资源描述
VOA 2011-04-10
From Washington, this is VOA News.
Protests against military rulers in Egypt's Tahrir Square. And in Syria, just there, and protests against the president and ruling Baath Party. I'm Marti Johnson, reporting from Washington.
Medical sources in Egypt confirmed the military's pre-dawn crackdown on demonstrators in Cairo's Tahrir Square killed two people and left at least 15 wounded. Military police moved into the square, swinging batons and firing guns about 03:00 this morning, claiming they were enforcing the curfew on protesters as they demonstrated against the country's former and current leadership. Witnesses say police beat the protesters and blood was seen on the streets early Saturday. Egypt's ruling military council released a statement, saying police were confronting rioters and blaming the violence on outlaws.
Meantime, pro-government forces in Libya have shelled rebel fighters near Ajdabiya, challenging the rebels’ hold on the city. The attacks Saturday forced the rebels to retreat this just days after NATO forces confirmed mistakenly shelling rebel tanks in Libya earlier in the week.
Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters are rallying in Yemen today, some apparently angered by President Ali Abdullah Saleh's rejection of a resignation proposal. One demonstration was in the southern city of Taiz, where security forces and anti-government protesters clashed on Friday. Witnesses say at least four people were killed, dozens more wounded during those protests. Protesters also rallied on the port city's streets of Aden.
US lawmakers have now reached an agreement to cut billions of dollars from the federal budget and avoid a government shutdown just minutes before a midnight deadline. VOA's Kent Klein reports from the White House.
Less than two hours before the deadline, White House officials and lawmakers from both parties agreed on a deal to fund the government for six more months. The agreement also includes a short-term legislation to prevent the shutdown and keep the government functioning through April 15th. President Obama says the deal would cut $39 billion in spending from his original budget proposal. The deal also omits Republican provisions to slash spending on some social programs. Before the agreement, preparations had been underway to furlough hundreds of thousands of government workers. Kent Klein, VOA News, the White House.
A top United Nations official says forces loyal to Ivory Coast's incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo used a break for peace talks earlier this week to reinforce and rearm their positions in Abidjan. The UN peacekeeping chief in the region said Friday that Mr. Gbagbo's forces have now regained ground in Abidjan and are fully in control of several upscale areas. Forces loyal to the internationally recognized President Alassane Ouattara have blockaded Mr. Gbagbo inside the presidential compound, where he remains holed up with heavy weapons and mercenaries. Ouattara officials they concluded Mr. Gbagbo cannot be taken alive from his fortified bunker, and they say they intend to leave him there and focuse on restoring normalcy to their country.
Nigerians headed to polls today in parliamentary elections under tight security, following an explosion at an election office. A blast at the Independent National Electoral Commission late Friday near the capital Abuja killed at least eight people. Several others were wounded by the explosion in Suleja. The French news agency reports voting there has been postponed. Nigeria has twice delayed parliamentary elections, including last week when voting materials were not available.
There has been a flare-up of violence on Israel's border with the Gaza Strip. At least 18 Palestinian militants and civilians have been killed since Thursday and several Israelis wounded. Robert Berger has this story from Jerusalem.
Israeli aircraft and tanks pounded Gaza for a third day, as more than 15 Palestinian missiles and mortar rounds crashed into southern Israel on Saturday. Several commanders from Hamas have been killed when Israeli missiles blasted their cars. Violence has escalated since Thursday when Palestinian militants fired an anti-tank missile at an Israeli school bus, critically injuring a teenage boy. Israel says Hamas crossed a red-line and it will pay a heavy price. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that if Israel continues its "crimes," as he put it, armed Palestinian fractions will broaden their attacks. Robert Berger for VOA news, Jerusalem.
This latest is said to have been the most intense fighting in Gaza since Israel and Hamas fought a three-week war over two years ago.
I'm Marti Johnson, VOA news in Washington.
VOA 2011-04-09
From Washington, this is VOA News.
NATO admits to an accidental strike on Libyan rebels, and Yemen’s president rejects a resignation plan. I’m Frances Alonzo, reporting from Washington.
NATO has confirmed that it was responsible for airstrikes that hit Libyan rebel tanks outside the eastern city of Brega Thursday, blaming the confusing situation on the ground. NATO deputy commander Russell Harding told reporters that allied forces had never seen rebels operating tanks before. Rebel leaders say four people died in the strike. This is the NATO deputy commander Russell Harding. “The situation in the area is still very fluid, with tanks and other vehicles moving in different directions, making it very difficult to distinguish who may be operating them.” The oil town has gone back and forth between rebel and government control during weeks of fighting, with both sides advancing and retreating.
Yemen’s president announced his rejection of an exit plan proposed by Gulf states on Friday. It comes as tens of thousands of protesters gathered for rival demonstrations in the capital of Sana'a. President Ali Abdullah Saleh told supporters that his government had rejected what he called a coup against his country’s constitution and democracy.
Iraqi officials say their forces have clashed with rock-throwing crowds at an Iranian refugee camp in Diyala province. Casualty figures are in dispute. Hospital officials say at least three people were killed in Friday’s clashes.
Israel has launched more airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. VOA’s Luis Ramirez has more details.
Israeli officials say a second missile failed to hit Israel and landed in Gaza. Defense Minister Ehud Barak called for a quick army response, and had a warning for Hamas. He said Israel holds Hamas responsible for any attack that comes from Gaza and expects Hamas to understand what is permitted and what is forbidden. Hours after Hamas announced a ceasefire, Israeli forces continued their assault, using helicopters, drones, and tank fire. The last few weeks have seen an escalation of violence along the Israel-Gaza border. Luis Ramirez, VOA News, Jerusalem.
Fighters loyal to Ivory Coast’s internationally-recognized president are blockading the compound of the country’s incumbent leader, who is refusing to give up power. VOA’s West Africa correspondent Scott Stearns has details.
After days of fighting to drive incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo from an underground bunker, Ivory Coast’s internationally-recognized president Alassane Ouattara has decided to leave him there. Mr. Ouattara says Mr. Gbagbo has entrenched himself at the presidential compound with heavy weapons and mercenaries, so a blockade has been established around the perimeter to secure the neighborhood. Ouattara officials say they concluded that Mr. Gbagbo could not be taken alive and they do not want him to die a self-proclaimed martyr for democracy. Scott Stearns, VOA News, Accra.
U.S. President Barack Obama says he and top lawmakers from both political parties have made progress on negotiations to end a budget deadlock, but he says difficult issues remain just one day before government funding is due to run out. Mr. Obama told reporters Thursday night that he is not ready to express wild optimism that there will be a solution before the government is forced to shut down. He did not specify which issues are still not resolved.
Officials say a powerful aftershock that rattled Japan late Thursday night killed at least two people and injured around 100. The 7.1-magnitude quake knocked out several power plants and triggered a tsunami alert that was later lifted.
Pakistani officials say security forces have killed more than 50 militants in the country’s northwest in an area where the military has repeatedly tried to flush out Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked fighters. Authorities say troops were patrolling in the Paizai area of the Mohmand tribal district Thursday. When they came under attack, security forces returned fire.
Icelanders vote Saturday on a referendum to repay Britain and the Netherlands the $5 billion they paid their citizens who held accounts in an Icelandic bank that collapsed. The bank, Icesave, failed in 2008 at the height of the world financial crisis. Saturday’s referendum was triggered by Iceland’s president, who refused to sign a bill passed by parliament in February to reimburse Britain and the Netherlands.
Chinese state media say three children and 35 people have been sickened after drinking tainted milk from two dairies in Northeast China.
You could read more details on…
BBC 2011-04-08
BBC News with Nick Kelly
The commander of the Libyan rebel forces, Abdul Fatah Younis, says Nato has apologised for mistakenly attacking a column of rebel tanks near Ajdabiya, in the east of the country. General Younis said the air strike, which killed several rebels, had occurred despite Nato being warned that the tanks were being moved to the frontline. Wyre Davies is in Benghazi.
The rebel commanders were insisting that Nato planes fired upon them, and there's been a line out of the political rebel leadership tonight in Benghazi saying this was actually the work of the remnants of Gaddafi's air force. While that isn't impossible, I think it's highly improbable. Part of the problem today may have been that the rebel forces sent in for the first time in a long time a lot of very heavy armour. Tanks and rocket launchers were sent in on the ground. And whether those were mistaken for Gaddafi armaments, we don't know, but that could be one explanation.
Elsewhere in Libya, a relief ship carrying emergency supplies of food and medicine has arrived in the western city of Misrata, which is being besieged by government forces. It's delivering hundreds of tonnes of high-energy biscuits, flour and water purification tablets, as well as enough medicine to last 30,000 people for a month. The ship was chartered by the UN World Food Programme.
The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to charges from some rebels that he is trying to keep Colonel Gaddafi in power. He said Turkey's only interest is the well-being of Libya and he was working for an early ceasefire.
A gunman has shot dead at least 11 children at a school in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Police say he killed himself when they arrived. Around 20 other people were wounded. Here's James Read of our America's desk.
The gunman has been identified as 24-year-old Wellington Menezes de Oliveira, a former pupil at the school. Police say he entered a classroom with two revolvers and a suicide note, and began shooting indiscriminately. Some wounded children managed to escape and alert the police. When they confronted the killer, he shot himself in the head. Most of the victims were between 9 and 14 years old. President Dilma Rousseff wept as she condemned the massacre - the first of its kind in Brazil.
Japan has lifted a fresh tsunami alert that was issued after an earthquake hit the northeast of the country. The 7.1-magnitude aftershock was the most powerful to have struck Japan since an earthquake triggered a huge tsunami last month. Rachel Harvey reports from Tokyo.
Once again a powerful earthquake, and once again it's the northeast coast of Japan that has borne the brunt. There are some reports of minor injuries caused when people tried to run to safety, but no news of more serious casualties. Officials have been quick to reassure the public that the crippled nuclear power plant at Fukushima appears not to have suffered any further damage, but some power sources at another nuclear plant in the affected region have been knocked out, though officials say the backup systems there are working.
World News from the BBC
Israel says it's used a new missile defence system for the first time to prevent a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said two projectiles were successfully intercepted by the anti-missile system known as Iron Dome. Witnesses reported seeing one rocket brought down as it headed towards the city of Ashkelon.
Bahrain says there's no firm evidence to back accusations that it's intensified a campaign of abuses against those suspected of involvement in anti-government protests, in particular allegations by the medical charity MSF that patients have been arrested and beaten inside Bahrain's main hospital. Human rights groups have accused the authorities in Bahrain of arresting, sacking and intimidating suspected protesters.
The European Central Bank has raised its main interest rate for the first time since 2008. The increase of 0.25% to 1.25% is intended to tackle rising inflation. Here's our economics correspondent Andrew Walker.
The European Central Bank has a target for inflation of below 2%. The most recent figure for the euro area is 2.6%. The bank is keen that consumers and business should not expect much higher inflation because if they do, they are more likely to seek higher wages and raise prices. Increasing interest rates sends a signal that the ECB will act to prevent that. The risk is that it might undermine economic growth, especially in countries such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal. They are already struggling with serious financial problems.
Parliament in Kosovo has elected a woman police commander as president to resolve a political stalemate. The unanimous selection of the compromise candidate Atifete Jahjaga comes a week after the constitutional court ruled that the election of her predecessor, the businessman Behgjet Pacolli, had been invalid. Ms Jahjaga, who's 35 and has never run for office before, is the first female president in Kosovo's three years of independence.
BBC News
由latonars在前天 23:42整理的生词：
remnant (usually plural) n. 残余部份 a small part of something that remains after the rest of it has been used, destroyed or eaten
revolver n. 左轮手枪
projectile (formal) n. (武器发射的)投射物, 枪弹, 炮弹 an object that is thrown at someone or is fired from a gun or other weapon, such as a bullet, stone or shell
展开阅读全文
浙ICP备2021020529号-1 | 浙B2-20240490 
