NPR 2011-02-13

Thousands of riot police blocked streets in Algiers today to stop anti-government protests there. Some arrests were reported. Activists¹ are attempting to hold a pro-democracy rally. Such protests are banned by the government under a state of emergency imposed in Algeria in 1992. People took to the streets for five days last month, angering over rising food prices. Since then, the government announced it would cut the price of sugar and cooking oil.

One day after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak relinquished² power, the Egyptian army announced it will honor all regional and international treaties during this time of transition. Among the treaties is the 1979 peace accord with Israel, which has been watching the events in Egypt with concern. A statement delivered on state television today also said the existing Egyptian cabinet will stay until a new one is formed. Egyptians continue to celebrate Mubarak's ouster. NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reports from Cairo people are wondering is he still in Egypt.

Where in the world is Hosni Mubarak? Last, we heard he was in Sharm el-Sheikh. He said he would die on Egyptian soil. We really don't know his whereabouts. We do know from Sharm el-Sheikh is that there's a lot of security around his presidential palace there. We don't know if that is keeping him in or keeping prying⁴ eyes out.

NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro reporting from Cairo. No matter where he is, he may not be able to get any money that might be held in Swiss bank accounts. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva the Swiss government is freezing such assets, effective immediately.

Mubarak and his family are alleged⁵ to own up to $70 billion. Shortly after Mubarak was forced from office, the government put a hold on all cash or investments found in Swiss banks. The order also prevents the sale or transfer of any residential³ or commercial property. Accounts belonging to Mubarak's family, and associates are being blocked as well to prevent them from plundering⁶ state funds. Switzerland is working hard to burnish⁷ its image as the banker of dictators and their ill-gotten gains. The Swiss decree is valid⁸ for three years. For NPR News, I'm Lisa Schlein in Geneva.

A suicide bomber⁹ struck near the Iraqi city of Samarra today. Police say at least 25 people were killed, Shiite pilgrims who would come to the city to visit a shrine¹⁰. On Thursday, a suicide car bomber attacked Shiite pilgrims heading towards Samarra. Eight people were killed, and 30 people were wounded. Sunni Muslims are believed to be behind the attacks.

Taliban fighters attacked police headquarters in Kandahar, Afghanistan today. Officials say at least 28 people were killed; dozens more were wounded. The Taliban remains¹¹ active in Kandahar, attacking officials and others who support the government. Last month, the province's deputy governor was killed in a suicide bombing.

This is NPR News from Washington.

More than 11,000 conservatives wrap up a three-day meeting in Washington today with a straw poll. They'll vote on their choice for the Republican candidate for president next year. All the speakers suggested they’d do a better job than the current occupant of the White House. None officially declared candidacy. Several potential candidates skipped the event this year, including former vice¹² presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, who had won the Iowa caucuses¹³ last time. Both cited  scheduling conflicts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating possible problems with 100,000 diesel¹⁴ cars made by Volkswagen. NPR's Sonari Glinton reports the agency is looking into engine stalling at high speeds.

The government has received complaints of loss power and stalled engines on Volkswagen diesel cars. They include models of the Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and the Audi A3. Audi is owned by the German car giant. The Department of Transportation says one minor¹⁵ crash has been reported so far. It was related to a failure of the car's high pressure fuel pump. About half the reports of problems involve engine stalling. Many of the stalls occurred while cars were traveling at high speeds. A spokeswoman for the Volkswagen group says the company is taking the matter seriously. She says they have banned and will continue to cooperate with the government's investigation¹⁶. Sonari Glinton, NPR News.

A federal investigator¹⁷ has concluded that a tiger that killed a teenager at the San Francisco Zoo in 2007 was likely provoked into leaping and escaping its enclosure. Documents obtained by the Associated Press also show the enclosure wall was lower than required under federal safety standards.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 relinquished   

交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。
• The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。

3 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

4 prying   

adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开

参考例句：

• I'm sick of you prying into my personal life! 我讨厌你刺探我的私生活！
• She is always prying into other people's affairs. 她总是打听别人的私事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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

6 plundering   

掠夺，抢劫( plunder的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The troops crossed the country, plundering and looting as they went. 部队经过乡村，一路抢劫掳掠。
• They amassed huge wealth by plundering the colonies. 他们通过掠夺殖民地聚敛了大笔的财富。

7 burnish   

v.磨光；使光滑

参考例句：

• Many people,fearful for their jobs,are trying to burnish their contacts at other firms.许多人因为担心自己的工作，正在努力抹去和其他公司接触的痕迹。
• I burnish joyful sparks from my sorrows.我从伤痛里擦亮喜悦的火花。

8 valid   

adj.有确实根据的；有效的；正当的，合法的

参考例句：

• His claim to own the house is valid.他主张对此屋的所有权有效。
• Do you have valid reasons for your absence?你的缺席有正当理由吗？

9 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

10 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

11 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。

12 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

13 caucuses   

n.（政党决定政策或推举竞选人的）核心成员( caucus的名词复数 )；决策干部；决策委员会；秘密会议

参考例句：

• Republican caucuses will happen in about 410 towns across Maine. 共和党团会议选举将在缅因州的约410个城镇进行。 来自互联网

14 diesel   

n.柴油发动机，内燃机

参考例句：

• We experimented with diesel engines to drive the pumps.我们试着用柴油机来带动水泵。
• My tractor operates on diesel oil.我的那台拖拉机用柴油开动。

15 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

16 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

17 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。