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每天更新一篇最新的外刊,双语学习。包含经济学人,读者文摘,今日美国报,泰晤士报,华盛顿邮报,美国新闻与世界报道,时代周刊,卫报,基督教科学箴言报,大西洋月刊,纽约时报,华盛顿邮报等数十种主流外刊
创建于:2024-08-21 16:28:16
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DuckcaughtbySwissspeedcameraforthesecondtime瑞士测速摄像头再度捕捉到超速鸭子WhentrafficpoliceintheSwisstownofKoenizsiftedthroughthelatestbatchofspeedingoffenders,theycouldn'tbelievewhattheywereseeing:ithadhappenedagain.当瑞士科尼茨镇的交警翻阅最新一批超速违规记录时,眼前的景象让他们难以置信:这一幕竟然再次上演。Forthesecondtimeinsevenyears,awildduckhadracedpastthecameraat32mph,breakingthe20mphspeedlimitandsettingofftheflash.七年间,一只野鸭竟两次以每小时32英里的速度从测速摄像头前呼啸而过,远超每小时20英里的限速,瞬间触发了闪光灯。Themallard,whichwasdescribedbythetowncouncilas"anotoriousspeederandrepeatoffender"wascaughtflyinglowthroughOberwangen,onWangentalstrasseonApril13,"probablyinahurry".4月13日,这只被镇议会戏称为“臭名昭著的超速惯犯”的绿头鸭,在旺根塔尔街的奥伯旺根路段低空飞行时被摄像头捕捉,当时它“或许正急着赶路”。"Weknowthisforsurebecauseshewaspickedupandflashedbytheradaratthatmoment,"thetowncouncilsaid.Remarkably,itisbelievedittobethesameduckcaughttravellingatthesamespeedinthesamelocationonthesamedatesevenyearsearlier.镇议会方面表示:“我们之所以如此确定,是因为雷达在那时精准捕捉到了它,并触发了闪光灯。”更令人惊奇的是,人们推测这只鸭子与七年前在同一天、同一地点、以相同速度被拍到的那只鸭子是同一只。Thecouncilsaid:"ColleaguesatthepoliceinspectoratewereastonishedwhentheylookedataradarcameraimagefromApril132025.Aduckhadindeedbeencaughtinthespeedtrapagain.Sevenyearstothedaylater,attheexactsamespotandatexactlythesamespeed."镇议会进一步说明:“2025年4月13日,当警察督察处的同事们审视雷达摄像头传回的图像时,无不感到震惊。一只鸭子竟然再次落入了测速陷阱。七年后,在同一个地点,以同样的速度,这一幕再次上演。”Thepreviousincidentmadeheadlinesaroundtheworldin2018.Policedeniedthattheimagescouldhavebeenfabricated.2018年,这起事件曾引发全球媒体的广泛关注。当时,警方坚决否认图像被篡改的可能性。Thetowncouncilsaid:"Accordingtothepoliceinspectorate,it'simpossiblethattheimageortheradarsystemweretamperedwith.Thecomputersarecalibratedandtestedannually...andthephotosaresealed."镇议会方面重申:“据警察督察处证实,图像和雷达系统均未遭到任何篡改。计算机每年都会接受严格的校准和测试……所有照片也都密封完好。”Itadded:"Wehopeyouenjoyponderingcuriouscoincidences,criminalactivitiesofanimalsandthemaximumflightspeedofducks."镇议会还幽默地补充道:“希望大家能享受这份探索离奇巧合、动物‘犯罪’行为以及鸭子最大飞行速度的乐趣。”SpeedinginSwitzerlandinvolvesstrictpenalties.Exceedingthelimitbymorethan20kph(12mph)inanon-builtupareacanleadtoafineof240SwissFrancs(£214).Muchfaster,andthedrivercanbechargedwithacriminaloffence.在瑞士,超速行为将面临严厉的处罚。在非建成区,若超速超过20公里/小时(即12英里/小时),驾驶员将面临240瑞士法郎(约合214英镑)的罚款。若超速更为严重,驾驶员甚至可能面临刑事指控。Athigheraltitudes,mallardsflyatbetween40mphand60mph,accordingtoDucksUnlimited,theAmericancharity.Thefastestamallardhaseverbeenrecordedflyingwas103mph.据美国慈善机构“无限制鸭子组织”介绍,绿头鸭在高空飞行时的速度通常在每小时40至60英里之间。而据记录,绿头鸭的最高飞行速度曾达到每小时103英里。TheanimalinquestionwasmigratingacrosssouthernMinnesotaandsouth-eastNorthDakotainAprillastyear,helpedbystrongtailwinds.去年4月,这只涉事的绿头鸭在强尾风的助力下,正迁徙穿越明尼苏达州南部和北达科他州东南部。
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Only ‘1in10peopleunder44canaffordtobuyafirsthome’仅10%的44岁以下人群买得起首套房Onlyoneintenyoungpeoplewhorenttheirhomecanaffordtogetonthehousingladder,newresearchsuggests,threateningtheviabilityofthegovernment'shousebuildingtarget.一项新的研究表明,在租房的年轻人中,仅有十分之一的人有能力购买首套房,这给政府设定的建房目标能否实现带来了威胁。Ministershavesetagoalof1.5millionnewhomesoverthenextfouryearsandpromisedrestorewhatSirKeirStarmerhascalledthe"dreamofhomeownership".大臣们设定了未来四年建造150万套新住房的目标,并承诺恢复基尔·斯塔默爵士所说的“拥有住房的梦想”。Butnewanalysissuggeststhatmanyfirst-timebuyerswillstruggletoaffordthenewhomesbeingbuilt,anddevelopershavesaidtheywillnotbuildmoreifthereisnodemandatcurrentprices.然而,新的分析显示,许多首次购房者将难以负担得起正在建造的新房,开发商也表示,如果当前价格下没有需求,他们不会建造更多房屋。Economicmodellingestimatedthat10.4percentofpeopleaged20to44whodonotownapropertyareinafinancialpositiontopurchaseafirsthome.根据公共优先咨询公司为住宅建筑商联合会撰写的一份报告,经济模型估算,在20至44岁且没有房产的人群中,仅有10.4%的人有经济能力购买首套房。However,manyinthisgroupwereonlyabletobuybecausetheywereinarelationship,givingthemdoublethepurchasingpower.Thereportestimatedthat2.9percentofyoungsingleadultswereinafinancialpositiontogetonthehousingladder.不过,该群体中的许多人之所以能买房,是因为他们处于恋爱关系中,这使他们的购买力翻倍。报告估算,仅有2.9%的年轻单身成年人有经济能力迈入购房行列。Thetrendisdrivenbypoorwagegrowth,lowratesofsavingsandstubbornlyhighhouseprices,accordingtoareportbythePublicFirstconsultancyfortheHomeBuildersFederation.公共优先咨询公司为住宅建筑商联合会撰写的这份报告指出,这一趋势是由工资增长缓慢、储蓄率低以及房价居高不下所导致的。Itfoundthatifallthosepeoplewhowereinafinancialpositiontobuyahomeweretodosooverthenextfiveyears,thiswouldresultinonly69,000first-timebuyersayear.Thisissignificantlybelowthetypicalannualnumberoffirst-timemortgagedpurchases,whichusuallyrangesfrom200,000to300,000.报告发现,如果所有有经济能力购房的人都在未来五年内买房,那么每年仅有6.9万名首次购房者。这一数字远低于典型的年度首次购房贷款人数,通常在20万至30万之间。Ministershopethatdoublingthenumberofhousesbuiltoverthenextfiveyearswillleadtoafallinhouseprices,makingiteasierforyoungpeopletobuy.Buttheindustryarguesthatgivenconstructioncostsandtightprofitmargins,developerswillnotbuildthenumberofhomesthegovernmentwants.大臣们希望,未来五年将建房数量翻倍会导致房价下跌,从而使年轻人更容易购房。但建筑行业认为,鉴于建筑成本高和利润空间小,开发商不会建造政府期望数量的住房。"Thehomebuildingindustryfacesmajorchallengesthatcontinuetodeterinvestmentinnewsites,"NeilJefferson,thechiefexecutiveofthefederation,said."Withoutaprospectivebuyerbase,supportedbyaffordablemortgagefinance,builderswillbehard-pressedtomakethesignificantinvestmentsnecessarytoboosthousingsupply."该联合会首席执行官尼尔·杰斐逊表示:“住宅建筑行业面临着重大挑战,这些挑战继续阻碍对新地块的投资,如果没有潜在的购房群体,且没有可负担的抵押贷款支持,建筑商将很难进行必要的重大投资来增加住房供应。”First-timebuyersaccountforasignificantpercentageofthehousingmarket,particularlyfornewhomes.Aboutathirdofallhomesaresoldtofirst-timebuyers,risingtohalfinLondon.首次购房者在住房市场中占有相当大的比例,尤其是在新房市场。约三分之一的房屋售给了首次购房者,在伦敦这一比例上升至一半。Thefederationiscallingonministerstobringbackaversionofthelastgovernment'sHelptoBuyequityloanschemewhichcametoanendin2023.Thiswouldgivefirst-timebuyersinterest-freeloansforthefirstfiveyearswithdepositsofaslittleas5percent.该联合会呼吁大臣们恢复上一届政府“购房援助计划”的某个版本,该计划于2023年结束。这将为首次购房者提供前五年免息贷款,首付比例可低至 5%。ItarguesthatRachelReeves'snewborrowingrulesmeantheschemewouldbetreatedascapitalinvestmentandwouldnotcounttowardsday-to-daygovernmentdebt.联合会认为,蕾切尔·里夫斯新出台的借贷规则意味着该计划将被视为资本投资,不会计入政府的日常债务。JackAirey,thehousingandinfrastructuredirectoratPublicFirst,saidhelpwasneededbecausehousingdemandwas"muchweakerthancommonlythoughtforfirst-timebuyers".公共优先咨询公司的住房和基础设施主管杰克·艾雷表示,需要提供帮助,因为首次购房者的住房需求“远比人们普遍认为的要弱”。"Ourresearchfindsthatwithoutsignificantwagegrowth,oraschemethatmakeslowdepositmortgagesmoreaffordableandaccessible,theywillbecutofffromhomeownershipforyearsordecadestocome,"hesaid."Ashrinkingfirst-timebuyermarketisruinousforthegovernment'shousebuildingtargets.Wefindthenumberoffirst-timebuyersoverthenextfiveyearscouldbeathirdofthenormalrate.Iffewerpeoplecanbuyhomes,fewerwillbebuilt."他说:“我们的研究发现,如果没有显著的工资增长,或者没有能让低首付抵押贷款更实惠、更易获得的计划,他们在未来数年或数十年内都将与拥有住房无缘,首次购房者市场萎缩,将对政府的建房目标造成毁灭性打击。我们发现,未来五年首次购房者的数量可能仅为正常水平的三分之一。如果买房的人少了,建造的房屋也会减少。”TheMinistryofHousing,CommunitiesandLocalGovernmentsaid:"We'recommittedtosupportingfirst-timebuyerswithanewpermanentmortgageguaranteescheme,helpingthemtaketheirfirstcrucialstepontheladderwithasmalldeposit.Thisisontopofournewinvestmentof£800milliontodeliverthebiggestboostinaffordableandsocialhousinginageneration."英国住房、社区与地方政府部表示:“我们致力于通过新的永久性抵押贷款担保计划支持首次购房者,帮助他们以小额首付迈出购房的第一步。除此之外,我们还投资8亿英镑,为一代人提供最大规模的保障性住房和社会住房建设支持。”
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Men'sprisonscouldrunoutofspaceinmonths,governmentwarns政府警告:男子监狱或于数月内人满为患Men'sprisonsinEnglandandWalescouldrunoutofspacelaterthisyear,thegovernmenthaswarned,asitannouncedthreenewjailscostingatotalof£4.7bnwillbebuiltstartingthisyear.英国政府发出警告,英格兰和威尔士的男子监狱极有可能在今年晚些时候出现人满为患的状况。与此同时,政府宣布将从今年起着手建造三座新监狱,总投入高达 47 亿英镑。JusticeSecretaryShabanaMahmoodrevealedtheexpansionplansinDowningStreetalongsideAmyRees,theoutgoingchiefexecutiveofHisMajesty'sPrisonandProbationService(HMPPS).司法大臣沙巴娜·马哈茂德与即将卸任的英国监狱与缓刑服务局局长艾米·里斯在唐宁街共同公布了监狱扩建计划。MsReesoutlinedhowthemaleprisonpopulationwasat99%capacityandsettorunoutofroominNovember.Shehighlightedissueslikelongeraveragesentencesandnotenoughnewprisoncapacityascontributingfactorstothecrisis.里斯女士介绍道,当前男性囚犯数量已达到监狱容量的 99%,预计到 11 月监狱将再无空位。她着重指出,平均服刑期限的延长以及新监狱建设进度滞后是造成此次监狱危机的关键因素。Ahighnumberofcriminalsbeingrecalledtocustodywasalsonoted.Repeatingpreviousschemestoreleasepeopleearlierintheirsentenceswould"onlybuyustime",MsReessaid.此外,她还提到,大量罪犯被重新召回监狱羁押。里斯女士表示,若再次沿用以往提前释放囚犯的做法,“只能暂时缓解压力,并非长久之计”。MsMahmoodwentontocriticisetheConservatives,sayingthesituationtheUKfounditselfinwas"shameful".SheclaimedLabouradded28,000placesunderSirTonyBlairandGordonBrown'sgovernments,whilethe14yearsofTory-ruleafterthatonlysaw500newplaces.马哈茂德女士随即对保守党提出批评,称英国目前面临的监狱困境“实在令人汗颜”。她表示,工党在托尼·布莱尔和戈登·布朗执政期间,为监狱系统新增了 2.8 万个床位;而保守党在此后长达 14 年的执政期间,仅新增了 500 个床位。Thejusticesecretarythenconfirmedthat£4.7bnwouldbeinvestedtobuildnewprisons.TheannouncementcomesaheadofthespendingreviewandMsMahmoodsaysitwillallowthreepenitentiariestostartconstruction.随后,司法大臣确认将投入 47 亿英镑用于新监狱建设。在支出审查前夕宣布这一消息时,马哈茂德女士表示,这将使三座新监狱得以顺利开工。MsMahmoodsaidlastyearthat£2.3bnwouldbespentonprisons,meaningatotalof£7bnhasbeenannouncedbythenewgovernment.Thethreenewprisonsarethesameasthoseannouncedlastyear,andalongsideHMPMillsikewhichhasalreadyopened.Torelievethepressureonprisonsintheinterim,thegovernmentsaiditwasgoingtolimitrecallconditionsforsomeinmates.马哈茂德女士去年曾表示,将在监狱方面投入 23 亿英镑。这意味着新政府已宣布在监狱建设上投入总计 70 亿英镑。这三座新监狱与去年公布的计划一致,此外,已投入使用的 HMP 米尔西克监狱也将发挥作用。为暂时缓解监狱的拥挤状况,政府表示将限制部分囚犯的召回条件。Thisincludesprisonersservinguptofouryearsonlybeingsubjecttorecallperiodsof28days,althoughrepeatoffendersandthoseathigherriskwillnotbeeligibleforthelimit.具体而言,对于刑期不超过四年的囚犯,其召回期限将仅限定为 28 天;不过,惯犯和高风险囚犯将不在此限制范围内。Theplanscomeafterthegovernment'scontroversialearlyreleaseschemelastyear,whichsawsomeinmatesfreedafterservingonly40%oftheirsentences,ratherthantheusual50%.此前,政府于去年推行了一项备受争议的提前释放方案,部分囚犯仅服刑原定刑期的 40%(而非通常的 50%)便获释出狱。Meanwhile,thelatestweeklystatisticsforEnglandandWalesshowedtheprisonpopulationstoodat88,087.Thefigureis434belowthelastpeakintheprisonpopulationof88,521inmateson6September2024-justbeforetheearlyreleaseschemebegan.与此同时,英格兰和威尔士的最新每周监狱统计数据显示,当前在押囚犯人数为 88,087 人。这一数字比 2024 年 9 月 6 日(提前释放方案实施前不久)的 88,521 人这一峰值低了 434 人。
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