NPR 2009-4-20

President Obama is scheduled to arrive back at the White House within a half hour from a Latin American trip that concluded with the summit of leaders of more than 30 other western hemisphere nations in Trinidad. Mr. Obama says the leaders did not agree on every issue but they did find ways to work together. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Much of the talk during this weekend summit was focused on how countries can work together on the economy, security and the environment. But perhaps more important than release of specific agreement is the new tone that came out of the summit. President Obama says even though he doesn't see eye to eye with leaders like Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, he found ways to talk with each other. "We show that while we have our differences, we can and must work together in areas where we have mutual¹ interest, and where we disagree we can disagree respectfully." Mr. Obama says there is a little strategic danger for the US in opening up a dialogue with the Venezuelan leader, but he also says he will pay attention to Chavez's actions and not just his words. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Mr. Obama says he is gravely concerned about the safety and well-being² of Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, who has been sentenced to eight years in prison by a court in Iran on espionage³ charges. He said the US is pressing for her release. Iran's President said today Saberi's attorney will be allowed to present a full defense⁴ during her appeal.

At least five other nations have joined the United States in boycotting⁶ a United Nations conference on racism⁷, that's set to begin tomorrow in Geneva. And others are considering similar moves. More from NPR's Ina Jaffe.

The other countries that will not be present at the week-long conference include Australia, Canada, Israel, Italy and the Netherlands. That list could grow to include Germany and other European nations. There are two issues behind the boycott⁵. One is fears that the conference could become a platform for criticizing Israel. During the last UN conference on racism in 2001, there was an attempt to equate⁸ Zionism with the racism. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is speaking on the first day of the conference. He has previously⁹ called for destruction of Israel and denied the Holocaust¹⁰. The other concern behind the boycott is a call by some Muslim nations for a ban on criticism of Islam, Sharia law and Prophet Muhammad. US State Department Spokesman Robert Wood said this would run counter to the US commitment to unfettered free speech. Ina Jaffe, NPR News.

Administration officials say some major banks may need more financial rescue money. Regulators are now putting the nation’s 19 largest banks through a so-called "stress test" to check how they will do if economic conditions worsen significantly. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says while some banks will need some assistance, the administration does not anticipate having to ask Congress for more money. "I do believe we have the resources to handle what the results will be." The stress test results are expected to be released in early May. Emanuel was interviewed on ABC's "This Week".

This is NPR News from Washington.

A new published report says at least a dozen victims and families of those killed in Rhode Island in 2003 in a nightclub fire have filed for bankruptcy¹¹ protection while awaiting their share of a 176-million-dollar settlement. Providence¹² Journal reports its review of bankruptcy court records shows some victims have lost their homes and vehicles or were laid off after they recovered from their injuries and returned to work. 100 people died in the fire in February 2003 at the Station nightclub. It started when the pyrotechnics group used by the band Great White ignited soundproofing foam¹³ in the building.

Researchers have found that urine test for a particular chemical may be useful in predicting which smokers¹⁴ will develop lung cancer. NPR's Joanne Silberner has the story.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota and Shanghai and Singapore suspected that a breakdown¹⁵ product of tobacco called NNAL might play a role in lung cancer. They look for NNAL in the urine of 500 smokers, half of whom developed lung cancer. Smokers with high levels of NNAL were twice as likely to get lung cancer. Smokers with high levels of both NNAL and a nicotine-related compound were eight times as likely. A low level of NNAL and a lower risk of lung cancer is no licence to light up. Tobacco smoke causes other cancers, heart disease and emphysema. Urine test for the compound may someday be useful in identifying people who should be screened more frequently for lung cancer. The researchers reported their results at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting. Joanne Silberner, NPR News.

A spokesman for the group Doctors Without Borders confirms that two workers of the group are missing in Somalia. Witnesses say the two may have been abducted¹⁶ by a masked gunman.

1 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

2 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

3 espionage   

n.间谍行为，谍报活动

参考例句：

• The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
• Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

6 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

7 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

8 equate   

v.同等看待，使相等

参考例句：

• You can't equate passing examination and being intelligent.你不能把考试及格看成是聪明。
• You cannot equate his poems with his plays.你不可以把他的诗歌和他的剧本相提并论。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

10 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

11 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

12 providence   

n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝

参考例句：

• It is tempting Providence to go in that old boat.乘那艘旧船前往是冒大险。
• To act as you have done is to fly in the face of Providence.照你的所作所为那样去行事，是违背上帝的意志的。

13 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

14 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

15 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

16 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。