VOA慢速英语20060417a

WORLD NEWS - 00:30 UTC, April 17, 2006By Voice of America

Broadcast: Monday, April 17, 2006

It is zero hour thirty universal time. I am Jim Tedder¹ in Washington.

The Iraq parliament speaker has postponed² a legislative³ meeting set for Monday. The announcement came after negotiators fail to reach an agreement about who will lead the next government. Sunni and Kurdish leaders want Shiites to replace Ibrahim al-Jaafari as their nominee⁴ for prime minister. His critics say he has done little to stop religious violence in Iraq. In other news, police in Baghdad say a bomb explosion at a Shiite region center has killed at least four people and wounded six others. Also Baghdad police say at least 12 were kidnapped Sunday from a business in the city.

Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir says his country has no interest in problems in nearby Chad. His comments were published by the official Suna news agency. Mr. al-Bashir blamed Chad for continuing problems on the country鈥檚 shared border. He said Chad fail to send representatives to a meeting of security committee concerned with the situation at the border. In Chad, the government says it has withdrawn⁵ from talks about Dafur area in Sudan. Chadian president Idriss Deby cut diplomatic ties with Sudan on Friday after what he called a Sudanese supported rebel attack on a capital city in Chad, he also has threatened to expel 200000 refugees in Chad. A spokeswoman for the United Nations Refuge Agency says the Sudanese would have no place to go if they are forced to leave Chad.

In Nepal, people are holding an 11 days of strikes and demonstrations⁶ against King Gyanendra. Police in the capital Katmandu fought the protestors with tear gas and rubble⁷ baton⁸. Shortages of food and fuel have been reported. Police has seized at least four people in an area of the capital popular with travelers. An alliance of 7 political parties organized the protests. They are urging people to stop paying taxes to pressure the king to return (the) democracy to the country. King Gyanendra dismissed the government and seized total power in Feb of last year. He says the move was necessary to control a rebellion. At least 4 people had been killed and hundreds wounded in the recent protests against him.

In Afghanistan, the US military says 7 civilians¹⁰ were killed in a gun battle between coalition¹¹ forces and resistance fighters. 3 others were wounded. Military officials say the fighting started in an area of eastern Kunar province where coalition and afghan troops began an operation against militants¹². The civilian⁹ deaths are being in investigated. In other violence, Taliban militants attacked at least two police stations in southern Afghanistan. Afghan official say 14 Taliban were killed but no policemen were victims. The spokesman for the Taliban said at least 7 policemen and 2 Taliban were killed.

Turkish official say 30 people have been wounded in an explosion near the city of Istanbul. Police have not named the cause. Istanbul police chief has inspected parts of Bakirkoy area where the explosion took place. No one has claimed the responsibility.

You are listening to the news in VOA special English.

Iran says it is giving 50 millions dollars to the Hams led Palestinian government to ease the financial crisis caused by international aid cuts. Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki made the announcement during a conference in Teheran. He called on the Islamic countries to help the Palestinians. The new Hamas led Palestinians government has opened emergency talks with other Palestinian groups. PM Ismael Haniya called the meeting in an effort to form a unity¹³ convolution and prevent financial crisis. Reports said HMS is again urging the Islamic Jihad and Al-Aqsa Martyr¹⁴ Brigade to join the government.

Pop Benedict has led his first Easter Sunday service in St Peter鈥檚 square in Rome. Tens of thousands of people gathered for the ceremony at Vatican. The Pop gave the traditional Easter speech. He called on world leaders to use diplomacy¹⁵ to solve the international conflicts. Thousands of Christians¹⁶ from around the world also gathered to celebrate Easter in Jerusalem. The top Roman Catholic clergyman in the city led a religious service at the Church of Holy Sepulcher¹⁷. The church was built next to the ancient stone tomb where Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Ester Sunday is the holiest day of the year for Christians.

Chinese president Hu Jingtao is calling for new talks with Taiwan. Mr. Hu told the Taiwanese former opposition¹⁸ leader Lian Chan that two sides should restart talks as soon as possible to keep peace in the area. Mr. Lian is visiting Beijing. Mr. Hu says the talks will take place if Taiwan's government accepts the One China policy reached with the earlier administration. Taiwanese President Chan Shuibian has refused to accept the One China policy as a condition for talks. China and Taiwan separated after the civil war in 1949. China considers the island a rebel province and has threatened military action if Taiwan seeks (to) independence.

The former chairman of the United States Joint¹⁹ Chiefs of Staff has criticized the former generals who publicly called for the resignation of the Defense²⁰ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. General Richard Miles said it is unacceptable for the former officials to criticize Mr. Rumsfeld. He said it is not the job of the military to judge the work of its civilian leaders. He also said the critical comments should not be expressed by military officers including those who are retired²¹. Several retired generals have recently made public comments about Mr. Rumsfeld. They called him a poor leader. And they accused him of making mistakes in war in Iraq. President Bush has expressed strong support for Mr. Rumsfeld.

1 tedder   

n.（干草）翻晒者，翻晒机

参考例句：

• Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆？特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
• Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆？泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网

2 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

3 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

4 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

5 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

6 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

7 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

8 baton   

n.乐队用指挥杖

参考例句：

• With the baton the conductor was beating time.乐队指挥用指挥棒打拍子。
• The conductor waved his baton,and the band started up.指挥挥动指挥棒，乐队开始演奏起来。

9 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

10 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

11 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。

12 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

13 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

14 martyr   

n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲

参考例句：

• The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.这位烈士是为了民族独立的事业而献身的。
• The newspaper carried the martyr's photo framed in black.报上登载了框有黑边的烈士遗像。

15 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

16 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

17 sepulcher   

n.坟墓

参考例句：

• He said softly,as if his voice were coming from a sepulcher.他幽幽说道，象是从坟墓里传来的声音。
• Let us bend before the venerated sepulcher.让我们在他神圣的墓前鞠躬致敬。

18 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。

19 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。

20 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。

21 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。