NPR 2008-03-31

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Craig Windham.

 

Iraq's government is applauding the call by militant¹ Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr for his militia² to stop its attacks on Iraqi forces after nearly a week of escalating³ fighting in Basra and parts of Baghdad. But there have been more clashes since that move was announced. As NPR's Dina Temple-Raston reports from Baghdad.

 

In his statement, Sadr called on his Mehdi Army to stop fighting and said anyone who defies the order to lay down their weapons will no longer be considered a member of the Mehdi Army militia. It's unclear why Sadr issued the statement now, or whether this is just the early stirrings of some face-saving measures so both his Shiite militia and the government of Iraq can walk away from six days of fighting without losing ground. A top Sadr leader told NPR that Sadr will support the Iraqi government, if it detains or kills those who disobey the call to stop fighting. In his statement, Sadr said he wanted the government to stop attacking his supporters and give Sadrs a general amnesty. It is not clear whether this is a quid pro⁴ quo to end the fighting, or just a request. Diana Temple-Raston, NPR news, Baghdad.

 

Israel says it will ease some restrictions⁵ on Palestinians in the West Bank including the removal of about 50 roadblocks there. Mark Regev is a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

"Israel is committed to taking tangible⁶ steps to enable greater movement and access for Palestinians. Of course this goal must be balanced with the equally important goal of protecting our people."

 

The Israeli move came in response to calls by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who urged both sides to take steps to bolster⁷ the peace process. Palestinian officials have pledged to step up efforts to halt attacks against Israelis.

 

In the latest phase of the complicated process used by Democrats⁸ in Texas to choose convention delegates, county and senate district caucuses⁹ were held and Barack Obama appears to be cruising to victory over Hillary Clinton. NPR's Wade¹⁰ Goodwyn reports.

 

"Obama won big in Houston, Dallas and Austin, while Clinton had her largest margins¹² in El Paso, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley. If Obama's margin¹¹ holds up in the high 50s or low 60s as expected, Obama will end up carrying Texas by 3-5 delegates. The conventions across the state saw huge Democratic turnouts, chaos¹³ and even threats of legal action mostly by Clinton's supporters. Clinton won the primary vote last month by 3 percentage points, but the two-step process called the "Texas Two-Step" ultimately favored Obama's impassioned supporters and organizational strength. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News."

 

Tensions are running high in Zimbabwe where riot police have been deployed¹⁴ and no official results have been released from yesterday's presidential election. Opposition¹⁵ leaders say their candidate has defeated long-time incumbent¹⁶ Robert Mugabe by a landslide¹⁷. But there's concern now that Mugabe may be trying to tamper¹⁸ with the results. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today called Mugabe a disgrace to the people of Zimbabwe.

 

This is NPR News from Washington.

 

CIA Director Michael Hayden says the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan presents, what he calls, a clear and present danger to the west. Hayden warned that Al-Qaeda is entrenched¹⁹ there and has set up training programs for terrorists.

 

"They are bringing operatives into that region for training, operatives that, a phrase I would use, Tim, wouldn't attract your attention if they were going through the customs line at Dulles (airport outside Washington) with you when you are coming back from overseas."

 

Hayden was interviewed on NBC’s Meet the Press.

 

In the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the final spot in the final four is up for grabs and Kansas leads upstart Davidson 59 to 53 with one minute remaining. Earlier, Memphis routed Texas 85 to 67.

 

I’m Craig Windham. NPR News, in Washington.

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

3 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

4 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

5 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

6 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。

7 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

8 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》

9 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

10 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

11 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

12 margins   

边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数

参考例句：

• They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
• To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙，加左或者右的margins来定义链接。

13 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

14 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

15 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。

16 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

17 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

18 tamper   

v.干预，玩弄，贿赂，窜改，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• Do not tamper with other's business.不要干预别人的事。
• They had strict orders not to tamper with the customs of the minorities.他们得到命令严禁干涉少数民族的风俗习惯。

19 entrenched   

adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯)

参考例句：

• Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
• If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。