Bruselský zpravodaj Chris Morris: It may be scarcely noticed amidst the flurry of war in Iraq, but this is something of a turning point for European defence. For the first time, the EU, that most political of organisations, will run a military mission. It's putting flesh on the bones of its ambitions to create a viable European defence identity. It's neither the biggest, nor the most ambitious of missions - just three hundred troops in Macedonia to begin with, for just six months - but it is a start and it has great symbolic importance. If all goes well, and as the EU is taking over from a successful NATO mission there's no reason why it shouldn't, then there will be more to come. VOCABULARYa turning point for European defence - mezník evropské obranné politiky putting flesh on the bones - rámcový plán byl rozpracován symbolic importance - symbolický význam largely symbolic - negativní konotace

Catherine Davisová z Kábulu: UNICEF warns that failing to address these health and nutritional challenges will hamper any serious long-term development here. It says the health of the population is directly related to their country's reconstruction. Chronic malnutrition is said to be widespread; major cases of mortality among children include diarrhoea, respiratory infections and malaria. Iodine deficiency is common in women, resulting in low birth weight and deafness in newborn babies. What the UN is calling for is long-term investment in projects that strengthen Afghan women and children's rights to good health care. VOCABULARYto address - vrhnout se (na řešení úkolu) directly related - přímo souviset malnutrition - chronická podvýživa diarrhoea - průjem respiratory infections - záněty dýchacích cest malaria - malárie mortality among children - dětská úmrtnost to call for - požadovat, volat po long-term investment - dlouhodobá investice rights to good health care - právo na kvalitní zdravotní péči

Nick Thorpe z Budapešti: Turnout was extremely disappointing - only around 45 percent of eligible voters. This was much less than the resounding "yes" the government had been hoping for and somewhat embarrassing for Hungary. The Prime Minister, Peter Medgyessy, put a brave face on the result nevertheless. The citizens of Hungary, he said, like good parents, had provided a future for their children. Rival explanations have been advanced for the poor turnout. The campaign was one-sided with no state funds at all provided for the small civil groups campaigning for a "no" vote. Many Hungarians expressed their worries about accession by staying away. But the result was valid, so the prime minister is now authorised to sign the accession treaty, and Hungary will join the union in May next year. VOCABULARYpoor turnout - slabá volební účast resound - znít, zvučet less than the resounding 'yes'… - ne příliš zvučné „ano“ rival explanations - protichůdná vysvětlení one-sided campaign - jednostranná kampaň expressed their worries about accession - vyjádřili své obavy ze vstupu to put a brave face on - předstírat, že situace je lepší než ve skutečnosti je

Holly Williamsová z Pekingu: In an unusual move in this authoritarian state, the government admitted to under-reporting the number of SARS patients. Today's figures take the new official total to well over four hundred. Beijing's SARS nightmare has increased more than ten-fold in just twenty-four hours. Belatedly, after months of playing down the epidemic, China has signalled a drastic new approach to SARS, sacking Beijing's mayor and dismissing the health minister from his Communist Party job as punishment for the cover-up. China says it wants health officials to come clean about SARS and this sudden new jump in reported infections seems to indicate that the message is getting through. VOCABULARYunder-reporting the number of patients - přiznat nižší počet onemocnění to play down - zlehčovat vážnost situace cover-up - ukrývání skutečnosti to come clean - vyjít s pravdou ven (otevřený přístup) the message is getting through - záměr se podařilo prosadit Dick Thompson - mluvčí Světové zdravotnické organizace: The first step in containing any outbreak is to know where it is and what the size of the problem is you're confronting. But now we're getting a better idea of where it is and we know what we're facing, and I think that it can be contained. But China's the big question mark. If this disease is going to remain with us forever we'll know that first from China. VOCABULARYconfronting the problem - čelit, potýkat se to contain an outbreak - zastavit šíření, zamezit propuknutí we know what we're facing - víme, čemu čelíme the big question mark - velká neznámá

Claire Marshallová z Iráku: The invited delegates were patted down and searched carefully by US soldiers as they made their way through the tight security cordon around the conference centre. Several hundred people have come here, both from within Iraq and from abroad including the United States and Britain. These are the so-called engaging personalities, which the US believes could potentially turn into future leaders. They include tribal chiefs and other prominent figures. The idea of the conference is to exchange views on the possible shape of a future Iraqi government. Some religious groups are boycotting the event, but one delegate told the BBC that it was vital to work with the Americans for the time being to get Iraq up and running again. VOCABULARYpatted down - od hlavy až k patě proklepat the tight security cordon - bezpečnostní kordon engaging personalities - lidé s osobností, příjemní a šarmantníso-called - naznačujete názor, aniž byste ho sami vyjádřili či podpořili to get Iraq up and running - postavit Irák na vlastní nohy

Rachel Harveyová z Bali: For more than an hour, Amrozi sat quietly listening to the long list of charges brought against him. Wearing cut-off trousers and flip-flops, from time to time, he shuffled uncomfortably in his chair. The first person arrested after the devastating bomb attacks last October, Amrozi is now the first of more than thirty suspects to face the courts. He's accused of buying the chemicals to make the bombs and of supplying the van, which delivered them. Under Indonesia's new anti-terrorism laws, if found guilty, he could face the death penalty. Outside the court, a crowd of local people watched proceedings on live television. Every time Amrozi appeared on screen, they jeered and threw makeshift missiles at his image. Inside the court, Amrozi's lawyers began their defence. Amrozi naively admitted his role in the attack they said, but the law needs more than confessions, it needs evidence. VOCABULARYcharges - obvinění accused - obviněn, obviněný suspects - podezřelí anti-terrorism laws - anti-teroristický zákon he could face the death penalty - hrozí mu trest smrti makeshift - po domácku vyrobený, provizorní defence - obhajoba confession- přiznání evidence - důkaz

John Kampfner z Iráku: In the early hours of April 2nd reporters were summoned to Central Command in Doha for an urgent announcement. They assumed coalition forces had captured or killed Saddam Hussein. Instead they were given the story of the dramatic rescue by US Special Forces of Private Jessica Lynch whose company had been ambushed by the Iraqis more than a week earlier. The official version, caught on camera by a Pentagon crew, was that a rescue squad stormed the building and took her away under fire. Private Lynch was said to have received bullet and stab wounds. Once in hospital, she was said to have been beaten and stabbed. But doctors at the hospital in Nasariyah tell a different tale. They insist that while Saddam's Fedayeen Militia had been at the hospital at the beginning, they had long since left, and that the Americans knew it. They said that far from mistreating Lynch, they gave her the best treatment they could at a time of war. They made clear that by the time the Americans descended on the hospital by helicopter they were aware that they would face no resistance. VOCABULARYcoalition forces - koaliční síly to capture - zajmout, vzít do zajetí to rescue - osvobodit to ambush - nečekaně napadnout, napadnout ze zálohy a rescue squad - záchranná jednotka to storm - prudce zaútočit, vzít ztečí under fire - pod palbou treatment - ošetření resistance - ozbrojený odpor

Jane Hugesová ze základního tábora na Mount Everestu : Sibusiso Vilane spoke to the BBC by radio from the summit of Everest and said he was crying tears of joy. He said he was feeling well and was very grateful to be there. He's spent weeks at base camp and up on the mountain acclimatising and waiting for a break in the weather. He reached the top of the world after climbing through a clear and starlit night. But the winds are now much stronger and he still has to get safely back down the mountain - something climbers regard as at least as much of a challenge as the summit itself. A few hours before he got there, Lakba Gelu Sherpa arrived at the top of Everest in record time. He took just under eleven hours to go from base camp to the summit - a journey that takes the average climber a good four days of hard climbing. His achievement breaks the world record set just a couple of days ago by a fellow Sherpa, Pemba Dorje, who got to the top of the mountain in twelve-hours-forty-five minutes. VOCABULARYsummit - vrchol tears of joy - slzy radosti be grateful - být vděčný, považovat si challenge - "výzva" achievement - významný čin, životní úspěch to break the world record - překonat světový record

Barbara Plettová z Jeruzaléma: Ariel Sharon presented his acceptance of the road map in terms of pragmatic self-interest rather than as a step towards peace. He told his cabinet that approving the US-backed plan would safeguard Israel's strategic relationship with Washington and it would help the country's struggling economy because, he said, diplomatic progress would lead to economic benefits. This largely negative endorsement faced strong opposition from the far right. But Mr Sharon is really swimming with the tide as polls show that a solid Israeli majority supports the road map. There is debate in Israel though about what the old warrior is really up to. Some analysts believe his new moves are only tactical, concealing old policies of expanding Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. Others believe he does want to achieve a settlement of the conflict in this his final term as prime minister. Ariel Sharon's view of the road map is ambiguous enough to allow for both readings. But where the road map is vague about the entity, Mr Sharon is clear. He said it would cover no more than fifty percent of the West Bank and have no control of its borders. That would allow him to keep most of the settlements in place - consistent with his long-held position that Israel needs to control at least half of the West Bank for its security interests. VOCABULARY"the road map" - "cestovní mapa" pragmatic self-interest - pragmatický vlastní zájem negative endorsement - negativní podpora swimming with the tide - plavat s proudem polls - průzkumy veřejného mínění to conceal - zastírat ambiguous - dvojznačný vague - vágní, nejasný, mlhavý

Michael Buchanan z USA: Hillary Clinton's supporters say she's caring and committed. Her opponents label her pig-headed and dangerous. But the New York senator left politics largely aside as she discussed how she coped with the series of personal scandals that have beset the couple. "He had not told me the truth about what the relationship was and I was furious, I was dumbfounded, I was just beside myself with anger and disappointment." Most of her energy is now spent serving the people of New York and that seems quite enough, as she quashes suggestions that she intends to run for the White House. "I don't have any intentions, or plans, of running. I'm flattered that the question gets asked (every day) and I hope that it will lead to a woman running for President." VOCABULARY"Living History" - živá historie, zažívat historii pigheaded - nenaslouchá druhým, paličatý leave politics aside - pominout politiku to beset - postihnout, pronásledovat, pohltit to be furious - zuřit dumbfounded - zdrcený, zděšený, konsternovaný beside myself with anger - zlostí bez sebe to quash - odmítat, negovat to be flattered - být polichocen

Kulturní zpravodaj Lawrence Pollard z Paříže: This three-day conference was originally planned for Kabul but has been moved to Paris because of the unstable situation in the Afghan Capital. And that gives a good idea of how huge the task facing UNESCO really is. The basic aspiration is that culture should serve as a rallying point for nation building - in practice neither the finances nor the security conditions seem very favourable. But Unesco can and will be drawing up a strategy for what needs to be done, based on repair, protection and finance. It wants better coordination of projects and more of the promised finances to materialise. The distance still to travel is enormous, though. The Kabul museum has no roof, may have to be relocated, and the 30 % of its collection which hasn't been recently destroyed has to remain in secret storage for its own safety. Another headline issue is Bamiyan, the site of the world famous rock statues of the Buddha, blown up by the Taleban in 2001. VOCABULARYin practice - ve skutečnosti, v praxi to draw up - načrtnout, navrhnout, formulovat the promised finances to materialise - aby se slíbená finanční pomoc realizovala the distance still to travel is enormous - zbývá stale urazit pořádný kus cesty headline issue - titulkové téma

Harry Peart z Londýna: It stunned the chairmen of the four Grand Slam championships with a demand for additional payments totalling 50 million dollars. The largest portion would go into the players' pockets, but the package included payments into a players' pension account, better promotional activities, a bonus for players who compete in all four Grand Slams and a donation to selected charities. The ATP wants at least 30 percent of the profits in prize money. The Grand Slam chairmen have rejected the demand and re-affirmed its rights to determine the levels of compensation. Most of the profits are used to promote tennis at the grass roots. The Grand Slam Committee can also point to the fact that the French Open paid almost 8 percent more in prize money this year for the men's singles event while the Wimbledon increase is almost 10 percent at a time when television revenues are falling. VOCABULARYto stun - šokovat, ohromit Grand Slam - Wimbledon, Paříž, Austrálie a US Open goes into the players' pockets - jde do kapes hráčů payments into a players' pension account - platby do penzijních fondů hráčů package - "balík či balíček" to reaffirm - znovu potvrdit, znovu připomenout at the grass roots - řadoví občané, narozdíl od funkcionářů television revenues - zisk z televizních přenosů

Harry Peart z Prahy: The Iraq Olympic Committee was dissolved following an IOC investigation into accusations against Saddam Hussein's son Uday. He was alleged to have tortured and jailed athletes at his headquarters in Baghdad when he was president of the National Olympic Committee. The IOC said no one involved in the abuses should be part of the new structure. Earlier this month the IOC sent a delegation to Iraq to assess the situation. Further discussions have identified the need for the athletes to be helped by funding from the Olympic movement. Top-level athletes will be selected for training and advised which international competitions they should attend. The longer-term incentive is to enable some of the athletes to take part in next year's Olympic Games in Athens. VOCABULARYIOC - International Olympic Committee - MOV - Mezinárodní olympijský výbor to dissolve - rozpustit to torture and jail athletes - mučit a věznit sportovce he was alleged - údajně (předkládat fakt, ale nepotvrdit ho) to be involved - podílet se na funding - finance to assess the situation - posoudit, vyhodnotit situaci incentive - podnět, stimul

Caroline Wyattové z Korsiky: For decades, successive French governments have sought solutions to the Corsica problem; none has yet worked. This time, the government of Jacques Chirac had hoped the offer of a limited form of devolution would finally bring peace to the island, which has been wracked by violence for nearly thirty years. Corsica's narrow rejection of the new regional assembly is a bitter disappointment, especially for the French interior minister Nicholas Sarkozy, who'd campaigned hard for change. Responding to last night's result, he said the French government would respect the wishes of the Corsican people, but he called it a 'wasted opportunity'. The 'no' vote will also sadden those on the island who'd seen this limited measure of autonomy as the best chance to end the separatist campaign, while keeping Corsica French. But despite the government's enthusiasm for reform, a slight majority on the island preferred to keep the status quo. VOCABULARYlimited form of devolution - omezená devoluce to wrack - mařit violence - násilí narrow rejection - těsné odmítnutí bitter disappointment - hořké zklamání wasted opportunity - zmařené příležitosti separatists - separatisté

Richard Black z Paříže: Dr Cardoso urged the global community to learn from Brazil's example. Through education, basic health care and providing anti-retroviral drugs to all infected people, he said, Brazil has halved the death rate from AIDS. He was scathing about the US approach of emphasizing sexual abstinence and fidelity rather than condom use. Such policies, he said, promote a sense of security among people in long-term relationships who don't then use condoms. Through their partners' infidelities, many go on to contract HIV. Also speaking at the opening was Marie-Jose Mbuzenakamwe, an activist from Burundi, who lambasted the world's richer nations for not putting money into the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. VOCABULARYto urge - apelovat, naléhat, vyzývat anti-retroviral drugs - anti-retrovirální léky to halve - snižit na polovinu, rozpůlit health care - zdravotní péče he was scathing - ostře až zžíravě napadl sense of security - pocit bezpečí long-term relationship - dlouhodobý patrnerský vztah to contract - nakazit se to lambaste - příkře odsoudit

Barnaby Philips z Johannesburgu: The Nelson Mandela Bridge is a striking structure. But its real significance is that its construction marks yet another attempt to revive Johannesburg's city centre. From a distance, downtown Johannesburg looks impressive, a collection of skyscrapers and neon lights. The reality is much more depressing. Over the past fifteen years, big business has fled to the northern suburbs. Many of the skyscrapers are abandoned, leaving squatters, crime and urban decay. Now, the city authorities argue that they have brought crime under control and a huge investment has been made in the Newtown area, intended as a vibrant cultural centre and home to the famous Market Theatre. VOCABULARYstructure - (velká) stavba, konstrukce to revive - oživit construction marks, to mark - stavba představuje, symbolizuje skyscraper - mrakodrap urban decay - úpadek, rozpad, rozklad města to bring crime under control - dostat kriminalitu pod kontrolu a vibrant cultural centre - pulsující kulturní centrum

Nick Hawton z Bosny: No one is sure how many people are buried but it could be as many as seven-hundred, making it more than twice as large as any mass grave so far found in Bosnia. They are thought to be victims of the Srebrenica massacre, when seven-thousand Muslims were killed by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995. The bodies were dumped in numerous graves across the region, and every year more of these sites are discovered. Weeks of painstaking work lie ahead before forensic experts establish just how many people are buried and then begin the difficult task of identifying them. But this is just the tip of an iceberg. VOCABULARYmass grave - masový hrob twice as large - dvakrát větší victim - oběť the bodies were dumped - těla byla naházena numerous - početný, četný across the region - po celé oblasti forensic experts - soudní znalci painstaking work - vyčerpávající, úmorná, na pečlivost náročná práce weeks of work lie ahead - čekají je ('leží před nimi') týdny práce tip of an iceberg - špička ledovce

Elizabeth Bluntová z Freetownu: General Agwai was in Freetown to meet the battalion going to Liberia and to give them a pep talk on the eve of their deployment. These men have already completed a full tour of duty with the United Nations force in Sierra Leone and had been due to return home. Now they are being sent as the vanguard of an international force to bring peace to Liberia. General Agwai reminded them that they were going as peacekeepers and although they had a mandate to defend themselves if attacked, they were not going to Liberia to fight against any of the factions. He will do everything in his power to make sure they could carry out their task with the least possible danger to themselves, he said. He didn't want to have to bring home a single Nigerian coffin. VOCABULARYa pep talk - proslov, který má vzpružit, podpořit; povzbuzující řeč on the eve of - v předvečer deployment - rozmístění vojenských sil a full tour of duty - odsloužený turnus vanguard - předvoj a mandate to defend - mandát k obraně faction - frakce

Barbara Millerová: The bride wore a traditional white dress and arrived in a sleek car, but that's where normality ended as twenty-seven year-old Yekaterina Dmitriyeva married her sweetheart Yuri Malenchenko. Since the groom was unable to be there in person, guests were greeted by a cardboard cut-out of the forty-one year-old cosmonaut. He's due back from an extended mission on the International Space Station in October, but the couple decided they couldn't wait that long to tie the knot. But the wedding wasn't without controversy. Both NASA and the Russian Aerospace Agency tried to get the couple to wait until Yuri returned to Earth. VOCABULARYto be somebody's sweetheart - (výraz ze staré školy) "něčí drahý/drahá" to tie the knot - "spojit do manželského svazku" - vzít se tie a knot - zavázat na uzel, udělat na něčem uzel bride - nevěsta groom - ženich cosmonaut - ruský kosmonaut astronaut - americký astronaut an extended mission - prodloužená mise

Valerie Jonesová z Iráku: The breach in the water pipeline was a matter of frustration - a large area of Baghdad without water for twety hours. But the fires burning in the oil pipeline to Turkey are a more crucial setback for hopes of rebuilding the country. Local oil officials are blaming sabotage and with the pipeline once again shut down, Iraq is losing 7 million dollars a day in oil revenue. Now thousands more guards are being recruited to join more than five thousand Iraqis already watching the pipeline. But it stretches for around a thousand kilometres and protecting the whole length won't be an easy task. VOCABULARYoil pipeline - ropovod water pipeline - vodovod sabotage (fr. sabots) - sabotáž setback - zbrždění, zhoršení situace rebuilding the country - obnova země oil revenue - příjem z ropy to recruit - rekrutovat, zaměstnat thousands more guards - tisíce nových strážných it stretches for a thousand kilometres - táhne se na tisíc kilometrů