An explosion at a petrochemical plant insoutheastern Mexico has killed 3 people and injuredmore than 1030. The plant is a part owned byMexico's state oil company Pemex. Here is NicolasRussia.
Officials at Pemex say they're investigating the cause of the blast in the port city ofCoatzacoalcos. The explosion sent dark plumes of smoke over the city, forcing the evacuationof schools and businesses. The Veracruz state governor Javier Duarte recommended thatpeople stay indoors even though the fire has been brought under control and the cloud oftoxic smoke is dissipating. In February, 2 people were killed and at least 7 injured in a Pemex oilplatform off the coast of Campeche, also in the southeastern Mexico.
The United Nations says an operation is underway to evacuate hundreds of wounded or sickpeople and their families from 4 besieged Syrian towns. Two of the towns are being blockadedby pro-government forces. The other two are surrounded by Islamist rebel groups. Here isDaniel Bard.
The complex operation supervised by the Syrian Red Crescent began on Wednesday. Each of itsees 250 people evacuated from the mainly Shia pro-government towns of Alfua and Kefaria inIdlib province and a similar number evacuated from the rebel-held towns of Sadani and Madayanear Lebanese border. The United Nations spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said some of thoseevacuated on Wednesday needed urgent medical attention. It's a small sign of progress on thehumanitarian front, an issue that's bedeviled faltering peace talks in Geneva.
The government of El Salvador says it's deploying a new heavy-armed unit to fight thecountry's notorious criminal gangs which has started operating in rural areas. The specialforce of 1000 soldiers and police will operate with helicopters, armored cars and assaultweapons. The minister of defense said they would target about 100 gang leaders who'd leftthe cities because of government raids. El Salvador has one of the highest murder rates in theworld largely due to turf wars between the country's gangs.
The Canadian government is to make good on one of the prime minister Justin Trudeau'scampaign pledges and introduce legislation that could lead to the legalization of marijuana.Laura Bicker reports.
The prime minister Justin Trudeau argued for the drug to be legalized during his electioncampaign. His health minister says she wants to keep it out of the hands of children andprofits out of the hands of criminals. The government has pledged to work with police tocontrol who is sold to, when it's sold and how it's used and it compared with to regulate thedrug to alcohol laws. However, opposing conservatives say one of the worst things for youngpeople in Canada would be to open the door to marijuana use.
Reports suggest that Volkswagen and American officials have reached a deal under which thecarmaker could offer to buy back up to half a million cars in the US that exceed illegal emissionlevels. The carmaker could also set up a compensation fund of more than 1 billion dollars forowners. VW is expected to give more details of the deal to a federal judge later today.
Australia is hoping to boost its defense against online attacks with the launch of 220 milliondollar initiative. The Australian authorities have also acknowledged for the first time that thecountry can respond to cyber threats by launching attacks of its own. From Sydney, PhilMercer.
Last year, China was suspected of infiltrating Australia's Bureau of Meteorology that affectedits entire computer network. The government in Canberra won't comment on the securitybreach but it's responding to the ever present threat of cyber crime. The prime ministerMalcolm Turnbull said Australia is to boost its online defenses. There'll be closer collaborationbetween the government and businesses and a special ambassador will be appointed.
Queen Elizabeth is celebrating her 90th birthday today. She'll meet members of the publicduring a walkabout with the Duke of Edinburgh in Windsor. Later, Britain's longest reigningmonarch will light the first in a chain of about 1000 beacons. They'll be lit across the UK andother countries.
The education authorities here in England have been left with red faces after it emerged that aspelling test due to be taken by half a million 7-year-olds was published online as a samplepaper a few months ago. The mistake was discovered when a school running an official trail ofthe new national spelling test noticed that some of the pupils recognized the words. The testshave already been distributed to schools to be used during the first week of May.
Our cruisers and destroyers continued to blockadethe approaches.
我们的巡洋舰和驱逐舰继续封锁所有的入口处。
3.supervise v.监督；指导
The old professor supervise the postgraduate student.
这位老教授指导研究生。
4.bedevil v. 折磨；使痛苦，困扰
The issue is bedevilled by Smith's refusal to cooperate with us.
该问题由于史密斯拒绝跟我们合作而变为复杂。
5.largely adv.大部分地，主要地
It is a part of Britain as yet largely unaccustomed to tourists.
英国的这一块地方还很不为游客所熟悉。
6.appoint vt.任命，委派
He promised to appoint an AIDS czar to deal with the disease.
他许诺任命一位艾滋病大使来应对这种疾病。
7.emerge vi.出现，浮现
The chilling facts behind this veil of silence were slow to emerge.
沉默背后的骇人真相慢慢显露出来。
8.distribute vt.分配，散布，分发
Distribute these pamphlets among them before you leave, will you?
请你在离开之前把这些小册子发给他们好吗?
内容解析
1.El Salvador has one of the highest murderrates in the world largely due to turf warsbetween the country's gangs.
due to由于; 因为
Her absence is due to illness.
她因病缺席。
turf war（黑帮之间的）地盘争夺战
The estate is at the centre of a bitter turf war between rival drug gangs.
该地产正处于两伙敌对的毒品犯罪团伙激烈火拼的中心地带。
2.The Canadian government is to make good on one of the prime minister JustinTrudeau's campaign pledges and introduce legislation that could lead to the legalizationof marijuana.
make good on履行承诺
He was confident the allies would make good on their pledges.
他相信盟友们会履行他们的承诺。
3.However, opposing conservatives say one of the worst things for young people inCanada would be to open the door to marijuana use.
open the door to为……开门
A deal with Japan could indeed open the door to economic co-operation with East Asia.
