NPR 2010-06-10

Israel is taking its first step toward calming worldwide outrage¹ over its recent raid of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Palestinian officials say Israel is easing its embargo², allowing snack foods and other previously³ banned items, but Hamas, which runs Gaza, says people really need materials to rebuild their territory. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports the Israeli blockade was at the center of President Obama's meeting today with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Fatah movement that runs the West Bank.

 

President Obama announced the US is setting aside 400 million dollars for Gaza. The White House says the money will go to clean drinking water, jobs, schools, affordable⁴ housing and health care. Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office, Mr. Obama called for a new conceptual framework on Israel's blockade of Gaza.

 

"There should be a means by which we are able to stop the flow of arms that could endanger Israel's security. At the same time, we are doing so in a way that allows the people in Gaza to live out their aspirations⁵ and their dreams both for themselves and their children."

 

Palestinian President Abbas said he would consider negotiating directly with Israelis once relations start improving, but relations worsened after Israel killed nine people aboard a ship heading for Gaza last month. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, the White House.

.

Iran is blasting the UN Security Council's decision today to impose new sanctions on the Islamic Republic because of its ongoing⁶ nuclear work. Iranian UN ambassador Mohammad Khazaee says the US and UK are twisting the council.

 

"What is at stake today is the credibility of the Security Council that has turned into a tool in the toolbox of a few countries."

 

There were 12 "yes" votes, two "no" votes from Turkey and Brazil, and Lebanon abstained⁷.

 

NATO is reporting the deaths of four American troops in southern Afghanistan. Details from Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson in Kabul.

 

Afghan officials say the US helicopter was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade while providing cover during a joint⁸ operation with Afghan forces in the southern province of Helmand. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. The operation took place in the district called Sangin, a key hub of Helmand's robust⁹ opium¹⁰ trade. The deaths of the helicopter crew bring to 28, the number of NATO troops killed this month in Afghanistan. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News, Kabul.

 

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke says the European debt crisis is not likely to affect US economic recovery as much as some might think.

 

The actions taken by European leaders represent a firm commitment to resolve the prevailing¹¹ stresses and restore market confidence and stability. If markets continue to stabilize¹², then the effects of the crisis on economic growth in the United States seem likely to be modest.

 

Bernanke testified today before the House Budget Committee.

 

US stocks losing ground, last check Dow was down 40 points.

 

This is NPR.

 

BP says it is capturing more spilled oil than before, more than 15,000 barrels of crude, but authorities are hoping to push that figure up to 28,000 barrels. BP is using a containment¹³ cap system on the damaged well that's been spewing thousands of barrels of oil each day since the deadly rig explosion in April.

 

A filmmaker who was under a federal court order to turn over 600 hours of raw footage to the Chevron¹⁴ Corporation has won a stay while his lawyers tried to get the ruling overturned. We have the story from NPR's David Folkenflik.

 

The documentary crude depicts¹⁵ an ongoing multibillion-dollar lawsuit¹⁶ against Chevron for its alleged¹⁷ responsibility for oil pollution in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The company wants those tapes to help fight the suit. On Tuesday, a three-judge federal appeals panel said Berlinger didn't have to turn them over until his appeal is heard. Maura Wogan is Berlinger's attorney.

 

"To allow a private litigant¹⁸ to rifle through this material would cause great harm to the journalists, and it will have an immediate¹⁹ impact on that filmmakers' ability to make movies like this in the future."

 

Chevron lawyer Randy Mastro says he is looking forward to the expedited hearing expected by mid²⁰ July. David Folkenflik, NPR News, New York.

 

South Carolina's surprise Democratic Senate nominee²¹ faces a pending²² felony charge. According to court documents, Alvin Greene was arrested last November and charged with showing obscene Internet images to a University of South Carolina's student. The 32-year-old candidate was a surprise winner for the Democratic Party in yesterday's primary, pitting him this fall against Republican Senator Jim DeMint.
 

1 outrage   

n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒

参考例句：

• When he heard the news he reacted with a sense of outrage.他得悉此事时义愤填膺。
• We should never forget the outrage committed by the Japanese invaders.我们永远都不应该忘记日本侵略者犯下的暴行。

2 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

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 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

6 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

7 abstained   

v.戒（尤指酒），戒除( abstain的过去式和过去分词 )；弃权（不投票）

参考例句：

• Ten people voted in favour, five against and two abstained. 十人投票赞成，五人反对，两人弃权。
• They collectively abstained (from voting) in the elections for local councilors. 他们在地方议会议员选举中集体弃权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

10 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

11 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

12 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

13 containment   

n.阻止，遏制；容量

参考例句：

• Your list might include such things as cost containment,quality,or customer satisfaction.你的清单上应列有诸如成本控制、产品质量、客户满意程度等内容。
• Insularity and self-containment,it is argued,go hand in hand.他们争论说，心胸狭窄和自我封闭是并存的。

14 chevron   

n.V形臂章；V形图案

参考例句：

• He wore shoulderstrap rank slides with sergeant's chevrons.他佩戴标示级别的肩章，上面有中士的V形标志。
• The chevron or arrow road sign indicates a sharp bend to the left or right.V形或箭头路标表示有向左或向右的急转弯。

15 depicts   

描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述

参考例句：

• The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。

16 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

17 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

18 litigant   

n.诉讼当事人；adj.进行诉讼的

参考例句：

• A litigant generally must make a motion in writing.诉讼当事人通常必须作出书面申请。
• In civil proceedings,the litigants shall have equal litigant rights.民事诉讼当事人有平等的诉讼权利。

19 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

20 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

21 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

22 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。