Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty almost brought the house down when was felled by a block of snow as he toured an igloo on the sidelines of G7 talks in Canada’s far north.
Flaherty was unscathed when the igloo archway slab got snagged on his parka hood and fell onto his back as he exited the demonstration snow house. The bricks made of packed snow can weigh up to 9kg.
Its Inuit builders said not to worry, that they would quickly repair the damage to the igloo that had only been erected hours earlier. Flaherty, meanwhile, laughed off the incident.
Finance ministers and central bankers from the world’s seven richest nations were gathered for two days in Iqaluit, just 300km from the Arctic Circle to discuss keeping a tentative global economic recovery on course as fresh turmoil roiled financial markets.
Igloos are usually associated with the Inuit people of Canada’s frozen northern region. Large igloos can house up to 20 people and the temperature inside can get as high as 15°C from body heat alone. (AFP WITH STAFF WRITER)
加拿大財政部長吉姆．弗萊赫堤到加拿大北極區參加七大工業國財金首長會議，在參觀會場外一座冰屋時被一塊冰磚砸到，差點拆了人家房子的小插曲讓全場哄堂大笑。
弗萊赫堤爬出示範冰屋時，身上穿的厚重毛皮連帽外套勾住冰屋的拱門板，結果拱門板掉下來砸到背，所幸並無大礙。由積雪壓製成的冰磚可重達九公斤。
搭建此屋的因紐特人說不用擔心，他們很快就可以修補好這座數小時前才搭好的冰屋。弗萊赫堤對這段小插曲則是一笑置之。
全球七大工業國的財政部長和中央銀行總裁齊聚在距北極圈僅三百公里的伊夸努召開兩天的會議，會中研討在近日經濟市場動盪不安之際，繼續推動全球經濟復甦的計畫。
冰屋通常和居住在加拿大北部冰天雪地地區的因紐特人有關聯。大型冰屋可容納多達二十人，室內溫度單靠人的體溫就可高達攝氏十五度。（法新社╱翻譯：袁星塵）
Many people have heard the exaggerated stories of crazed schools of “piranhas” lurking beneath the waters of the Amazon River. Interestingly, it was US President Theodore Roosevelt who helped popularize these tales. He famously called piranhas “the most ferocious fish in the world,” which cemented their fearsome reputation. However, piranhas are not as violent as Roosevelt’s account, Hollywood movies, and adventure novels portray them. Far from being ruthless killers, piranhas typically feed on worms, insects, small fish, and plants, helping maintain healthy river ecosystems. However, during the dry season, when water levels are low and food is scarce, they
★ Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 Wu Gang bent low, his axe heavy in his hands. Sweat rolled down his back. He struck the osmanthus tree. The wound closed again. He paused to breathe. He admired the branches, glowing against black silence of space. He smelled the blossoms, sweet but fleeting. Long ago, he drank deep of wine. He chased fast pleasures. He sought the potion of immortality. Not to escape death, but to merge with the Dao. Yet he hurried. He demanded the quick path. The Jade Emperor saw his heart. Desire without patience. So
Returning to the White House with unprecedented economic weaponry, US President Donald Trump has launched a comprehensive tariff offensive that has sent shockwaves through international markets. On April 2, Trump announced his “reciprocal tariff” strategy, aimed at punishing trading partners who sell more to the US than they buy in return. Central to his policy is the disputed view that such trade deficits harm the US economy. While Trump later suspended most of the tariffs to allow time for negotiations, some still went into effect, and the others remain a looming economic threat. Tariffs, essentially taxes imposed on imported goods, raise
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang “Piranhas” may make great material for horror and adventure stories, but in reality, they rarely attack humans. While people fear piranhas, it is often humans who pose a greater threat to them through overfishing, pollution, and habitat disruption. In many parts of the Amazon, piranhas have long been a common food source and are often grilled or cooked in soup. Their razor-sharp, triangular teeth are also used by locals to make tools for cutting and carving. These teeth are tightly packed, interlock like a saw blade, and are strong enough to remain useful even after the fish
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