N struck a $43 billion deal for Seagen Inc SGEN.O to add innovative targeted therapies to its portfolio of cancer treatments as it braces for a steep fall in COVID-19 product sales and stiff competition for some top sellers. Monday's deal, Pfizer's biggest in a string of acquisitions following a once-in-a-lifetime cash windfall from its COVID-19 vaccine and pill, will add four approved cancer therapies with combined sales of nearly $2 billion in 2022. Washington-based Seagen is a pioneer of antibody-drug conjugates... Читать дальше...

Opposition parties in Cameroon have accused the ruling party of vote-buying in Sunday's Senate elections. Early results show the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) winning all seats in the poll which 10 opposition parties contested.  Singing and celebrating in the streets of the capital Yaounde, supporters of the CPDM already proclaimed themselves the winners of the March 12 Senate elections. The CPDM is the party of Cameroon’s long-serving leader, 90-year-old Paul Biya. Local media... Читать дальше...

U.S. President Joe Biden assured Americans on Monday that the U.S. banking system is secure and that taxpayers would not bail out investors at two banks that collapsed. “Americans can have confidence the banking system is safe. Your deposits are safe,” Biden said in a five-minute statement delivered at the White House as businesses opened for the work week. He said that all customers at the California-based Silicon Valley Bank and the New York-based Signature Bank would have immediate access... Читать дальше...

Powder Blue, the highly anticipated new album from Begonia—the solo project of alt-pop Canadian artist Alexa Dirks is a very reflective album, inspired by a challenging time for Dirks. The 12-track record navigates sexuality, mental health, heartache, and grief, amongst other themes; and the title holds lots of significance for the artist.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Monday said there were discussions about "resolving" the fate of Paul Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda" and is serving a 25-year sentence in Rwanda on terrorism charges.    Rusesabagina was sentenced in September 2021 over his ties to an organization opposed to Kagame's rule. He denied all the charges and refused to take part in the trial that he and his supporters called a political sham.    Washington has designated him as "wrongly detained"... Читать дальше...

Tunisia's new parliament, elected in December and January in a vote with a turnout of 11%, sat for the first time on Monday in a session closed to all but state media and with the opposition coalition saying it would not recognize its legitimacy. Journalists were not allowed to attend the opening session of parliament for the first time since the 2011 revolution. Officials told reporters on Monday that only state TV and radio and the state news agency were allowed to cover the event. President... Читать дальше...

The comedy-fantasy 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' dominated the Academy Awards Sunday night. The film earned seven Oscar statuettes, including for best picture. Mike O’Sullivan reports the movie’s directors and three of its stars also received Oscars. Produced by Jason Godman

Taiwan's defense spending this year will focus on preparing weapons and equipment for a "total blockade" by China, including parts for F-16 fighters and replenishing weapons, the military said in a report.  China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, staged war games around the island in August, firing missiles over Taipei and declaring no-fly and no-sail zones in a simulation of how it would seek to cut Taiwan off in a war.  In a report seeking parliamentary budget approval, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters on Monday... Читать дальше...

Pope Francis marks 10 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church on Monday celebrating Mass with cardinals in the chapel of the Vatican's Santa Marta hotel where he has lived since his election.  The Argentina-born Francis, 86, became the first Latin American pontiff on March 13, 2013, succeeding Benedict XVI who had become the first pope in six centuries to resign.  "It seems like yesterday," he said in a podcast by Vatican News broadcast on Monday. "Time flies. When you gather up today, it... Читать дальше...

China's rubber-stamp parliament concluded its annual meeting on Monday, during which Xi Jinping was confirmed as president for a precedent-breaking third term and installed many of his allies in top government roles.  Here are key takeaways from the nearly nine-day long gathering known as the National People's Congress (NPC):    Continuity, for now  Nearly 3,000 members of the NPC voted unanimously in Beijing's Great Hall of the People for the reinstatement 69-year-old Xi in an election in which there was no other candidate. Читать дальше...

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration will approve a major and controversial oil drilling project in Alaska on Monday, according to a source familiar with the matter.  The decision to move ahead with the project by authorizing three drill sites in northwestern Alaska would come a day after Biden announced sweeping curbs on oil and gas leasing to protect up to 6.5 million hectares of water and land in the region.  The Willow project, led by energy giant ConocoPhillips, would be located inside the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska... Читать дальше...

The 95th Academy Awards took place at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday and were broadcast live on ABC television. The following is the full list of 2023 Oscar winners:  Best Picture: "Everything Everywhere All at Once"  Best Actress: Michelle Yeoh, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"  Best Actor: Brendan Fraser, "The Whale"  Best Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"  Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan, "Everything Everywhere All at Once"  Best Supporting Actress... Читать дальше...

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" won the prestigious best picture trophy at the Academy Awards on Sunday as Hollywood embraced an offbeat story about a Chinese-American family working out their problems across multiple dimensions.  The movie claimed three of the four acting Oscars for star Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis. Yeoh played the lead role of a stressed-out laundromat owner who finds she has superpowers in alternate universes.  "For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight... Читать дальше...