Business this week (2020.06.06) Part.01

The Centre for Democracy and Technology, an internet-privacy watchdog, field the first lawsuit against Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to strip social-media firms of liability protections for content posted on their platforms. The courts will probably rule eventually that the president does not have the authority to proclaim such a law, though federal agencies may try to implement it in the meantime. Mr Trump issued the order in a spat with Twitter over its policing of his tweets. It labelled one of his posts as “glorifying violence” the day after he pronounced his edict.

• watchdog
  • （监督公司活动及监护人们权利的）监察人，监察团体
• lawsuit
  • 诉讼，起诉
• strip
  • 剥去，剥夺；脱光衣服
• liability
  • （法律上对某事物的）责任，义务
• proclaim
  • to publicly and officially tell people about sth important 宣布，宣告，声明
• implement
  • 使生效，执行，实施
• spat
  • (informal) a short argument or disagreement about sth unimportant 小争吵，口角
• policing
  • （对行业、活动等的）监督，管理，检查
• glorify
  • (often disapproving) to make sth seem better or more important than it really is 吹捧，吹嘘，美化
• edict
  • an official order or statement given by sb in authority 法令，命令，敕令

Facebook faced a revolt from staff for leaving the same post by Mr Trump untouched on its platform. Some emplyees staged a virtual walkout by not logging on for work.

• revolt
  • 反抗，违抗，起义，叛乱
• stage
  • [verb] 组织，筹划
    • to stage a strike/demonstration/march/protest 组织罢工/示威/游行/抗议活动
• walkout
  • [noun] 罢工；（为表示抗议的）退席，退场

A class-action lawsuit was filed in California claiming $5bn in damages from Google for collecting data from users of its Chrome browser when they switch to private mode, termed Incognito. The complaint alleges that Google’s hoarding of the information is “covert", but the company says it has always notified people when they use Incognito mode that websites can still tap into their browsing activity.

• class action
  • 集体诉讼
• incognito
  • 伪装，隐姓埋名
• hoard
  • 贮藏，囤积，（尤指）秘藏
• covert
  • 秘密的，隐蔽的，暗中的
  • overt
    • [usually before noun] 公开的，明显的，不隐瞒的
• tap
  • 利用，开发，发掘（已有的资源、知识等）

Lufthansa pledged to step up the restructuring of its business. The German airline wants to offer more tourist flights as it gradually recovers from covid restrictions, but still only expects to fly 40% of its schedule by September. At the end of the crisis, which it expects in 2023, the group ‘s fleet will be samller by 100 planes. The board signed off on a €9bn ($10bn) rescue package from the German government, under which the EU requires Lufthansa to give up slots at Germany’s big airports.

• pledge
  • 保证给予（或做）；正式承诺
• fleet
  • （同一机构或统一调度的）机群，车队；舰队
• sign off on sth
  • 批准
• slot
  • （机器或容器上的）狭槽; 投币口

Renault “finalised” a €5bn ($5.6bn) credit facility from the French government, which it can draw in whole or in parts until the end of the year. The French carmaker recently announced 15,000 job cuts worldwide, including 4,600 in France, where it faces stiff political opposition to any factory closures.

• credit facility
  • an arrangement between a bank and a business that allows the business to borrow a particular amount of money for different purposes for a particular period of time 信贷额度
• draw
  • to take money or payments from a bank account or post office 提取，支取
• stiff
  • more difficult or severe than usual 困难的，激烈的
    • stiff competition 激烈的竞争
    • stiff opposition 强烈的反对

In Germany ZF Friedrichshafen, one of the world’s biggest suppliers of car transmissions, was reportedly considering laying off 15,000 staff, half of them in Germany. The company employs 150,000 people in 40 countries.

• transmission
  • （车辆的）传动装置，变速器
• lay off
  • 解雇；停止使用