04-11-08

聯合國糧農組織預測穀物價格將飆漲 (UN Food Agency Predicts Huge Price Increase For Cereal)

聯合國糧農組織預測，世界最貧窮國家今年進口的穀類價格將增長56%，非洲一些地區糧價飆升的幅度將會更大。在2006到2007的產糧年頭裏，糧食價格已經增長了三分之一以上。聯合國糧農組織把糧價飛漲歸咎於糧食儲備的枯竭以及石油價格與運輸費用的增長。

聯合國糧農組織正在向很多國家提供技術援助，並要求捐贈國增加捐助，並從其他項目調撥援助。聯合國糧農組織說，糧食短缺影響37個國家，在過去一個月裏至少10個國家爆發了與糧食有關的騷亂。

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization predicts a 56 percent increase in the price of cereals imported to the world's poorest nations this year, with an even sharper rise in parts of Africa. There was already a more than one-third increase in the 2006-2007 crop year. The Food and Agriculture Organization blames the price hike on depleted grain reserves, and the rising cost of oil and shipping.

The U.N. agency is offering technical assistance to many nations, and asking donor countries to increase donations and reprogram aid from other areas. The FAO says food shortages affect 37 countries, and food riots have hit at least 10 nations in the past month. 

德國悼75年前希特勒開始獨裁 (Germany Marks 75th Anniversary of Hitler Dictatorship)

德國議會星期四紀念授權法案通過75週年，這個法案讓納粹領袖阿道夫.希特勒獲得獨裁統治。德國總理默克爾和總統霍斯特.克勒出席了紀念儀式。很多議員都身穿黑色服裝，悼念1933年德國民主的消亡。他們還聆聽了當年議會的辯論錄音。在那次辯論中，唯一發言反對授予希特勒全部權力的德國社會民主黨議員奧托.韋爾斯對納粹成員說，他們可以奪去自由，但不能奪去尊嚴。

德國議會在希特勒被任命為總理兩個月後批准他可以不經議會批准而頒布法令，德國輪為一個軍警國家。12年後二戰結束，納粹政權垮臺。至此，歐洲和蘇聯共有數千萬人死亡，包括在納粹集中營中被殺害的600萬猶太人。

Germany's parliament Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the passage of the Enabling Act -- the law that gave Nazi leader Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers. Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Horst Koehler attended the remembrance. Many of the lawmakers wore black to mourn the death of German democracy in 1933. They also heard a recording of the parliamentary debate when the only lawmaker to speak out against granting Hitler total power -- Social Democrat Otto Wels -- told the Nazis that they can take away freedom, but not honor.

Parliament allowed Hitler to issue laws without its approval two months after he was appointed German chancellor, turning Germany into a militaristic police state. By the time the Nazi regime collapsed 12 years later at the end of World War Two, tens of millions of people in Europe and the Soviet Union were dead, including six million Jews murdered in Nazi death camps.