NPR 2008-03-11

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Carl Kasell.

 A female suicide bomber¹ killed a prominent Sunni Arab tribal² chief in Iraq today. He headed the neighborhood security unit that was working with U.S. forces in northern Diyala province. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston reports.

 The neighborhood units known as Awakening³ Councils have been partly credited for the sharp decline in violence across Iraq over the past nine months. Members of the councils have been targeted by al-Qaeda in Iraq because they have been working hand in glove with the U.S. Military, Ghadhban al-Karkhi was the leader of the Awakening Council in Kanaan, just southeast to the provincial⁴ capital of Baquba. Iraqi officials said a female suicide bomber arrived at his house, asked to speak to him and then detonated her vest. It was a violent morning in Iraq generally. In northeast and northwest Baghdad, Iraqi officials reported a parked car bomb, an improvised⁵ explosive device and a mortar⁶ attack, a level of violence that is reminiscent of Iraq before there was a surge of U.S. troops here last year. Dina Temple-Raston, NPR News, Baghdad.

 Democrat Senator Carl Levin of Michigan says voting by mail is the only practical way for his state to redo its January presidential primary. Both Michigan and Florida are looking for ways to have their delegates seated at the Democratic National Convention this summer. More from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta.

 Florida is also considering redoing its primary by mail-in ballots⁷. Michigan and Florida are not being counted because both states violated national party rules by pushing their primaries to the front of the election calendar. Levin says the states stand by their belief that Iowa and New Hampshire should not be allowed to dominate the front end of the presidential campaign, but he says Michigan and Florida are also anxious to ensure that their states and their delegates will help choose the nominee⁸. "We're all working very, very hard at this, we believe very strongly in what we're doing here and we're gonna work hard to make this work one way or another." Levin was appearing on ABC's "This Week". He says Michigan and Florida are also ready for a fight on the convention floor if that's what it takes to get their delegates seated. For NPR News, I'm Rick Pluta in Lansing, Michigan.

 President Bush holds a White House meeting today with Poland's Prime Minister as he pursues a deal on a European missile defense⁹. The president wants Poland to host the system's interceptor missiles, but Prime Minister Donald Tusk¹⁰ is insisting in return a big package of aid to the Polish military. The Bush administration says it's open to modernization¹¹ but as a separate issue. Many Poles oppose the missile shield which angers neighboring Russia. Mr. Bush wants the system to protect Europe from the threat he sees in Iran. Two weeks ago the Czech Republic's leader met with the president but left without agreeing to host the system's radar¹² site.

 Japanese stock prices close lower today. The Nikkei average was down by nearly 2% to its lowest close since September of 2005.

 This is NPR News.

 In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy appears to have suffered major setbacks to his leftist opponents in local elections held yesterday. The defeats come less than a year after Sarkozy and his conservatives won elections. Frank Browning has a report from Paris.

 Overall, the socialist¹³ left scored 47% in departmental and municipal elections against the right with 45%. Though the elections were mostly for town, city and departmental councils, they were regarded by most here as a referendum on President Sarkozy whose public approval rating has plummeted¹⁴ lately. A solid victory from the left could further embolden¹⁵ public employee unions to continue their regular strikes. Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë looked sure of an even stronger majority which could set him up as the socialist next presidential candidate. There were some conservative wins however. Sarkozy's 21-year-old son Jean won a council seat in suburban¹⁶ Paris, while former Prime Minister Alain Juppé should be re-elected Mayor of Bordeaux. Runoffs are set for next Sunday. For NPR News, I'm Frank Browning in Paris.

 A winter storm has dumped a foot or more of snow in an area from Arkansas to Maine. The storm covered roads with snow in western New York and caused flooding, that closed roads in other parts of the state. Tens of thousands were left without electricity from the storm that also produced high winds and falling temperatures. Northern Maine got heavy snow; the southern part of the state had rain. There has been no widespread flooding there but more rain is in the forecast. The storm also dumped more than 20 inches of snow on Columbus, Ohio.

 I'm Carl Kasell, NPR News, in Washington.

hand in glove: closely connected with someone, especially in a bad or illegal activity
                     亲密地, 勾结着

1 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

2 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

3 awakening   

n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的

参考例句：

• the awakening of interest in the environment 对环境产生的兴趣
• People are gradually awakening to their rights. 人们正逐渐意识到自己的权利。

4 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

5 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

6 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

7 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

9 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。

10 tusk   

n.獠牙，长牙，象牙

参考例句：

• The wild boar had its tusk sunk deeply into a tree and howled desperately.野猪的獠牙陷在了树里，绝望地嗥叫着。
• A huge tusk decorated the wall of his study.他书房的墙上装饰着一支巨大的象牙。

11 modernization   

n.现代化，现代化的事物

参考例句：

• This will help us achieve modernization.这有助于我们实现现代化。
• The Chinese people are sure to realize the modernization of their country.中国人民必将实现国家现代化。

12 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

13 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

14 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 embolden   

v.给…壮胆，鼓励

参考例句：

• Emboldened by the wine,he went over to introduce himself to her.他借酒壮胆，走上前去向她作自我介绍。
• The Prime Minister was steadily emboldened by the discovery that he faced no opposition.发现自己并未遭到反对，首相渐渐有了信心。

16 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。