【精英翻譯】的部落格

Electric Bikes Clean Up

In Taipei, scooters are both popular and ubiquitous. They offer quick, cheap transportation and easy parking. However, they are also responsible for air and noise pollution. Is there any alternative to these two problems? The answer may be the electric bicycle. On Xiamen Island in China, the government has banned scooters but allows people to purchase electric bicycles. These machines carry people around silently and do not emit any exhaust. According to China’s environmental protection standards, Xiamen’s air is classed as first rate. Is every one happy? No, they are not. Both the Xiamen traffic department and local residents agree that the growing number of electric bicycles is causing more accidents. Banning them seems unlikely. Instead, better driver education and stricter enforcement of existing laws are necessary. This should help this quiet and clean alternative to the scooter continue to transport people around Xiamen.

French Riot Police Fume at Booze Ban

French workers are well-known for enjoying very generous labour laws. One of their rights is to have a glass of wine with their lunch. This extends to the country’s infamous riot police (the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité, or CRS). Until now they have been able to enjoy a glass of wine or beer with their lunch, even when they are on duty.

Kate and Wills Break Tradition

Viewers of today’s royal wedding between Britain’s Prince William and Kate Middleton may have a feeling of déjà vu. As in previous weddings, the couple will travel to Westminster Abbey in London with a parade and horse-drawn carriages. The ceremony will be attended by heads of state and international royalty.

Uneasy Peace on the Ivory Coast

Along with the civil war in Libya, the small African country of the Ivory Coast has also been gripped by turmoil. Back in November, an election monitored by the UN took power from the then president, Laurent Gbagbo. The winner of the election, Alessandro Ouattara, was supposed to take power in December. However, Gbagbo refused to go, and Alessandro Ouattara’s supporters took to the streets.

Spiderman does it again!

Alain Robert, the French urban climber, has scaled the world’s tallest building in Dubai. Known by most as ‘Spiderman’, Robert took over 6 hours to climb more than 820 meters to the top of the skyscraper. Hundreds of people watched and cheered for the real-life superhero as he slowly moved up the Burj Khalifa.

‘Friday’ Nets a Profit

The latest teen sensation has become famous not because she is so good, but because most people believe she is so bad. 13 year old Rebecca Black posted the music video of her song ‘Friday’ on youtube in February. The song, which includes banal lyrics like ‘Tomorrow is Saturday / And Sunday comes afterwards’ soon got attention, for all the wrong reasons.

Footlong Inches Ahead of Big Mac

For years, McDonald’s has been the leader of the fast food field. It has had the most franchises, the widest international reach, and the highest profits. Now, however, Subway, the sandwich maker, has nosed ahead of the famous chain. At the end of 2010, Subway had 33,749 restaurants worldwide, whereas McDonald’s had 32, 737. This is a result of Subway’s aggressive expansion strategy. It has broken away from the pack mostly because of its determination to develop world markets. For example, it already has 199 stores in China, and expects to have more than 500 by 2015.

Aid Workers Face Uphill Battle

Last week, Japan was hit by the most devastating earthquake in its history. The magnitude 9.0 quake was followed by a tsunami, which washed away whole towns. Thousands of people are now feared dead. Millions more are enduring everything from power cuts to homelessness. Most frightening of all, a Japanese nuclear power plant is struggling to control a radioactive leak.

Rebellion Brings Libya to the Edge of War

First there was Tunisia and then Egypt. Now, the storm of popular protest in the Middle East has reached Libya. The country has been ruled by Colonel Gaddafi, a dictator, for the past forty years. However, his rule is now threatened. Waves of rebellion against his government have brought the country to a standstill. In response, Gaddafi has ordered the army to attack the protestors.

“Curveball" Throws Curveball on Iraq

You may not know the name Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi. However, under the codename “Curveball", he was one of the chief sources of information about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This information led directly to the Iraq war, because the US believed that Iraq had to be stopped from building these weapons. Even at the time, people questioned the call. Now, “Curveball" has admitted that he was lying about the WMD program. The CIA and their German counterparts, the BND, were responsible for passing on Curveball’s information as true. As a result, they are facing serious criticism. Colin Powell, the former US secretary of state has stepped up to the plate to demand that the CIA explain why they did not cover all the bases. It seems that the CIA are now facing curveballs of their own.