11-3-2005

亞行稱禽流感或嚴重破壞亞洲經濟 (ADB Says Bird Flu Pandemic Could Devastate Economy)

亞洲開發銀行預計，如果亞洲發生大規模禽流感，可能會造成將近3千億美元的經濟損失。總部在馬尼拉的亞行星期四公佈的報告估計，如果禽流感在亞洲大規模流行，可能會導致亞洲地區經濟下滑6.5%，並引發全世界的衰退。亞洲開發銀行說，如果出現大規模流行病，全球的貨物與服務貿易額將會減少大約14%，折合2萬5千億美元。

亞行說，即使出現較小規模的流行病，也會給亞洲經濟造成1千1百30億美元的損失。迄今為止發現的禽流感傳染都是直接和病禽接觸。不過，衛生專家警告說，如果禽流感病毒變異成能夠輕易在人之間傳播的毒株，就會有數以百萬計的人染病。

The Asian Development Bank projects the economic loss from a bird flu pandemic in Asia could be nearly 300-billion dollars. In a report released Thursday, the Manila-based bank estimated a severe pandemic could bring a six-point-five percent decline in the regional economy and trigger a worldwide recession. The ADB says in the event of a severe pandemic, the global trade in goods and services would shrink by around 14-percent, or two-and-a-half trillion dollars.

It said even a mild pandemic would cause a 113-billion dollar loss to Asia's economy. So far, human cases of bird flu have been traced to contact with infected poultry. However, health experts warn of millions of human cases if the virus mutates into a form that spreads easily from person to person.

媒體權益組織譴責中國封博客網志 (Media Rights Group Condemns Shut Down of Chinese Blog)

維護新聞媒體權利的國際組織記者無國界譴責中國政府關閉一個支援民主的博客網志。這個網志被提名獲得一項言論自由獎。總部在巴黎的記者無國界星期四發表的聲明譴責它所說的對宣傳民主的網路日誌作者王義(音譯)的封鎖。該組織說，為這個博客網志提供上網服務的天涯公司按照海南省政府的指示關閉了這個博客網志。

該網志在德國公共廣播電臺德國之聲組織的博客競賽中獲得一項提名。提名說，這個網志被用來爭取中國的司法獨立。記者無國界說，中國政府關閉該網站的行為違背憲法裏有關保護言論自由的規定。

International media rights organization Reporters Without Borders is criticizing the Chinese government for shutting down a pro-democracy blog nominated for a freedom of expression award. In a statement released Thursday, the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said it condemns what it calls the censorship of the web log of pro-democracy writer Wang Yi. The group says the company (Tianya) that hosts the blog shut it down on the orders of the Hai Nan provincial government.

The blog had been nominated for an award in a blog contest organized by the German public radio station Deutsche Welle. The nomination says the blog is used to fight for the independence of justice in China. Reporters Without Borders says the Chinese government's action in shutting down the site would appear to be against constitutional guarantees of free expression.