Dettati riguardanti l'ambito finanziario

Dictation nr 1

After a year of bitter debate in Congress, and a vote to approve a bill by a razor-thin margin in the House of Representatives, Barack Obama finally got to sign a health-care reform act into law. Lauded as the most significant piece of social legislation in America since the 1960s, the act ensures near-universal health-insurance coverage and bans insurers from denying treatment to people with pre-existing conditions. Republicans were furious at the manner in which the bill was passed. John McCain said that Democrats had “poisoned the well” and they could expect “no co-operation for the rest of the year” from his party.

Dictation nr 2

A definite chill in the air

Israel’s prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, had a rough encounter with Barack Obama at the White House. The president is said to be trying to squeeze Mr. Netanyahu into making concessions, such as freezing the building of Jewish homes in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, which Palestinians see as their future capital. Israel faced a further setback when Britain’s foreign secretary denounced its secret service for forging passports in the names of 12 British citizens as part of an operation in which an official of Hamas, the Palestinian group, was assassinated in January in Dubai.

Dictation nr 3

Help is on the way?

Speculation mounted ahead of a summit of European Union leaders that Greece would be offered some sort of financial rescue package. Significant involvement by the IMF looked likely, which would mark a victory for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who has resisted direct offers of EU aid. Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development party unveiled proposals for constitutional reform, aimed largely at the country’s military and judiciary. Critics said the measures threatened judicial independence and Turkey’s secular tradition. The government said change was needed to prepare the country for EU accession.

Dictation nr 4

A joint plan

American and Mexican officials announced a new initiative to fight drug-traffickers, involving closer intelligence co-operation and more American help with police training. The announcement came during a visit to Mexico City by Hillary Clinton and other senior American officials. The Inter-American Development Bank secured approval from its shareholders for an increase of $70 billion in its capital to allow it to maintain its annual lending at about $12 billion, double the level before the world financial crisis. The bank also agreed to forgive $480m owed to it by Haiti.

Dictation nr 5

The inflation solution

The merits of inflation as a solution to the rich world’s problems are easily overstated. It has long been considered a sco