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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
House Republicans are spearheading a bill that they say would cut, cap and balance the federal budget. President Obama says if it gets to his desk, he'll veto it. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports this is all part of the contentious1 debate over reducing deficits2 and raising the debt ceiling.
The White House accuses Republicans of pursuing "an empty political statement and unrealistic policy goals." The so-called "cut, cap and balance" plan deeply cuts spending, rules out tax increases and calls for a balanced budget amendment4 to the Constitution before Congress raises the debt ceiling. The plan has no chance in the Democrat-controlled Senate. It's more of a statement of purpose by House Republicans. The president‘s veto threat is just as emphatic5 a statement calling the bill politics as usual. This back-and-forth shows just how far apart the two parties remain on the debt ceiling negotiations6. If Congress does not increase the country's borrowing limit by August 2nd, the US may not be able to pay all of its financial obligations and risks going into default. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington.
Now, NPR's Yuki Noguchi has been monitoring the showdown's impact on the markets where US stocks are ending the day lower for at least a couple reasons.
There are concerns that negotiations among lawmakers in the US aren't making progress on raising the debt ceiling. Meanwhile, leaders of the European Union are said to meet later this week. Inventors appear worried about the ability of banks and politicians to contain the spread of the debt crisis that began in Greece. Investors7 sold off their Italian and Spanish bonds. Gold prices, meanwhile, continue to soar in what is another sign of shaken faith in the markets. Yuki Noguchi, NPR News, Washington.
A former Ohio attorney general is President Obama's choice to direct the new consumer protection bureau. Today, the president formally nominated Richard Cordray, who still needs to be confirmed by the Senate.
A new twist of the scandal surrounding Rupert Murdoch's media empire. A whistle-blower from the now defunct8 News of the World has been found dead at his home, north of London. Larry Miller9 reports Sean Hoare was the first to allege10 that former editor Andy Coulson, who later served as Prime Minster David Cameron's communications chief, knew the newspaper had hacked11 people's cell phones in pursuit of stories.
Hoare was a former News of the World showbiz reporter. Police say his death is unexplained and not thought to be suspicious, but that their investigation12 is ongoing13. He made his phone-hacking14 claims to the New York Times, saying not only did Coulson know about the hacking, he actively15 encouraged staff to intercept16 calls of celebrities17. Of Coulson's subsequent denial, Hoare told the BBC it's a lie. Coulson was arrested last week, and the prime minister has been sharply criticized for hiring him. Most recently, Hoare told the Times that reporters paid police to use their technology to track people through their cell phone signals. For NPR News, I'm Larry Miller in London.
News Corp. shares of the company tumbled today in New York 4.5%.
This is NPR.
Judges in Milan are rejecting a request from lawyers for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to move his sex trial out of court to a special parliamentary appointed tribunal. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports this is just one of four current cases pending3 against Berlusconi.
The prime minister, who admits to a fondness for young women, stands accused of having paid for sex with an underage Moroccan pole dancer. He's also charged with abuse of office in trying to cover up the affair. Berlusconi denies the charges and claims Milan magistrates18 are politically biased19 against him. His critics say he's trying to escape ordinary justice by moving the trial to a special tribunal for ministers, where he would get a more favorable hearing. Today's ruling means the case will go ahead and resume in October. Berlusconi did not appear in court, where there was also a hearing in another case where he stands accused of corruption20. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.
Marine21 General John Allen is now in charge of international troops in Afghanistan. He assumed command at a ceremony in Kabul today from General David Petraeus, who recently became the director of the CIA. Allen will oversee22 the US military drawdown in Afghanistan, which began earlier this month.
Tropical Storm Dora is expected to gain strength in the Pacific off southern Mexico. Dora is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday. However, the National Hurricane Center in Miami says it does not expect the storm to make landfall.
Before the close on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average down 93 points, or 0.25%, at 12,387 in trading of three billion shares; NASDAQ was down 25, under 1%, at 2,765.
I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.
1 contentious | |
adj.好辩的,善争吵的 | |
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2 deficits | |
n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 );赤字;亏空;亏损 | |
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3 pending | |
prep.直到,等待…期间;adj.待定的;迫近的 | |
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4 amendment | |
n.改正,修正,改善,修正案 | |
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5 emphatic | |
adj.强调的,着重的;无可置疑的,明显的 | |
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6 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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7 investors | |
n.投资者,出资者( investor的名词复数 ) | |
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8 defunct | |
adj.死亡的;已倒闭的 | |
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9 miller | |
n.磨坊主 | |
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10 allege | |
vt.宣称,申述,主张,断言 | |
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11 hacked | |
生气 | |
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12 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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13 ongoing | |
adj.进行中的,前进的 | |
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14 hacking | |
n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动 | |
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15 actively | |
adv.积极地,勤奋地 | |
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16 intercept | |
vt.拦截,截住,截击 | |
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17 celebrities | |
n.(尤指娱乐界的)名人( celebrity的名词复数 );名流;名声;名誉 | |
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18 magistrates | |
地方法官,治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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19 biased | |
a.有偏见的 | |
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20 corruption | |
n.腐败,堕落,贪污 | |
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21 marine | |
adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵 | |
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22 oversee | |
vt.监督,管理 | |
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