From Washington, this is VOA news.
Pope Francis calls for a church for the poor. And Zimbabwe holds a (constitutional) referendum on presidential terms. I’m David Berg reporting from Washington.
Newly-elected Pope Francis I says that he would like a church for the poor, as VOA’s Al Pessin reports, the statement is the first (indication) of the kind of roman Catholic church that the newly minted pontiff wants to lead.
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Let me tell you a story, he said, and pulled back some of the veils of secrecy that (surrounded) the conclave that elected him on Wednesday. The pope said as the vote counting indicated he was close to being elected pope, his friend and fellow cardinal Claudio Hummes of Brazil (embraced) him and told him not to forget the poor. That made him think of saint Francis of Assisi. He went on to make the most quoted comment of the day.
Pope Francis said saint Francis wanted a poor church and that’s what he wants, too. Pope Francis has not made any direct (comments) on the church’s scandals, but many of the faithful hope he will tackle them head on. Al Pessin, VOA news, Vatican city.
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The polls have closed in Zimbabwe on a referendum for a new constitution that would limit the terms of a president for the first time in the country’s history. The (proposed) constitution would allow the presidents to serve only two five-year terms. Current president Robert Mugabe said the (agreement) will help bring peace to his country.
We want peace in the country. Peace, peace, peace. It must begin with Robert Mugabe.
Mugabe’s main rival, prime minister Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, says the new constitution will provide the proper checks and balances in the government.
This is a new political (dispensation) and I hope it sets in a new political culture, from the culture of (impurity), the culture of constitutionalism.
Both men support the draft constitution, so it is expected to be approved. Authorities say they expect the official results within five days.
Kenya’s defeated presidential contender has filed a legal challenge to his election loss last week. Raila Odinga filed the challenge on Saturday in the capital Nairobi at the supreme court.
I have repeatedly indicated my (commitment) to respect and abide by the supreme court ruling. I invited my brother Uhuru Kenyatta to publicly do the same.
The election commission declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of the election with 50.07% of the vote. That’s just enough to avoid a runoff. Mr. Odinga has (refused) to accept the official election results, saying that (fraud) was committed during the vote counting. 易说堂电话英语
U.S. president Barack Obama says the only way to break the cycle of spiking gas prices is to shift cars and trucks off oil for good. The President said, in his weekly address, Saturday that oil and gas (revenues) from public lands could supply money for the research without adding a dime to the deficit. Mr. Obama said that high gas prices have hurt Americans each year and the country needs vehicles that don’t use gas or oil.
We went through another spiking gas prices just like last year and the year before that. It happens every year. The serious blow to your budget, like getting hit with the new tax coming right out of your (pocket).
In a Republican address, House of Representatives budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, who was Mitt Romney’s vice presidential candidate last year, said Republicans have a plan to (balance) the federal budget in 10 years like cutting spending and not raising taxes.
Egyptian medias say 7 Palestinians deported by Egypt have arrived in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians were (detained) a few days ago at an airport in Cairo for security reasons. They had arrived on a flight from Syria. After an (investigation) showed no illegal activities, authorities released the Palestinians and began extradition procedures.
And a Pakistani official says that at least 23 of that country’s soldiers were killed in a bus accident in northern Pakistan. The official says the soldiers were travelling on the bus Saturday when it slid off a road and into a ravine in a (mountainous region). Several other people were on board the bus at the time.
For more on these stories, please log on to our website voanews.com.
I’m David Berg reporting from Washington.
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