当前位置: Language Tips> 新闻播报

Greeks clean up after riots against austerity vote

2012-02-14 16:53

分享到

 

Get Flash Player

进入英语学习论坛下载音频

Firefighters doused smoldering buildings and cleanup crews swept rubble from the streets of central Athens on Monday following a night of rioting during which lawmakers approved harsh new austerity measures demanded by bailout creditors to save the nation from bankruptcy.

At least 45 buildings were burned, including one of the capital's oldest cinemas, while dozens of stores and cafes were smashed and looted.

The stench of tear gas still hung in the air on Monday morning, choking passers-by. More than 120 people were hurt in the rioting which also broke out in other Greek cities. Authorities said 68 police needed medical care after being injured by gasoline bombs, rocks and other objects hurled at them, while at least 70 protesters were also hospitalized.

Police arrested at least 67 people, while in several cases they had to escort fire crews to burning buildings after protesters prevented access.

The rioting began on Sunday afternoon ahead of a landmark vote in parliament on yet more austerity measures. The drastic cuts debated in parliament include axing one in five civil service jobs over the next three years and slashing the minimum wage by more than a fifth.

Lawmakers approved the bill in a 199-74 vote - to the relief of investors who pushed the Athens stock index up 5 percent on Monday.

The vote paves the way for Greece's international creditors to release 130 billion euros ($172 billion) in new rescue loans to prevent the country from a potentially catastrophic default next month - bankruptcy could push Greece out of Europe's euro currency union, drag down other troubled eurozone countries and further roil global markets.

The trouble is, analysts said, much still needs to be settled while the prospect of widespread popular unrest as the economy slows under the weight of more austerity could complicate matters even more.

GFT analyst David Morrison in London said the immediate market reaction was one of relief, with the euro and stocks rising on hopes the worst is over.

The accord, however, also paves "the way to further civil unrest and further strike action, and the Greek government now has to follow through with its promises", Morrison said in a note.

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said before the tense vote on Sunday, with thousands of police on guard outside parliament, that "if we collapse, we won't be able to fix anything anymore ... the package is the country's only hope".

The protesters denounced what they described as blackmail by the "troika" of the EU, the IMF and the European Central Bank.

Questions:

1. How many people were hurt in the rioting?

2. What were the riots concerning?

3. What was the immediate market reaction to Greece's vote?

Answers:

1. Around 120.

2. More austerity measures.

3.One of relief.

(中国日报网英语点津 Rosy 编辑)

Greeks clean up after riots against austerity vote

About the broadcaster:

Greeks clean up after riots against austerity vote

Emily Cheng is an editor at China Daily. She was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Media, English Literature and Politics. She has worked in the media industry since starting university and this is the third time she has settled abroad - she interned with a magazine in Hong Kong 2007 and studied at the University of Leeds in 2009.

 

分享到

中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883561联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。

中国日报网双语新闻

扫描左侧二维码

添加Chinadaily_Mobile
你想看的我们这儿都有!

中国日报双语手机报

点击左侧图标查看订阅方式

中国首份双语手机报
学英语看资讯一个都不能少!

关注和订阅

本文相关阅读
人气排行
搜热词
 
 
精华栏目
 

阅读

词汇

视听

翻译

口语

合作

 

关于我们 | 联系方式 | 招聘信息

Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved. None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 版权声明:本网站所刊登的中国日报网英语点津内容,版权属中国日报网所有,未经协议授权,禁止下载使用。 欢迎愿意与本网站合作的单位或个人与我们联系。

电话:8610-84883645

传真:8610-84883500

Email: languagetips@chinadaily.com.cn