澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2012-08-29

 Another region of the Spain is asking the government for a bailout. Catalonia says it needs a loan of more than 6 billion dollars. It's the third region to ask for financial help. Spain's regional governments are struggling to fund basic services as their country recession deepens and the outflow of bank deposit hits a record high.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, debt inspectors¹ are in Portugal to check whether the country's meeting the terms of its international bailout. There are concerns Portugal won't meet its deficit² targets unless it makes more budget cuts.

 

 

 

Technology company Apple has escalated³ its war against rival Samsung. It's now asking a court to ban eight Samsung mobile phones in the United States. 

 

 

 

A US court has already ordered Samsung to pay Apple more than a billion dollars for copy patents. The Samsung is also asking the court to lift an injunction on its Galaxy⁴ Tablet after a jury recently found it didn't infringe⁵ design patents for Apple's ipad. 

 

 

 

To the markets.

 

 

 

The Dow closed down 22 points. The Nasdaq rose four. The S&P 500 fell slightly. And flat as well in London. 

 

 

 

To the commodity markets now.

 

 

 

West Texas Crude is trading at 96 US dollars and 28 cents a barrel. Tapis Crude is 116 US dollars and 12 cents a barrel. And to pick up an ounce of gold for 1666 US dollars.

 

 

 

The Australian dollar is buying 104 US cents. It's also picking up 82 Euro cents and 66 pence sterling⁶.

1 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

3 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

4 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

5 infringe   

v.违反，触犯，侵害

参考例句：

• The jury ruled that he had infringed no rules.陪审团裁决他没有违反任何规定。
• He occasionally infringe the law by parking near a junction.他因偶尔将车停放在交叉口附近而违反规定。

6 sterling   

adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑)

参考例句：

• Could you tell me the current rate for sterling, please?能否请您告诉我现行英国货币的兑换率？
• Sterling has recently been strong,which will help to abate inflationary pressures.英国货币最近非常坚挺，这有助于减轻通胀压力。