VOA慢速英语2010-IN THE NEWS - Russian President Calls for

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

In Russia this week, a series of suicide bombings increased concerns about terrorism. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev made a surprise visit Thursday to the North Caucasus. He called for more severe measures to fight terrorism. President Medvedev also recognized the importance of Islam and Islamic leaders in the Caucasus.

Mister Medvedev’s comments were televised from the republic of Dagestan, where two suicide bombers¹ killed at least twelve people Wednesday.

Earlier Thursday, officials reported two more people in Dagestan were killed in a car explosion. Police say the two may have been transporting a home-made bomb. Dagestan is one of several republics in Russia’s North Caucasus area.

On Monday, two suicide bombings on Moscow’s underground train system killed thirty-nine people. Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov claimed responsibility for the Moscow bombings in the name of Islam.Mister Umarov released an Internet video Wednesday. He said he planned Monday’s bombing in answer to the recent killings² of Chechen civilians³ by Russian security forces. Mister Umarov also threatened Russia with more attacks.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev (R) and officials observe a minute of silence for victims of this week's suicide bombings.

Officials in Russia say they are questioning suspects in the attacks and searching for Mister Umarov.

Russia has fought two wars against Chechen separatism since the nineteen nineties. As many as one hundred thousand people were killed in the violence. This has caused a reaction among so-called Black Widows. These are women who lost husbands, fathers, sons or brothers to violence and who have become suicide bombers.

The Moscow Times newspaper reports that women were involved in about sixty percent of the nearly forty rebel attacks since two thousand one.

The attacks have killed nine hundred people. Black widows are also suspected in Monday’s bombings in Moscow.

Many experts question whether the Russian government can carry out its threat to destroy the terrorists. Independent Russian military expert Alexander Golts says the situation suggests that security in the North Caucasus cannot be tightened⁴ further. He says the only solution is the establishment of real institutions of government throughout Russia. He says this means establishing the rule of law, rejecting the idea of a police state and supporting the separation of power.

Following the Moscow bombings, some international security experts say this kind of violence cannot be permanently⁵ stopped. But they say governments can do more to prevent mass killings. Cities in the United States and Europe have increased security in and around their mass transportation systems.

And that’s IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English, written by Brianna Blake with reporting by Peter Fedynsky. I’m Steve Ember.

 

1 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 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。

4 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

5 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。