Новости за 16.03.2024

Inspired by All Blacks fly-half Damian McKenzie, the Chiefs scored six tries to four at home in Hamilton, pulling away in the second half after leading 24-17 at the interval. It was a disappointing result for the Drua, who were coming off an upset of the Canterbury Crusaders in Lautoka and were competitive early on, crossing twice through midfield back Iosefo Masi in the first 22 minutes. Their intensity fell away against the Chiefs, whose sole loss in four rounds this season came last week, when... Читать дальше...

A black market selling smuggled aid is growing in Gaza as people in the war-torn enclave become increasingly desperate for food and everyday products as fighting between Israel and Hamas rages on. While none of the aid was originally intended for sale, some Gazans are now forced to pay exorbitant prices for basic supplies stolen from aid convoys.

Flames overtook the Al-Ahram Studio in Cairo's Giza district, burning everything inside and spreading to three surrounding buildings which were evacuated before the blaze reached them. Residents of the neighbouring buildings were still sleeping on the ground in nearby streets at dawn on Saturday, the AFP journalist reported. Deadly fires are a common hazard in Egypt, where fire codes are rarely enforced and emergency services are often slow to arrive. In this case, security sources said there were no deaths... Читать дальше...

Israel on Friday approved a potential assault on the Gaza city of Rafah where more than half of the enclave's 2.3 million residents are sheltering after five months of war. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's request for army chiefs to draw up plans for an offensive on Rafah has sparked huge international concern with the US pushing for an evacuation of the city, FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris Trent said, reporting from Jerusalem.

Thirteen years after the start of the Syrian civil war, citizens in the northwestern city of Idlib are continuing their protests through street art and monitoring the sky. And on the streets of Idlib, hundreds of people take to the streets every year to demand the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s authoritarian rule. For them, March 15 does not mark the anniversary of the start of the 2011 civil war, but the start of their revolution for a free Syria.

A first aid ship plying a new maritime corridor from Cyprus began unloading its cargo of desperately needed food in Gaza Friday as Hamas proposed a new six-week truce in the war. Humanitarian organisations meanwhile have voiced concern over the distribution of the aid once it has finished unloading in Gaza, citing lack of infrastructure and transportation means.

The Australian 22-year-old touched in 57.57 seconds, just shy of her world best 57.33 as she ramps up preparations for the defence of her Olympic title in Paris. She blitzed home at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre ahead of 200m freestyle world record holder Mollie O'Callaghan (58.71) and now owns all six quickest times in history. McKeown is the first woman to hold world records in the three backstroke disciplines and will head to the Olympics as a raging favourite. Fellow Olympic champion... Читать дальше...

Former Vice President Mike Pence says he will not be backing Donald Trump in the 2024 election. The decision makes Pence the latest in a series of senior Trump administration officials who have declined to endorse their former boss's bid to return to the Oval Office. While Republican members of Congress and other GOP officials have largely rallied behind Trump, a vocal minority has continued to oppose his bid.

Top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko vowed Friday to help his team win Senegal's March 24 presidential election even though he is barred from the ballot, jumping into the campaign in his first public address since being freed from prison a day earlier. Sonko's key ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was also freed from prison late Thursday, has been named the opposition’s presidential candidate. FRANCE 24's Sam Bradpiece reports from Dakar.

Voters across Russia cast ballots Saturday on the second day of an election set to formalise six more years of power for President Vladimir Putin, who faces no serious challengers after crushing political dissent over his nearly 25 years of rule. The election comes against the backdrop of a ruthless crackdown that has stifled independent media and prominent rights groups. Putin's main foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison in February. At least half a dozen people were arrested for acts of vandalism in polling stations across Russia.

Thousands took to the streets of Syria's rebel-held northwest on Friday to mark 13 years since pro-democracy protests swept the country, chanting against President Bashar al-Assad and the region's jihadist rulers.

Israel on Friday approved a potential assault on the Gaza city of Rafah where more than half of the enclave's 2.3 million residents are sheltering after five months of war. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's request for army chiefs to draw up plans for an offensive on Rafah has sparked huge international concern with the US pushing for an evacuation of the city, FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris Trent said, reporting from Jerusalem.

The 200 tonnes of food provided by US charity World Central Kitchen and shipped by the Spanish aid group Open Arms had all been offloaded on the shores of Gaza Saturday. But although the aid offers a “glimmer of hope”, it will not be easy to distribute. FRANCE 24’s senior journalist Catherine Norris-Trent reports from Jerusalem.

SpaceX launched Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket, for the third time on Thursday. The spacecraft is an essential part of NASA's Artemis programme, a partnership that embodies a concept known as "new space" or privatised space flight. The European Space Agency is following NASA's lead and has entered this new era of the space race, partnering with private companies and startups to get its missions off the ground. We take a closer look at the French companies making innovations and technological leaps in this industry. Читать дальше...

The American rolled home a curling, left-to-right 15-foot putt on the final green for an eagle three as he moved to 18 under par after three rounds. "I never, never, never thought I'd shoot 59," said a delighted, but slightly stunned, Catlin. He has a two-shot cushion over LIV Golf's Jason Kokrak, who carded an eight-under-par 62, at the top of the leaderboard at the $2 million event with one round to play. Catlin, who was the Asian Tour player of the year in 2018, got off to a blistering start in his third round... Читать дальше...

More than 30 people were killed in an air strike that hit a house sheltering displaced Palestinians in Gaza’s central Nuseirat, a spokesman for the Hamas-ruled territory’s health ministry said on Saturday, adding more than 100 people had been killed in the past 24 hours. Witnesses also reported air strikes and fighting in Khan Yunis, Gaza’s main city in the south, as well as in the north. Follow our live blog for all the latest developments.

The Dodgers will play the San Diego Padres in two games in Seoul to open the Major League Baseball season next week, with new signing Ohtani the undoubted main attraction. The Japanese superstar joined the Dodgers on a 10-year deal worth $700 million in December and further ramped up already massive attention when he announced last month that he had got married. Ohtani said he was "grateful for the attention" but he stressed that playing baseball came first. "I try to only concentrate on what... Читать дальше...

Since Saudi-backed LIV began to lure top players away from the PGA Tour in 2022 with bucket loads of cash, there has been a schism in the once cosy, traditional world of golf. The recent defection of US Masters champion Jon Rahm shook the game to its core. On Friday it was reported that Tiger Woods and five other players on the US PGA Tour Policy Board were being pushed to meet Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan next week. "Politically speaking, we're still in... Читать дальше...

Former Vice President Mike Pence says he will not be backing Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

Voters across Russia cast ballots Saturday on the second day of an election set to formalize six more years of power for President Vladimir Putin, who faces no serious challengers after crushing political dissent over his nearly 25 years of rule.

Michel Forst, the UN special rapporteur on environmental defenders, told AFP in an interview this week that he was deeply troubled by the hardening tone against climate activists in countries including France, Austria, Germany and Britain. Government ministers have been throwing about terms like "eco terrorists" and "Green Talibans" to describe non-violent activists, he claimed, also blaming some media reporting for contributing to an increasingly hostile public attitude. "It creates a sort of chilling effect," warned Forst... Читать дальше...

Lying in the heat on synthetic mats, their necks resting on pillows and their eyes covered by masks, participants tuned out the chaos of Mexico's capital as part of what organizers described as "a peaceful demonstration for the right to sleep." "The idea is that sleeping well, or having this event attract attention, can help launch new public policies" to promote rest, said Guadalupe Teran, a doctor with the Center for Sleep and Neuroscience, which organized the event with the Mexican government. Читать дальше...

Members of several Israeli NGOs travelled to Geneva this week to raise concerns before the United Nations about a major "crisis" inside the country's prisons. "We are extremely, extremely concerned," said Tal Steiner, the executive director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI). "What we're looking at is a crisis," she told AFP. She said nine people had allegedly died behind bars since October 7, according to Israeli sources. And "there are almost 10,000 Palestinians in Israeli custody right now... Читать дальше...

Chiang, 38, is on an individual quest to promote the practice of "plogging" -- picking up garbage while on the run -- in a country where recycling lags far behind the Latin American average. Chiang and Sam the border collie have been plogging together for two years, pioneers in Chile of a practice invented in Sweden in 2016. The term -- a combination of jogging and the Swedish "plocka," which means "to pick" -- was included as a noun in the Collins Dictionary in 2018. "Every day, with the daily... Читать дальше...

The reserve is a haven for the flurry of creatures and plants living in the waters around the Galapagos Islands where naturalist Charles Darwin found the inspiration for his theory of natural selection. But outside its boundaries, not delineated by any physical barrier, there is no protection on the high seas where these same species also venture. The sharks, turtles, iguanas, sea lions and fish that thrive in the Galapagos "don't understand political boundaries," Stuart Banks, a senior marine scientist at the Charles Darwin Foundation... Читать дальше...