The British prime minister hopes to agree the outline of a new United Nations resolution at talks he's having at the White House today. This report from Nick Robinson:

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What it does reflect is his growing sense and fear that a heavy price is being paid, both at home and abroad, for the perception that Britain and America have given Israel the green light to continue her assault on Lebanon, whatever the human cost.

Tony Blair hopes to convince President Bush to back a UN resolution next week, mandating a new international stabilisation force in Lebanon and calling for the disarming of militias there and the facilitation of the exchange of prisoners held by Hezbollah and the Israelis. This, the prime minister believes, might eventually convince both sides to back down.

Nick Robinson, BBC, on the plane to the US

Listen to the words

determined
resolute, strong-minded

to inject urgency
to bring the sense of utmost importance

to bring a halt
to stop

convinced
certain, sure

ceasefire
a period of truce, a suspension of hostilities, when both sides in a war agree to stop fighting for a period of time

have given Israel the green light to
have allowed Israel to

assault
a violent attack

whatever the human cost
no matter how many people are killed

to back
to support

to back down
here, to stop fighting

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