Lots of news to catch you up on from this weekend. I`m Carl Azuz. It`s great to see you this Monday, November 10. First up, the U.S. is doubling the number of its troops in Iraq. An additional 1500 military personnel are headed there, bringing the total to about 3,000. Their mission, to train Iraqi troops and militias to battle the ISIS terrorist group.

这个周末发生了很多新闻。我是Carl Azuz。非常高兴在11月10号周一和大家见面。首先美国派遣到伊拉克国家的军队数量比之前翻了一番。额外有1500名军事人员正在被派遣到伊拉克，目前总共有3000人在伊拉克工作。他们的任务是训练伊拉克士兵和民兵队伍与伊斯兰恐怖组织抗争。

President Obama says the American Forces will not be involved in direct combat. He calls the increase a new phase in the U.S.-led fight against ISIS.

奥巴马总统说美国军队将不会参与直接作战。他呼吁增加美国空袭ISIS恐怖组织人数。

Some critics say they are concerned that the president doesn`t have a clear strategy to defeat the militants.

一些批评人士认为总统并没有明确清晰的策略来对抗恐怖分子。

Also this weekend, an interesting and unexpected development concerning North Korea. Its secretive government released Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller, two Americans held prisoner for months, accused of breaking North Korean laws. At North Korea`s invitation, the Obama administration sent James Clapper to the capital Pyongyang.

同样在这个周末，在朝鲜发生一件非常有趣又让人意想不到的事情。朝鲜秘密政府释放了关押在朝鲜监狱数月的两位美国人Kenneth Bae和Matthew Todd Miller。两人因违反朝鲜法律被关押。应朝鲜政府的邀请，奥巴马政府派James Clapper前往平壤政府捞人。

Clapper is the U.S. director of National Intelligence.

Clapper为美国情报局负责人。

A top secret mission in the dead of night. The top spy chief in the United States arrives in Pyongyang, carrying a letter from the U.S. president. He leaves one day later with two former prisoners. No conditions and no strings attached, according to the U.S. So why this sudden humanitarian gesture from North Korea?

这是在深夜里进行的绝密任务。美国顶级间谍人员抵达平壤，随身携带着美国总统亲笔信件。在抵达后一天与两名被关押人员一同离开。没有异议，没有任何附加条件，为什么朝鲜此次扮演人道主义姿态?

Clearly, they crave having this kind of high level attention, so obviously they are pleased that General Clapper came.

很显然他们渴望得到这样的高度重视，所以对Clapper的到来也表示非常欢迎。

Another suggestion: Kim Jong un wants to show he`s still in charge after disappearing for six weeks recently. He`s back in the spotlight, limping but without the cane. Other experts believe Pyongyang`s recent charm offensive, including a high profile visit to Seoul,technically enemy territory, is a PR exercise to improve its image.

另外一个看法就是金正恩想要表现出在他小时六个星期之后自己仍然掌管全局的地位。他重新回归到了聚光灯下，但是没有拄拐杖。一些专家认为平壤最近在发起魅力攻势，包括高调出访首尔，对敌国提供技术支持，这正是公关改变自身形象的举动。

The release of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller comes more than two weeks after a third U.S. citizen, Jeffrey Fowle, won his freedom. No U.S. citizens remain in North Korean captivity.

Kenneth Bae和Matthew Todd Miller在第三位被关押美国公民Jeffrey Fowle得到释放的两周之后被释放。现在没有任何美国公民被关押在朝鲜监狱。

Two things are certain. This decision came from the top, and it was made for a reason. Pyongyang released a statement claiming that the U.S. president had made many requests, and also an apology. Now, if that is the case, this domestically is propaganda gold for a leader who wants to remain and show he`s relevant on the international stage.

两件事情是可以肯定的，这一决定来自高层，并且做出这一决定是有原因的。平壤发布声明称美国总统提出了很多要求，并发表了道歉声明。现在，如果是这样的话，这一宣传对想继续活跃在国际舞台上的领导人来讲无异于脸上贴金。

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.

CNN记者Paula Hancocks从首尔发回报道。

Lots of news to catch you up on from this weekend. I`m Carl Azuz. It`s great to see you this Monday, November 10. First up, the U.S. is doubling the number of its troops in Iraq. An additional 1500 military personnel are headed there, bringing the total to about 3,000. Their mission, to train Iraqi troops and militias to battle the ISIS terrorist group.

President Obama says the American Forces will not be involved in direct combat. He calls the increase a new phase in the U.S.-led fight against ISIS.

Some critics say they are concerned that the president doesn`t have a clear strategy to defeat the militants.

Also this weekend, an interesting and unexpected development concerning North Korea. Its secretive government released Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller, two Americans held prisoner for months, accused of breaking North Korean laws. At North Korea`s invitation, the Obama administration sent James Clapper to the capital Pyongyang.

Clapper is the U.S. director of National Intelligence.

A top secret mission in the dead of night. The top spy chief in the United States arrives in Pyongyang, carrying a letter from the U.S. president. He leaves one day later with two former prisoners. No conditions and no strings attached, according to the U.S. So why this sudden humanitarian gesture from North Korea?

Clearly, they crave having this kind of high level attention, so obviously they are pleased that General Clapper came.

Another suggestion: Kim Jong un wants to show he`s still in charge after disappearing for six weeks recently. He`s back in the spotlight, limping but without the cane. Other experts believe Pyongyang`s recent charm offensive, including a high profile visit to Seoul,technically enemy territory, is a PR exercise to improve its image.

The release of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller comes more than two weeks after a third U.S. citizen, Jeffrey Fowle, won his freedom. No U.S. citizens remain in North Korean captivity.

Two things are certain. This decision came from the top, and it was made for a reason. Pyongyang released a statement claiming that the U.S. president had made many requests, and also an apology. Now, if that is the case, this domestically is propaganda gold for a leader who wants to remain and show he`s relevant on the international stage.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.