01
92nd Oscars
第92屆奧斯卡金像獎
“Parasite” is the film that took home the most awards at the Oscars 2020, winning four Academy Awards including Best Picture①, Directing, International Feature Film and Writing (Original Screenplay②). Not only that, but it also became the first non-English language film in Oscar history to win the award for Best Picture. “Parasite” was also the first film from South Korea to be nominated for International Feature Film③. Apart from this, it is also worth noting that the Oscars took time to honor the many talents we lost during the previous year. During the Oscars 2020 broadcast, Billie Eilish performed the song “Yesterday” as a touching tribute④. Recently departed⑤ stars like Kobe Bryant and Godfrey Gao were among the luminaries⑥ honoured in a In Memoriam segment. (Oscars, The Strait Times)
電影《寄生蟲》成為2020年奧斯卡金像獎最大贏家，一舉拿下最佳影片、最佳導演、最佳國際影片和最佳原創劇本四項大獎。它還是奧斯卡史上首部榮獲最佳影片的非英語電影、首部提名最佳國際影片的韓國電影。值得一提的是，奧斯卡還特設“緬懷”環節悼念過去一年逝去的多位電影人，其中包括最近去世的科比·布萊恩特和高以翔。在奧斯卡頒獎禮上，比莉·艾利獻唱《昨日》致敬。
【註釋】
① picture: [ˈpɪktʃə] n. a cinematographic scene or film 影片，電影
② screenplay: [ˈskriːnˌpleɪ] n. the>
③ feature film: a main film/movie with a story, rather than a documentary, etc. 正片，故事片
④ tribute: [ˈtrɪbjuːt] n. an act, a statement or a gift that is intended to show your respect or admiration, esp. for a dead person（尤指向死者）表示敬意的禮物，頌詞，稱讚
⑤ departed: [dɪˈpɑːtɪd] adj. that has departed by death; deceased 已故的，逝去的
⑥ luminary: [ˈluːmɪnərɪ] n. a person who is an expert or a great influence in a special area or activity 傑出人物，專家，名人，泰斗
Bong Joon-ho holds the Oscars for the four awards for “Parasite.”
(Credit: AP)
02
Thailand mass shooting
泰國大規模槍擊案
On February 8, Thai soldier Jakraphanth Thomma killed his commanding officer, stole weapons from a military base, and went on to launch a devastating attack on civilians in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima. The soldier was shot dead by security forces on Feb. 9. Thirty people, including the gunman, were dead as a result. On February 8, Thomma posted a video of himself holding a rifle on Facebook, and said: “Tired, I can barely move my fingers.” Soon afterwards, Facebook took down the post and his profile and said in a statement: “Our hearts go out to① the victims, their families and the community affected by this tragedy in Thailand. There is no place on Facebook for people who commit this kind of atrocity②, nor do we allow people to praise or support this attack.” Thai Army Chief General Apirat Kongsompong said during a 90-minute press conference that the army would help compensate all the victims and their families. (BBC, CNN)
2月8日，泰國士兵賈卡班特·托馬殺害自己的指揮官，從軍事基地盜取多件武器，隨後開始大規模襲擊阿叻府平民。2月9日，托馬被安全部隊擊斃。包括兇手在內，共有30人喪生。2月8日，托馬曾在臉書上傳了一段手持步槍的視頻並稱：“太累了，連動一根手指的力氣也沒有了。”臉書旋即刪除該視頻並關閉其賬號，發佈聲明稱：“我們深切同情受害者及其家屬，以及受此悲劇影響的泰國社區。臉書絕不服務實施如此暴行之人，也絕不容許有人讚美或支持這次襲擊。”泰國陸軍總司令阿皮拉特·孔松蓬在長達90分鐘的新聞發佈會上表示，軍方將協助做好所有受害人及家屬的賠償工作。
【註釋】
① one’s heart/thoughts go out to sb.: used to say that one feels sympathy for sb. and are thinking about them 同情某人
② atrocity: [əˈtrɒsətɪ] n. a cruel and violent act, esp. in a war（尤指戰時的）殘暴行為
A Buddhist monk sits in front of flowers laid at the scene of a mass shooting in Thailand.
(Credit: hawaiipublicradio.org)
03
Ireland’s general election
愛爾蘭大選
The Republic of Ireland’s general election① has produced an outcome where no one party can govern alone and where even two parties together would come up short②. Sinn Féin topped the popular vote and won 37 seats, while Fianna Fáil ended up with 38 and Fine Gael with 35. Financial and property shares have already been hit hard by the emergence of Sinn Féin, whose manifesto③ pledged to reduce tax breaks④ for banks that were bailed out⑤ by the State, and to introduce a raft of⑥ controls on the private rented sector, from price caps onwards⑦. With Sinn Féin’s election breakthrough in focus⑧, the outgoing⑨ Taoiseach⑩ and other top officials at a financial conference in Dublin rushed to reassure investors that Ireland remains open for business. (The Irish Independent)
愛爾蘭大選結果出爐，無一黨可獨立組建政府，甚至兩黨聯合仍席位不夠。新芬黨獲得最多選票，拿下37個席位；共和黨佔38席；統一黨35席。新芬黨在宣言中承諾，對已受政府扶持的銀行降低減稅力度，對私人租賃市場加強管控（從設定價格上限開始）。新芬黨的崛起沉重打擊了愛爾蘭金融及房地產市場。鑑於該黨在大選中取得顯著突破，即將離任的愛爾蘭總理和一些高層領導人在都柏林的一場金融會議上連忙安撫投資者，表示愛爾蘭仍將對商業持開放態度。
【註釋】
① general election: 大選
② come up short: fail to win or achieve sth. 達不成
③ manifesto: [ˌmænɪˈfɛstəʊ] n. a statement published by a person or group of people, especially a political party, or a government, in which they say what their aims and policies are 宣言
④ tax break: a special reduction in taxes 減稅
⑤ bail sb. out: to rescue sb. from a difficult situation 幫助某人脫離困境
⑥ a raft of: a large number or amount of sth. 大量，許多
⑦ from ... onwards: beginning at a particular point and continuing after that 從……開始
⑧ in focus: If something is in focus, it is being discussed or its purpose and nature are clear. 清晰，明顯
⑨ outgoing: [ˈaʊtˌɡəʊɪŋ] adj. leaving the position of responsibility mentioned 即將離任的
⑩ Taoiseach: [ˈtiːʃæx] n. the prime minister of the Republic of Ireland（愛爾蘭共和國的）總理
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar casts his vote.
(Credit: The Independent)
04
British cabinet reshuffle①
英國內閣重組
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has carried out a reshuffle of ministers in cabinet positions, two months after winning the general election. This is the second reshuffle for Mr Johnson, who became prime minister last July after winning a Conservative leadership election. Big names② to have left cabinet last Thursday included Chancellor③ Sajid Javid, Attorney General④ Geoffrey Cox, and Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom. The make-up⑤ of the cabinet has also changed. The proportion of women in it has increased — but the actual number has fallen from eight to seven because some positions were closed. Opening Friday’s cabinet meeting, the PM congratulated those present on “achieving or retaining” their cabinet jobs after a wide-ranging shake-up⑥. “We have to repay the trust of people who voted for us in huge numbers in December and who look forward to us delivering,” he said. (BBC)
贏得大選兩月後，英國首相鮑里斯·約翰遜開始重組內閣。這是他第二次組閣。去年7月，約翰遜在保守黨黨魁競選中勝出後，擔任起首相一職。2月13日，多位知名政要出局，其中包括財政大臣薩義德·賈維德、總檢察長傑弗裡·考克斯、商務大臣安德烈婭·利德索姆。內閣結構也有所調整。女性佔比增加，但由於部分職位取消，女性大臣人數實際從8位減至7位。2月14日的內閣會議上，約翰遜開場時祝賀了與會者在大洗牌中“獲得或保住”了職位。約翰遜表示：“去年12月，有很多人為我們投票，他們期待我們兌現承諾。我們不能辜負他們的信任。”
【註釋】
① reshuffle: [riːˈʃʌfəl] n. a change in the jobs that a group of people do 重新洗牌，改組
② big name: an important or a famous person【口】要人，名人
③ chancellor: n. [ˈtʃɑːnsələ] = Chancellor of the Exchequer; the government ministers who is responsible for financial affairs【英】財政大臣
④ Attorney General: the most senior legal officer in some countries or states for example the UK or Canada, who advises the government or the head of state on legal matters 總檢察長
⑤ make-up: [ˈmeɪkʌp] n. the different things, people, etc. that combine to form sth.; the way in which they combine 組成，構造
⑥ shake-up: [ˈʃeɪkʌp] n. a situation in which a lot of changes are made to a company, an organization, etc. in order to improve the way in which it works（政策等的）劇變，（人員的）大改組／換血
【背景知識】
許多情況可導致內閣重組。第一，若內閣有人退休、辭職或逝世，原職位換人，便可算作小範圍重組。第二，首相利用內閣重組重整旗鼓。第二種情況往往發生於選舉之後。若在選舉中表現不佳，首相便可在內閣重組中解僱功績不好的大臣，提拔新部下，以示政府知悉民意，將做出政策上的調整。若新首相上位，即使與原首相出自同黨，也會洗牌內閣，以示與原政府不同。另外，內閣重組不僅指人事變更，首相也可藉此對部門、職位及其職能做出調整。
Boris Johnson’s new cabinet.
(Credit: The Guardian)
05
mass sexual harassment① in an India school
印度大規模校園性騷擾
Reports that large crowds of men sexually harassed and abused② students at a women’s college in the Indian capital New Delhi last week has sparked an outcry③and protests there. The men barged④ onto the Gargi College campus in South Delhi last Thursday, on the final day of a school festival, allegedly molesting⑤ and sexually assaulting⑥ the female students en masse⑦. New Delhi police said it had filed an official complaint against unidentified people for trespassing⑧, as well as assaulting and harassing women. (CNN)
上週，印度首都新德里一所女子學院的學生遭到大批男性性騷擾和性侵犯。此事一經報道便在當地引發強烈抗議與公開示威。加爾基女子大學位於南德里，2月13日是學校歡慶活動的最後一天。當日，一眾男性強闖校園，據稱集體猥褻、性侵女學生。新德里警方稱，這些人員尚不明其身份，他們擅闖校園，性侵、騷擾女性，警方已正式提起訴訟。
【註釋】
① harassment: [ˈhærəsmənt] n. words, conduct, or action (usu. repeated or persistent) that, being directed at a specific person, annoys, alarms, or causes substantial emotional distress to that person and serves no legitimate purpose 騷擾
② sexual abuse: an illegal or wrongful sex act, esp. one performed against a minor by an adult 性侵犯
③ outcry: [ˈaʊtkraɪ] n. a reaction of strong disapproval and anger shown by the public or media about a recent event 強烈抗議／反對
④ barge: [bɑːdʒ] vi. rush or push into a place in a rough and rude way 猛撞，衝，闖
⑤ molest: [məʊˈlest] vt. to make unwanted or indecent advancesto or on sb., esp. for sexual gratification 猥褻
⑥ sexual assaut: offensive sexual contact with another person 性侵犯
⑦ en masse: [ɒŋˈmɑːs] in a group, body, or mass; as a whole; all together 全體，一起；一般地，大體上
⑧ trespass: [ˈtrespəs] vi. to wrongfully enter another's real property 擅自進入
(Credit: firstpost.com)
06
updates on the novel coronavirus
新型冠狀病毒疫情更新
The disease was officially named COVID-19 by the WHO and the virus SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy① of Viruses. WHO director-general Tedros urged countries to step up measures to detect and contain② the virus, saying that the outbreak poses a “very grave threat for the rest of the world” and should be viewed as “Public Enemy Number 1.” Up to last Thursday, Diamond Princess, the quarantined③cruise④ ship in Japan, had found 218 confirmed cases aboard, the largest infection cluster⑤ outside China. In China, this week witnessed a sudden spike⑥ in confirmed cases, with nearly 15,000 new ones reported last Wednesday. The huge bump⑦ isn’t a sign that the epidemic is worsening, but the result of authorities changing how cases are confirmed. Some businesses in China were trying to reopen their doors. Others, though, remained closed. “We will strictly ban practices that restrict companies from resuming work in oversimplified and crude ways,” an official at the National Development and Reform Commission said. The outbreak has already had a severe economic fallout⑧ in China and even the world. The Chinese government said it may have to depart⑨ from some commitments made in the phase one economic trade agreement with the US. (Nature, The New York Times, Bloomberg, CNN, Economist Espresso)
世界衛生組織正式將此次爆發的疾病命名為COVID-19，引發疫情的病毒被國際病毒分類委員會命名為SARS-CoV-2。世界衛生組織總幹事譚德賽敦促各國加強病毒的檢測和防控措施。他表示，此次爆發的疫情“嚴重威脅世界其他地區”，應被視作“頭號公敵”。截至2月13日，正在海上隔離的日本“鑽石公主號”郵輪已累計確診病例218例，系中國之外最大的疫區。本週，中國確診病例驟增，2月12日報告新增病例近1.5萬例，但激增並不意味著疫情惡化，而是由於政府更改了確診依據。一些中國企業試圖復工，另一些則仍處於停工狀態。中國國家發展和改革委員會的一名官員稱：“我們將嚴格制止以簡單粗暴方式限制企業復產復工的做法。”此次疫情已嚴重影響中國乃至世界經濟。中國政府表示，疫情或迫使中國無法履行中美第一階段經貿協定中的部分條款。
【註釋】
① taxonomy: [tækˈsɒnəmɪ] n. a particular system of classifying things 分類體系
② contain: [kənˈteɪn] vt. to prevent sth. harmful from spreading or getting worse 控／抑制，阻止
③ quarantine: [ˈkwɒrənˌtiːn] vt. to hold a ship arriving in port and suspected of carrying contagious disease in isolation from the shore（為組織傳染病流行而）將｛船等｝隔離
④ cruise: [kruːz] n. a journey by sea, visiting different places, esp. as a holiday/vacation 航行／遊
⑤ cluster: [ˈklʌstə] n. a group of things of the same type that grow or appear together 聚集
⑥ spike: [spaɪk] n. a sudden large increase in sth.【美】【口】驟增，急升
⑦ bump: [bʌmp] n. a sudden (esp. upwards) movement 突然向上的移動
⑧ fallout: [ˈfɔːlˌaʊt] n. the bad results of a situation or an action 附帶結果，負面影響
⑨ depart: [dɪˈpɑːt] vi. to diverge, deviate, withdraw, desist from a course of action, etc. 背離，違反
Sterilisation efforts in Lianyungang.
(Credit: newscientist.com)
（復旦大學章逍然編譯，重光會王暖流審訂）
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