NPR 2011-03-11

Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates says NATO’s not already to impose a no-fly zone or take any other military action against the Libyan government. Speaking at NATO headquarters in Brussels today, Gates says the alliance is still ironing out details. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, says she plans to meet members of the opposition² in Washington and when she visits Egypt and Tunisia next week.

“I intend to convey strong support of the Obama administration and the American people, that we wish to be a partner in the important work that lies ahead as they embark³ on a transition to a genuine democracy.”

Two journalists are missing in Libya. The Brazilian paper O Estado de S. Paulo says it has learned that its staffer Andrei Netto is in prison. Reuters news service quotes Reporters Without Borders saying the same thing. Whereabouts of the other journalist, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad of the Guardian⁴ in Britain, is unknown.

The House Homeland Security Committee’s holding [a] controversial hearing about radicalization of Islam. And as NPR’s Barbara Bradley Hagerty tells us, there was no surprises but some emotion.

Congressman⁶ Peter King, who chairs the committee, has been accused of targeting an entire religious group because of a few Muslims who launched attacks. He said the investigation⁷ is justified⁸.

“Despite what passes for conventional wisdom in certain circles, there is nothing radical⁵ or un-American in holding these hearings.”

He called two men who testified that their family members had been radicalized in the US and blamed Muslim organizations for not doing enough to stop terror attacks, but the sheriff of Los Angeles County painted a different picture, saying that Muslims in his community had readily cooperated with police. They are appeared to be little new information, but Democrats⁹ were outraged¹⁰ by the narrow scope of the hearing. Barbara Bradley Hagerty, NPR News.

Unions are closely watching developments in Wisconsin, where the state assembly votes on a measure that includes stripping away collective bargaining rights for most public workers. The state’s Senate approved it, and Republican Governor Scott Walker is defending it. More from Wisconsin Public Radio’s Chuck Quirmbach.

Walker’s holding news conferences today to support action by state Senate Republicans who passed key parts of his budget repair bill. The most controversial items would reduce collective bargaining options for tens of thousands of public employees and require state workers to pay more for their pension and health insurance. Walker says lawmakers were assured that none of the 14 Democratic senators, who had left the state, had to be in the Senate chamber¹¹ for the vote.

“Well, it’s a fiscal¹² impact to the state and local government. It does not have appropriation¹³, and they can comply with it, with the council they were given.”

Wisconsin Democrats have said they’re continuing to analyze¹⁴ whether the Senate action follows state rules. For NPR News, I’m Chuck Quirmbach in Milwaukee.

Dow is down now more than 200 points.

This is NPR.

The Justice Department is charging 13 Somali men with piracy¹⁵ in an incident that left four Americans dead. Federal prosecutors¹⁶ in Virginia are announcing the indictments¹⁷. NPR’s Carrie Johnson reports the alleged¹⁸ pirates were flown from Somali to face justice.

The US Navy captured more than a dozen pirates after they allegedly took over a yacht off the east coast of Africa earlier this year. Ultimately, all four hostages on the yacht; US citizens wound up dead. The incident represented the first time Americans had been killed by pirates in recent memory, and it touched off debate over how to handle the growing problem. Authorities flew 13 men from Somalia and another from Yemen to North Virginia to face trial there. The men are due in court for an initial appearance Thursday afternoon. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

Oil prices remain above $100 a barrel, although they appear to be sliding back. Investors¹⁹ are trying to determine how much a recent surge in the costs of crude has affected²⁰ the economic recovery. Analysts²¹ warn that if drivers see prices continue to climb at the gas pump, they may start cutting back. Earlier, benchmark West Texas Intermediate for April delivery fell $1.20 to $103.18 per barrel, and that was earlier today.

US stocks really sliding down now more than 200 points or more than 1.6% at 12,014 in trading of three billion shares. This as investors continue to be worried about the health of the global economy and more concerns about oil-rich Middle East states. NASDAQ down 45 points at 2,707. S&P 500 down 22 at 1,298.

I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.

1 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。

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 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。

4 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

5 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。

6 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

9 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

11 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

12 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

13 appropriation   

n.拨款，批准支出

参考例句：

• Our government made an appropriation for the project.我们的政府为那个工程拨出一笔款项。
• The council could note an annual appropriation for this service.议会可以为这项服务表决给他一笔常年经费。

14 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

15 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

16 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

17 indictments   

n.（制度、社会等的）衰败迹象( indictment的名词复数 )；刑事起诉书；公诉书；控告

参考例句：

• A New York jury brought criminal indictments against the founder of the organization. 纽约的一个陪审团对这个组织的创始人提起了多项刑事诉讼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These two indictments are self-evident and require no elaboration. 这两条意义自明，无须多说。 来自互联网

18 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

19 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

20 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

21 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。