Top News Stories of Two-Thousand-Four 01-01
I'm Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.
This week we tell about some of the biggest news stories of two thousand four. We start in Asia, with what is being described as one of the worst natural disasters ever.
Last Sunday, huge waves moved across the Indian Ocean and flooded coastal areas across southern and southeast Asia to East Africa. The waves were caud by one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded, measuring nine on the Richter Scale.
The countries hardest hit were Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. More than one hundred thousand people are reported dead. Millions of people have been left homeless.
Two thousand four was also filled with news about the war in Iraq and daily reports of violence in the country. Militants incread their attacks against American soldiers, Iraqi police officers and civilians working with the United States. American-led forces battled militants in the cities of Fallujah and Najaf. In May, news organizations around the world reported about the mistreatment of Iraqis by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison.
More than one thousand American soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the war began almost two years ago. And the number of Iraqis killed is reportedly many times higher.
Terrorism was a top story in other parts of the world. In March, suspected Islamic militants exploded bombs on crowded pasnger trains in Madrid, Spain. About two hundred people were killed. Days later, Spanish voters defeated the country's conrvative government, which had supported the American-led war in Iraq.
In September, armed Chechen militants ized more than one thousand children, parents and teachers in a school in Beslan, Russia. The izure ended in gunfire and explosions after days of negotiations. More than three hundred people were killed, most of them children.
The African nation of Sudan was in the news becau of a major humanitarian crisis in the Darfur area. Reports said government-supported Arab militants killed more than venty thousand people in a two-year
campaign of violence against black tribal farmers. More than one million people have been displaced from their homes.
Two thousand four was also a year of historic political elections. In Afghanistan, voters elected Hamid Karzai in the country's first presidential election. Voters in the United States re-elected George W. Bush after a hard fought presidential campaign against the Democratic Party candidate, John Kerry.
And a political crisis ead in Ukraine after the Supreme Court cancelled the election victory of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. The court decided there had been widespread cheating and ordered a new presidential election. Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko won that election on Sunday and has promid democratic changes in Ukraine.
In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk. This is Steve Ember.
Aid for Tsunami Victims 01--02爱的召唤
I'm Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.
日式乌冬面Kofi Annan says helping survivors of the earthquake and killer waves in the Indian Ocean last week is a race against time. The United Nations cretary-general says countries that have offered aid must hurry and provide it. The offers add up to around four thousand million dollars. United Nations o
fficials say one-fourth of that is needed during the next six months. The concern about offers of international aid is bad on history. For example, the earthquake in Bam, Iran, in December of two thousand three killed more than twenty-six thousand people. Countries and groups offered hundreds of millions of dollars worth of assistance. The United Nations says it has confirmed only about venteen million dollars in aid received so far. Governments and organizations that offered help dispute that, however.
On Thursday Mister Annan met with world leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia to discuss aid for victims of the tsunami. The leaders discusd and welcomed the idea of suspending some debt owed by affected nations. But the leaders did not say they would do so. Some said that making direct payments to survivors would be more helpful.
The top U.N. aid official, Jan Egeland, has said the number of dead will be "much bigger" than one hundred fifty thousand. The World Health Organization says about a half-million people are injured. Millions more are homeless. The
W.H.O. has called for clean water along with food and medicines needed to help prevent the spread of dia.
Australia has offered eight hundred ten million dollars in aid. The European Union says it will provide four hundred sixty-six million dollars in aid. Germany, Japan and the United States follow in their amounts offered. American military forces are also providing rvices.
Reprentatives of twenty-six countries and international organizations attended the meeting in Jakarta. Officials say they will cooperate to develop a tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.
A small group of countries including the United States began to direct aid efforts after the events of December twenty-sixth. Now American officials say the group is being suspended so the United Nations can start to take control. The earthquake measured nine on the Richter scale. The quake and resulting waves proved most deadly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. More than one hundred thousand people are reported dead there.
On Friday, American Secretary of State Colin Powell expresd shock at the destruction caud by the earthquake and waves. The same day, Kofi Annan flew by helicopter over western Sumatra and visited Meulaboh. About four thousand bodies were discovered in that town Friday. Mister Annan said he had never en such destruction as he saw on Sumatra. In his words, "Where are the people?"开心马骝歌词
In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember.
Middle East Peace Prospects 01--03医保卡怎么查询
I'm Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.
A Palestinian attack on Israelis at a border crossing has added to the pressures Mahmoud Abbas will face in his new job. The attack came two days before the swearing-in ceremony for the next president of the Palestinian Authority.
A truck bomb exploded Thursday at the Karni crossing between Israel and Gaza. Then gunmen killed six Israeli civilians and riously wounded five others. Three groups took responsibility: Hamas, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees.
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Later, Israeli helicopters raided a target in Gaza linked to militants. Goods enter Gaza through the Karni crossing. After the militant attack, Israel clod all border crossings with Gaza.
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered that all communication with the Palestinian Authority be cut. He said communications would stop until the new Palestinian President controls militants and halts attacks. The announcement came hours before Mahmoud Abbas was to be sworn-
in.
逍遥丸禁忌Yasr Arafat was Palestinian Authority president until his death in November. Israel and the United States had refud to negotiate with him as attacks against Israel continued.
The peace plan known as the road map calls for Israel and the Palestinians to take steps toward an independent Palestine. The plan is meant to end more than four years of most recent violence.
World leaders say the election Sunday of Mister Abbas offers new possibilities for peace. He received sixty-two percent of the vote. He defeated independent candidate Mustafa Barghouti and five others.
The Israeli Prime Minister congratulated Mister Abbas. Both sides expresd support for a meeting, but did not t a date. President Bush said he would welcome the new Palestinian leader to Washington if he wants to come. Israeli lawmakers this week narrowly approved a new government. Most cabinet members support the plan by Israel to withdraw from Gaza and part of the West Bank this year.
Mister Abbas has said attacks against Israel make life harder for Palestinians. He also says he would not u force against militants, but would try to negotiate a truce.
A Hamas official told the Associated Press that Egypt has renewed a proposal for a one-year suspension of attacks. Hamas boycotted the presidential election, but may join legislative elections in July.
After the Karni attack, Reuters news agency reported that veral thousand marchers celebrated in the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza.
But the head of a Palestinian rearch group says the majority of people, especially in Gaza, support Mister Abbas. Mahdi Abdel Hadi says the people are tired of violence. In his words, "They are looking for this small window of fresh air and warm sun to come through the Palestinian election."
cf窗口化In the News in VOA Special English was written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember.
Iraqi Elections 01--04
This is Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.
On Sunday, for the first time in almost fifty years, Iraq will hold parliamentary elections with more than one party competing. Some Iraqis have already been voting in other countries.
Around fourteen million names are on voter lists in Iraq. Voters face threats of violence from groups like the one that calls itlf al-Qaida in Iraq. On Friday, Iraqi officials announced the arrests of three top aides to its Jordanian-born leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Iraqi soldiers and police will guard voting centers. United States officials say American troops will be prepared to assist.
The election is to choo two hundred venty-five members for what is called a Transitional National Asmbly.
One of the duties of this temporary asmbly will be to name a three-member presidency council. Another duty is to write a constitution. If Iraqis approve the constitution in October, then they will elect a new government at the end of the year.
On Sunday, Iraqis will vote from a single national ballot. They will choo lists of candidates reprenting parties or coalitions. Seats will be divided in the National Asmbly bad on the share of votes that a list receives. A goal is to have women in at least one-fourth of the ats.
Many political groups are competing. Commentators say the United Iraqi Alliance appears to have the strongest support. A Shiite Muslim leader, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, heads the candidate list.
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The alliance wants Iraq to be an Islamic state with a federal government. The alliance has the support of the highest religious leader in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Its candidate list is mainly Shiite. Iraq is about sixty percent Shiite. But the list also contains other religious and ethnic groups including Iraqi Kurds and ethnic Turkmens.
