Britain's First Female Prime Minister Is Dead at 87

Britain's First Female Prime Minister Is Dead at 87

　　Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a towering figure in post-war British and world politics and the only woman to become the leader of Britain, died at the age of 87 on April 8 from a stroke. Thatcher's funeral was held at St. Paul's Cathedral with full military honors and was followed by a private cremation ceremony.

　　Thatcher served from 1975 to 1990 as the Leader of the Conservative Party. She was called the Iron Lady for her personal and political toughness. She retired from public life after suffering small strokes in 2002 and developed dementia in her final years. During her time at the helm of the British government, she emphasized moral absolutism, nationalism, and the rights of the individual, famously declaring, "There is no such thing as society."

 

英国第一位女首相辞世，享年八十七岁

　　英国前首相玛格丽特‧撒切尔于四月八日因中风过世，享年八十七岁，她是英国战后及全世界政治圈中屹立不摇的人物，也是英国唯一的女性领导者。撒切尔夫人的丧礼以盛大的军礼于圣保罗大教堂举办，丧礼之后是一场非公开的火化仪式。

　　撒切尔夫人从 1975 年至 1990 年担任保守党党魁。她由于个人及政治上不屈不挠的作风，因此被冠上『铁娘子』封号。她自从在 2002 年轻微中风之后便从公职退休，晚年还患了失智症。在她职掌英国政府的时期，她强调道德绝对主义、民族主义以及个人的权利，她曾作出以下著名的宣称：『没有所谓社会这种事。』

 

 

China Earthquake Sheared Off Mountainsides

　　A strong earthquake that struck the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan on April 20, 2013 has killed more than 200, sent nearly 12,000 to hospitals, and created a scarcity of drinking water. The Sichuan Red Cross estimated that the drinking water in Ya'an City may run out despite rescue workers' efforts to deliver supplies to the quake-hit area. In more remote areas, where the shifting earth muddied river waters, people anxiously awaited evacuation.

　　Thousands of emergency workers, including soldiers, rushed to reach the affected zones in the hilly region, but their progress was impeded. Huge mountain chunks near the quake's epicenter in Lushan County sheared off and fell into valleys. Boulders landed on roads, making emergency work difficult. Buildings were flattened in the county, and others had severe structural damage.

 

四川大地震造成山崩，死伤无数

　　2013 年四月二十日，一场袭击中国西南部四川省的强震造成两百多人死亡，大约一万两千人受伤送医，同时也造成饮用水短缺。四川红十字会估计，尽管救难人员尽力将补给品送达地震灾区，雅安市的饮用水仍然可能会耗尽。在更偏远的地区，土石流使得河川混浊一片，而灾民们都焦虑地等待撤离。

　　包括军人在内的数千名紧急救难人员纷纷赶抵位在山丘上的灾区，但他们的救难过程可说是困难重重。在靠近芦山县的震央地带，山上的巨石频频崩裂并落至山谷。大圆石掉落在路面上，使得救难工作相当困难。该县的建筑物纷纷倒塌，有些建筑的结构遭到严重损害。