Hourly News 每日新闻 2014-04-29

EU and the US slap new sanctions against Russia amid escalating¹ situation in eastern Ukraine
The EU has joined the US in imposing² a new round of sanctions against Russia.
15 new names have been added to the list, which already includes many prominent Russian leaders and companies.
The EU says it is responding to what it sees as Moscow's failure to live up to commitments agreed to last month in Geneva, designed to ease regional tensions.
This comes amid the escalating situation in eastern Ukraine, where 7 European military observers are still being held hostage in the city of Slovyansk.
The EU decision follows a similar move by the US government.
The Chinese government has issued a new statement calling on all sides to use dialogue to solve their differences.
 
MH370 search to be privatized
The Chinese goverment is promising³ it will continue providing resources in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
China's ambassador to Australia, Ma Zhaoxu, has made the pledge following an announcement by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who says the search is entering a new phase.
Abbott says it's not highly unlikely any debris⁴ will be located on the ocean surface.
As such, he says the new phase of the search is going to be privatized, with civilian⁵ contractors⁶ being brought in to lead the search using underwater sonar.
Australia, China and Malaysia have agreed to share the cost, which is estimated to be around 60-million US dollars for the new phase.
 
U.S. urges Egypt to end mass trials
The United States government is urging leaders in Egypt to put an end to the mass trials and sentencings that have taken place in recent months.
The call from the US side follows word that a court in Egypt has handed out another mass death sentence for 683 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood⁷.
These trials began after the military toppled the government of Brotherhood member Mohamed Morsi and then outlawed⁸ the group, calling it a terrorist organization.
More than 500 Brotherhood members received death sentences last month, following a mass trial, though the majority of those sentences have been commuted⁹.
 
U.S. not trying to contain China: Obama
U.S. President Barack Obama says Washington is not trying to "contain" China.
The comments have been made as part of the signing of a new military pact¹⁰ with the Philippines.
The United States and the Philippines have inked a 10-year defense¹¹ agreement to expand the rotational¹² presence of American forces in the country.
Obama also says the U.S. does not take sides connected to disputes in the South China Sea.
He does say the U.S. supports Philippine President Benino Aquino's approach to resolve the dispute through international arbitration¹³.
 
Special votes in Iraqi parliamentary election close
Polls for special votes have closed in Iraq's first elections since the U.S withdrawal¹⁴ in 2011.
The early balloting¹⁵ for police and soldiers is meant to free up the one million-strong military and security forces so they can protect polling stations and voters.
Hospital patients, medical staff and detainees were also voting on Monday.
The nationwide election will take place on Wednesday.
Approximately 22 million registered voters will be eligible¹⁶ to take part.
More than 9,000 candidates are vying¹⁷ for 328 seats in parliament.
The Alliance led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is widely expected to win a majority in the parliament.
He is also seeking a third four-year term in office.
 
PIK on Indian Elections
With the fourth phase of India's multi-state election getting underway, police in Indian-controlled Kashmir have arrested hundreds of muslim youth in the region.
The authorities call it a precautionary measure to ensure peace as voting begins on Wednesday.
A police spokesman described the young arrestees as "stone throwers and trouble mongers."
During third-round voting in another part of Kashmir, turnout was only 28 percent, marred¹⁸ by an election boycott¹⁹, protests, and violence.
Six members to the 543-member lower house of the Indian parliament will be elected in Indian-controlled Kashmir..
Even though the five-week voting period has not concluded, Narendra Modi of India's Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, has become a major frontrunner in the elections.
 
German diplomat²⁰ injured escaping kidnapping attempt in Yemen/xinhua
A German diplomat has been injured while escaping an apparent kidnapping attempt in the Yemeni capital.
Several gunmen in a car tried to intercept²¹ the diplomat's vehicle on a road near the German embassy. The diplomat and his driver refused to stop and sped away.
Local officials say the gunmen opened fire and the diplomat was "slightly" injured.
The kidnappers²² then fled the scene.
Kidnappings are frequent in Yemen, especially after political turmoil²³ in 2011 severely²⁴ weakened government control.
 
IMF raises China's 2014 growth forecast by 0.3 points to 7.5 per cent
The International Monetary²⁵ Fund has raised its economic growth forecast for China but warned that its financial system faces risks due to the rapid expansion of debt.
The IMF raised China's 2014 growth outlook by 0.3 percentage points, to 7.5 per cent.
The forecast is in line with the government's official growth target for the year.
The IMF also warned that China faces the twin risks of an unexpectedly sharp slowdown and "rising vulnerabilities" in its financial system. It said both could cause repercussions²⁶ for the region.
It pointed²⁷ to the rapid growth of credit from sources other than traditional banks.
It said the assets of such lenders have grown to the equivalent of 25 per cent of the country's annual GDP.
The IMF says it represents an important source of systemic risk.

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

3 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。

4 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。

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 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。

8 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

9 commuted   

通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 )； 减（刑）； 代偿

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment. 他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• The death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment. 死刑可能減为无期徒刑。

10 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。

11 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。

12 rotational   

adj.回转的，轮流的

参考例句：

• A synchronous motor drives the measuring bob at a constant rotational speed.同步马达驱动测锤以恒速旋转。
• With some limitations,this is true also of rotational degrees of freedom.在某些限定条件下，这一说法对转动自由度也成立。

13 arbitration   

n.调停，仲裁

参考例句：

• The wage disagreement is under arbitration.工资纠纷正在仲裁中。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding.双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

14 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

15 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

16 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

17 vying   

adj.竞争的；比赛的

参考例句：

• California is vying with other states to capture a piece of the growing communications market.为了在日渐扩大的通讯市场分得一杯羹，加利福尼亚正在和其他州展开竞争。
• Four rescue plans are vying to save the zoo.4个拯救动物园的方案正争得不可开交。

18 marred   

adj. 被损毁, 污损的

参考例句：

• The game was marred by the behaviour of drunken fans. 喝醉了的球迷行为不轨，把比赛给搅了。
• Bad diction marred the effectiveness of his speech. 措词不当影响了他演说的效果。

19 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

20 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。

21 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。

22 kidnappers   

n.拐子，绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了，没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

24 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

25 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。

26 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。