NPR 2008-03-20

Support for NPR podcast comes from Northwestern Mutual¹, the quiet company, committed to building lifelong relationships and communities and protecting financial futures².

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

 On the Asian and European stock markets today, there has been something of a mixed reaction to the cut in US interest rates and the resulting rebound³ of Wall Street. Larry Miller⁴ reports from London.

 The Asian markets picked up where Wall Street left off. Japan's Nikkei gained 2.5%. India and South Korea were also higher. Shares in Australia rose 4%. However, the European markets saw things differently. In morning trading, London, Paris and Frankfurt are lower. In Europe, bank shares started well, then turned sharply as concern returned over liquidity⁵ issues, especially among British banks. Mortgage lender HBOS fell 17%. The Bank of England met this morning, but refused to follow the lead set by the Federal Reserve and kept the British interest rate unchanged. The dollar is down against the euro, the Swiss franc and the Japanese yen⁶ after the Bank of America predicted another big US interest rate cut. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.

 The sound of anti-war protestors chanting "end the war" at Washington's Union Station last night. Today marks the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. Protests are being held in the nation's capital. President Bush goes to the Pentagon this morning where he will speak about the war and terrorism.

 Japanese stock prices closed higher today. The Nikkei rose by 2.5% or 296 points. Japanese financial markets will be closed tomorrow because of a national holiday. Oil prices are down in Asian trading after jumping higher in yesterday's session on the expectation that another cut in the Fed's interest rate would further weaken a battered⁷ US dollar. US light crude for April delivery dropped 78 cents to $108.64 a barrel. 

 This is NPR News.

 The New York Yankees played an exhibition game against the Virginia Tech baseball team yesterday. The match-up fulfills⁸ a promise made last year after the shooting deaths of more than 30 people on the Blacksburg campus. From member station WVTF in Roanoke, Gene⁹ Marrano reports.

 Last May, the New York Yankees donated a million dollars to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund, which was set up to assist the victims of the April 16th shootings and their families. The Yankees also vowed¹⁰ then to return this year for an exhibition game. They made good on that promise Tuesday. The Bronx Bombers¹¹ signed autographs during batting practice, then they went out and beat Virginia Tech 11 to nothing in a game that was almost an afterthought. Star shortstop Derek Jeter said it had been a rewarding experience.  'We're glad we had the opportunity to come, you know. This is for a, you know, great thing. You know, we found out we're first gonna come here last year. You know, we had the ceremony at Yankee Stadium, and all the players have been looking forward to it." The day began with a visit to the on-campus memorial set up to honor the 32 victims of a student gunman. For NPR News, I'm Gene Marrano in Roanoke, Virginia.

 The attorney general of Arkansas says he wants to put payday lenders out of business in his state. In the letter mailed out this week, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel told the 60 or so companies to "cease and desist your lending practices". The letter also warned the companies to void customers' debt or face legal action. McDaniel took the action after the recent state's Supreme¹² Court ruling made it clear to him that the charges imposed by the payday lenders violate the state's constitutional ban on interest rates higher than 17%.  He calls rates ranging from 300 to 500 percent unlawful.

 I'm Carl Kasell, NPR News in Washington.

1 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

2 futures   

n.期货，期货交易

参考例句：

• He continued his operations in cotton futures.他继续进行棉花期货交易。
• Cotton futures are selling at high prices.棉花期货交易的卖价是很高的。

3 rebound   

v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回

参考例句：

• The vibrations accompanying the rebound are the earth quake.伴随这种回弹的振动就是地震。
• Our evil example will rebound upon ourselves.我们的坏榜样会回到我们自己头上的。

4 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。

5 liquidity   

n.流动性，偿债能力，流动资产

参考例句：

• The bank has progressively increased its liquidity.银行逐渐地增加其流动资产。
• The demand for and the supply of credit is closely linked to changes in liquidity.信用的供求和流动资金的变化有密切关系。

6 yen   

n. 日元；热望

参考例句：

• He wanted to convert his dollars into Japanese yen.他想将美元换成日币。
• He has a yen to be alone in a boat.他渴望独自呆在一条船上。

7 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

8 fulfills   

v.履行（诺言等）( fulfill的第三人称单数 )；执行（命令等）；达到（目的）；使结束

参考例句：

• He always fulfills his promises. 他总是履行自己的诺言。 来自辞典例句
• His own work amply fulfills this robust claim. 他自己的作品在很大程度上实现了这一正确主张。 来自辞典例句

9 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

10 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

11 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。