02-20-08

印尼西海岸外强烈地震 (Major Earthquake off Western Indonesian Coast)

印度尼西亚西部海岸附近的海域星期三发生强烈地震。美国地质勘测局说，印尼苏门答腊岛西部海岸附近的海域发生7.6级地震，震中在梅丹镇以西319公里的地方。

这次地震促使当局发出了海啸警报。不过，目前还没有人员受伤或财产损失的报导。

A powerful earthquake has been detected off the coast of western Indonesia Wednesday. The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude seven-point-six quake struck off the western coast of Sumatra island. The agency says the tremor was centered about 319 kilometers west of the town of Medan. 

The earthquake prompted authorities to issue a tsunami warning, but no immediate reports of damages or injuries have been reported.

布什：美国不计划在非洲建新军事基地 (Bush: US Not Planning New Military Bases in Africa)

布什总统说，美国不考虑在非洲建立新的军事基地。布什星期三还反驳了有关美国非洲联合指挥部将向非洲大陆派驻更多军队的传言。布什在与加纳总统库福尔在阿克拉共同举行的记者会上发表了上述讲话。

布什和夫人劳拉星期二抵达加纳，这是他们这次非洲五国之行的第四站。布什总统夫妇星期三访问了加纳的一个国际学校以及一个美国资助的为加纳人提供职业培训的中心。

星期二早些时候，布什夫妇访问了卢旺达。他们向那里1994年民族屠杀中丧生的估计约80万受害者表达追思。布什说，那场屠杀提醒人们，全世界“必须迎头痛击邪恶”。

President Bush says the United States is not contemplating building new military bases in Africa.Mr. Bush also dismissed rumors Wednesday that the new U.S. regional command for Africa AFRICOM will introduce more American troops to the continent. The president made his comments alongside Ghana's president, John Kufour, at a press conference in Accra.

Mr. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush arrived in Ghana Tuesday, the fourth stop of a five-nation tour of Africa.The Bushes visited an international school and a U.S.-funded center that provides job training to Ghanaians.

Earlier Tuesday, the couple visited Rwanda, where they paid tribute to the estimated 800-thousand victims of that country's 1994 genocide. Mr. Bush said the killings are a reminder that "evil must be confronted" in the world.