VOA慢速英语： 布隆迪首相欲连任三次总统职位

周二布隆迪举行了总统大选。现任领导人恩库伦齐扎是唯一的候选人。他在寻求总统的第三次任期。

Most voting stations opened in the early morning. Voter turnout was low inareas that have seen violent protests in recent weeks. In the Bujumbura neighborhood, Cibitoke, only 15 of 400 registered voters had voted by midday.

大清早绝大部分投票站点就已开放。最近几周比较暴乱地区的选民到场率较低。截止到中午，布琼布拉城的邻城锡比托克，400名注册选民只有15人投票。

Burundian president Pierre Nkurunziza, right, casts his vote at a polling station in his hometown of Mumba in Ngozi province, northern Burundi.

Electoral officials told VOA there was some gunfire at the Cibitoke votingstation a few hours after it opened.

选举办公室官员向VOA透露，锡比托克城市的选票站点开放后的几个小时内仍有枪击事件发生。

Anti-government protesters and the international community have been callingfor President Nkurunziza to resign for months.

反政府抗议者和国际社会呼吁恩库伦齐扎下野几个月。

Critics said he should not be permitted to serve another term, as the lawpermits only two. But Burundi's highest court ruled that the president couldserve again because he was appointed, not elected, to his first term.

评论家称恩库伦齐扎不应该再次任职，因为法律规定只能连任两次。但是布隆迪最高法院规定恩库伦齐扎能够再次参加竞选，因为他的第一次任期是被指定的而不是选举出来的。

U.S. defense chief meets with Netanyahu

美国国防部长会见以色列首相内塔尼亚胡

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter met with Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu Tuesday. He was expected to assure the Israeli leader of U.S.security support following the Iran nuclear agreement.

美国国防部长阿什顿·卡特周二会见以色列首相内塔尼亚胡。他希望使以色列领导人相信，美国安全局支持伊朗核协议。

The two met for almost two hours at Mr. Netanyahu’s office in Jerusalem.

双方在耶路撒冷内塔尼亚胡的办公室会谈进行几乎两个小时。

Last week’s agreement has caused tension between the U.S. and Israel.

上周达成的伊朗核协议使美国和以色列关系紧张。

Obama calls on Iran to free 4 Americans

奥巴马要求伊朗释放4名美国人

U.S. President Barack Obama demanded Tuesday that Iran release threeAmericans it holds and help find a fourth believed to be in the country.

周二，美国总统奥巴马要求伊朗政府释放三名在押美国人，并帮助寻找在伊朗境内的第四名美国人。

Mr. Obama spoke Tuesday in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Some familymembers, friends and others have criticized Mr. Obama. They say he shouldhave gotten the release of the captives in exchange for the deal with Iran.

周二，奥巴马在宾夕法尼亚匹兹堡发表声明。被困伊朗的人的家人、朋友和其他人批评了奥巴马。他们称奥巴马应该以释放人质作为伊朗核协议签订的交换条件。

At Vatican conference, world mayors urge climate change action

世界各地市长在梵蒂冈大会上敦促采取应对气候变化的措施。

Local leaders from major cities around the world are gathering for a two-dayclimate change conference at the Vatican. Pope Francis invited them todiscuss what he calls the "interconnected emergencies" of climate changeand human trafficking.

来自世界各地的地方市长在梵蒂冈聚集，参加为期两天的气候变化大会。教皇弗朗西斯邀请他们参加这个会议，讨论他所说的与气候变化相互影响的紧急事件和人类武器走私的问题。

It is the Vatican's latest attempt to influence a United Nations leaders’ meetingon climate change. It is set to take place in Paris in December.

这是梵蒂冈在气候变化问题上影响联合国领导人的最近一次尝试。联合国气候变化大会定为12月份在巴黎举行。

________________________________________________________________

Words in the News

turnout- n. the number of people who go to or participate in something

captive(s) - n. someone who is captured or kept as prisoner

interconnect- v. connect two or more with each other; interconnected -adj.