The Moscow Hostage Crisis

（单词翻译）

News Spotlight¹ (1)

新闻聚光灯

The Moscow Hostage Crisis

October 24

On to Russia now where a group of heavily-armed Chechen rebels is holding up to 700 theatre-goers hostage in a daring overnight raid in the Russian Capital. The ¹⁾militants are threatening to ²⁾blow up the theatre building unless Russian Troops pull out of Chechnya. 

The hostage-takers have been holding talks with Russian authorities as part of efforts to end the ³⁾standoff. And in a show of good faith, the gunmen released at least five captives a short while ago.

The scenes outside the theatre in Moscow resembled a warzone with hundreds of heavily-armed special forces backed by ⁴⁾armored personnel carriers surrounding the building. All special forces have been put on ⁵⁾heightened alert after about 40 Chechen separatist rebels stormed a theatre overnight as between 400 and 700 theatre-goers, including westerners, were watching a musical. The heavily-armed, masked gunmen started firings shots into the air and shouting, "Stop the war in Chchnya!" The rebels, said to have explosives ⁶⁾strapped to their belts, are threatening to shoot the hostages and blow up the building if special forces storm the premises⁴.

But, Russian authorities ⁷⁾play down speculation⁵ that security forces will try to take the building by storm. One hostage, reached on her mobile phone inside the theatre, said the rebels had fastened explosives in passageways, on seats and even to the panicked hostages themselves. Her words were reinforced by the crack of automatic gunfire, which rang out on at least four separate occasions.

The rebels, who are describing themselves as a suicide death squad⁶, are refusing to end the siege until Russian authorities pull their troops out of their troubled Muslim homeland and declare a ceasefire ending three years of conflict. The group freed up to 20 children immediately, and ⁸⁾batches of hungry and thirsty hostages were released at regular ⁹⁾intervals. This spectacular attack forced Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to call off a trip to Germany and Portugal and summon his cabinet to emergency talks in the ¹⁰⁾Kremlin. 

October 27

The Russian Government is under pressure to reveal the type of gas it used to end the hostage crisis in a Moscow theatre yesterday. There is mounting suspicion that the mystery gas may have killed some or many of the victims. The death toll⁹ has now risen to more than one hundred and sixty including 118 hostages and dozens of Chechen rebels. 

Russia is counting the cost of the bloody¹⁰ end to a three-day hostage crisis at a Moscow Theatre. President Vladimir Putin has been visiting the survivors¹¹ of the terrifying ordeal¹² in hospital. He apologized to the victim's relatives in a ¹¹⁾televised address for not being able to save the lives of all the captives. But Putin said the ending of the hostage-taking proved Russia cannot be brought to its knees by terrorists.

Gas was released into the theatre as Russian special forces stormed the building early yesterday. The Russian Interior Minister defended the use of the knockout gas, saying many more people would have been killed if the Chechen rebels had detonated their explosives. Many of the hostages had to be brought out unconscious. The rebels had been threatening to blow up the theatre unless Russian troops withdrew from their Muslim homeland. The majority of the Chechen rebels, including their leader, Mobsav Baryev, were shot during the raid, several with bullets to their head, apparently¹³ as they lay sleeping from the gas. Three of the gunmen who fled the theatre and about thirty of their ¹²⁾accomplices were arrested in the Moscow area.

Officials have maintained a virtual silence on the exact number of victims. The Health Ministry¹⁵ said nine of the hostages died because of heart problems, shock, or lack of medicine. But it was not known how the others died. Speculation is mounting that some of them were killed as a result of their exposure to the gas which Russian officials are refusing to identify. And relatives and friends of the victims have been barred from entering the hospitals to visit their loved ones who are recovering from the ill effects of the

gas.

News 1 政治

United Nations Security Council is ¹³⁾deadlocked on whether to accept a tough new US resolution authorizing¹⁷ the use of force against Iraq. Washington is facing stiff opposition¹⁸ from China, Russia and France.

After two days of intense discussions, there was still no sign that the UN Security Council was any closer to reaching an agreement on Washington's tough, new resolution on Iraq. China, Russia and France want to give Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, a chance to disarm¹⁹ first, only authorizing the use of force in a second resolution if Bagdad fails to comply with weapons inspections²⁰. But the US is pushing for a single resolution that would allow force to be used against Bagdad. 

John Negroponte (U.S Ambassador to U.N.): We've put on the table the text of a resolution which we believe, if Iraq were to cooperate, could achieve this purpose and we're now engaged in a very intense dialogue with the other permanent members of the Security Council to see if we can forge some kind of consensus²¹ on this.

US President, George Bush, has been hinting that his patience is wearing thin and the UN had better hurry up.

George Bush: For the sake of having an international body which is effective, the United Nations must make the resolve, must be resolved to deal with this person. Must resolve itself to be something more than the League of Nations. Must resolve itself to be more than just a debating society.

Chief UN Weapons inspector²², Hans Blix, who met Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in Moscow, said he was positive that agreement would be reached. But Ivanov said Washington's draft resolution did not fulfill²³ the requirements the Russians are calling for.

News 2 体育

The Chinese Basketball sensation, Yao Ming, has arrived in the US to begin his NBA career. That story tops tonight's Sports Wrap.

Yao Ming finally touched down in Houston, Texas where he will join the Rockets for the coming NBA season. Yao, who was the first pick in the draft, signed a four-year deal with the Rockets worth 17.8 million US dollars. He's expected to begin practicing with his new teammates this week. 

News 3 体育

Well, in soccer, Arsenal²⁴ will have to wait at least a week before ¹⁴⁾clinching a second-round ¹⁵⁾berth²⁶ in the European Champions League. Arsenal suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat to Auxerre, France, but the Londoners still top group A. And Liverpool scored an impressive 3-1 win at Spartak, Moscow, and are three points behind group leaders, Valencia. 

莫斯科人质事件

十月二十四日

在俄罗斯，一群全副武装的车臣叛匪连夜突袭了俄罗斯剧院，劫持了剧院里的700人。叛匪威胁将炸毁剧院，除非俄罗斯把军队从车臣撤回。

劫匪正在与俄罗斯当局进行谈判，这个谈判是政府试图结束僵局而作出努力的一部分。为了表达对谈判的诚意，劫匪不久前释放了至少5名人质。

莫斯科剧院外的现场宛如战场，装甲车载着大量的全副武装的特种部队包围了整个剧院。自从40名车臣分裂分子连夜突袭了一个包括西方人在内的有400-700人正在观看音乐会的剧院，所有特种部队提高了警戒状态。全副武装、脸戴面具的持枪劫匪开始朝天鸣枪并且高喊：“停止在车臣的战争。”叛匪声称他们身上绑上了爆炸物品，并威胁如果遭到特种部队的进攻，将射杀人质和炸毁大楼。

但俄罗斯当局无视威胁，决定安全武装部队将通过武力接管这幢大楼。剧院中的一个人质通过手提电话说叛匪已在出入口、座位甚至在人质身上都安装了炸药。她的电话声中可以听到至少来自四个不同地方的自动步枪的枪声。

叛匪自称是敢死队，拒绝结束绑架，直到俄当局将其部队从他们的穆斯林家园撤出，并保证结束持续了三年的冲突。绑匪立即释放了20名儿童，成批饥渴的人质被定期释放。这一事件迫使俄罗斯总统弗拉迪米尔·普京取消了德国和葡萄牙之行，而在克里姆林宫紧急召集内阁商讨对策。

十月二十七日

俄罗斯政府迫于压力，解释了昨天在莫斯科剧院解决人质危机中使用的气体的类型。人们怀疑神秘气体致许多受害人死亡。死亡人数已上升到160人，其中包括118名人质和几十名车臣叛匪。

俄罗斯正计算以流血方式结束莫斯科剧院三天人质危机的代价。总统普京已前往医院探视在严酷恐吓下的幸存者。他发表电视讲话，对因未能拯救出所有人质而向受害者亲属表示歉意。但普京说，解决人质危机证明了俄罗斯不会屈服于恐怖分子。昨天早上，俄罗斯特种部队攻击大楼时向剧院释放了一种气体。

俄内政部长反驳使用了神经毒气，称如果车臣叛匪引爆大楼，将有更多的人被炸死。许多人质被救出时已不省人事。叛匪威胁要炸掉剧院除非俄罗斯军队从他们的穆斯林家园撤回。大多数车臣叛匪包括首领马斯哈多夫，在行动中被击毙。有些被击中头部，很明显是由于气体使其昏迷倒地时被击中。三个从剧院逃出来的持枪绑匪和约30个同谋在莫斯科地区被逮捕。

在受害者的具体数目上，官方一直保持沉默。卫生部长说，9名人质因心脏病问题受惊吓或缺乏药物而死，但其他人死因未明。人们猜想他们接触到行动中俄罗斯官方拒绝证实的气体而死。受害者亲属和朋友被禁止进入医院探视他们因受气体致害正在恢复健康中的亲人。

1 政治

联合国安理会在关于是否接受美国新的关于对伊拉克动武的强硬决议时陷入僵局。华盛顿遭到来自中国、俄罗斯和法国的强烈反对。

经过两天的激烈讨论，没有迹象表明联合国安理会在关于华盛顿新的关于对伊拉克动武的强硬决议上达成一致。中国、俄罗斯和法国希望首先给伊拉克领导萨达姆·侯赛因一个解除武装的机会。只有巴格达没能达到武器核查小组的要求时，通过第二轮决议才能授权使用武力。但是美国力图在第一次决议就通过关于对巴格达使用武力的决议。

约翰·尼格本特（美国驻联合国大使）：我们已经提上日程，关于这个决议的内容我们相信，如果伊拉克准备合作的话，就会达到这个目的。我们正在与安理会其他常任理事国成员进行非常激烈的对话，以便在这点上达成一致。

美国总统乔治·布什曾暗示他已快失去耐心，希望联合国能够加快步伐。

乔治·布什：看在拥有一个具有效率的国际性组织的面上，联合国必须作出决定，必须下定决心去对付那个人。必须使自己成为一个比仅仅是许多国家的简单联盟更有意义的组织，必须使自己成为一个比争论场所更有效的地方。

联合国首席武器核查员，汉斯·布里克斯与俄罗斯外交部长伊格·伊万诺夫在莫斯科会晤，他表示他对达成一致持乐观态度。但是伊万诺夫认为华盛顿的决议草案并未满足俄罗斯的要求。

2 体育

中国篮球明星姚明已经抵达美国开始他的职业篮球生涯。这则新闻成为今晚体育综合报导的头条新闻。

姚明终于在德克萨斯州的休斯顿落定，在那他将参加火箭队为即将到来的NBA联赛做准备工作。姚明计划作为第一投球手与火箭队签了价值1780美元、为期四年的服役合同。他将于本周与他的新队友们一起开始练习。

3 体育

足球方面，阿森纳队将要起码等上一周才能锁定是否有资格参加第二轮的欧洲冠军联赛。阿森纳队意外地以二比一输给了法国欧塞尔队，但这支来自伦敦的球队还是稳居A组冠军。 利物浦队以三比一战胜了俄罗斯的莫斯科斯巴达队，给人留下深刻印象，落后小组第一名瓦伦西亚队三分。

注释:

1) militant² [5militEnt] n. 富有战斗精神的人，斗士

2) blow up 使爆炸，炸毁

3) standoff [`stAndCf, -R:f] n.（比赛）打成平手，不分胜负

4) armored [5B:mEd] a. 装甲的

5) heighten [5haitn] v. 增加，提高；使显著

6) strap³ [strAp] v. 用带捆扎，用带束住

7) play down 减弱，缩小

8) batch⁷ [bAtF] n. 一批，一组

9) interval⁸ [5intEvEl] n. 间歇，间隙

10) Kremlin [5kremlIn] n. 克里姆林宫（莫斯科城堡，城墙内有苏联最高政府机关）

11) televise [5telivaiz] v. 电视播送，电视接收

12) accomplice¹⁴ [E5kCmplis] n. 同谋，帮凶

13) deadlock¹⁶ [5dedlCk] v. 使陷入僵局，陷入僵持

14) clinch²⁵ [klintF] v. 使得到最后解决，确定

15) berth [bE:W] n. 职位，地位