English Lessons
New York recently looked like the set of a disaster movie after being severely battered by Hurricane Sandy. President Obama declared the city and state of New York ‘a major disaster’. The superstorm caused widespread devastation across the city and surrounding areas.
Category: New York / Weather / Hurricane Sandy
New York’s famous yellow taxis are set to change. New York City has picked the Nissan minivan to be its next cab. The Japanese car company Nissan Motors has won the contract to provide the next generation of New York taxis. The deal was announced recently by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It is estimated to be worth US$1bn (€692m).
The design will be based on Nissan’s NV200 minivan model. Nissan beat US carmaker Ford Motor and Turkish manufacturer Karsan Otomotiv for the 10 year contract, which will be phased in starting in 2013. Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged the Nissan NV200’s boxy form evokes suburbia, but said the yellow paint would give it the iconic New York touch.
The vehicle features an overhead window to offer views of city skyscrapers, and charging stations for mobile phones and laptops. The car will also feature satellite navigation, so passengers leaving the main Manhattan corridors will not have to contend with drivers who do not know their way around.
Category: New York / Transport / Yellow Taxis
Last week Queen Elizabeth II visited the United Nations in New York where she addressed the UN General Assembly for the first time since 1957. She said: “The UN had moved from being a high-minded aspiration to being a real force for common good.” She added, “For over six decades the United Nations has helped to shape international response to global dangers. The challenge now is to continue the security, prosperity and dignity of our fellow human beings.”
Since her original visit 53 years ago the number of member states have increased from 77 to 192. The Queen praised the UN for its work in reducing conflict, offering humanitarian assistance and tackling the effects of poverty. Her majesty warned of “new challenges such as terrorism and global warming that had emerged and had tested this organisation as much as its member states.” On climate change The Queen said: “Careful attention must be taken of the risks facing smaller, more vulnerable nations, many of them from the Commonwealth.”
Category: United Nations / New York / The Queen
