Hourly News 每日新闻 2013-07-19

 U.S. city Detroit files for bankruptcy¹, largest in history

The US city Detroit has filed for bankruptcy.

The move is the largest-ever municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

The largest city in the State of Michigan is saddled with more than 18 billion dollars worth of debt.

Local officials say the move is the only reasonable alternative available to them. 

If the bankruptcy filing is approved, Detroit's assets could be liquidated² to satisfy its creditors³.

Once one of the most robust⁴ local economies in the United States, Detroit - the hub of US auto⁵ manufacutring - has been hammered by the downturn in the US auto industry.

 

China home prices continue to rise

The latest government figures are suggesting the prices of both new and existing homes are continuing to rise in most Chinese cities, adding additional stress on the government in its attempt to try to control the housing market. 

Out of the 70 cities monitored, 63 have seen monthly home price increases in June, though it is down from 65 in May.

On a year-on-year basis, new home prices have risen last month in all the cities monitored except Wenzhou in Zhejiang.

Existing home prices are also increasing in value, with 55 cities reporting month-on-month price gains.

 

Beijing vows⁶ to root out irregularities in house leasing

The Beijing municipal government is promising⁷ to root out irregularities in apartment rentals⁸.

The city's housing authorities are now requiring the average area for a single tenant⁹ be at least 5-square-meters.

The new rules also stipulate¹⁰ that a single room can't be rented to more than 2 people.

This follows reports of an 80-square-meter apartment here in Beijing being rented to 25 people.

All the tenants¹¹ reportedly slept on bunk¹² beds and shared one bathroom.

 

China, Switzerland pledge closer cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier¹³ Li Keqiang have met with visiting Swiss President Ueli Maurer.

The meetings here in Beijing come on the heels of China and Switzerland signing a free trade agreement earlier this month.

Bilateral¹⁴ trade between the two countries has hit 22-billion U.S. dollars so far this year.

This represents a 114-percent rise compared to the same period last year. 

Maurer is in China to attend a global ecological¹⁵ forum¹⁶ in Guizhou's provincial¹⁷ capital, Guiyang.

 

Curfew imposed in Indian-controlled Kashmir following civilian¹⁸ killings¹⁹

A curfew is now in effect in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

This follows clashes between authorities and Muslim protesters.

Six people have been killed in the unrest in the village of Dadam, which is about 150-kilometers south of the regional capital, Srinagar.

The Muslim majority launched a massive demonstration²⁰ following the alleged²² desecration²³ of the Quran by Indian Border Guards.

The protesters also say the border guards assaulted a local Imam.

On top of the 6 dead, more than 2-dozen others have been hurt in the unrest.

 

Mugabe blasts U.S. for meddling²⁴ in Zimbabwe elections

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has turned his sights on the United States in his latest election 'stump²⁵ speech.'

Responding to concerns raised by a US official about the transparency of the forthcoming vote, Mugabe has blasted the US for -quote- "being insane" for questioning the election process.

A spokesperson for the US State Department suggested this week the United States was concerned about a lack of transparency in the preparations for the July 31st vote, and called on the government of Zimbabwe to ensure the vote is peaceful, fair and credible²⁶.

Last week, the 89-year old Mugabe lashed²⁷ out at the UK for expressing similar concerns.

 

Tropical storm Cimaron lands on SE China coast

Tropical storm Cimaron has made landfall in southern China.

The center of the storm hit the southwestern part of Fujian overnight, bringing with it winds over 70-kilometers per hour.

While forecasters expect the storm to begin dying down now that it's made landfall, it's still bringing heavy rains with it.

Local authorities have issued flood warnings.

Southeastern China is still coping with the aftermath of Typhoon Soulik, which crossed through this past weekend.

 

Shanghai closes travel agency over GSK case

A Shanghai-based travel agency connected to the Glaxo-Smith-Kline bribery²⁹ case has been temporarily shut down as part of the investigation³⁰.

GSK is being accused of bribery and tax-related violations³¹.

Four senior managers of the Chinese division of the drug maker³² are accused of funneling³³ bribe²⁸ money through travel agencies to pay off officials, doctors and hospitals to expand the company's market share and increase drug prices. 

Authorities allege²¹ GlaxoSmithKline dispursed billions of yuan to numerous travel agencies around China as part of the bribery scheme.

 

Chinese official sacked over daughter's luxury wedding

An official in Hebei has been fired over his daughter's extravagant³⁴ wedding.

The Party chief of a township in Guyuan County has been removed from his post after it was revealed he spent some 200-thousand yuan on his daughter's wedding banquet.

The subsequent investigation has also revealed the official received 1-million yuan in gifts from others during the wedding.

He's since been ordered to return the money he accepted.

The county's discipline inspection³⁵ commission is now involved.

BackAnchor

1 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

2 liquidated   

v.清算( liquidate的过去式和过去分词 )；清除（某人）；清偿；变卖

参考例句：

• All his supporters were expelled, exiled, or liquidated. 他的支持者全都被驱逐、流放或消灭了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• That can be liquidated at market value any time. 那可按市价随时得到偿付。 来自辞典例句

3 creditors   

n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They agreed to repay their creditors over a period of three years. 他们同意3年内向债主还清欠款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Creditors could obtain a writ for the arrest of their debtors. 债权人可以获得逮捕债务人的令状。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

5 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

6 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

7 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

8 rentals   

n.租费，租金额( rental的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In some large hotels, the income derived from this source actually exceeds income from room rentals. 有些大旅馆中，这方面的盈利实际上要超过出租客房的盈利。 来自辞典例句
• Clerk: Well, Canadian Gifts is on the lower level. It's across from Prime Time Video Rentals. 噢，礼品店在楼下，在黄金时刻录像出租屋的对面。 来自口语例句

9 tenant   

n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用

参考例句：

• The tenant was dispossessed for not paying his rent.那名房客因未付房租而被赶走。
• The tenant is responsible for all repairs to the building.租户负责对房屋的所有修理。

10 stipulate   

vt.规定，（作为条件）讲定，保证

参考例句：

• International rules stipulate the number of foreign entrants.国际规则规定了外国参赛者的人数。
• Some manufacturers stipulate the price at which their goods are to be sold.有些制造商规定出售他们生产的商品的价格。

11 tenants   

n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者

参考例句：

• A number of tenants have been evicted for not paying the rent. 许多房客因不付房租被赶了出来。
• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。

12 bunk   

n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话

参考例句：

• He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。
• Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。

13 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。

14 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。

15 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

16 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。

17 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

18 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

19 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

20 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

21 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

22 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

23 desecration   

n. 亵渎神圣, 污辱

参考例句：

• Desecration, and so forth, and lectured you on dignity and sanctity. 比如亵渎神圣等。想用尊严和神圣不可侵犯之类的话来打动你们。
• Desecration: will no longer break stealth. 亵渎：不再消除潜行。

24 meddling   

v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切“干预”促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
• They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野，因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句

25 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

26 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

27 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

29 bribery   

n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿

参考例句：

• FBI found out that the senator committed bribery.美国联邦调查局查明这个参议员有受贿行为。
• He was charged with bribery.他被指控受贿。

30 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。

31 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

32 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

33 funneling   

[医]成漏斗形：描述膀胱底及膀胱尿道交接区

参考例句：

34 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

35 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。