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| Words in the News
Wednesday 20 November 2002
Vocabulary from the news. Listen to and read the report then find explanations of difficult words below.
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UN launches global appeal
Summary: The United Nations has opened its annual global appeal. It is calling for three billion dollars in aid next year to help some fifty million people. Most of the countries in the greatest need are on the continent of Africa, where the impact of poverty and conflict has been aggravated by the world's highest infection rates of AIDS. This report from David Bamford:
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| | The News | |
| | | Every year brings humanitarian crises in the world, but while some attract a spontaneous outpouring of global aid -- currently Afghanistan is in vogue, and before that former Yugoslavia -- other equally or more serious situations can be all but ignored. This annual process sponsored by the UN and known as the consolidated inter-agency appeal, is an attempt to steer global funding where it is most needed. Last year's appeal for 2 and and half billion dollars has had to be bumped up to over 4 billion dollars because of Afghanistan and the unanticipated famines in southern and northeast Africa.
For 2003, the UN's opening bid is for a further three billion dollars. As with last year, priority is being given to African states -- Angola, the Great Lakes countries; Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan; West and southern Africa. Several Asian states are also being targeted -- Afghanistan, Tajikistan, North Korea and Indonesia. Elsewhere, the Palestinian territories and Chechnya are on the list of priorities. The UN, in launching this appeal simultaneously in eight world capitals, says it is the most efficient means to ensure that funding is distributed based on need rather than on the level of media attention.
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| | The Words
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| | | humanitarian crises
serious or dangerous situations threatening people’s lives
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| | | spontaneous
unplanned
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| | | global aid money,
equipment or services given to needy people worldwide
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| | | to steer
to move in a particular direction, to control
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| | | bumped up to
increased to
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| | | unanticipated
unexpected
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| | | opening bid
first attempt (to obtain something)
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| | | targeted
focused in on
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| | | priorities
most important areas
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| | | launching
if you launch something you begin it officially
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