NPR 2010-10-18

France's Interior Minister is saying today that Saudi intelligence services have warned of a new terror threat from Al-Qaeda. Brice Hortefeux told the talkshow the warning of a potential attack is focused on the European continent, notably¹ France. The country had already boosted its security, had busy tourist sites like after previous threats. This latest report of a potential attack comes in a recently series of alerts from the US and the international police organization Interpol.

In Bagdad today, a deadly robbery left at least 12 people dead as post-election violence continues to flare². The deaths came as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki traveled to Jordan and Iran, seeking support for his bid to hang on to power. NPR's Peter Kenyon has more from Bagbad.

Iraqi security officials said a gang of robbers with grenades and guns robbed goldsmiths shops in the Iraqi capital before engaging security forces in a shootout. Iraqi officials believe some insurgent³ groups are using robberies to finance their operations. Separately, a series of magnetic bombs exploded beneath the vehicles of Iraqi policemen, government workers, and civilians⁴. While his security forces in hospital struggled to deal with the violence, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki traveled in search of political support. After consulting with Jordanian leaders, he headed for Tehran. Maliki is locked in a power struggle with former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, whose Sunni-backed slate⁵ edged out Maliki's Shiite bloc⁶ in elections more than seven months ago. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Bagdad.

In the Philippine Sea, a typhoon packing 142-mile per hour winds has changed course to a more southwest path as it heads to northern Phillipines. From Manila, Simone Orendain reports weather officials are now including Metropolitan⁸ Manila on the country's storm warning list.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Bureau say Typhoon Megi is now moving inland, prompting a signal No.1 warning in Metropolitan Manila. This is equivalent to a tropical storm warning. Still, the weather bureau official in charge of tracking Megi says poeple have to be ready. Last year, the Metro⁷ area was under a signal 1 alert when Typhoon Ketsana caused record flooding, killing⁹ more than 300 people. Residents in the provinces that are expected to take a big heaping of rain are moving to higher ground. And thousands of military reserves and volunteers are stationed in the vulnerable areas. For NPR News, I'm Simone Orendain in Manila.

Tea Party favorite Christine O'Donnell says she'd like a little campaign help from Republicans. Appearing on ABC's "This Week", she's asking the GOP establishment to step up.

"We're hoping that the National Republican Senatorial Committee will help us, but it's two and half weeks left, and they're not."

A spokesman for the Republican committee says the group is working with O'Donnell's campaign.

You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

Fox's parent News Corp. and Cablevision are set to resume talks today to resolve a dispute that has left about three million cable subscribers in New York and Philadelphia without their Fox channels. That could mean those viewers miss out on the next baseball playoff game between The Phillies and The Giants tonight. NPR's Allison Keyes reports on what's behind the dispute.

Cablevision subscribers in New York, New Jersy and Philadelphia still don't have access to their Fox channels, after the two sides adjourned¹⁰ last night without resolving their fee dispute. Cablevision's website says the News Corp. is asking for an 80-million-dollar increase for access to several Fox channels including Fox 5 and My9 in New York. Cablevision says that would more than double the annual rate it pays Fox, and it is demanding binding¹¹ arbitration¹². A Fox spokesman says the two sides are really far apart, but says the company will remain at the table. The Federal Communications Commission is urging the parties to negotiate in good faith and has issued a consumer advisory¹³ suggesting other ways subscribers can view the programing. Allison Keyes, NPR News, Washington.

An open-air Mass with tens of thousands of attendants in St. Peter's Square celebrated¹⁴ the canonization of six saints today including the very first for Australia. Mary MacKillop was a humble¹⁵ nun¹⁶ borned in 1842. She was excommunicated for a time in part because her order exposed a pedophile priest. She co-founded the order known as the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. MacKillop was a teacher who spent decades educating the poor across Austrilia.
 

1 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

2 flare   

v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发

参考例句：

• The match gave a flare.火柴发出闪光。
• You need not flare up merely because I mentioned your work.你大可不必因为我提到你的工作就动怒。

3 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

4 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。

5 slate   

n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订

参考例句：

• The nominating committee laid its slate before the board.提名委员会把候选人名单提交全体委员会讨论。
• What kind of job uses stained wood and slate? 什么工作会接触木头污浊和石板呢？

6 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

7 metro   

n.地铁；adj.大都市的；(METRO)麦德隆(财富500强公司之一总部所在地德国，主要经营零售)

参考例句：

• Can you reach the park by metro?你可以乘地铁到达那个公园吗？
• The metro flood gate system is a disaster prevention equipment.地铁防淹门系统是一种防灾设备。

8 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

11 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

12 arbitration   

n.调停，仲裁

参考例句：

• The wage disagreement is under arbitration.工资纠纷正在仲裁中。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding.双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

13 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

14 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

15 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

16 nun   

n.修女，尼姑

参考例句：

• I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。
• She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。