13 Tháng 6, 2008 - Published 15:49 GMT

Tài xế xe tải đình công toàn cầu

In Spain, about 75,000 lorry drivers have been on strike since Sunday night and more than 70 have been arrested. The Spanish government has promised zero tolerance for any violence by the drivers, following a series of incidents which included an attack on a trucker who broke the strike. That attack left him with 25% burns to his body.

In Malaysia, security has been stepped up in the capital Kuala Lumpur for a rally the opposition hopes will bring more than 20,000 people onto the streets. Oil prices have risen by about 40% since the start of the year to an all-time high of more than a $139.

Truck drivers are also on strike in South Korea, affecting operations at major ports. They're demanding cuts in energy costs or an increase in transport fees as a result of a more than 30% increase in the price of diesel since the beginning of the year.

In Britain, fuel supplies to around 900 Shell petrol stations across the country stopped early on Friday because of a strike by tanker drivers employed by two haulage companies. The drivers have also set up picket lines outside a number of oil terminals.

And in Argentina, truck drivers are protesting against a protest. They say demonstrations by farmers are preventing them from working. The farmers have been blocking roads for the past three months in a dispute with the government over export taxes.

Jane Warr, BBC

zero tolerance for any violence
không khoan nhượng, không dung thứ cho bất kỳ hành động bạo lực nào

broke the strike
tiếp tục làm việc, bất chấp việc hầu hết các tài xế khác từ chối làm việc do có biểu tình (trong trường hợp này là biểu tình phản đối việc giá xăng dầu tăng cao)

security has been stepped up
tăng cường an ninh

an all-time high
mức cao nhất từ trước tới nay

affecting operations
trong trường hợp này có nghĩa là khiến cho các cảng không hoạt động bình thường được

tanker
trong trường hợp này có nghĩa là một chiếc xe được thiết kế để chở gas hoặc chất lỏng (xe bồn)

haulage
ngành vận tải, chuyên chở hàng bằng đường bộ hoặc đường xe lửa

set up picket lines
việc lấy người, trong trường hợp này là các công nhân đình công, tạo thành rào chắn để phản đối bên ngoài tòa nhà, không cho người khác đi vào bên trong tòa nhà đó

a dispute
vụ tranh chấp, trong trường hợp này là vụ bất đồng kéo dài giữa chính phủ và những người biểu tình phản đối

export taxes
các loại thuế phải trả kỳ bán hàng ra nước ngoài