Hourly News 每日新闻 2014-01-03

China urges U.S. to ensure safety following consulate¹ arson² attack

The Chinese government has lodged³ representations to the US government following an attack on a Chinese consulate.

The Chinese foreign ministry⁴ is calling on the US side to take "effective measures" to protect both its diplomatic missions and its staff.

The US State Department says the US government is "deeply concerned" by the incident.

This comes after someone poured gasoline on the front steps of the Chinese consulate in San Francisco and lit it on fire.

The blaze torched the outer door of the consulate before it was put out.

No one was hurt.

Chinese Consular⁵ officials say they're working with the FBI to try to help investigators⁶ track down those responsible.

Investigators have not provided any possible motive⁷ for the attack.

The Consulate itself remains⁸ open for business.

 

China slams US for sending Chinese terrorists to Slovakia

The Chinese government is criticizing the United States for sending three Chinese terrorists from the Guantanamo Bay detention⁹ camp to Slovakia.

The three, members of the outlawed¹⁰ East Turkestan Islamic Movement, had been held by the US at Guantanamo after being picked up in Afghanistan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang is cautioning the three pose a threat to not-only the security of China, but also to Slovakia.

 

Chinese helicopter rescued stranded¹¹ passengers in Antarctic

A Chinese helicopter has rescued all 52 passengers from a Russian research ship that has been trapped in the Antarctic ice since Christmas Eve.

The successful rescue comes after days of failed attempts to reach the ship because of strong winds and thick sea ice.

The helicopter on-board the Chinese icebreaker Xuelong has carried the scientists and tourists from the Russian ship in groups of 12 to an Australian icebreaker.

 

China, Cambodia hold first meeting of intergovernmental coordination¹² committee

The Chinese and Cambodian governments have held an Intergovernmental Coordination Committee meeting here in Beijing.

State Councilor Yang Jiechi and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Hor Namhong have co-chaired the meeting, the first of its kind between the two sides.

Following the session, the Chinese government says the two sides have achieved a "broad consensus¹³" on enhancing their comprehensive strategic partnership¹⁴.

Over 10 governmental departments from the two countries have been included in the talks, which were first proposed early last year.

 

Chinese frigate¹⁵ to escort Syrian chemical weapons

Chinese naval¹⁶ frigate Yan Cheng has set out for the Mediterranean¹⁷ to escort the transportation of Syria's chemical weapons.

The frigate is now sailing through the Suez Canal.

The Yan Cheng will cooperate with frigates¹⁸ from other countries, including Russia, when it reaches Cyprus.

The main bulk of Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles are being shipped to a separate location outside the country for destruction.

All of Syria's chemical weapons are expected to be destroyed by the middle of this year.

 

Death toll¹⁹ rises to 6 in Beirut bombing

The death toll from a massive car bombing in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has risen to 6.

Over 70 others were hurt in the huge blast, which ripped through a southern suburb known to be an area with strong support for Hezbollah, which governs Lebanon.

The explosion, which is believed to have been from a bomb weighing some 20-kilograms, hit only a few hundred meters from the location of Hezbollah's Politburo.

It's believed the bombing may be retribution for a blast last week which targeted a Sunni neighborhood in Beirut.

 

Israeli PM doubts Palestinians' commitment to peace talks

Israel's Prime Minister has released a new statement, saying he doubts the sincerity²⁰ of the Palestinian's commitment to the peace process.

Netanyahu's statement also points the finger directly at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for not condemning²¹ a string of recent attacks against Israeli citizens.

Benjamin Netanyahu's statement comes just hours before he sat down with John Kerry for talks.

The US Secretary of State has arrived in the region to try to salvage²² the failing peace talks between the Israeli's and Palestinians.

 

Hamas rejects Egypt's accusation²³ of aiding attackers

Hamas is rejecting an accusation by Egyptian authorities the Palestinian group was involved in an attack that killed 16 people in Egypt last month. 

A spokesperson for Hamas says Egypt's national security is highly appreciated and respected by the Palestinian movement, suggesting there is no way Hamas would take steps to harm it.

Egyptian Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim says confessions²⁴ from the son of a senior Muslim Brotherhood²⁵ member suggests Hamas provided logistic support to attackers who detonated a car bomb targeting a security headquarters in the city of Mansoura.

That blast prompted Egyptian authorities to deem the Muslim Brotherhood an outlawed organization.

 

Afghan president meets visiting U.S. senators

A trio of US Republican Senators have meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul.

John McCain, Lindsey Graham and John Barrasso discussed with Karzai issues including a planned Bilateral²⁶ Security Agreement between the US and Afghanistan.

Karzai has told the 3 Senators the Afghan government wants to sign the BSA.

However, he says a number of conditions need to be met before the agreement can be signed.

Those include the release of some two-dozen Afghan detainees from Guantanamo, on top of a pledge by US forces to stop raids on Afghan homes.

 

1 consulate   

n.领事馆

参考例句：

• The Spanish consulate is the large white building opposite the bank.西班牙领事馆是银行对面的那栋高大的白色建筑物。
• The American consulate was a magnificent edifice in the centre of Bordeaux.美国领事馆是位于波尔多市中心的一座宏伟的大厦。

2 arson   

n.纵火，放火

参考例句：

• He was serving a ten spot for arson.他因纵火罪在服十年徒刑。
• He was arraigned on a charge of arson.他因被指控犯纵火罪而被传讯。

3 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 consular   

a.领事的

参考例句：

• He has rounded out twenty years in the consular service. 他在领事馆工作已整整20年了。
• Consular invoices are declarations made at the consulate of the importing country. 领事发票是进口国领事馆签发的一种申报书。

6 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

10 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

11 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

12 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

13 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

14 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

15 frigate   

n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰

参考例句：

• An enemy frigate bore down on the sloop.一艘敌驱逐舰向这只护航舰逼过来。
• I declare we could fight frigate.我敢说我们简直可以和一艘战舰交战。

16 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

17 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

18 frigates   

n.快速军舰( frigate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Frigates are a vital part of any balanced sea-going fleet. 护卫舰是任何一个配置均衡的远洋舰队所必需的。 来自互联网
• These ships are based on the Chinese Jiangwei II class frigates. 这些战舰是基于中国的江卫II型护卫舰。 来自互联网

19 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

20 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

21 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

22 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

23 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

24 confessions   

n.承认( confession的名词复数 )；自首；声明；（向神父的）忏悔

参考例句：

• It is strictly forbidden to obtain confessions and to give them credence. 严禁逼供信。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions. 既不诱供也不逼供。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

25 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

26 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。