NPR 2010-12-06

Iran announced today it's produced its own uranium, which could be processed into material that could be used for nuclear power. Iran's nuclear energy chief said this means Iran has become self-sufficient in the entire fuel cycle, from extracting uranium ore to enriching it and producing nuclear fuel. The announcement comes a day before talks in Geneva with world powers, seeking assurances that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons. Iran maintains its nuclear program is only aimed at producing power.

NATO officials say two foreign troops and two Afghan civilians¹ were killed today at a military base in southeastern Afghanistan. NPR's Corey Flintoff reports a bomb smashed the stalls at a small market.

NATO officials say the attack took place near the NATO base at Gardez in Paktia province, at a small market catering² to Afghan and NATO troops. A provincial³ government spokesman said the two civilians killed were shopkeepers. More than a dozen other people in the area were reportedly wounded. A Taliban spokesman contacted media outlets⁵ to say that the attack was carried out by one of its fighters, but the claim hasn't been confirmed. NATO didn't give the nationalities of the troops killed, but most of the foreign forces in Gardez are Americans. Corey Flintoff, NPR News, Kabul.

The former South African President Thabo Mbeki has arrived in Ivory Coast, where two rivals have both laid claim to the presidency⁶. The incumbent⁷ and the opposition⁸ leader have both taken the oath of office. The BBC's John James reports from Abidjan that Mbeki is trying to negotiate a resolution.

Thabo Mbeki's arrival is the first attempt by someone outside the current deadlock⁹ to try and find a breakthrough. The borders were opened for the first time in days to let his plane land. He faces a considerable challenge. Ivory Coast now has two presidents. But he's mistrusted by the opposition, who remember his mediation¹⁰ during the heights of the Ivorian civil crisis. He's been sent by the African Union on an urgent mission to find a peaceful and legitimate¹¹ way to resolve the current standoff.

The BBC's John James reporting from Abidjan.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said today that he may run for president in 2012. He told "Fox News Sunday" he's been talking to friends who think he may have a chance.

"We're much more inclined to run than not run and I think (we) everything we've done over the last year, talking to friends, thinking things through, has made us more inclined to believe that it's doable."

Gingrich said that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt¹² Romney is probably the front-runner for the Republican nomination¹³, but that former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is probably the most popular of the likely GOP candidates. Whereas when he stands in that what could be a crowded field, Gingrich says he's competitive and somewhere in the bunch.

This is NPR News from Washington.

The worst forest fire in Israeli history is now under control. The blaze began Thursday near the city of Haifa and has destroyed dozens of homes and millions of trees. Forty-one people have died.

Russian news is reporting that a rocket carrying three communication satellites has crashed into the ocean, roughly 900 miles off the coast of Hawaii. NPR's David Greene says the payload was meant to enhance a system in Russia that's similar to GPS.

The launch of the three satellites today was meant to bring Russia's global navigation system to full speed. The system is like GPS, helping¹⁴ people down on earth find their location and where they are going. It's operated by Russia's space agency. The rocket carrying the satellites took off from the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan but apparently¹⁵ never made it to orbit. A spokesman for the space agency told Reuters there was an unplanned situation. Meanwhile, Russian news agencies quoted unnamed sources in the airspace industry saying the rocket fell back into the atmosphere and landed in the Pacific. That's not the only news of air disasters in Russia this weekend. On Saturday, a Russian-made Tupolev-154 jetliner suffered engine trouble and had to make an emergency landing outside Moscow. Two passengers were killed and dozens of others were hurt. David Greene, NPR News, Moscow.

For sale, an acre plus in western Montana, no electricity, no running water, no cabin, that's at the Newseum in Washington. But the listing notes it's a piece of infamous¹⁶ history. It was once owned by the Unabomber. Ted⁴ Kaczynski is serving life in prison for a bombing spree between 1978 and 1995 that killed three people and wounded 23. The asking price for his land is 69,500 dollars. The realtor notes the location is obviously very secluded¹⁷.

I'm Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.

1 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

2 catering   

n. 给养

参考例句：

• Most of our work now involves catering for weddings. 我们现在的工作多半是承办婚宴。
• Who did the catering for your son's wedding? 你儿子的婚宴是由谁承办的？

3 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。

4 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

5 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

7 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

8 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。

9 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

10 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

11 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

12 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。

13 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

14 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

15 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

16 infamous   

adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的

参考例句：

• He was infamous for his anti-feminist attitudes.他因反对女性主义而声名狼藉。
• I was shocked by her infamous behaviour.她的无耻行径令我震惊。

17 secluded   

adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Some people like to strip themselves naked while they have a swim in a secluded place. 一些人当他们在隐蔽的地方游泳时，喜欢把衣服脱光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This charming cottage dates back to the 15th century and is as pretty as a picture, with its thatched roof and secluded garden. 这所美丽的村舍是15世纪时的建筑，有茅草房顶和宁静的花园，漂亮极了，简直和画上一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》