Hourly News updated 17:00 2011/10/23

 Chinese police confirm 13 sailors dead in ship attack on Mekong River 

Chinese police have confirmed that the body of the missing Chinese sailor in the ship attack on the Mekong River has been found.

Two Chinese cargo¹ ships were attacked by unidentified armed people on the Mekong River early this month. Twelve Chinese sailors were killed and one was missing. 

The Ministry² of Public Security has urged relevant governments to get to the bottom of the attack and catch the assailants as soon as possible.

 

Chinese vice³ premier⁴ arrives in Pyongyang for visit 

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang is now in Pyongyang for an official goodwill⁵ visit to North Korea.

During his stay, Li Keqiang is expected to meet with leaders of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea and the North Korean government to discuss bilateral⁶ ties as well as regional and global issues of common concern.

 

A Chinese legislator calls for enhancing China-US people-to-people exchanges 

A senior Chinese legislator has called for enhancing the China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges, which she said will contribute to maintaining peace in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as in the world. 

Yan Junqi, vice chairwoman of the Standing⁷ Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative⁸ body, issued the call in a speech to the opening ceremony of the fourth China-U. S. Civil Society Peace Forum⁹ held at the American University in Washington DC. 

She said China will continue to adhere to its peaceful foreign policies, including its good-neighborly policy, and is willing to develop friendly cooperation, on the basis of equal treatment and mutual¹⁰ benefits, with other countries in order to maintain peace and stability in the world.

 

Libyan NTC member raises doubts over official Gaddafi death account 

A member of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) has raised doubts over the exact circumstances of former Libyan leader Mummar Gaddafi's death.

Waheed Burshan was quoted by Al-Jazeera as saying that Gaddafi was clearly captured and there should be an investigation¹¹ as to how he ended up dead a short while later.

His remarks, contradicting head of NTC's executive committee Mahmoud Jibril's account that Gaddafi was killed in crossfire¹², came a day after the United Nations called for an investigation into his death.

 

Premier Wen stresses efforts to ensure and improve people's well-being¹³

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says ensuring and improving people's well-being must be put at a highly significant position during the process of China's macroeconomic control.

He said this during an inspection¹⁴ tour of south China's city of Nanning.

Wen Jabao says ensuring people's livelihood¹⁵ is closely related not only to social and economic advancement¹⁶, but also to the people's benefits as well as social harmony and stability.

 

China to check school canteens for food safety 

China will launch nationwide checks on school canteens in an attempt to prevent occurrences of food poisoning.

The State Food and Drug Administration and Ministry of Education have ordered local health and education administrations to immediately carry out checks on the entire process of food safety in all schools. 

Inspection teams will be formed to thoroughly¹⁷ check canteens, especially those of kindergartens, elementary and middle schools. Any schools that fail to make prompt corrections will be punished.

The two ministries¹⁸ say when food poisoning occurs, local administrators¹⁹ must make thorough and accurate reports and launch urgent measures. Any delays, concealment²⁰ or outright²¹ lies will warrant punishment.

 

China's film industry criticized for lack of cultural depth 

China's film industry, the world's third largest in terms of production, has been criticized for its over-commercialization and a lack of cultural depth amid expectations that the fast-growing sector²² will help enhance the nation's soft power.

Experts and industry insiders at an ongoing²³ film festival expressed their hope that the country's film industry can develop in a healthy way and impress audiences with the charms of Chinese culture.

Experts also agree that a lack of originality²⁴ has impeded²⁵ the sustainable development of the nation's film industry.

 

International circus festival kicks off in north China 

More than 200 acrobats²⁶ from 17 countries and regions have participated in a major international circus festival that kicked off last night in north China's Hebei Province.

Acrobatic artists from Russia, the United States, Canada, North Korea, Australia, France and other countries will present 30 performances during the 13th China Wuqiao International Circus Festival (CWICF). 

The major activities of the nine-day festival include an international circus competition, forums²⁷ on world circus and circus art exchanges.

 

Cold front to sweep central and eastern China 

A cold spell is sweeping²⁸ over central China and will continue moving east over the next three days, bringing an end to the recent fog.

The National Meteorological Center says temperatures in the central parts of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous²⁹ Region and most parts of northeast China will fall by eight to 14 degrees Celsius³⁰.

Snow and rainfall will widely cover northeastern China, and some parts of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces will face heavy snow. 

The center says the cold front will also bring rainfall to the country's central and eastern Yangtze valley regions, and some parts of Hunan, Hubei, Henan and Anhui provinces will get hit by heavy rains.

1 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

5 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

6 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

9 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

10 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

12 crossfire   

n.被卷进争端

参考例句：

• They say they are caught in the crossfire between the education establishment and the government.他们称自己被卷进了教育机构与政府之间的争端。
• When two industrial giants clash,small companies can get caught in the crossfire.两大工业企业争斗之下，小公司遭受池鱼之殃。

13 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

14 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

15 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

16 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

17 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

18 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

19 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

20 concealment   

n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒

参考例句：

• the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒
• Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。

21 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

22 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

23 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

24 originality   

n.创造力，独创性；新颖

参考例句：

• The name of the game in pop music is originality.流行音乐的本质是独创性。
• He displayed an originality amounting almost to genius.他显示出近乎天才的创造性。

25 impeded   

阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Work on the building was impeded by severe weather. 楼房的施工因天气恶劣而停了下来。
• He was impeded in his work. 他的工作受阻。

26 acrobats   

n.杂技演员( acrobat的名词复数 )；立场观点善变的人，主张、政见等变化无常的人

参考例句：

• I was always fascinated by the acrobats at the circus. 我总是着迷于马戏团里的杂技演员。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The acrobats' performance drew forth applause from the audience. 杂技演员的表演博得了观众的掌声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

28 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

29 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

30 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。