2015年3月12日 星期四

Uber Delhi 'rape': India tells states to ban web taxis

9 December 2014 

Delhi has banned Uber and several other web-based taxi firms for failing to carry out adequate driver checks.

The order means taxis from these services will now attract a fine or even be impounded, officials say.

The Uber driver accused of rape has been arrested and remanded in custody.

The 26-year-old woman had used the Uber smartphone app to book a taxi home on Friday night but said she was taken to a secluded area and raped.

Although the driver has not yet given a statement, police say he has confessed to the crime.

"Following the incident of a heinous crime... the government of Delhi has banned Uber to provide any transport related service in Delhi," the home ministry said in a message to state governments around the country.

All internet-based taxi services which are not licensed with the government are also prohibited from operating until they get registered, the letter says, adding that all other states and federally-administered union territories are advised to do the same.

In an order issued late on Monday, the Delhi government said only six registered radio taxi companies were being allowed to continue to operate in the capital.

"All other transport/ taxi service providers through web-based technology, who are not recognised, are prohibited from providing such services... till they get licence/permission from the transport department," S Roy Biswas, Delhi's deputy commissioner of transport, said.

Media reports said the ban could hit a number of taxi services in the city, and thousands of drivers would be out of work.

A BBC correspondent in Delhi says Uber is still accepting bookings on its app and it is not yet clear how the ban will be enforced since Uber taxis do not carry any visible branding.

Uber has not yet commented on the ban.

On Monday, the company described the incident as "horrific" and said it would do everything "to help bring this perpetrator to justice".

The latest allegation of rape has again put the spotlight on the issue of sexual violence against Indian women, following a series of recent incidents.

It comes days before the second anniversary of the gang rape and murder of a student on a bus in Delhi, which prompted global outrage and a tightening of the laws on sexual violence.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-30390691

 Structure of the Lead：

   WHO-not given

   WHEN-not given

   WHAT-Delhi has banned Uber and several other web-based taxi firms for failing to carry out adequate driver checks.

   WHY-not given

   WHERE-India

   HOW-The 26-year-old woman had used the Uber smartphone app to book a taxi home on Friday night but said she was taken to a secluded area and raped.

Keywords：

   1. rape：強姦

   2. adequate：充足的

   3. firm：企業

   4. impound：扣押

   5. remand：還押

   6. custody：保管,拘留

   7. confess：承認

   8. heinous：令人髮指的

   9. secluded：僻靜的

2015年3月5日 星期四

National Taichung Theater starts trial operations

President Ma Ying-jeou said Nov. 23 that National Taichung Theater will help attract more performing art groups to Taiwan and boost the country’s cultural profile.

“The theater is set to become a new landmark on the local cultural and creative landscape,” Ma said during a ceremony marking the commencement of trial operations at the facility in central Taiwan.

“Along with National Theater and Concert Hall in Taipei City and Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the Arts under construction in Kaohsiung City, the facility will help usher in a new era for the performing arts in Taiwan.”

Taking five years to complete, the NT$4.36 billion (US$141.56 million) project features a beamless design and irregular curved walls. It is the brainchild of Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Toyo Ito from Japan, whose work on the Kaohsiung Main Stadium attracted worldwide praise.

Covering 57,024 square meters in downtown Taichung, the facility includes a 2,000-seat grand performing hall, an 800-seat theater and a 200-seat experimental theater. It will officially open to the public in early 2015 under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture.

As part of the celebrations, Taichung City Government is staging dance and theater performances, as well as concerts and light shows, at the site.

The inaugural show was a production of “Cat Man” by traditional opera troupe Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group. It is to be followed by performances of “Don Quixote” by the Paper Windmill Theater Nov. 27 and 28. 

http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=224373&ctNode=445

 Structure of the Lead：

   WHO-Toyo,Ma Ying-jeou

   WHEN-Nov. 23

   WHAT-National Taichung Theater will help attract more performing art groups to Taiwan and boost the country’s cultural profile

   WHY-not given

   WHERE-Taichung

   HOW-not given

Keywords：

   1. trial：試驗的

   2. commencement：開始

   3. project：項目

   4. irregular：不規則

   5. troupe：主持人

   6. inaugural：開幕
    7. auspices : 贊助