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| Words in the News
Wednesday 24 July 2002
Vocabulary from the news. Listen to and read the report then find explanations of difficult words below.
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President Mugabe criticises Western countries
Summary: Speaking at the state opening of the Zimbabwean parliament, President Robert Mugabe again attacked Britain and praised his government's widely criticised policy of seizing white-owned farm land. This report from Rageh Omaar:
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| | The News | |
| | | In his speech, President Mugabe again lambasted Western countries, specifically Britain, which he accused of bullying tactics in constantly attacking his government. He was speaking to the new session of the Zimbabwean parliament, the day after the European Union had decided to extend a series of targeted sanctions to more members and associates of his government, including a travel ban on his wife Grace. However, he did not make any detailed mention of this in his speech.
Also missing were comments on widespread international criticism of his government's policy towards independent journalists, and attempts to begin a dialogue with the opposition. In fact, members of parliament from the Movement for Democratic Change refused to attend his speech, saying that in the wake of the disputed presidential election in March this year in which President Mugabe was declared the winner, they did not regard him as the legitimate president.
Rageh Omaar, BBC Correspondent, South Africa
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| | The Words
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| | | lambasted
criticised very strongly
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| | | bullying tactics
the strong threatening the weak
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| | | targeted sanctions
punishments that are very specific to people or places
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| | | a travel ban
stopping someone from travelling
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| | | detailed mention
if you make a detailed mention of something, then you talk clearly and in depth about it
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| | | widespread international criticism
negative opinion from many foreign countries
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| | | a dialogue with the opposition
talking with politicians from other political parties
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| | | in the wake of
following, after
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| | | disputed
if an election result is disputed, then there is disagreement as to whether the result is valid
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| | | legitimate
legal, acceptable in law
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