NPR 2011-04-25

The battle for the Libyan port city of Misrata resumed today. Forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi had withdrawn¹, but now they're firing on the city with shells and rockets. Despite the barrage², rebels say they've driven government troops from the center of the city and now control much of it. Hundreds of people have died in the fighting in Misrata in the past two months.

Pope Benedict used his Easter message today to urge an end to the fighting in Libya. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports he also focused on other conflicts and natural disasters.

Along with his call to rejoice on the day that marks the resurrection of Christ, the Pope also appealed that in Libya diplomacy³ and dialog take the place of arms, and that people be given access to humanitarian⁴ aid. He also called for coexistence among political factions⁵ of the Ivory Coast rocked for months by violence. He urged consolation⁶ and hope in Japan suffering from the devastating⁷ effects of the earthquake and tsunami⁸. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

European governments are warning their citizens to leave Syria. The government there is not backing away from its crackdown on anti-government protesters. NPR's Deborah Amos reports from Beirut that security police arrested protesters in raids overnight.

The overnight police raids and arrests focused on a neighborhood on the outskirts⁹ of Damascus, according to activists¹⁰, after a funeral march there earlier in the day. A video posted of the march showed hundreds of people chanting for the downfall of the regime while carrying wooden coffins¹¹ to the cemetery¹². Then heavy gunfire scatters¹³ the mourners. Security is particularly tight around the capital. Damascus appears to be a target for anti-government protesters. For the first time, Turkey, a Syrian ally, condemned¹⁴ the violence against peaceful demonstrations¹⁵. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Beirut.

The race to raise money for the 2012 presidential election is in full swing already. NPR's Allison Keyes reports that both President Obama and his potential Republican opponents are on the move.

"Thank you. Hello, Reno!"

Last week, President Obama held six fundraisers and raised millions for himself and Democrats¹⁶. He's got two more scheduled for this week in New York City. Meantime, potential Republican presidential hopefuls, like former Massachusetts Governor Mitt¹⁷ Romney, are trying to prove their fundraising prowess, with Romney set for a May event to Las Vegas to raise money and recruit new contributors. Also in May, there's an event in Dallas hosted by Republican presidential campaign veterans for former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. Other potentials with fundraising feelers out include Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, and Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann, the Republican congresswoman from Minnesota. Recent polls show this is the first time since 1952 the Republican Party has no clear front-runner. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.

This is NPR News from Washington.

Protesters in Pakistan are blocking a major road for US and NATO trucks carrying supplies to Afghanistan. They set up the roadblock yesterday to press their demand that the US stop missile strikes in Pakistan. Drones attacked targets in Pakistan's tribal¹⁸ regions, where al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters are based. Pakistanis claim that innocent civilians¹⁹ are being killed. Officials say the road will be reopened tomorrow, and the two-day blockade will have no effect on its operations.

In Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents²⁰ have taken responsibility for assassinating²¹ a member of the government's High Peace Commission. NPR's Quil Lawrence also reports that four NATO soldiers died in separate incidents.

Hajji Abdul Zahir was gunned down in the restive²² province of Helmand, where he once served as a district chief in the town of Marjah. Marjah was seen as a test case for the US troop surge, but after pushing the Taliban out, Zahir proved a controversial choice to represent the Afghan government in Marjah because of reports that he had a criminal record in Europe. Zahir was also a member of President Hamid Karzai's peace council set up to open negotiations²³ with the Taliban. NATO did not release the nationalities of the troops killed, but said that one soldier died in a helicopter crash, and the others were killed by roadside bombs. Quil Lawrence, NPR News, Kabul.

The crown prince of Bahrain has sent his regrets. He was among more than 40 foreign royals invited to the royal wedding this week. He said he didn't want the unrest at home to tarnish²⁴ the celebration. Bahrain's Sunni monarchy²⁵ has imposed martial²⁶ law and brought in a Saudi-led military force to put down demonstrators calling for more freedoms.

I'm Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.

1 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。

2 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

3 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。

4 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

5 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

6 consolation   

n.安慰，慰问

参考例句：

• The children were a great consolation to me at that time.那时孩子们成了我的莫大安慰。
• This news was of little consolation to us.这个消息对我们来说没有什么安慰。

7 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

8 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

9 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

10 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 coffins   

n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物

参考例句：

• The shop was close and hot, and the atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. 店堂里相当闷热，空气仿佛被棺木的味儿污染了。 来自辞典例句
• Donate some coffins to the temple, equal to the number of deaths. 到寺庙里，捐赠棺材盒给这些死者吧。 来自电影对白

12 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

13 scatters   

v.（使）散开， （使）分散，驱散( scatter的第三人称单数 )；撒

参考例句：

• He scatters money about as if he were rich. 他四处挥霍，好像很有钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Truth raises against itself the storm that scatters its seeds broadcast. 真理引起了反对它自己的狂风骤雨，那场风雨吹散了真理的广播的种子。 来自辞典例句

14 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

15 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。

16 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

18 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

19 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。

20 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

21 assassinating   

v.暗杀( assassinate的现在分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• They struck a blow for freedom by assassinating the colonial governor. 他们为了自由而奋力一博，暗杀了那位殖民地总督。 来自互联网

22 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

23 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

24 tarnish   

n.晦暗，污点；vt.使失去光泽；玷污

参考例句：

• The affair could tarnish the reputation of the prime minister.这一事件可能有损首相的名誉。
• Stainless steel products won't tarnish.不锈钢产品不会失去光泽。

25 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

26 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。