NPR 2012-02-07

 Amid mounting financial pressure, Greece is signaling a major policy turn. The coalition¹ government says it will slash² civil service job roles there by 15,000 positions this year. European leaders advised Greece that major new debt agreements would be impossible without austerity measures. Concerns about the debt crisis have led international stocks lower today.

 

The US Ambassador to Syria has left the country along with other US embassy personnel, and as NPR's Michele Kelemen reports, the State Department is warning Americans to stay away as the violence intensifies³.

 

The State Department says Robert Ford⁴ will remain ambassador to Syria and its people and will maintain contacts with the Syrian opposition⁵ to support a political transition in the country. The US had been calling on the Syrian government to provide more protection for the embassy, but decided⁶ it was too dangerous for US personnel to remain in Damascus. The State Department is now warning all Americans to avoid travel to Syria and urged those who are there to leave. The Polish embassy in Damascus will be representing US interest while the US embassy operations are suspended. Michele Kelemen, NPR News, Washington.

 

The British government is recalling its ambassador to Syria for consultations⁷. The UN estimates there have been more than 5,000 fatalities⁸ since March.

 

The son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is among several pro-democracy workers detained in Egypt and now facing trial. At the White House, Press Secretary Jay Carney says the US has been in touch with Egyptian officials.

 

"We've made clear that we take this very seriously that it could have consequences, these actions could have consequences, for our relationship, including our assistance, programs."

 

GOP presidential candidates are campaigning in Colorado and Minnesota on the eve of caucuses⁹ tomorrow. Between the two states, there are 70 delegates up for grabs. Missouri holds a GOP primary but no delegates at stake there. NPR's Craig Windham has more.

 

Colorado is considered a swing state and President Obama is determined¹⁰ to repeat his 2008 victory there. Mitt¹¹ Romney easily won the previous GOP primary in Colorado and still has a strong organization in place. But his rivals are not conceding the state. Some polls put Rick Santorum in second place and the Romney campaign is running robocalls, criticizing the former Pennsylvania senator. Santorum and Ron Raul are appealing for conservative support in Minnesota. And Santorum has also been stumping¹² in Missouri. Newt Gingrich is not on the ballot¹³ there. Santorum is hoping a strong showing could help him make the case that he is the best conservative alternative to Romney. Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington.

 

On Wall Street at this hour, the Dow was down 48 at 12,813 in trading of one billion shares.

 

This is NPR News.

 

Georgia's highest court has struck down a state law restricting assisted suicide. The state justice has found the law to be a violation¹⁴ of the right to free speech. The state has no express law against assisted suicide, but the state legislature approved a bill several years ago banning people from publicly advertising¹⁵ such assistance, a law the court declared unconstitutional.

 

Breastfeeding activists¹⁶ in New York joined international protests against Facebook's policy of removing some photographs of breastfeeding mothers. NPR's Margot Adler explains.

 

On the Internet, you can find hundreds of photos of women breastfeeding their children that they say Facebook took off their page. A year ago, Facebook deleted the profile of a Chilian psychologist for the photo of her breastfeeding her child. The profile was reinstated. Today, 40 women also protested in Dublin. There have been tons of articles about this issue in the United Kingdom and Canada. As for New York, protester Sarah Mosadic held her four-month-old. She had posted a photo in December.

 

"I would like to know that their policy was very clear that this is okay and you don't have to worry about your account being deleted or anything like that."

 

Facebook has said it accepts breastfeeding photos, but some pictures with a wholly exposed breast with nipples have been flagged as inappropriate. Margot Adler, NPR News, New York.

 

Cartoon character Homer Simpson and his imaginary family are now on the list of unwanted Western influences in Iran. Iran's Shargh newspaper reports Simpson dolls have been banned by the agency that oversees¹⁷ Iranian toys, joining Barbie dolls as another threat to Western intoxication¹⁸.

 

I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。

3 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 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。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

11 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

12 stumping   

僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的现在分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说

参考例句：

• She's tired of stumping up for school fees, books and uniform. 她讨厌为学费、课本和校服掏腰包。
• But Democrats and Republicans are still dumping stumping for the young. 但是民主党和共和党依然向年轻人发表演说以争取他们的支持。

13 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

14 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

15 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

16 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

18 intoxication   

n.wild excitement;drunkenness；poisoning

参考例句：

• He began to drink, drank himself to intoxication, till he slept obliterated. 他一直喝，喝到他快要迷糊地睡着了。
• Predator: Intoxication-Damage over time effect will now stack with other allies. Predator:Intoxication,持续性伤害的效果将会与队友相加。