One Boston bombing suspect is dead and the search for another (continues). And a French family kidnapped in Cameroon is released. I’m Frances Alonzo reporting from Washington.
Police in Massachusetts are (conducting) a massive (manhunt) for one of the suspects in Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings after killing the other suspect in a shootout late Thursday. US media are reporting that the suspects are brothers of Chechen origin. Authorities say the white hat suspect from the Marathon’s bombings, known as suspect two, is on the loose and armed and dangerous. Boston police have identified the suspect at large as 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev of Cambridge Massachusetts, a town outside of Boston. The (deceased) suspect is believed to be 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev. US media say the suspects’ family is from a Russian region near Chechenia which is in plague by Islamic (insurgency) stemming from separatist wars.
Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharaf was arrested today in (connection) with his dismissal of top judges while he was president. Mr. Musharaf did not resist the detention and plans to appeal his case to the Supreme Court. Sheron Behn reports. 英语口语培训
Several cars of armed police escorted Pakistan’s former military strongman Pervez Musharaf to court early Friday from his (farmhouse) on the outskirts of Islamabad. The judge swiftly placed the former president under house arrest. The judge also ordered Mr. Musharaf to appear before an (anti-terrorism) court in two days’ time in a case implicating him of have acted unconstitutionally while in power. Speaking outside the gate of Mr. Musharaf’s home, top party leader Mohammad Amhad said the former president is ready to (cooperate) with any investigation. Sharon Behn, VOA news, Islamabad.
Rescuers in the southern US state of Texas continued to search for survivors in the ruins of a small town, where a (fertilizer plant) exploded with the force of a small earthquake. Police say up to 15 people may have been killed and more than 160 were injured from the Wednesday night explosion in the farm town of west Texas. Authorities fear they may find more bodies as they search the (approximately) 80 houses destroyed in that explosion which may have been caused by a fire. Investigators are concerned about (potentially) dangerous chemicals at that site.
A French family of seven that was (kidnapped) in Cameroon and taken into Nigeria has been freed. France and Cameroon both announced the family’s release today though neither government offered many details. In Paris, French President Francois Hollande spoke of (unspecified) contacts of the last few weeks and said Nigeria and Cameroon helped France when the family' released.
Chinese authorities have (detained) eight anti-corruption activists because of their (participation) in a signature drive that calls on central government officials to disclose their assets. William Ide reports.易说堂电话英语
Rights lawyers in Beijing say eight activists have been taken into custody in recent days on suspicion of (unlawful) assembly. Ding Jiaxi, a (prominent) human rights lawyer was detained later Wednesday evening, says fellow rights lawyer Li Fangping.
Li says last night on Thursday around 7:00 p.m., his family received official notice from the police in Beijing that he is now under an administrative (detention). Ding and other activists, all members of the New Citizens Movement are being held at a detention center in Beijing. Authorities at the detention center were not able to be reached for (comment). William Ide, Beijing.
The World Health Organization says it’s launching an international investigation into a new strain of bird flu that has claimed 17 lives in China. Almost 100 other people have been (infected), most near Shanghai. Until now, the virus was believed to have only been (transmitted) from birds to humans, but officials say about half of those infected appeared to have no contact with poultry.
Syrian opposition activists reported today that a government official has been killed at a Damascus restaurant. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says that gunmen stormed a restaurant in the upscale (neighborhood) of Mazzeh late Thursday and killed Ali Ballan. He's the head of Public Relations at Syria’s Ministry of Social Affairs.
And the UN humanitarian chief is seeking (permission) from the Security Council to (deliver) aids to millions of civilians in Syria. She made that announcement during a public briefing Thursday.
More at voanews.com. I’m Frances Alonzo, VOA news.
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