NPR 2011-02-19

Emotionally charged protests are under way at the state Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin over a bill critics call a union-busting measure. Democrats¹ in the state Senate fled the state yesterday, forcing Republicans to delay action on the controversial measure. One of the missing state lawmakers from Milwaukee spoke² to WUWM's Ann-Elise Henzl today.

With the Democrats gone, there aren't enough senators in the body to vote on Republican Governor Scott Walker's so-called "Budget Repair Bill". One of the missing lawmakers, Senator Chris Larson from Milwaukee, says they might not return anytime soon. He and his colleagues remain out of the state in undisclosed locations.

"Well, I can tell you that we've been moving around, quite a bit, and physically³, but, again, in spirit, we're still standing⁴ in solidarity⁵ with the people of Wisconsin, who're standing up outside the Capitol and inside the Capitol."

Larson says Democrats will come back as soon as Senate Republicans back away from a provision to eliminate most collective bargaining rights for some public employees. For NPR News, I'm Ann-Elise Henzl in Milwaukee.

The standoff in Bahrain is intensifying⁶. Today, troops fired tear gas and gunshots at thousands of protesters as they marched toward the capital's main square, the heart of the uprising against the monarchy⁷. Salmaniya Hospital estimates at least 50 people were injured, some with gunshot wounds.

Government crackdowns are also reported out of Libya and Yemen. Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan says there's a sense that unrest could spread to any number of other Middle East nations.

"We're just watching for those indications that there might be another serious situation in any one of them."

President Obama is calling on the governments of Bahrain, Libya and Yemen to show restraint.

A warrant is out for the arrest of the driver of a vehicle that crushed a man in Lahore, Pakistan in a botched rescue attempt of Raymond Davis, an American embassy employee. Davis fatally shot two local men that he said had tried to rob him. From Islamabad, NPR's Julie McCarthy reports that the warrant issued today intensifies⁸ pressure on the US in the Davis case as Washington tries to win his release.

Friday's court ruling highlights the death of the third man killed in the Davis affair, which has been eclipsed by the double shooting involving Davis. The Lahore High Court chief justice was acting⁹ on a petition filed by the dead man's family. The United States is under pressure to produce the driver of the vehicle that hit Ibad Rehman, killing¹⁰ him and then fleeing. The US has said little about the Land Cruiser, acknowledging only that US embassy staff was in the vehicle that Lahore police believed took refugee at the US consulate¹¹ in Lahore. The US embassy declined to comment, saying the incident is under investigation¹². Julie McCarthy, NPR News, Islamabad.

The Dow's up more than 50 points at 12,371.

This is NPR News.

The Republican-led House is back to work on a huge spending plan aimed at keeping the government running. The House has been debating the bill for much of the week. And this morning, lawmakers focused on whether to block funding for President Obama's health care law. NPR's Giles Snyder reports a possible government shutdown is coloring this debate.

The bill covers spending for the rest of the fiscal¹³ year, which ends in September, but current funding runs out in two weeks, so a temporary spending bill could be needed to avoid a shutdown. House Republicans want to reduce spending by some $60 billion from last year. There is a stack of amendments¹⁴ still to go through, but the House is expected to vote on the package today. Assuming it gets through, there will then be up to the Democratic-controlled Senate to come up with its version of the bill, which would likely contain fewer cuts. Lawmakers face a March 4th deadline for settling their differences. Giles Snyder, NPR News, Washington.

The Vatican is complaining that some travel agents are asking Roman Catholics to pay a service fee for procuring¹⁵ places at the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II. The Holy See said in a statement today that neither tickets nor invitations were needed for the ceremony in St. Peter's Square, which is gonna be held May 1st. It said there have been "unauthorized" offers especially on the Internet to procure¹⁶ tickets for a service charge. When other public ceremonies unrelated to the beatification are held at the Vatican, tickets are required but never for a fee.

1 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

6 intensifying   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的现在分词 )；增辉

参考例句：

• The allies are intensifying their air campaign. 联军部队正加大他们的空战强度。 来自辞典例句
• The rest of the European powers were in a state of intensifying congestion. 其余的欧洲强国则处于越来越拥挤的状态。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

7 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

8 intensifies   

n.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的名词复数 )v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• A clear atmosphere intensifies the blue of the sky. 纯净的空气使天空变得更蓝。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Blowing on fire intensifies the heat. 吹火使热度加强。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

10 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。

11 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

12 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。

13 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

14 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

15 procuring   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句
• She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句

16 procure   

vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条

参考例句：

• Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
• I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。