英国新闻听力 海盗错误袭击法国海军军舰被捕

Italy's most senior court has overturned an immunity¹ law which protects the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from prosecution² while in office. The ruling means Mr. Berlusconi could stand trial in at least three court cases. From Rome, here is Duncan Kennedy.

In its ruling, Italy's highest court decided³ that immunity for the prime minister was against the constitution. Mr. Berlusconi reacted by saying the court was a tool of the left. He told reporters that he would carry on in office. The court's decision means that a number of trials against the prime minister will probably now resume. Opposition⁴ parties have called on him to step down. Crucially he’s won the backing of his main coalition⁵ partner the Northern League. It’s backed him through his recent sex scandals and says it will now carry on with its support.

The former Secretary General of United Nations Kofi Annan has said the leaders of last year's post election violence in Kenya should face trials before the International Criminal Court as well as local tribunals. He also said Kenya should speed up reform. Will Ross reports from Nairobi.

Kofi Annan said he was leaving Kenya with a feeling that there was a renewed sense of urgency and seriousness around the reform program. But after three days of meetings with key politicians and civil society groups, he also had a long list of concerns. He said there was a crisis of confidence in Kenya’s political leadership, and people were beginning to doubt if the leaders could deliver. As a consequence, Mr. Annan said healing and reconciliation⁶ could suffer. More than a year and a half since Kenya’s implosion⁷ into conflict, many Kenyans feel very little has been done to ensure the country stays on a peaceful path, especially as no one has yet been brought to justice for the killings⁹.

Customs officers in Nigeria have seized a container full of arms and ammunition¹⁰ being shipped into Lagos Harbour. The weapons came from the United States. Two people have been arrested and officials are searching for the owner of the arms. The BBC correspondent in Lagos says politicians keen to win elections, armed young men to harass¹¹ rivals and rig elections.

President Obama is meeting his leading diplomats¹², generals and advisors¹³ today to review his country’s involvement in Afghanistan. On the eighth anniversary of the start of the US military operation in Afghanistan, the President and his war council are discussing whether to send more soldiers into an increasingly unpopular war. Paul Adams reports from Washington.

The focus of the latest meeting is actually Pakistan, a reminder¹⁴ that this administration's strategy is regional and not just limited to Afghanistan. But it’s the Afghan War that's dominating the airwaves here, as everyone waits for the outcome with the President's strategy review. Mr. Obama is weighing up the bleak¹⁵ conclusions of his top general in the field, Stanley McChrystal as well as the general’s request for additional resources. Some kind of troop increase seems inevitable¹⁶. The White House says the President now has the request and that it'll be discussed at another meeting on Friday.

The NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has suggested that Russia could provide equipment and training for the Afghan National Army. Mr. Rasmussen also said there could be a joint¹⁷ effort to explore further Russian engagement in Afghanistan, where NATO forces are fighting Taliban insurgents¹⁸.

The brutal¹⁹ beating to death of a teenager in Chicago two weeks ago which was recorded on a mobile phone has been described as a stark²⁰ wakeup call by the US Attorney General Eric Holder²¹. He was speaking in Chicago, where he and President Obama's Education Secretary Arne Duncan have been meeting officials to discuss the high levels of violence against young people in the city. Mr. Holder said the video of the killing⁸ of the 16-year-old Derrion Albert who was kicked and battered²² with wooden planks²³ by other teenagers have left an indelible mark on every American who's seen it.

The French navy has captured a number of Somali pirates after they attacked a French naval²⁴ vessel²⁵, the Somme, apparently²⁶ by mistake. Alex Stanford in Paris has the details.

The French Defense²⁷ Ministry²⁸ says the pirates probably thought they were attacking a harmless cargo²⁹ ship. Two small boats homed in overnight about 450 kilometres off the Somali coast. The pirates opened fire with Kalashnikovs and tried to come on board. But in the dark they failed to notice that their supposedly easy target was in fact a French navy fuel supply ship.

The sailors quickly repelled³⁰ the attack and the tables were turned as the warship³¹ gave chase. One of the boats got away but after about an hour, the other was seized. Five pirates were captured and held on board the Somme.

Talks have begun in Honduras to try to resolve the confrontation³² between the interim³³ government that seized power in a coup³⁴ in June and the ousted³⁵ president Manuel Zelaya. A regional foreign minister said officials from the Organization of American States are in Honduras to mediate³⁶ in the talks between the two camps. They say they want to see the resumption of democracy and the return to office of Mr. Zelaya, who’s besieged³⁷ inside the Brazilian embassy.

意大利最高法院推翻了豁免法，此法律原本可以保护总理西尔维奥·贝鲁斯科尼在任期间免受起诉。该裁决意味着贝鲁斯科尼至少要面临三例法庭案件的审判。罗马，Duncan Kennedy报道。

在该裁决中，意大利最高法庭认为，总理的豁免权不符合法律规定。贝鲁斯科尼回应说，法庭是左翼党派的工具。他告诉记者，他将继续执政。法庭的决定意味着对总理的几宗起诉将继续生效。反对党派曾要求贝鲁斯科尼辞职。关键是，他现在获得了其主要联盟搭档北方联盟的支持。北方联盟在最近几宗桃色丑闻事件中一直表示支持，并表示将一如既往的支持总理。

联合国前秘书长科菲-安南表示，去年肯尼亚大选过后暴力活动的领袖应该在国际刑事法庭和当地刑事法庭接受审判。他还说，肯尼亚应该加快改革步伐。Will Ross在内罗毕报道。

科菲-安南称，离开肯尼亚时，他再次感到肯尼亚改革进程的紧迫性和严重性。但是与关键政客和民间社团举行了为期三天的会议之后，安南称持有一系列担忧。他说，对于肯尼亚的政治领导存在信心危机，人们开始怀疑目前的领袖能否胜任。结果，安南称，复原和调和需要忍受极大的痛苦。肯尼亚爆发冲突一年半多的时间以来，许多肯尼亚人感到，政府没有采取任何措施以确保国家的和平路线，尤其是，没有人因虐杀事件而被绳之以法。

尼日利亚海关官员缴获了一只装满武器弹药的集装箱，该集装箱运往拉格斯港，来自美国。目前，已有两人被捕，相关官员正在寻找武器的主人。BBC驻拉格斯记者称，政治家们急于赢得选举，雇佣武装分子来残害竞争对手，垄断选举。

今天，奥巴马总统与主要的民主党，将军和顾问举行会议，重审该国对阿富汗政策。美军对阿富汗采取行动八周年之际，奥巴马总统和战争委员会正在讨论是否向这场越来越不受欢迎的战争增派更多军队。Paul Adams在华盛顿报道。

最近这场会议的焦点实际上是巴基斯坦，这提醒人们，政府的战略是区域性的，而不仅仅局限于阿富汗。但是占主导地位的仍然是阿富汗战争，大家都在等待总统战略重审的结果。总统正在权衡战场高级将军Stanley McChrystal悲观的结论和增派军队的要求。增派一些军队似乎是在所难免的。白宫称，奥巴马总统正在考虑这个要求，这个问题将在周五的另外一场会议上进行讨论。

北约秘书长拉斯穆森建议，俄罗斯可以为阿富汗国民军提供武器和训练。Afghan National Army还表示，大家应该共同努力，确保俄罗斯更多的参与阿富汗战争。目前，北约军队正在阿富汗进行打击塔利班反叛分子的斗争。

两周前，芝加哥一名青少年被残忍的殴打致死，该场面被手机录像。美国司法部长埃里克·霍尔德(Eric Holder)称这为大家敲响了警钟。霍尔德和教育部长邓肯在芝加哥与官员会晤，讨论该市针对青少年的居高不下的暴力水平，随后霍尔德发表讲话。霍尔德说，这段记录了16岁的Derrion Albert被其他青少年用棍棒打死的录像给每一个美国人心里留下了挥之不去的阴影。

索马里海盗错误的袭击了法国海军舰船Somme号，几名海盗被海军抓获。Alex Stanford在巴黎报道详细信息。法国国防部长称，海盗可能以为自己袭击的是没有抵抗能力的货船。夜晚，两艘小船在距离索马里海岸450千米处行驶。海盗用卡拉什尼科夫冲锋枪开火，企图登上船只。但是黑暗中，他们没有注意到，原以为很容易击垮的目标实际上是法国海军燃料补给船。

水手们迅速反击，对两艘小船进行追踪，形势迅速发生扭转。其中一只小船逃逸，但是一小时之后，另外一只船被缴获。五名海盗被捕，目前关押在Somme号。

6月份军事政变中夺取政权的洪都拉斯临时政府和被驱逐总统塞拉亚之间开始进行对话，企图解决对抗问题。一名区域外交部长称，美洲洲际组织的官员已经抵达洪都拉斯，在两大阵营之间进行斡旋。他们表示，他们希望看到洪都拉斯的民主能够继续，塞拉亚能够恢复执政。目前，塞拉亚仍然被困在巴西使馆。

1 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

2 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

7 implosion   

n.向内破裂，内爆

参考例句：

• The population explosion is accompanied by a population implosion.人口爆炸还伴随着人口爆聚。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

10 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

11 harass   

vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰

参考例句：

• Our mission is to harass the landing of the main Japaness expeditionary force.我们的任务是骚乱日本远征军主力的登陆。
• They received the order to harass the enemy's rear.他们接到骚扰敌人后方的命令。

12 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》

13 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

14 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

15 bleak   

adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的

参考例句：

• They showed me into a bleak waiting room.他们引我来到一间阴冷的会客室。
• The company's prospects look pretty bleak.这家公司的前景异常暗淡。

16 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

17 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

18 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

19 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

20 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

21 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

22 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

23 planks   

（厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点

参考例句：

• The house was built solidly of rough wooden planks. 这房子是用粗木板牢固地建造的。
• We sawed the log into planks. 我们把木头锯成了木板。

24 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

25 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

26 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

27 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。

28 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

29 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

30 repelled   

v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开

参考例句：

• They repelled the enemy. 他们击退了敌军。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The minister tremulously, but decidedly, repelled the old man's arm. 而丁梅斯代尔牧师却哆里哆嗦地断然推开了那老人的胳臂。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

31 warship   

n.军舰，战舰

参考例句：

• He is serving on a warship in the Pacific.他在太平洋海域的一艘军舰上服役。
• The warship was making towards the pier.军舰正驶向码头。

32 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

33 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。

34 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

35 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

36 mediate   

vi.调解，斡旋；vt.经调解解决；经斡旋促成

参考例句：

• The state must mediate the struggle for water resources.政府必须通过调解来解决对水资源的争夺。
• They may be able to mediate between parties with different interests.他们也许能在不同利益政党之间进行斡旋。

37 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。