03-20-08

本拉登針對先知漫畫事件警告歐盟 (Bin Laden Issues Warning to European Union over Prophet Cartoons)

基地恐怖組織首領本拉登發出新的資訊。他警告歐洲聯盟說，歐洲報紙刊登描繪先知穆罕默德的漫畫，歐盟將為此受到嚴厲懲罰。與基地組織有關的網站星期三晚間公佈了一份講話錄音，錄音中據信是本拉登的人說，刊登漫畫的罪行比西方軍隊轟炸婦女兒童的家宅還要嚴重。這份錄音與顯示本拉登手持步槍的圖像同時播放，配有英文字幕。

2006年，丹麥報紙刊登了諷刺伊斯蘭先知穆罕默德的漫畫，在世界各地的穆斯林國家引發大規模騷亂。丹麥報紙上個月重新刊登了其中的一幅漫畫，在這幅度漫畫中，穆罕默德戴的頭巾是一枚炸彈。此前警方說，他們發現了試圖刺殺那幅漫畫作者的陰謀，丹麥報紙於是再次刊登這幅漫畫，以表現對言論自由的堅定信仰。本拉登的聲明說，漫畫是討伐伊斯蘭的新十字軍征戰的一部分，羅馬教廷在其中扮演著重要和長期的角色。

Al Qaida Terrorist Leader Osama bin Laden -- in a new message -- has warned the European Union that it will be severely punished for publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in European newspapers. In an audio recording posted to an al-Qaida-affiliated Web site late Wednesday, a voice said to be that of bin Laden's says publishing the cartoons was a greater offense than Western forces bombing the homes of women and children. The audio track with English subtitles is heard over a video image of bin Laden holding a rifle.

Satirical cartoons of Islam's Prophet Mohammed were published in Danish newspapers in 2006, sparking mass riots in Islamic nations worldwide. Last month they republished one of the cartoons -- in which Mohammed is wearing a bomb as a turban -- to show their commitment to freedom of speech, after police said a plot to kill the artist was uncovered. The bin Laden statement says the cartoons are part of a new crusade against Islam in which the Vatican has played a large and lengthy role.

美國失業人數上升 (US Jobless Claims Rise)

美國上星期被解雇人數有所增加。這一最新跡象表明，美國的經濟下滑正在影響就業市場。美國勞工部星期四公佈的報告說，申請失業福利的人數第一次超過了2萬2千人，達37萬8千人。其他數據顯示，過去兩個月裏美國的就業人數都有所減少。

The number of newly laid-off U.S. workers rose last week, the latest sign that the economic downturn is affecting the job market.A report Thursday from the Labor Department said the number of people applying for unemployment benefits for the first time rose 22-thousand，to 378-thousand. Other data show the number of jobs in the U.S. economy declined in each of the past two months.