At the very least, Paulson's unprecedented move defuses one ticking time bomb.

至少，保尔森史无前例的行为解除了一个一直可能随时爆炸的危机。

youdao

With the largest amount of debt relative to the size of its economy among the rich countries, and a stubborn deflation problem to boot, Japan has an economic time-bomb ticking beneath it.

相对于经济总量来看，日本的债务规模是发达国家中最大的。另外，它还面临着顽固的通缩难题。

youdao

It is a ticking time bomb for the federal budget.

VOA: standard.2009.06.15

Cordier, the Vietnam POW, opposes torture in all circumstances -- even the "ticking bomb" scenario.

CNN: Torture prompts soul-searching among some Christians

Which means the issue once described by the foreign secretary as a ticking bomb is ticking rather louder.

BBC: Lawson says the unsayable

William Hague once warned David Cameron that Europe was "a ticking bomb" which could blow up the Conservative party.

BBC: Europe: The bomb's ticking louder