2014年经济学人 本周政治要闻

Politics this week

The Republicans won control of America's Senate for the first time in eight years in the mid-term elections. The party rode a wave of discontent to pick up eight seats, which may rise to nine after Louisiana holds a run-off next month. They also won some states by much larger margins¹ than the pollsters had predicted. Mitch McConnell, who will be the Senate's new leader in the new Congress, thumped² his Democratic opponent by 15 points. The Republicans also increased their majority in the House of Representatives.

The day after the elections Barack Obama promised to work with the Republicans in Congress, but said he was also prepared to make more use of his executive powers. Mr McConnell warned the president not to take unilateral action on immigration reform, which would be “like waving a red flag in front of a bull”.

It was also a bad night for Democrats³ in races for stategovernor. They had been expected to do well but in the end the Republicans held on to Florida and Wisconsin and picked up Arkansas, as well as Illinois, Maryland and Massachusetts, three heavily Democratic states. The Democrats had to console themselves with taking Pennsylvania from the Republicans and holding on, just, to Colorado.

Many referendum questions also appeared on the ballot⁴ in the elections. Voters in Oregon and Alaska approved the legalisation of marijuana. So did voters in Washington, DC, though Congress can overrule the electorate's wishes in the American capital.

Proposals in Colorado and North Dakota to grant legal rights to fetuses⁵, or “personhood”, were defeated. In California a measure passed to reduce the penalties for certain crimes, including possessing drugs. Thousands of people in jail for that offence are now eligible⁶ for release.

Canada announced extra security measures for part of its border with the United States, including a new surveillance web, with radar⁷, ground sensors⁸ and thermal⁹ radiation detectors¹⁰. The American government has been pressing Canada to monitor cross-border activity since last month's attack by a gunman on the Canadian parliament.

Mexico's president, Enrique Peaa Nieto, under pressure to curb¹¹ drug-related violence after the disappearance¹² of 43 students in September, promised there would be new revelations following the arrest in Mexico City of the fugitive¹³ mayor of the town where the atrocity¹⁴ occurred. Relatives of the students remain angry.

Islamic militants¹⁵ claimed responsibility for a suicide-bomb that killed 55 people atPakistan's Wagah border crossing into India. The bomber¹⁶ targeted a daily flag-lowering ceremony conducted by Pakistani and Indian troops that attracts large crowds. It was the deadliest terror attack in Pakistan this year, though it didn't stop the ceremony from taking place the next day.

Two Christians¹⁷ were beaten to death in Pakistan by a mob numbered in the hundreds for supposedly desecrating¹⁸ the Koran. Their bodies were then burned in a kiln¹⁹. Assaults on Christians have increased in Pakistan over the past few years. Unusually, police arrested dozens of the alleged²⁰ perpetrators this time.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar's opposition²¹ democratic movement, decried²² the slow pace of political reforms in the country, noting that America may have been “overly optimistic” about the process. Although she was allowed to stand for parliament in 2012, Myanmar's military rulers are using constitutional tactics to block her bid to become president.

In Jerusalem a Palestinian driver ploughed a van into a group of pedestrians²³, killing²⁴ one policeman and injuring at least 14 others, amid mounting tensions over demands by some Israelis for the right to pray in the area of the al-Aqsa mosque²⁵. The driver was subsequently shot by Israeli policemen. Another similar attack injured three. Clashes also took place between Israeli security forces and Arab protesters at the site of the mosque, which is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, leaving some injured.

Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate²⁶, Jabhat al-Nusra, seized bases belonging to Syria's moderate rebels in Idleb province, their last northern stronghold. The Syrian regime, meanwhile, stepped up air attacks on rebel-held areas. Australia said it would send about 200 members of its special forces to help train Iraqi forces battling Islamic State jihadists. More British troops may also return to Iraq to help train government fighters there.

Blaise Compaoré, the president of Burkina Faso, resigned after protests broke out when he attempted to amend²⁷ the constitution to run for another term in office. His abrupt²⁸ departure sparked a power struggle in the military, which immediately conducted a coup²⁹.

The Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, threatened to tear up a ceasefire deal granting special status to areas in eastern Ukraine held by pro-Russian separatists, after the separatists staged elections. America, the European Union and the UN condemned³⁰ the polls; Russia praised them. Mr Poroshenko ordered reinforcements to the region, where Russia has been arming the separatists.

Five ministers in Georgia's government resigned after Irakli Garibashvili, the prime minister, sacked his defence secretary in a row over alleged misspending by officials. The ruling Georgian Dream coalition³¹ was left without a majority in parliament. The resignations included the foreign minister and the minister for European relations, casting doubt on the country's foreign policy of balancing ties with Europe and Russia.

The prime ministers of Finland and Sweden warned David Cameron, the British prime minister, that they would oppose any moves to limit freedom of movement in the European Union. Mr Cameron has hinted that he will propose some curbs³² on immigration from other EU countries to satisfy widespread anti-immigration sentiment among backers of the UK Independence Party and his own Conservative Party.

Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor³³, was reported to have said she would be prepared to wave auf Wiedersehen to Britain and let it leave the EU before she would consider altering the commitment to freedom of movement.

1 margins   

边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数

参考例句：

• They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
• To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙，加左或者右的margins来定义链接。

2 thumped   

v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Dave thumped the table in frustration . 戴夫懊恼得捶打桌子。
• He thumped the table angrily. 他愤怒地用拳捶击桌子。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

5 fetuses   

n.胎，胎儿( fetus的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• DNA was extracted from fetuses at mid-gestation, about 10 days past conception. DNA从受孕大约10天后的中期妊娠胚胎中提取。 来自互联网
• Brucellosis is a disease that causes fetuses to abort in cattle. 普鲁士菌病是一种可以导致牲畜胎儿夭折的疾病。 来自互联网

6 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

7 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。

8 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

9 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

10 detectors   

探测器( detector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. 报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
• This is heady wine for experimenters using these neutrino detectors. 对于使用中微子探测器的实验工作者，这是令人兴奋的美酒。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技

11 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

12 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。

13 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

14 atrocity   

n.残暴，暴行

参考例句：

• These people are guilty of acts of great atrocity.这些人犯有令人发指的暴行。
• I am shocked by the atrocity of this man's crimes.这个人行凶手段残忍狠毒使我震惊。

15 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

16 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

17 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

18 desecrating   

毁坏或亵渎( desecrate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• You'll go back to desecrating these people's land, blowing up palm trees? 你要过去玷污这些人的土地，炸掉他们的棕榈树？
• Such actions have the effect desecrating the Olympics and humiliating and insulting the people of China. 这种行为产生的效力是侮辱奥运会和屈辱和侮辱中国人民的。

19 kiln   

n.（砖、石灰等）窑，炉；v.烧窑

参考例句：

• That morning we fired our first kiln of charcoal.那天上午，我们烧了我们的第一窑木炭。
• Bricks are baked in a kiln.砖是在窑里烧成的。

20 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

21 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。

22 decried   

v.公开反对，谴责( decry的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The measures were decried as useless. 这些措施受到指责，说是不起作用。
• The old poet decried the mediocrity of today's writing. 老诗人抨击了现代文体的平庸无奇。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

23 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

24 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。

25 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

26 affiliate   

vt.使隶(附)属于；n.附属机构，分公司

参考例句：

• Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles.我们的纽约公司在洛杉矶有一个下属企业。
• What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?固定会员和附属会员之间的区别是什么？

27 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

28 abrupt   

adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的

参考例句：

• The river takes an abrupt bend to the west.这河突然向西转弯。
• His abrupt reply hurt our feelings.他粗鲁的回答伤了我们的感情。

29 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

30 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。

31 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。

32 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句

33 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。