NPR 2011-07-10

Despite threats of retaliation¹ from Muammar Gaddafi, NATO this weekend continued its assaults on government positions inside Libya. Reporting from Tripoli, NPR's Corey Flintoff reports rebels have been trying to push toward the capital city, but they've encountered stiff resistance.

Libyan army units reportedly fired artillery² and missiles at rebel positions outside of Misrata, a town about 130 miles east to the capital. The rebels have been slowly advancing out of Misrata in recent days, but they met with heavy resistance from the government. The Reuters news agency says at least six rebel fighters were killed and at least 17 wounded. Rebel groups have been trying a two-pronged attack toward Tripoli, with forces moving from Misrata and from the mountain southwest of the capital. As they approach the capital, they're getting closer to big concentrations of pro-Gaddafi military forces around the city. Corey Flintoff, NPR News, Tripoli.

With less than a month to the deadline to raise the national debt limit, congressional leaders are spending this summer weekend working on talking points for another negotiating session at the White House. From member station WUIS in Springfield, Illinois, reporter Jenna Dooley tells us much is on the line.

An August 2nd deadline looms³ to increase the debt limit. Democratic US Senator Dick Durbin says if a deal isn't reached by then, the government will have to prioritize who gets paid and who doesn't from Social Security recipients⁴ to Medicare providers to combat troops, and he says borrowing more money isn't the way to deal with the deficit⁵.

"I think there're ways for us to reduce spending, to find revenue from reasonable places that will not hurt working families and the economy, and to say to the world we're serious about the deficit."

The president blames uncertainty⁶ over raising the debt ceiling as a factor for a weaker jobs report. Some Democrats⁷ are worried about spending cuts for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid in a massive budget deal. For NPR News, I'm Jenna Dooley in Springfield, Illinois.

Baseball history today at Yankee Stadium as Derek Jeter powered in his 3,000 career hit. Yankee's play-by-play announcer John Sterling⁸ with the call on WCBS Radio.

"Swung around and here they are. The big one that follows high. Hit as far, hit home, gone. This home run, Derek Jeter home runs that tied the game, and there it is. Hit No. 3000."

Jeter's become the 28th major leaguer to get 3,000 hits and the first to do it with the Yankees. It was his first home run at Yankee Stadium this year.

The world's newest nation, South Sudan, has raised its flag for the first time, the result of a 2005 peace deal that ended a more than two-decade civil war with the North.

This is NPR News.

News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch says the head of his newspaper division in Great Britain has his total support. Rebekah Brooks⁹ led the News of the World when some of the events of the phone-hacking scandal occurred. News of the World journalists are losing their jobs with the closing of the paper this weekend.

Bluegrass music fiddler Kenny Baker¹¹ died yesterday. The 85-year-old died of complications from a stroke in Gallatin, Tennessee. As NPR's Martin Kaste reports, Baker's style influenced a whole generation of musicians.

Baker was known for his "long-bow," stretching out notes and smoothing the harder edges of traditional bluegrass. His son Kenny Baker Jr. says his father was hugely imitated.

"I didn't realize how much so until we sat there in the hospital and received many many many courage from fiddlers that he influenced."

Baker worked more than 20 years in the coal mines of eastern Kentucky and western Virginia, playing his fiddle¹⁰ at weekend barn dances. It was only the late 1960s that he was able to go full-time¹², joining bluegrass greats like Bill Monroe. That's Baker and Monroe playing "Mule¹³ Skinner Blues¹⁴." Kenny Baker Jr. says if there’s one song he wanna hear on the radio to remember his father, this is it. Martin Kaste, NPR News.

Continuing his North American tour, Prince William taking part in a Polo match at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club this afternoon. Tickets run 4,000 dollars, proceeds going to charity.

I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.

1 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

3 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

6 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

7 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》

8 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。

9 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 fiddle   

n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动

参考例句：

• She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。
• Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。

11 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

12 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

13 mule   

n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人

参考例句：

• A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
• He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

14 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。