Новости за 22.04.2024

washington — Marijuana use is a rare consensus issue in politically divided America, with polls showing that 88% of Americans support at least partial legalization. But neither of the two main presidential contenders are capitalizing on this, advocates say, with both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump landing far behind where most Americans are on the issue. VOA spoke to cannabis advocates on the sidelines of a rare, recent policy summit on the issue, held annually in Washington... Читать дальше...

BANGKOK — Myanmar’s Vice President Henry Van Thio, who served in the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and then continued in the position after the military ousted her to seize power in 2021, is stepping down for unspecified health reasons, state media said Monday. State television MRTV announced Monday night that 65-year-old Van Thio had been allowed to retire from his post for health reasons in accordance with the constitution but did not provide any details of his health or say who, if anyone, will replace him. Читать дальше...

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is on a three-day visit to neighboring Pakistan. The visit — the first by an Iranian president to Pakistan in eight years — comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. It is also the first meeting between the head of governments of both countries since the two sides exchanged cross-border strikes in January. VOA Pakistan Bureau Chief Sarah Zaman reports from Islamabad. VOA footage by Wajid Asad. Video editing by Malik Waqar Ahmed.

United Nations — An external review of the neutrality of the U.N. agency that assists Palestinian refugees has concluded that the agency has a number of procedures and mechanisms in place to ensure its neutrality, but there is room for improvement. “There is always room for improvement and some issues related to neutrality persist; this is why this mission was created,” Catherine Colonna, the commission’s chair, told reporters at a briefing at the United Nations in New York. Of the agency known as UNRWA... Читать дальше...

Before the creation of engines, the ocean was full of low-emission vessels — they were called sailboats. Now a next-generation zero-emissions laboratory vessel called the Energy Observer recently docked in New York City to show off what this team hopes is the next generation of earth-friendly boats. Elena Wolf has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Videographer: Max Avloshenko

las vegas — A $12 billion high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area has started construction, officials said Monday, amid predictions that millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028. "People have been dreaming of high-speed rail in America for decades," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement released to coincide with a ceremony at the future site of a terminal to be built just south of the Las Vegas Strip. Buttigieg predicted... Читать дальше...

A group of activists hopes to break Israel's blockade of Gaza with a flotilla of vessels carrying aid. It is set to sail from Istanbul in the coming days. In a similar mission 14 years ago, Israeli forces intercepted a Turkish flotilla in a deadly raid that resulted in the deaths of 10 people. There are warnings this attempt may trigger a new crisis. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

LONDON — The European Union on Monday demanded TikTok provide more information about a new app that pays users to watch videos and warned that it could order the video sharing platform to suspend addictive features that pose a risk to kids.  The 27-nation EU's executive commission said it was opening formal proceedings to determine whether TikTok Lite breached the bloc's new digital rules when the app was rolled out in France and Spain.  Brussels was ratcheting up the pressure on TikTok after... Читать дальше...

Nairobi, Kenya — Government representatives from Africa, along with ICT (information and communication technology) officials, and international organizations have gathered in Nairobi for a Connected Africa Summit. They are discussing the future of technology, unlocking the continent's growth beyond connectivity, and addressing the challenges and opportunities in the continent's information and technology sector. Speaking at the Connected Africa Summit opening in Nairobi Monday, Kenyan President... Читать дальше...

Ten months after most of Oregon's Republican state senators ended a six-week boycott of the Legislature, they are facing steep consequences for their protest. Deborah Bloom has the story from Salem, Oregon’s capital.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Lawyers for Armenia asked the top United Nations court on Monday to throw out a case filed by Azerbaijan over the Karabakh region that accuses Armenia of ethnic cleansing.  Azerbaijan launched proceedings at the International Court of Justice in 2021 in the case, less than a week after Armenia brought its own case against Azerbaijan stemming from a 2020 war over Karabakh that killed more than 6,600 people. Azerbaijan asked the court to throw out Armenia 's case last week. Читать дальше...

Experts say one of the health care challenges in Africa is a shortage of training and education for workers. To help, a U.S. charity called Mission to Heal is training local workers who serve patients in remote locations. Juma Majanga reports from Ngurunit village in northern Kenya. Videographer: Jimmy Makhulo

Taipei, Taiwan — Analysts say China’s recent opening of two new air routes, with flight paths near two outlying islands controlled by Taiwan, is but the latest move in a broad campaign Beijing has rolled out ahead of the inauguration of Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te. Lai, a member of Taiwan’s pro-sovereignty Democratic Progress Party, was elected in January and will be sworn into office on May 20. Su Tzu-yun, a military analyst at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research... Читать дальше...

LONDON — British police on Monday charged two men with spying for China, including one reported to have worked as a researcher in Britain's parliament for a prominent lawmaker in the governing Conservative Party.   Anxiety has mounted across Europe about China’s alleged espionage activity and Britain has become increasingly vocal about its concerns in recent months.   The two men, aged 32 and 29, were charged with providing prejudicial information to China in breach of the Official Secrets Act, and will appear in court Friday. Читать дальше...

YAOUNDE — Cameroon’s opposition and civil society have launched a mass campaign to combat voter apathy. The goal is to encourage disgruntled youths to register to vote before the August deadline and go to the polls in presidential elections next year, instead of just complaining that longtime President Paul Biya will rig elections to die in power. There are about 15 million potential voters in Cameroon but only about 7 million are registered voters. About 20 opposition and civil society members... Читать дальше...

MAE SOT, Thailand — ASEAN has been viewed by the international community as the ideal political bloc to negotiate a resolution to the conflict that has beset Myanmar since its military, led by Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, ousted an elected government in early 2021 and sparked a civil war.  But the five-point consensus on ending the Myanmar crisis put forward by ASEAN — the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — has been discredited by analysts and anti-regime forces who argue the 10-nation bloc has... Читать дальше...

Jakarta — Indonesia’s top court on Monday rejected appeals lodged by two losing presidential candidates who are demanding a revote, alleging widespread irregularities and fraud at the February polls. The 5-to-3 majority decision by the eight-judge panel of the Constitutional Court rejected the arguments, saying the legal teams of the losing candidates had failed to prove allegations that Prabowo Subianto’s victory was the result of widespread fraud. The Court “rejects the petitioner’s appeal... Читать дальше...