Bolivian bank robbers are being aided and abetted by an unusual accomplice — the swine flu virus. Now Bolivian banks have banned customers from wearing masks on their premises, in a bid to curb an epidemic of robberies by people taking advantage of A(H1N1) fears to hide their faces.
“We have decided that only staff can wear masks, while clients can no longer enter with masks,” Hoggier Hurtado, president of the federation of savings banks in the central city of Santa Cruz, told El Dia newspaper.
The decision came after a bank heist in broad daylight at the Family Cooperative by five people wearing masks commonly used in Bolivia to protect against the A(H1N1) virus.
Santa Cruz police have backed the decision and police chief Johnny Vargas said thieves are taking advantage of the precautionary measures advocated by health authorities against the pandemic to commit their crimes.
“Unfortunately, there are many people who commit crimes by using masks, which prevents us from identifying their faces despite the security cameras,” Vargas said.
Santa Cruz, located in the wealthiest region of the South American country, is the epicenter of the A(H1N1) outbreak in Bolivia, accounting for 70 percent of the 1,500 confirmed cases of infection.(AFP)
玻利維亞銀行劫匪現在多了一個不尋常的共犯──新流感病毒。民眾擔心感染新流感(H1N1)而戴起口罩,現在玻利維亞銀行為了防止搶匪趁機把臉遮住犯案,禁止客戶戴口罩進入銀行。
「我們已決定只有行員可以戴口罩,客戶則不得戴口罩進入銀行,」中部大城聖克魯斯的儲蓄銀行聯合會主席哈吉爾.賀爾塔多對《日報》表示。
這項決定起因於之前一起銀行搶案,五名搶匪在光天化日之下,戴著玻利維亞民眾一般用來預防新流感的口罩,搶劫了「家庭合作社」。
聖克魯斯警方對這項決定表示支持,警察局長強尼.瓦葛斯說,衛生部門為預防疫情擴大而倡導的預防措施,竟被盜賊利用來犯案。
瓦葛斯說:「很遺憾地,有許多人利用戴口罩犯案,即使透過監視器畫面,警方也難以辨認其身份。」
位於南美洲玻利維亞最富裕地區的聖克魯斯,是新流感群聚感染爆發之所在,該市的感染人數就佔了玻國一千五百例確診病例的七成。(法新社╱翻譯:袁星塵)
A: Bruno Mars is definitely one of today’s most popular singers. B: He has even won 14 Grammy Awards. A: I love all his megahits, like “Just the Way You Are.” B: And his new song with Lady Gaga “Die with a Smile” has a caused worldwide sensation. A: I wonder if we’ll hear the new song at his Kaohsiung concert? A: 火星人布魯諾是近年來最受歡迎的流行歌手。 B: 對啊他還曾榮獲14座葛萊美獎。 A: 他所有的金曲我都愛,像《Just the Way You Are》。 B: 最近他和女神卡卡合唱《Die with a Smile》更造成大轟動! A: 不知道在高雄有沒有機會聽他演唱這首新歌呢? (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A few new policies take effect this month, with the following most likely to affect our daily life. Nationwide ban on disposable plastic cups in beverage shops According to the Ministry of Environment’s “Parties Subject to and Means for Single-use Takeaway Beverage Cups Restrictions” implemented on July 1, 2022, beverage shops are required to offer a NT$5 discount for customers who bring their own cups, and all local governments will be required to devise schedules to phase out single-use beverage cups. With the nationwide ban taking effect from this month, it is expected that the number of disposable plastic cups will be
Foxes are known for being cunning and resourceful, but a study suggests another surprising talent. Research from the Czech Republic indicates these creatures may use the Earth’s magnetic field when hunting. The study, led by Jaroslav ?erveny, tracked wild red foxes for over two years, recording nearly 600 hunting leaps by 84 foxes. Researchers found the animals predominantly jumped in a northeasterly direction, regardless of the time of day, season, or weather conditions. This preferred leaping direction resulted in a much higher kill rate, with foxes finding success on 73 percent of their northeasterly pounces on their prey. The results prompted
Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日) https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang The potential use of magnetism to improve hunting ability is not the only surprising aspect of the fox’s complex behavior. The furry creatures are also known for their wide range of vocal expressions. They can produce a surprising range of sounds — up to 40 in total. The most well-known fox vocalization is the scream-like howl, but they also use barks, chatters, and whines to communicate with each other. These sounds are used to defend territory, attract mates, and care for their young. Besides the variety of sounds foxes utter and their possible use of the