01-29-08

中國暴雪中大客車翻車二十五人喪生 (Bus Crash Kills 25 During Heavy Snows in China)

中國官方新華社報導說，貴州省一輛大客車星期二早上在結冰的路面上翻車，造成至少25人死亡，13人受傷。中國當局說，更多暴雪仍在威脅中國疲於應對交通混亂和電力短缺的部分地區。

中國國家氣象局星期一發出警告，中部和東部一些省份繼續會有大雪和冰雨。暴風雪使中國的公路、鐵路和機場癱瘓，困住了數以十萬計的希望同家人共度農曆新年的旅客。

中國總理溫家寶星期天命令所有政府部門採取緊急行動，應對他所稱的“越來越嚴峻的形勢”。溫家寶說，政府面臨保障能源供應的“嚴峻”挑戰。

Chinese official Xinhua news agency say at least 25 people were killed and 13 injured when their bus crashed on an icy road early Tuesday in Guizhou Province. Chinese authorities say more snow storms are threatening parts of the country already struggling with transport chaos and power shortages.

China's Meteorological Administration issued warnings Monday of further heavy snow and freezing rain in some central and eastern provinces.The snow storms have paralyzed highways, railways and airports, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers hoping to join their families for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Premier Wen Jiabao ordered all government departments Sunday to take urgent action to prepare for what he called an "increasingly grim situation." He says the government faces a "severe" challenge in maintaining China's energy supplies.

伊朗以金融罪處死一海關官員 (Iran Executes Customs Official for Financial Crimes)

伊朗以腐敗罪名處死一名海關合同人員，這是伊朗對金融犯罪罕見的懲罰。伊朗一位司法發言人星期二說，這名合同工因腐敗、賄賂以及干擾金融秩序被處死。他沒有公佈被處死人的身份，也沒有提供罪行的詳情。

這位發言人說，其他3名海關僱員也因類似的罪行面臨死刑判決，但是司法官員正在考慮他們提出的要求減判為終身監禁的上訴。

根據伊朗的伊斯蘭法律，謀殺、強姦、搶劫、通姦以及販毒等罪行可判處死刑。死刑通常都以絞刑執行。

人權組織大赦國際說，伊朗去年處死了200多人。

Iran has executed a customs contractor for corruption -- a rare punishment for financial crimes in the country. An Iranian judiciary spokesman said Tuesday the contractor was executed for corruption, bribery and disrupting the financial system. He did not identify the person executed, or give details about the crime.

The spokesman said three other customs employees are facing the death penalty for similar crimes, but judicial officials are considering their appeal to reduce the sentence to life imprisonment.

Under Iran's Islamic law, murder, rape, robbery, adultery and drug trafficking are punishable by death. The sentences are usually carried out by hanging.

The human rights group Amnesty International says Iran executed more than 200 people last year.