Politics this week (2020.03.26) Part.01

More countries rolled out wartime-like emergency measures to fight covid-19. In Britain people were told to leave home only in limited circumstances; gatherings of more than two people were banned. All non-essential businesses, pubs and restaurants were ordered to shut. The government announced an unprecedented aid package, including paying up to 80% of workers’ wages. The American Congress prepared a $2trn economic-rescue bill, the biggest in modern history, which provides relief to business and direct payments to workers. Germany tore up its strict fiscal rules and launched a raft of emergency measures totalling €750bn ($810bn).

• roll out
  • to officially make a new product available or start a new political campaign 正式推出（新产品）；开展（新的政治运动）
• circumstance
  • (usually plural) 条件，状况
• unprecedented
  • 前所未有的，空前的
• package
  • （必须整体接收的）一套东西，一套建议
    • an aid package 一套援助计划
    • a benefits package 一套福利措施
    • a package of measures to help small businesses 扶助小企业的整套措施
• the American Congress
  • 美国国会（是《美国宪法》规定的立法机构）
• bill
  • （提交议会讨论的）议案，法案
• tear up
  • 撕毁，撕碎（文件等）
• fiscal
  • connected with government or public money, especially taxes 财政的，国库的
• a raft of
  • (informal) a large number or amount of sth 大量，许多
• total
  • v. 总计

In America more states went into lockdown, but the message to stay indoors was somewhat undermined by Donald Trumps’s insistence that some restrictions should be relaxed so that the economy can get working again by Easter.

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, sparked panic-buying when he said the entire country would be placed on lockdown within hours for a duration of three weeks to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. He later clarified that food shops and other essential services would remain open.

• undermine
  • to make sth, especially sb’s confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective 逐渐削弱（信心、权威等），使逐步减少效力
• insistence
  • 坚决要求，坚持
• Easter
  • 复活节（每年春分月圆之后第一个星期日）
• spark
  • 引发，触发
• clarify
  • (formal) 使更清晰易懂；阐明；澄清

Abe Shinzo, Japan’s prime minister, announced that the summer Olympics would be delayed by a year because of the pandemic. Athletes have been complaining that restrictions on movement related to the outbreak made it impossible to train. Tokyo’s governor warned of an “explosive spike” in cases in the city.

The government of Bangladesh released on bail Khaleda Zia, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the main opposition, to allow her to seek medical treatment.

• pandemic
  • （全国或全球性）流行病，大流行病
• spike
  • [C, usually sing.] (informal) (especially NAmE)猛增；急升
• Bangladesh
  • 孟加拉国🇧🇩
• bail
  • 保释，保释金