NPR 2012-06-22

 US stocks spiraling down on a wave of more disappointing economic reports out today. At last glance, the Dow was off 207 points at 12,617, down more than 1.5%, NASDAQ off now nearly 2% at 2,872, and the S&P 500 down 1.8%; it is at 1,331. Manufacturing, it’s growing, but at a slower pace in any other time in the last 11 months. This a day after the Fed scaled back its optimistic outlook for the economy this year. And fueling concern on Wall Street today, the latest weekly unemployment numbers. NPR’s Dave Mattingly says the four-week average of new claims has risen again.

 

The latest number suggests more of the same employers hesitant to hire more workers. Weekly jobless claims declined to a seasonally¹ adjusted 387,000. But that’s a level considered too high to signal employers are hiring at a pace that would lower the nation’s jobless rate. It rose last month to 8.2%. In addition, the Labor² Department says the four-week average of jobless claims is up again to its highest level since last December. Dave Mattingly, NPR News, Washington.

 

The jury in the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse case has begun deliberations in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. NPR’s Jeff Brady reports the former Penn State assistant coach faces 48 counts of sexually abusing children.

 

In closing argument, Sandusky’s defense³ attorney Joseph Amendola said repeatedly that the case laid out by prosecutors⁵ doesn’t make sense. He suggested there was a conspiracy⁶ to take down a man who was important in this community. Prosecutor⁴ Joe McGettigan countered that the conspiracy explanation falls under its own weight because there were just too many people involved in incidents dating back to the 1990s. As he wrapped up his argument, McGettigan approached Sandusky, looked at the jury and asked members to give the alleged⁷ victims and Jerry Sandusky justice. Jeff Brady, NPR News, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

 

Attorney General Eric Holder⁸ is signaling a willingness to negotiate through a dispute that led a House panel yesterday to hold him in contempt of Congress. On the sidelines of meetings in Denmark today, Holder told reporters that the possibility still exists, but the standoff with Congress can be resolved. Holder is being punished for failing to turn over additional materials about a botched probe into a Mexican gun-running operation.

 

President Obama has accepted Commerce Secretary John Bryson's resignation. Bryson is stepping down this week after suffering a seizure⁹ and getting involved in two traffic accidents in the Los Angeles area.

 

Here is what’s happening on Wall Street: The Dow is off 204 points, more than 1.5%; it’s at 12,619. NASDAQ off nearly 2%.

 

This is NPR News

 

Aung San Suu Kyi, the pro-democracy leader from Myanmar who spent years under house arrest, is now the first foreign woman and first Asian national to address both houses of British parliament in 900 years. NPR’s Anthony Kuhn recaps the historic moment. 

 

In her half-hour speech, Suu Kyi hailed Westminster democracy as a model for her country to emulate¹⁰. She also praised Burmese President Thein Sein for his reforms and said the current moment was critical for her country.

 

“This is the moment of our greatest need, and so I would ask that our friends, both here in Britain and beyond, participate in and support Burma’s efforts towards the establishment of a truly democratic and just society.”

 

Suu Kyi also met with Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince Charles. She heads to France next week before returning ahead of a new session of Burma’s parliament next month. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, London.

 

London police are still waiting outside the Ecuadorian embassy to arrest Julian Assange, who has been holed up there for days to avoid extradition¹¹. The Wikileaks founder's wanted for questioning in a sex assault investigation¹² in Sweden.

 

Price of oil has fallen nearly three dollars today to dip below 80 dollars for the first time since October. Benchmark US crude fell to 95 or 3.6% to 78.50 per barrel in afternoon trading, [the] lowest level since October 6th. And the price has fallen as the world economy is slowing down.

 

Here's the latest from Wall Street, Dow is now down 211 points, 1.6% at 12,614, NASDAQ off now more than 2%.

 

I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.

1 seasonally   

参考例句：

• The price of vegetables fluctuates seasonally. 蔬菜的价格随季节变动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They moved seasonally among various vegetation types to feed on plants that were flourishing. 它们还随着季节的变化而在各种类型植物之间迁移，以便吃那些茂盛的植物。 来自辞典例句

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

5 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

6 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

7 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

8 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

9 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

10 emulate   

v.努力赶上或超越，与…竞争；效仿

参考例句：

• You must work hard to emulate your sister.你必须努力工作，赶上你姐姐。
• You must look at the film and try to emulate his behavior.你们必须观看这部电影，并尽力模仿他的动作。

11 extradition   

n.引渡（逃犯）

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight,awaiting extradition to Britain.这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• He began to trouble concerning the extradition laws.他开始费尽心思地去想关于引渡法的问题。

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。