04-23-08

奧運火炬抵達澳大利亞 (Olympic Torch Arrives in Australia)

在堪培拉市準備應對大規模抗議之際，奧運火炬抵達澳大利亞，星期四在堪培拉舉行火炬傳遞。載著火炬的飛機星期三從雅加達飛抵澳大利亞首都郊外的一個軍用機場。澳大利亞原住民在歡迎儀式上演奏傳統音樂，然後火炬被送到一個秘密地點。

支援西藏的活動人士用鐳射束在雪梨的一座大橋上打出“不要焚燒西藏”的字樣。

中國駐澳大利亞大使章均賽星期二告訴當地一家電視臺說，如果火炬受到攻擊，中國的火炬護衛人員將用他們的身體保護它。但是，堪培拉負責安全的最高官員後來確認了澳大利亞總理陸克文先前的中國火炬護衛者將不會參與火炬傳遞保安工作的聲明。

中國官方的英文中國日報刊登了該報一位副總編及奧運火炬傳遞活動發言人的一篇文章，為奧運火炬護衛人員進行辯護。

The Olympic flame has arrived in Australia for Thursday's Canberra leg of the torch relay, as the city prepares for major protests. A flight carrying the flame from Jakarta arrived Wednesday at a military airfield outside the Australian capital. Australian Aborigines played traditional music at a welcoming ceremony before the torch was taken to a secret location.

Pro-Tibet activists used lasers to project the words "Don't Torch Tibet" onto a bridge in Sydney.

China's ambassador to Australia Zhang Junsai told a local television station Tuesday that Chinese flame attendants will protect the flame with their bodies if it is attacked. But Canberra's top security official later confirmed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's previous statement that the Chinese attendants will not be performing a security role.

China's official English-language newspaper, the China Daily, published an article by a deputy editor and Olympic torch spokesman defending the torch attendants.

美戰艦將抵達香港 (US Warships to Arrive in Hong Kong)

美國“小鷹號”航空母艦在被中國拒絕入境5個月之後，將在未來幾天內停靠香港。美國駐香港總領事館發言人說，“小鷹號”航母和6艘輔助艦隻上的7000名水兵將停靠香港。

去年11月，“小鷹號”航母戰鬥群原預定停靠香港，但被告知北京不準它進入中國水域。後來，北京改變了決定，但這些戰艦已經在返回基地港口的途中。

數以千計的水兵因此無法與已經飛抵香港慶祝美國感恩節假日的親人會面。自從“小鷹號”事件後，今年已經有兩艘美國戰艦停靠過香港。

The U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk will dock in Hong Kong within the next few days, five months after it was denied entry by China. A spokesman for the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong says seven-thousand sailors from the carrier and six support ships will make the port call.

The carrier battle group was scheduled to dock in Hong Kong last November until it was informed that Beijing would not let it enter its waters. The decision was later reversed, but the vessels were already on their way back to their home ports.

Thousands of U.S. sailors were unable to meet with family members who had flown to Hong Kong to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Since the Kitty Hawk incident, two U.S warships have visited Hong Kong this year.