英倫翻譯社/ Trsmaster

The Nordic countries were long a bastion of strong fertility rates on an Old Continent that is rapidly getting older. But they are now experiencing a decline that threatens their welfare model, which is funded by taxpayers.

在快速高齡化的「舊大陸」（歐洲），北歐國家向來是高生育率的堡壘，但如今也面臨生育率下滑的問題，對透過全民納稅來維繫的社會福利制度構成威脅。

In Norway, Finland and Iceland, birth rates dropped to historic lows in 2017, with 1.49 to 1.71 children born per woman. Just a few years earlier, their birth rates hovered close to the 2.1 level required for their populations to remain stable.

在挪威、芬蘭及冰島，生育率在2017年降至歷史新低，平均每位女性生育1.49至1.71名兒女。再早幾年，這三國的生育率還徘徊在接近維持人口穩定所需的2.1人。

The Nordic region boasts a wealth of family-friendly initiatives, such as flexible working hours, a vast network of affordable daycares and generous parental leave systems.

北歐地區以擁有充裕的家庭友善計畫而自豪，像是彈性工時、範圍廣泛且索價低廉的日間照護網絡，以及慷慨的育嬰假機制。

When all that is still not enough to encourage people to have more children, immigration can be a lifeline － or a threat, depending on the point of view.（AFP）

Duterte made threats Tuesday about dozens of shipping containers filled with Canadian household and electronic garbage that has been rotting in a port near Manila for nearly six years. More than 100 of the containers were shipped to Manila by a Canadian company in 2013 and 2014, improperly labelled as plastics for recycling.

杜特蒂週二對加國祭出威脅，因為裝滿加國家庭與電子垃圾的大量裝運貨櫃，在馬尼拉附近一座港口已腐爛近6年。2013至2014年，逾百個貨櫃由一家加拿大企業運至馬尼拉，被不當地標示為回收塑膠。

Customs inspectors in the Philippines found they actually contained non-recyclable garbage, including soiled adult diapers and kitchen trash. The Philippines has been calling on Canada for years to repatriate its trash.

菲律賓海關檢查員發現，這些貨櫃裡面實際上裝有不可回收的垃圾，包括髒的成人尿布及廚餘等。菲國多年來一直要求加拿大將自己的垃圾運回國內。

Duterte often uses bombastic statements. Earlier this month, for instance, he threatened to send his troops on a "suicide mission" if Beijing didn’t lay off a Manila-occupied island in the South China Sea.

杜特蒂經常使用誇大的聲明。例如，他在本月初曾威脅要派遣軍隊從事「自殺任務」，如果北京不在一座馬尼拉佔領的南海島嶼停止活動的話。

英倫翻譯社 轉自https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1285102

Ratchadamnoen and Sanam Chai are among more than 30 roads to be closed May 2 through May 6, which will mark the coronation period of King Vajiralongkorn.

5月2日至6日國王瓦吉拉隆功加冕期間，將封閉拉差當能路、沙南猜路等超過30條道路。

The royal parade will take place May 5 and will lead to the closure of 34 roads from midnight onward. Popular impacted roads include Khao San, Charoen Krung, Nakhon Sawan, Maha Chai and Phra Sumen.

5月5日舉行王室遊行，34條道路將從午夜開始封閉。受影響的交通要道包括考山路、石龍軍路、那空沙旺路、瑪哈猜路、帕舒文路。

For those who wish to attend the ceremony, metro Bangkok police deputy chief Jirasan Kaewsang-ek said 27 parking spaces will be provided citywide from Muang Thong Thani and Future Park Rangsit to CentralPlaza Salaya and CentralPlaza WestGate. From these places, people can take shuttle buses to four spots near the royal event – Ban Manangkhasila, Ban Phitsanulok, Somdet Phra Pinklao Bridge, Rama VIII Bridge, Wat Thepsirin and Memorial Bridge.

曼谷地鐵副警長吉拉索爾曼卡桑艾克表示，針對想參加典禮的民眾，全市將提供27處停車點，遍及蒙通塔尼（會展中心）、蘭希購物中心、三攀尚泰廣場、邦艾尚泰廣場。民眾可以從這些地點搭乘接駁公車，前往鄰近王室活動的四處（帕賓勞大橋、拉瑪三世橋、鐵西林寺、紀念橋）。

英倫翻譯社轉自https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1284843

我們似乎正一步步地邁向機器人無所不能 —— 或者說是幾乎無所不能的世界。來看看Atlas 這個身高一點八公尺的機器人，它可以用跑酷的方式跳躍及後空翻。Atlas 是由美國一家設計機器人的波士頓動力公司研發來協助搜救任務的。這個機器人被設定來執行多種任務，像是開門、使用工具、上下車 —— 甚至是開車。然而，要讓它做這些簡單的工作並不是件容易的事。

英倫翻譯社轉自https://tw.news.appledaily.com/international/daily/20190426/38319660/

A jungle is being cleared by the government to make way for a bird park, a rainforest park and a 400-room resort, creating a green tourism hub aiming to attract millions of visitors a year.

政府正在清理一座叢林，以闢設一座鳥園、一座熱帶雨林公園，以及一座有400個房間的度假村，打造成一處生態旅遊中心，希望一年能夠招徠數百萬名觀光客。

But the project has ruffled the feathers of environmentalists. Rather than promoting biodiversity, they believe it is too imposing for the area, will destroy forest habitats. They also point out that insufficient safeguards were put in place before work began － leading to animals being killed on roads.

但這個計畫令環保人士暴跳如雷。他們相信，這對該區域太過沉重，不但無法促進生物多樣性，還會摧毀森林棲息地。他們也指出，由於工程開始前並未實施足夠的保護措施，已導致動物在馬路上慘遭不測。

"You are getting your priorities wrong if you are replacing natural heritage with captive breeding," said Subaraj Rajathurai, a veteran wildlife consultant. （AFP）

野生動物顧問蘇峇拉吉．拉扎蘇來說：「如果以動物圈養來取代自然遺產，你們就是搞錯優先順序了。」（法新社）

英倫翻譯社轉自https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1284042