NPR 2011-06-22

The Republican field of presidential hopefuls is getting bigger. Today, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman formally announced his candidacy at New Jersey's Liberty State Park, the same place where Ronald Reagan announced his White House bid in 1980. Huntsman, who quit months ago as President Obama's ambassador to China, said in remarks critical of his former boss that the nation needs leaders who know that "we need more than hope."

"I respect the President of the United States. He and I have a difference of opinion on how to help a country we both love."

Well, it's getting increasingly difficult for Republican Newt Gingrich to stay in the race for president. His top fundraisers have walked away. This just weeks after 16 of Gingrich's advisers¹ left en masse over a conflict in campaign strategy.

Pro-government rallies in the Syrian capital broadcast on state television today as President Bashar al-Assad pledges to resolve the political crisis, while his critics reject his promises as nothing more than lies. NPR's Deborah Amos is tracking events from Beirut.

Thousands of supporters gathered in central Damascus, waving flags and carrying portraits of President Bashar al-Assad. Pro-government rallies were also reported in Deraa, the southern city where the anti-government protests began in March. The state news agency announced Assad had granted a third general amnesty a day after he outlined his plan to end the four-month uprising. Protest organizers have dismissed his speech for failing to address their demands and mounted anti-government marches through the night. Human rights groups say the crackdown has been harsher after the first amnesty in May. Deborah Amos, NPR News, Beirut.

Reuters news service is reporting multiple rocket attacks by Libyan troops in Misrata, which is currently in rebel hands. No official word yet on casualties.

Facing a dead default with far-reaching repercussions², Greece's prime minister is confronting a confidence vote by parliament within the hour. He needs the OK to push through widely unpopular austerity measures as demanded by Greece's international creditors³, but the hope surrounding this confidence vote is sending US stocks higher. At last check before the close, the Dow was up 109 points or nearly 1% at 12190; the Nasdaq was up more than 2% or 58 points at 2687; S&P 500 up 1.5% at 1296.

A confidence vote in Italy gives the embattled Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi a political boost today. He won the vote in the lower Chamber⁴ of Deputies. His first parliamentary test following political defeat calls for an end to Italy's involvement in Libya and a sex scandal.

This is NPR News.

Pressure is mounting on Japan to tighten⁵ nuclear safety regulations. John Matthews reports Japanese officials are facing open criticism at an IAEA meeting in Vienna.

The IAEA has criticized Japan for loose control over atomic plants even before the Fukushima disaster. The IAEA Secretary General Yukiya Amano says Fukushima will bring about better nuclear safety standards worldwide.

"Fukushima Daiichi accident is a terrible accident, but I'm confident that the right lessons will be learned, and that nuclear power plants everywhere will be made much safer as a result."

Japanese Trade and Industry Minister Banri Kaieda offered several proposals to strengthen regulation. Kaieda suggested Japan could make its nuclear regulatory agency more independent by next year. For NPR News, I'm John Matthews in Tokyo.

Astronaut Mark Kelly is retiring from the Navy and NASA. The news was posted on Kelly's Facebook page today. Kelly commanded shuttle Endeavours' final space mission, which ended June 1st. He took part in the historic mission as his wife Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords continued her recovery at a hospital for serious injuries sustained in the Tucson mass shootings in January. Giffords is still going through rehabilitation⁶ but now as an outpatient.

Serena Williams makes an emotional comeback at Wimbledon after a yearlong absence due to health problems. The four-time champion defeated her French rival today — 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. After clinching⁷ the win, Williams burst into tears. Her sister Venus won in her opening match yesterday. Meanwhile, Roger Federer has moved on to the second round at Wimbledon today.

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, Washington.

1 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

2 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

6 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

7 clinching   

v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议）

参考例句：

• Joe gets clinching evidence of the brains role when he dreams. 乔做梦时得到了大脑发生作用的决定性依据。 来自辞典例句
• Clinching, wrestling, pushing, or seizing, without attempting a throw or other technique. 抱，扭摔，推或抓而没有摔或其它的技术。 来自互联网