Новости за 08.03.2024

HONG KONG — Hong Kong unveiled a new national security bill Friday that proposes up to life imprisonment for offenses like treason and insurrection, a move deepening worries over further erosion of the city's freedoms after Beijing imposed a similar law four years ago that all but wiped out dissent. The proposed law will expand the government's power in stamping out future challenges to its rule, targeting espionage, external interference and protection of state secrets among others. Tougher punishment... Читать дальше...

Biden highlighted the importance of defending democracy at home and around the world.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his election-year State of the Union address. VOA’s Scott Walterman speaks with White House Correspondent Anita Powell and VOA National Correspondent Steve Herman about his remarks and the Republican Response devlivered by Alabama Senator Katie Britt. Plus, China’s top diplomat on Thursday scolded the United States and touted his country’s closer ties with Russia. The comments came on the sidelines of a meeting of China’s parliament. More from VOA’s Bill Gallo, who is in the Chinese capital. Читать дальше...

Pentagon — As attacks by Iran-backed Houthis continue in the Red Sea, the commander in charge of U.S. military operations in the Middle East says the U.S. needs to stop Iran from providing the militants with weapons. "The most important thing is to deny their ability to resupply from Iran. The Houthis are not building. They're putting it all together and assembling, but they don't create inertial navigation systems. They don't create medium-range ballistic missile engines," Gen. Erik Kurilla... Читать дальше...

washington — The United States is looking to Korean and Japanese shipbuilders to help revive its dormant naval shipyards and boost maritime competitiveness in the face of China's accelerated naval buildup. U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro toured shipyards in South Korea operated by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan and Hanwha Ocean on Geoje Island last week. He encouraged top executives of the companies to establish subsidiaries and "invest" resources in integrating commercial and naval shipbuilding facilities in the U.S.... Читать дальше...

Washington — Ongoing plenary sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) offer an annual refresher course in how democracy is practiced under the guidance of the Chinese Communist Party. Known as the "Two Sessions," the meetings of representatives chosen through what Beijing calls democratic elections started in Beijing this week with nearly 3,000 NPC delegates gathering in the Great Hall of the People. The NPC is the largest... Читать дальше...

washington — Protests have continued in a northwestern Syrian enclave, a sign seen by analysts as a rare sign of defiance of a powerful jihadist group. For several days, hundreds of people have protested in Idlib province where Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is considered the most powerful group. HTS, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, controls most of Idlib and small parts of neighboring provinces. The enclave is one of the few areas outside the control of Syrian government forces. A local journalist... Читать дальше...

Imprisonment based on political dissent is especially difficult for women, says Nadya Tolokonnikova, a creator of Pussy Riot, and someone who spent 16 months in a Russian prison. The Russian diaspora in Los Angeles gathered to write letters of support to women incarcerated on political grounds in their homeland. VOA News reports from Los Angeles, California; Steve Baragona narrates.

VIENNA — The United States on Thursday threatened future action against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency if Tehran keeps "stonewalling" the U.N. nuclear watchdog by denying it the cooperation and answers it seeks on issues that include long-unexplained uranium traces.  At a quarterly meeting of the IAEA’s 35-nation Board of Governors, Washington again told Iran to cooperate with IAEA inspectors who for years have been seeking explanations from Tehran on the origin of uranium particles at undeclared sites. Читать дальше...

A new climate satellite takes off. Plus, a fresh crew arrives at the International Space Station, and NASA may want to hire you. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space.