NPR 2011-12-26

 In Nigeria today, mourning and terror as a series of bombs exploded in five different cities. At least 25 people were killed in an explosion during Christmas mass at a Roman Catholic church outside the Nigerian capital Abuja. In the central city of Jos a bomb killed a policeman. Nigeria's radical¹ Islamists said Boko Haram is claiming responsibility. The White House is pledging to help Nigerian officials bring the perpetrators to justice. 

 

 

A suicide bomber² detonated explosives during a funeral in northern Afghanistan today killing³ at least 19 people. A number of parliament and several local officials are among the dead. The bombing occurred in the usually calm Takhar Province. 

 

 

In Iraq, Christians⁵ are celebrating the holiday and attending Christmas Masses amid tight security. NPR's Sean Carberry reports preachers are worried about the country's growing sectarian and political crisis.

 

 

Only about half a million Christians remain in Iraq, about two million fewer than in 2003. In the Mansour neighborhood worshipers had to past multiple check points of armed guards to attend mass. Man Senior ** at the liver mass and he called for peace and for the people of the Iraq to unite and work together. After mass, preachers  said they are pessimistic about Iraq's future.

..that everything is going to the worse.

Iraq is currently mired⁶ in a political crisis with the country's Sunni vice⁷ president facing terrorism charges and nearly 70 people were killed last week in a series of deadly explosions in Baghdad. Sean Carberry, NPR News, Baghdad.

 

 

The leader of Hamas is preparing to visit several Arab countries this week. Linda Gradstein reports it's his first trip abroad since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007.

Hamas officials say  Ismail Haniyeh will visit Egypt, Sudan, Qatar, Bahrain, Tunisia and Turkey. He will leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing to Egypt. The officials said the trip is to discuss development projects and did not say how long it would last. It comes after Hamas in the rival Fatah movement agreed to establish a unity⁸ government in the coming weeks leading to parliamentary elections in May. It also showed Hamas is growing ties with the Islamist movements in Egypt which are winning large majorities in Egypt's selections. The US and Israel continue to see Hamas as a terrorist organization. For NPR News, I'm Linda Gradstein, in Jerusalem.

 

 

In the West Bank town of Bethlehem today, Christian⁴ is celebrating Christmas services in the town where they believe Jesus was born. More visitors are in Bethlehem this Christmas than have been there in a decade.

 

 

This is NPR News.

 

 

It's a clam⁹ winter day in most of the continental¹⁰ US, a rare Christmas where there isn't much inclement¹¹ weather. National Weather Service Meteorologist Dan Peterson says there are only a couple of exceptions.

** we are looking at, a little bit of whites now come across the great LA that's a couple of inches here. There are several inches of snow possible in the higher pits of the Washington ** and to the northern ** in the next couple of days.

A larger area of rain that's moving across the Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia is expected to move off the coast tonight.

 

 

The six residents of the International Space Station are celebrating the holiday season in style. NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce  reports the outpost's hauls were decorated well in advance of Christmas Day.

American astronaut Dan Burbank is commanding the space station. He said they heard some holiday greetings by video earlier this month, saying he and two crew mates have been getting into the spirit of things.

We've already put up decorations and we've gathered together all of the cards and gifts that our friends and families have sent to us. And we are planning a couple of big meals, that, that will be great.

Three members of the station crew arrived on Friday when their Russian capsule docked with the outpost. Just in time to celebrate the holidays and new year in orbit. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR News.

 

 

Britain's Prince Philip is celebrating Christmas in a hospital. He is recovering from heart surgery. Doctors implanted a coronary stent  after the 90-year-old was hospitalized Friday complaining of heart pain. Queen Elizabeth paid a visit to her husband earlier today before joining the royal family's traditional Christmas celebration.

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

3 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

4 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

6 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

8 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

9 clam   

n.蛤，蛤肉

参考例句：

• Yup!I also like clam soup and sea cucumbers.对呀！我还喜欢蛤仔汤和海参。
• The barnacle and the clam are two examples of filter feeders.藤壶和蛤类是滤过觅食者的两种例子。

10 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

11 inclement   

adj.严酷的，严厉的，恶劣的

参考例句：

• The inclement weather brought forth a host of diseases.恶劣的天气引起了种种疾病。
• They kept on going,even through the inclement weather.即使天气恶劣，他们还是执意要去。