02-07-08

煙火照亮中國天空慶祝農曆新年開始 (Fireworks Light Up Chinese Sky for Start of Lunar New Year Celebrations)

北京盛大煙火慶祝迎來中國農曆最重要的節日-農曆新年。官方電視臺舉辦盛大的春節聯歡晚會，作為慶祝鼠年活動的一部門。晚會還向數以百萬計因半個世紀來最惡劣嚴冬天氣而無法回家過年的農民工表達敬意。

暴風雪連續多天阻斷了交通，使數以千計的人無電，失去基本供應。中國國家主席胡錦濤和總理溫家寶視察了受災最嚴重的很多地區。胡錦濤在南部廣西省慰問期間，感謝運送救援物資的軍人。

A huge fireworks celebration in Beijing has ushered in the start of the Lunar New Year, the biggest holiday in the Chinese calendar. Government-run television today staged an extravagant variety show as part of the festivities marking the Year of the Rat. The show also paid tribute to millions of migrant workers who are not able to return home for the holiday, following the country's worst winter weather in half a century.

The snow and ice storms cut off transportation for days, and left thousands without power and crucial supplies. 

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have been touring many areas hard-hit by the bad weather. During a visit to the southern province of Guangxi today, Mr. Hu thanked soldiers for delivering relief supplies. 

新研究發現基因可能導致兒童肥胖 (New Research Shows Genes May Cause Childhood Obesity)

一項新的研究顯示，基因比不良飲食習慣更能導致兒童過度肥胖。科研人員調查了5000對8歲到11歲的雙胞胎，發現兒童腰圍和體重指數有77%是由他們的基因造成的。

出生時帶有所謂肥胖基因的孩子並非註定要肥胖，但是科研人員說，這些孩子必須付出額外的努力使體重保持在健康水準。研究負責人、倫敦大學學院的簡.沃德爾說，“這項研究顯示，把孩子體重過重的所有責任都推在父母身上是錯誤的”。

A new study shows genes are more likely to blame for obesity in children than poor eating habits. Scientists studied more than five thousand pairs of twins aged eight to eleven, and found the variation in a child's waist and
body mass index was 77 percent attributable to their genes. 

Children born with the so-called fat genes are not doomed to become obese, but the scientists said those children will have to work extra hard to keep their weight at a healthy level. 

Research leader Jane Wardle of the University College London said --in her words-- "this study shows that it is wrong to place all the blame for a child's excessive weight gain on the parents."