NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-03-24

 A European Central Bank official says international financial markets have not seen much impact from the ongoing¹ crisis between Ukraine and Russia. But as Teri Schultz reports from Brussels, European Union governments are concerned that economic sanctions being threatened against Moscow could change that.

 

European Central Bank council member Erkki Liikanen says so far only Ukraine and Russia are suffering financially from the conflict, sparing European markets for the time being. But Liikanen says the ECB is discussing potential negative consequences for Europe, noting it would be important for member states to share the financial cost if tougher sanctions are enacted² due to further incursions into Ukraine. Economist³ Megan Greene of Maverick⁴ Intelligence says European losses would be twofold—both from business being restricted and from Russian President Vladimir Putin's expected retaliation⁵ especially in the energy market.

 

“They will probably jack⁶ prices or cut supply, and that will hurt Europe significantly.”

 

But analysts⁷ say the risks are also forcing the EU to finally get serious about diversifying⁸ its energy supply. For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz in Brussels.  

 

A mass trial of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s supporters got underway in a court south of Cairo today. From the Egyptian capital, Merrit Kennedy reports 547 people are facing charges.

 

It's the largest trial since Morsi was overthrown⁹ by the military last summer. After police caught hundreds of Morsi's Islam supporters in August, Egypt’s on a wave of attacks against security personnel and churches. The defendants¹⁰ in this trail are facing charges related to their violence, including murder, incitement¹¹ and damaging property. The government has arrested thousands of Morsi supporters and branded his organization, the Muslim Brotherhood¹², a terrorist group, although so far they've presented no evidence to link the group to the attacks. The brotherhood has repeatedly denied involvement in violence and says it is a peaceful movement. For NPR News, I'm Merrit Kennedy in Cairo.   

 

The search for the missing Malaysian Airlines jet has resumed in the southern Indian Ocean. Rescue teams from several nations have been scouring¹³ the area for days but haven't yet recovered anything. But Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says there are promising¹⁴ signs that crews are closer to finding out what happened.

 

“New China satellite imagery does seem to suggest at least one large object down there consistent with the object that earlier satellite imagery discovered.”

 

Two hundred and thirty-nine passengers and crew were on board the plane that was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. It's been missing for more than two weeks.

 

Master Card is investigating reports of a potential credit card breach¹⁵ at the California Department of Motor Vehicles. A Master Card spokesman says the company has sent out alerts to member banks. He says the breach is not with his company's systems. The DMV says law enforcement alerted it to a potential security breach.  

 

This is NPR News.   

 

The Washington Post and Boston Globe are reporting that the FBI agent involved in the fatal shooting of a Chechen man in Orlando has been cleared of any wrongdoing. But as Carmel Delshad of member station WNFE reports, State Attorney Jeff Ashton's office says those reports are premature¹⁷.

 

In a statement, State Attorney Jeff Ashton's office called the release of information inaccurate¹⁸ and unfair to the family of 27-year-old Ibragim Todashev and the officers involved in the incident. Todashev was fatally shot during an interrogation of the FBI agents regarding his friendship with Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Baylor Johnson of ACLU Florida says the news comes as no surprise to the organization.

 

“When you have law enforcement agencies investigating themselves, outcomes like this are all too predictable.”

 

Ashton's office says he will review additional documents and issue a final decision by Monday. For NPR News, I'm Carmel Delshad in Orlando. 

 

President Obama is urging Congress to boost economic opportunities for women. He's calling on lawmakers to address the lack of pay equity¹⁹ in the workplace and to raise the minimum wage.

 

“On average, a woman still earns just 77 cents for every dollar a man does. And too many women face outdated²⁰ workplace policies that hold them back.”

 

Speaking in his weekly address today, the president said that the economy has not caught up with the fact that women now make up almost half of the workforce²¹.

 

In China today, First Lady Michelle Obama told students that freedom of speech and free access to information make country stronger and should be universal rights. Obama spoke¹⁶ to students at Peking University in Beijing.

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

3 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

4 maverick   

adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者

参考例句：

• He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
• You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。

5 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

7 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

8 diversifying   

v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的现在分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• Some publishers are now diversifying into software. 有些出版社目前正兼营软件。 来自辞典例句
• Silverlit is diversifying into new markets, such as Russia and Eastern Europe. Silverlit正在使他们的市场变得多样化，开发新的市场如俄罗斯和东欧国家。 来自互联网

9 overthrown   

adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词

参考例句：

• The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

10 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

11 incitement   

激励； 刺激； 煽动； 激励物

参考例句：

• incitement to racial hatred 种族仇恨的挑起
• Interest is an incitement to study. 兴趣刺激学习。

12 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

13 scouring   

擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤

参考例句：

• The police are scouring the countryside for the escaped prisoners. 警察正在搜索整个乡村以捉拿逃犯。
• This is called the scouring train in wool processing. 这被称为羊毛加工中的洗涤系列。

14 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

15 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

16 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

17 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

18 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

19 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

20 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

21 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。