Hourly News 每日新闻 2013-09-27

 Security Council passed draft resolution on Syria's chemical weapons stocks

 

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council have reached an agreement on a resolution to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons arsenal¹.

Britain is set to introduce the text to the 10 other members of the Security Council at a meeting Thursday night.

The U.S and Russia have been at odds² on how to enforce the resolution, but Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power confirmed the last hurdles³ to the agreement had been overcome.

The agreement comes a day after Russia's deputy foreign minister agreed that the resolution would include a reference to Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter.

Chapter 7 allows for military and non-military sanctions if a Security Council resolution is violated.

In Moscow, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov offered to provide troops to guard facilities where Syria's chemical weapons would be destroyed.

 

Iran and P5+1 talks start

 

Meanwhile Iran has started talks with six world powers on its disputed nuclear programme on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting marks the highest-level direct contact between the US and Iran in six years.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who hosted the meeting said talks between Iran, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany were "substantial."

Ashton added that a new round of talks between Iran and the six world powers are expected in October in Geneva.

 

China vows⁴ to cement bilateral⁵ partnership⁶ with Laos

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to cement an all-around strategic partnership with Laos.

The president made the remarks during talks with his Lao counterpart Choummaly Sayg/nasone here in Beijing.

Xi Jingping says China and Laos are friendly neighbors and constitute a community that share the same destiny as well as extensive common interests.

For his part, Chou/mmaly also spoke⁷ highly of the bilateral relationship and agreed to elevate the partnership.

Following talks, the two leaders also witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation deals.

Choummaly's visit in China will last till next Monday.

 

China urges Japan to face up to history: FM spokesman

 

The Chinese government has issued a new call for Japan's leaders to face up to history and win the trust of the international community with concrete action.

Foreign Ministry⁸ spokesman Hong Lei.

"Japan has been trying to deny or glorify⁹ its history of aggression¹⁰, and has been condemned¹¹ by its Asian neighbors and the international society. Japanese leaders should treat the concern seriously."

The comments came in as a response to a speech by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday in the United States.

Abe says Japan's increase in defense¹² spending has not been as big as that of "an immediate¹³ neighbor."

This is being viewed as an apparent reference to China.

 

bjh-hourly China offers earthquake assistance to Pakistan

 

The Chinese government says it's going to provide aid to Pakistan following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake which rattled¹⁴ the country this week.

The aid will include money and supplies worth about 2-million US dollars.

Meanwhile, Chinese Defence Ministry says the Chinese armed forces will spare no efforts to carry out the assistance work as ordered by the Chinese government. 

The earthquake on Tuesday has officially left 348-dead.

 

29 people killed in Sudan's protests as rioters call for the ouster of president Bashir

 

As many as 29 people have been killed during anti-government protests over fuel subsidies¹⁵ in Sudan.

The victims, including both civilians¹⁶ and policemen come after three days of violent protests in the capital city Khartoum and Wad Medani, a city just south of Khartoum.

The rioting began in Wad Medani after the government decided¹⁷ to lift subsidies, immediately doubling prices of petrol and fuel.

Sudan lost most of its main oil-producing territory when South Sudan broke off as an independent state in 2011.

Protesters are calling for the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, who has ruled the country for more than two decades.

 

Over 610 million to travel on roads, waterways during national holiday

 

Toll¹⁸ highways are set to become free for vehicles with no more than 7-seats during this year's national holiday. 

This is the fifth time the toll-free policy will be put into effect since it was first introduced during the last National Day holiday. 

Traffic authorities are anticipating a noticeable rise in traffic in and around major tourist destinations in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. 

The Ministry of Transport is going to have additional staff ready throughout the holiday to deal with any traffic-related issues.

 

Cross-border e-commerce hits $375b in 2012

 

A robust¹⁹ growth in cross-border e-commerce transactions has had China's e-commerce business a banner year, with the entire volume hitting 8-trillion yuan, some 1.3 trillion US dollars for the past year.

Online trade volume was just 9.5 percent of China's total import and export volume in 2012.

It is expected the market share will be up to 18.5 percent in 2016, reaching 6.4 trillion yuan, some 1 trillion US dollars.

1 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

2 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

3 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

4 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。

5 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。

6 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。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 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。

9 glorify   

vt.颂扬，赞美，使增光，美化

参考例句：

• Politicians have complained that the media glorify drugs.政治家们抱怨媒体美化毒品。
• We are all committed to serving the Lord and glorifying His name in the best way we know.我们全心全意敬奉上帝，竭尽所能颂扬他的美名。

10 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

11 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

12 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。

13 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

14 rattled   

慌乱的，恼火的

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里，窗户都格格作响。

15 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

17 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

18 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。

19 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。