VOA标准英语2009-Gabon Inaugurates Interim President

Senate President Rose Francine Rogombe is Gabon's new interim¹ head of state, following Monday's death of long-time leader Omar Bongo. She is expected to organize new elections by the end of July.
　
Gabon's Senate speaker Rose Francine Rogombe, 66, sworn in as acting² head of state during official ceremony 10 June 2009 in Libreville.

Acting President Rogombe took the oath of office in Libreville's first change of power in more than 40 years.

Before an audience of judges, lawmakers, foreign diplomats³, and government officials, Ms. Rogombe swore to devote all her strength to the good of the Gabonese people, to promote the nation's well-being⁴ and protect it from harm, and to defend the constitution.

The 66-year-old, ruling-party ally of the late president is a lawyer who served as deputy minister for human rights before becoming the first woman to lead Gabon's Senate.

She now holds most of the powers of an elected president, except for the authority to call a referendum or dissolve parliament. Her chief task is organizing new elections within 45 days.

Among potential candidates for that vote are Vice⁵ President Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge, the late president's son Defense⁶ Minister Ali Ben Bongo, and the defense minister's brother-in-law Foreign Minister Paul Toungui.

President Bongo died Monday in a Spanish clinic at the age of 73. He was Africa's longest-serving head of state, having taken power in 1967 following the death of Gabon's first president, Leon M'ba.

Mr. Bongo was one of three African leaders investigated by a French judge for embezzling⁷ public funds. The anti-corruption group Transparency International says more than 30 Bongo family properties in France, worth nearly $200-million could not have been purchased on his state salary alone.

President Bongo denied wrongdoing. With his death, Transparency International says it will continue its case against President Bongo's father-in-law, Congolese President Denis Sassou N'Guesso and the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo.

President Bongo's body is expected to arrive Thursday in Libreville for military honors, before lying in state at the presidential palace.

Funeral services in the capital are scheduled for Tuesday with a private burial in his home region later next week.

Gabon's borders have reopened and Defense Minister Bongo says there will be no curfew, though bars and nightclubs in Libreville remain closed.

1 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 embezzling   

v.贪污，盗用（公款）( embezzle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Accordingly, object embezzling waste to be carried temporarily the schedule of administration. 因此，反对贪污浪费就提上了临时中央政府的议事日程。 来自互联网
• Some were sentenced for taking bribes, others executed for embezzling funds. 有的因受贿而被判刑，有的因侵吞公款而被判处死刑。 来自互联网