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VOA English Newscast 1400 UTC April 1, 2016


Excavator machines remove debris of a partially collapsed overpass in Kolkata, India, April 1, 2016.
Excavator machines remove debris of a partially collapsed overpass in Kolkata, India, April 1, 2016.
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From Washington, this is VOA News.

I’m Steve Karesh reporting.

Indian police said Friday they have detained five officials of IVRCL. That is the construction company that was building the bridge that collapsed Thursday in Kolkata, killing at least 23 people and injuring 80 more.

Earlier on Friday, police said they have opened a case of culpable homicide against the construction firm. Seetha Peddapathi is IVRCL's chief lawyer.

"IVRCL and its concerned staff will cooperate with the investigation. We will give the maximum support what we have to give. We are anxious to know why it happened as well. We want to know the reason why it happened."

The bridge had been under construction for at least nine years.

In a case which has generated international interest as a test of press freedom, the trial of two Turkish journalists has resumed.

The defendants are facing charges of espionage and aiding a terrorist organization for their reporting, in which they alleged that the government was smuggling arms into Syria. They could get sentences of life in prison if found guilty.

Protesters have gathered at the courthouse in Istanbul chanting, "Free press, free society."

Hans-Dietrich Genscher, a long-serving German diplomat at the forefront of the struggle to reunite East and West Germany, has died at the age of 89.

Genscher served as foreign minister of West Germany, and later of the unified Germany. He is credited with negotiating Germany's reunification and the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1990.

The French justice minister expects the top suspect in the November terrorist attack in Paris will be extradited from Belgium to France within 10 days.

Salah Abdeslam has been jailed in Belgium since his arrest on March 18th. Abdeslam's lawyer said his client wants to cooperate with authorities.

This is VOA News.

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Words in This Newscast

construction – adj. of or related to the building of something

culpable – adj. guilty of doing something wrong

homicide – n. the acting of killing another person

staff – n. a group of people who work for a business or other organization

maximum – adj. the highest number or amount possible

anxious – adj. afraid, especially about what may happen; showing fear or nervousness

journalist – n. a reporter or writer for a news organization

resumed – v. to begin again; re-started

espionage – n. the activity of spying

alleged – v. claimed

smuggling – v. moving someone or something from one country to another, either illegally or secretly

chanting – v. saying many times, usually loudly with other people

forefront – n. the most important position or part

extradited – v. sending someone to another state or country for trial

client – n. a person who pays someone else or an organization for services

authorities – n. officials

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