Hourly News 每日新闻 2014-02-14

 Kerry's visit to China

China's Foreign Ministry¹ has released a new statement, hailing the importance of ties between China and the United States.

Foreign MInistry spokeswoman says China-US relations are on a steady growth generally and maintain close communication and cooperation at different levels to biuld the new model of major-country relations.

She made the comment ahead of US Secretary of State John Kerry 's visit to Beijing today.

The U.S. State Department says Kerry's visit is tasked with reaffirming the U.S.'s commitment to building a "positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship with China." 

The two sides will also discuss cooperation on issues of shared interest, including the Korean Peninsula situation, climate change, and clean energy.

 

North Korea unacceptable as nuclear state: Kerry/xinhua

The US Secretary of State says North Korea will never be accepted as a nuclear nation.

John Kerry made the comment in Seoul during a joint² press conference with his South Korean counterpart, Yun Byung-se.

It's the fifth meeting between the two top diplomats³ in the last two years.

South Korea is the first stop on Kerry's latest Asian tour, with visits to China, Indonesia, and United Arab Emrirates still on the agenda.

Kerry says North Korea has yet to demonstrate its commitment to denuclearization, despite previous promises.

 

PM Letta says he's resigning after party rival withdraws his support

Italian Premier⁴ Enrico Letta has announced he will resign after a party rival withdrew essential support for the 10-month-old coalition⁵ government with the aim of getting the premiership for himself.

Letta says he will hand in his resignation to Italy's president Giorgio Napolitano on Friday, citing the overwhelming vote against him by his Democratic Party leadership.

Florence Mayor Matteo Renzi told fellow Democratic Party leaders it's time for "radical⁶ change" in economically stagnant⁷ and politically unstable⁸ Italy.

After Letta officially resigns, President Napolitano is due to begin a first round of consultations⁹ among political forces to verify whether it's possible to achieve a majority in support of a new cabinet. 

If successful, Renzi could be tapped to form a new government, which would need to win a vote of confidence in both houses of Parliament.

 

Russia, U.S. promise to help push forward Syira peace talk

Lakhdar Brahimi, UN Envoy¹⁰ to Syria, has described a recent trilateral meeting Russian and US officials as useful and important.

Brahimi met with Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Gennady Gatilov and U.S. Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.

Brahimi mediated¹¹ a second round of talks between delegations¹² from the Syrian government and opposition¹³ in Geneva.

The two sides haven't been able to find common ground during this round of talks with each sides unwilling¹⁴ to soften¹⁵ their demands.

Meanwhile, the American ship MV Cape¹⁶ Ray has arrived at the Spanish naval¹⁷ base of Rota for crew rest and refueling.

It will them collect and destroy the chemical materials that have been transfered out of Syria into international waters.

 

U.S. Forces-Afghanistan condemns¹⁸ Taliban prisoners' release

The United States has condemned¹⁹ the release of Taliban inmates²⁰ by the Afghan government, from the former U.S.-run Bagram detention²¹ center.

Sixty-five detainees have been released despite repeated protests from U.S. Forces. 

The decision to set the prisoners free was made at a meeting chaired by Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the grounds that the suspects are innocent or held without adequate evidence.

The U.S. says the release of these dangerous individuals poses a threat to the U.S., Coalition and Afghan National Security Forces as well as the Afghan population.

 

EU official lays out plan to end Ukraine's crisis/xinhua

The European Union has presented a plan to resolve the political crisis in Ukraine.

The EU's Commissioner²² for Enlargement, Stafan Fule, says urgent steps toward constitutional reform are needed, along with a new inclusive government and free and fair elections.

The Commissioner says he's not talking about holding early elections, but the regular presidential vote that is coming up in 2015.

Opposition leaders in the country have been calling for early elections.

Ukraine has been divided poltically since last fall, when a deal that would have brought the country closer to the EU was rejected in favour of a financial bailout package brokered²³ by Moscow.

Street protests have been ongoing²⁴ ever since.

 

1 Chinese killed, 6 injured in Zambian attack

Armed robbers have attacked a Chinese firm in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, killing²⁵ one Chinese worker and injuring six others.

Two robbers were killed in the process.

A Chinese medical group in Zambia rushed to the local hospital where the injured are being treated, and Chinese volunteers have donated blood. 

The Chinese ambassador in Zambia is comforting the injured and will work with Zambian officials to ensure the matter will be solved and the murderers arrested.

 

Three killed in China wedding tragedy/xinhua

Seven people have died at a wedding in eastern China.

Authorities in Zhejiang province say the building collapsed²⁷ during the wedding ceremony.

It happened around 5:30 Thursday afternoon in Yazhuang village.

Dozens others people were injured and have been rushed to hospital.

The cause of the collapse²⁶ is still under investigation²⁸.

 

Lew will attend G-20 summit in late February

US Treasury²⁹ Secretary Jacob Lew has confirmed he will attend the G-20 summit for finance ministers and central bankers in Sydney later this month.

The summit is slated³⁰ on February 22nd to 23rd.

Lew will reportedly hold one-on-one meetings with top economic officials from several key countries including Germany, Japan, Brazil and Turkey.

1 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。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

7 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

8 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

9 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

11 mediated   

调停，调解，斡旋( mediate的过去式和过去分词 )； 居间促成； 影响…的发生； 使…可能发生

参考例句：

• He mediated in the quarrel between the two boys. 他调解两个孩子之间的争吵。
• The government mediated between the workers and the employers. 政府在工人与雇主间搞调和。

12 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

13 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

14 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

15 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

16 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

17 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。

18 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

19 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

20 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 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。

22 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

23 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

24 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。

25 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

26 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

27 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

28 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。

29 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

30 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。