Hourly News 每日新闻 Hourly News 2013-12-02

 China launches probe and rover to moon

China has launched the country's first moon rover, the Chang'e-3 lunar module¹, marking a milestone² in the country's deep space exploration.

The probe's carrier-rocket launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China several hours ago.

The lunar rover is expected to land on the moon in the middle of this month and will be the first Chinese spacecraft to make a soft landing on an extraterrestrial body.

The rover's designers say the soft landing on the surface of the moon will be the most difficult part of the mission.

The Chang'e-3 will explore the moon's geological structure and surface to detect natural resources.

 

U.S. vice³ president kicks off Asia visit

U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden has embarked⁴ on a week-long visit to Japan, China and South Korea, in the administration's latest effort to rebalance toward Asia.

The White House says atop Biden's agenda will be the efforts to complete the Trans- Pacific Partnership⁵ negotiations⁶, denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, and boost U.S. economic ties with China.

At least 4 dead, 67 injured in New York train derailment

At least 4-people are dead and 67-others injured after a passenger train derailed in New York City Sunday morning local time.

The Metro-North train ran off the tracks at a curved section of the line according to New York police chief Ray Kelly.

At least 4-train cars had been knocked on their sides, though none entered the nearby Hudson or Harlem rivers.

One car came within a few feet of the river's edge.

The train's conductor has lived and is being treated for injuries.

Witnesses say the train was traveling at a faster pace than usual, however the official cause of the accident is still under investigation⁷.

 

Yingluck gets two-day ultimatum⁸ to "return power"

Anti-government protesters in Thailand have given Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra a 2-day ultimatum to return power to the people.

This suggests Yingluck would have to resign and dissolve the Lower House.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban made the announcement while recounting his earlier meeting with the prime minister to supporters.

Thaugsuban, the former Democrat⁹ legislator, has not detailed¹⁰ what actions would follow should the ultimatum be defied, and claims there will be no more meetings between him and Yingluck.

The Prime Minister earlier called for negotiations and compromise between the two sides which Thaugsuban says is unacceptable.

Many protesters believe Yingluck is merely acting¹¹ as a puppet for her ousted¹² brother former Prime Minister Thaksin.

 

Protests escalate¹³ in Ukraine as demonstrators storm administrative¹⁴ buildings

Massive demonstrations¹⁵ have rocked the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.

Tens of thousands of people have taken to Kiev's streets to protest against Ukrainian President Viktor Yanu-kovych's decision to suspend a trade pact¹⁶ with the European Union. 

Demonstrators stormed the presidential administration building and Kiev's mayor's office, leading to clashes with police. 

At least 53 demonstrators have been hurt with 14 hospitalized. 

The government, meanwhile, says the situation is under control. 

Sunday's protest was reportedly the largest since rallies began on November 21st, after Ukraine suddenly put a deal with the EU on hold.

Kiev was due to sign political-economic agreements with the EU at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Lithuania.

 

Fire at garment plant in Italy kills 7 Chinese workers: media

A fire at a factory in central Italy has killed at least seven Chinese workers and seriously injured two others.

Local media reports the fire occurred at a garment plant in the suburbs of the city of Prato, just north of Florence in central Italy.

The region has a large concentration of Chinese businesses which employ at least 30-thousand workers.

The cause of the fire is yet unknown.

 

Libyan air force officer killed in Benghazi

A Libyan air force officer has been shot to death in the eastern city of Benghazi this weekend.

Salah Idriss, a worker at the Benina Air Defense¹⁷ Base, was gunned down by unidentified gunmen in front of his 17-year-old son.

His son was wounded in the attack, but has undergone surgery and is in stable condition.

Benghazi has seen a surge of violence in the past week following clashes between the Ansar al-Sahira militia¹⁸ and Libyan Special Forces.

9-people have been killed in the attacks with another 50 injured.

Ansar al-Sahria is suspected to be responsible for the September 2012 attack on the US embassy where Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed.

 

Egypt police fire tear gas to disperse¹⁹ pro-Morsi students in Tahrir

Egyptian security forces have fired tear gas into a crowd of students who support ousted President Mohamed Morsi in Cairo's Tahrir square.

Hundreds of students supporting the Islamist leader entered the iconic square for the first time since the army toppled Morsi in July.

Local media reports the crowd chanted against military rule and demanded the release of Morsi supporters and Muslim Brotherhood²⁰ members who have been detained.

The students began their march from Cairo University where they had protested the reported police killing²¹ of an engineering student last week.

Armed forces sealed the square's entrances and exits once the students dispersed²².

1 module   

n.组件，模块，模件；(航天器的)舱

参考例句：

• The centre module displays traffic guidance information.中央模块显示交通引导信息。
• Two large tanks in the service module held liquid oxygen.服务舱的两个大气瓶中装有液态氧。

2 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 embarked   

乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• We stood on the pier and watched as they embarked. 我们站在突码头上目送他们登船。
• She embarked on a discourse about the town's origins. 她开始讲本市的起源。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

9 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

10 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

11 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

12 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

13 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

14 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

15 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

16 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

17 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

18 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

19 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

20 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。

21 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。

22 dispersed   

adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的

参考例句：

• The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。
• After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后，孩子们四散回家了。