Politics this week (2020.04.04) Part.03

Grasping an opportunity

Hungary, which has been dismantling checks and balances on the executive for a decade, passed a covid-19 emergency law that gives Viktor Orban the power to rule by decree as prime minister. The opposition says the country has become a dictatorship. But the EU did not criticise Hungary by name, and the European People’s Party, the EU-level group that includes Mr Orban’s Fidesz party, made no move to expel it.

• Hungary
  • 匈牙利🇭🇺
• dismantle
  • to end an organization or system gradually in an organized way （逐渐）废除，取消
• checks and balances
  • 制约与平衡（为保持机构或政体内的公正并防止权力集中于小团体）
• the executive
  • the part of a government responsible for putting laws into effect （政府的）行政部门
• pass
  • 经表决通过（动议、法律等）
• rule by decree
  • Rule by decree is a style of governance allowing quick, unchallenged promulgation (颁发) of law by a single person or group, and is used primarily by dictators, absolute monarchs (君主) and military leaders.
• dictatorship
  • 独裁；独裁国家
• expel
  • 把……开除/除名

European leaders were at loggerheads over the issuance of so-called coronabonds, government bonds jointly guaranteed by all countries of the euro zone. Rich northern countries have refused to countenance these, but a group of nine mainly southern countries are warning of economic calamity and threats to the single currency if they are not created.

• at loggerhead (with sb) (over sth)
  • （与某人）不和，严重分歧
• issuance
  • the act of issuing 发行，发布
• bond
  • 债券，公债
• jointly
  • 共同地，联合地
• guarantee
  • 担保，保证
• countenance
  • 支持，赞成
• calamity
  • an event that causes great damage to people’s lives, property, etc. 灾难，灾祸

Coronavirus briefs

Boris Johnson contracted covid-19, the first political leader of a country to do so. The British prime minister is self-isolating at Number 10.

Austria made it compulsory to wear face masks in supermarkets. The Czech Republic and Slovakia have put similar measures in place.

• contract
  • (formal or medical) to get an illness 感染（疾病），得（病）
  • [noun] 合同，契约
• Number 10
  • 10 Downing Street 唐宁街10号（传统上是第一财政大臣的官邸，但自从1905年此职由英国首相兼领后，就成为今日普遍认为的英国首相官邸。）
• compulsory
  • （因法律或规则而）必须做的，强制的，强迫的
• Czech
  • 捷克🇨🇿
• Slovakia
  • 斯洛伐克🇸🇰

The captain of an American aircraft-carrier docked in Guam asked the navy for help following an outbreak of covid-19 on board. Around 100 sailors on the USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

The world’s biggest condom-maker, which is based in Malaysia, warned of a global shortage because it has had to shut factories. Forecasters have already predicted a baby boom becuase of couples staying at home.

The Wimbledon tennis tournament was cancelled.

• aircraft-carrier
  • 航空母舰
• dock
  • （使船）进港，停靠码头
• Guam
  • 关岛🇬🇺（位于西太平洋的岛屿，为美国五个非合并建制属地之一）
• following
  • [perposition] 在（某事）以后，由于
• condom-maker
  • 避孕套制造商
• forecaster
  • 预测者；天气预报员
    • a weather forecaster 天气预报员
    • an economic forecaster 经济预测专家
• the Wimbledon tennis tournament
  • 温布尔登网球锦标赛（锦标赛通常举办于6月底至7月初，是每年度网球大满贯的第3项赛事，排在澳大利亚公开赛和法国公开赛之后，美国公开赛之前。）