CNN 2011-02-03

The nearly three decades he's spent in power, thousands of Egyptians are calling for President Mubarak to step down. In the U.S., presidents can only serve two terms. But in Egypt, there are no term limits. That's one reason why Mubarak has been president for so long. But protests in the African nation are taking aim at President Mubarak and his government. This YouTube video shows a crowd of protesters moving through the streets in the Egyptian capital of Cairo. The people who organized the protests said they're trying to catch some of the momentum¹ for political change that they saw in the nearby country of Tunisia. That nation's longtime leader was recently removed from power. During yesterday's demonstrations² in Egypt, protesters fought with police. Both sides were throwing rocks and tear-gas canisters at each other. Other countries, including the United States, said they were keeping a close eye on the situation.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says that whoever is behind Monday's suicide bombing at Moscow's busiest airport will be found and will be punished. The attack killed dozens of people, injured more than 150 others. And sadly, this bombing isn't an isolated³ incident. Over the last decade, trains and planes around Moscow have been bombed at least four times. President Medvedev said that part of the blame for Monday's attack is on the people who were responsible for the airport's security.

What happened at Domodedovo shows that the airport lacked security. It's unbelievable that such a huge amount of explosives was brought into the terminal. Those officials responsible for security at Domodedovo must be punished for their decisions. This is a terror attack, a grief, a tragedy.

President Obama called President Medvedev yesterday to offer his condolences about the bombing. During that same call, he congratulated the Russian president on the progress toward a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START. This would reduce the number of nuclear weapons in both the U.S. and Russia. Presidents Medvedev and Obama signed the treaty last April. Part of Russia's parliament approved that treaty yesterday. The U.S. Senate did the same thing last month. President Obama calls the START "the most significant arms control agreement in nearly two decades."

1 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。