01-24-08

白宮和國會談判刺激經濟方案 (White House Negotiating Economic Stimulus with Congress)

布希行政當局和國會議員看來接近就刺激正在滑坡的美國經濟法案達成協定。

美國財政部長保爾森星期三與美國眾議院議長佩洛西以及眾議院共和黨領袖博納舉行了三次長長的會談。博納表示各方都對達成協定抱有希望。預計雙方星期四舉行新一輪會談。

刺激經濟方案預計將耗資多達1千5百億美元，包括為了促進新的投資而給企業減免稅收，以及向納稅的個人退稅800到1600美元。

民主黨議員在佩洛西領導下努力把退稅範圍擴大到那些收入不足以交稅的低收入美國人。

The Bush administration and congressional lawmakers appear to be nearing an agreement on legislation to boost the slumping U.S. economy.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson held three lengthy negotiating sessions Wednesday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Republican leader John Boehner. Boehner says all sides were "hopeful" about a possible deal. The two sides are expected to hold another round of meetings today (Thursday).

The stimulus package is expected to cost as much as 150-billion dollars. It will include income tax breaks for businesses to spur new investment, and tax rebates for individuals between 800 and 16-hundred dollars. 

Democratic lawmakers, led by Pelosi, are pushing to extend the tax rebates for low-income Americans who do not make enough to pay income tax. 

緬甸詩人因為暗批軍政府領導人而被捕 (Burmese Poet Detained for Secret Criticism of Junta Leader)

緬甸當局逮捕了一位著名詩人，罪名是他最近出版的詩暗藏批評軍政府領導人丹瑞的內容。

詩人索瓦在一個受歡迎的週刊雜誌上為下個月的情人節提前發表了這首情詩。

仔細閱讀後發現，每行詩的第一個詞所組成的句子稱丹瑞是權力狂。

緬甸軍政府密切注意所有媒體，以封殺對軍政府統治的任何批評。但是異議人士過去曾使用類似手段來躲避政府的新聞檢查。緬甸一家報紙去年刊登的一個廣告就影射丹瑞是殺人兇手。

Authorities in Burma have arrested a prominent poet over a recently published work that contains a hidden message criticizing junta leader Than Shwe. 

The romantic-themed poem by Saw Wai was published in a popular weekly magazine in advance of next month's Valentine's Day observance.

But on closer reading, the first word of each line forms a phrase that calls General Shwe power crazy.

Burma's ruling military junta keeps a close watch on all media outlets to snuff out any criticism of its rule. But dissidents have used similar techniques in the past to avoid government censors. An advertisement in a Burmese newspaper last year contained a hidden message calling Than Shwe a "killer."