Japan to postpone the Olympic Games, dealing① a further blow② to its economy
日本推遲奧運會，經濟恐遭重創
Facing heavy global pressure and rising athlete dissent③, the International Olympic Committee sharply reversed course last Tuesday and agreed with Japanese officials that the Olympics and Paralympics will not take place this summer in Tokyo in the wake of the growing COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers said they hoped to stage④ the Games by the summer of 2021. The Olympic flame will remain in Japan, and the Olympics still will be labeled Tokyo 2020, even though they will take place in 2021. In a report early this month, SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. projected⑤ that a cancellation of the Games would erase 1.4 percent of Japan’s economic output. (The Washington Post, The New York Times)
面對國際上的重壓和越來越多的運動員不滿，國際奧運委員會突然於3月24日轉變態度，並與日本政府達成一致：新冠大流行病疫情日益加重，東京奧運會和殘奧會將不會在今年夏天舉行。組織者表示，他們希望在2021年夏天舉辦奧運會。奧運聖火仍將留在日本；同時，即便比賽在2021年舉行，賽事仍將稱作“2020年東京奧運會和殘奧會”。在本月初的一份報告中，日本三井住友銀行日興證券預測，如果奧運會取消，日本經濟產出將下跌1.4%。
【註釋】
① deal: [diːl] vt. to deliver blows 給予
② blow: [bləʊ] n. a stroke, esp. a firm stroke; a violent application of the fist or of any instrument to an object（用拳頭、武器等）一擊；【喻】打擊，重創
③ dissent: [dɪˈsɛnt] n. difference of opinion or sentiment; disagreement 不同意
④ stage: [steɪdʒ] vt. to organize and present an event for people to see 舉辦，籌劃
⑤ project: [prəˈdʒɛkt] vt. to calculate or forecast on the basis of present trends〖經〗預測／計
(Credit: Reuters)
02
UK Parliament shuts down for a month
英國議會將關閉一個月
Parliament has shut down until 21 April at the earliest to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Last Wednesday night, the leader of the House of Commons① laid a motion saying parliament will adjourn② until 21 April. MPs have called for ministers to take part in daily video conferencing so they can keep scrutinizing the government’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak while parliament is in recess③. Meanwhile, legislation giving the government new emergency powers to combat the spread of the disease and to release funds to deal with the crisis cleared all stages in Parliament last Wednesday, and has now become law. The 329-page Act of Parliament④ will allow “extraordinary measures” never seen in peacetime in the UK, including the power to restrict events, shut down premises⑤ such as pubs, and order people to stay at home. (BBC, The Guardian)
為遏制新冠病毒傳播，英國議會將暫時關閉，最早4月21日重開。3月25日晚，下議院領導人提起動議，議會休會至4月21日。下院議員呼籲內閣大臣參加每日的視頻會議，以便休會期間能夠繼續監督政府對新冠疫情的處理情況。與此同時，緊急法案也於當日通過議會所有程序，已成為法律——該法授予政府新的應急權力，以防止疫情蔓延及撥款應對危機。這份長達329頁的議會法令將批准多項和平時期的英國前所未見的“非常措施”，包括政府有權限制各種活動、關閉酒吧等場所、命令民眾居家隔離等。
【註釋】
① leader of the House of Commons: a government minister whose main role is organising government business in the Commons 下院領導人
② adjourn: [əˈdʒəːn] vi. to dissolve the meeting of (a court, parliament, or similar official or judicial assembly) in order to continue at another time or place; to postpone, defer, or suspend (such a meeting, assembly, or related matter or proceeding)（司法、立法機構）休會，延期討論
③ recess: [ˈriːsɛs] n. a period of time in which the proceedings of a parliament, court, or other official body are suspended or adjourned（國會、議會的）休會，（法庭的）休庭
④ Act of Parliament: a statute that has been passed by a parliament and been given royal assent by the monarch 議會法令〔一作：一級法令。二級法令是指經一級法令授權，由政府大臣頒佈的法令〕
⑤ premise: [ˈprɛmɪs] n. a house or building together with its grounds, outhouses, etc., esp. a building or part of a building that houses a business「常用複數」（尤指企業使用的）房屋連地基；生產場所；經營地點
Socially distanced MPs in the House of Commons in London on March 23, 2020
(Credit: AFP)
03
Nth Room
N號房事件
Last week, online sexual violence against women drew widespread public attention in South Korea when police arrested the operator of multiple sexual abuse chat rooms on messaging apps like Telegram. The case involves the alleged coercion①and blackmailing② of at least 58 women and 16 girls beginning in late 2018. An estimated 260,000 participants, including overlapping③ members in different chat rooms, paid up to 1.5 million won (US$1,200) for access, “proving” themselves by posting misogynistic④ content. The chat room operator obtained explicit sexual and sometimes violent footage of victims, such as nude⑤ photos, by luring women and girls under false pretenses⑥, including offering employment, and gathered their names and contact details, then used the images to blackmail them into producing increasingly cruel and dehumanizing footage. (Human Rights Watch)
上週，韓國爆出一起針對女性的網上性暴力案，輿論譁然。警方已逮捕背後元兇。此人在Telegram等多款通訊軟件上建立性侵聊天室。據稱，該案涉及自2018年末脅迫、勒索至少58名成年女性和16名未成年女性。據估計，聊天室成員約26萬人，其中包括不同聊天室的重複註冊會員。要加入聊天室，需支付高達150萬韓元（合1200美元）的入會費，併發布侮辱女性的內容來“證明”自己的身份。聊天室的運營者以提供就業機會等虛假借口誘騙女性拍攝裸照等露骨甚至暴力的鏡頭，並收集受害者的姓名和聯繫方式，隨後以那些圖像勒索她們，迫使她們拍攝愈加殘忍和反人倫的鏡頭。
【註釋】
① coercion: [kəʊˈəːʃən] n. the act of making sb. do sth. that they do not want to do, using force or threatening 武力脅／強迫
② blackmail: [ˈblakmeɪl] vt. to use threats or moral pressure against 敲詐，勒索
③ overlap: [əʊvərˈlæp] vt. to lie or be situated so as to extend over part of (a thing) 與……重疊
④ misogynistic: [mɪˌsɒdʒɪˈnɪstɪk] adj. relating to or characteristic of hate or prejudice against women 討厭／歧視女性的
⑤ nude: [njuːd] adj. wearing no clothes, naked, bare 裸體的
⑥ pretense: [prɪˈtɛns] n. a false, feigned, or hypocritical profession or show, esp. of a quality, emotion, etc. 藉口，託詞
“Telegram Nth room” main suspect Cho Joo-bin.
(Credit: Getty Images)
04
G20 leaders pledge to do “whatever it takes” on COVID-19
G20領導人承諾“竭盡所能”抗擊新冠肺炎
G20 leaders have pledged to do “whatever it takes” to minimize the social and economic damage of the pandemic, in a joint communiqué① issued after a video conference call last Thursday. The leaders agreed to increase funding for research in vaccines and medicines, an area in which the G20 has shown an interest in the past. After the meeting, US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call. Tensions had been raised after Mr Trump described SARS-CoV-2 as a “Chinese virus” and accused China of withholding information about its spread. But both sides offered mutual support. Mr Xi assured Mr Trump that China had been open about COVID-19 from the beginning. America’s total of confirmed cases has just surpassed China’s. (The Guardian, NPR)
3月26日，二十國集團（G20）舉辦了領導人視頻峰會。在隨後發佈的聯合聲明中，領導人承諾“竭盡所能”將新冠大流行病對社會和經濟的損害降至最低。一直以來，G20都頗為關注疫苗和藥物的研究，本次會議，G20領導人一致同意增加研究經費。會後，中國國家主席習近平同美國總統特朗普通了電話。此前，特朗普將新冠病毒稱為“中國病毒”，並指責中國就病毒擴散有所隱瞞，中美關係一度緊張。此次通話，雙方都表示會相互支持。習近平主席向特朗普保證，中方自始至終對新冠疫情公開透明。目前，美國的確診人數已超過中國。
【註釋】
① communiqué: [kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪ] n. an official announcement or report; esp. one delivered at the conclusion of a meeting, conference, etc. (now usually one concerned with diplomacy or international relations) 公報
(Credit: South China Morning Post)
05
US Congress approves a $2 trillion stimulus deal to fight coronavirus fallout
美國國會批准2萬億美元經濟刺激法案，以應對新冠疫情影響
The US Senate approved fiscal stimulus legislation worth $2 trillion to prop① up the American economy during the coronavirus pandemic, in a bipartisan vote last Thursday after a week of tense negotiations between the Trump administration and Congress. The upper chamber② passed the bill by 96 to 0. After the bill was approved in the House last Friday, Trump signed the historic stimulus package into law. The package includes one-off “helicopter money③” cheques of up to $1,200 for individuals, an extra $600 a week in unemployment insurance for those without work, and a $450bn bailout④ fund for US businesses, states and cities. US stocks snapped⑤ a three-day winning streak⑥ last Friday while Trump prepared to sign. (The Financial Times)
3月26日，美國參議院兩黨表決通過了一項2萬億美元的經濟刺激法案，以在新冠大流行病疫情期間支撐美國經濟。此前一週，特朗普政府與國會就此法案爭論激烈。最終，參議院以96票贊成、0票反對通過了法案。3月27日，眾議院通過。隨後，特朗普簽署了這項歷史意義重大的刺激法案，使之正式成為法律。該法案包括：以“直升機撒錢”的方式向個人一次性發放支票，金額最高達1200美元；每週增加失業救濟金600美元；為美國企業、州、市提供4500億美元的救助經費等。3月27日，正當特朗普準備簽署法案時，美股突然結束了三天連漲。
【註釋】
① prop: [prɒp] vt. to provide support or help, esp. to some weak or failing cause or institution; to sustain. Now usually with up 支撐
② chamber: [ˈtʃeɪmbə] n. one of the houses of a legislative body（立法機構的）議院
③ helicopter money: a proposed unconventional monetary policy, sometimes suggested as an alternative to quantitative easing (QE) when the economy is in a liquidity trap 直升機撒錢，飛來橫財
④ bailout: [ˈbeɪlaʊt] n. a (means of) release or rescue from difficulty or crisis; spec. an act of giving financial assistance to a failing business, etc.; money given as such assistance（緊急）財政援助
⑤ snap: [snæp] vt. to cause the end of (a series of wins, losses, successes, etc.) 使突然結束
⑥ streak: [striːk] n. a period of repeated success or failure 一連串
Donald Trump signed the historic stimulus bill into law on Friday in the White House’s Oval Office.
(Credit: AP)
06
China’s new policies on the pandemic amid concerns over a second wave of outbreak
為避免疫情二次爆發，中國政府出臺新的防疫措施
Wuhan, has partially re-opened after more than two months of lockdown. Crowds of passengers were pictured arriving at a Wuhan train station last Saturday. People are being allowed to enter but not leave. Wuhan saw more than 50,000 confirmed cases. At least 3,000 people in Hubei died. But numbers have fallen dramatically. The Chinese government last Saturday reported 54 new cases emerging the previous day—which it said were all imported. As it battles to control cases coming from abroad, China has announced a temporary ban on all foreign visitors, even if they have visas or residence permits①. It is also limiting Chinese and foreign airlines② to one flight per week, and flights must not be more than 75% full. (BBC)
在經歷兩個多月的封城後，武漢已部分解封。有照片顯示，3月28日，大批乘客抵達武漢的火車站。民眾可以進入武漢，但還不能夠離開武漢。疫情爆發以來，武漢確診病例超過5萬例，湖北省已有逾3000人死亡。但新增人數已顯著減少。3月28日，中國官方報告的前一日新增確診數為54例，據稱均為境外輸入病例。為防控境外輸入，中國宣佈暫時禁止外國旅客入境，其中包括持有效來華簽證和居留許可的外國公民，並將中國和外國航空公司抵離中國的航班限制在每週一班，同時要求客座率不得高於75%。
【註釋】
① permit: [ˈpəːmɪt] n. a document giving permission to do something; a licence, warrant, or pass 許可證，通行證
② airline: [ˈɛrˌlaɪn] n. a company or other body operating aircraft in public service（民用）航空公司
People arriving in Wuhan on March 28
(Credit: AFP)
（復旦大學江默柔編譯，重光會王暖流審訂）
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