美国国家电台 NPR 2012-09-11

 Chicago school buildings opened a few hours today, so children who needed breakfast and lunch could get the meals. But there is no instruction. Chicago teachers began a strike today as talks between their union and the city failed to reach new contract. New talks are underway today. Chicago was the third largest city in the nation with some 400,000 students. Some of the disputed contract issues include teach evaluations 1 and health care. 

 
The mayor of Trenton, New Jersey 2 has been arrested by federal authorities. Tom MacDonald of member station WHYY reports the mayor and others are accused of taking bribes 3.
 
Mayor Tony Mack is accused of being part of conspiracy 4 and taking bribes in connection with the building of a parking garage in New Jersey's capital city. Mack, his brother and a supporter are accused of taking 54,000 dollars and accepting another 65,000 from a cooperating witness who told them he was developing a parking lot in Trenton . Lee Ingram came to the courthouse to see the mayor in handcuffs.
 
From the beginning, you can see the corruption 5 in his administration and when you bring it to his attention, he would turn a blind eye to it, he would do nothing about it. So that gave me the impression he was OK with it. 
 
Mack isn't the first New Jersey mayor charged with corruption. Mayor Sharpe James of Newark and Milton Milan of Camden also were charged and convicted of corruption.  For NPR News, I'm Tom MacDonald, Trenton, New Jersey.
 
Just days after the European Central Bank eased fears of a eurozone implosion 6. The single currency faces a week of crucial decisions. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports German judges Dutch voters and international inspectors 7 could further prolong a crisis weighing on the global economy. 
 
The day to watch is Wednesday. The German Constitutional Court will rule on the legality of eurozone financial rescue funds. The European commission will unveil a plan for a eurozone banking 8 union and voters in the Netherlands could opt 9 for extremist anti-Eurozone bailout parties. If the German court rules against the rescue funds, the effect could be devastating 10, making all Eurozone bond-buying plans now irrelevant 11. However, most analysts 12 believe the court will rule in favour but impose tough conditions that would restrict the Berlin government's manoeuvring room. In debte-burdened Greece, international inspectors are scrutinising accounts to determine whether to release the next bailout installment 13 that would avert 14 the country's bankruptcy 15.Sylvia Poggioli, NPR News.
 
Lawmakers in Somalia have elected a new president. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was chosen by delegates in Mogadishu who picked him over incumbent 16 Somalian President,  Sheikh Sharif Ahmed. Somalia has not had an effective central government since it fell into war in 1991 and the country broke up into factions 17. 
 
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down about 13 points, at 13,293; the NASDAQ Composite is down 24 points at 3,112.
 
This is NPR.
 
Crews are trying to contain wildfires all across Washington state. From member station KUOW, Sara Lerner reports.
 
Bryan Flint is with Washington's Department of Natural Resources.
 
Take your pick where you want to go in eastern Washington. There is probably a wildfire. 
 
Flint says all available resources are on the fires, wind and dry conditions are contributors, but also lightning. Flint says lightning sparked more than 60 small fires in the last few days all over the state. Right now he says he is most concerned about the wildfires near the city of Wenatchee in the heart of Washington's apple country. Buildings are threatened there. Residents of nearly 200 homes are under orders to evacuate 18. The Wenatchee area fires are spread over about 2,500 acres.  Last month,  Taylor Bridge fire near the city of Cle Elum burned over 23,000 acres.
 
For NPR News, I'm Sara Lerner in Seattle.
 
It's back to work for congress which has had a five-week recess 19. Members have at least one big deadline in front of them, making sure the Federal government has enough money to operate after the end of fiscal 20 year that's on September 30th. 
 
House speaker John Boehner hopes to present legislation this week, that will keep the government running for six more months. Another issue includes a new farm bill that includes the national food stampt program. And of course the exploration of the Bush-era tax cuts is looming 21 at the end of December. 
 
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister is recovering from abdominal 22 surgery in Los Angeles. The Saudi Royal Court released a statement, saying that Prince Saud al-Faisal will spend several weeks at his home in Los Angeles recuperating 23. The prince is nephew of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah.