http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f1c6653c-250a-11de-8a66-00144feabdc0.html

The three quick counts all predict that nine of the 38 parties will pass the 2.5 per cent popular vote threshold to win seats in the 560-member parliament.

“There are so many faces it’s a blur,” giggled Astrid Yuspriatmo, as she arrived at her Jakarta polling station to be confronted by a total of 700 names on the three ballot papers.

By Thursday evening many parties were already complaining of myriad electoral violations, prompting the spectre of weeks of legal challenges to results.

Several weeks of horse-trading are now envisaged between the leading parties.

One possibility already being touted is that she will nominate a senior party member to run with Mr Prabowo on an ‘anyone-but-Yudhoyono’ ticket.

threshold 敷居; 入り口

giggle 〔…を見て[聞いて]〕くすくす笑う

ballot (無記名)投票用紙

myriad 無数の

specter (心に浮かぶ)怖いもの，恐ろしい幻影

envisage 〈未来のことなどを〉心に描く

tout (競馬の)予想屋をやる

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ff3afd9c-2468-11de-9a01-00144feabdc0.html

While there has been more positive economic news since the March 18 meeting, the tenor of the Fed discussion suggests most policymakers will treat this data with some scepticism.

“Most participants viewed downside risks as predominating in the near term,” the minutes say.

Fed officials expressed concern about the “degree and pervasiveness of the decline in foreign economic activity” since their last meeting in January, which threatened US exports.

“Participants did not interpret the uptick in housing starts in February as the beginning of a new trend,” the minutes say. While some thought starts could not have too much further to fall, Fed officials reasoned that the overhang of unsold homes would continue to weigh on residential investment.

minutes 議事録

tenor 趣意，主旨，大意 〔of〕

predominant 優勢な，有力な; 卓越した

pervasiveness 広がる，普及する; しみ通る

overhang 張り出し，突出部分