Новости за 11.03.2022

That's according to scientists who have been studying the arachnid invaders since they first arrived in Georgia around 2013. In a few short years, the golden webs spun by the bright yellow, dark blue and red spiders -- usually built at head height -- have become a common sight throughout the state, and new research suggests they will clamber up the Eastern Seaboard next. "The reason we got involved in this project was because they literally fell in our lap," Andy Davis, an ecologist at the University of Georgia, told AFP on Friday. Читать дальше...

A week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed off on his country's formal application to join the European Union, EU leaders have pledged to "strengthen bonds" and "deepen the partnership" between Ukraine and the bloc. This falls short of the promise to speed up the candidacy procedure that some had been calling for. But Croatia's prime minister told FRANCE 24 that the 27 member states have sent a "strong political signal". Andrej Plenkovic spoke to our Europe Editor Catherine Nicholson during this week's EU summit in Versailles.

The Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, spoke to FRANCE 24 from Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital now surrounded by Russian forces. The brothers called on the West to support Ukraine in any way possible, whether it be through stronger sanctions against the Russians or by sending military equipment. For them, the war in Ukraine goes beyond the country's borders: they say they are fighting to protect Europe, and to protect its democratic values.

Saudi blogger Raif Badawi has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia after serving a 10-year sentence for advocating an end to religious influence on public life, his wife said Friday

Before the start of the war, thousands of Russian nationals lived in Ukraine, many of whom now find themselves torn between their country of origin and the place they have come to call home. Some, like 40-year-old Andrey Sidorkine who has lived in Kyiv for 15 years, say they are willing to take up arms against invading Russian forces to protect their adopted country.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that EU leaders had been quick to adopt a first round of sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine and were ready to do more if needed. "We are ready to adopt new sanctions, all options are on the table," Macron told a news conference at the end of a two-day EU summit in Versailles, near Paris. FRANCE 24's European affairs editor Catherine Nicholson tells us more about the EU summit.

Chile shifted sharply to the left on Friday when Gabriel Boric, 36, was sworn in as the South American country's youngest ever president after pledging social and economic reforms, and riding a wave of voter dissatisfaction with the political status quo.

Satellite images show 199 square kilometers (77 square miles) of forest cover -- an area more than half the size of the US capital Washington -- were lost in Brazil's Amazon region last month, according to Brazilian space agency INPE's Deter monitoring program. That was the highest figure for February since the program began in August 2015, and a 62 percent increase from February last year. Environmentalists said the figure was all the more worrying given that February is the rainy season in the Amazon... Читать дальше...

Roglic of Jumbo retains the yellow jersey with British climb specialist Yates of Bike Exchange 39 seconds off the lead ahead of Saturday's snow-threatened summit finish in the Nice backcountry. Dani Martinez and Adam Yates of Ineos remain in contention, as does the Russian climber Aleksandr Vlasov or even Colombia's Nairo Quintana. Friday's stage was raced over 213.6km and took 5hrs 33min and 06sec with the 23-year-old Frenchman Burgaudeau breaking late with an unrelenting pace that just about... Читать дальше...

EU leaders wrapped up their summit at Versailles on Friday (March 11) with a joint press conference.

French President Emmanuel Macron finally hit the campaign trail in March, vying for re-election after a crisis-laden five years for France, Europe and the world beyond. After poring over Macron's record on foreign affairs last week, FRANCE 24 now takes a look at how the centrist has measured up on economics over the course of his tenure.

Iryna Sergeyeva was accepted as a reservist in the territorial defence forces when Ukraine was still trying to quash a Kremlin-backed insurgency across its industrial east in 2017. Now, an all-out invasion by Russia on February 24 has turned the battle into an existential fight for Ukraine's very survival as an independent state. But the 39-year-old media relations professional turned army lieutenant is worried that other women -- as well as many men -- are rushing to enlist in Ukraine's new volunteer... Читать дальше...

But after persevering on the slopes and field, the athletes are now vowing to bolster their country's fight for survival with donations, volunteer work and helping loved ones. The United Nations estimates more than 2.3 million people have fled Ukraine -- the majority to neighbouring Poland -- since Russia invaded more than two weeks ago. Despite reeling from events back home, Ukraine's Paralympic athletes managed 25 podium finishes in biathlon and cross-country skiing events, including a team record of nine gold, as of Friday afternoon. Читать дальше...

The move is set to be announced Friday, in coordination with the G7 and the European Union, according to a source familiar with the matter, who noted that Congress would have to make the final decision. That is expected to be a formality, however, as US lawmakers have declared their support for a move to revoke normal trade relations with Russia. The White House said Biden will "announce actions to continue to hold Russia accountable for its unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine." He is scheduled to speak at 10:15 am (1515 GMT). Читать дальше...

Turkey on Thursday hosted the first talks between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers since the invasion, in an eagerly-awaited encounter Ankara hopes will show its potential as a mediator. And Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett travelled to Moscow last Saturday for face-to-face talks with Putin, in a hugely symbolic gesture on the Jewish Sabbath. French President Emmanuel Macron has meanwhile clocked up several hours on the phone with Putin since the invasion began to keep channels of communication open... Читать дальше...

In Sri Lanka, 13 years after the end of the civil war with the Tamil Tigers that lasted a quarter of a century, reconciliation appears elusive. Elected in 2019, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, seen by the Sinhalese majority as a hero and accused by the Tamil minority ​​of war crimes during the conflict, embodies this divide. FRANCE 24's Thomas Denis reports, with Navodita Kumari.

The Russian army has advanced quickly through the south of Ukraine, surrounding the coastal city of Mariupol. Amateur images, as well as satellite photos, show the destruction caused by Russian bombs.

The capital Kyiv risks being surrounded, with Russian forces moving in on areas north and west of the capital, the Ukrainian military says, with some of its suburbs heavily bombarded.

The so-called precursor talks in the Qatari capital will be a key moment for strongman Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno's declared aim of returning an elected government to Chad. Initially scheduled for February 27, the highly sensitive meeting has been confirmed by Mutlaq Al-Qahtani, Qatar's special envoy for counter-terrorism and conflict resolution. Qatar "will host Chadian peace talks in Doha next Sunday", he said. However, opening ceremonies will take place without a large number of the 84 heads... Читать дальше...

A four-year inquiry, which published its final report in 2017, found widespread mistreatment of children in state and church-run institutions across Northern Ireland. One of its recommendations was a formal apology for the physical, sexual and emotional abuse they suffered, which the devolved assembly in Belfast heard was long overdue. Education minister Michelle McIlveen told survivors, about 80 of whom were in the public gallery, that they had been failed by authorities. "We are sorry that the state failed to protect you from abuse. Читать дальше...

Iran and world powers will pause talks on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal due to "external factors", the European Union's foreign policy chief said on Friday, after last-minute Russian demands threatened to torpedo the otherwise largely completed negotiations.

EU leaders meeting in France on Friday looked to double financing for military aid to Ukraine by an extra €500 million as Russia's war also spurred vows from the bloc to bolster its own defences. Watch their press conference live from 2:40 pm Paris time (GMT+1).

On March 15, 2011, the Syrian revolution began. Ameer al Halbi covered the ensuing conflict as a photographer for several years, before fleeing his hometown of Aleppo and finding refuge in France. Once there, he continued to work as a photographer, driven by the same commitment and passion. Halbi was seriously injured at the end of 2020 while covering a protest in Paris. In this first-person report, he tells us about his relationship to photography, war and exile.

The port of Odesa in southwestern Ukraine is a prime target for Russia due to its history and strategic position on the Black Sea. As soldiers and volunteers prepare for an assault on the city, even some local figures linked to the underworld have joined the war effort. FRANCE 24’s Mehdi Chebil reports.

Odesa, a Russian-speaking port city in southwest Ukraine and an important strategic target in the Russian military offensive, is preparing for war. Fighting has not yet started in the city but the war is already creating rifts within families and among friends. FRANCE 24’s Gwendoline Debono report