NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2014-01-03

 The Obama administration says it remains¹ confident that it will prevail in a series of lawsuits² challenging the requirement some religious organization ensure their workers have access to contraceptive coverage³ under the affordable⁴ care acts. As NPR’s Julie Rovner explains Supreme⁵ Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor step in New Year’s Eve relate potential fines in one of the pending⁶ cases. 

 

Last summer, the administration attempted to find a compromise to ensure that those who work for religious hospitals, universities and alike have access to contraceptive coverage as required under the health law while still respecting the principles of their religious employers. The compromise requires ensures other third parties to provide the coverage but many religious employers say the compromise still falls short and have sued. Following Justice Sotomayor’s action in the Colorado case, one of about 20 similar cases still pending, the White House said it is confident its rule has struck appropriate and legal balance. Julie Rovner, NPR News, Washington.

 

Legal pot went on sale in Colorado this morning in long line remain constant the state’s more than three dozen stores. Colorado Public Radio’s Ben Markus reports.

 

At several Denver locations, hundreds of customers showed up to be among the first to buy recreational marijuana. Brandy Harris and his buddy⁷ drove out from Ohio Tuesday night.

 

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here to be some of first obtains legal marijuana when it is suddenly legal in our state. 

 

But the demand has threatened some business’s ability to keep up. Tony Fox owner of Denver pot shop was asked she had enough. 

 

Today yes, tomorrow I do not know.

 

She says if demand does let it up there could be serious shortages ahead. For NPR News, I am Ben Markus in Denver.

 

Swore in at one minute after midnight this morning, New York City’s new Mayor Bill de Blasio waste a little time in getting down the business, mayor then let a new city’s Labor⁸ director is promising⁹ to take more sympathetic stands to public workers when the nation’s largest city begins to renegotiate expired contracts. Blasio also said he is dedicated¹⁰ to a more equitable¹¹ city for all its residents.

 

So let me be clear. When I said we would take dead aim at the Tale of Two Cities, I meant it. 

 

Public employees union in New York demanding up to eight billion dollars retroactive pay increases as part of new contract left by the outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the post for 12 years. 

 

Italian automaker Fiat¹³ has agreed to buy the 41.5% of Chrysler it does already own. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne agrees to pay 4.35 billion dollars, the stake of the company currently owned by United Auto¹² Workers Retiree Healthcare Trust. It all means Fiat will have full ownership of Chrysler less than five years after the company’s government finance bankruptcy¹⁴. It was expected to close later this month.

 

After close on, one of best year in decades, Wall Street is close today for New Year’s holiday. 

 

You are listening to NPR.

 

Officials in Somalia now say at least half a dozen people are dead with number likely to go higher after a series of car bombings in the capital of Mogadishu. Police say a number of others were wounded in the attack. Two of the car bombs exploded outside the hotel in the capital often used by foreigners and government officials. Those in there say it is not clear who is blamed to this attacks. Such bombings are frequently carried out by the al-Qaeda-linked rebel group al-Shabab.

 

A new law that takes effect in Connecticut today, making it illegal to have an unregistered assault weapon or magazine clip holding more than 10 bullets. From member station WSHU Ebong Udoma reports, state officials say the lawmaker make it easier to keep track assault weapons.

 

Connecticut state police say a week before the midnight December 31st deadline more than 17,000 gun owners had registered assault weapons and large capacity magazine clips. Governor Dan Malloy says this means a lot of assault weapons are now registered. 

 

That does not represent 17,000. That represents many more than that. Some of these folks own upwards¹⁵ of 100 of those. Many folks own multiples. But this is going to be a very successful program. It has been executed relatively¹⁶ well.

 

20 1st graders and six educators were killed in the December 2012 school shooting in Newtown. The gunman used a legally purchased bushmaster assault rifles loaded with 30-round magazine clip. Such weapon must now be registered. For NPR News, I am Ebong Udoma in Connecticut.

 

More wintery weather in the forecast a parts of New England is upstate New York where weather washing calling for up to a foot additional snow overnight. As new storm moves through, New York City meanwhile could see as much as seven inches of snow. 

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

3 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

7 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

8 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。

9 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

10 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

11 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

12 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

13 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。

14 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

15 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

16 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。