NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-03-23

　　From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

 

　　President Obama is wrapping up his trip to the Middle East where he worked to repair strained relations with Israel, addressed the peace process with Palestinians, in this hour, shoring up U.S. ties with Jordan. The issue of regional security has dominated Obama's diplomatic mission, especially on matters of Iran's nuclear threat and the regional impact of Syria's civil war. Among the most pressing, is the vast number of Syrian refugees escaping to neighboring countries including Jordan. But King Abdullah  said at a joint¹ conference  in Amman that even though Jordan's economy is hurting, he can not close the border.

 

　　How are you going to turn back women, children and the wounded. This is something that we just can't do. It's not the Jordanian way.

 

　　Today, President Obama pledged assistance.

 

　　My administration will work with Congress to provide Jordan with an additional $200 million in budget support of this year as it cares for Syrian refugees and Jordanian communities affected² by this crisis.

 

　　President Obama had a hand in restoring normal diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel today. From Jerusalem, NPR's Larry Abramson reports tensions eased after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized for a 2010 Israeli raid that killed nine activists³ aboard a Turkish ship that was bound for the Gaza Strip.

 

　　Just as President Obama was about to leave Israel, he set up a phone call between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan. Netanyahu apologized for the incident in which Israeli commanders boarded the Mavi Marmara which was carrying relief supplies to Gaza. The confrontation⁴ left nine activists dead. Netanyahu apologized for operational errors that led to loss of life and agreed to work on paying compensation. Turkey agreed to drop any legal steps against Israeli military personnel. Israel loosened its blockade of Gaza after the incident but continues to control the flow of goods into the territory. Larry Abramson, NPR News, Jerusalem.

 

　　After several days of bank closure, Cypriots are anxiously waiting for parliamentary vote today on the new plan that would keep the island's two biggest banks from collapsing⁵. Nine measures are under consideration including a bill that would allow the central bank to take over troubled commercial banks. John Psaropoulos has more from Nicosia.

 

　　Parliament rejected plan A this week that would have claimed between 7% and 10% of people's savings⁶. But the country needs to bailout two banks weakened last year, when Greece defaulted on bonds those banks had bought. The government can't do it on its own. Now it's down to plan B. The president has asked parliament to give the central bank power to split the banks in two. Legally guaranteed deposits of up to $130,000 would be spun⁷ off into healthy banks, while much of the rest of depositors' money would go towards paying off the toxic⁸ investments. For NPR News, I'm John Psaropoulos in Nicosia.

 

　　Before the close, Dow was up more than 90.

 

　　This is NPR.

 

　　Fitch Ratings is warning the United Kingdom it may lose its AAA credit rating, citing worse economic outlook. It says a review of the UK sovereign debt rating should be completed by the end of April. Last month, Moody's Investors⁹ Service  downgraded UK's credit rating.

 

　　Britain is considering imposing¹⁰ a cash deposit on visitors if they come from what the UK believes as a high risk nation.British deputy leader Nick Clegg says under the proposal on bill today, immigrants would only be able to get their money back when they leave the UK. And foreigners would forfeit¹¹ the deposit if they overstay their visas. It is uncertain how much the deposit would be or which nationalities would be targeted.

 

　　Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is under investigation¹² for allegedly exploiting the impaired¹³ state of the world's richest woman. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports Sarkozy is suspected of taking illegal campaign contributions from  L'Oreal heiress, Liliane Bettencourt.

 

　　The long running scandal stems from the 2007 presidential race. Sarkozy is suspected of accepting cash stuffed envelope from the frail¹⁴ and aging Liliane Bettencourt. A French judge and two examining magistrates¹⁵ decided¹⁶ to formally charge Sarkozy after interrogating¹⁷ him for 12 hours on the matter last November. Under French law preliminary charges mean the investigating judge has reason to believe wrongdoing was committed but allows more time to investigate. The charges may later be dropped or could lead to a trial. But the charges are politically devastating¹⁸ to the 58-year-old former president, who's believed to be planning a combat for the 2017 French presidential race. Sarkozy has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer says he will appeal the ruling. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

 

　　I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News, in Washington.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

3 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

5 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

6 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

7 spun   

v.纺，杜撰，急转身

参考例句：

• His grandmother spun him a yarn at the fire.他奶奶在火炉边给他讲故事。
• Her skilful fingers spun the wool out to a fine thread.她那灵巧的手指把羊毛纺成了细毛线。

8 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

9 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

10 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。

11 forfeit   

vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物

参考例句：

• If you continue to tell lies,you will forfeit the good opinion of everyone.你如果继续撒谎，就会失掉大家对你的好感。
• Please pay for the forfeit before you borrow book.在你借书之前请先付清罚款。

12 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。

13 impaired   

adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Much reading has impaired his vision. 大量读书损害了他的视力。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His hearing is somewhat impaired. 他的听觉已受到一定程度的损害。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 frail   

adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的

参考例句：

• Mrs. Warner is already 96 and too frail to live by herself.华纳太太已经九十六岁了，身体虚弱，不便独居。
• She lay in bed looking particularly frail.她躺在床上，看上去特别虚弱。

15 magistrates   

地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to come up before the magistrates 在地方法院出庭
• He was summoned to appear before the magistrates. 他被传唤在地方法院出庭。

16 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

17 interrogating   

n.询问技术v.询问( interrogate的现在分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• She was no longer interrogating but lecturing. 她已经不是在审问而是在教训人了。 来自辞典例句
• His face remained blank, interrogating, slightly helpless. 他的面部仍然没有表情，只带有询问的意思，还有点无可奈何。 来自辞典例句

18 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。