VOA 2011-2-14

[Homework VOA 2011-02-14]
From Washington, this is VOA News.

Egyptian troops put pressure on protestors to return to their lives after president to step down. And the top U.S. military officer is in Jordan heading for Israel. I’m Marti Johnson, reporting from Washington.

Egyptian soldiers entered Cairo’s Tahrir Square Sunday and began moving the tents set up by protestors who stayed in the square for weeks, trying to get Mr. Mubarak to step down. The army is prodding the pro-democracy demonstrators to put up the placards and get back to work. On the first whole day of business since President Hosni Mubarak’s ouster, VOA’s Lauran Frayer reports from Cairo.

Soldiers are dismantling protestors’ tents and Cairo infamous traffic jams returned to Tahrir Square despite a few scuffles with soldiers, pro-democracies demonstrators have largely put down their placards heading back to school and work, but they are still raising their demands that Egypt new military rulers lift emergency laws that has been placed 30 years, they also want parliament dissolved and a new united government in its place, and the constitution amended or rewritten entirely. Gihan Mohamed says the very culture of Egypt’s ruling elite has to change.

“I am hoping this gonna to be changed because there are a lot of corruptions in the country”. The Egypt Cabinet is meeting in Sunday, and Prime Minister is suspected to outline which will stay on and which may go. Lauran Frayer for VOA News, Cairo.

Israel cabinet on Sunday approved the appointment of a new arm forces chief at a time when Israel is forced to deal with political uncertainty in the Middle East. Major General Benny Gantz takes over from Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, who step down on Monday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the appointment will stabilize the country’s defense forces during a time of “deep turmoil” in the region. With an hour of the appointment, Gantz is scheduled to meet with the top U.S. military officer, chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen who is just batch the region following the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Italy’s government has declared a humanitarian emergency after thousands of immigrants fleeing unrest in Tunisia landed on a small island Sicilian Island, the Emergency Status will allow Italy’s federal civil protection officers to take in action needed to help the citizens from North Africa.

Tens of thousands of Algerians soldiers were deployed to put down the protests in the capital city’s square on Saturday. Protestors motivated by the reforms in Egypt and Tunisia, turned to the streets of Algiers and other cities demanding their government’s ouster. From Paris, Liza Brayant reports for VOA.

A day after pro-democracy protestors judge Egypt’s long time leader Hosni Mubarak from power, Algerians were in the streets demanding their own president Abdelaziz Bouteflika leave office. Protestors chanted “No to the police state!” and “Bouteflika out!”, news reports say crowds were in the thousands but far out numbered by riot police. In the capital demonstrators skirmished with the riot police. Journalists on the scene reported several arrests. Liza Brayant reports for VOA, Paris.

Swiss voters appeal to have rejected the proposal tighten the country liberal firearms laws. Early results from Sunday’s referendum show at least 14 of Alpine nations 26 cantons. Voters against the proposal ban army rifles from homes and impose new requirements for buying firearms. Such referendum requires a majority of votes and majority of cantons to become as law. A coalition of non-government groups, religious organizations and center-left parties backed the measures as a way to reduce domestic violence and suicide by firearms. But the government argued existing laws were sufficient to prevent the misuse of more than 2 million mostly military weapons that 7.8 million residents.

Thousands of Thailand’s red and yellow shirt protestors held separate rallies in Bangkok Sunday, underscoring the deep political divisions in the Kingdom. The Red Shirts, supporters of ouster of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, rallied outside the capital criminal court, calling for the release of 18 of the leader have been detained since a deadly 10-week protested last year. Thousands of yellow shirts mass the separate location, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who lost their support amid a border dispute with Cambodia. Riot police were present in a large numbers, but didn’t try to block the peaceful protests.

The Danish navy says one of its warship has put the Somalia pirate “motherhip” out of action, the statement from the navy Sunday says the warship Esbern Snare has stopped a suspicious-looking boat off the coast of Somalia.

I’m Marti Johnson, VOA News in Washington, more news on our website voanews.com.
知识：
防暴警察：riot police
瑞士人：Swiss [swis]
曼谷(泰国首都)：Bangkok ['bæŋkɔk]
丹麦的;丹麦人的：Danish ['deiniʃ]
单词：
prod /prɒd/ v 催促；督促；鼓动
prodding /'prɒdɪŋ/ n催促；督促；鼓励；激励
placard ['plækɑːd] n 招贴,公告;海报;公告牌,标语牌
scuffle /'skʌfl/ n（短时间与某人的）小扭打，冲突 v（短暂而不严重地）扭打，冲突，争斗
elite /eɪ'liːt/ n  上层集团；（统称）掌权人物，社会精英
lieutenant /lef'tenənt/ n 副职官员；助理官员；代理官员 | 仅低于…官阶的官员
turmoil /'tɜːmɔɪl/ n 动 乱；骚动；混乱；焦虑
riot /'raɪət/ n 暴 乱；骚乱
skirmish ['skəːmiʃ] n 小规模战斗,小冲突
firearms ['fai,ɑːrmz] n 火器;枪炮(尤指手 枪)
rifle ['raifl] n 步枪,来福枪
canton ['kæntɔn] n (瑞士的)州;(法国的)县
coalition /,kəʊə'lɪʃn/ n （尤指多个政治团体的）联合体，联盟