VOA 2011-2-9

Egypt formal committee proposes reforms, North and South Korea military leaders hold talks. I’m David Forest, reporting from Washington.

Egypt vice president Omar Suleiman says President Hosni Mubarak has issued decrees establishing a committee to draft constitutional reforms, also another group to monitor implementation of the reforms. The reforms are aimed at relaxing eligibility rules for the presidency and imposing term limits, those key demands of Egypt opposition. For more on the situation currently in Egypt, go to our website on oavnew.com.

The lawyer for formal Liberian president Charles Taylor walked out of Taylor’s war crime trial, after judges refused to accept a written summary of the defense’s case. Layer Courtenay Griffiths left the courtroom in The Hague today, defying orders from judges who said the deadlines for filing the documents has passed. “We decide not to participate in these closing arguments, because as far as we are concerned, it’s complete farce, given that the judges won’t have the foundational information enclosed to our written submission.” Mr. Taylor is facing 11 charges before the special court for Sierra Leone including war crimes and crimes against humanity.

An Islamic rebel leader in Russia’s north Caucasus region, claims they ordered last month suicide bombing at busy Moscow airport killing 35 people, Doku Umarov makes the claims in the video which was posted Monday on an Islamic rebel website. The veteran Chechen rebel commander says the attack was at aimed at what they calls chauvinist regime of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The human rights groups Amnesty International is accusing Iraqi government of operating secret prisons in which detainees are systematically tortured to extract confessions that used to convict them, those charges were issued in a report released today.

The United States has stepped up the pressure on Pakistan to secure the release of a diplomat involved the shooting incident led to the deaths of 3 Pakistanis, Ayaz Gul reports. “The shooting incident took place in the east city Lahore nearly two weeks ago and has strained bilateral relations. U.S. officials maintain the detained American killed two Pakistanis in self-defense, because they were armed and wanted to hurt him, the United States has said it regrets the loss of life, but insists the U.S. citizen has diplomatic immunity and has demanded immediate release, saying his arrest violates the International agreements covering diplomatic ties. Pakistanis officials had said the matter is before the court and the fate of the American will be determined by the judicial process, Ayaz Gul for VOA news, Islamabad.

Authorities in northwest Pakistan say two bombings kill two soldiers and a police officer. Official said a roadside bomb targeting military convoy exploded today new killing two soldiers and wounding at least four. The other attack happened today near city of Peshawar, polices say a remote control bomb exploded at Security Check Point, no groups claim the responsibility.

Thai authorities say they have resumed the discussion between Cambodia to try to establish a ceasefire in the dispute border area. Military clashes over the weekends left 7 people dead and sent thousands of villagers fleeing, Daniel Schearf reports.

Thai and Cambodia authorities say they have known no fighting in their dispute border area for more than a day. After dour day’s heavy shooting, Thai official Robin says two sides also resume talks and have agreed to stop fighting. Colonel Chinnakaj Rattanajitti is a Thai Military spokesman for the area. He says, “they had talks and agreed to stop the shooting, to avoid further violence. Both parties think twice before any actions. Daniel Schearf, VOA News, Si Sa Ket.

South Korea officials say military talks with North Korea are moving forward in a serious atmosphere and without political posturing; Colonels from the two countries met for several hours today and will meet again tomorrow.

Burma’s most prominent opposition party is calling for talks with west nations. They want to see whether the International sanctions on the Burmese government could be modified to improve the economy condition of ordinary people.

On Wall Street, U.S. stock indexes are up, I’m David Forest, and more news are on the Internet at oanews.com

知识：
利比里亚：Liberia [lai'biəriə] 利比里亚人 Liberian
利比里亚总统：Charles Taylor查尔斯•泰勒
荷兰首都海牙：The Hague [heig]
塞拉利昂：Sierra Leone
伊斯兰反政府武装领导人：An Islamic rebel leader
俄罗斯总理：弗拉基米尔普京Vladimir Putin
国际特赦组织：Amnesty International amnesty /'æmnəsti/n（对政治犯的）赦免，大赦
巴基斯坦首都伊斯兰堡：Islamabad [is'lɑːməbɑːd]
拉合尔(巴基斯坦城市)：Lahore [lə'hɔː]
白沙瓦(巴基斯坦城市)：Peshawar
双边关系：bilateral relations  bilateral /,baɪ'lætərəl/adj
司法程序：judicial process  judicial /dʒu'dɪʃl/
军事冲突：Military clashes
国际制裁：International sanctions
单词：
decree [di'kriː] n法令,政令,命令|教令,赦令|判决,裁定|天意,天命
issue decrees 颁布法令
eligibility [,elidʒə'biliti] n 被选举资格，合格 relax eligibility 放宽申请资格
defy /dɪ'faɪ/ v 违抗；反抗；蔑视 | 不可能，无法（相信、解释、描绘等）
farce /fɑːs/ n滑稽戏（剧本）；闹剧（剧本）；笑剧（剧本）|荒唐的事情；闹剧
submission /səb'mɪʃn/ n 提交；呈递；提交（或呈递）的文件、建议等
Caucasus ['kɔːkəsəs] n 高加索山脉，高加索
veteran /'vetərən/ n 经验丰富的人；老手 | 退伍军人；老兵；老战士；老水兵
regime /reɪ'ʒiːm/ n （尤指未通过公正选举的）统治方式，统治制度，政权，政体
detainee /,diːteɪ'niː/ n （通常因政治主张）被拘留者，被扣押者
tortured /'tɔːtʃəd/ adj 遭受重创的；饱受煎熬的
extract /'ekstrækt/ n 摘录；选录；选曲；节录
confession /kən'feʃn/ n 供词；供状；认罪；供认；坦白
convoy /'kɒnvɔɪ/ n （尤指有士兵护送的）车队，船队
ceasefire /'siːsfaiə(r)/（通常指永久性的）停火，停战
posturing /'pɒstʃərɪŋ/ n做作的举止；忸怩作态；虚伪表现
prominent /'prɒmɪnənt/ adj 重要的 ;著名的 ;杰出的|显眼的 ;显著的 ;突出的|突出的 ;凸现的