NPR 2010-10-13

In a move praised by gay-rights advocates, a federal judge in California has issued an injunction to keep the Obama administration from enforcing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. NPR’s Carrie Johnson has the latest on this landmark¹ ruling.

Judge Virginia Phillips says “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” violates the fundamental rights of service men and women under the Constitution. The judge has ordered the federal government not to apply “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” against members of the military. And the judge says the Pentagon must suspend any active investigation² or military discharge proceeding³. The lawsuit⁴ was filed by the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay-rights group in the party. The Log Cabin Republicans asked the judge to impose a permanent injunction on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, but the federal government said that would be too broad and asked for a delay. Judge Phillips rejected the government’s request. She said that gay service members would face irreparable harm if the policy stayed in place. The Justice Department has the option to appeal. Carrie Johnson, NPR News, Washington.

The Obama administration is lifting the moratorium⁵ among deepwater oil wells in the Gulf⁶ of Mexico. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reports the government is imposing⁷ stricter safety rules.

The Obama administration imposed this moratorium after a BP well exploded in April, killing⁸ 11 people and dumping millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf. Now, the deepwater drilling ban is ending a month and half earlier than planned. Interior Secretary Ken⁹ Salazar said in a conference call the administration is raising the bar on oil-drilling safety standards.

“Through our reform agenda, we have made and continue to make significant progress in reducing the risks associated with deepwater drilling.”

Under the new rules, companies must show that they have resources to plug a leak before they begin to drill. Safety inspectors¹⁰ will review each well before it can start operations again. The oil industry put heavy pressure on the White House to lift this ban. Administration officials say there are currently about three dozen wells in the Gulf of Mexico. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, the White House.

The Article 32 hearing to determine if Maj. Nidal Hasan should go on trial that is for last year’s deadly Fort Hood¹¹ shootings has been delayed without testimony¹² from any of the survivors¹³. Defense¹⁴ attorneys are requesting a month-long postponement¹⁵. Hasan is accused of killing 13 and injuring 32 others before police shot and wounded him. Hasan’s paralyzed. NPR’s Wade¹⁶ Goodwyn describes Hasan’s appearance today.

He came in today. He was wearing fatigues¹⁷ and wearing a knit stocking cap because it’s hard for him, now he's paralyzed, to regulate his core temperature. And he was expressionless in the entire talk.

NPR’s Wade Goodwyn reporting.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up ten points at last check, at 11,020.

This is NPR News.

Tonight, rescuers in Chile expect to bring up the first of 33 miners who’ve been trapped underground for more than two months. Mining Minister Laurence Golborne says the procedure of getting all the miners out will continue nonstop.

“We are gonna work all around the clock for 48 hours during the rescue process.”

Rescuers say they have finished building an escape shaft¹⁸ and repeatedly tested a rescue chamber¹⁹ lowered into the ground.

Hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets of Paris and other towns across France, protesting the government’s plans to reform the pension system. Unions are vowing²⁰ to do the same tomorrow. Labor²¹ action has snarled²² transportation, causing flight and rail delays.

Kim Jong-il’s oldest son tells Japanese TV that he is against third-generation succession in North Korea. From Seoul, Doualy Xaykaothao reports this son was once considered likely to succeed his father.

Kim Jong-nam is close to 40 years old and lives outside of North Korea, sometimes in China or Macao. During an interview with Japan’s TV Asahi, he said he opposes a hereditary²³ transfer of power to a third generation of his family, but he added that he wanted his youngest brother Kim Jong-un to do his best for the North Korean people and for their prosperity. Over the weekend, ordinary North Koreans got their first look at their future leader on television, and some in person during a massive military parade to commemorate²⁴ the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party. Many people were visibly emotional to see both father and son together for the first time. For NPR News, I’m Doualy Xaykaothao in Seoul.
 

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

4 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

5 moratorium   

n.(行动、活动的)暂停(期)，延期偿付

参考例句：

• The government has called for a moratorium on weapons testing.政府已要求暂停武器试验。
• We recommended a moratorium on two particular kinds of experiments.我们建议暂禁两种特殊的实验。

6 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

7 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

8 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

9 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

10 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

12 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

13 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

14 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。

15 postponement   

n.推迟

参考例句：

• He compounded with his creditors for a postponement of payment. 他与债权人达成协议延期付款。
• Rain caused the postponement of several race-meetings. 几次赛马大会因雨延期。

16 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

17 fatigues   

n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服

参考例句：

• The patient fatigues easily. 病人容易疲劳。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Instead of training the men were put on fatigues/fatigue duty. 那些士兵没有接受训练，而是派去做杂务。 来自辞典例句

18 shaft   

n.(工具的)柄，杆状物

参考例句：

• He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
• This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。

19 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

20 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

21 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

22 snarled   

v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说

参考例句：

• The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
• As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 hereditary   

adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的

参考例句：

• The Queen of England is a hereditary ruler.英国女王是世袭的统治者。
• In men,hair loss is hereditary.男性脱发属于遗传。

24 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。