03-31-08

中國國家主席胡錦濤啟動奧運火炬接力 (Chinese President Launches Olympic Torch Relay)

中國國家主席胡錦濤星期一在北京天安門舉行的儀式上正式宣佈啟動奧運火炬接力。奧運火炬在嚴密的保安措施下從希臘抵達北京。在希臘，流亡藏人和人權活動人士星期天曾試圖打斷一次交接儀式，但是沒有成功。

打亂火炬接力的抗議從上星期開始，隨著火炬手在8月的夏季奧運會開幕之前跑步穿過全球各地的城市，抗議活動預計還會持續發生。火炬計劃途經西藏並抵達埃弗勒斯特峰、也就是珠穆朗瑪峰。人權組織要求在北京同意國際組織調查西藏動亂之前，取消這段路程。

Chinese President Hu Jintao officially launched the Olympic torch relay Monday in a ceremony at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. The torch arrived amid tight security from Greece, where Tibetan exiles and human rights activists tried unsuccessfully to disrupt a handover ceremony Sunday. 

Protests that have disrupted the relay since it began last week are expected to continue as runners carry the torch to major cities across the globe in the run-up to the August Summer Games. The torch is set to pass through Tibet on its way to Mt. Everest. Human rights groups are demanding a ban on that part of the journey, until Beijing agrees to permit an international investigation of the Tibetan unrest. 

法公司“保樂力加”收購瑞典的“絕對伏特加酒” (France's Pernod Richard Buys Sweden's Absolut Vodka)

瑞典政府星期一宣佈，法國“保樂力加烈酒集團”將以大約90億美元的價格收購瑞典國有釀酒集團V&S，這家集團以釀造“絕對伏特加酒”著稱。目前擁有V&S集團的瑞典政府說，“保樂加力集團”將讓V&S集團留在瑞典經營。有關誰將成為瑞典國有釀酒集團新主人的揣測已經持續了幾個月，這家集團生產的“絕對伏特加酒”是世界第三大高檔烈性酒。瑞典出售國有釀酒集團是為了幫助償還國債。

The Swedish government has announced Monday that the French liquor group Pernod Ricard is buying Vin and Sprit - the maker of Absolut Vodka - for about nine billion dollars.The Swedish government - which currently owns Vin and Sprit - says Pernod will keep the company in Sweden. The sale ends months of speculation about who would emerge as the new owner of the state-owned company that produces Absolut - the world's third-largest premium liquor. Sweden is selling the company to help pay off the country's debt.