week 3 - 美同性婚姻合法

U.S. Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage in all 50 states

      The U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving gay people the right to marry in all 50 states is vindication of the belief that "ordinary people can do extraordinary things" and has "made our union a little more perfect," President Barack Obama said Friday.

The court ruled that allowing states to deny gay people the right to marry is a violation of the 14th Amendment.

In a 5-4 decision released Friday, the court ruled that the amendment obliges states to license marriages between people of the same sex and to recognize marriages lawfully performed outside of state. Thirty-seven of the 50 states and the District of Columbia already allow gay marriage, and Friday's ruling means the others will have to follow suit.

The ruling only affects state laws. Religious institutions can still choose whether or not to marry same-sex couples.

"When all Americans are treated equal, we are all more free," he said from the White House Rose Garden.Obama called the decision "a victory for America" and said it "affirms what millions of Americans already believe in their hearts."

He praised the perseverance of those who have fought for gay rights and marriage equality for decades "and slowly made an entire country realize that love is love."

Outside of the court in Washington, D.C., gay couples and gay rights supporters erupted in cheers, whoops and cries of U-S-A!" and "Love is love" when the ruling came down."Change must have seemed so slow for so long," Obama said. "But compared to so many other issues, America's shift has been so quick."

"I'm simply elated," said Kenneth Barnes, waving a rainbow flag he's had for more than 20 years. "I never thought I'd see this in my lifetime," 

Barnes and his partner married in California in 2008. "Now, everyone can do this," he said.

Many same-sex couples living in states where gay marriage had been banned headed immediately to county clerks' offices to get marriage licences as state officials issued statements saying they would respect the ruling. Technically, the losing side has three weeks to ask for reconsideration of the ruling, but many state officials and county clerks started issuing marriage licences right away.

Some waived the usual waiting period between getting a licence and the marriage ceremony.

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http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-supreme-court-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-in-all-50-states-1.3127280

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Structure of the Lead：      WHO- The U.S. Supreme Court
      WHEN-Jun 28, 2015 
      WHAT- legalizes same-sex marriage in all 50 states

      WHY-  (Not said)
      WHERE-  The U.S., 50 states

      HOW- In a 5-4 decision released on Friday, the court ruled that the amendment obliges states to license marriages between people of the same sex and to recognize marriages lawfully performed outside of state. 

Key words:

1. vindication (n.) 表白,平反

2. affirm (v.) 肯定,確任

Week 2 - 國小女童遭殺害

Eight-year-old who had throat cut dies in hospital

A second-grader whose throat was cut at an elementary school in Taipei died of her wounds yesterday, less than a day after she was attacked.

The eight-year-old girl, who was identified only by her surname, Liu (劉), was found bleeding from her neck and unconscious on the floor of a bathroom on Friday afternoon and was rushed to Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

Medical staff said Liu showed no vital signs when she arrived at the hospital and had a 10cm cut to her neck that had severed her trachea and carotid artery.

The suspected killer, 29-year-old Kung Chung-an (龔重安), was taken into custody after questioning at Taipei’s Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday, with authorities continuing their investigation.

Kung is suspected of having entered Wenhua Elementary School in Taipei’s northern Beitou District (北投) on Friday and using a knife to slit Liu’s throat.

Police said preliminary questioning indicated that Kung picked Liu as his victim simply because she was alone and outside of her classroom.

He allegedly followed her into the toilet, where he grabbed her from behind and cut her throat.

During a bail hearing at the Shilin District Court yesterday, Kung said he wanted to kill someone because he had problems at work, was unhappy about his life and did not have a girlfriend.

Kung also said that lately he felt stressed and that he heard voices scolding him, which led to him committing the crime.

An official at the Shilin District Court said that Kung admitted attacking the girl during questioning yesterday.

Investigators searched Kung’s rented apartment in Beitou for illicit drugs, bit did not find any, they said.

Former coworkers from his previous jobs as a courier and building security guard said Kung was a polite young man who performed well at work.

Kung’s family said he moved out a few years ago to live alone, adding that he was fond of playing action computer games and enjoyed reading comic books.

Kung was taken into custody and transferred to the Taipei Detention Center in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District (土城) after his bail hearing yesterday, where prosecutors cited the likelihood of him attempting to flee justice.

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http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2015/05/31/2003619557

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Structure of the Lead：

      WHO-   Liu, Kung Chung-an

      WHEN-  May 30, 2015

      WHAT-  eight-year-old girl died because of throat cut 

      WHY-  the killer wanted to kill someone because he had problems at work, was unhappy     about his life and did not have a girlfriend

      WHERE- Wenhua Elementary School in Taipei’s northern Beitou District

      HOW-  Kung Chung-an used a knife to slit Liu’s throat

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1.unconscious (adj.) 昏迷的

2. trachea (n.) 氣管

3.carotid artery (n.) 頸動脈

4.authorities (n.) 當局

5.preliminary (adj.) 初步的

6.allegedly (adv.) 據稱地

7.prosecutors (n.) 檢察官