09-04-06

中國將關閉至少4800小煤礦以加強安全 (China to Close At Least 4,800 Small Mines to Improve Safety)

中國宣佈了一項關閉4千8百多家小煤礦的計劃，目的是減少煤礦事故。

國家煤礦安全監察局局長趙鐵錘星期一表示，中國今年年底之前將關閉大約2千6百多處小煤礦，2007年還將關閉2千2百多處。

官方的新華社報導說，儘管政府努力關閉小煤礦，中國目前仍有1萬7千座小煤礦還在運營之中。這些小煤礦產量佔中國煤產量的三分之一，但是事故死亡人數卻佔全國煤礦的三分之二。

根據新華社提供的數據，今年前8個月一共發生1千8百多起煤礦事故，2千9百名礦工死亡。

China has announced plans to close more than 48-hundred small coal mines in an effort to reduce the number of mining accidents.

State Administration of Coal Mine Safety head Zhao Tiechui said today (Monday) that about 26-hundred mines will close by the end of this year, with 22-hundred more closing in 2007.

Despite government efforts to close small mines, the official Xinhua news agency reports China still has some 17-thousand of them in operation. The small mines account for one-third of China's coal production, but two-thirds of the industry's accidents.

According to Xinhua's figures, Chinese mines have already reported 29-hundred deaths in more than 18-hundred accidents in the first eight months of 2006.

美國人過勞工節 (Americans Observe Labor Day)

星期一，布希總統向千百萬慶祝勞工節的美國人表示祝賀。他在星期天發表的一份聲明中說，美國勞工是國家經濟繁榮的關鍵，他們幫助對抗來自全球市場的競爭挑戰。

把9月的第一個星期一定為勞工節是美國勞工運動的產物。一百多年來，為了向勞工做出的貢獻表達敬意，美國每年都慶祝這個節日。多數人在勞工節這天不工作，傳統上舉行一些娛樂活動，包括和親友在戶外野餐。

President Bush has sent his greetings to the millions of Americans who are celebrating the Labor Day holiday today (Monday). In a statement issued Sunday, the president said American workers are vital to the nation's economic prosperity as they help confront the competitive challenges of the global marketplace.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, was created by the U.S. labor movement. Labor Day has been celebrated annually for more than a century, a yearly tribute to the contributions of workers. Labor Day is generally considered a day to engage in recreational activities, such as picnicking with family and friends - and not working.