Hourly News updated 17:00 2011/10/29

 Death toll¹ rises to 23 after vehicle overturns in NW China 

The death toll from a road accident in northwest China's Gansu province has risen to 23 after two more people died in hospital.

A vehicle, carrying railway construction workers, overturned in a mountain tunnel this morning in the Manwa township in Lintao county of Dingxi city.

The tunnel was still under construction as part of a railway. 

Twenty one workers were killed instantly.

An initial investigation² shows that a brake failure was to blame for the accident.

 

China's top legislature adopts law amendment³ for better placement of demobilized soldiers 

China's top legislature has adopted an amendment to the Military Service Law, promising⁴ better placement for demobilized soldiers.

The amendment provides that demobilized soldiers who register for a civil servant examination or apply for a position in government institutions will be given preference. 

It says military service will be regarded as community-level work experience, which is a requirement for civil service hopefuls eyeing central and provincial⁵ level posts. 

The amendment also requires local governments to organize free vocational education and technical training for demobilized soldiers and issue certificates to trainees⁶.

 

China revises law to better protect personal information in ID cards 

China's top legislature has adopted an amendment to the Resident Identity Card Law in a bid to better protect residents' personal information in identity cards.

The NPC approved lawmakers' suggestion of having Chinese citizens' fingerprints⁷ recorded when they apply for or change ID cards. 

Lawmakers held that including fingerprints in ID cards would help identify people in a faster and more precise manner and would effectively curb⁸ the counterfeiting⁹ and altering of the cards. 

The amendment also increased punishment to those found guilty of leaking citizens' personal information.

 

Senior Chinese leader calls for enhanced public opinion supervision¹⁰ 

Senior Chinese leader Li Changchun has called for more efforts in strengthening supervision of, and environment for public opinion.

He made the remarks at the first meeting of the eighth council of the All-China Journalists Association (ACJA), which was attended by over 490 representatives. 

Li Changchun said the press should hold a high sense of responsibility in their work, which should aim to build a favorable media atmosphere for economic and cultural reforms.

 

China call for further tapping women's potential in maintaining world peace, security 

A Chinese diplomat¹¹ says women could make unique contributions to maintaining world peace and stability, therefore their potential needs to be further tapped.

Li Baodong, Chinese permanent representative to the UN said this when addressing an open debate of the Security Council on women and peace and security in New York.

He noted¹² that women are vulnerable in armed conflicts and need special attention. 

Li Baodong said to avoid and reduce harm suffered by women in armed conflicts, the primary task is to prevent war and reduce conflicts.

 

China to donate 1 mln U.S. dollars to quake-hit Turkey: FM spokeswoman 

China says it will donate one million U.S. dollars to quake-hit Turkey.

Foreign Ministry¹³ spokeswoman Jiang Yu says China has paid great attention to the situation since a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit eastern Turkey a week ago. 

The Red Cross Society of China has also donated 50,000 U.S. dollars, and China will continue to offer emergency relief aid to Turkey.

According to the Turkish government, 570 people were dead and more than two thousand injured after the powerful earthquake struck the province of Van in eastern Turkey on Sunday.

 

Afghan soldier kills 3 NATO troopers and interpreter

An Afghan soldier has opened fired and killed four people including three NATO soldiers and their local interpreter in Uruzgan province 370 km south of capital city Kabul.

A local military official says five more people including an Afghan soldier sustained injuries in the firing.

The official says an investigation has been initiated¹⁴ into the case.

 

China's icebreaker gears up for new Antarctic expedition 

The Chinese research vessel¹⁵ and icebreaker Xuelong, or "Snow Dragon," left Shanghai for Tianjin today, where it will soon set sail for a six-month Antarctic expedition

Xuelong, an A2-class icebreaker capable of breaking ice 1.2 meters thick, will leave the northern port of Tianjin on November 3 for the vessel's 28th voyage since 1984. 

Its crew of 220 will work on 31 scientific research assignments.

 

China introduces first national plan on groundwater pollution control 

China has introduced the country's first national plan on groundwater pollution control, urging a combination of legal, economic, technological¹⁶ and administrative¹⁷ measures for groundwater protection.

The ministries¹⁸ of environmental protection, land and resources, and water resources have announced at a press conference that the State Council, or China's Cabinet, has already approved the national plan on groundwater pollution control for 2011-2020. 

China will invest a total of over 34 billion yuan (over 5 billion U.S. dollars) on the prevention and treatment of pollution in the country's groundwater in 2011-2020, according to the plan.

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 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。

3 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

4 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。

5 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。

6 trainees   

新兵( trainee的名词复数 )； 练习生； 接受训练的人； 训练中的动物

参考例句：

• We've taken on our full complement of new trainees. 我们招收的新学员已经满额了。
• The trainees were put through an assault course. 受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

7 fingerprints   

n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Everyone's fingerprints are unique. 每个人的指纹都是独一无二的。
• They wore gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints behind (them). 他们戴着手套，以免留下指纹。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 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。

9 counterfeiting   

n.伪造v.仿制，造假( counterfeit的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He was sent to prison for counterfeiting five-dollar bills. 他因伪造5美元的钞票被捕入狱。 来自辞典例句
• National bureau released securities, certificates with security anti-counterfeiting paper technical standards. 国家质量技术监督局发布了证券、证件用安全性防伪纸张技术标准。 来自互联网

10 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

11 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 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。

14 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

15 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

16 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

17 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。

18 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。