美国国家电台 NPR 2012-08-05

 At the Summer Olympics in London, it's a big day for Michael Phelps. He is swimming in what he says, is the final race of his career this hour. NPR's Howard Berkes says it's Phelps' last chance to add to his record number of Olympic medals. 

It's a pretty good chance, because Michael Phelps will be swimming in a race the United States has never lost, the 4 by 100 medley 1 relay. The event closes the swimming competition at the London Olympics, an match that announces the end of Phelps' competitive swimming career. He has 17 gold medals going into the race, and 21 allover including three golds in London. But as Phelps swims off into the sunset team USA, as a couple of youngsters already making their remarks. Seventeen-year-old Missy Franklin set a world record in the 200 backstroke Friday. Earning her third gold medal. Fifteen-year-old Katy Ledecky also won gold Friday in the 800-meter freestyle just a shade after record. Franklin also races one more time Saturday in the relay. Howard Berkes, NPR News, London.
 
 
President Obama praised the US Olympic team today in his weekly media address. He says he is proud as he watched Gymnast Gabby Douglas won her individual gold medal and enjoyed following Michael Phelps. 
 
 
In the Republican's weekly response, House Majority leader Eric Cantor stuck mostly to politics, calling on Democrats 2 to broad the tax relief for all Americans including wealthier taxpayers 3. 
 
 
Southwest Airlines is apologising to customers today. A computer glitch 4 caused fliers to be charged ten or more times for a single reservation. Jim Burress from member station WABE in Atlanta has this report.
Some customers woke up Saturday to max out credit cards or empty bank accounts. Southwest spokesman  Brad Hawkins, says the problem started after overwhelming response to one-day 50% off-sales promotion 5 on Friday. Hawkins says the Airlines' website experienced performance issues, it buries times throughout the day. He says customer service agents worked overnight and continued working to cancel any duplicated itineraries 6 and reverse extra charges. Meanwhile, Southwest 800 reservation line is overrun with calls, making a difficult for customers  to reach the airline. Southwest says it's not sure how many travellers are affected 7. For NPR News, I'm Jim Burress, in Atlanta.
 
 
Dozens of homes have burned in Oklahoma as dozens of fire scorched 8 more acreage. High gusty 9 winds fined flames have died down, but people were told to evacuate 10 in four counties, several Oklahoma state highways are closed. And officials say a fire burning in the town near Oklahoma city may have been deliberately 11 set. 
 
 
Tropical storm Ernesto was swirling 12 south of Jamaica and headed for Mexico. The National Hurricane Centre says its top winds are about 50 miles per hour. Also today, tropical storm Florence formed far out in the Atlantic about 330 miles of the Cape 13 Verde Islands.
 
 
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The conflict in Syria is having a devastating 14 effect in the country's food, crop and livestock 15 production. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports UN and Syrian government assessors find that up to 3 million people will need assistance in the coming year.
The report finds Syria's agricultural sector 16 has lost 1.8 billion dollars this year as a result of the ongoing 17 conflict. World Food Program spokeswoman  Emilia Casella says there is a great risk of a complete collapse 18 of livelihoods 19 of farming families in the next few months.  
Many of these farming families and Bedouins and herders have had to start to cut the size of their meal. They are taking their children out of school and sending them to work. 
Casella says families are selling their livestock and other assets just to survive. The UN report says female-headed households, migrant farmers and herders are in an immediate 20 need of assistance. For NPR News, I'm Lisa Schlein, in Geneva.
 
 
Afghanistan's parliament cast no confidence votes in against the country's interior and defense 21 ministers today. Lawmakers are angry over the poor response to cross-border attacks staged out of Pakistan. The lawmakers want to know why.Afghanistan has not responded with its military. 
 
 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she is pleased with progress that leaders from Somalia are making as they try to rebuild a government. Somali troops backed by the United Nations have tried to defend off al-Qaeda militants 22 for several years. Clinton, who's traveling in Kenya, discussed the Somali leaders' plan to vote on a new constitution. This despite the fact that al-Qaeda still controls much of Somalia.