VOA慢速英语2015 沙特阿拉伯领导空袭旨在击退也门叛军

Saudi-led Airstrikes in Yemen Aim to Stop Rebels 沙特阿拉伯领导空袭旨在击退也门叛军

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

Yemen Foreign Minister Riyadh Yasin said the Houthi rebels should weaken after two days of airstrikes from a coalition¹ of Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia.

The coalition of 10 countries, including five Gulf² kingdoms, is trying to bring Yemen’s internationally recognized government back to power. Military officials said the coalition airstrikes targeted the northern province of Saada, home of the Houthi rebels. Other targets included military bases in and around the Yemen capital of Sana’a held by rebel forces.

Saudi officials agreed that the first phase of the bombing campaign was successful. However, a Saudi defense⁴ ministry⁵ adviser⁶, Ahmad Bin³ Hassan Asiri, said a ground offensive might also be necessary.

Yemen has increasingly sunk into violence and disorder⁷ since a popular uprising removed President Ali Abdullah Saleh from power in 2012. The Houthis are now allied⁸ with Mr. Saleh and have advanced throughout the country.

Last September, the Houthi rebels had agreed to share power with President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after they seized the capital, Sana’a. The latest round of fighting started when the Houthis chased after Hadi who had fled to the southern city of Adan.

The United States, Britain, France and Japan closed their embassies in Yemen last month because of security concerns. A statement by the U.S. State Department released last week said the U.S. government is temporarily moving its workers from Yemen in coordination⁹ with the government there.

The Houthis are Shi’ite Muslims and are supported by Iran. A majority of Yemenis, however, are Sunni Muslims. The situation has become another point of sectarian conflict between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims who have opposed each other in several Mideast countries including Iraq.

Iran denies its role in supporting the Houthis. It also denounced the Saudi-led offensive in Yemen. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday the airstrikes should stop. He said the actions would only cost lives. Mr. Zarif called for dialogue and national reconciliation¹⁰ in Yemen. The conflict in Yemen happens as Iran is negotiating with the U.S. on its nuclear program.

Rebel leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi also criticized Saudi Arabia and the United States. He accused the U.S. of providing intelligence support for the offensive.

Meanwhile, Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has fled the city of Adan and is now in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Mr. Hadi is expected to attend a meeting of Arab leaders in the Egyptian town of Sharm el-Sheikh during the weekend.

And that is In the News from VOA Learning English.

Words in the News

phase - n. a part or step in a process : one part in a series of related events or actions

sectarian - adj. relating to religious or political sects¹¹ and the differences between them

reconciliation - n. the act of causing two people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement

dialogue - n. a discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement

1 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。

2 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

3 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

4 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。

5 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。

6 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

7 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

8 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

9 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

10 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。

11 sects   

n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had subdued the religious sects, cleaned up Saigon. 他压服了宗教派别，刷新了西贡的面貌。 来自辞典例句