Hourly News updated 14:00 2011/11/15

China successfully completed the second space docking

The second docking between China's Shenzhou-8 spaceship and the Tiangong-1 space lab has taken place. 

After flying attached for some 12-days, the unmanned Shenzhou-8 decoupled with the space lab for about half-an-hour, and then hooked itself back up again.

The re-docking is one of the last elements of the Shenzhou-8 mission. 

After flying together for two more days, Shenzhou-8 will re-disengage from Tiangong-1 and fly at a safe distance about 5 kilometers away. 

Shenzhou-8 will then return to earth later this week.

 

 

Chinese president ends Hawaii trip after APEC meeting

Chinese President Hu Jintao is back in Beijing, after wrapping up his time at the APEC meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.

During his time in Honolulu, Hu Jintao attended the Economic Leaders' Meeting.

He also delivered a keynote speech at the APEC CEO summit, along with holding a number of bilateral¹ sessions with other APEC leaders, including US President Barack Obama.

 

 

China's financial system sound: IMF

The International Monetary² Fund says China's financial system is sound and has achieved remarkable³ progress.

The IMF made the conclusion in its first Financial Sector⁴ Assessment⁵ Program review of China, which was carried out jointly⁶ with the World Bank. 

The report says China has made remarkable progress in its transition toward a more commercially-oriented and financially sound system.

Meanwhile, the IMF says further reforms are needed to promote financial stability and sustainable growth. 

It adds that China's financial supervision⁷ and regulation are being strengthened, but risks stem from the growing complexity⁸ of the system and the uncertainties⁹ surrounding the global economy.

 

 

10 dead, 12 injured as home topples in central China

10 people died and 12 others were injured when a home toppled in central China's Hunan province last night.

The accident happened in a village in Xinshao county. 

22 villagers were buried in the debris¹⁰ of the ramshackle house, where they were making funeral arrangements.

The cause of the accident is under investigation¹¹.

 

 

EU urges Iran to cooperate with IAEA

EU Foreign Ministers have been discussing the possibility of a new set of sanctions against Iran in connection with its disputed nuclear program.

However, any new set of sanctions have not been levied¹² at this point.

The foreign ministers of the 27-member bloc¹³ have been meeting in Brussels, and have put out a new call for Iran to clarify its nuclear work. 

This comes after the latest report from the United Nations' nuclear watchdog which contends there is "credible¹⁴" evidence to show that Iran has been working toward trying to create nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, the EU foreign ministers have drafted a new set of sanctions against 18 individuals connected to the Syrian government.

 

 

5.2-magnitude quake hits eastern Turkey: USGS

Still no word on any additional damage or injuries, following another strong aftershock in quake-rattled eastern Turkey.

A magnitude 5.2 quake hit just after midnight local time about 30-kilometers northwest of the stricken city of Van.

The quake hit at a shallow depth of just 10-kilometers, meaning the intensity¹⁵ of the shaking would have been quite strong.

This is the same area which is trying to recover from last month's major earthquake which killed over 500 people and left thousands of others homeless.

 

 

 5 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan

At least five people have been killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's northwest tribal¹⁶ area of North Waziristan which borders Afghanistan.

A local TV report says the U. S. unmanned aircraft fired a number of missiles at a house in Miranshah, a place believed to be a hideout of militants¹⁷. 

Security officials say several drones were seen hovering¹⁸ over the area. 

More than 500 people have reportedly been killed in such strikes so far this year.

 

 

Bad weather obstructs¹⁹ flights to rescue 800 tourists stranded²⁰ in northeastern Nepal

More than 800 tourists remain stranded in northeastern Nepal as bad weather is obstructing²¹ flights. 

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, all 44 flights to the Nepali capital Kathmandu from Lukla were cancelled on Monday. 

Lukla is one of the busiest airports in Nepal as it is the entry point for the trekkers visiting Mt. Qomolangma or Mount Everest.

 

 

Meetings now a lucrative²² industry

Holding meetings has become a lucrative industry in China, which creates an economic value of nearly 1 trillion yuan or 157 billion US dollars a year.

According to a report by the Alliance of China Conference Hotels, the number of meetings and conventions held by companies, governments, public-funded institutions and social organizations is growing at an annual rate of 20 percent.

The report says China's economic growth gives a tremendous impetus²³ to business conferences.

In Beijing, about 220,000 meetings are held every year. 

1 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。

2 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

5 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

6 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

7 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。

8 complexity   

n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物

参考例句：

• Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。
• The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。

9 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

10 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

11 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。

12 levied   

征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税

参考例句：

• Taxes should be levied more on the rich than on the poor. 向富人征收的税应该比穷人的多。
• Heavy fines were levied on motoring offenders. 违规驾车者会遭到重罚。

13 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

14 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？

15 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

16 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

17 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。

18 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

19 obstructs   

阻塞( obstruct的第三人称单数 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• The cirrhotic process obstructs the intrahepatic portion of the portal venous system. 肝硬化使门脉系统的肝内部分受阻。
• A device or means that obstructs, blocks, or plugs up. 堵塞的方法：阻碍，阻挠或堵塞的工具或途径。

20 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

21 obstructing   

阻塞( obstruct的现在分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• You can't park here, you're obstructing my driveway. 你不能在这里停车，你挡住了我家的车道。
• He was charged for obstructing the highway. 他因阻碍交通而受控告。

22 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

23 impetus   

n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力

参考例句：

• This is the primary impetus behind the economic recovery.这是促使经济复苏的主要动力。
• Her speech gave an impetus to my ideas.她的讲话激发了我的思绪。