NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-05-12

　　From NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Raum.

 

　　Turkish officials say two car bombs exploded today near the border with Syria. At least 40 people were killed and dozens more were injured. Turkish officials often blame the Syrian army for violence along the border. Turkey supports the rebels seeking to bring down the Assad government and it's allowed its territory to be used as a staging ground for Syrian insurgents¹. The attacks occurred in a town that shelters Syrian refugees.

 

　　At least 17 people were killed in militant² attacks in Pakistan today as that country holds a general election. Despite the violence, millions turned out to vote. This is the first transition from one civilian³ elected government to another.

 

　　Egypt foiled an alleged⁴ plan to blow up vital infrastructure⁵ in Egypt and target a western embassy. NPR's Leila Fadel reports the suspects are believed to be linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, an extremist group in North Africa.

 

　　In a press conference, the Minister of Interior Mohammed Ibrahim named three men arrested for alleged involvement in the terror plot in Egypt. Police also found more than 20 pounds of explosive material and a computer that had instructions on how to make bombs. The minister said the arrest was a successful blow against terrorists who are plotting suicide bombs and the group was in touch with a leader in al-Qaeda outside the country. He said the men had received training in Pakistan and Iran. But he did not identify which foreign embassy was the planned target. This isn't the first time alleged al-Qaeda linked militants⁶ have been arrested in Egypt. A group of men said to be linked to al-Qaeda is currently on trial. Leila Fadel, NPR News, Cairo.

 

　　Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak pleaded not guilty today in a Cairo court. He's been retried on charges he had a role in the deaths of hundreds protesters during the uprising that drove him from power. And the appeals court had overturned his conviction last summer.

 

　　Finance ministers and central bankers from seven major economic powers completed two days of closed door meetings today in an English country house about 40 miles from London. Larry Miller⁷ has more on the story.

 

　　British Treasury⁸ Chief  George Osborne says the G7 reaffirmed its commitment not to engage in an exchange rate currency war to boost exports but to create domestic economic policies for growth. Osborne says the discussions also centered on new initiatives for an automatic exchange of information between governments to crack down on tax avoidance.

 

　　It's incredibly important that companies and individuals pay the tax that is due.

 

　　Osborne says there was an agreement on the creation of international banking⁹ regimes so that no bank is considered too big to fail and that when banks do fail, taxpayers¹⁰ aren't left covering the losses. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

 

　　You are listening to NPR News from Washington.

 

　　Chrysler is recalling 469,000 Jeep SUVs because of cracks in a circuit board. U.S. Safety regulators say the problem could cause the vehicles upon startup to shift into neutral without warning. The recall affects Grand Cherokee models, from 2005 to 2010 and Commanders built from 2006 to 2010. A Chrysler spokesman says the company has received reports of 26 accidents and two injuries.

 

　　Some air traffic control towers that had been said to close, will now stay open at least through the end of September. NPR's Tamara Keith reports the towers were targeted because of the sequester¹¹.

 

　　The towers are staffed by contract air traffic controllers at smaller airports that's specialize in general aviation. When the Federal Aviation Administration said it would have to close about 150 towers to cut costs, the airports protested, some even threatened to sue. Now they won't have to. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced in a written statement that the towers can stay open, thanks to the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013, passed by Congress last month. That measure gave the FAA more flexibility¹² in implementing¹³ the automatic spending cuts of the sequester. Planned employee furloughs have also been called off. Tamara Keith, NPR News.

 

　　Two astronauts left the International Space Station today on a mission to find and end ammonia leak. This is a last minute space walk by NASA standards, normally they planned far in advance. But on Thursday, the crew spotted¹⁴ frozen  flakes of ammonia suggesting a leak. The astronauts replaced a pump. NASA officials say it appears the repair job was successful, they'll observe for a while before they say that for sure.

 

　　I'm Nora Raum, NPR News, in Washington.

1 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 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

5 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

8 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

9 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

10 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

11 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。

12 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

13 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

14 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。