NPR美国国家公共电台 NPR 2013-10-28

 Hundreds of people rallied in front of the US Capitol today to protest the Obama administration’s wide-range surveillance programs. As Jack¹ Obfenston of number station of WAMU reports, the demonstration² comes as new details emerge about NSA taps on the phones of foreign allies. 

The face of Edward snowden bubbled over the crowd on protest signs with words Thank you. John Halfnick came from Clivia, Pennsylvania with his own protest sign. 

“NSA has TMI.” 

Too Much Information he says is in hands of unaccountable government agency. 

"They can't have access to all personnel information. It’s not personal information anymore. It’s 1984 Orwell."

Homes Williamson from Whiston, Massachusetts was wearing a dark tape over his mouth with letters NSA. 

“We have to have a free open discord³ with people can talk that’s been afraid of who is listening.”

The protest was organized by a broad coalition⁴ from Tea Party groups, Freedom Work on the right to the American Civil Liberty on the left. For NPR News, I’m Jack Obfenston. 

 

For the first time, the Justice Department said it plans to use evidence against terrorist suspects that collected through warrantless surveillance program. The defendant⁵ and immigrant from Pakistan’s charged with giving material support to a terrorist organization that the government says it oprates in Afghanistan. Legal analysts⁶ say the Justice Department’s move was likely lead to a Supreme⁷ Court challenge of the far and intelligence surveillance site. 

 

The Obama administration is highlighting new data that suggest one key portion of the federal healthcare exchange website does seem to be doing. NPR’s Sam Sanders reports it’s the part of healthcare.gov that connects applicants⁸ to the social security administration and internal revenue service. 

In a blog post, health and human services secretary Kathleen Sebelius told the tool call the data services’ hub. This hub, he said, allows States and Federal Health market places to quickly verify information submitted by people applying to health insurance. In the post, Sebelius says it takes the hub less than 1.2 seconds to confirm people’s information and determine which type of coverage⁹ they’re eligible¹⁰ for. Sebelius also says over 4 million consumers have already signed up accounts with States or Federal Healthcare Exchanges, that doesn’t mean it has covered the size. The Obama administration is under pressure to fix the Federal Healthcare website. It’s been plugged with problems since it launched on October 1. The president says the site would work smoothly¹¹ by the end of November. Sam Sanders, NPR News. 

 

In Saudi Arabia, few dozens of women drove cars today for what they call the day of protest against the kingdom’s religious ban on female drivers. Several videos of women driving are posted online. The Saudi government warns that women who get behind the wheel will be punished. Several women today say police doesn’t bother them as they haven’t yet. There’s no reports of reprisals¹². 

 

It is NPR. 

 

In Somalia today, police stormed in an independent video station in the capital Mogadishu, and shut it down. The raid comes 4 days after the station was ordered to leave the building they use which the government owned. Radio Shabelle is frequently critical of senior government officials. Reporters without Border says Somalia is one of the most dangerous places for journalists, which are often targeted by Islamist militants¹³ as well as by parties within the government. 

 

Nigeria says dozens of Islamist insurgents¹⁴ are dead after its military conducted a ground and aero fence in the north part of the country. NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports it’s the latest sign of the army is stepping up this crackdown on suspected extremists. 

A military spokesman in Nigeria northeast Borno state, which continues to witness broadest deadly attacks by suspected Islamist fighters, says the army backed by the air force identified and destroyed a number of so-called terrorists’ camps. Lieutenant¹⁵ Colonel Muhammed Dole¹⁶ says they killed more than 70 extremists in a ground and air assault. And that others wounded in search of the fled. Thursday the Defensive¹⁷ targeted Boko Haram in remote villages where the militants are believed to have their strongest presence. Boko Haram launched the deadly campaign in violence against Nigeria authorities four years ago. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News,

 

New York governor Andrew Cuomo says he’s launching the country’s first state-based gasoline reserve. It’s aimed to prevent gas’ supplies during severe weather. Cuomo made an announcement today nearly a year to the day after Super Storm Sandy. 

1 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

2 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

3 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 defendant   

n.被告；adj.处于被告地位的

参考例句：

• The judge rejected a bribe from the defendant's family.法官拒收被告家属的贿赂。
• The defendant was borne down by the weight of evidence.有力的证据使被告认输了。

6 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。

7 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

8 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

9 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

10 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

11 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

12 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

14 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

15 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

16 dole   

n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给

参考例句：

• It's not easy living on the dole.靠领取失业救济金生活并不容易。
• Many families are living on the dole since the strike.罢工以来，许多家庭靠失业救济金度日。

17 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。