10-26-2005

中國八天內第三次報禽流感疫情 (China Reports Third Bird Flu Outbreak in Eight Days)

中國在8天內第3次報告禽鳥中發生了大規模禽流感疫情。有關官員說，星期六在中部湖南省發現的最新禽流感疫情導致500多只雞鴨死亡。近來的另外兩起疫情發生在安徽省和內蒙古。

在歐洲，衛生官員說，化驗結果證實禽流感病毒已經擴散到克羅埃西亞。那裏的官員開始在發現天鵝死亡地點的附近地區屠宰家禽。東亞一些國家以及俄羅斯、羅馬尼亞和土耳其都發現了H5N1病毒。多數歐洲國家正在對死亡的野鳥進行監測這種病毒的化驗。歐盟星期二開始實行更嚴格的農產品進口規則，並禁止進口寵物鳥。

到目前為止，有60多人死於禽流感，而且都在亞洲。最近若干天，世界衛生官員一直在開會討論如果防止一場在全球大規模蔓延的疫情。

China has reported another mass outbreak of avian flu in a flock of birds - the third such incident in the past eight days. Officials said Wednesday that the flu killed more than 500 chickens and ducks in central Hunan province on Saturday. The two other recent outbreaks were in Anhui Province and Inner Mongolia.

In Europe, health officials say tests now confirm bird flu has spread to Croatia. Officials there have begun slaughtering poultry flocks near where infected dead swans were found. The H5N1 virus has been found in several countries in east Asia, as well as in Russia, Romania and Turkey. Most European nations are now testing dead wild birds for the virus. The European Union Tuesday tightened agricultural import regulations, and banned the import of pet birds.

So far, more than 60 people have died from bird flu - all of them in Asia. In recent days, world health officials have gathered to discuss efforts to prevent a global pandemic.

巴領袖阿巴斯警告激進分子勿攻擊以色列 (Palestinian Leader Abbas Warns Militants Against Attacking Israel)

巴勒斯坦人領袖阿巴斯警告激進分子停止對以色列火箭襲擊。他說，襲擊會給以色列發動進攻提供藉口。阿巴斯星期三對巴勒斯坦議會發表講話說，激進分子無權隨心所欲地違反同以色列達成的停火協議。他再次誓言要對激進分子採取強硬手段。

星期三早些時候，巴勒斯坦激進分子從巴勒斯坦境內向以色列南部發射自製火箭後，以色列對加沙地帶進行了空襲和炮轟，到目前為止還沒有這兩起事件造成傷亡的報導。

另外，以色列國防部長莫法茲說，以色列和埃及已經就重新開放連接加沙地帶和埃及的拉法邊界的條件達成協定。莫法茲在開羅同埃及總統穆巴拉克會面後作出上述表示。莫法茲說，拉法邊界的活動將由巴勒斯坦和埃及共同管理，歐洲檢查人員監督。但是，重新開放的日期還沒有宣佈。

Palestinian leader Abbas has warned militants to stop launching rocket attacks on Israel, saying the strikes are giving Israel an excuse to launch its own strikes. In an address to the Palestinian parliament Wednesday, Abbas said militants do not have the right to violate a ceasefire with Israel whenever it suits them. He vowed again to be tough on militants.

Earlier Wednesday, Israel launched air and artillery strikes in Gaza, after Palestinian militants fired homemade rockets from the territory into southern Israel. No casualties were reported in either incident.

In other developments, Israeli Defense Mofaz said Israel and Egypt have reached agreement on conditions for reopening the Rafah border crossing that links Gaza to Egypt. Mofaz spoke in Cairo, after meeting with Egyptian President Mubarak. Mofaz said the Rafah crossing will be operated under joint Palestinian-Egyptian management, with European inspectors monitoring the crossing. No date was announced for the reopening.