2007年9月26日 星期三

英國人留美

在英國成為中國學生熱衷留學目的地之一時,大量英國人卻衷情於大西洋彼岸的亞美利加。

據美國駐倫敦大使館和富布賴特委員會(Fulbright Commission)公布的數字顯示,英國去年有八千兩百多人前往美國求學,比較前一年略有增加。

也就是說,英國每年都有超過8000名學生越過大西洋去美國接受中高等教育,而其中約54%的人是去美國讀大學本科。

一些分析人士認為,這主要與英國大學開始徵收較高學費有關。

學生人數

數字顯示,英國是歐洲國家中赴美求學學生人數排名第二的國家﹔在歐盟國家中目前只有德國每年的留美學生人數超過英國。

從前,前往美國的英國學生一般都是從事研究工作的,但是,現在越來越多本科生前往美國。

分析人士說,英國政府自從去年開始批准大學對本國學生徵收約3000英鎊年度學費的作法間接鼓勵了學生考慮到外國留學。

與此同時,一些美國高等院校也把目光放到成績比較好的英國學生身上。

舉例說,哈佛大學去年就派代表到英國,在一些公里學校中宣傳該大學的獎、助學金辦法,以吸引成績較佳的學生申請。

此外,美國普林斯頓大學也在英國宣傳其無償助學金計劃。

獎學金歧視?

不過,雖然前往美國的英國學生人數有所增加,但是,可以拿獎學金到美國的英國學生人數並不算多。

資料顯示,英國每年只有約40名學生得到例如富布賴特獎學金(Fulbright Scholarship)和肯尼迪紀念信托基金(Kenneday Memorial Trust)之類的有名獎學金。

英國每年得到富布賴特獎學金的學生只有約20人,但得到這個獎學金的德國學生則差不多有3百人。

因為這個緣故,英國政府的教育顧問已經要求當局必須與美國方面商討改善這種情況。


フルブライト・プログラム, Fulbright Program は、アメリカ合衆国と、その他の国の相互理解を高める目的で設立された、奨学金制度(フルブライト奨学金, Fulbright Fellowships and Fulbright Scholarships)の計画。

目次

[非表示]

[編集] 概要

  • 設立以来の奨学生数:250,000人(合衆国民:100,000人、その他の市民:150,000人)

London travel guide

London travel guide


Last Updated: 12:01am BST 19/07/2007

Top 5 attractions
Top 5 hotels
Top 5 restaurants
Bars & cafes
Nightlife
Shopping
Essentials
Insider’s tips
Practical information
Our essential guide to what to see and where to sleep, eat and shop in the capital. By Norman Miller.

  • Download a PDF version of this guide, to print out and take with you
  • 360-degree tour of London, updated daily
  • As Europe’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city – nearly 8 million people, 300 languages, 600 square miles – a visit to London is often a mixture of exhilaration and exhaustion. It is, quite simply, impossible to see everything the city has to offer, even if you’ve lived here for years.

    Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, London: Telegraph travel guides

    The West End is, of course, a popular place to start, offering bustling bars and restaurants, world-class theatres and galleries, glorious parks and classic monuments.

    Venture beyond the tourist heartland, and you’ll find places where the city’s pulse beats strongly. Chat over a pint in a classic local pub, admire a 1,000-year old church in the lee of a striking 21st-century skyscraper, or browse markets selling the best of London’s booming design scene.

    London has everything – you just need to know where to look for it.





    Top 5 attractions

    1. Tate Modern

    With its single towering chimney and a roof that glows at night, this former 19th-century power station beside the Thames is one of London’s most famous cultural icons. The vast Turbine Hall hosts huge headline-grabbing installations to complement several floors of gallery space that rise to a top-floor restaurant/café with a fabulous river view.

    Bankside, SE1 0044 (0)20 7887 8888
    Sun-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri-Sat 10am-10pm
    www.tate.org.uk/modern
    Permanent galleries free – charges for some special exhibitions

    2. St James Park

    The London Eye

    London’s smallest central park is also one of its most enticing. Running from Trafalgar Square along The Mall – the closest London has to a broad Parisian-style boulevard – it’s a peaceful green haven that belies its rakish past as a place for various kinds of wickedness. Buckingham Palace and the parade ground at Horse Guards provide historic bookends, complemented by St James Palace and grand government edifices such as The Admiralty and Foreign Office (which you can’t visit) and Winston Churchill’s Cabinet War Rooms (which you can). On the park’s northern edge, the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) provides one of London’s smallest but coolest modern art centres.

    3. The London Eye

    It may not be as tall as the Eiffel Tower, but the London Eye shares with the Parisian icon the fact that it was built as an observation structure that was never intended to be permanent. But so beautifully does this 135m-high Thameside wheel break up the perpendiculars of the London skyline that it has been left to become one of the city’s most popular sights. Offering 40km panoramic views on a clear day, the capsules take 30 minutes to complete a "flight", providing the perfect insight into the layout and sheer scale of Europe‘s largest city.

    Southside Westminster Bridge, SE1
    0044 (0)870 990 8883 www.londoneye.com
    Jun-Sep 10am-9pm, Oct-May 10am-8pm
    Standard flight £14.50; Discovery flight £18 including a guide.

    4. St Paul’s Cathedral

    Designed by the great architect Sir Christopher Wren in the late 17th century, this is one of the world’s great cathedrals. Some of Britain’s most historic moments have played out here – from royal weddings to heroic funerals – and this dazzling space has a host of superb vantage points, including the famous Whispering Gallery. It also serves as one of London’s most evocative art showcases, with décor provided by everyone from medieval craftsmen to modern masters such as Henry Moore.

    St Paul’s Churchyard
    0044 (0)20 7236 4128 www.stpauls.co.uk
    Mon-Sat 8.30am-4pm
    £9.50

    5. Hampton Court Palace

    Hampton Cout Palace, London

    Perched on the Thames far from the city hubbub, this royal palace seamlessly blends Tudor and baroque styles. See England’s greatest medieval hall, where Shakespeare and his company performed in the 1600s, before enjoying the gardens and the twists and turns of the famous maze.

    Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court, Surrey
    0044 (0)870 752 7777 www.hrp.org.uk
    Apr-Oct 10am-6pm, Nov-Mar 10am-4.30pm
    £13




    Shopping

    Avoid the undiscerning masses milling along Oxford Street – the streets south and north are much better. In Soho, Berwick Street has the buzz of a market and London’s best independent record shops. Fashion lovers, meanwhile, should check out the roads around Carnaby Street, perhaps popping into Liberty at its northern end, arguably London’s prettiest department store. To the north, the shops and boutiques along St Christopher’s Place lead nicely up to the classy outlets on Marylebone High St.

    While the piazza at Covent Garden is thronged with tourists and street performers, discerning shoppers head for Neal Street, Floral Street and the little roads radiating out from Seven Dials for designer goodies.

    Shoppers at Portobello Road Market

    Bond St and offshoots such as South Molton Street pull together a host of top couture shops, while the art dealers on nearby Cork Street provides a free chance to browse some of the best in contemporary art.

    Charing Cross Road remains a bibliophile paradise, though many old dealers have been replaced by book chains. Cecil Court (near Leicester Square Tube), however, is still home to a cluster of beautiful small bookshops.

    Of London’s street markets, Camden retains little of the buzz from its 1980s heyday, while Portobello also trades on past glories. Instead, get up on Sunday morning and join savvy Londoners heading to Spitalfields (Aldgate/Aldgate East Tube) and Brick Lane, where some of London’s best young designers sell their latest creations. And as the heart of London’s Bangladeshi community, there’s also dozens of good curry houses for lunch if you don’t fancy one of the brilliant cafes, such as the Story Deli (3 Dray Walk).


    Essentials

    Getting there

    London City Airport is the most central, but is served only by a small network.

    Heathrow, to the west, is linked to the city by the Piccadilly Tube line (45 minutes, £4 single) or the quicker (15 minutes) but expensive Heathrow Express (£15.50 single).

    Gatwick to the south, has frequent train services to central London (30-45 minutes, £8 single).

    Stansted and Luton airports are north of the city, with various train and bus links into the centre (£11 train single from Luton, £15 single from Stansted). A taxi to central London from any airports is £40-70.

    Eurostar services 08705 186 186 (UK) or 0044 1233 617 575 (abroad), www.eurostar.com, arrive at Waterloo Station (Paris fares from £60).

    The Houses of Parliament, London

    UK train information: 08457 48 49 50 (UK), 00 44 207 278 5240 (overseas), www.nationalrail.co.uk.

    Main tourist office

    1 Regent Street
    London
    SW1Y 4XT
    phone - 020 7808 3808
    www.visitlondon.com


    Insider’s tips

  • Get an A-Z and use your feet to get around. London’s Underground is notoriously expensive and many places are only a short walk apart – plus you see more of the city.
  • When on the Tube, always stand on the right of the escalator – standing on the left is guaranteed to make you very unpopular with Londoners.
  • Explore away from the West End. London is a conglomeration of once separate villages absorbed as the city expanded out from its medieval heartland (the EC postcodes that are still known as The City). Vibrant areas like Greenwich, Notting Hill or Hampstead are beyond the West End, but easily reached by Tube or overground trains (note that Oyster Cards aren’t valid on the latter yet).
  • The weekly Time Out magazine provides detailed listings and features that should let you take the pulse of the city during your visit.

  • Practical information

  • Britain’s currency is the pound sterling. Credit cards are widely accepted and there are cash machines throughout the city centre.
  • The cheapest way of using the public transport system (which includes the Underground – or Tube) is by investing in an Oyster card from any Tube station (www.tfl.gov.uk).
  • You can change money into Oyster cards at the ticket machines in stations, or from ticket booths.
  • Ticket prices rise to about double the cost if you buy them as singles.
  • Alternatively, a daily travel card costs from £5.10 Note that all fares must be paid before you travel.
  • 大憲章 Magna Carta

    Magna Carta being auctioned for first time

    • Story Highlights
    • Sotheby's to auction one of the earliest versions of the Magna Carta
    • Document expected to go for at least $20 million to $30 million
    • Charter mandated king to cede certain basic rights to citizens
    • Ross Perot bought this version in 1984

    13世紀大憲章手抄本12月拍賣

    2007926 HKT: 14:13

      

    英國首部限制君主權力的13世紀憲法手抄本,定於12月在紐約蘇富比拍賣,估值高達3000萬美元。這部名為「大憲章」(Magna Carta)的憲法手寫版本,其珍貴之處在於它是最後一份落入私人收藏家手中的版本,堪稱歷來公開拍賣的最重要歷史文件。

    迄今只有17份大憲章版本留存在世,因此彌足珍貴。紐約的蘇富比拍賣行周二宣布,這份唯一落入私人收藏家手上的大憲章手抄本,定於12月中旬在紐約拍賣,估值3000萬美元。由於這是迄今拍賣的最重要歷史文件,肯定會吸引眾多有興趣的買家出價競投,最後的成交價或刷新紀錄。

    這部憲法手抄本,僅一頁紙,長2500字,以拉丁文寫成,是1297年的版本,由英皇愛德華一世的國會頒布,上有愛德華一世的蠟蓋印。

    它是由曾以獨立候選人身份參選總統的美國德州富商佩羅特拿出來拍賣,拍賣所得將捐作為慈善用途,包括教育、研發醫藥及協助傷兵及他們的家人。




    From Sarah B. Boxer
    CNN

    NEW YORK (CNN) -- Just blocks from where U.N. diplomats debate their interpretations of tyranny and democracy, what may be the first document to articulate the difference is going up for sale.

    The version of the Magna Carta up for auction has been on display at the National Archives in Washington.

    The version of the Magna Carta up for auction has been on display at the National Archives in Washington.

    Sotheby's will auction off one of the earliest versions of the Magna Carta later this year, the auction house announced Tuesday.

    This will be the first time any version of the Magna Carta has ever gone up for auction, according to David Redden, vice chairman of Sotheby's.

    The Magna Carta is expected to fetch at least $20 million to $30 million, Redden said.

    Redden, who has also sold dinosaur bones, space race artifacts and a first printing of the Declaration of Independence, called the Magna Carta "the most important document on earth."

    The charter mandated the English king to cede certain basic rights to his citizens, ensuring that no man is above the law.

    Many believe the Magna Carta was the first document to recognize the legal right to freedom from tyranny, an influential concept to American political philosophers -- from the founding fathers to the modern presidency.

    The version to be auctioned is one of fewer than 20 known copies of the Magna Carta, which means "Great Charter" in Latin. The document was first devised in 1215, but not confirmed into English law until 1297 -- the year this version was issued and sealed by King Edward I.

    The document is one of only two copies of the charter that exist outside of England, according to Sotheby's. This Magna Carta and another version in Australia are the only two ever to have been privately sold.

    The version up for auction rested for six centuries with the Brundell family in Deene Park, England, until being bought in 1984 by businessman Ross Perot. Since then, the Perot Foundation has kept the copy on display at the National Archives in Washington.

    The Perot Foundation plans to distribute the money from the auction to various causes such as medical research and helping wounded soldiers.

    The Magna Carta will be coming up for auction during the week of December 10

    2007年9月25日 星期二

    "British" or "Britishness" 71 times vs Englishness

    《每日電訊報》說,英國首相布朗的目標指向保守黨的心臟地帶。

    報道說,在要求提前舉行大選的呼聲中,布朗發表演說,用了71次"英國特色",但沒有一次提到保守黨領導人卡梅倫,這顯然是"赤裸裸地"試圖偷走卡梅倫的選票。

    布朗發表的"愛國"演講,提到了解決槍支罪案、醫院超級細菌和警察官僚架構等問題,希望為工黨大選營造一次壓倒性勝利。


    Englishness (or as they call it, Britishness).

    The Englishness of English Art. An Expanded and Annotated Version of the Reith Lectures 1935.; PEVSNER, NIKOLAUS.邦訳『英国美術の英国性──絵画と建築にみる文化の特質』(友部直・. 蛭川久康訳,岩崎美術社,1981年)--Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, 1902130 - 1983818 ロンドン)はドイツ出身のイギリス美術史家。



    Gordon Brown targets Tory heartlands


    By Andrew Porter, Political Editor
    Last Updated: 1:52am BST 25/09/2007
    Page 1 of 2

    Gordon Brown attempted to stamp his authority on the British political landscape yesterday as he styled himself as the true champion of Conservative values.

  • Your view: Is Gordon Brown winning over the middle ground?
  • Brown's Bournemouth buzzwords | Blog: Tagging Gordon
  • Full coverage: Labour Party Conference 2007
  • In a naked attempt to steal voters from David Cameron, the Prime Minister used a blue backdrop to make a series of policy announcements aimed directly at the Tory heartland.


    Gordon Brown delivers his speech to the Labour Party Conference, Gordon Brown targets Tory heartlands
    Gordon Brown delivers his speech to the Labour Conference. The blue background was part of a ploy to woo Tory voters

    Setting out a manifesto he hopes will deliver another Labour landslide, Mr Brown offered his own solutions to gun crime, hospital superbugs and police bureaucracy in a patriotic speech that mentioned "British" or "Britishness" 71 times.

    Amid growing calls for an early election, he also offered to review 24-hour drinking, one of a series of measures designed to undercut Mr Cameron's own policies, while pointedly failing to mention the Tory leader once.

    In a relaxed performance that lasted for more than an hour, Mr Brown spoke repeatedly of "aspiration" and appealed to hard-working families who want to defend traditional British values, regardless of the party they voted for in the past.

    In addition, he echoed Margaret Thatcher when he declared himself a "conviction politician".

    Mr Brown's strategy to woo "Blue Brownites" is an attempt to capitalise on recent criticism of Mr Cameron, who has angered party traditionalists with his refusal to promise tax cuts and his desire to move away from hardline policies on crime and immigration.

    Afterwards, aides made clear Mr Brown's rapturously received speech - his first as party leader - was designed to appeal over the heads of the Labour delegates to the country at large, as the Prime Minister waits until after this week's conference to decide whether to go for a snap election on October 25 or November 1.

    His refusal to talk about Mr Cameron was designed to show that Mr Brown considers himself a national leader above party politics. He has already wooed members of the Tory party into his administration and he said yesterday that his aim was not just to "occupy the centre ground but to shape it and expand it".

    While the NHS, education and crime dominated the speech, Mr Brown made a number of references to his own personal history, but he reserved his strongest language for his attempts to cross the political divide and win the support of Tory voters.

    In his final rallying call he said: "So this is my pledge to the British people: I will not let you down. I will stand up for our schools and our hospitals. I will stand up for British values. I will stand up for a strong Britain. And I will always stand up for you."

    Evoking his religious upbringing, Mr Brown challenged Tory plans for family support, which will offer tax perks for only married couples.

  • PM's speech in full
  • Video: Brown's maiden speech analysed
  • Philip Johnston: Is there anything new in speech?
  • He said: "We all remember that biblical saying: 'Suffer the little children and come unto me.' No Bible I have ever read says: 'Just bring me some of the children.'"

    And, in a direct appeal to non-Labour voters, he added: "I reach out to all those who work hard and play by the rules, who believe in strong families and a patriotic Britain, who may have supported other parties but who, like me, want to defend and advance British values and our way of life."

    Last night the mood among delegates and MPs was that they were primed for an election, although Mr Brown made no mention of a possible poll and refused to answer questions on the subject in interviews ahead of the speech.

    To rub salt into Tory wounds, Labour paraded two "Tory turncoats" at the conference before Mr Brown took to the stage.

    Quentin Davies, who crossed the floor soon after Mr Brown became Prime Minister, received a standing ovation for his speech. Earlier Shaun Woodward, who defected in 1999 and is now Northern Ireland Secretary, also made a speech to delegates.


  • Andrew Pierce: Still none the wiser
  • Brown rebukes Northern Rock bonuses
  • 'An education system for all'
  • The Prime Minister used the speech to set out his personal credo. "I am proud to be British. I believe in values. My father and mother taught me about family and the great virtues of hard work, doing your duty and always trying to do the right thing."

    His speech was laced with repeated references to Britain and Britishness. In an attempt to stake out traditional Tory ground, he talked again about "British jobs for British workers".


    Mr Brown announced that any "newcomers to Britain who were caught selling drugs or using guns will be thrown out".

    He pointed out that "two thirds of deaths from gun crime occur in just four cities" and vowed to give the police the support to crack down on gun crime. And in a pointed rebuff to Mr Cameron he denied Britain was a "broken society".

    And he said he would cut police bureaucracy by issuing 10,000 hand-held computers to officers to deal with crimes while staying on the beat.

    Last night Mr Cameron said: "After that uninspiring speech, it's clear that Gordon Brown has no answers to Britain's problems.

    "The Conservatives do, and that is why we have already called for a general election and continue to do so. We are ready and waiting."


    2007年9月22日 星期六

    "歐洲之星"時速新紀錄

    "歐洲之星"再創時速新紀錄
    歐洲之星火車
    歐洲之星火車創下了時速180英里(288公里)的新紀錄

    一列從布魯塞爾到倫敦的“歐洲之星”火車創下時速288公里的新紀錄,全程只用1:43小時。

    這列歐洲之星新幹線火車在從比利時的布魯塞爾米迪(Midi)火車站開出,到倫敦的聖潘克勒斯(St Pancras)火車站,作為首次試運。

    這列火車以186英里的速度從歐洲大陸經過肯特郡(Kent)抵達倫敦,打破了兩小時車程的記錄。

    米迪(Midi)火車站與聖潘克勒斯火車站相距232英里,歐洲之星新幹線火車首次試運便以1小時43分的速度抵達,比布魯塞爾至倫敦滑鐵盧(Waterloo)站節省了20分鐘車程。

    歐洲之星總裁里查德﹒布朗說,這次試運使倫敦至布魯塞爾的車程完全限制在了兩小時之內。

    再創記錄

    此前,歐洲之星新幹線9月4日曾創下巴黎到倫敦火車交通最短的時間。

    當時,一列載有英法官員和媒體記者的歐洲之星火車,從巴黎北站(Paris Gare du Nord)開往倫敦,途經英國新完工的高速鐵軌,最後抵達歐洲之星新終點站聖潘克勒斯,時間為兩小時3分39秒。

    從11月14日起,歐洲之星至法國和比利時的列車服務將使用英國一側長達68英里的高速新幹線,並將停靠站從滑鐵盧(Waterloo)改為聖潘克勒斯車站。

    以前,歐洲之星火車在法國的那段路線一直是以高速行駛,但是到了英國這段,就必須減速,這是因為歐洲之星火車和進出倫敦的通勤火車共用一段鐵軌。

    2007年9月19日 星期三

    George Cadbury

    Wikipedia article "Cadbury Schweppes". 現在國際級糖果-飲料綜合商


    創辦企業家-慈善家:
    George Cadbury
    Bronze bust at Friends meeting house, Bournville
    Enlarge
    Bronze bust at Friends meeting house, Bournville

    George Cadbury (September 19, 1839October 24, 1922) was the third son of Quaker John Cadbury, who founded Cadbury's cocoa and chocolate company.

    Together with his brother Richard he took over the family business in 1861. In 1878 they acquired 14 acres (57,000 m²) of land in open country, four miles (6 km) south of Birmingham, where they opened a new factory in 1879.

    The Cadbury brothers were concerned with the quality of life of their employees and provided an alternative to grimy city life. As more land was acquired and the brothers moved the factory to a new country location, they decided to build something of a factory town (designed by architect William Alexander Harvey), which would provide fully-fledged houses at low costs for the employees and their families. This village became known as Bournville after the nearby river and French word for "town". The houses were never privately owned, and their value stayed low and affordable. Bournville was a marked change from the poor living conditions of the urban evironment. Here, families had houses with yards, gardens, and fresh air. To this day, the town offers affordable housing.

    The brothers cared for their employees; they both believed in the social rights of the workers and hence they installed canteens and sport grounds. Nineteen years after brother Richard died, George opened a works committee for each gender which discussed proposals for improving the firm. He also pressed ahead with other ideas, like an annuity, a deposit account and education facilities for every employee.

    George Cadbury was one of the prime movers in setting up The Birmingham Civic Society in 1918.

    Cadbury donated the Lickey Hills Country Park to the people of Birmingham.

    Blue plaque at George Road, Edgbaston
    Enlarge
    Blue plaque at George Road, Edgbaston

    Bibliography

    • Walter Stranz: George Cadbury (Shire Publications, Aylesbury, 1973) ISBN 0-85263-236-3

    External links

    莎翁真實身份?

    這公案一直吵吵鬧鬧
    有些事只能一直迷惑下去

    英國知名演員質疑莎翁真實身份
    雅克比爵士(左)和賴倫斯(右)
    對莎士比亞作家身體提出質疑的這個聯盟共有287人。

    包括德里克﹒雅克比爵士(Sir Derek Jacobi)和馬克﹒賴倫斯在內的知名演員聯名簽署一份聲明,對威廉﹒莎士比亞是否是完成那些不朽劇作的作家身份提出質疑。

    約有近300人聯名簽署了這份"合理疑問宣言",並希望借此機會進一步推動對莎士比亞身份問題的研究。

    雅克比爵士說,"我認同這個團體的看法。我認為,任何人都不可能單獨完成這些巨作。"

    身份質疑

    這個對莎士比亞身份提出質疑的團體說,沒有任何證據顯示莎士比亞因其作品獲得過報酬。

    儘管有關莎士比亞的文件確實存在,但那些文件都與文學作品無關。這些文件顯示莎士比亞於1564年出生於英國埃文河畔斯特拉特福德(Stratford-upon-Avon)。

    在莎士比亞的遺囑中,他表示"把第二張最好的床連同家具"留給他的妻子,但遺囑行文並沒有莎士比亞劇作中著名句子的影子,遺囑也沒有提到任何書籍、劇作或詩歌。

    對莎士比亞作家身份提出質疑的這個聯盟共有287人。該聯盟說,莎翁的劇本強調法律,這不大可能是由一個在16世紀的文盲家裡長大的普通人寫就的。

    莎士比亞作品
    該聯盟認為,莎士比亞不過是諸多劇作家所使用的一個筆名。
    該聯盟還質疑說,為什麼莎翁的劇本都以上流社會為背景,為什麼莎翁的作品一次都沒有提到過埃文河畔斯特拉特福德?

    該聯盟問道,"為何他對意大利的東西這樣熟悉,即便是外人看來很不明瞭的東西也如此精確?"

    筆名?

    18世紀以來就有不少"陰謀論者"認為,莎士比亞不過是諸多劇作家所使用的一個筆名,而這些劇作家包括克利斯多弗﹒馬洛 (Christopher Marlowe)、弗朗西斯﹒培根(Francis Bacon)和貴族紳士愛德華﹒德﹒維爾(Edward de Vere)。

    雅克比爵士說,"我認為,真正的作家可能是德﹒維爾,因為作家會描繪自己的生活,生活經歷和個性。"

    在奇切斯特一家劇院公布的這份宣言還列舉了20多名以前對莎士比亞作家身份提出質疑的名人名單,他們包括馬克﹒吐溫、奧遜﹒威爾斯(Orson Welles)、約翰﹒吉爾古德(John Gielgud)爵士和查裡﹒卓別林等。

    這份宣言的一個副本已被送到倫敦布魯內爾大學英語系主任威廉﹒萊希博士的手中。

    布魯內爾大學將在本月底首次開設一個有關莎士比亞作家身份的碩士生研究生課程。

    萊希博士說,"過去幾年我一直掙扎著將這個課題納入正規的學術研究軌道。"

    萊希說:"這是一個合理的質疑。問題的中心有一個迷團,學術討論將有助於我們接近這個問題的核心。"

    但他表示,"這並非是說我們將回答一切疑問,關鍵不在這兒。關鍵在於,我們將提出諸多疑問。"

    2007年9月15日 星期六

    危機 Northern Rock scrambled to contain the fallout

    星期六英國各大報紙都在頭版報道英國房屋抵押貸款機構Northern Rock面臨危機的消息。

    幾分大報都刊登了大批恐慌的客戶在Northern Rock分行排隊提款的相片。

    周五傳出消息說,英格蘭銀行決定出面解救Northern Rock的資金不靈問題。

    《每日電訊報》《獨立報》的標題都是:"商業大街上的恐慌"。

    《每日電訊報》報道,就在星期五一天之內,Northern Rock就被客戶提走了10億英鎊的現金。

    該機構的電話線路大部分時間都堵塞,其網頁也癱瘓,而全國72家分行則被成千上萬客戶包圍。

    《獨立報》一篇評論指出,對於Northern Rock來說這是一場災難,對於我們普通市民來說,這標誌著容易借錢的日子已經一去不復返。

    大批客戶擠在Northern Rock分行外
    大批客戶擠在Northern Rock分行外

    報道說,很多房屋擁有者都在等待美國的那場次級房屋貸款危機襲擊英國本土。

    《泰晤士報》報道說,就在成千上萬客戶爭先恐後提款之際,Northern Rock的股價在周五急挫了31%,一下子減少了9億英鎊的市值。

    Northern Rock是英國第五大按揭貸款機構,佔了英國貸款市場的18.3%。消息傳出後,英國其它金融機構的股價因此相繼受挫。

    Alliance & Leicester以及Paragon Group分別下跌了7%和17%。

    《衛報》引述消息人士稱,Northern Rock不是唯一一家有問題的貸款機構,可能還會陸續有來。

    由英格蘭銀行親自出面救助的情況在英國非常罕見。上一次是在1970年代,而這次也是該銀行在1997年得到獨立制定利率全以來的首次。

    《金融時報》指出,全球銀行體系動蕩襲擊英國。

    該報認為,英格蘭銀行的拯救行動未能挽回客戶對Northern Rock的信心。

    《每日郵報》在頭版標題問道:我們(存在銀行)的錢到底有多安全?

    報道引述專家擔心,在全球資金緊縮的困境下,可能還會有其它金融機構面對與Northern Rock相似的情況。


    Scramble to quit UK mortgage lender

    By Peter Thal Larsen in London

    Published: September 14 2007 20:40 | Last updated: September 14 2007 20:40

    The turmoil in global banking hit the streets of Britain on Friday as thousands of Northern Rock customers queued up to withdraw their savings from the UK mortgage lender after it was rescued by the Bank of England.

    As regulators and politicians called for calm, Northern Rock – Britain’s fifth-biggest mortgage lender – scrambled to contain the fallout after it became the first British bank in decades to be bailed out by regulators. One person close to the situation said customers had withdrawn about $2bn Friday but Northern Rock declined to comment on the figure, which would amount to 4 per cent of its deposit base.

    The rescue demonstrates the risks from a decade of financial innovation in the capital markets, which allowed a small regional lender to wield financial clout far greater than its network of 76 branches would suggest.

    It also shows how the turmoil in the financial system that resulted from excessive lending to Americans with patchy credit histories triggered the failure of a bank with no direct links to the US mortgage market.

    VIDEO

    Chris Hughes

    UK Daily View: Chris Hughes explains how the UK mortgage lender has suffered from the credit squeeze

    US Daily View: Thorold Barker on how the Bank of England‘s approach to a liquidity crisis differed from the Federal Reserve’s

    Have your say
    How worried should customers be?

    Slideshow
    Customers queue at branches

    Shares in Northern Rock plunged more than 30 per cent as analysts slashed their earnings forecasts for the bank. The news also dragged down share prices for other UK banks such as Alliance & Leicester, HBOS and Barclays.

    The FTSE 100 saw sharp falls until US markets opened and helped soften the bearish tone. As the day wore on, sentiment soured again. The list of leading UK shares ended 74.6 points lower, almost 1.2 per cent down at 6,289.3. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 16.2 points lower at 1508.1, 1.1 per cent down.

    In the US, equity markets pared early losses after economic data showed retail sales, excluding sales of vehicles, fell sharply in August. The data cemented investors’ expectations of at least a quarter-point interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve when policymakers meet on Tuesday.

    The commerce department reported retail sales fell 0.4 per cent in August, excluding vehicle sales, compared with forecasts of a 0.1 per cent rise, and a 0.7 per cent increase in retail sales in July. The S&P500 was down 0.1 per cent to 1,482.45 by midday in New York. The Dow Jones Industrial Average of blue-chip stocks fell 0.01 per cent to 13,423.66.

    Financials were among the worst performers, after Merrill Lynch, the world’s largest brokerage, warned that shaky credit markets had forced it to adjust the value of securities linked to risky subprime mortgages.

    Concern over Northern Rock and the ability of UK banks to maintain new mortgage lending at attractive rates added to concerns about the housing market and the economy in general.

    Under the terms of the bail-out, the Bank of England will provide an open-ended facility to Northern Rock, allowing it to access liquidity by posting mortgages or mortgage-backed securities as collateral. The rescue – finalised yesterday after days of negotiations involving the Financial Services Authority and the UK Treasury – came just two days after Mervyn King, governor of the Bank, insisted it would not intervene to bail out the markets.

    According to people familiar with the matter, several banks considered buying Northern Rock. However, a deal was undermined by a shortage of liquidity and uncertainty about Northern Rock’s value. Adam Applegarth, Northern Rock’s chief executive, said the bank was not in talks with a buyer.

    Additional reporting by Chris Giles, Lina Saigol, Paul J Davies and Saskia Scholtes in London


    環保口香糖

    英科學家發明環保口香糖 明年初上市

    黏人口香糖即將走入歷史。英國研究人員發明一種食用後丟棄不會造成環境污染的不黏口香糖,預計明年初上市。

    布里斯托大學教授柯茲葛洛夫研發這款名為Rev7的不黏口香糖,在口香糖內添加了水和油的共聚物,這使得口香糖外圍被一層水或油物質包圍,使它被丟棄後,不易沾黏到其它物體表面。

    自願參加實驗者嚼了二十分鐘後,再將它丟在人行道上,二十四小時內,口香糖會自動消失,如果用水清洗,很快就可以清除乾淨,一般市售的口香糖則需要至少一週的時間。

    如果將不黏的新款口香糖放在試管內,再加入水,口香糖就化為白色粉末,消失在空氣中,非常環保。

    柯茲葛洛夫說,二十名熱愛口香糖的自願者參加測試,其中包括一名來自義大利的口香糖專家,針對口感、口味、口香糖的成份等進行測試,「我們的口香糖都獲得高分」,食用者也沒有任何口腔不適的情況。

    目前研究人員開發包括薄荷、檸檬等口味,正在研發尼古丁口味,以饗癮君子。

    英國地方政府每年花費一億五千萬英鎊(約新台幣一百億元),清除沾黏在人行道和其它公共場所的口香糖,是財務上一大負擔,不黏口香糖的發明,被視為是項重要突破。

    2007年9月12日 星期三

    Yahoo, Bebo Collaborate on Advertising

    透過這才了解點英國的網路--尤其是青少年市場(至30歲)
    以及它的市場版塊特性

    Yahoo, Bebo Collaborate on Advertising

    By JESSICA HODGSON

    LONDON -- Yahoo Inc. said Wednesday that it agreed to collaborate on advertising in the U.K. and Ireland with social networking site Bebo.

    Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but Internet giant Yahoo will sell the majority of Bebo's display and video advertising in the U.K., the companies said.

    Yahoo said the deal would "substantially increase" its advertising inventory and help it better target younger demographic users attracted to social networking sites.

    Bebo, a closely held social networking Web site targeted primarily at teenagers and young adults founded in 2005, was the U.K.'s most popular social networking site in July, according to ComScore Networks.

    Bebo had 10.6 million unique visitors in the U.K. and Ireland, and 18.2 million world-wide, growing 63% since the start of the year, ComScore said. However, its success in the U.K. hasn't been mirrored in the U.S. and in other countries, where it is dwarfed by sites such as Facebook and News Corp.'s MySpace, which are particularly popular in North America, and Orkut in Latin America.

    The deal comes as Yahoo's new chief executive and co-founder, Jerry Yang, hired after the departure of former CEO Terry Semel this summer, conducts a strategic review of the company's operations. Mr. Yang has pledged to address Yahoo's stalled growth and flagging stock price, as its chief rival Google Inc. continues to expand its share of the Internet search market, and amid concerns the booming market for Internet display advertising may be cooling.

    Toby Coppel, Yahoo's managing director for Europe, said in an interview that the deal with Bebo would allow the U.S. company to increase advertising yields through better targeting of consumers aged 13 to 30. Neither of the companies disclosed how much advertising revenue they make in the U.K.

    Joanna Shields, Bebo's international president, said the company wouldn't pursue a path recently followed by Facebook of making user profiles available via search engines. Bebo takes a "cautious' approach to advertising, she said, generally adopting the principle of running no more than one ad per page.

    The U.K. has the world's highest share of Internet advertising as a proportion of total advertising expenditure, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau, at 11.4% of spending, compared with a global average of around 5.8%.

    Write to Jessica Hodgson at jessica.hodgson@dowjones.net

    2007年9月11日 星期二

    Anita Roddick, Body Shop Founder, Dies at 64

    美體小舖創辦人羅迪克10日因腦溢血病逝,享年64歲。
    美聯社

    英國化妝品連鎖店美體小舖(Body Shop)創辦人安妮塔‧羅迪克(Anita Roddick)10日因腦溢血病逝,享年64歲。有「綠色女王」封號的羅迪克,生前是受人尊崇的女企業家,在維護人權和環境保護上貢獻良多。

    身為英國知名的女企業家,羅迪克今年2月曾透露,1971年生女兒時,因為輸血感染C型肝炎。

    1976年第一家美體小舖在英格蘭南部小鎮布萊頓開幕,當時羅迪克完全沒有創業和經營管理經驗,她說開店的動機純粹是想養家糊口。30多年來,美體小舖在全球50個國家擴增至2,000家分店。

    從薄荷足部乳液到葡萄柚去角質霜,美體小舖推出未經動物測試的天然產品,並且採用環保袋,深受中產階級與崇尚有機食品的民眾所喜愛,也為羅迪克贏得「綠色女王」封號。

    羅迪克說,她的環保概念傳承自歷經二次世界大戰艱困時期的母親。羅迪克說:「容器可以重新補充時,何必要拋棄?為何要買超過自己所需的份量?我承襲母親二戰時期的節約作法。物品再利用,儘量做回收。」

    綠色和平組織執行長索文推崇羅迪克是了不起的女性,他說:「現在每家公司都說自己環保,但羅迪克幾十年前就開始身體力行。」

    去年美體小舖被彩妝集團萊雅(L'Oreal)以6.52億英鎊(13億美元)收購,羅迪克與先生出售18%的股權獲利2.04億美元,引起美體小舖忠實顧客的不滿,他們擔心美體小舖的產品標準會有所妥協。

    當時羅迪克為自己的決定辯護說:「美體小舖特立獨行、改變企業規則的形象,不會改變。這是我們基因的一部份。」

    美體小舖被併購後,羅迪克仍然擔任這家公司的顧問。但今年稍早她接受媒體訪問時表示,很後悔1984年讓美體小舖在公開上市,因為這導致她失去部分控制權。

    羅迪克鼓勵向第三世界的小社區採購材料以鼓勵這些國家的發展。為了提倡再生能源,她還在英國威爾斯投資風力發電廠。這位兼顧商業和社會責任的傑出女性2005年曾說過,要將5,100萬英鎊(逾1億美元)的財產全部捐給慈善機構,因為她不希望自己死時還抱著大筆財富。

    2007年9月10日 星期一

    DNA FROM ALL

    DNA FROM ALL

    A senior British judge has called for a much bigger DNA database in the UK in the fight against crime.

    Sir Stephen Sedley a member of the Court of Appeal says everyone who lives in Britain - and everyone who visits the country too - should be required to give a DNA sample.

    The UK already has more than four million DNA profiles on file - the largest such database in the world. And this resource does help police solve as many as 20,000 crimes a year.

    But would a DNA database with 70 million profiles be a realistic and practical possibility?

    2007年9月9日 星期日

    Pregnant women to get cash for good diet

    the nanny state


    Pregnant women to get cash for good diet



    · £120 grant to buy fruit and vegetables
    · Brown rejects 'nanny state' criticism


    Jo Revill, Whitehall editor
    Sunday September 9, 2007
    The Observer


    All expectant mothers are to be given a one-off payment of around £120 that they will be encouraged to spend on fresh fruit and vegetables as a way of protecting their children from diseases and incurable conditions later in life.

    The plan for a 'health in pregnancy' grant will be outlined by Health Secretary Alan Johnson this week in his first major speech outlining how the government plans to tackle the yawning health divide between the richest and poorest in England and Wales.



    Pregnant women to get cash for good diet



    · £120 grant to buy fruit and vegetables
    · Brown rejects 'nanny state' criticism


    Jo Revill, Whitehall editor
    Sunday September 9, 2007
    The Observer


    All expectant mothers are to be given a one-off payment of around £120 that they will be encouraged to spend on fresh fruit and vegetables as a way of protecting their children from diseases and incurable conditions later in life.

    The plan for a 'health in pregnancy' grant will be outlined by Health Secretary Alan Johnson this week in his first major speech outlining how the government plans to tackle the yawning health divide between the richest and poorest in England and Wales.

    The payment - the first by a government that is allied to a specific health target - would be given to women when they are seven months pregnant. It would be linked to them receiving professional health advice on how to maintain a proper balanced diet, and give up drinking and smoking. The move comes as the government's record on improving public health will come under fresh scrutiny this week when Sir Derek Wanless, a former government adviser on the NHS, publishes a major report that will criticise lack of progress on tackling increasingly unhealthy lifestyles which have led to Britain's obesity epidemic. The report is expected to highlight poor eating habits, people's increasingly sedentary routines and the growing number of overweight people as areas where more determined action needs to be taken.

    The pregnancy measure, to be introduced in 2009, is likely to prove highly controversial as women will be free to spend the money on drink or cigarettes. Sources told The Observer that the government accepts that some of the 630,000 women who become pregnant each year may choose not to spend the money on healthy food. There is also little published research to show that a financial incentive, combined with nutritional advice, is sufficient to persuade mothers from the most deprived areas to change their lifestyle.

    It was decided it would be too complex, and possibly unfair, to means-test the payment and give it only to the poorest women. It is likely to be given as an extra child benefit, regardless of income.

    The proposals, currently being scrutinised by the Treasury, are expected to cost between £70m and £80m a year. Health economists have argued that if women do buy good food, it would save the health service far more than that amount by preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes.

    In his speech on Thursday, Johnson will lay out his vision for an NHS where preventative measures play a far greater role. He will point out that just under one in 12 children in England and Wales is born underweight - less than 5.5lbs. They are not only at greater risk of dying in infancy, but face long-term difficulties such as heart disease, diabetes, lung conditions and impaired cognitive development because their growth has been retarded in the womb by a lack of essential nutrients.

    Another problem driving the high number of underweight babies is the fact that Britain has Europe's highest rate of teenage births, with an average of 26 children born to every 1,000 women aged between 15 and 19, more than four times the rate in Cyprus, Slovenia, Sweden or Denmark.

    Brushing aside concerns about being seen as a 'nanny state', Gordon Brown has sanctioned his Cabinet to take a more interventionist approach when it comes to narrowing the life chances between rich and poor. This will include sending more nurses into deprived communities to support women who need the most NHS help but are most likely not to ask for it. A scheme pioneered in America is being trialled in Somerset under which nurses regularly help mothers who are struggling to cope.

    Tam Fry, director of the Child Growth Foundation, said: 'We know that women who are well educated and with disposable income take their diet seriously during pregnancy and eat well, but for those lower on the social scale, without the education or the money or the help, it's tough. It's a sensitive issue to address, but it matters because the weight of a baby at birth can have a profound effect on their health further down the line.

    'By the time a woman falls pregnant, she already needs to be eating well to give her baby the best chance. Tackling it halfway through the pregnancy is really a bit late, though it is very good that the government is waking up to the scale of the problem.'

    One big health divide opening up is over tobacco, as women from deprived communities are four times more likely to smoke during pregnancy. Johnson will publish a health inequality strategy next summer which will launch a radical programme to try to lower the divide.

    Missing Girl's Parents Leave Portugal

    Missing Girl's Parents Leave Portugal

    By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
    Published: September 9, 2007

    Filed at 5:53 a.m. ET

    FARO, Portugal (AP) -- A British couple named as suspects in the disappearance of their 4-year-old daughter left Portugal on Sunday, days after being grilled by Portuguese police about new forensic evidence authorities believe ties them to the case.

    Kate and Gerry McCann left aboard an easyJet flight from Faro airport, en route to an airport in central England near their home.

    Reporters on the plane said the first two rows had been reserved for the McCanns and their 2-year-old twins. They were expected to arrive in England just after noon, following a three-hour flight.

    As the plane took off, a family spokeswoman, Justine McGuinness, read out a brief statement, saying the McCanns were ''returning to Britain after careful thought'' and in order to give their twins a more normal life.

    ''They played no part in the disappearance of their beloved daughter,'' she said.

    McGuinness said the McCanns were contemplating ''their response to and future actions in relation to the events of the last few days which have been so deeply disturbing to them,'' a reference to the police questioning.

    ''Their heartfelt plea is that the search for Madeleine should continue and that people should continue to remain vigilant,'' McGuinness said, adding that the couple wished they could say more, but were barred from doing so under Portuguese law.

    Earlier, police pushed back hundreds of journalists camped outside the McCanns' vacation home, allowing the couple and their twins to leave for the airport. Less than an hour later, the car pulled into the airport's VIP entrance.

    The McCanns have said they would be available to return to Portugal for questioning if needed.

    Despite being classified as suspects in the May 3 disappearance of their daughter, there are no charges against the McCanns. Nonetheless, police could have asked a court to block their exit from the country.

    The McCanns say Madeleine vanished from a hotel room in southern Portugal's Algarve region, where she and her siblings were sleeping, while they ate dinner at a nearby restaurant.

    Until Friday, suspicion had centered on Robert Murat, a British man who lived near the hotel from which Madeleine disappeared, and who was the only formal suspect. No charges have ever been brought against him, and he has said he is innocent.

    The case took a turn in recent days after police said new forensic tests done on evidence gathered months after the girl vanished found traces of blood in the couple's car. The traces of blood, apparently missed in earlier forensic tests, were uncovered by sniffer dogs brought from Britain.

    The McCanns had vowed never to leave Portugal until their daughter was found. But that stance seems to have changed even before police named them as suspects, with several spokespeople saying they were contemplating a return in the coming days.

    Gerry McCann said in a newspaper interview he was concerned their treatment indicates Portuguese police are under intense pressure to solve the case.

    ''We thought we were in our worst nightmare but now it just keeps getting worse and worse,'' he was quoted as saying in an interview with the Sunday newspaper The News of the World.

    ''We're desperate to get back for the kids' sake and emotional reasons,'' he was quoted as saying. ''It's not that we're running away.''

    Gerry McCann's sister, Philomena, has said police had proposed a plea bargain, suggesting the girl might have been killed accidentally and offering the mother a limited sentence if she confessed.

    A family friend, Clarence Mitchell, said Saturday that the McCanns, both doctors from central England, were considering hiring lawyers in Britain, where they would also have support from family and friends.

    Kate McCann is not believed to have gone home since Madeleine disappeared, though her husband has returned as part of the campaign to raise awareness for his daughter.

    ''They are determined to prove this is a travesty ... and clear their names,'' Mitchell said of the police allegations.

    The couple's ordeal has drawn attention around the world.

    The McCanns have toured Europe with photos of Madeleine and the child's stuffed animals and clothing, even meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. Celebrities including children's author J.K. Rowling and soccer star David Beckham made public appeals that helped the family raise more than $2 million.

    ------

    Associated Press Writer Paul Haven contributed to this report.

    2007年9月8日 星期六

    PayForIt

    英國推出手機小額付費服務

    英國最大的5家手機運營商聯合啟動了一項讓手機充當“電子錢包”的小額手機付費服務。

    這項被稱為"付款"(PatForIt)的手機服務,將允許顧客通過手機支付10磅以內的金額。

    業內人士希望,顧客使用這項服務支付手機鈴聲下載、火車票、停車費等費用。如果發展順利,這項服務還可能被用來支付網絡購物的賬單。

    據悉,顧客通過手機消費的金額將被累計到每月的電話賬單,以每月結算的方式繳納。

    此外,參與這項服務的運營商還將統一其支付和服務標準,以便不同電信網絡的用戶能夠享有同樣的服務。

    英國移動數據協會主席麥克﹒肖特說,人們以前不願意接受這種服務,主要是因為覺得這種服務沒有安全感。

    但現在手機付費用戶可以在手機屏幕上看到購買物品的金額以及銷售商的相關信息。

    可以說,這項手機付費服務為顧客提供了一種全新的、便利的小數額金額支付方式。


    Last Updated: Monday, 3 September 2007, 09:35 GMT 10:35 UK


    Mobiles to become digital wallets

    Parking meter, Getty
    Soon you could be paying for parking with a handset
    The UK's big five mobile phone firms have switched on a payment system that turns handsets into digital wallets.

    Called PayForIt, the scheme is designed for those buying goods and services with a value of up to £10.

    The industry hopes it will be used to pay for ringtones, train tickets, parking fees and eventually as a payment system on web shops and sites.

    Any cash spent via the scheme will automatically be added on to a customer's phone bill.

    Cash crunch

    The scheme standardises the way phones can be used to make payments so the process is the same no matter which operator a customer has signed up for or which handset they are using.

    Mike Short, chairman of the Mobile Data Association, said PayForIt had been developed as an alternative to other systems such as premium rate SMS.

    Many people, said Mr Short, were unhappy using that payment system because of past uncertainty about how much they would pay and who they turn to if things go wrong.

    "It's for those customers who have not felt comfortable with mobile transactions or payments," he said.

    Trust in mobile payments would be boosted, said Mr Short because shoppers will know who they are buying from and what they are spending.

    Anyone paying for goods with PayForIt will see an information screen that lays out what they have bought, who it has been bought from and how much it will cost.

    "It's about opening up the micro payment choices," said Mr Short, "but it's not a total cash replacement."

    PayForIt will appear as a payment option on sites that people can get to via their handset and soon will also appear as a way to pay on websites too, said Mr Short.

    Text message on mobile phone, PA
    Bad experiences have made some wary of paying via handset
    Companies such as I-play, Gameloft, EA, Multimap, SonyEricsson and Samsung have become the first to sign up and let people pay using the PayForIt system.

    PayForIt was first announced in March 2006 and the official start date for the scheme was 1 September.

    "Most big brands would not use premium rate SMS to run their services, it's not a good experience, it's not consumer friendly," said Anuj Khanna, a spokesman for Tanla Mobile which is one of the firms administering payments made via PayForIt.

    "It's entirely geared at the low value, high volume transaction market," he said.

    Paul Hunt, an expert on mobile commerce at consultancy Atos Origin, said there had been many failed attempts to set up similar schemes in the past. He said PayForIt has a good chance of success.

    "There's a much wider age range of mobile users and the capabilities of handsets have changed," he said. "The click to buy reality is catching up with the hype."

    But, he added, the backers of the scheme had to work hard to distinguish PayForIt from alternatives to ensure people realise how it differs from other schemes.

    英國報摘BBC 2007年09月08日

    英國報摘

    英國報摘

    在葡萄牙神秘失蹤的英國女童瑪德琳的父母被警方列為正式嫌疑人,英國各大報紙對此予以頭版大幅報道。

    《每日電訊報》報道,葡萄牙警方直接訊問母親凱特﹒麥卡恩是否導致了瑪德琳的失蹤,並警告她可能會面臨"意外"殺害女兒的指控。

    警方現在認為凱特導致了四歲女童瑪德琳的死亡,然後隱藏其屍體,並於一個月後將屍體處理掉。

    報道說,葡警方還向凱特提出了一個交換條件:如果她坦白真相,告訴警方屍體的位置,凱特將只面臨兩年的監禁,甚至是更輕的判決。

    麥卡恩夫婦
    麥卡恩夫婦被葡萄牙警方列為正式嫌疑人

    《衛報》說,凱特被警方連續訊問兩次,共計16小時。警方盤問了凱特22個問題,其中包括如何解釋在瑪德琳失蹤25天後租用的汽車裡發現了瑪德琳的血跡。

    警方現在懷疑瑪德琳在度假公寓裡死亡,並非被他人虜走。

    文章說,凱特的家人和朋友對警方的懷疑表示震驚和難以置信,凱特本人"憤怒地拒絕"了警方開出的條件,並說這是"荒唐的"。

    《獨立報》分析說,租用的這輛汽車成為調查的關鍵線索,那麼在車上發現的瑪德琳的血跡對母親凱特又有怎樣的重要影響呢?

    文章說,任何試圖用這輛車或是其它方式轉移屍體的舉動都有被察覺的高度風險,因為麥卡恩一家在葡萄牙的舉動都處在24小時的高度關注之下。況且,如果車上留下了瑪德琳的血跡,說明屍體沒有藏起來,而是被簡單地放在車上,這也非常不可能。但文章又說,根據統計數據,麥卡恩夫婦受到懷疑也合情合理,英國90%的謀殺案都是家庭案件,只有6%的被劫持兒童是被戀童癖和陌生人虜走的。

    凱特
    母親凱特成為案件的懷疑人

    《泰晤士報》援引葡萄牙當地媒體的報道說,警犬在凱特的衣服和她的《聖經》上嗅出了屍體的氣味。

    一名警方發言人對當地報紙說,瑪德琳失蹤當晚存在"神秘的三小時",對麥卡恩一家的監視行動也顯示出可疑之處。

    該報還撰文分析了麥卡恩一家為何能使瑪德琳失蹤案成為全球關注的焦點。

    文章說,瑪德琳成了一個"品牌",這是與媒體打交道的高超技巧和互動網站的結合的結果。該案件背後有一個很好的公關公司,該公司的危機管理負責人也是全球飲料巨頭可口可樂公司的合作伙伴。


    From
    September 8, 2007

    Madeleine’s parents named as suspects


    Kate McCann was accused of killing her daughter, Madeleine, in questioning by Portuguese detectives yesterday as she and her husband Gerry were formally declared to be suspects in the investigation into the girl’s disappearance. They now face the prospect of being charged at a later date.

    The astonishing twist came as more than 400 local people massed outside an Algarve police station, and there were jeers and shouts as Mrs McCann attended her second day of interviews. The scenes were in stark contrast to the applause she and her husband received three months ago when they went to church in the resort where Madeleine vanished. Emerging after more than three hours of questioning at the Polícia Judiciária headquarters in Portimão she looked exhausted as some people whistled and shouted.

    Late last night Mr McCann emerged from the same police station looking drawn and emotional after more than ten hours of questioning. Both are now held on bail, with no conditions.

    Madeleine’s aunt, Philomena McCann, claimed yesterday that Portuguese detectives had offered Mrs McCann a deal if she “confessed to accidentally killing Madeleine”. She told ITV News: “They tried to get her to confess . . . by offering her a deal through her lawyer — ‘if you say you killed Madeleine by accident and then hid her and disposed of the body, then we can guarantee you a two-year jail sentence or even less’.”

    The questioning of Mrs McCann focused on scientific tests suggesting that Madeleine’s blood was found in a car the couple hired 25 days after the child disappeared from Praia da Luz in May. The vehicle was seized a month ago and examined before being returned to the couple. Local papers claimed the child’s bloodstains had been found in the boot and on the key fob, but police refused to confirm this. The couple hired the Renault Scenic only days before embarking on their tour of Europe, when they met the Pope.

    Two detectives questioned Mrs McCann in the presence of two lawyers and an interpreter for three hours yesterday, after nine hours of questioning the day before. A family spokesman said Mrs McCann was “shocked and angry” at the decision to ask her if she was involved in killing the child.

    Family and friends reacted with outrage at the suggestion that she had killed her child accidentally, possibly with sedatives. The implication that she had then disposed of the girl’s body was condemned as even more preposterous. Shortly before he was questioned, Mr McCann posted a statement on the Find Madeleine website insisting that his wife was “completely innocent”. It is understood the couple will ask for the case to be reviewed by British police over fears that the Portuguese have “misread” evidence.

    Detectives have also received results from tests on samples believed to include traces of blood taken from the holiday apartment. Other reports claim that police found a syringe in the apartment, raising the suggestion that Madeleine had been sedated. Mrs McCann’s lawyer, Carlos Pinto de Abreu, has advised her there is “a possibility” she may be charged, a friend of the family said. “There’s currently a ludicrous suggestion that blood was found in her hire car. That’s been put to Kate and it’s been suggested it’s connected to the death of her daughter.”





    拉登錄像

    本拉登錄像
    本拉登的胡須濃密烏黑,莫非有假?

    《獨立報》以題為"錄像顯示本-拉登的假鬍子"為題報道了拉登的最新錄像。

    文章說,錄像中的拉登的是一臉的黑鬍子,而不是人們熟悉的花白鬍子,於是有人說這是假鬍子。

    文章說,拉登的講話內容涉及面廣,包括世界政治、全球變暖、京都議定書、美國房貸市場危機等。

    但是,基地組織領導人似乎沒有跟上英國的政壇局勢,沒有意識到布萊爾已經離職。

    儘管如此,美國情報機構認為,拉登的這一錄像是真實的。

    《泰晤士報》說,拉登可能戴的是假鬍子,這說明為了隱藏身份,他刮去了鬍鬚。

    文章據此認為,這個全球首要的通緝對象可能藏身在菲律賓、印度尼西亞這些不要求男子留鬍鬚的穆斯林國家。

    口蹄疫調查

    《每日電訊報》報道了有關機構對不久前英國爆發口蹄疫疫情的調查結果。

    報告說,政府四年前就知道事發實驗室的地下管道破損,但由於缺少資金和在到底由誰負責的問題上爭論不休,導致維修工作一直沒有進行,最終使得病菌從實驗室的地下管道中擴散出去。

    調查結果還批評引發此次口蹄疫疫情的動物實驗室管理不善,未能對人員和車輛的進出實施足夠的控制。

    龐家鈺
    “拉鏈市長”龐家鈺被11名情婦聯名告倒
    "拉鏈市長"

    《獨立報》報道了11名情婦告倒中國陝西省原政協副主席、原寶雞市市長龐家鈺一案。文章說,很多有權勢的中國男人有情婦(也被稱作"二奶"),龐家鈺對女色的喜好使其得以"拉鏈市長"的綽號。

    中國媒體報道說,過去五年因腐敗被懲處的多名高官中90%的都有情婦。不久前辭職的中國財政部長金人慶也與一名"交際花"有染,儘管官方說他是因為"個人原因"辭職。

    《衛報》說,龐家鈺是一年來因為"二奶"的指控被拉下馬的高官,中國有媒體說,中國古代的三妻四妾的妃嬪文化在腐敗官員中再度興起。文章說,由於中國缺乏獨立的司法、自由的媒體和選舉問責制度,致使腐敗猖獗。隨著案件的曝光,相繼而來的懲處會迅速而嚴厲。

    《衛報》還配發了一篇"二奶的故事",主人翁是承認在深圳做二奶的24歲的江蘇人"阿珍"。阿珍說,有些人這麼做為了錢,有些人是為了感情,但更多像她這樣的人是經歷了冷酷和無情,感到孤單和無助才走上了"二奶"的道路。