NPR 2011-02-24

Oil prices hit 100 dollars a barrel today as violence escalated¹ in Libya, one of the world's leading oil producers, and that's sending stocks tumbling for a second day in the US. At last check, the Dow was down more than 110 points or nearly 1% at 12,103 with the NASDAQ down 36 or more than 1.3% at 2,720.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are out in heavy numbers in the capital Tripoli where they are telling people to get back to life as usual. But elsewhere in the country, the opposition² is declaring control of more areas, the latest being in western Libya.

The unrest spreading in Libya and parts of the Middle East could be central in President Obama's talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this afternoon. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters that the US's position on the Libya revolt is no different than its stance on other recent uprisings.

"The issue for us, for the United States, again is to annunciate our clear principles and to (make also) make it clear as we did in Egypt and elsewhere that the drivers of change in these countries -- and this applies to Libya -- are the people, in this case, the people of Libya."

But the Obama administration is considering taking steps to pressure the Libyan leader to end his crackdown on protesters and that could include freezing the assets of the Gaddafi family and associates.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah arrives home after three months of treatment for a back surgery. NPR's Deborah Amos reports that the king comes home to pressures for political reforms.

Saudi Arabia's political reformers say King Abdullah is an ally. He's made dramatic changes during his rule but expectations are rising. When a new Facebook group called for democracy, a constitution and political freedoms, 7,000 Saudis joined in two weeks and signed their names. Ahead of his arrival, the King announced billions in new social programs. But Jafar Al-Shayeb, the head of a municipal council, says Saudis want more from the king.

"They respect him and they think he's the one who will do the reform. But without doing the reform, I think their risk will be higher."

Political reforms inspired by Egypt, he says, can no longer be denied. Deborah Amos, NPR News in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

In the US, foreclosures and all-cash deals account for a big share of the jump in home sales that the county saw last month. The National Association of Realtors says the number of previously³ owned homes it sold rose to a seasonally⁴ adjusted annual rate of 5.36 million from December to January. Thirty-seven percent of those were foreclosures. An additional 32% of the sales were all-cash.

The latest from Wall Street. Dow's down 107 points at 12,106; NASDAQ down 33 at 2,724.

This is NPR News.

A pro-union demonstrators continue, or rather as pro-union demonstrators continue to rally at the state Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker's office says the governor did indeed take a prank⁵ call with a man claiming to be a wealthy conservative activist⁶. NPR's Peter Overby says the 20-minute call was actually made by an editor at a website in New York.

The caller apparently⁷ got through by saying he was billionaire David Koch, one of two brothers whose contribution had helped Walker win election last year. Walker didn't indicate that he knows Koch personally, but he talked at length about his proposal to cripple public employee unions. He said he might lure⁸ Democratic Senators back to the Capitol by locking their paychecks in their desks there. The caller and Walker joked about having a baseball bat to handle unruly demonstrators. Walker ended the call with this:

"Thanks. Thanks for all the support in helping⁹ us move the cause forward. And we appreciate it."

The Koch brothers are long-time benefactors¹⁰ of conservative groups that advocate sharp limits on union rights. Peter Overby, NPR News, Washington.

The Supreme¹¹ Court is allowing a lawsuit¹² against Mazda to move ahead in California. Today, the High Court ruled that Thanh Williamson's family can sue Mazda because its 1993 MPV Minivan had only a lap seat belt in the middle of the vehicle's second row. Williamson died in a 2002 accident. California courts threw out the lawsuit that claimed Mazda was negligent¹³. The company had said it could not be sued because the government gave it a choice of installing either lap or shoulder and lap belts in the seat in question.

1 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 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。

4 seasonally   

参考例句：

• The price of vegetables fluctuates seasonally. 蔬菜的价格随季节变动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They moved seasonally among various vegetation types to feed on plants that were flourishing. 它们还随着季节的变化而在各种类型植物之间迁移，以便吃那些茂盛的植物。 来自辞典例句

5 prank   

n.开玩笑，恶作剧；v.装饰；打扮；炫耀自己

参考例句：

• It was thought that the fire alarm had been set off as a prank.人们认为火警报警器响是个恶作剧。
• The dean was ranking the boys for pulling the prank.系主任正在惩罚那些恶作剧的男学生。

6 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

7 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 benefactors   

n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人

参考例句：

• I rate him among my benefactors. 我认为他是我的一个恩人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We showed high respect to benefactors. 我们对捐助者表达了崇高的敬意。 来自辞典例句

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

13 negligent   

adj.疏忽的；玩忽的；粗心大意的

参考例句：

• The committee heard that he had been negligent in his duty.委员会听说他玩忽职守。
• If the government is proved negligent,compensation will be payable.如果证明是政府的疏忽，就应支付赔偿。