From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.
这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。
The United States military bombed Islamic State militants in northern Iraq on Friday. A Defense Department official said U.S. airplanes dropped laser-guided bombs on militant artillery positions near the city of Irbil. The Islamists reportedly had used the artillery against Iraqi Kurdish forces defending the city.
美国军方周五轰炸了伊拉克北部的伊斯兰国武装分子。国防部一位官员表示，美国飞机对埃尔比勒市附近武装分子的炮兵阵地空投了激光制导导弹。据说这些伊斯兰教徒曾经使用这些火炮对抗伊拉克库尔德武装以保护该城市。
On Thursday, President Barack Obama ordered the U.S. military to carry out "targeted airstrikes" against the militants. The Islamic State was formerly known as ISIL -- the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant.
美国总统奥巴马在周四下令美军针对伊斯兰国武装分子开展有针对性的空袭。伊斯兰国的前身是ISIL，即伊拉克与黎凡特伊斯兰教国。51VOA注：此处应该是the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant。
The president said the military operation is part of a combined effort to support Kurdish forces in the north. Another goal, he said, is to provide humanitarian aid to Iraqi civilians threatened by militant action.
奥巴马表示，这次军事行动是支持北部库尔德武装联合行动的一部分。他说，行动的另一个目标是向受到武装行动威胁的伊拉克平民提供人道主义援助。
"Today I authorized two operations in Iraq: targeted air strikes to protect our American personnel, and a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and facing almost certain death."
奥巴马说：“今天我授权在伊拉克采取两项行动 – 为保护美国有关人员发起有针对性的空袭，同时开展人道主义努力，为数千名困在深山的伊拉克平民提供救援，他们没有食物和饮水，几乎只有死路一条。”
Humanitarian Crisis
人道主义危机
Mr. Obama spoke hours after U.S. aircraft dropped humanitarian aid on Iraq's Mount Sinjar. Thousands of displaced Iraqis have been living there for days without food, water or shelter. They fled up the mountain to escape from the Islamic State militants.
美国飞机在伊拉克的辛贾尔山空投人道主义援助数小时后奥巴马发表了讲话。成千上万名流离失所的伊拉克人在那里一直生活了好些天，他们缺水少粮，无处可住。他们逃到山上以躲避伊斯兰国武装分子。
The refugees are mainly Christians or members of the Yazidi religious group. The militants are Sunni Muslims. They have threatened to kill non-Muslims if they reject Islam's teachings. They are also carrying out attacks on Muslims who are not Sunnis.
这些难民主要是基督教徒和雅兹迪教派的成员。而武装分子是逊尼派穆斯林。武装分子威胁如果非穆斯林拒绝伊斯兰教义就要杀死他们。他们还对非逊尼派的穆斯林展开了攻击。
President Obama says the United States should act if it has the ability to avoid a humanitarian crisis.
奥巴马总统说，美国如果有能力避免人道主义危机，就应该采取行动。
"We can act carefully and responsibly to prevent a potential act of genocide. That's what we're doing on that mountain. I've therefore authorized targeted air strikes if necessary to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege of Mount Sinjar and protect the civilians trapped there."
奥巴马说，“我们可以采取谨慎和负责任的行动，防止可能发生的种族灭绝行为。这就是我们正在这座大山上采取的行动。为此，我授权在需要的情况下发起有针对性的空袭，帮助伊拉克部队突破辛贾尔山（Mount Sinjar）的围困局面，保护困在那里的平民百姓。”
The president ordered air strikes against ISIL vehicles if they moved toward Irbil. He also approved strikes anywhere else in Iraq where the militants threaten American personnel and property.
奥巴马总统下令空袭ISIL前往埃尔比勒市的车辆。他还批准对伊拉克任何有武装分子威胁美国个人和财产的地点进行打击。
On Friday, Britain expressed support for Mr. Obama's approval of air strikes. Defense Secretary Michael Fallon announced that his country would take part in the effort to aid Iraqi refugees.
周五，英国对奥巴马批准空袭表达了支持。英国国防大臣迈克尔·法伦（Michael Fallon）宣布，英国将参与对伊拉克难民的援助行动。
The air strikes this week represent the biggest use of American military force in Iraq since U.S. troops withdrew from the country in 2011. The Iraq War lasted more than eight years.
本周的空袭是自2011年美军撤离伊拉克以来美国军事力量在伊拉克最大的一次行动。伊拉克战争持续了八年多时间。
President Obama said on Thursday that he would not send ground troops back to Iraq. His administration has faced public pressure to avoid new involvement in foreign conflicts.
奥巴马总统周四表示，他不会派地面部队重回伊拉克。奥巴马政府面临着避免卷入新的国外冲突的舆论压力。
Militants Push Toward Kurdish Areas
武装分子向库尔德地区推进
In recent days, Islamic State forces and other militants have made gains against Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. The United States has a diplomatic office and military advisors in Irbil. The militants defeated the Kurdish forces in several towns. The group also says it has taken control of a major dam on the Tigris River. This would give militants control of power and water that supplies Baghdad.
近日，伊斯兰国部队和其它武装分子在伊拉克北部对库尔德武装取得了重大成果。美国在埃尔比勒市设有一个外交办公室和军事顾问团。武装分子击败了数个城镇的库尔德武装。该组织还表示已经控制了底格里斯河上的一处重要水坝。这将使武装分子能够控制供应巴格达的电力和水。
Iraq Continues to Suffer from Political Problems
伊拉克继续受到政治问题影响
Iraq's ability to answer the militant offensive has been slowed by a political leadership dispute. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has faced repeated calls to leave office. His group won the most seats in a national election earlier this year, but efforts to form a new government have failed.
伊拉克应对武装分子进攻的能力一直受到领导层政治争议的延缓。总理马利基一再面临辞职的呼声。他的派别今年在全国大选中赢得了多数席位，但组建新政府的努力未能成功。
And that's In The News from VOA Learning English.
以上就是本期美国之音慢速英语新闻报道的全部内容。
I'm Christopher Cruise.
我是克里斯托弗·克鲁斯（Christopher Cruise）。(51VOA.COM对本文翻译保留全部权利，未经授权请勿转载，违者必究！)