With a deadline for resolving the United States debt crisis just three days away, there's intense debate in the Senate over a Democrat-backed plan to raise the nation's borrowing limit. The Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the proposal was, in his words, "the only game in town", and there will be a vote by midnight. From Washington, Paul Adams.

距离解决美国债务危机的最后期限仅有三天时间，但是参议院针对民主党支持的提高借款限额的计划展开了激烈的辩论。参议院多数党领袖里德称，用他的话说，唯一的办法就是在午夜之前针对该计划进行表决。来自华盛顿，Paul Adams报道。

An acrimonious standoff continues between the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Democratic-controlled Senate with competing bills being passed or blocked. The room for compromise on raising the debt ceiling and cutting government spending clearly exists, but it'll require some deft congressional diplomacy and almost certainly the involvement of the White House to make sure it happens. But Washington is bracing itself for the possibility that it won't. The Treasury has been drawing up its emergency plans, working out what bills to stop paying and when. The fact that American soldiers in Afghanistan have started to ask their leaders whether they'll continue to be paid, which they will, is perhaps a measure of just how the sense of anxiety is spreading.

在通过还是阻止法案的问题上,共和党控制的众议院和民主党控制的参议院之间仍然僵持不下。针对提高债务上限并削减政府支出达成协议的空间显然是存在的，但是这需要国会灵活的外交手段，而且肯定要求白宫的参与来确保这一点的实现。但是华盛顿则一直担心双方不能达成协议的可能性。财政部已经起草了紧急计划，规划出何时停止支付哪些账单。美国驻阿富汗士兵已经开始询问上级，他们何时可以领到军饷，这或许能够反映出事态的严重程度。

A top American adviser on Iraq has accused the US military of glossing over an upsurge in violence just months before its troops are due to be withdrawn. The US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, Stuart W Bowen Jr, said the killing of US soldiers and senior Iraqi figures as well as attacks in Baghdad had all risen, making Iraq more dangerous than it was a year ago. A BBC correspondent in the region says the report is in contrast to the usually upbeat assessments from the military.

美国伊拉克问题的一名高级顾问指控美国军方在预定的撤退日期几个月之前粉饰暴力的卷土重来。伊拉克战后重建美国特别监察长Stuart W Bowen Jr称，美国士兵和伊拉克高级人物遇难的人数以及巴格达遭遇袭击的次数均出现上升，导致伊拉克的形势比一年前更加危险。一名BBC驻该地区的记者称，该报告与军方一贯乐观的评估截然相反。

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced his country will go ahead with a plan to buy 36 F-16 fighter jets from the United States. Sebastian Usher reports.

与此同时，伊拉克总理马利基宣布他的国家将继续执行从美国购入36架F16战斗机的计划。Sebastian Usher报道。

Iraq has blown hot and cold over a possible multibillion-dollar deal to buy F-16s from the US. The aim ostensibly is to protect Iraqi airspace and revive its enfeebled air force. Iraq put the original deal on hold in order to use the funds to buy basic food stuffs instead, but Iraq's coffers have apparently been boosted by soaring oil prices since then. With US troops due to withdraw shortly, Mr Maliki has now revived the F-16 deal as part of Iraq's efforts to show it's moving towards military self-sufficiency.

伊拉克在从美国购入价值数十亿美元的F16战斗机的计划方面摇摆不定。此举的目的表面上是为了保护伊拉克领空，重振衰弱的空军。此前，为了使用这笔资金来购买基本的食品物资，伊拉克暂时搁置了原本的采购计划，但是自那时起，由于不断上涨的油价，伊拉克的资金肯定又充足起来。不久后美国军队即将撤退，马利基现在又恢复了购买F16战斗机的计划，作为展示伊拉克军队已经有军事能力保护自己的安全。

Afghan intelligence officials say they've arrested an army officer who's suspected of working for the Taliban. He's accused of helping plan future suicide bombings in Kabul. Here's Jill McGivering.

阿富汗情报官员称，他们已经逮捕了一名涉嫌为塔利班分子工作的军官。他被指控帮助计划未来在喀布尔实施自杀式爆炸袭击。Jill McGivering报道。

Afghan intelligence sources named the army officer as Gul Mohammed but didn't reveal his rank. They say he was in contact with Taliban commanders, making arrangements for them to bring fighters into Kabul and to plan future attacks, including suicide bombings, on government targets there. One report suggests he was in charge of several road checkpoints around the capital, which were a key part of security defences. Officials say he was promised money by the Taliban in return for his help.

阿富汗情报来源称这名军官名叫Gul Mohammed，但是没有透露他的级别。他们说，他与塔利班指挥官联系，为他们将塔利班战士带到喀布尔做出安排，并为他们计划未来对政府发动袭击的目标，包括自杀式爆炸袭击。一份报道表明，他负责首都周围几个道路检查点的安全，这是安全防御的关键部分。官员们称，塔利班分子承诺给他金钱，换取他的帮助。

World News from the BBC

The Turkish President Abdullah Gul has denied that there's any crisis in the country following the resignation of its four most senior commanders on Friday. He said one had considered resigning for a while and the other generals retired on the basis of age. There were reports that they'd stood down in protest at the trial of military officers.

土耳其四名最高级军方指挥官于周五集体辞职，土耳其总统阿卜杜拉•居尔 (Abdullah Gul)否认国家面临任何危机。他说，其中一人考虑辞职已经很长时间，另外三人由于年事已高而退休。有报道称这四位指挥官辞职是为了抗议对军官的审判。

A United Nations report says there's increased instability and substance abuse in East Africa as a result of drug trafficking. It says the region is now a major transit route. With the details, here's Nkem Ifejika.

联合国的一份报告称，由于贩卖毒品，东非地日趋不稳，滥用毒品现象越来越普遍。该报告称，该地区已经成为贩毒分子主要的中转路线。Nkem Ifejika报道详细内容。

The United Nations says it's concerned that East Africa be in use as a drugs trafficking route because the region doesn't have the resources to fight trafficking or addiction. As detection and enforcement have improved in West Africa, gangs there have changed tactics and are now going via the east to transport drugs, such as heroin, from Afghanistan to Europe. The UN report says this is most likely because of corruption, poverty and limited law enforcement capacity in the region.

联合国称，他们担心东非地区成为贩毒路线，因为该地区没有打击贩毒活动或吸毒行为的资源。在西非地区, 由于侦查和执法力度加强，贩毒团伙改变了策略，取道东非来运输海洛因等毒品，从阿富汗运输到欧洲。联合国这份报告称，由于该地区的腐败，贫困和执法能力有限，这是最有可能的。

***本段省略***

The qualifying draw for the 2014 football World Cup in Brazil is underway at a star-studded ceremony in Rio de Janeiro. It's the start of a battle to be among the 32 teams who will contest the final stages of the tournament. The 2010 winners Spain have been drawn in a group that includes France. Opening the event, the Fifa president Sepp Blatter said he was confident that Brazil would host a successful World Cup.

在星光熠熠的仪式上，2014年巴西世界杯预选赛分组抽签活动正在里约热内卢举行。随后，32支球队之间将进行角逐。2010年的世界杯冠军西班牙队与法国队同组。国际足联主席布莱特称，他有信心，巴西能够成功地举办一届世界杯。

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