Hourly News 每日新闻 2014-03-17

 Crimea referendum exit polls: 95 pct favor reuniting with Russia

Voting in the controversial referendum in Crimea has come to a conclusion.

Exit polling is suggesting that over 95 percent have voted to leave Ukraine and rejoin Russia.

The final results of the vote are expected to come out within the next few hours.

Authorities in Crimea launched the referendum after forces loyal to Russia took control of a number of major institutions in the fallout from the ouster of Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych.

The European Union and the United States have announced they will not accept the outcome of the referendum.

Russia has said it will respect the results of the vote.

 

More countries involved in Malaysia Airlines search

Malaysian authorities now say 25 nations are now involved in the official search for flight MH370.

The involvement in the additional countries over the weekend comes following word from Malaysian authorities the missing plane had its radar¹ and transponder intentionally² turned off shortly after taking off 9-days ago.

Over the weekend, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed the plane turned around after the radar and transponder were shut down, then turned west back over Malaysia before disappearing.

As such, authorities have now changed the search grid³ to either a southwest or northwest track, meaning the search for the missing jetliner is being extended into the southern Indian Ocean and along a track heading into Central Asia.

The Malaysia Airlines flight, with 239 passangers and crew onboard, disappeared around an hour after take-off on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

154 of those on the flight are Chinese.

 

China unveils landmark⁴ urbanization plan

The central authorities here in China have unveiled this country's first-ever national-level urbanization roadmap.

The new document has placed a focus on "human-centered and environmentally friendly" development.

The National New-type Urbanization Plan contends urbanization serves as a strong engine for sustainable and healthy economic growth.

The latest government figures show the urbanization ratio in China current sits at 53.7-percent, far lower than the 80-percent average of developed countries.

The new plan has set a target of creating an urbanization ratio of 60 percent by 2020, with 45 percent of the population holding an urban hukou.

 

 7.0-magnitude quake hits 68km west of Iquique, Chile -- USGS

A strong earthquake has struck off the coast of Chile.

The 7.0-magnitude quake hit in the ocean about 70-kilometers to the northwest of the port city of Iquique.

The quake was strong enough to be felt across the city of 180-thousand.

No word yet on damage or injuries.

The city of Iquique was hammered by a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in 2005 which injured over a hundred people and left 11-dead.

 

Syria launches missiles into Lebanon's border town

The Syrian air force has launched an air assault into Lebanese territory.

It's being reported Syrian jets have launched several air-to-ground missiles at a mountain pass which is known to be a transit⁵ point for smugglers and an escape route for Syrian rebel forces.

The results of the Syrian airforce raid remains⁶ unclear.

The area where the assault took place is also home to around 50-thousand Syrian refugees.

Meanwhile, Turkey has scrambled⁷ a pair of jets to intercept⁸ a pair of Syrian fighter jets near its borders.

No shots were fired, as the Syrian jets turned away just over two miles away from the Turkish border.

 

North Korea launches 25 more short-range missiles

North Korean forces have launched 25 more short-range missiles off the country's east coast.

The launch of the missiles comes 12-days after Pyongyang fired off a number of other projectiles⁹ into the open waters off the country's east coast.

South Korean authorities say they believe the missles launched early last night are so-called FROG missiles with a range of around 70-kilometers.

The short-range missiles were introduced to North Korea from the Soviet¹⁰ Union in the 1960's.

The launch of the missiles is thought to be protest against the ongoing¹¹ joint¹² military exercises between South Korea and the United States.

The annual war-games are scheduled to last for another month.

 

Palestinians call on Abbas not to surrender to Obama's pressure

A number of Palestinian factions¹³ are calling on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to maintain his resolve in his meeting later on this Monday with US President Barack Obama at the White House.

A number of leading Palestinian groups, including Hamas which controls the West Bank, are pleading with Abbas not to surrender to any pressure Obama may put on him when it comes to any extension of the current peace talks.

The current window for negotiations¹⁴, established by the US-side in brokering¹⁵ the current round of peace talks, is set to expire at the end of April.

 

Over 100,000 celebrate Irish St Patrick's Day in London

Over 100-thousand people have turned out in London on Sunday for the annual St. Patrick's Day celebrations.

Organized by the Mayor's office and local Irish businesses, the parade from Piccadilly to Trafalgar Square has seen some 90-different groups taking part.

Various other celebrations have also taken place in London to mark the Irish holiday.

March 17th has been officially recognized as the day marking the death of the patron Saint of Ireland, Patrick.

The event is celebrated¹⁶ by the Irish populations around the world.

The Irish embassy here in Beijing holds an annual ball which draws hundreds of revelers every year.

1 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

2 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

3 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

4 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

5 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

6 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。

7 scrambled   

v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Each scrambled for the football at the football ground. 足球场上你争我夺。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. 他笨拙地爬起身来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

9 projectiles   

n.抛射体( projectile的名词复数 )；（炮弹、子弹等）射弹，（火箭等）自动推进的武器

参考例句：

• These differences are connected with the strong absorption of the composite projectiles. 这些差别与复杂的入射粒子的强烈吸收有关。 来自辞典例句
• Projectiles became more important because cannons could now fire balls over hundreds or yards. 抛射体变得更加重要，因为人们已能用大炮把炮弹射到几百码的距离之外。 来自辞典例句

10 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

11 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。

12 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。

13 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

14 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

15 brokering   

v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的现在分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• Intertwined with these were rivalry, power brokering, and patronage. 然而也不乏有抗争、强权操纵与任命特权交织其中。 来自互联网
• Kingston Quest Can Assist Your Company In Negotiations, Brokering, Agency Services, Sourcing Factories Or Property. 金士顿追求，可帮助您的公司在谈判中，经纪，代理服务，货源工厂或财产。 来自互联网

16 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。