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The King of Gambling Stanley Ho dies at 98賭王何鴻燊逝世，享壽百歲欠二
Stanley Ho, a onetime① kerosene trader② who built a casino empire in Macao that propelled③ the Chinese island past Las Vegas as the world’s biggest gambling hub④, has died at age 98. Known as the King of Gambling, Ho dominated gaming⑤ in Macao after winning a monopoly license in 1961. His SJM Holdings Ltd. flourished as China’s economic opening created a flood of new wealth. SJM now controls 20 casinos on an island of about 10 square miles. Ho’s rise transformed the island from a commercial backwater into the 「Las Vegas of Asia.」 As his fortune swelled, he expanded beyond Macao, building residential and office buildings in Hong Kong. When Ho retired in 2018, he passed some of the top roles at SJM to his heirs. (Bloomberg)
5月26日，賭王何鴻燊逝世，享年98歲。他曾涉足煤油生意，後在澳門建立賭場帝國，令這座中國島嶼超越拉斯維加斯，成為世界上最大的博彩中心。何鴻燊享有「賭王」之稱，1961年拿下賭場獨家專營權後壟斷了澳門博彩業。中國的改革開放創造了大量財富，何鴻燊創辦的澳門博彩控股有限公司（以下簡稱「澳博」）也得以蓬勃發展。現在，澳博在大約10平方英裡（約合26平方千米）的小島上經營著20家賭場。澳門商業本來非常落後，何鴻燊的崛起令澳門成為「亞洲的拉斯維加斯」。隨著財富的積累，他將業務拓展到澳門之外，在香港建造了多棟住宅和寫字樓。2018年，何鴻燊退休，澳博的部分高層職位由他的子嗣接任。
【注釋】① onetime: [wntam] adj. having been sb. or sth. specified in the past 從前的，一度的 ② trader: [tred(r)] n. a person who buys and sells things as a job 商人 ③ propel: [prpel] vt. to force sb. to move in a particular direction or to get into a particular situation 推動，激勵 ④ hub: [hb] n. the central and most important part of a particular place or activity（地區或活動的）中心 ⑤ gaming: [ɡem] n. the activity of playing games of chance for money and of betting on horses, etc.【舊】〖律〗賭博
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Costa Rica allowing same-sex marriages in a first① for Central America哥斯大黎加成中美洲首個同性婚姻合法的國家
Costa Rica gave the go-ahead② to same-sex marriages last Tuesday, making it the first country in Central America to do so, after a landmark court ruling came into effect at midnight. The nation’s constitutional court ruled in August 2018 that a ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional③ and gave parliament 18 months to legislate④ or the provision⑤ would be automatically nullified⑥. Earlier this month, more than 20 lawmakers tried to delay the marriage ruling by 18 months, but the measure failed, and the ban was lifted⑦ at midnight. Despite considerable opposition from religious groups, gay marriage has become increasingly accepted in Latin America, with gay couples now allowed to marry in Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, and parts of Mexico. (Reuters)
5月26日零點，哥斯大黎加一份具有劃時代意義的法院判決生效。此後，哥斯大黎加將允許同性結婚，成為首個同性婚姻合法的中美洲國家。2018年8月，該國憲法法庭曾裁定，禁止同性婚姻違憲，要求議會在18個月內立法支持同性婚姻，否則禁止同性婚姻的條款將自動作廢。本月早些時候，20多名議員試圖拖延18個月，但以失敗告終，禁令於午夜被解除。儘管受到宗教團體強烈反對，拉美地區正逐漸接受同性婚姻，現已有阿根廷、厄瓜多、巴西、哥倫比亞、烏拉圭和墨西哥部分地區允許同性婚姻。【注釋】① first: [fst] n. the person or thing that comes or happens before all other similar people or things（同類中的）第一個人／事／物 ② the go-ahead: permission for sb. to start doing sth.【口】許可，允許 ③ unconstitutional: [nknsttjunl] adj. not allowed by the constitution of a country, a political system or an organization 與憲法相悖的，違憲的；不合章程的 ④ legislate: [ledslet] vi. to make a law affecting sth. 立法 ⑤ provision: [prvn] n. a condition or an arrangement in a legal document（法律文書中的）條款 ⑥ nullify: [nlfa] vt. to make sth. such as an agreement or order lose its legal force〖律〗使失去法律效力，使無效 ⑦ lift: [lft] vt. to remove or end controls or limits 撤銷，解除；結束，停止
Same-sex newlyweds stood before a lawyer during their wedding in Costa Rica, on May 26, 2020.
(Credit: Getty Images)
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China’s top legislature① concludes its annual session全國人大年度會議落幕
The National People’s Congress, China’s top legislative body, wrapped up Two Sessions last Thursday with the passage of a resolution② to craft a national security law for Hong Kong and a pledge③ to boost the economy. The National People’s Congress concluded with an endorsement by lawmakers of Premier Li Keqiang’s government work report which, for the first time, did not set a GDP growth target. China does not need massive stimulus, which could result in frothy④ markets, but growth remains important, and liquidity will be increased because 「exceptional situations call for exceptional measures,」 Li said. Economic policy should be focused on six priorities including job security⑤ and the survival of small firms. Chinese lawmakers also voted to enact the country’s first civil code⑥, a wide-ranging legislative package that included strengthening protection of property rights. This will take effect from Jan. 1, 2021. It is a cornerstone⑦ of President Xi Jinping’s push to reform the country’s legal system. (South China Morning Post and Reuters)
全國人民代表大會是我國最高國家立法機關。5月28日，兩會閉幕。全國人大會議通過關於擬定涉港國家安全法的決議，並承諾提振經濟。會議的最後一項議題，是國務院總理李克強所作的政府工作報告，全國人大表決通過了關於這一報告的決議。報告首次未設定GDP增長目標。李克強表示，中國不需要大規模的經濟刺激，否則會形成泡沫。但他認為，經濟增長仍然重要，「特殊時期要有特殊的政策」，因此流動性還會增加。經濟政策將聚焦於就業保障、小微企業生存等六大重點問題。全國人大還投票通過了中國第一部民法典，法典覆蓋廣泛，包括加強財產權保護等內容。民法典將自2021年1月1日起施行。這是國家主席習近平推進法律制度改革的重要基礎。【注釋】① legislature: [ledslt(r)] n. a deliberative body of usually elected members, who are empowered to make, change, or repeal the laws of a country, state, or province 立法機關 ② resolution: [rezlun] n. a formal statement of an opinion agreed on by a committee or a council, especially by means of a vote（尤指委員會、會議等通過表決形成的）決議 ③ pledge: [pled] n. a solemn commitment to do or refrain from doing sth. 鄭重的承諾 ④ frothy: [frθi] adj. unsustainably high〖經〗有泡沫的⑤ security: [skjrti] n. protection against sth. bad that might happen in the future 保障 ⑥ code: [kd] n. a system of laws or written rules that state how people in an institution or a country should behave 法律體系；法典 ⑦ cornerstone: [knstn] n. the most important part of sth. that the rest depends on 柱石
The closing meeting of the third session of the 13th National People’s Congress was held on May 28, 2020.
(Credit: Xinhua)
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America’s anti-police protests美國反警察抗議
Arrests have been made in Minneapolis on the fourth night of protests since the black man George Floyd’s death in police custody①. Floyd died after a white officer handcuffed② him but then kneeled③ on his neck for more than eight minutes. Gunshots rang out④ near a police precinct⑤ and flames streamed⑥ from several businesses as residents continued to show their anger even after the police officer was charged with third-degree murder. Demonstrations were held in dozens of cities, several of which turned destructive, including those in Atlanta, New York, and San Jose. Crowds shut down LA freeways and defaced⑦ the CNN Center in Atlanta. A large crowd in Washington chanted⑧ their outrage outside the White House, prompting the Secret Service to temporarily lock down⑨ the building. (The New York Times and The Guardian) 美國一名白人警察銬住黑人男子喬治·弗洛伊德後，用膝蓋跪壓其頸部，持續時間超過八分鐘，導致弗洛伊德在拘留期間死亡。事件引發數日抗議活動。到抗議的第四晚，明尼阿波利斯已經有人被捕。涉事警員已被控三級謀殺，但人們仍要表達憤怒。明尼阿波利斯一警察局附近響起了槍聲，大火在幾家商店蔓延。數十座城市都爆發了示威活動，亞特蘭大、紐約、聖何塞等地演變為破壞性事件。人群堵住了洛杉磯的高速公路，亞特蘭大美國有線電視新聞網中心外牆也遭到破壞。在華盛頓，大批示威者在白宮外疾呼，表達他們的憤怒，美國特勤局不得不暫時封鎖白宮。【注釋】① custody: [kstdi] n. the state of being detained by the police or other law enforcement officers（警方等執法機關的）拘留 ② handcuff: [hndkf] vt. to put handcuffs on sb. or to fasten sb. to sth./sb. with handcuffs 給…戴手銬；將…與｛某人／物｝銬在一起 ③ kneel: [nil] vi. to be in or move into a position where your body is supported on your knee or knees 跪（下） ④ ring out: to be heard loudly and clearly 響亮 ⑤ precinct: [priskt] n. the main police station in a particular area of a town or city【美】（城、鎮某區域的）警察分局 ⑥ stream: [strim] vi. to move in a continuous flow in the same direction（向同一方向）湧／移動 ⑦ deface: [dfes] vt. to spoil the surface or appearance of sth., especially by writing or drawing on it（尤指通過塗畫）損壞……的表面 ⑧ chant: [tɑnt] vt. to sing or shout the same words or phrases many times 反覆唱／喊⑨ lock down: to restrict access to sth., usually for security purposes（尤指出於安全考慮）限制進入，封鎖
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Twitter placed warning on a Trump Tweet, saying it glorified① violence推特公司就川普推文發出警告，稱其美化暴力
Twitter added a warning label last Friday to a tweet from President Trump implying that protesters in Minneapolis could be shot, in a move likely to escalate tensions between Mr. Trump and his favorite social media megaphone②. The company said Mr. Trump’s post violated its rules against glorifying violence, and it prevented users from viewing the tweet without reading a brief notice, the first time it has restricted one of the president’s messages in this way. The decision came a day after Mr. Trump signed an executive order that seeks to limit the legal protections shielding③ social media companies from liability④ for the content posted on their platforms. The president had fulminated⑤ over Twitter’s decision earlier last week to add fact-checking labels for the first time to two of his tweets. (The New York Times)
川普發表推文，暗示或對明尼阿波利斯的示威者開槍。推特一直是川普最愛的社交媒體，然而近來關係緊張。5月29日，推特公司給這條推文貼上了警告標籤，二者關係很可能會激化。推特表示，這條推文違反了平臺關於反對美化暴力的條例，用戶須先閱讀一小段通知，才可看到這段推文。此舉是推特首次以這種方式限制閱讀川普的推文。此前一天，川普籤署了一道行政命令，試圖限制社交平臺的內容發布免責權。上周早些時候，推特決定，首次為川普的兩條推文貼上事實核查標籤。對此，總統表示強烈譴責。【注釋】① glorify: [ɡlrfa] vt. to make sth. seem better or more important than it really is 美化，吹捧「貶」 ② megaphone: [meɡfn] n. a device for making your voice sound louder, that is wider at one end, like a cone, and is often used at outside events 擴音器，喇叭筒 ③ shield: [ild] vt. to protect sb./sth. from danger, harm or sth. unpleasant 保護 ④ liability: [lablti] n. the state of being legally responsible for sth. 責任
(Credit: Getty Images)
（復旦大學江默柔編譯，復旦大學章逍然、重光會王暖流審訂）