NPR 2011-04-10

National parks and monuments are open today, thanks to last night's budget agreement that prevented a government shutdown. President Obama visited the Lincoln Memorial to shake hands with tourists and to make the point that the government is open for business.

"Because Congress was able to settle its differences. That's why this place is open today, and everybody's able to enjoy their visit."

The president said that's the kind of future cooperation he hopes they have going forward. Under the agreement, Congress will cut about $38 billion from the federal budget for the rest of this fiscal¹ year, which ends September 30th. The compromise does not end government money for Planned Parenthood.

People are gathered in Tahrir Square in Cairo, protesting Eygpt's military council that took control after similar demonstrations² ousted⁴ President Hosni Mubarak in February. The protesters claim that generals are colluding with people leftover⁵ from the Mubarak regime. They also want the former president to stand trial for corruption⁶. Early this morning, the army tried to clear the square with tasers and batons⁷. State television reports one person was killed, and 71 people were injured.

South African President Jacob Zuma and other members of the African Union will meet in Libya this weekend to try and bring an end to the fighting between rebel forces and those loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on what the African leaders are hoping to accomplish.

They're expected to look for some way that's very fast to stall a ceasefire agreement. At least that's what we're being told that so far it's been unofficially received a big bully⁸ on the rebel side. A media liaison⁹ today was saying they would of course talk to them and see what their proposal is, but they're not quite sure how this would work, and they're more interested in seeing a continued no-fly zone and international pressure to oust³ Muammar Gaddafi.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reporting from Benghazi, Libya.

In Japan, government officials have banned rice planting in certain areas around that ailing¹⁰ nuclear power plant. NPR's Greg Dixon reports from Tokyo the concern is over the amount of radioactivity in the soil.

The new policy will limit the amount of radioactive cesium allowed in soil used to grow rice. Radioactive cesium and iodine¹¹ were released from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after it was damaged in an earthquake and tsunami¹². Cesium is more concerning because it has a longer half-life than iodine. It remains¹³ radioactive for decades while iodine loses its radioactivity in a matter of weeks. The move comes amid growing concern over food safety in Japan. China announced that it's banning imports of Japanese farm products from a dozen areas of the country. Greg Dixon, NPR News, Tokyo.

Dutch officials say a man with an automatic weapon opened fire at a shopping mall outside Amsterdam today. At least five people were killed.

This is NPR News.

Greece will not be allowed to restructure its debt. Despite reports, that's being discussed among European Union finance ministers. Teri Schultz reports the EU's top economic official is ruling that option out, even as some analysts¹⁴ predict that it will be necessary for Greece to stay solvent¹⁵.

The government in Greece is not asking to renegotiate its debt. In fact, it's pledged to not to. That's what's expected in Athens since it was given a $157 billion bailout by eurozone counterparts last year. Conditions for the loan include getting its economy in shape to avoid the need for debt restructuring when the rescue fund runs out in 2013 because that would further destabilize all economies that share the common currency. At a meeting of finance ministers in Hungary, EU Economics Commissioner¹⁶ Olli Rehn says the official thinking on that hasn't changed.

"We do exclude restructuring. We have a solid plan, and it's based on very careful analysis of debt sustainability."

The meeting was dominated by Portugal becoming the third eurozone country to need a bailout. For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz in Brussels.

A huge wildfire is burning out of control in the West Texas. It's blackened more than 61,000 acres since it began Wednesday. A Texas Forest Service spokesman describes it at zero percent contained. So far, no towns have been burned.

Two workers are dead and two others missing after an explosion near Honolulu yesterday. The explosion took place in a former military bunker now being used to store fireworks.

Director Sidney Lumet died this morning. His film credits include "Dog Day Afternoon," "Serpico," and "Network." His first movie was 1957['s] "12 Angry Men." Sidney Lumet was 86 years old.

1 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。

2 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

3 oust   

vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐

参考例句：

• The committee wanted to oust him from the union.委员会想把他从工会中驱逐出去。
• The leaders have been ousted from power by nationalists.这些领导人被民族主义者赶下了台。

4 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

5 leftover   

n.剩货，残留物，剩饭；adj.残余的

参考例句：

• These narrow roads are a leftover from the days of horse-drawn carriages.这些小道是从马车时代沿用下来的。
• Wonder if that bakery lets us take leftover home.不知道那家糕饼店会不会让我们把卖剩的带回家。

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

7 batons   

n.（警察武器）警棍( baton的名词复数 )；（乐队指挥用的）指挥棒；接力棒

参考例句：

• There were many riot policemen with batons. 有许多带警棍的防暴警察。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Chinese police fight? Number one is a person with batons to fight! 满街飘的中国国旗，是一个老华侨在事发时那出来分给大家的，很感动，真的，从来一向多一事不如少一事的中国人今天团结到一起站出来反抗。 来自互联网

8 bully   

n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮

参考例句：

• A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
• The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。

9 liaison   

n.联系，（未婚男女间的）暖昧关系，私通

参考例句：

• She acts as a liaison between patients and staff.她在病人与医护人员间充当沟通的桥梁。
• She is responsible for liaison with researchers at other universities.她负责与其他大学的研究人员联系。

10 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

11 iodine   

n.碘，碘酒

参考例句：

• The doctor painted iodine on the cut.医生在伤口上涂点碘酒。
• Iodine tends to localize in the thyroid.碘容易集于甲状腺。

12 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。

13 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。

14 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

15 solvent   

n.溶剂；adj.有偿付能力的

参考例句：

• Gasoline is a solvent liquid which removes grease spots.汽油是一种能去掉油污的有溶解力的液体。
• A bankrupt company is not solvent.一个破产的公司是没有偿还债务的能力的。

16 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。