Новости за 12.10.2023

The first groups of Thais who were evacuated from Israel following the onslaught by Hamas in southern Israel have landed in Bangkok. Fifteen Thais arrived Thursday at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport following the long flight from Tel Aviv. Throngs of reporters awaited them, along with government officials and anxious family members. "The prime minister has instructed me, the other ministers, minister of labor, minister of defense, deputy minister of public health to welcome this group of Thai nationals who have returned safely.

Some northern Israeli towns have been evacuated after reports of a potential Hezbollah attack. And as Yan Boechat reports for VOA from Metula, Israel, the border region is tense as Israel shoots down rockets over the city and soldiers prepare for what they fear could become a new front.

Recent polls show softening support for U.S. President Joe Biden and his 2024 reelection bid among Black and Hispanic voters. While analysts stress that the shifts aren’t extreme, in a close election they could be pivotal. The Biden campaign told VOA it’s not taking any votes for granted. Veronica Balderas Iglesias has the story.

Turkey is offering to mediate the crisis in Israel. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces growing international scrutiny for hosting senior members of Hamas, designated by the U.S. and others as a terrorist organization. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

A Nairobi court this week temporarily suspended a Kenyan government plan to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti. The case was brought to court by three petitioners, including opposition politician and constitutional lawyer Ekuru Aukot, who told VOA the proposed deployment was unconstitutional. Analysts say there may be a way for the government to argue its case. The ruling by the High Court of Kenya puts a hold on the deployment of police officers to Haiti or any other country, pending another hearing scheduled for October 24th. Читать дальше...

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

Thousands of people marched the streets of Ghana's capital last week to raise awareness of breast cancer. Event organizers aimed to dispel myths about breast cancer in Africa and encourage early detection for a cure. Senanu Tord reports from Accra. (Camera: Senanu Tord and Samuel Mintah)

Human rights activists are criticizing China after reports that Beijing forcibly returned more than 500 North Korean defectors. According to several South Korean rights groups that work with North Korean refugees, the defectors were sent across the China-North Korea border earlier this week, shortly after the end of the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China. The reported mass repatriation of North Koreans is China’s first since Pyongyang began loosening its COVID-19 border restrictions in recent months. Читать дальше...

For international students who have been accepted to a U.S. college or university, the journey has just started. One part of that is applying for an international student visa, and that can mean months of waiting.   The World reports that lengthy wait times can cause problems for students, but also for a nation trying to attract talent from around the globe.

As Hamas militants and rockets entered Israel Saturday, so too did a barrage of disinformation. The conflict is being fought not only on the ground but also on the internet. VOA’s Robin Guess has the story. Liam Scott contributed to this report.

Packaging producers in Kenya have begun a campaign to collect each day 1,500 tonnes of empty beverage cartons and turn them into new products. Officials say the cartons account for 30 percent of the liquid packaging board produced in Kenya. Victoria Amunga reports from Thika, Kenya. Camera and edit: Jimmy Makhulo

Afghanistan's Taliban government Thursday lowered the death toll from a series of recent earthquakes that struck western districts to about 1,000, revising the previous figure of more than 2,000 fatalities. The Afghan Public Health Ministry posted the latest toll on X, formerly Twitter, saying around 2,400 people had been injured since Saturday, when the first 6.3-magnitude quake rattled several districts in the western Herat province, bordering Iran. A UNICEF spokesperson told VOA Thursday that... Читать дальше...

China has released Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who had been in detention for over three years. The announcement was made by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who added that Lei was already back home in Melbourne. Lei, who was accused of spying, worked for China Central Television’s English-language channel.  Australian journalist Cheng Lei was tried in China behind closed doors, and any verdict has not been made public. Australian officials say she has been released after legal proceedings against her came to an end. Читать дальше...

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Tel Aviv on Thursday as part of a Middle East tour to show Washington's solidarity with Israel after the attacks by Palestinian Hamas militants and to work to prevent the conflict from widening. Blinken will also try to help secure the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas — some of whom are Americans — and advance talks with Israelis and Egyptians on providing a safe passage of Gaza civilians out of the enclave before a possible Israeli ground invasion. Читать дальше...

Liberia's National Elections Commission, NEC, on Wednesday announced the first batch of provisional results from Tuesday's presidential and legislative poll. While the figures represent only a fraction of the total votes cast, the commission says some people are yet to vote. The chairperson of the elections commission, Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, said bad roads, flooding, and rains damaged some electoral materials and blocked access to some voting districts. "The damaged materials will be replaced... Читать дальше...

Russia had remained largely silent on the outbreak of hostilities between Israeli forces and Hamas, but the Kremlin this week gave signs that it is weighing its role - and its relationships - with Israel, Hamas and Iran. Without giving a date, Russian officials have announced an upcoming visit by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Luis Ramirez narrates this report from the VOA Moscow bureau.  Camera: Ricardo Marquina

The latest U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet with Israeli leaders in show of support U.N. says 340,000 people displaced in Gaza Israel says 1,200 killed in Hamas raid; Gaza says 1,200 killed in retaliatory strikes   Israel said Thursday its forces were preparing for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, but that no decision had been made on going forward with such an offensive. Israel’s military has positioned 300,000 reservists near the Gaza border as it responds to a Hamas... Читать дальше...

The U.N. mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) announced on Wednesday that it had taken "strong measures" against peacekeepers suspected of "serious misconduct." According to internal documents of the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission, seen by AFP, the eight peacekeepers deployed in Beni, eastern Congo, were arrested on Oct. 1 and an officer suspended a week later in connection with alleged sexual exploitation and violence. All belong to the South African contingent of the U.N. force... Читать дальше...

Three books that explore and celebrate the diversity of American culture were awarded Kirkus Prizes on Wednesday night, with each winner receiving $50,000. James McBride's The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, a novel set in an eclectic Pennsylvania town in the 1930s, won in the fiction category. Héctor Tobar's Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of 'Latino' received the nonfiction award, and Ariel Aberg-Riger's America Redux: Visual Stories From Our Dynamic History won for young reader's literature. Читать дальше...

U.S. House Republicans voted 113-99 Wednesday to nominate Representative Steve Scalise to serve as speaker. But their narrow majority in the lower chamber of Congress and divisions within their own party leave it uncertain when and if Scalise will ascend to the leadership post. VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports.

The United Auto Workers union significantly escalated its strikes against Detroit’s Big Three automakers Wednesday by going on strike against a major Ford truck plant in Louisville, Kentucky. In a surprise move, the 8,700 members left their jobs at about 6:30 p.m. at the plant, which makes profitable heavy-duty F-Series pickup trucks and large SUVs. UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement that the union has waited long enough, "but Ford hasn't gotten the message" to bargain for a fair contract. Читать дальше...

The head of the African Union Mission in Somalia has called for international support for Somali government forces who are battling the al-Shabab militant group on multiple fronts in the country.      Mohamed El-Amine Souef says the Somali army needs not just training but weapons, equipment and skills for the officers, and lifting the arms embargo so that the country can buy weapons.    In an interview with VOA Somali, Souef said Somalia has a "young force" and there is a responsibility on the... Читать дальше...

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel in a show of solidarity and support as the country responds to devastating cross-border attacks by the militant group Hamas. Blinken is meeting with senior Israeli officials to inquire what Israel needs as it seeks to free hostages held by Hamas, regain control of its border with Gaza and destroy Hamas' operational capacity. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. Warning: This video contains graphic images.

Antisemitic remarks have flooded China’s heavily censored online platforms and the Israeli government's Chinese social media accounts since the Hamas attacks on Israel. Scores of online Chinese commentators and netizens quickly rallied for Gaza after the Hamas attacks began Oct. 7, accusing Israel of oppressing Palestinians for decades and saying Israel deserves the bloodshed. "In the past, Germany persecuted you. Now, you persecute Palestinians. In this world, do not force others to the corner... Читать дальше...

It has been 25 years since the body of Matthew Shepard was discovered in Laramie, Wyoming. The gay college student had been tied to a fence post, tortured, and left to die.  The murder drew national attention to violence against gay people, and attracted the interest of theater director Moises Kaufman, who turned the horror into art with "The Laramie Project."  This 25th anniversary has triggered deep sadness for Kaufman, founder and artistic director of the New York-based Tectonic Theater Project. Читать дальше...