For more than two years now, a leading news story around the world has been COVID-19.

新冠疫情盤踞全球各地的新聞頭條至今已經超過 2 年。

It's still going

而當下，疫情仍在繼續。

In fact, new international records have been set in recent days for the number of people testing positive for coronavirus.

事實上，近期的新冠肺炎確診病例又再度刷新了國際紀錄。

In the United States, the majority of those new infections ⏤ 90% in some places ⏤ have been linked to the newer Omicron variant of the virus which was first identified in South Africa last Fall.

在美國，新冠肺炎的新確診病例多數，有些地區甚至高達九成，都與去年秋天首次在南非現蹤的 Omicron 變異株有所關聯。

Health officials say it's extraordinarily contagious, more so than other versions of COVID-19.

衛生官員表示，Omicron 變異株的傳染性極強，傳播速度超越過去幾個被發現的變異株。

The US government says COVID vaccinations are the best defense against all of the virus variants that are currently spreading, and some hospital officials have told CNN that most of their COVID patients have been unvaccinated.

美國政府強調，接種疫苗是抵擋各種新冠病毒的最佳防禦方式。部分醫護人員向 CNN 證實，多數新冠肺炎患者都未接種疫苗。

But despite the fact that more than 62% of the entire US population has been fully vaccinated, according to the CDC, the country has seen more new infections than ever.

雖然全美國有超過 62% 的人口已經完成完整的疫苗接種，不過美國疾病管制與預防中心表示，美國的確診病例卻是前所未有之高。

The record set last Monday was over 1,082,000 positive tests, as Omicron has infected both the unvaccinated and the vaccinated.

隨著未完成和已完成疫苗接種的人相繼淪陷於 Omicron 病毒風暴，美國的累積確診人數在上週一寫下全新記錄，一共是 108 萬 2000 人。

There is a silver lining, though.

不幸中的大幸是，

Experts believe Omicron is less severe than other COVID variants, it has milder symptoms overall, and while more people may catch it, it appears to be causing fewer deaths.

專家相信 Omicron 沒有其他變異株來得嚴重，因為比起其他變異株，Omicron 的癥狀相對較輕，而且雖然感染率增加，但致死率卻降低了。

Still, there've been major differences in how communities and governments have responded to Omicron spread.

儘管如此，我們還是觀察到了不同社會和政府間面對 Omicron 的不同反應。

In some cities, for instance, people need to show proof they've been vaccinated in order to go to restaurants, gyms, bowling alleys, or concerts.

在某些城市，人們必須出示疫苗接種證明才能前去餐廳、健身房、保齡球館或參加演唱會。

In other areas, people are going about their business as usual without requirements or restrictions in place.

在某些地區，人們則是如常生活，並沒有受到任何行動約束。

When it comes to schools, research has shown that in-person learning is better for students' mental health, but concerns about Omicron's threat to physical health have renewed debate in some communities about whether schools should stay open

至於教育，研究顯示，面授課程對學生的心理健康發展比較有利，不過部分地方社會卻為了學校重新開放是否引發感染 Omicron 的風險而展開全新一輪的辯論。

Back-to-school hangs in the balance for the country's third-largest school district as negotiations between Chicago public schools and the teachers union remain deadlocked over returning to in-person learning.

全國第三大校區——芝加哥的學生是否重返學校上課，至今懸而未決。因為芝加哥市府與芝加哥教師工會為了這件事情陷入僵持。

I'm not happy that we're not at work; we want to be at work and we... we want people to understand that this... this idea was to go remote, not to stop working.

我們並不是不想上班，我們想上班，而我們希望人們理解，我們的倡議是遠距教學，並非停止教學。

Melanie Lopez is a high school teacher in the school district and a union member.

Melanie Lopez 是芝加哥的一名高中老師，她同時也是教師工會的會員之一。

It's a teachers union that has argued the city of Chicago hasn't provided adequate resources to be in-person safely.

教師工會聲稱，芝加哥市府未能提供他們足夠的安全措施，讓他們安心上課。

Did you feel like you had what you needed in the classroom for it to run safely?

你認為，你擁有可以讓你安全教學的防護設備嗎？

I did 'cause I bought it; I don't know if that makes...

有的，因為我買了，

- With your own money? - With my own money. Right.

- 你自掏腰包嗎？ - 對的，我自掏腰包買的。

The city, however, has argued, through masking, vaccinations, testing, and more, that school is still safer than being at home, even with record numbers of cases among students, staff, and across Chicago in recent weeks.

然而，市府方面則表示，隨著佩戴口罩、疫苗接種、篩檢等措施到位，學校會比住家來得更安全。雖然過去這幾週，芝加哥陸續有學生和學校職員確診新冠肺炎。

The difference between now and a year ago is, obviously, we have vaccines, uh, for a huge swath of our, uh, school-based population.

現在和去年的差別，很明顯是我們已經為學校的教職員提供了疫苗。

I think that the issues that are on the table, as I understand them, we can narrow the divide and get a deal done.

我們正在研議這件事情，我明白教師們的立場，我相信我們可以消除岐見，一起解決問題。

Schools are safe, um, there's been no question about that.

學校很安全，這是毋庸置疑的。

The union disagrees, and one of the major sticking points in their ongoing negotiations with the city is testing.

不過教師工會卻不這麼認為，令他們和市府之間的討論陷入膠著的其中一個問題是篩檢。

Governor JB Pritzker's office confirmed Friday it had been in touch with the White House in recent days, asking for more tests.

伊利諾伊州州長 JB Pritzker 的辦公室週一指出，他們持續與白宮聯繫，以爭取更多的篩檢支援。

The White House confirmed those conversations with Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to assess their needs.

白宮確認 Pritzker 及芝加哥市長 Lori Lightfoot 的確聯絡了白宮，目前正在評估他們的需求。

All the while, students have been out of class and parents have been frustrated.

學生遲遲無法正常上學也令家長們感到沮喪。

10-second trivia: In terms of land area, which of these nations is the largest?

10 秒問答！以下這些國家當中，哪一個國家的領土面積最大？

Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, or Ukraine.

是伊朗？哈薩克斯坦？蒙古還是烏克蘭？

Though it's not the most populated nation on this list, Kazakhstan is by far the largest in area.

答案是，地廣人稀的哈薩克斯坦！

Kazakhstan's been grappling with violent protests over the past week.

在過去這一周，哈薩克斯坦持續爆發暴力抗議活動。

At least 164 people there have been killed, including dozens of demonstrators and at least 18 law enforcement officers.

在這場抗議活動中，至少 164 人喪生，包括許多的示威者和至少 18 名執法人員。

More than 5,000 people are reportedly being held by the government.

據報導，超過五千人被政府扣留。

It's declared a state of emergency and asked other nations to help protect government buildings ⏤ some of those have been burned.

哈薩克斯坦頒布了緊急狀態，並尋求其他國家協助保護哈薩克斯坦的政府大樓，因為部分政府大樓在動亂中被燒毀。

The unrest started after the price of a type of gasoline suddenly doubled.

哈薩克斯坦的動亂是由某種汽油油價的突然倍漲引爆。

Afterward, the Kazakh government said it would limit what those prices would be, but the protests grew to include other complaints over corruption, the standard of living, poverty, and unemployment.

雖然哈薩克當局隨後表示會控制油價，不過人民長期對貪污、生活水平低落、貧窮和失業等所累積的不滿情緒使抗議活動持續延燒。

Some Kazakh leaders have resigned, though the nation's president remains in place.

面對這次的軒然大波，哈薩克內閣宣布請辭，不過哈薩克斯坦總統依然紋絲不動。

He's characterized the protesters as criminals, murderers, and terrorists, and he's ordered government troops to shoot those who don't surrender.

哈薩克斯坦總統把示威者描述為罪犯、殺人犯和恐怖分子，並指示國家安全部隊對拒絕投降的人開槍。

Kazakhstan rarely makes headlines in the west, but that changed when these protests over rising living costs were met with brutal repression.

哈薩克斯坦在過去很少受到西方世界的關注，不過這次由生活費用高漲引爆的示威抗議加上暴力鎮壓，令哈薩克斯坦成為新聞焦點。

As so-called peacekeepers from Russia and other post-soviet states hit the streets of the country's biggest city, Almaty, there's deep unease at where the Central Asian state is now heading.

隨著來自俄羅斯和其他集體安全條約組織成員國所謂的維和部隊進駐哈薩克斯坦最大城市阿拉木圖，人們為哈薩克斯坦的未來發展感到擔憂。

The rest is going to be keeping an eye on Russian imperial ambitions, and perhaps they could start stationing troops there.

令人們感到擔憂的是俄羅斯介入哈薩克斯坦內政背後的盤算，而哈薩克斯坦此次對俄羅斯打開門戶，恐怕請神容易送神難。

But nonetheless, they could... they could make several power plays.

雖然如此，他們很可能會採取高壓手段進行鎮壓。

Home to 19 million people spread over the ninth-largest sovereign land mass, Kazakhstan stands between 2 increasingly autocratic superpowers, Russia to the North and China in the east.

孕育著 1900 萬人口的哈薩克斯坦在世界國土面積排名第九，並坐落在兩個專制勢力日強的超級大國——北部的俄羅斯和東部的中國之間。

Economically, it still has one foot in the past, relying on Russia for most of its trade, whilst also hosting the Baikonur cosmodrome, crucial to the Kremlin space program.

經濟上，哈薩克斯坦的發展始終落於人後，貿易多倚賴俄羅斯，同時也是克林姆林宮太空計劃核心基地——貝康諾太空發射場的所在地。

Large deposits of coal and natural gas, as well as a 3% chunk of the planet's oil reserves and 40% of its uranium, mean that Kazakhstan's people could be rich.

哈薩克斯坦蘊藏富饒的煤礦和天然氣，石油和鈾的儲量分別佔全球的 3% 和 40 %，憑著得天獨厚的資源優勢，哈薩克斯坦人民理應過上富有的生活。

But, thanks to a ruling elite in power since the fall of communism, few share in that wealth.

然而，自從共產主義解體，精英階層上台後，國家財富便長期掌握在少數人手中。

For now, it's unclear what the future holds for Kazakhstan and the country's stymied potential.

目前，波折重重的哈薩克斯坦，前景依然不明朗。

What is becoming clearer is the world is watching and is worried.

但可以確定的是，全世界正懷抱擔憂的心情，緊密關注哈薩克斯坦的發展。

Nina dos Santos, CNN, in London.

Nina dos Santos，CNN 倫敦採訪報導。

Up next today, thunderstorms in the American South, sub-zero wind chills in the Upper Midwest, treacherous, icy conditions in the Northeast ⏤ all of it is because of a cold front that swept across the country over the weekend.

來看下一則消息。過去這個週末冷鋒過境，引起美國南部的暴雨、上中西部的零下風寒、東北部的極度寒冷天氣。

Tens of millions were under a winter weather alert Sunday morning, with freezing rain, ice, and sleet threatening some parts of the Northeast.

數百萬人在星期日早上紛紛收到冬季天氣警報，提醒人們注意凍雨、下雪的天氣，以及東北部部分地區可能出現的冰雹氣象。

It came less than a week after another snowstorm led to a number of accidents and a shutdown of Interstate 95 in Virginia.

美國在不到一週前，才剛經歷了導致數起意外事故發生以及維吉尼亞州 95 號州際公路遭阻斷的嚴寒天氣。

Hundreds of drivers were stranded along a 50-mile stretch of the road and the backup was too severe for even snowplows to get through.

當時數百名司機受困在長達 50 英里的路上，厚厚積雪妨礙了救援行動，連除雪機都難以通過。

Thankfully, no injuries or deaths were reported, even though people were stuck in their cars overnight.

慶幸的是，沒有人在該起事件中受傷或死亡，雖然人們困在車裡一整夜。

If you ever get caught driving in a fast descending snowstorm, here's a tip.

如果你不幸被困於暴風雪中，請你採取以下自保撇步：

So, we're all used to seeing cars fishtailing on icy and snow-packed roads, but the more common and more expensive skid is called an understeer.

在大雪中行駛，經常發生方向盤失靈，導致車子打滑的事故。

We turn in and the car doesn't want to respond.

我們轉彎可是車子不受控制。

And to make it turn better, I have to take steering out ⏤ and notice how the ark came right back, and we're now where we wanna be.

要讓車子更順利轉彎，就要避免強扭方向盤，你得觀察方向盤的轉向再隨機應變，現在我們就能更好的控制車子了。

- We ⏤ the car almost re-corrected itself. - Correct.

- 我們，車子幾乎自己重新修正了。 - 沒錯。

If I... if I had just kept the steering turned in or added more, which is what's commonly done ⏤ because our instinct is to, well, if it isn't steering enough, I need to go ahead and steer a bunch more ⏤ the car is gonna respond even worse.

遇上車子打滑時，人們的第一直覺是用力扭方向盤，期望可以控制車子，但你越硬來就越危險。

Eventually, you run into a curb or into oncoming traffic.

這麼做的結果是，你要嘛撞向路緣，要嘛撞向其他車子。

Your speed's good.

你的行駛速度控制得很好。

Alright, now go ahead and turn in.

現在，使勁扭方向盤。

Notice how it doesn't want to respond? Straighten the wheel out slightly, OK.

你有沒有發現，你這麼做根本控制不住車子？現在輕輕地打直方向盤，對了。

So, by letting go of the steering wheel, you almost notice it straightened out too much.

放鬆方向盤後，是不是感覺又放太多了？

- Yes, right. - Okay, so just feed the steering wheel back gently.

- 對啊。 - 好，那現在輕輕地拉回方向盤。

Okay, break, break... off the brakes completely... now turn.

踩煞車、踩煞車，完全鬆開煞車，現在轉彎。

What a marked difference.

哇，差別真大。

Henry Ford once said, "Customers could have a Model T painted any color they wanted, as long as it was black."

美國汽車工程師兼企業家亨利·福特曾說，顧客可以隨意為福特 T 型車漆上任何一個他們喜歡的顏色，只要它是黑色的就好。

As far as this BMW concept is concerned, customers could have black or white or a whole lot in between, as this thing can change color.

由 BMW 推出的這款新車，車身可以自由變換顏色，所以顧客可以把車子變成黑色、變成白色，甚至黑白色組合也沒問題。

The vehicle's wrapped in electronic ink, like the kind found in e-readers, that allows a variety of monochromatic patterns, including racing stripes.

這款新車被漆上電子墨水油漆，像是電子閱讀器裡的電子墨水，並支援各種單色圖騰，包括賽車條紋。

If and when it's produced, other color options may also be possible.

一旦成功生產，也許還有其他顏色可供選擇。

So, it's both color-shifting and monochrome-automatic.

所以這輛車既可以變色，又可以變出不同圖騰。

Would it make a "hue" difference? It would across the spectrum of buyers who are looking to break free from the "prism" of single-color options.

要說這款新車會不會造就任何不凡？我想，那些想要跳脫汽車單一配色的車主可能會很期待。

But while this is something that hasn't really been seen "Roy G" before, critics will say it's just "throwing shade".

不過這樣的概念是史無前例的，車評人可能會認為這只是譁眾取寵而已。

I'm Carl Azuz; Elizabeth High School, thank you for watching from Elizabeth, Colorado.

我是主播 Carl Azuz，科羅拉多州伊丽莎白市的 Elizabeth 高中，感謝你們收看我們的節目。

The one place we look for the schools we mention is our YouTube channel, that's at youtube.com/CNN10.

想要被我們的節目「翻牌」嗎？很簡單，到我們的 YouTube 頻道留言即可，網址是 youtube.com/CNN10。

We hope to see y'all tomorrow.

我們明天見！