>Biden faces new scrutiny
拜登回應(yīng)'不當(dāng)行為'指控

Former US vice-President Joe Biden on Sunday defended his interactions with women, saying he doesn't believe he's ever acted inappropriately. But a Nevada politician's assertion that Biden's kiss on the back of her head made her feel uncomfortable prompted some Democrats to question whether the 76-year-old is too out of step with his own party to run a successful 2020 presidential campaign. The 2014 incident, recounted by Democrat Lucy Flores, highlighted an aspect of Biden's persona that has been publicly known for years: The affectionate whispers, hugs and shoulder squeezes he has long doled out to women. In a statement, Biden said it was never his intention to make women feel discomfort. "In my many years on the campaign trail and in public life, I have offered countless handshakes, hugs, expressions of affection, support and comfort," he said. "And not once - never - did I believe I acted inappropriately. If it is suggested I did so, I will listen respectfully."
3月31日，美國前副總統(tǒng)拜登對于他與女性的互動過于親密的傳聞予以回應(yīng)，稱不相信自己曾有過不恰當(dāng)?shù)呐e動。此前內(nèi)華達州一名女政客聲稱，拜登曾親吻她的后腦勺，令她覺得不舒服。部分民主黨人因此質(zhì)疑76歲的拜登是否夠資格代表其所屬黨派角逐2020年總統(tǒng)大選。民主黨人露西?弗洛雷斯重提這件發(fā)生在2014年的舊事，使得拜登此前在公開場合的一些舉動被放大：對女性深情低語，擁抱女性并用肩膀擠壓女性。拜登在一份中聲明表示，他從未蓄意使女性感到不適，"在我多年的競選和公眾事務(wù)生涯中，我有過無數(shù)的握手、擁抱、示好、支持及安慰，從來沒有一次認為自己舉止不當(dāng)。如果有人認為我確實有過這樣的舉動，我會虛心聽取建議。"

>Foreign brands cut prices
增值稅率調(diào)整洋貨降價

World famous consumer brands, including Apple, Louis Vuitton and Gucci, have announced their decisions to cut their suggested retail prices to give the gains from China's value-added tax (VAT) cut to consumers. China on Monday started to slash VAT in multiple industries. Apple's online store in China lowered the price of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS MAX by 500 yuan, while that of iPhone XR dropped 300 yuan. Its newly launched iPad Air, iPad mini and AirPods also are on the price-cut list. Luxury brands Louis Vuitton and Gucci also announced a drop of 3% for their whole product lineup. Car manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Lincoln and Volvo, have already cut the suggested retail prices for cars as much as 80,000 yuan over the past weeks after China announced the VAT rate cut. China has set out a plan for the large-scale tax cut, including lowering the VAT rate in manufacturing and other industries, from 16% to 13% and that in transportation, construction and other industries from 10% to 9%.
我國對增值稅的減讓舉措惠及消費者，包括蘋果、路易威登和古琦在內(nèi)的眾多世界著名奢侈品牌近日紛紛宣布下調(diào)建議零售價。我國自4月1日起降低部分行業(yè)增值稅。蘋果在華官網(wǎng)上，iPhone XS和iPhone XS MAX的售價均下調(diào)500元，iPhone XR的售價下調(diào)了300元。新發(fā)布的iPad Air、iPad mini以及AirPod的價格也有所下調(diào)。奢侈品牌路易威登和古琦也宣布旗下全線產(chǎn)品降價3%。我國宣布降低增值稅率后，過去幾周，包括梅賽德斯奔馳、寶馬、奧迪、林肯和沃爾沃在內(nèi)的多家汽車制造商紛紛宣布下調(diào)旗下產(chǎn)品建議零售價，降價幅度最高達8萬元。我國已開始實施大規(guī)模減稅政策，制造業(yè)等行業(yè)的適用稅率由16%降至13%，交通運輸、建筑等行業(yè)適用稅率由10%降至9%。

>'Reiwa' as new era name
日本公布新年號為'令和'

The Japanese government announced Monday that "Reiwa" will be the name of Japan's new era to start on May 1, when Crown Prince Naruhito ascends the Chrysanthemum throne succeeding his father, Emperor Akihito. The new era name, comprised of two Chinese characters, which roughly translate to "orderly" or "auspicious" and "peace" or "harmony," is derived from Man'yoshu, the oldest anthology of Japanese poetry dating back to the eighth century. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a press conference after the announcement was made that the new era name was decided upon as it connotes "people's hearts coming together beautifully to nurture a culture." Abe added that he hopes the new era ahead would be one that held great promise for younger generations.
日本政府4月1日宣布，自5月1日起，"令和"將作為日本的新年號，屆時皇太子德仁將從他的父親明仁天皇那里繼承天皇王位。新年號由兩個漢字組成，"令"的大意是"有序"或"吉祥"，"和"的大意是"和平"或"和諧"。"令和"出自日本最古老的詩歌總集《萬葉集》，該詩集成書于8世紀。日本首相安倍晉三在新年號公布后召開的記者會上表示，之所以決定使用"令和"，是因為它蘊含著"人們的美麗心靈相互靠近誕生文化"之意。安倍還稱，希望改元后能建設(shè)對年輕人而言洋溢希望的日本。

>Sichuan blaze leaves 30 dead
涼山森林火災(zāi)30人犧牲

Thirty people were confirmed killed while fighting a forest fire that broke out on Saturday in the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement on Monday. By 6:30 pm on Monday, the bodies of all victims were recovered, including 27 firefighters and three locals, the ministry said. At about 5 pm on Saturday, a fire broke out in an alpine forest in Muli county. The fire was concentrated at an altitude of about 3,800 meters, in complex terrain with steep valleys, and a lack of road access. The fire, that engulfed around 15 hectares of forest, has been contained as of Tuesday noon, local authorities said.
應(yīng)急管理部4月1日發(fā)布消息稱，3月30日，四川省涼山彝族自治州境內(nèi)爆發(fā)森林大火，已有30人在撲火行動中喪生。應(yīng)急管理部稱，截至4月1日18時30分，所有遇難者遺體均已找到，包括27名消防隊員和3名當(dāng)?shù)厝罕姟?0日17時許，木里縣一處高山森林爆發(fā)火災(zāi)?；饎菁性诤０?800米左右，火點所處位置地勢復(fù)雜，山谷陡峭且道路不通。據(jù)當(dāng)?shù)赜嘘P(guān)部門介紹，截至2日中午，火勢已基本得到控制，過火面積達15公頃左右。

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