Hourly News 每日新闻 2013-08-23

 Typhoon, heavy rains continue to cause havoc¹ in east and northeast China

Typhoon Trami has brought rainstorms and caused havoc in east China after making landfall in Fujian.

Trami, which hit coastal² Fujian on Thursday morning, has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it makes its way further inland.

Local authorities in Fujian have evacuated³ some 400-thousand people.

So far no casualties have been reported.

At the same time, the northeast is continuing to see some of it's worst flooding in decades.

A dyke⁴ burst along the Heilongjiang River, forcing an evacuation early Thursday morning.

A 20-meter section of the dyke broke free along the community of Chaibaotun, forcing around 7-thousand people to flee to safety.

No casualties have been reported.

 

Bo Xilai trail to continue today

Former leading party official Bo Xilai is due back in court later on this Friday to continue his trial for taking bribes⁵, embezzlement⁶ and abuse of power.

Court documents released as part of the first day of Bo Xilai's trial on Thursday allege⁷ he took bribes worth close to 22-million yuan, to help business leaders gain contracts while he was the mayor of Dalian, governor of Liaoning and the country's Commerce Minister.

He's also accused of obstructing⁸ the criminal investigation⁹ into the murder charges his wife was facing while he served as the Party chief in Chongqing.

Bo Xilai denies the bribery¹⁰ charges.

A preliminary verdict is expected to be handed down after the proceedings¹¹ conclude on Friday.

 

Chinese president meets Jamaican PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller¹² in Beijing.

Xi Jinping says there is still large room for cooperation between China and Jamaica when it comes to investment and infrastructure¹³ construction.

The Chinese president has also taken time to call on the international community to offer help to small island nations including Jamaica.

For her part, Prime Minister Miller says the Jamaican government welcomes Chinese investments.

Jamaica is now China's biggest trading partner in the Caribbean region.

 

China slams McCain's remarks on Diaoyu Islands

The Chinese government is calling on a "relevant U.S. lawmaker" to stop making irresponsible remarks about the Diaoyu Islands.

The statement follows comments by U.S. Senator John McCain, who says China is violating Japan's fundamental right to the islands. 

The Chinese foreign ministry¹⁴ says U.S lawmakers should avoid making regional situations more complicated. 

Reports out of Japan are quoting John McCain as describing the Diaoyu islands as "Japanese territory." 

He's also told reporters in Tokyo that nations feeling increasingly threatened by China's maritime¹⁵ presence "need to act in closer coordination¹⁶ with each other."

 

Two Koreas make fresh breakthroughs over family reunion and Kaesong industrial park

North Korea has accepted working-level talks with South Korea about the potential restart 

of family reunions.

Red Cross delegates from both sides are set to sit down to discuss the possibility of holding family reunions again at the Panmunjom truce¹⁷ village along the border.

North Korea had originally wanted the talks to be held at the Mount Kumgang resort.

However, South Korea rejected that notion, saying it doesn't want to link the potential reopening of that tourist facility to the issue of family reunions.

 

Egypt's ex-president Mubarak leaves prison to Maadi military hospital

Egypt's ex-president Hosni Mubarak has been transferred to Maadi Military Hospital in the capital Cairo from Tora prison on Thursday. 

Earlier, the Egyptian prosecution¹⁸ ordered the prison to release Mubarak, because he was cleared for his corruption¹⁹ cases. 

Mubarak is banned from travelling abroad as he still faces a retrial on charges of involvement in the killing²⁰ of protesters during the 2011 unrest that toppled him. 

The next hearing is slated²¹ for this weekend.

 

China approves pilot free trade zone in Shanghai

China's State Council has given its formal approval for the establishment of a pilot free trade zone in Shanghai.

The new Free Trade Zone will combine four existing pilot free trade areas in the municipality.

It is expected to further expand to cover an area of nearly 29-square kilometers.

The new FTZ is being established as the central government trys to impose a more proactive opening-up strategy to boost trade.

 

New Zealand-China ties remain strong through food safety issues: New Zealand FM

New Zealand's foreign minister is here in China to try to assure ties between the two countries.

Murray McCully has met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and State Councillor Yang Jiechi.

McCully has told reporters here in Beijing New Zealand dairy producer Fonterra has let every New Zealander down.

For his part, State Councillor Yang Jiechi says its the Chinese government's hope the New Zealand side will appropriately handle food safety issues to ensure Chinese consumers' interests.

Fonterra has come under heavy scrutiny²² after it was revealed some of its products shipped here to China could have contained a potentially deadly bacteria.

 

HSBC August Flash China Manufacturing PMI 50.1, Four-Month High

Manufacturing activity here in China expanded to a four month high in August.

The HSBC Flash Purchasing Manufacturing Index has come out ahead of market expectations, registering at 50.1 on the back of improved new business output.

HSBC's revised PMI reading for July was at 47.7, an 11 month low.

Any reading below 50 indicates contraction²³.

1 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

2 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

3 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

4 dyke   

n.堤，水坝，排水沟

参考例句：

• If one sheep leap over the dyke,all the rest will follow.一只羊跳过沟，其余的羊也跟着跳。
• One ant-hole may cause the collapse of a thousand-li dyke.千里长堤，溃于蚁穴。

5 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

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。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

6 embezzlement   

n.盗用，贪污

参考例句：

• He was accused of graft and embezzlement and was chained and thrown into prison.他因被指控贪污盗窃而锒铛入狱。
• The judge sent him to prison for embezzlement of funds.法官因他盗用公款将其送入监牢。

7 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。

8 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。

9 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。

10 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。

11 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

12 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

13 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

14 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。

15 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

16 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

17 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

18 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

19 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

20 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。

21 slated   

用石板瓦盖( slate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Yuki is working up an in-home phonics program slated for Thursdays, and I'm drilling her on English conversation at dinnertime. Yuki每周四还有一次家庭语音课。我在晚餐时训练她的英语口语。
• Bromfield was slated to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. 布罗姆菲尔德被提名为美国农业部长。

22 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

23 contraction   

n.缩略词，缩写式，害病

参考例句：

• The contraction of this muscle raises the lower arm.肌肉的收缩使前臂抬起。
• The forces of expansion are balanced by forces of contraction.扩张力和收缩力相互平衡。