NPR 2009-11-19

From NPR News in Washington, I’m Korva Coleman.

 

Attorney General Eric Holder¹ says the trials of five accused terrorists in connection with the 911 attacks can not fail. Holder testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee today. He expressed confidence the suspects would be convicted. Critics have called for the accused terrorists to be tried in military courts. Holder disagreed.

 

“I asked a lot of questions and I weighed every alternative, and at the end of the day it was clear to me that the venue² in which we are most likely to obtain justice for the American people is in Federal Court.”

 

But Republican Senator John Kyl of Arizona questioned that reasoning, saying one of the suspects Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has already tried to plead guilty before a military commission.

 

President Obama is near in the end of an 8-day visit to Asia. He’s in South Korea today. There he will meet with the president and rally with US military troops. NPR’s Scott Horsley reports.

 

President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will have plenty to talk about. Concern over North Korea’s nuclear program is high on the agenda of course. The two leaders will also discuss international trade. The US and South Korea negotiated a free trade agreement more than two years ago. But it’s been languishing³ without ratification⁴. Jeffrey Bader, with the National Security Council, said that doesn’t mean the administration is giving up.

 

"We remain committed to the US-Korea free trade agreement. Our respective trade officials are working to narrow outstanding differences.”

 

South Korea is already in free trade agreements with India and the European Union. Critics say unless the US ratifies its own deal, would be American…

1 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

2 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

3 languishing   

a. 衰弱下去的

参考例句：

• He is languishing for home. 他苦思家乡。
• How long will she go on languishing for her red-haired boy? 为想见到她的红头发的儿子，她还将为此烦恼多久呢？

4 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。