UN Humanitarian Chief Warns That Yemen Is 'One Step Way From Famine'
The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Monday that war-torn Yemen is “one step away from famine.”
Stephen O’Brien told the U.N. Security Council that more than 21
million Yemenis – 80 percent of the population – are in need of some
form of humanitarian assistance.
O’Brien gave the briefing by telephone from Bahrain, where he has
arrived for a 10-day visit that also will include Kuwait, Qatar and the
United Arab Emirates. He traveled to Yemen earlier this month.
“Over 2 million people are malnourished(营养不良） nationwide, including 370,000
children who are severely malnourished,” O’Brien said. That is an
increase of 65 percent compared to the year before the conflict began.
Food prices have surged 20 percent since fighting began last year,
and a Saudi-imposed blockade has impaired food deliveries to a country
that pre-conflict imported 90 percent of its food stocks.
Worryingly, cholera is starting to appear, with 61 confirmed cases
and 1,700 suspected cases. O’Brien said the United Nations and its
humanitarian partners are establishing 21 cholera treatment centers, but
that they would be insufficient to stop the escalating spread of the
disease. Additionally, the humanitarian chief said more than 10,000
children under the age of five have died from preventable diseases.
The U.N. has classified Yemen as a level three emergency – Syria and
Iraq are the only other two humanitarian crises rated this severe.
U.N. Security Council: a part of the United Nations whose purpose is to prevent war and keep peace
briefing noun: information that is given to someone just before they do something, or a meeting where this happens:
blockade noun: the situation in which a country or place is surrounded by soldiers or ships to stop people or goods from going in or out:
impair verb: to spoil something or make it weaker so that it is less effective:
escalating adj: increasing in price, amount, rate, etc.:
Italian PM Unveils Plans to Rebuild Central Region Hit by Earthquake
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi unveiled plans Monday to rebuild
large swaths of the mountainous central Italy, ravaged by the region's
worst earthquake since 1980. Among the key provisions is the promise to
provide shipping containers for people to live in while permanent
housing is constructed.
Renzi spoke in Rome, as the scope of Sunday's 6.6 magnitude quake
became evident, and as emergency workers scrambled to provide immediate
aid to thousands of residents already traumatized by smaller temblors
last week. The same region was hit 10 weeks ago by a deadly quake that
killed hundreds in the small town of Amatrice.
"We will rebuild everything," Renzi vowed, describing the culturally
significant areas northeast of Rome as "territories of beauty."
No deaths or serious injuries have been reported, largely,
authorities say, because so many residents of the region were relocated
after the August 24 earthquake that rocked Amatrice. However, an
estimated 15,000 were left homeless.
The epicenter of Sunday's quake was 70 kilometers southwest of the
central city of Perugia and close to the town of Norcia, where already
skittish residents saw churches and the 14th century Basilica of St.
Benedict heavily damaged on Sunday. An estimated 4,000 people in and
around Norcia have been relocated to hotels on the Adriatic coast, where
they joined more than 1,000 others still displaced by the Amatrice
quake in August.
Renzi said the shipping containers will be in place by December, and
he said residents can expect to have new wooden house construction
completed by mid-2017.
swath: a strip or belt, or a long area of something:
evident adj: easily seen or understood:
scramble: to compete with other people for something there is very little of:
ravage: to cause great damage to something:
provisions: supplies of food and other necessary things:
scope: the range of a subject covered by a book, programme, discussion, class, etc.:
temblor: an earthquake
epicenter: the point on the earth's surface directly above the origin of an earthquake:
skittish adj: 1 (of people and animals) nervous or easily frightened:
2 (of a person) not serious and likely to change their beliefs or opinions often:
2016年11月24日星期四
Cambodian Tribunal Upholds Life Terms for Khmer Rouge Leaders
Cambodian Tribunal Upholds Life Terms for Khmer Rouge Leaders
A U.N.-backed tribunal in Cambodia has upheld life sentences given to two former leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime for crimes against humanity.
Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea were originally sentenced in 2014. The Supreme Court Chamber's top judge Kong Srim said Wednesday the life sentences were appropriate, and that the two men showed a "complete lack of consideration for the ultimate fate of the Cambodian population."
Chea and Samphan are the most senior Khmer Rouge officials still living. They are also on trial in a second case involving genocide charges. Their lawyers argued the 2014 conviction was tainted by errors and biased judges, and while Wednesday's decision noted some problems, the overall verdict(裁决） remained the same.
tribunal noun: a special court or group of people who are officially chosen, especially by the government, to examine (legal) problems of a particular type:
trial noun: the hearing of statements and showing of objects, etc. in a law court to judge if a person is guilty of a crime or to decide a case or a legal matter:
gonocide: the murder of a whole group of people, especially a whole nation, race, or religious group:
taint: to spoil something, especially food or blood, by adding a harmful substance, or to spoil people's opinion of someone:
verdict noun: an opinion or decision made after judging the facts that are given, especially one made at the end of a trial:
Colombia, FARC Set to Sign Renegotiated Peace Deal
The Colombian government and the country's largest rebel group, FARC, are set to sign a renegotiated peace deal Thursday.
The revised document will be signed in Bogota between FARC leader Rodrigo Londono and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last month for his efforts to end the conflict with the insurgent group.
The government and representatives of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have been negotiating in Cuba for more than four years to bring an end to the conflict that has killed more than 220,000 and displaced millions in the Andean country.
Last month, voters taking part in that referendum surprisingly rejected the first accord. After it is signed, the new deal will be submitted to Congress for approval, rather than put to another referendum.
Ever since the original deal's defeat at the polls, the FARC and government negotiators have worked around the clock, introducing some 50-plus changes to make it more acceptable to conservative Colombians who overwhelmingly despise the FARC.
insurgent noun: formal someone who is fighting against the government in their own country:
displace: to force something or someone out of its usual or original position:
referendum: a vote in which all the people in a country or an area are asked to give their opinion about or decide an important political or social question:
around the clock: happening or done all day and all night:
despise: to feel a strong dislike for someone or something because you think that that person or thing is bad or has no value:
A U.N.-backed tribunal in Cambodia has upheld life sentences given to two former leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime for crimes against humanity.
Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea were originally sentenced in 2014. The Supreme Court Chamber's top judge Kong Srim said Wednesday the life sentences were appropriate, and that the two men showed a "complete lack of consideration for the ultimate fate of the Cambodian population."
Chea and Samphan are the most senior Khmer Rouge officials still living. They are also on trial in a second case involving genocide charges. Their lawyers argued the 2014 conviction was tainted by errors and biased judges, and while Wednesday's decision noted some problems, the overall verdict(裁决） remained the same.
tribunal noun: a special court or group of people who are officially chosen, especially by the government, to examine (legal) problems of a particular type:
trial noun: the hearing of statements and showing of objects, etc. in a law court to judge if a person is guilty of a crime or to decide a case or a legal matter:
gonocide: the murder of a whole group of people, especially a whole nation, race, or religious group:
taint: to spoil something, especially food or blood, by adding a harmful substance, or to spoil people's opinion of someone:
verdict noun: an opinion or decision made after judging the facts that are given, especially one made at the end of a trial:
Colombia, FARC Set to Sign Renegotiated Peace Deal
The Colombian government and the country's largest rebel group, FARC, are set to sign a renegotiated peace deal Thursday.
The revised document will be signed in Bogota between FARC leader Rodrigo Londono and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last month for his efforts to end the conflict with the insurgent group.
The government and representatives of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have been negotiating in Cuba for more than four years to bring an end to the conflict that has killed more than 220,000 and displaced millions in the Andean country.
Last month, voters taking part in that referendum surprisingly rejected the first accord. After it is signed, the new deal will be submitted to Congress for approval, rather than put to another referendum.
Ever since the original deal's defeat at the polls, the FARC and government negotiators have worked around the clock, introducing some 50-plus changes to make it more acceptable to conservative Colombians who overwhelmingly despise the FARC.
insurgent noun: formal someone who is fighting against the government in their own country:
displace: to force something or someone out of its usual or original position:
referendum: a vote in which all the people in a country or an area are asked to give their opinion about or decide an important political or social question:
around the clock: happening or done all day and all night:
despise: to feel a strong dislike for someone or something because you think that that person or thing is bad or has no value:
2016年11月23日星期三
Former PM Francois Fillon on Track to Win French Conservative Presidential Primary
Former PM Francois Fillon on Track to Win French Conservative Presidential Primary
Former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon appears to be on his way to winning Sunday's conservative party presidential primary.
Early returns give Fillon 44 percent of the vote, followed by ex-Prime Minister Alain Juppe with 28 percent and former President Nicolas Sarkozy with 21 percent. If those results hold up, Fillon and Juppe will meet in a runoff next Sunday and the winner will be the conservative candidate for president next year.
Sarkozy has already conceded(承认） defeat and says he will throw his support behind Fillon.
This is the first time conservative voters directly chose a presidential candidate. Until now, party leaders picked the contender. The campaign was marked by concerns about the influx of migrants into Europe and the devastating series of jihadist attacks in France.
After Britain's shock "Brexit" vote and Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential contest, the French presidential vote is taking shape to be another test between mainstream parties and rising populist forces.
returns: the results of voting in an election (= a political competition):
runoff: a second or final election held when no one got enough votes to win an earlier election
contender: someone who competes with other people to try to win something:
influx: the fact of a large number of people or things arriving at the same time:
take shape: to start to develop a more clear or certain form:
populist: representing or relating to the ideas and opinions of ordinary people:
Haitians vote in hopes of restoring constitutional order
Vote counting has begun in Haiti's repeatedly derailed presidential election. No official results were expected to be issued for at least eight days.
Six million Haitians were eligible to vote for one of 27 presidential candidates, as well as for members of both houses of parliament.
Haitians are hoping the new national leader will end a year of uncertainty and struggles, while uniting the nation and creating jobs. Many Haitians still suffer from a 2010 earthquake and its most recent serious storm, Hurricane Matthew.
There is no clear-cut leader among the 27 candidates for president.
A presidential election was held in October 2015, but the results were scrapped because of fraud.
More than 13,000 police officers and United Nations peacekeeper troops are on the streets to safeguard voting centers.
But with so many candidates for president, no one is likely to gain an absolute majority of the vote. The top two finishers Sunday will face off January 29.
derail: to prevent a plan or process from succeeding:
eligible: having the necessary qualities or satisfying the necessary conditions:
clear-cut: clear or obvious without needing any proof:
scrap: to not continue with a system or plan:
Former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon appears to be on his way to winning Sunday's conservative party presidential primary.
Early returns give Fillon 44 percent of the vote, followed by ex-Prime Minister Alain Juppe with 28 percent and former President Nicolas Sarkozy with 21 percent. If those results hold up, Fillon and Juppe will meet in a runoff next Sunday and the winner will be the conservative candidate for president next year.
Sarkozy has already conceded(承认） defeat and says he will throw his support behind Fillon.
This is the first time conservative voters directly chose a presidential candidate. Until now, party leaders picked the contender. The campaign was marked by concerns about the influx of migrants into Europe and the devastating series of jihadist attacks in France.
After Britain's shock "Brexit" vote and Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential contest, the French presidential vote is taking shape to be another test between mainstream parties and rising populist forces.
returns: the results of voting in an election (= a political competition):
runoff: a second or final election held when no one got enough votes to win an earlier election
contender: someone who competes with other people to try to win something:
influx: the fact of a large number of people or things arriving at the same time:
take shape: to start to develop a more clear or certain form:
populist: representing or relating to the ideas and opinions of ordinary people:
Haitians vote in hopes of restoring constitutional order
Vote counting has begun in Haiti's repeatedly derailed presidential election. No official results were expected to be issued for at least eight days.
Six million Haitians were eligible to vote for one of 27 presidential candidates, as well as for members of both houses of parliament.
Haitians are hoping the new national leader will end a year of uncertainty and struggles, while uniting the nation and creating jobs. Many Haitians still suffer from a 2010 earthquake and its most recent serious storm, Hurricane Matthew.
There is no clear-cut leader among the 27 candidates for president.
A presidential election was held in October 2015, but the results were scrapped because of fraud.
More than 13,000 police officers and United Nations peacekeeper troops are on the streets to safeguard voting centers.
But with so many candidates for president, no one is likely to gain an absolute majority of the vote. The top two finishers Sunday will face off January 29.
derail: to prevent a plan or process from succeeding:
eligible: having the necessary qualities or satisfying the necessary conditions:
clear-cut: clear or obvious without needing any proof:
scrap: to not continue with a system or plan:
Trump Pledges to Kill TPP Trade Deal on 1st Day in Office
Trump Pledges to Kill TPP Trade Deal on 1st Day in Office
President-elect Donald Trump says his first day in office will include issuing formal notification the United States is withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, part of a series of moves based on his focus on "putting America first."
In a video message posted to YouTube Monday, Trump called the TPP a "potential disaster" for the U.S. "Instead, we will negotiate, fair, bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back onto American shores," he said.
Throughout his campaign for president Trump opposed the TPP, which involves 12 Asia-Pacific nations, as well as the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. He touted his negotiating ability and said he would get new agreements that benefit the U.S.
Ministers(部长） from TPP countries signed the agreement in February 2016, saying their goal was to "enhance shared prosperity, create jobs, and promote sustainable economic development for all of our nations." President Barack Obama supported the pact, but Congress never gave the necessary approval for the U.S. to formally join.
Without the U.S., the TPP cannot go into effect. That is because of a provision(规定/条款/供应） that says it either needs to be approved by all 12 signatories, or by at least six of them if they together account for 85 percent of the combined gross domestic product of the entire group. The United States represents 60 percent of the combined GDP, so there is no way to meet that 85 percent threshold without U.S participation.
The Obama administration touted the TPP as a benefit for workers in the U.S. and the other 11 countries because of new standards for wages, hours, working conditions and prohibitions against child labor. Officials also said U.S. companies, particularly small businesses, would be able to vastly expand their exports through the elimination of tariffs（贸易壁垒的消除）, and that the deal would bring stronger standards for transparency, anti-corruption, and environmental protection.
The promises Trump spelled out Monday did not include anything about his much-touted wall at the U.S.-Mexican border.
He said he would tell the Department of Labor to investigate "abuses of visa programs that undercut the American worker" and ask the Defense Department to come up with a plan to protect the country's vital infrastructure from "cyberattacks and all other form of attacks."
Trump wants to do away with regulations targeting the energy industry which he says will create "many millions of high paying jobs." And as part of his plan to reform government, Trump wants any new regulation to come in only with the elimination of two existing ones.
He said his transition team is working "very smoothly, efficiently and effectively," and continued meeting with a parade of people being considered for jobs in the incoming administration.
Trump planned to leave New York on Tuesday or Wednesday to spend the Thanksgiving holiday at his Florida resort.
pledge: to make a serious or formal promise to give or do something:
tout verb: to advertise, talk about, or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging people to like, accept, or buy something:
signatory: a person, organization, or country that has signed an agreement:
threshold: the floor of an entrance to a building or room
tariff: a charge or list of charges either for services or on goods entering a country
undercut:1 to charge less than a competitor: 2 to damage something or to make it fail:
parade: 2 a series of people or things that appear one after the other:
Police in Texas Arrest Suspect Who Killed Cop
Texas police have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of a Texas policeman, one of four officers shot in the line of duty(在工作中） Sunday in multiple states.
Police say the 31-year-old suspect, Otis McKane, was arrested without incident Monday evening following an extensive manhunt. They say they do not yet know the motive for the shooting.
The San Antonio detective was killed as he sat in his police car during a routine traffic stop outside the city's police headquarters(总部）.
Officials say the gunman pulled his car behind the policeman, walked up to the squad car, and shot the officer in the head through the car window.
Also Sunday, there were shootings of police officers in Missouri and Florida, resulting in injuries.
Attorney General（司法部长） Loretta Lynch said Monday that the shootings are "reprehensible acts" that "cannot be tolerated." She said recent statistics show that 2016 has been an especially dangerous year for police officers, with a significant increase in the number of officers killed in the line of duty.
incident: an event that is either unpleasant or unusual:
without incident: with nothing unpleasant or unusual happening:
extensive adj: covering a large area; having a great range:
squad noun: a small group of people trained to work together as a unit:
reprehensible: If someone's behaviour is reprehensible, it is extremely bad or unacceptable:
President-elect Donald Trump says his first day in office will include issuing formal notification the United States is withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, part of a series of moves based on his focus on "putting America first."
In a video message posted to YouTube Monday, Trump called the TPP a "potential disaster" for the U.S. "Instead, we will negotiate, fair, bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back onto American shores," he said.
Throughout his campaign for president Trump opposed the TPP, which involves 12 Asia-Pacific nations, as well as the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. He touted his negotiating ability and said he would get new agreements that benefit the U.S.
Ministers(部长） from TPP countries signed the agreement in February 2016, saying their goal was to "enhance shared prosperity, create jobs, and promote sustainable economic development for all of our nations." President Barack Obama supported the pact, but Congress never gave the necessary approval for the U.S. to formally join.
Without the U.S., the TPP cannot go into effect. That is because of a provision(规定/条款/供应） that says it either needs to be approved by all 12 signatories, or by at least six of them if they together account for 85 percent of the combined gross domestic product of the entire group. The United States represents 60 percent of the combined GDP, so there is no way to meet that 85 percent threshold without U.S participation.
The Obama administration touted the TPP as a benefit for workers in the U.S. and the other 11 countries because of new standards for wages, hours, working conditions and prohibitions against child labor. Officials also said U.S. companies, particularly small businesses, would be able to vastly expand their exports through the elimination of tariffs（贸易壁垒的消除）, and that the deal would bring stronger standards for transparency, anti-corruption, and environmental protection.
The promises Trump spelled out Monday did not include anything about his much-touted wall at the U.S.-Mexican border.
He said he would tell the Department of Labor to investigate "abuses of visa programs that undercut the American worker" and ask the Defense Department to come up with a plan to protect the country's vital infrastructure from "cyberattacks and all other form of attacks."
Trump wants to do away with regulations targeting the energy industry which he says will create "many millions of high paying jobs." And as part of his plan to reform government, Trump wants any new regulation to come in only with the elimination of two existing ones.
He said his transition team is working "very smoothly, efficiently and effectively," and continued meeting with a parade of people being considered for jobs in the incoming administration.
Trump planned to leave New York on Tuesday or Wednesday to spend the Thanksgiving holiday at his Florida resort.
pledge: to make a serious or formal promise to give or do something:
tout verb: to advertise, talk about, or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging people to like, accept, or buy something:
signatory: a person, organization, or country that has signed an agreement:
threshold: the floor of an entrance to a building or room
tariff: a charge or list of charges either for services or on goods entering a country
undercut:1 to charge less than a competitor: 2 to damage something or to make it fail:
parade: 2 a series of people or things that appear one after the other:
Police in Texas Arrest Suspect Who Killed Cop
Texas police have arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of a Texas policeman, one of four officers shot in the line of duty(在工作中） Sunday in multiple states.
Police say the 31-year-old suspect, Otis McKane, was arrested without incident Monday evening following an extensive manhunt. They say they do not yet know the motive for the shooting.
The San Antonio detective was killed as he sat in his police car during a routine traffic stop outside the city's police headquarters(总部）.
Officials say the gunman pulled his car behind the policeman, walked up to the squad car, and shot the officer in the head through the car window.
Also Sunday, there were shootings of police officers in Missouri and Florida, resulting in injuries.
Attorney General（司法部长） Loretta Lynch said Monday that the shootings are "reprehensible acts" that "cannot be tolerated." She said recent statistics show that 2016 has been an especially dangerous year for police officers, with a significant increase in the number of officers killed in the line of duty.
incident: an event that is either unpleasant or unusual:
without incident: with nothing unpleasant or unusual happening:
extensive adj: covering a large area; having a great range:
squad noun: a small group of people trained to work together as a unit:
reprehensible: If someone's behaviour is reprehensible, it is extremely bad or unacceptable:
2016年11月21日星期一
Aid Group: Over 1 Million in Mosul Face 'Grave Danger'
Aid Group: Over 1 Million in Mosul Face 'Grave Danger'
On Wednesday, as poor weather bogged down forces advancing on the Islamic State-held city of Mosul, an aid agency warned that civilians there are in great danger as the battle for the city intensifies.
"We are now bracing(支撑） ourselves for the worst," said the Norwegian Refugee Council's Wolfgang Gressmann. "The lives of 1.2 million civilians are in grave danger, and the future of all of Iraq is now in the balance."
The group said thousands of civilians have already fled the city, and many have already been killed by snipers(阻击手） and explosives. Those still in the city are in need of food, water and medical supplies, and those shortages will intensify as the fighting makes it more difficult for supplies and other humanitarian aid to get through.
Iraqi special forces reached the outskirts of the city Tuesday, two weeks after the offensive to retake Iraq's second largest city began, and more than two years after Mosul was captured by the Islamic State group.
An Iraqi general said troops captured a television station Tuesday before a sandstorm blew in and ended combat operations for the day.
On Wednesday, troops were holding their positions on the city's eastern border as high humidity and clouds limited visibility for drones(无人机，嗡嗡声） and other aircraft.
Iraqi Brig. General Haider Fadhil says no advances are planned for Wednesday due to the weather, the Associated Press reported.
bog down sth/someone: to prevent someone or something from moving on or progressing:
brace yourself: to prepare yourself physically or mentally for something unpleasant:
in the balance: If a situation is in the balance, it has reached a stage where it will soon be decided one way or another:
the outskirts: the areas that form the edge of a town or city:
offensive noun: a planned military attack:
Report: No One at Controls When MH370 Crashed
An analysis of satellite data suggests no one was flying Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 when it plunged into the Indian Ocean in March 2014.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released the report Wednesday as experts gathered in Sydney to assess possible future searches for the plane, which vanished with 239 people aboard.
Satellite communications from the aircraft are consistent with(与一致） the aircraft being in a "high and increasing rate of descent" before it disappeared, the report said. The Australian investigators believe the plane likely flew on autopilot for a time before running out of fuel and crashing into the ocean. The flight was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it went missing.
While a few pieces from the plane washed up on shores around the Indian Ocean in the two and a half years since it disappeared, the crash site of the Boeing 777 has not been located.
One of those pieces – a wing flap found on a shore in Tanzania – seemed to confirm the theory that no one was at the controls of the plane in its final moments.
Investigators say the flap does not appear to have been deployed when it broke off the plane's wing. Had a pilot been trying to bring the plane in for a controlled ditching, the flaps would typically have been extended.
Crews continue to scour a 120,000-square kilometer search area, however, that effort is expected to be completed in early 2017. Unless there is new evidence indicating a specific location for the crash, officials say they will end the hunt for MH370.
plunge: to (cause someone or something to) move or fall suddenly and often a long way forward, down, or into something:
flap noun: specialized engineering part of the back of an aircraft wing that can be moved up or down to help the aircraft go up or down
deploy: o use something or someone, especially in an effective way:
ditch verb; to land an aircraft in water in an emergency
scour: 1 (also scour out)to remove dirt from something by rubbing it hard with something rough:
2 to search a place or thing very carefully in order to try to find something:
On Wednesday, as poor weather bogged down forces advancing on the Islamic State-held city of Mosul, an aid agency warned that civilians there are in great danger as the battle for the city intensifies.
"We are now bracing(支撑） ourselves for the worst," said the Norwegian Refugee Council's Wolfgang Gressmann. "The lives of 1.2 million civilians are in grave danger, and the future of all of Iraq is now in the balance."
The group said thousands of civilians have already fled the city, and many have already been killed by snipers(阻击手） and explosives. Those still in the city are in need of food, water and medical supplies, and those shortages will intensify as the fighting makes it more difficult for supplies and other humanitarian aid to get through.
Iraqi special forces reached the outskirts of the city Tuesday, two weeks after the offensive to retake Iraq's second largest city began, and more than two years after Mosul was captured by the Islamic State group.
An Iraqi general said troops captured a television station Tuesday before a sandstorm blew in and ended combat operations for the day.
On Wednesday, troops were holding their positions on the city's eastern border as high humidity and clouds limited visibility for drones(无人机，嗡嗡声） and other aircraft.
Iraqi Brig. General Haider Fadhil says no advances are planned for Wednesday due to the weather, the Associated Press reported.
bog down sth/someone: to prevent someone or something from moving on or progressing:
brace yourself: to prepare yourself physically or mentally for something unpleasant:
in the balance: If a situation is in the balance, it has reached a stage where it will soon be decided one way or another:
the outskirts: the areas that form the edge of a town or city:
offensive noun: a planned military attack:
Report: No One at Controls When MH370 Crashed
An analysis of satellite data suggests no one was flying Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 when it plunged into the Indian Ocean in March 2014.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released the report Wednesday as experts gathered in Sydney to assess possible future searches for the plane, which vanished with 239 people aboard.
Satellite communications from the aircraft are consistent with(与一致） the aircraft being in a "high and increasing rate of descent" before it disappeared, the report said. The Australian investigators believe the plane likely flew on autopilot for a time before running out of fuel and crashing into the ocean. The flight was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it went missing.
While a few pieces from the plane washed up on shores around the Indian Ocean in the two and a half years since it disappeared, the crash site of the Boeing 777 has not been located.
One of those pieces – a wing flap found on a shore in Tanzania – seemed to confirm the theory that no one was at the controls of the plane in its final moments.
Investigators say the flap does not appear to have been deployed when it broke off the plane's wing. Had a pilot been trying to bring the plane in for a controlled ditching, the flaps would typically have been extended.
Crews continue to scour a 120,000-square kilometer search area, however, that effort is expected to be completed in early 2017. Unless there is new evidence indicating a specific location for the crash, officials say they will end the hunt for MH370.
plunge: to (cause someone or something to) move or fall suddenly and often a long way forward, down, or into something:
flap noun: specialized engineering part of the back of an aircraft wing that can be moved up or down to help the aircraft go up or down
deploy: o use something or someone, especially in an effective way:
ditch verb; to land an aircraft in water in an emergency
scour: 1 (also scour out)to remove dirt from something by rubbing it hard with something rough:
2 to search a place or thing very carefully in order to try to find something:
2016年11月20日星期日
Japanese PM Abe Says He Has 'Great Confidence' in Donald Trump
Japanese Prime Minister Abe Says He Has 'Great Confidence' in Donald Trump
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calls U.S. President-elect Donald Trump a leader in whom he can have "great confidence."
Abe is the first world leader to meet with Trump after he won the U.S. presidential election. The two met at the Trump Tower in New York. "I do believe that without confidence between the two nations, the alliance would never function in the future and as the outcome of today's discussion, I am convinced Mr. Trump is a leader in whom(him) I can have great confidence," the Japanese official said.
Abe said he and Trump talked about basic issues, but gave no details. Trump did not comment on the meeting.
During his campaign, Trump questioned several bedrocks of the U.S.-Japanese relationship, suggesting that the U.S. was doing too much to provide defense to Japan. He floated the idea of allowing Japan and others in the region nuclear weapons and forcing higher payments to support the deployment of U.S. forces in those countries.
The U.S. has about 53,000 military personnel based in Japan along with 43,000 dependent family members and 5,000 Defense Department civilian employees.
Supporters of the defense alliance argue that beyond the benefits to Japan, there are strategic gains for the U.S. by having its forces deployed in that part of the world.
Trump also opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement -- a deal that Japan supports.
Trump spent most of Thursday with his transition team（过渡团队）, making plans for his new administration, as well as listening to advice from such veteran diplomats（资深外交官） as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Trump says he has tremendous respect for Kissinger and said they talked about such major issues as China, Russia and Iran. He also met with South Carolina Governor(州长） Nikki Haley, a possible choice for secretary of state.
The transition team also announced that Trump would meet Saturday with former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor was a vocal critic of Trump and held a press conference(新闻发布会） earlier this year, where he said "dishonesty is Trump's hallmark." The two were to discuss the transition operations as well as the possibility that Romney was being considered as a candidate for secretary of state.
alliance: 1` a group of countries, political parties, or people who have agreed to work together because of shared interests or aims: 2 an agreement to work with someone else to try to achieve the same thing:
deployment: the movement of soldiers or equipment to a place where they can be used when they are needed:
vocal(adj): often expressing opinions and complaints in speech:
hallmark: `a typical characteristic or feature of a person or thing:
`
Ex-Philippine Dictator Marcos Buried With Military Honors
Ex-Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos was buried with military honors Friday, 30 years after he was ousted in a People Power revolution. The ceremony began with a 21-gun salute as soldiers in parade dress and ceremonial rifles stood to attention at the "Cemetery(墓园） of Heroes" in Manila.
Despite growing opposition from a coalition composed of Philippine human rights victims of the Marcos dictatorship, the Philippine’s Supreme Court ruled last week that Marcos could be buried at the cemetery.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the burial of the former dictator, disregarding the opposition‘s rejection. Marcos body was flown secretly to Manila in an apparent effort to avoid protests. Thousands of riot police(防暴警察） and soldiers guarded the perimeter of the cemetery and there were no protesters.
Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989 and his body was returned to his northern Philippine hometown of Batac in 1993. Since then, it has been displayed in a glass coffin and became a tourist attraction.
oust(verb.): `to force someone to leave a position of power, job, place, or competition:
riot police: a special part of a police force trained to deal with noisy, violent groups
perimeter: the outer edge of an area of land or the border around it:
exile noun: the condition of someone being sent or kept away from their own country, village, etc., especially for political reasons:
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calls U.S. President-elect Donald Trump a leader in whom he can have "great confidence."
Abe is the first world leader to meet with Trump after he won the U.S. presidential election. The two met at the Trump Tower in New York. "I do believe that without confidence between the two nations, the alliance would never function in the future and as the outcome of today's discussion, I am convinced Mr. Trump is a leader in whom(him) I can have great confidence," the Japanese official said.
Abe said he and Trump talked about basic issues, but gave no details. Trump did not comment on the meeting.
During his campaign, Trump questioned several bedrocks of the U.S.-Japanese relationship, suggesting that the U.S. was doing too much to provide defense to Japan. He floated the idea of allowing Japan and others in the region nuclear weapons and forcing higher payments to support the deployment of U.S. forces in those countries.
The U.S. has about 53,000 military personnel based in Japan along with 43,000 dependent family members and 5,000 Defense Department civilian employees.
Supporters of the defense alliance argue that beyond the benefits to Japan, there are strategic gains for the U.S. by having its forces deployed in that part of the world.
Trump also opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement -- a deal that Japan supports.
Trump spent most of Thursday with his transition team（过渡团队）, making plans for his new administration, as well as listening to advice from such veteran diplomats（资深外交官） as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Trump says he has tremendous respect for Kissinger and said they talked about such major issues as China, Russia and Iran. He also met with South Carolina Governor(州长） Nikki Haley, a possible choice for secretary of state.
The transition team also announced that Trump would meet Saturday with former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor was a vocal critic of Trump and held a press conference(新闻发布会） earlier this year, where he said "dishonesty is Trump's hallmark." The two were to discuss the transition operations as well as the possibility that Romney was being considered as a candidate for secretary of state.
alliance: 1` a group of countries, political parties, or people who have agreed to work together because of shared interests or aims: 2 an agreement to work with someone else to try to achieve the same thing:
deployment: the movement of soldiers or equipment to a place where they can be used when they are needed:
vocal(adj): often expressing opinions and complaints in speech:
hallmark: `a typical characteristic or feature of a person or thing:
`
Ex-Philippine Dictator Marcos Buried With Military Honors
Ex-Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos was buried with military honors Friday, 30 years after he was ousted in a People Power revolution. The ceremony began with a 21-gun salute as soldiers in parade dress and ceremonial rifles stood to attention at the "Cemetery(墓园） of Heroes" in Manila.
Despite growing opposition from a coalition composed of Philippine human rights victims of the Marcos dictatorship, the Philippine’s Supreme Court ruled last week that Marcos could be buried at the cemetery.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the burial of the former dictator, disregarding the opposition‘s rejection. Marcos body was flown secretly to Manila in an apparent effort to avoid protests. Thousands of riot police(防暴警察） and soldiers guarded the perimeter of the cemetery and there were no protesters.
Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989 and his body was returned to his northern Philippine hometown of Batac in 1993. Since then, it has been displayed in a glass coffin and became a tourist attraction.
oust(verb.): `to force someone to leave a position of power, job, place, or competition:
riot police: a special part of a police force trained to deal with noisy, violent groups
perimeter: the outer edge of an area of land or the border around it:
exile noun: the condition of someone being sent or kept away from their own country, village, etc., especially for political reasons:
2016年11月19日星期六
`UN Committee Condemns Russian Occupation of Crimea
UN Committee Condemns Russian Occupation of Crimea
A United Nations committee approved a draft resolution Tuesday condemning Russia's occupation of Crimea and reiterating that it does not accept Russian annexation from Ukraine.
The measure passed by a vote of 73-23 with 76 abstentions(弃权). It is expected to pass in the full U.N. General Assembly next month.
The text calls on Russia to uphold its international obligations as an occupying power, to take all steps necessary to immediately end abuses against residents in Crimea, to immediately release all those who were unlawfully detained, and ensure unimpeded access for human rights monitoring missions and workers.
A Russian Foreign Ministry official(外交部官员） rejected the draft as one-sided and politically motivated.
"It completely ignores the negative impact that the actions of Ukrainian authorities have had on the residents of Crimea," he said.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after protesters overthrew Kiev's pro-Moscow president. The conflict in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and government troops has claimed the lives of more than 9,500 people.
resolution:`an official decision that is made after a group or organization has voted:
reiterate:to say something again, once or several times:
annex:to take possession of an area of land or a country, usually by force or without permission:
uphold:to defend or keep a principle or law, or to say that a decision that has already been made, especially a legal one, is correct:
unimpeded(adj.):`not stopped, blocked, or prevented by anything:
Trump, Pence Weigh Key Appointments to Their Administration
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence met Tuesday in New York to discuss key appointments in their new government.
The two have more than 4,000 jobs to fill in the U.S. government as they prepare to assume power January 20, but their immediate focus is on filling the top diplomatic post and that of defense secretary, attorney general and Homeland Security chief. All are positions that present the government's face to the world and help lead the country's fight against terrorism.
Trump aides are signaling(暗示) that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani could be named secretary of state. The 72-year-old Giuliani has no previous foreign policy experience. He was a loyal supporter of Trump during his campaign, often appearing on television news shows to promote the Trump candidacy.
But Trump aides also say the president-elect is considering other names, including that of John Bolton, a hawkish(鹰派) former diplomat(外交官） who was the country's United Nations ambassador（美国驻联合国大使） under President George W. Bush. Bolton has been a regular television critic of the foreign policies of President Barack Obama.
One conflict Trump is facing is between his vow during the campaign to "drain the swamp" in official Washington and now his need to find qualified officials with experience to handle the government's most challenging positions.
assume: ` to accept something to be true without question or proof:
present(verb): `to give, provide, or make something known:
critic: someone who says that they do not approve of someone or something:
drain: If you drain something, you remove the liquid from it, usually by pouring it away or allowing it to flow away, and if something drains, liquid flows away or out of it:
2016年11月18日星期五
Hillary Clinton Says She Spent the Week 'Never Wanting to Leave the House Again'
Hillary Clinton Says She Spent the Week 'Never Wanting to Leave the House Again'
Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said all she wanted to do for most of the past week was "curl up with a good book with a dog and never leave the house again."
Clinton made her first public appearance Wednesday night in Washington after conceding the presidential election to Republican Donald Trump a week ago.
She appeared at the Children's Defense Fund's Beat the Odds program, which honored five young people who overcame tragedy to become excellent students and are on their way to outstanding professional careers.
Clinton admitted that coming to the event "wasn't the easiest thing for me." But she said the five young men and women the fund was saluting never gave up after facing violence, poverty and abandonment.
curl up:`to sit or lie in a position with your arms and legs close to your body
concede:` to admit that you have lost in a competition:
salute:to honour or express admiration publicly for a person or an achievement:
Schumer to Lead Democrats; McConnell to Lead Senate Republicans
U.S. Senate leadership positions are being filled for the new session that will start in early January, reflecting the balance of power determined in elections held across the country last week.
Veteran New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer was unanimously elected minority leader Wednesday. He will succeed retiring Nevada Senator Harry Reid in the leadership post.
Other top Democratic party positions will be held by Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, who will be the minority whip. Washington State Senator(国会参议员） Patty Murray was elected assistant leader.
Republicans, who hold the majority in the Senate, elected Kentucky's Mitch McConnell to continue in his leadership position.
The congressional leadership positions take effect prior to the January 20 inauguration of Republican Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States.
succeed: to take an official job or position after someone else
session:a formal meeting or series of meetings of an organization such as a parliament or a law court:
veteran:1 `a person who has had a lot of experience of a particular activity
2 ( US informal vet) someone who has been in the armed forces during a war:
2016年11月16日星期三
Jail Sentences Given to 3 Somali-Americans for Plotting to Join IS
Jail Sentences Given to 3 Somali-Americans for Plotting to Join IS
A U.S. judge in Minnesota has given jail time to three Somali-Americans found guilty of conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State, but rewarded two of them with lighter sentences for cooperating with the government.
The harshest sentence was given to Zacharia Abdurahman, who got 10 years in prison. The prosecution wanted 15 years in prison for Abdurahman. The judge, Michael Davis, made it clear that Abdurahman received the toughest sentence because he did not testify against his former co-conspirators.
Abdurahman was stopped(被阻止) at JFK airport in New York in 2014 while attempting to travel to Greece on his way to Syria to join Islamic State. The following year he was involved in a second attempt to travel to Syria.
Also sentenced Monday was Abdirazak Warsame and Abdullahi Yusuf, both of whom cooperated with the U.S. government. Warsame received 30 months in prison, while Yusuf got off for time served in prison, the 21 months he already has been in jail. Both testified against some of their former friends.
consprie:to plan secretly with other people to do something bad, illegal, or against someone's wishes
U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning, who is serving 35 years in prison for leaking classified documents, is asking President Barack Obama to(请求） commute her sentence to time served. She said in her application to the president, released by her attorneys, that there is no historical precedent for such an extreme sentence for leaking documents.
Manning, a former intelligence analyst in Iraq, has served more than six years of a 35-year sentence for leaking more than 700,000 secret military documents as well as battlefield videos to WikiLeaks.
Since being convicted, the soldier, originally called Bradley Manning, has said she identifies as a women. She tried to commit suicide last month while in solitary confinement, where she was placed after an earlier suicide attempt.
Manning wrote in her application to the president that she is living through "a cycle of anxiety, anger, hopelessness, loss and depression."
She is being held at the Fort Leavenworth military prison in Kansas. Manning is not asking for a pardon, meaning her conviction will stay on her record.
commute(verb): 1 to travel regularly a distance between work and home
2 to change a punishment into another that is less severe
intelligence(noun): `secret information about the governments of other countries, especially enemy governments, or a group of people who collect and deal with this information:
live throuth sth: to experience a difficult situation or event:
convict(verb): `to decide officially in a law court that someone is guilty of a crime:
ford(堡垒）: a military building designed to be defended from attack, consisting of an area surrounded by a strong wall, in which soldiers are based:
A U.S. judge in Minnesota has given jail time to three Somali-Americans found guilty of conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State, but rewarded two of them with lighter sentences for cooperating with the government.
The harshest sentence was given to Zacharia Abdurahman, who got 10 years in prison. The prosecution wanted 15 years in prison for Abdurahman. The judge, Michael Davis, made it clear that Abdurahman received the toughest sentence because he did not testify against his former co-conspirators.
Abdurahman was stopped(被阻止) at JFK airport in New York in 2014 while attempting to travel to Greece on his way to Syria to join Islamic State. The following year he was involved in a second attempt to travel to Syria.
Also sentenced Monday was Abdirazak Warsame and Abdullahi Yusuf, both of whom cooperated with the U.S. government. Warsame received 30 months in prison, while Yusuf got off for time served in prison, the 21 months he already has been in jail. Both testified against some of their former friends.
consprie:to plan secretly with other people to do something bad, illegal, or against someone's wishes
get off:`to leave a place, usually in order to start a journey
testify: to speak seriously about something, especially in a law court, or to give or provide proof
`
Manning Seeks Commuted Sentence for LeaksU.S. soldier Chelsea Manning, who is serving 35 years in prison for leaking classified documents, is asking President Barack Obama to(请求） commute her sentence to time served. She said in her application to the president, released by her attorneys, that there is no historical precedent for such an extreme sentence for leaking documents.
Manning, a former intelligence analyst in Iraq, has served more than six years of a 35-year sentence for leaking more than 700,000 secret military documents as well as battlefield videos to WikiLeaks.
Since being convicted, the soldier, originally called Bradley Manning, has said she identifies as a women. She tried to commit suicide last month while in solitary confinement, where she was placed after an earlier suicide attempt.
Manning wrote in her application to the president that she is living through "a cycle of anxiety, anger, hopelessness, loss and depression."
She is being held at the Fort Leavenworth military prison in Kansas. Manning is not asking for a pardon, meaning her conviction will stay on her record.
commute(verb): 1 to travel regularly a distance between work and home
2 to change a punishment into another that is less severe
intelligence(noun): `secret information about the governments of other countries, especially enemy governments, or a group of people who collect and deal with this information:
live throuth sth: to experience a difficult situation or event:
convict(verb): `to decide officially in a law court that someone is guilty of a crime:
ford(堡垒）: a military building designed to be defended from attack, consisting of an area surrounded by a strong wall, in which soldiers are based:
Strong Aftershocks Hit New Zealand Following Strong Quake
Strong Aftershocks Hit New Zealand Following Strong Quake
A powerful aftershock shook New Zealand's South Island Monday, just hours after being hit by a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake.
John Kirby, a spokesman for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the top American diplomat offered New Zealand "whatever U.S. assistance might be required."
New Zealand officials have confirmed two people died after the powerful earthquake hit 90 kilometers from Christchurch, the biggest city on New Zealand's South Island. The quake caused damage to buildings more than 200 kilometers away in the capital, Wellington.
Thousands of residents in the coastal area of New Zealand fled their homes for higher ground after tsunami warning sirens were activated in South Island coastal towns.
Some waves were up to two meters and officials described the tsunami as an "event of life-threatening or national significance."
A 6.3 quake in Christchurch in 2011 killed 185 people and caused widespread damage.
sirens: a device for making a loud warning noise
Trump Vows to be 'Very Restrained' on Twitter
President-elect Donald Trump says he will continue to use Twitter when he takes office, but that he will be "very restrained" while in the White House.
"I'm going to do very restrained, if I use it at all, I'm going to be very restrained," Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday night on CBS' 60 Minutes. "It's a modern form of communication. There should be nothing we should be ashamed of. It's where it's at."
And yet, while he waits to move into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Trump devoted several tweets against his media nemesis, the New York Times.
"Wow, the @nytimes is losing thousands of subscribers because of their very poor and highly inaccurate coverage of the 'Trump phenomena'," the real estate mogul wrote in one tweet early Sunday.
"The @nytimes sent a letter to their subscribers apologizing for their BAD coverage of me. I wonder if it will change - doubt it?" he wrote in a separate tweet to his nearly 15 million Twitter followers.
The tweets referred to a letter the paper sent to its readers and subscribers stating it would "reflect" on its election coverage and "rededicate ourselves to... report America and the world honestly" and to "hold power to account."
Among his jumble of tweets on Sunday, Trump also wrote a series of posts thanking Republican lawmakers(国和党议员） -- most of whom had criticized his candidacy during the election -- for calling to congratulate him.
A powerful aftershock shook New Zealand's South Island Monday, just hours after being hit by a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake.
John Kirby, a spokesman for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the top American diplomat offered New Zealand "whatever U.S. assistance might be required."
New Zealand officials have confirmed two people died after the powerful earthquake hit 90 kilometers from Christchurch, the biggest city on New Zealand's South Island. The quake caused damage to buildings more than 200 kilometers away in the capital, Wellington.
Thousands of residents in the coastal area of New Zealand fled their homes for higher ground after tsunami warning sirens were activated in South Island coastal towns.
Some waves were up to two meters and officials described the tsunami as an "event of life-threatening or national significance."
A 6.3 quake in Christchurch in 2011 killed 185 people and caused widespread damage.
sirens: a device for making a loud warning noise
Trump Vows to be 'Very Restrained' on Twitter
President-elect Donald Trump says he will continue to use Twitter when he takes office, but that he will be "very restrained" while in the White House.
"I'm going to do very restrained, if I use it at all, I'm going to be very restrained," Trump said in an interview to be aired Sunday night on CBS' 60 Minutes. "It's a modern form of communication. There should be nothing we should be ashamed of. It's where it's at."
And yet, while he waits to move into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Trump devoted several tweets against his media nemesis, the New York Times.
"Wow, the @nytimes is losing thousands of subscribers because of their very poor and highly inaccurate coverage of the 'Trump phenomena'," the real estate mogul wrote in one tweet early Sunday.
"The @nytimes sent a letter to their subscribers apologizing for their BAD coverage of me. I wonder if it will change - doubt it?" he wrote in a separate tweet to his nearly 15 million Twitter followers.
The tweets referred to a letter the paper sent to its readers and subscribers stating it would "reflect" on its election coverage and "rededicate ourselves to... report America and the world honestly" and to "hold power to account."
Among his jumble of tweets on Sunday, Trump also wrote a series of posts thanking Republican lawmakers(国和党议员） -- most of whom had criticized his candidacy during the election -- for calling to congratulate him.
air (verb):`to broadcast something or be broadcast on radio or television
devote sth to sth/sb: to use a space, area, time, etc. for a particular purpose
nemesis:`Someone's nemesis is a person or thing that is very difficult for them to defeat.
mogul:an important person who is very rich or powerful
jumble:an untidy and confused mixture of things, feelings, or ideas2016年11月14日星期一
Swedish Envoy: US Detainees in North Korea 'High on Agenda'
Swedish Envoy: US Detainees in North Korea 'High on Agenda'
With the denial of consular access(领事探视被拒) to two U.S. citizens detained in North Korea continuing for months, the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang, which acts on behalf of the United States, said it is currently making all-out efforts to accelerate their safe return home.
Torkel Stiernlöf, Swedish ambassador to Pyongyang, told VOA this week the communist state’s detention(拘留,扣押) of American citizens is one of the embassy’s primary concerns.
Over the past year, North Korea locked up(监禁) two American citizens for crimes against the state. One of the detainees is Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in April on charges of(以.....罪被判刑) espionage and stealing state secrets. Kim has reportedly not been allowed consular access since his arrest.
Kim’s sentence came on the heels(金东柱判刑之前) of a 15-year sentence given to Otto Warmbier, a University of Virginia student suspected of stealing a propaganda poster from a North Korean hotel.
The U.S. State Department(美国国务院） is urging U.S. citizens to avoid travel to the North. At least 14 U.S. citizens have been detained in the country in the past 10 years, according to the State Department.
came on the heels of sth:to happen very soon after something
Clinton, Trump Hold Dueling（决斗） Speeches in North Carolina
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump held simultaneous（同时）dueling campaign rallies（集会） Thursday night in North Carolina -- a state either one must win if they want to win the White House next Tuesday.
Her former rival for the Democratic nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders, introduced Clinton in Raleigh, while Republican Trump was a short distance away, speaking to a largely pro-military crowd in Selma.
Both traded the usual insults about the other's fitness for office while appealing to their followers that their vote matters.
Earlier in Greenville, North Carolina, Clinton warned that Trump "always puts himself first and doesn't care who gets hurt along the way." She said Trump simply cannot help himself when he insults women and minorities, adding that he is out of his depth and very dangerous.
Clinton's top booster, President Barack Obama, campaigned（竞选） for her in another must win state -- Florida. At a rally in Jacksonville, Obama noted that the polls are close, and said the outcome cannot be taken for granted. "You have this precious chance to shape history. Don't let it slip away."
Obama also tore into Senate Republicans who have refused to consider his Supreme Court nominee, saying they want to wait until there is a new president first. But many of those senators are now vowing that they will block anyone Clinton nominates.
Trump also was in Jacksonville Thursday, predicting that if Clinton wins, she would be impeached over her emails and questions about the Clinton Foundation charity when she was secretary of state.
He did not let the crowd forget that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was impeached（弹劾） in 1998 for lying about an affair with a White House intern.
Meanwhile, Clinton's vice presidential running mate Tim Kaine made history in Arizona Thursday, becoming the first major party candidate（候选人） to make a campaign speech entirely in Spanish. Arizona is a traditionally Republican state. But its growing Hispanic population opposes Trump's plans to restrict immigration and build a wall along the Mexican border, and they are being encouraged not to stay home on election day.
Two new major national polls Thursday showed Clinton edging ahead of Trump among likely voters, with The New York Times/CBS News poll giving her a 45-to-42 percent lead and The Washington Post-ABC News poll showing her with a 47-45 advantage.
With the denial of consular access(领事探视被拒) to two U.S. citizens detained in North Korea continuing for months, the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang, which acts on behalf of the United States, said it is currently making all-out efforts to accelerate their safe return home.
Torkel Stiernlöf, Swedish ambassador to Pyongyang, told VOA this week the communist state’s detention(拘留,扣押) of American citizens is one of the embassy’s primary concerns.
Over the past year, North Korea locked up(监禁) two American citizens for crimes against the state. One of the detainees is Kim Dong Chul, a South Korean-born U.S. citizen, was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in April on charges of(以.....罪被判刑) espionage and stealing state secrets. Kim has reportedly not been allowed consular access since his arrest.
Kim’s sentence came on the heels(金东柱判刑之前) of a 15-year sentence given to Otto Warmbier, a University of Virginia student suspected of stealing a propaganda poster from a North Korean hotel.
The U.S. State Department(美国国务院） is urging U.S. citizens to avoid travel to the North. At least 14 U.S. citizens have been detained in the country in the past 10 years, according to the State Department.
came on the heels of sth:to happen very soon after something
Clinton, Trump Hold Dueling（决斗） Speeches in North Carolina
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump held simultaneous（同时）dueling campaign rallies（集会） Thursday night in North Carolina -- a state either one must win if they want to win the White House next Tuesday.
Her former rival for the Democratic nomination, Senator Bernie Sanders, introduced Clinton in Raleigh, while Republican Trump was a short distance away, speaking to a largely pro-military crowd in Selma.
Both traded the usual insults about the other's fitness for office while appealing to their followers that their vote matters.
Earlier in Greenville, North Carolina, Clinton warned that Trump "always puts himself first and doesn't care who gets hurt along the way." She said Trump simply cannot help himself when he insults women and minorities, adding that he is out of his depth and very dangerous.
Clinton's top booster, President Barack Obama, campaigned（竞选） for her in another must win state -- Florida. At a rally in Jacksonville, Obama noted that the polls are close, and said the outcome cannot be taken for granted. "You have this precious chance to shape history. Don't let it slip away."
Obama also tore into Senate Republicans who have refused to consider his Supreme Court nominee, saying they want to wait until there is a new president first. But many of those senators are now vowing that they will block anyone Clinton nominates.
Trump also was in Jacksonville Thursday, predicting that if Clinton wins, she would be impeached over her emails and questions about the Clinton Foundation charity when she was secretary of state.
He did not let the crowd forget that her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was impeached（弹劾） in 1998 for lying about an affair with a White House intern.
Meanwhile, Clinton's vice presidential running mate Tim Kaine made history in Arizona Thursday, becoming the first major party candidate（候选人） to make a campaign speech entirely in Spanish. Arizona is a traditionally Republican state. But its growing Hispanic population opposes Trump's plans to restrict immigration and build a wall along the Mexican border, and they are being encouraged not to stay home on election day.
Two new major national polls Thursday showed Clinton edging ahead of Trump among likely voters, with The New York Times/CBS News poll giving her a 45-to-42 percent lead and The Washington Post-ABC News poll showing her with a 47-45 advantage.
tear into sth：to start doing something with energy and enthusiasm
2016年11月12日星期六
Russia Welcomes Trump Victory, Hopes for Better Relations
Russia Welcomes Trump Victory, Hopes for Better Relations
Russia warmly welcomed the U.S. presidential election victory of Donald Trump with officials, analysts, and ordinary citizens cautiously（谨慎） hoping it could turn a new page in relations between Russia and the United States. Russian analysts say there are still many unknowns about Trump and whether his campaign rhetoric（花言巧语） will translate into policy.
A mock election organized by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was quickly overtaken by startling results in the real presidential race.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump, saying he hoped to work together with the next American president to lift relations out of the current crisis. On the streets of Moscow, Trump’s victory was welcomed by most Russians.
But Russian media coverage and praise for Trump during his campaign raised expectations for a man unknown to politics who was not supposed to win and whose policies are not yet clear.
Regardless of hopes and expectations, a U.S. led by Donald Trump begins a new chapter in relations with Russia.
Transition of Power Begins After Hard Fought( fight的过去式和过去分词 ) US Election
American voters elected Donald Trump as the country's next president. After a long, bitter and often divisive race for the White House, work began on the clean transfer of power, a bedrock principle of American democracy.
Following a bruising（淤血） political contest, President-Elect Donald Trump sought to pave the way for reuniting the country.
Hillary Clinton offered to work with Trump to end partisan divides as a part of the transition.
Now, the Obama administration will work together with Trump's transition team to hire new government personnel, including selecting a new cabinet to run the country. President Obama offered his cooperation to ensure the peaceful transfer of power.
The Presidential transition process culminates January 20th with the ceremonial inauguration（总统就职典礼） marking the beginning of the Trump presidency.
transition:过渡
transfer 转让
Russia warmly welcomed the U.S. presidential election victory of Donald Trump with officials, analysts, and ordinary citizens cautiously（谨慎） hoping it could turn a new page in relations between Russia and the United States. Russian analysts say there are still many unknowns about Trump and whether his campaign rhetoric（花言巧语） will translate into policy.
A mock election organized by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow was quickly overtaken by startling results in the real presidential race.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump, saying he hoped to work together with the next American president to lift relations out of the current crisis. On the streets of Moscow, Trump’s victory was welcomed by most Russians.
But Russian media coverage and praise for Trump during his campaign raised expectations for a man unknown to politics who was not supposed to win and whose policies are not yet clear.
Regardless of hopes and expectations, a U.S. led by Donald Trump begins a new chapter in relations with Russia.
Transition of Power Begins After Hard Fought( fight的过去式和过去分词 ) US Election
American voters elected Donald Trump as the country's next president. After a long, bitter and often divisive race for the White House, work began on the clean transfer of power, a bedrock principle of American democracy.
Following a bruising（淤血） political contest, President-Elect Donald Trump sought to pave the way for reuniting the country.
Hillary Clinton offered to work with Trump to end partisan divides as a part of the transition.
Now, the Obama administration will work together with Trump's transition team to hire new government personnel, including selecting a new cabinet to run the country. President Obama offered his cooperation to ensure the peaceful transfer of power.
The Presidential transition process culminates January 20th with the ceremonial inauguration（总统就职典礼） marking the beginning of the Trump presidency.
transition:过渡
transfer 转让
2016年11月11日星期五
Thousands Protest Trump Election
Thousands Protest Trump Election
The U.S. presidential election results are not going down well with thousands of protesters who filled the streets of a number of large cities Wednesday night.
The marches have been peaceful so far, but loud, with shouts of "No Trump, No Racist USA."
A large crowd packed New York City's Fifth Avenue, directly in front of the Trump Tower, waving signs reading "Love Trumps Hate."
Another group gathered across from Trump's soon-to-be-home, the White House in Washington.
Demonstrators blocked traffic in Chicago, marched through downtown Philadelphia, Boston and in West Coast cities Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.
Earlier Wednesday, high school and college students stormed out of classrooms across California, a state with a large Hispanic population.
Many of the protesters say they are scared and fear a Trump administration will champion（拥护） anti-immigration policies. They regard him as racist, sexist and xenophobic because of statements he made during the presidential campaign.
No one from the Trump staff has commented on the protests.
But losing Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has told voters they owe Trump "an open mind and a chance to lead."
The U.S. presidential election results are not going down well with thousands of protesters who filled the streets of a number of large cities Wednesday night.
The marches have been peaceful so far, but loud, with shouts of "No Trump, No Racist USA."
A large crowd packed New York City's Fifth Avenue, directly in front of the Trump Tower, waving signs reading "Love Trumps Hate."
Another group gathered across from Trump's soon-to-be-home, the White House in Washington.
Demonstrators blocked traffic in Chicago, marched through downtown Philadelphia, Boston and in West Coast cities Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.
Earlier Wednesday, high school and college students stormed out of classrooms across California, a state with a large Hispanic population.
Many of the protesters say they are scared and fear a Trump administration will champion（拥护） anti-immigration policies. They regard him as racist, sexist and xenophobic because of statements he made during the presidential campaign.
No one from the Trump staff has commented on the protests.
But losing Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has told voters they owe Trump "an open mind and a chance to lead."
US Says Its Airstrikes Killed 64 Civilians in Iraq, Syria
美国：联军空袭在伊拉克和叙利亚造成64名平民死亡
美国军方星期三说，过去一年来，针对伊拉克和叙利亚的“伊斯兰国”激进分子发动的空袭行动造成64名平民丧生，八人受伤。
最新数字由美军中央司令部发布。自2014年8月空袭行动开始以来，官方统计的总平民死亡数为119人，37人受伤。
人权组织和观察机构表示，实际数字要高得多。国际特赦组织10月说，过去两年中，美国领导的联军发动的空袭仅在叙利亚就造成了300多人丧生。
五角大楼的数据显示，美军的行动在联军发动的所有空袭中占约三分之二。
星期三披露的最新伤亡数字不包括7月在叙利亚北部城市曼比杰发动的一次空袭。当地居民和人权组织称，空袭造成50多名平民遇难。美国军方仍在对那次袭击进行调查。
中央司令部发言人约翰·托马斯上校说，有专门的团队负责防止“误伤平民”的事件发生。
他在一份声明中说：“有时军事行动会殃及平民，但我们尽可能将这种情况发生的几率降到最低，即使这样做会让我们失去打击目标的机会。”
自从对伊拉克和叙利亚的空袭分别于2014年8月和9月开始以来，联军总共发动了一万六千余次空袭，平均每天花费约120万美元。 今年10月，联军的报告称，在伊拉克和叙利亚平均每天发动大约十次空袭。
US Says Its Airstrikes Killed 64 Civilians in Iraq, Syria
The United States military said Wednesday its airstrike campaign targeting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria killed 64 civilians and injured 8 others during the past year.
The new numbers released by U.S. Central Command bring the official total number of civilians killed since the operation began in August 2014 to 119 with another 37 injured.
Rights groups and monitors say the real number is much higher. Amnesty International reported in October that airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition appeared to have killed more than 300 people in Syria alone during the past two years.
Pentagon data shows U.S. forces are responsible for about two-thirds of all coalition airstrikes.
Wednesday's new casualty figures do not include an airstrike in July in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, where residents and rights groups said more than 50 civilians were killed. The U.S. military is still investigating that attack.
Central Command spokesman Col. John Thomas said there are teams that work to prevent "unintended civilian casualties."
"Sometimes civilians bear the brunt（冲击，撞击） of military action but we do all we can to minimize those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time," he said in a statement.
Since the airstrikes began -- first in Iraq in August 2014, then in Syria a month later -- there have been more than 16,000 by the coalition at a cost of about $12 million per day. In October, the coalition reported an average of about 10 airstrikes each day in both Iraq and Syria.
美国军方星期三说，过去一年来，针对伊拉克和叙利亚的“伊斯兰国”激进分子发动的空袭行动造成64名平民丧生，八人受伤。
最新数字由美军中央司令部发布。自2014年8月空袭行动开始以来，官方统计的总平民死亡数为119人，37人受伤。
人权组织和观察机构表示，实际数字要高得多。国际特赦组织10月说，过去两年中，美国领导的联军发动的空袭仅在叙利亚就造成了300多人丧生。
五角大楼的数据显示，美军的行动在联军发动的所有空袭中占约三分之二。
星期三披露的最新伤亡数字不包括7月在叙利亚北部城市曼比杰发动的一次空袭。当地居民和人权组织称，空袭造成50多名平民遇难。美国军方仍在对那次袭击进行调查。
中央司令部发言人约翰·托马斯上校说，有专门的团队负责防止“误伤平民”的事件发生。
他在一份声明中说：“有时军事行动会殃及平民，但我们尽可能将这种情况发生的几率降到最低，即使这样做会让我们失去打击目标的机会。”
自从对伊拉克和叙利亚的空袭分别于2014年8月和9月开始以来，联军总共发动了一万六千余次空袭，平均每天花费约120万美元。 今年10月，联军的报告称，在伊拉克和叙利亚平均每天发动大约十次空袭。
US Says Its Airstrikes Killed 64 Civilians in Iraq, Syria
The United States military said Wednesday its airstrike campaign targeting Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria killed 64 civilians and injured 8 others during the past year.
The new numbers released by U.S. Central Command bring the official total number of civilians killed since the operation began in August 2014 to 119 with another 37 injured.
Rights groups and monitors say the real number is much higher. Amnesty International reported in October that airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition appeared to have killed more than 300 people in Syria alone during the past two years.
Pentagon data shows U.S. forces are responsible for about two-thirds of all coalition airstrikes.
Wednesday's new casualty figures do not include an airstrike in July in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, where residents and rights groups said more than 50 civilians were killed. The U.S. military is still investigating that attack.
Central Command spokesman Col. John Thomas said there are teams that work to prevent "unintended civilian casualties."
"Sometimes civilians bear the brunt（冲击，撞击） of military action but we do all we can to minimize those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time," he said in a statement.
Since the airstrikes began -- first in Iraq in August 2014, then in Syria a month later -- there have been more than 16,000 by the coalition at a cost of about $12 million per day. In October, the coalition reported an average of about 10 airstrikes each day in both Iraq and Syria.
2016年11月4日星期五
Learning and Babbling
US election 2016: Clinton seeks to secure Democratic vote
1 has been holding rallies
神马，开集会，为什么用hold,为什么rallies这词我没见过？
2 A BBC correspondent
我只知道journalist，原来这也是记者的意思
3 are now concentrating more on
concentrating on,复习了
4 ballots have already been cast
cast ballot没听过阿，不用google翻译真不知道啥意思
5 assessing the credibility of information on a possible al-Qaeda terror attack.
好吧，assess我认了，credibility of information后面跟的一串在轰击我的头脑，第一遍真没看懂，原来on后面是修饰information的
6 that his rival wants a "550% increase" on Syrian refugees allowed into the US.
啥，又懵逼了 ，rival对手地意思啊，懂了
7 temperament and disparaging comments
气质和贬损的评论 google,google,我爱google
8 step down
下台。。。跟中文很像
9 aides
助手
10 orchestrating
编排
11 retribution
报复
12 ahead
领先
13 leads by a small margin
稍微领先
14 has gained substantial ground on his rival
比他的对手赢得了实质性的地位，没听过这种说法
15 conduit
导管
原文：
http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37877391
1 has been holding rallies
神马，开集会，为什么用hold,为什么rallies这词我没见过？
2 A BBC correspondent
我只知道journalist，原来这也是记者的意思
3 are now concentrating more on
concentrating on,复习了
4 ballots have already been cast
cast ballot没听过阿，不用google翻译真不知道啥意思
5 assessing the credibility of information on a possible al-Qaeda terror attack.
好吧，assess我认了，credibility of information后面跟的一串在轰击我的头脑，第一遍真没看懂，原来on后面是修饰information的
6 that his rival wants a "550% increase" on Syrian refugees allowed into the US.
啥，又懵逼了 ，rival对手地意思啊，懂了
7 temperament and disparaging comments
气质和贬损的评论 google,google,我爱google
8 step down
下台。。。跟中文很像
9 aides
助手
10 orchestrating
编排
11 retribution
报复
12 ahead
领先
13 leads by a small margin
稍微领先
14 has gained substantial ground on his rival
比他的对手赢得了实质性的地位，没听过这种说法
15 conduit
导管
原文：
http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37877391
Chishui Scenic Area
Chishui Scenic Area is located in the northwest of Guizhou Province, which is an area of 1,801 square kilometers, the area bounds SIchuan on the north and Chongqin on the east,thus a important gateway to Sichuan area.Chishui Scenic Area is the only scenic spot named after the administrative region,its tourism resources are very unique and rich, the combination of natural ecological resources and historical and cultural resources. Landscape to the waterfalls, bamboo, Alsophila spinulosa, Danxia landforms, virgin forest and other natural landscape as the main features,additional, the ancient cultural landscape and the Red Army Long March ruins, known as " waterfall city", Bamboo village "," Cyathea Kingdom ".
Chishui scenic area with a total area of 630 square kilometers, accounting for one-third of the city area, composed of 18 independent scenic area,in which has opened to visitors are: Chishui Falls, Stone Transformation Scenic Spot, four hole ditch, five column peak, Red Rock Ngok, China Jurassic Park, Swallow Rock National Forest Park, Bamboo National Forest Park and other natural scenic spots; as well as Datong Ancient town, BIngan ancient town, Fuxing town, the Red Army Long March ruins and other cultural attractions. In addition, Tiantai Mountain, Jiujiao Cave, Moon Lake, Jiuqu Lake, long ditch, Renyou Creek, Yuetai, Baoyuan, Panlong and other scenic areas are under development and construction.
In 1994, Guizhou Province Chishui scenic area was approved by the State Council included in the third batch of state-level scenic spots list
In 1996, Chishui City was named "Chinese bamboo village" by state forestry ministry
In 2000, Chishui Alsophila spinulosa national reserve was approved by the National Tourism Administration named "China Jurassic Park"
In 2005, Chishui City was included into the "National Red Tourism line directory" promulgated by the State Council.
In 2006, Chishui, Guizhou, was selected as the "Most Beautiful Place in China" by China National Geographic magazine "
In 2007, Chishui City was awarded the title of "China Excellent Tourism City" by the State Administration of Tourism
In 2008, Chishui Scenic Spot was awarded the "Best Green Ecological Scenic Area in China" by the International Travel Association,
In 2010, "China Danxia Chishui" was selected in World Natural Heritage
2016年11月2日星期三
Zhengyuan Ancient Town
Zhengyuan ancient town is attached to Zhengyuan county in Southeast Guizhou Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture of Guizho.It's.located in Wuyang Riverside, surrounded by mountains. The
river is winding and through the city, the north shore is
the old city, the south shore is the old Acropolis,look far away like a Tai Chi
map. Two cities are built in the Ming Dynasty, now there are still some walls and gates left behind.A large number of ancient buildings, traditional houses, historical terminals situated inside and outside of the city.The traffic is very convinient, the location is also superior.Xiangqian Railway,320 National Road, Shanghai-Kunming Expressway passing
through it,the city is 90 km, 170
km and 270 km seperately away from Tongren, Hunan Zhijiang and Guifeir airport, the county east part adjacent to Hunan xinhuang,south part adjacent to Sansui, Jianhe, West part adjoin Shibing, north part adjorn Cen
Gong and Shi Qian, known as "the keylock to Yunnan and Hunnan, the
gateway to the east Guizou," Zhenyuan has a long
history,it has been 2281 years of history since the King of Qin (277 BC) set up the region. It has been county for more than 700 years began from Yuan and Qing Dynasty.
This historic city is located in the entry way to Guizhou, it is extremely rich in tourism resources, cultural monuments and natural scenery. There are more than 50 ancient buildings like pavilons,temples and museums, ancient houses more than 33, 12 ancient wharf , 8 ancient roadway, 5 ancient post road,ncluding one national cultural heritage conservation unit, seven provincial cultural heritage consevation units.
The town is in the subtropical monsoon climate,climatic climate throughout the year, no cold winter, summer is not hot, spring is warm. The annual average temperature is 16.4 ℃. The highest monthly temperature is in July, 26.6 ℃. The lowest temperature is in January, 5.2 ℃.
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