Новости за 29.02.2024

MEXICO CITY — Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is looking for a location in Mexico to set up a factory aimed at boosting the company's share of the local market, BYD Americas CEO Stella Li told Reuters on Wednesday. The company expects to choose a location for the plant, which is set to have a production capacity of 150,000 cars annually, by the year's end, Li said. BYD outpaced former market leader Tesla in EV sales globally in the fourth quarter of 2023, and auto industry officials say its... Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON — Democrats on Wednesday failed in an attempt to rush legislation through the U.S. Senate guaranteeing Americans' access to in vitro fertilization and other assisted reproductive technologies, after an Alabama court designated frozen embryos as children. The state Supreme Court ruling on February 16 that frozen embryos should be considered children prompted at least three Alabama providers to halt the IVF procedure that involves combining eggs and sperm in a laboratory dish for couples having difficulty conceiving. Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted a meeting Wednesday in Washington with top Mexican and Guatemalan officials to discuss managing irregular migration, displacement, and expanding lawful immigration pathways in the Western Hemisphere. Blinken, joined by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and other high-level U.S. officials, met with Guatemalan Foreign Affairs Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez, Guatemalan Minister of the Interior Francisco José Jiménez Irungaray... Читать дальше...

washington — Democratic and Republican leaders in the U.S. Congress on Wednesday announced they had reached a deal for advancing the 12 annual bills that fund an array of federal programs for the fiscal year ending on Sept. 30 and could also avert government shutdowns on Saturday.  The pact approved by House of Representatives and Senate leaders would pave the way for votes on a stopgap funding bill to keep the government operating normally through newly set March 8 and March 22 deadlines, giving... Читать дальше...

The eyes of free press advocates and U.S. intelligence officials are on London, where the High Court is set to rule on the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Washington wants him extradited to face 18 charges tied to the hacking and theft of classified material. VOA’s Jeff Seldin reports.

paris — France's Senate on Wednesday adopted a bill to enshrine a woman's right to an abortion in the constitution, clearing a key hurdle for legislation promised by President Emmanuel Macron in response to a rollback in abortion rights in the United States. Wednesday's vote came after the lower house, the National Assembly, overwhelmingly approved the proposal in January. The measure now goes before a joint session of parliament for its expected approval by a three-fifths majority next week. ... Читать дальше...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political allies want to regain control of Istanbul in hotly contested local elections in March, and opposition media are warning about tactics they are using, including artificial intelligence and deepfake videos in ads. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

New York — A New York appellate judge on Wednesday refused to halt collection of Donald Trump's $454 million civil fraud penalty while he appeals, rejecting the former president's request that he be allowed to post a bond covering a fraction of what he owes. Judge Anil Singh of the state's midlevel appeals court ruled that Trump must post a bond covering the full amount in order to stop enforcement of the judgment. Singh did grant some of Trump's requests, including pausing a three-year ban on him seeking loans from New York banks... Читать дальше...

WASHINGTON — Boeing must develop a comprehensive plan to address "systemic quality-control issues" within 90 days, the head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday, after a mid-air emergency last month sparked renewed safety concerns. The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) demanded the plan in a statement critical of the plane maker following an all-day meeting with CEO Dave Calhoun on Tuesday. "Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in the statement. Читать дальше...

West African nations are pushing for the construction of a major highway network connecting five countries from the Ivory Coast to Nigeria. The African Development Bank says the project will be an economic engine for all the countries involved. Senanu Tord reports from Accra, Ghana.

washington — The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is increasing certain immigration and naturalization fees for the first time since 2016. The change will be in effect April 1.  The increases affect employment-based petitions, family-based immigration applications, and U.S. naturalization cases. Per U.S. immigration law, USCIS is required to revise its fee structure every two years.  "After leaving these fees unchanged for the three years following passage of the [USCIS Stabilization] Act... Читать дальше...

nairobi, kenya — Getting humanitarian supplies to millions of Sudanese affected by the country’s more than 10 months of conflict is getting expensive and risky because of attacks on Red Sea shipping by Houthi rebels based in Yemen. The International Rescue Committee said this week that its logistics partner would now bypass the Red Sea route and deliver supplies through Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates on the eastern side of the Arabian Peninsula. It said the new route would raise transportation costs by more than 40 percent. Читать дальше...

Thousands of Syrians are being held in northeastern Syria at the al-Hol detention camp that also hosts families of Islamic State fighters. Local officials say none of them can leave the notorious camp without international intervention. Zana Omer has the story, narrated by Sirwan Kajjo.