NPR美国国家公共电台 2013-04-15

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　　For NPR news in Washington. I’m L W.

 

　　This week 8 senators, 4 Democrats² and 4 Republicans may reveal their plan on how to overhaul³ immigration laws. Republican Mark Robio of Florida made the rounds of TV talk show this morning to provide a preview. He says it would include the way to deal with those here illegally but he stressed that it is not amnesty. Here is a FOX news Sunday.

 

　　They have to pass the background check. They have to be able to pay for registration⁴ fee. They have to pay a fine. And then they have to renew it. This is not forever. This is a renewable thing. And then they don’t qualify for any federal benefits. This is an important point. No federal benefits, no food stamps, no welfare, no Obama care.

 

　　Robio said it would be impractical⁵ to round up and deport⁶ the estimated 11 million people in the U.S. illegally.

 

　　A Senate vote on expanding background check for gun buyers could come as early as Wednesday. NPR’s C reports the bipartisan team behind the plan says it is too close to call over a vote to move the bill forward.

 

　　West Virginia Democrat¹ Joe Mansion⁷ and Republican P in Pennsylvania are co-sponsoring the bill that would require background check for people buying firing arms, gun shoots under and on line. Speaking on CNN State of the Union, Senator T said the bill is not an infringement⁸ on the second amendment⁹.

 

　　This is about whether or not it is reasonable to try to make it more difficult for dangerous people, for whom, we talked already, are illegal, for them to have weapons, to … them.

 

　　The NRA has opposed the measure, calling it is the first step toward restricting gun rights to non-criminals. The bill seems one of the only measures proposed in the wake of the recent mass shootings that could get a vote by the full Senate. C NPR news.

 

　　The Afghan government now says NATO killed 17 civilians¹¹ during a recent air strike in eastern Afghanistan. NPR’s S C says Afghan officials initially¹² claimed NATO killed 11 civilians.

 

　　An Afghan government fact-finding delegation¹³ says 12 of the victims of the air strike were children. Militants¹⁴ ambushed¹⁵ Afghan forces who were attempting to arrest two Taliban commanders. The U.S. civilian¹⁰ advisor¹⁶ died in the attack. At that point, U.S. forces called for air support. The Afghan government says NATO aircraft bombed the area for several hours, killing¹⁷ the civilians along with several militants. President H K called the NATO actions human rights violation¹⁸. He also condemned¹⁹ the Taliban for using the civilians and their homes as shields. NATO says it is still investigating the incident and has not offered its own account of what happened. S C, NPR news, Kabul.

 

　　Secretary of State John Kerry is wrapping up a ten-day overseas trip in Tokyo. He said the U.S. and Japan are open to new negotiations²⁰ with North Korea on its nuclear programme. But Kerry said that Pyongyang would have to first honour past agreements and lower tensions on the Korea Peninsular.

 

　　This is NPR news from Washington.

 

　　China’s state news agency reports today that two more people have died from the bird flu, bringing the death toll²¹ to 13. Health officials believe the H7N9 virus is spreading through contact with infected birds. They say there is no evidence that the flu is spread by human to human contact.

 

　　More than a trillion dollars goes missing every year across the European Union, lost in tax evasion²² and money laundry. Now as Terry S reports the biggest EU economies are taking the lead to close the loopholes and catch tax cheats, hoping they can convince the rest of the bloc²³ to come onboard.

 

　　EU member states are struggling to pay their bills, yet lack in enforcement and manipulation of tax laws mean $1.3 trillion of the governments go uncollected every year. At EU meeting of finance ministers, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain announced they are spearheading a push to end tax evasion and corruption²⁴. British Finance Minister J D says tax evaders must get the message that they have to pay their share.

 

　　“The places you can hide are getting fewer and fewer.”

 

　　France’s Budget Minister just resigned over his own secret Swiss bank account. French Finance Minister P M says that has an impact.

 

　　“We are more resolute²⁵ that ever”

 

　　But one country, Austria, remains²⁶ unwilling²⁷ to share more booking information, calling it government slipping in. For NPR news, I’m T S, Brussels.

 

　　Voters are going to polls in Venezuela today to select new president to replace Hugo Chavez. The interim²⁸ president Nicolas M promises to continue his socialism. Opposition²⁹ candidate R is running for what he calls incompetence³⁰ of the government. Some Venezuelas are impatient with frequent power outages, food shortages and rising crime rate.

 

　　I’m L W. NPR news in Washington.

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