The last 100 years have been very eventful in Kuwait. It has gone from being a poor country of traders controlled by Britain to a rich and influential independent nation. Take a closer look to see how it all happened, and where Kuwait might be going.
過去一百年來，科威特歷經許多變故，從英國控管的貧窮貿易國搖身變成有影響力的獨立國家。讓我們仔細來瞧瞧這一切是如何發生的，以及科威特的未來該何去何從。
A closer look 說古論今
PHOTO: EPA
Kuwait was founded in the 16th century by groups of nomadic traders. Whereas most Persian Gulf countries were controlled by rulers who siezed power, the people of Kuwait chose their leaders from the people. Over the centuries, the Kuwaitis made their livings as traders, dealing in spices and pearls. With few natural resources, Kuwait had become a poor country by the end of the 19th century, and in 1899 it came under the control of Britain. However, all that changed in the first half of the 20th century when Kuwait tapped into its oil resources.
By 1953, Kuwait had become the largest oil producer in the Middle East. With its new wealth, it got out from under British control, and in 1961 became the first Middle Eastern country to declare independence. When its constitution was created in 1962, it was the first country in the region to have a directly elected parliament. It also became the third country in the Persian Gulf to have a woman in the prime minister's cabinet.
Today, Kuwaitis are known for their warm hospitality. When people meet each other, they often spend a long time asking how each other's families are doing. Hosts must always offer their guests tea, and it is rude for guests not to accept it and talk for a while. However, the only time people don't talk for a long time is when a man meets a woman he doesn't know. Asking her too many questions is an invasion of her privacy, and is considered rude. (Taipei Times)
科威特在十六世紀由貿易的遊牧民族建國。當波斯灣多數國家仍受掌權的統治者控制時，科威特人民已選出自己的領導者。數世紀以來，科威特人民都以貿易維生，交易香料與珍珠。由於缺乏天然資源，科威特在十九世紀末變成貧窮國家，並於一八九九年遭英國統治。然而，科威特在二十世紀前半葉發現了石油，徹底改頭換面。
科威特在一九五三年成為中東最大的油產國。藉著新的財富資源，科威特擺脫了英國的統治，於一九六一年成為中東最早宣布獨立的國家。一九六二年科威特憲法誕生，是中東第一個讓人民直接選舉國會的國家。科威特也是波斯灣地區第三個擁有女性內閣閣員的國家。
現今，科威特人民是出了名的溫暖友善。人們見面時，通常會花很多時間詢問對方家人是否安好。主人一定要請賓客喝茶，客人若不接受或不留下來交談一會兒都很無禮。不過，人們唯一不交談良久的時候，就是男人遇見陌生女子時。詢問對方太多問題被認為是侵犯隱私的無禮行為。 （翻譯：賴美君）
A: I’ve been a fan of singer Jay Chou for 24 years, since his debut in 2000. B: But this time, his Taipei Dome concerts have shed light on the issue of ticket scalping. A: Isn’t the law stricter after being amended last year? B: Yeah, ticket scalping is illegal, even if you only raise the price by NT$1 when reselling. A: Why aren’t scalpers afraid of getting caught? Maybe a real-name ticketing system would be better. A: 自從周杰倫2000年出道以來，我都已經追星24年了。 B: 不過這次大巨蛋開唱，他卻引爆黃牛票問題。 A: 去年修法後，法規不是變得比較嚴格？ B: 是啊，就算加價1元轉賣也算違法！ A: 黃牛們怎麼都抓不怕？或許票券「實名制」會更有用。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
When a large group of people struggles to reach a consensus, voting is often used to help make a decision. Surprisingly, humans are not the only animals that exhibit this type of democratic tendency. Several different species of animals demonstrate similar voting behavior. One of the most notable examples of animals engaging in this activity involves African buffalo. Ecologist Herbert Prins first observed herds of African buffalo performing voting behavior in the 1990s. Groups of African buffalo would pause under the intense midday sun and rest until dusk. Prins noticed that some buffalo would periodically stand up and gaze
UK lawmakers voted on Nov. 29 in favor of assisted dying for terminally ill people in England and Wales, advancing the emotive and contentious legislation to the next stage of parliamentary scrutiny. MPs voted by 330 to 275 in support of legalized euthanasia in the first vote on the issue in the House of Commons for nearly a decade. The result came following an emotionally-charged debate that lasted almost five hours in a packed and hushed chamber, and as competing protestors made their voices heard outside parliament. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill now progresses to the committee
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang The African buffalo’s voting system is straightforward. One buffalo initiates the process by getting up, looking intently in a particular direction, and lying back down. If other buffalo agree with this choice, they will mimic this behavior. Conversely, buffalo with a differing preference will face their desired location. Ultimately, the direction favored by the majority dictates where the herd will graze that evening. Not all buffalo are involved in the decision-making process, though. It’s primarily the adult females of the herd that participate. The voting system displays a certain level of fairness because the status of each buffalo in
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