英闻天下——510 Beijing Confirms Taxi Fares to Rise

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　　Coastal¹ Cities Fall Victim to Maritime² Pollution

 

　　China's coastal areas are suffering from maritime pollution as scenic³ spots and local environments become increasingly threatened.

 

　　Two days of gales⁴ last week resulted in almost sixty tons of garbage ending up onshore at Silver Beach, dubbed⁵ China's No 1 beach, in the southern coastal city of Beihai in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous⁶ region.

 

　　Alongside natural waste such as seashells, seaweed and dead crabs⁷, rubbish dotted the site, turning Silver Beach into a land of garbage.

 

　　Plastic bags, beer bottles, shattered glass and bamboo sticks used for barbecues were seen piled up in the middle and eastern areas of the beach, thanks to southwestern monsoons⁸.

 

　　But the 60 tons of rubbish is just part of a broader picture.

 

　　Last year alone, it's said an estimated 1,800 tons of garbage was found on the beach.

 

　　Local official say Beihai is just the epitome⁹ of many Chinese coastal cities struggling with maritime pollution.

 

　　Beijing News

 

　　Beijing Confirms Taxi Fares to Rise

 

　　Taxi fares in China's capital will rise but by how much has not been officially confirmed yet.

 

　　A taxi driver may charge 15 yuan for a trip within 3 kilometers, and an additional 2.40 yuan for every kilometer beyond that.

 

　　The price is currently 10 yuan within 3 kilometers and 2 yuan for every additional kilometer.

 

　　Higher fees are charged if the trip is made at night and distance exceeds 15 kilometers.

 

　　Meanwhile, a number of measures will be issued to address the problem of the shortage of taxis in Beijing or problems hailing one.

 

　　With worsening transportation and environment pollution, Beijing will increase the number by use double shift as well as an increase in electric taxis in the suburbs.

 

　　SIFY.com (India)

 

　　New Diet Promises to Help Lose Weight While You Sleep

 

　　The latest trend on the scene – the Overnight Diet, is a rapid weight-loss plan that claims you can actually slim down while you sleep.

 

　　American obesity¹⁰ doctor Caroline Apovian, of the Boston Medical Center, just penned a new book, 'The Overnight Diet'.

 

　　It advises that dieters eat a high-protein diet for six days, followed by one day of a liquid diet.

 

　　That followed by lots of sleep (with no exercise necessary) equals a slimmer you, up to two pounds per night and nine pounds in one week.

 

　　The liquid diet day consists of all-you-can-drink smoothies that Apovian claims are specifically engineered to produce a reduction in the body's production of insulin.

 

　　Apovian said insulin is to blame for the fat around your midsection.

 

　　Fox News

 

　　McDonald's Apologizes for Controversial Big Mac Ad Parodying¹¹ Depression

 

　　The fast food giant is distancing itself from an ad that is said to trivialize depression.

 

　　The ad, which appeared on Boston's mass transit¹² this month, shows a woman with her head in her hand, and a headline that reads: "You're Not Alone." In smaller print are the words: "Millions of people love the Big Mac," and included is an 800 number that is the line for McDonald's.

 

　　Nicole DiNoia, a McDonald's rep for the Boston area, said in a statement that the ad was "not approved by McDonald's and they asked that it be taken down immediately."

 

　　DiNoia added they have an approval process. Regrettably, in this incident, that process was not followed. And they sincerely apologize for this error.

 

　　The Boston Herald¹³ reported that the agency behind the ad stepped forward and apologized to McDonald's and to anyone who was offended.

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