NPR 2009-02-12

Senators have announced a deal on a 789-billion-dollar economic stimulus¹ bill, though House and Senate negotiators delayed the planned meeting to approve the measure. Senate Majority Leader Harry² Reid called the bill one that creates more jobs than the original Senate bill and costs less than the original House bill and he said it preserves tax cuts. "This bill creates 3.5 million jobs. More than one-third of this bill is dedicated³ to providing tax relief for middle-class families, cutting taxes for 95% of American workers." Voting on the reconciled bill could take place as early as tomorrow with a possible signing of the measure by President Barack Obama within days. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell did say today, Senate Republicans most of whom opposed the stimulus bill are not planning to use procedural moves to delay passage of the measure.

The owner of the Georgia-based peanut processor linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak took the Fifth before members of the Congressional Committee today. Stewart Parnell, president of Peanut Corp. of America repeatedly invoked⁴ his right not to incriminate himself. The refusal to testify comes amid revelations Parnell allegedly urged workers to ship tainted⁵ peanut products. The outbreak has been led to at least nine deaths and sickened more than 600 people.

Iraqi police say a car bomb attack has killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 30 others in western Baghdad. NPR's Corey Flintoff reports from the Iraqi capital.

Police and US military sources disagree on the number of people who were killed and hurt in the bombing. The number has ranged from 8 to 16 dead. But they do agree that the attack was designed to cause the maximum amount of carnage. Two cars laden⁶ with explosives were parked near the bus station then detonated among the crowds of travelers. The bombing was the deadliest of several attacks in the city today. Police say a roadside bomb killed one Shiite pilgrim and injured six others as they walked through Baghdad on their way to the holy city of Karbala to take part in a religious festival. Gunmen also assassinated⁷ an official of Iraq's Electricity Ministry⁸ at his home in eastern Baghdad. Corey Flintoff, NPR News, Baghdad.

In Israel, inconclusive election results have sparked political jockeying. Linda Gradstein reports.

Both Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of Kadima and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud are trying to put together a majority coalition⁹ of 62 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Both are according far-right party Yisrael Beitenu headed by Russian-born Avigdor Lieberman which won 15 seats. Livni today told Lieberman that the people had made their choice for the next prime minister and she would help Liebermen advance his agenda. They agreed to hold further talks. Kadima's narrow lead makes it uncertain whether Livni will be able to form a government. After consultations¹⁰ with all of the parties, President Shimon Peres will ask either Livni or Netanyahu to try to form the government probably next week. For NPR News, I'm Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem.

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A powerful earthquake was reported to have struck off the coast of Indonesia early Thursday triggering initial fears of a tsunami¹¹. Though it's not clear whether the quake resulted in injuries or deaths. According to the US Geological Survey, the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck at 1:34 am local time some 195 miles from Manado, the northernmost city on the Sulawesi Island. A number of aftershocks of magnitude 5.0 and above also registered. In December of 2004, a massive quake off the western island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed more than 230, 000 people along the Indian Ocean coastline.

Italian diplomats¹² say President Obama and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi could find themselves side by side at this summer's Group of Eight meeting at Italy. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome.

As newly elected chairman of the African Union, Gaddafi could represent African leaders on the G8 sidelines. It's a custom that the Summits hold meetings with developing countries. US-Libyan ties were strained for many years over Libyans support for groups Washington considers terrorist. Relations have warmed somewhat: former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Tripoli; former President George Bush spoke¹³ with Gaddafi over the phone and Libya paid into a fund to settle claims by families of Americans killed in the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland. But this will be the first time the Libyan leader known for his occasional flamboyant¹⁴ behavior would meet a US president. While Obama was still a candidate, Gaddafi said he might have an inferiority complex because he is black and might behave worse than whites. But he later hailed his election as a victory for black people. Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News, Rome.

1 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

2 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

3 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。

4 invoked   

v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求

参考例句：

• It is unlikely that libel laws will be invoked. 不大可能诉诸诽谤法。
• She had invoked the law in her own defence. 她援引法律为自己辩护。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

7 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

8 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

9 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

10 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

12 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

14 flamboyant   

adj.火焰般的，华丽的，炫耀的

参考例句：

• His clothes were rather flamboyant for such a serious occasion.他的衣着在这种严肃场合太浮夸了。
• The King's flamboyant lifestyle is well known.国王的奢华生活方式是人尽皆知的。