Новости за 17.08.2020

A temperature of 54.4 degrees Celsius in the shade at Death Valley in the US state of California on Sunday might be the hottest temperature ever recorded on earth, officials say.

Democrats will kick off a four-day virtual convention on Monday with a display of party unity for U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden and the broad coalition aiming to defeat Republican President Donald Trump in November.

The first major cruise ship to resume tours of the Mediterranean since the coronavirus pandemic set sail from Genoa in Italy on Sunday in a major test for an industry that has been hard-hit by the Covid-19 crisis.

Former monarch Juan Carlos I of Spain has been in the United Arab Emirates since he left his country amid a growing financial scandal, the Spanish royal household said Monday, resolving a two-week mystery and reining in speculation over the ex-king's whereabouts.

Thousands of fish were found dead on the banks and in the Aisne river near Brécy-Brières in northeastern France on August 10. Local fishermen place the blame on waste runoff from a Nestlé factory in Challerange less than three kilometres away. Volunteers, firefighters and fishermen spent three days clearing the remains of the fish from the river.

Belarus strongman Alexander Lukashenko is a former collective farm boss who has used Russian backing and Soviet-style political oppression to run a personal fiefdom on Europe's doorstep for 26 years. The plain-talking 65-year-old is now fighting for survival after winning a sixth term in an August 9 election that looked so rigged that hundreds of thousands braved the notorious security services and came out on the streets. The unprecedented week of protests prompted Lukashenko -- sweating in the... Читать дальше...

More than 10,000 Thai protestors have rallied in Bangkok, calling for the departure of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a new constitution, and an end to the harassment of opposition activists. There are also calls to curb the monarchy’s powers, a highly taboo subject.

Afghan authorities and the Taliban have hit an impasse over the planned release of hundreds of insurgents after opposition from some foreign governments, officials said Monday, apparently stalling peace talks. The negotiations were expected to begin within days after prominent Afghans met in Kabul on August 9 and approved the release of 400 Taliban prisoners -- including many involved in deadly attacks -- removing a crucial precondition to talks. While Afghan authorities freed 80 Taliban prisoners on Thursday... Читать дальше...

France recorded over 3000 new infections for the second day in a row Sunday, and officially has 263 clusters across the country. Authorities are stepping up measures in Paris and Marseille, classified as highly active zones.

The UK government’s decision to quarantine Brits returning from France has hit the French tourism sector hard. Hotels have seen upwards of 70 percent of their reservations cancelled, as holidaymakers raced to return before the restrictions took force over the weekend.

Lebanon's health minister warned Monday that hospitals are reaching maximum capacity to treat coronavirus patients after the deadly Beirut blast overwhelmed clinics and as COVID-19 cases have mounted. "Public and private hospitals in the capital in particular have a very limited capacity, whether in terms of beds in intensive care units or respirators," the minister, Hamad Hassan, told a press conference. "We are on the brink, we don't have the luxury to take our time," he warned, calling for authorities... Читать дальше...

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has sought help from Russia to quell rising protests following the country’s disputed election. FRANCE 24’s international affairs editor Armen Georgian explains that Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin have had a tense relationship in the past, the Russian president does not want Belarus to ‘defect to the other side’ and potentially one day become a NATO member.

A deputy mayor of Paris who resigned last month in the face of protests over his links to an author who made no secret of his paedophilia, has himself been accused of sexually abusing a minor in a New York Times report he has vehemently denied. Christophe Girard resigned as deputy to Mayor Anne Hidalgo in July afer opposition politicians and women's groups demanded his suspension over ties to Gabriel Matzneff, an award-winning writer who has never hid his preference for sex with adolescent girls and boys. Читать дальше...

Lewis Hamilton's crusade for racial equality has helped him reach a new level as racing driver, sportsman and inspiration, according to his Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. After the six-time champion registered his record 156th podium finish at Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix with his 88th career victory to move within three wins of Michael Schumacher's record of 91, Wolff said he felt he was watching a man competing at another, higher level than all those around him. He also saw in Hamilton, who leads... Читать дальше...

Thousands of partygoers packed out a water park over the weekend in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged late last year, keen to party as the city edges back to normal life. The popular Wuhan Maya Beach Water Park was filled with people frolicking in swimsuits and goggles for an electronic music festival, many perched on rubber dinghies or wading up to their chest in water. The water park reopened in June after Wuhan gradually opened up after a 76-day lockdown... Читать дальше...

Manchester United have little time to dwell on a third semi-final defeat of a 13-month season after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted they let Sevilla "off the hook" to miss out on Friday's Europa League final. Solskjaer was desperate for a trophy, United's first since 2017, as tangible reward for the improvement the Red Devils have made in 2020 and to cement his status as the man to lead the club forward. A 2-1 defeat in the heat of Cologne on Sunday night was just United's second in 25 games, a run... Читать дальше...

Rain prevented the scheduled 11:00 am (1000 GMT) local time start of the fifth day's play in the second Test between England and Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl on Monday -- the latest interruption to a fixtures plagued by bad weather. Only 96.2 overs have been bowled so far in a match that has long appeared destined for a draw, with England 7-1 in reply to Pakistan's first innings 236. While the umpires have faced widespread criticism for their strict interpretation of the rules regarding bad light... Читать дальше...

Svetlana Tikhanouskaya, Belarus's exiled opposition leader, said on Monday she was ready to steer the nation towards new elections as thousands of workers took to the streets of Minsk demanding the resignation of President Alexander Lukashenko.

Google on Monday criticised proposed Australian anti-trust laws, saying its free search service would be "at risk" and users' personal data could be shared if it is made to pay news organisations for their content.

Manchester United were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal as Sevilla enjoyed another special night in the Europa League by coming from behind to reach Friday's final with a 2-1 win in Cologne.

A history-themed amusement park in western France was at the heart of controversy yet again over the weekend when organisers of a nightime show received permission to host 9,000 visitors despite restrictions on large gatherings amid a national spike in coronavirus cases.

Belarusians chanting "Step down!" filled the centre of the capital Minsk on Sunday in the biggest protest so far against what they said was the fraudulent re-election a week ago of longtime president Alexander Lukashenko.

U.S. Democrats stepped up pressure on Sunday against a cost-cutting campaign by President Donald Trump's appointed Postal Service chief that they fear will hold up mail-in ballots in November's election, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling lawmakers back and several states considering legal action.

Chanting "freedom", hundreds of people rallied Sunday in Madrid to protest against the mandatory use of facemasks and other restrictions imposed by the Spanish government to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday delayed New Zealand's looming election by four weeks to October 17 after a renewed coronavirus outbreak hampered campaigning.