12-24-07

南韓促北韓說明核項目真相 (South Korea Calls On North Korea to Tell Truth About Nuclear Program)

南韓首席核談判代表敦促北韓說出有關其可疑的鈾濃縮項目的真相，這個問題正在延緩去除核武器的進程。南韓談判代表千英宇星期一說，現在是北韓方面“拿出勇氣講真話”的時候了。北韓承認有以金屬鈽為基礎的武器項目，但是否認美國所說的北韓還有鈾濃縮項目。北韓應當在今年年底之前公佈所有的核活動。美國和南韓官員說，由於鈾濃縮問題，北韓可能會錯過這個最後期限。

上星期五，美國國務卿賴斯說，北韓“徹底而精確”地公佈核項目，是改善關係的明確途徑。北韓同意去除核武器項目並且最遲在今年年底徹底公佈它的核項目。

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy has called on North Korea to be truthful about its suspected enriched uranium program, which is slowing down a disarmament process. South Korean envoy Chun Yung-Woo said today (Monday) that it is time for North Koreans "to have the courage to tell the truth" about the program. While acknowledging its plutonium-based weapons program, North Korea denies U.S. allegations that it had enriched uranium. U.S. and South Korean officials say the North may miss a year-end deadline for declaring its nuclear activities because of the uranium enrichment issue.

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said a "complete and accurate" declaration from the North was a clear pathway toward improving relations. North Korea has agreed to dismantle its nuclear program and make a complete declaration of its nuclear programs by the end of the year.

致命的冬季暴風雪在美國中部造成11人死亡 (Deadly Winter Storm Kills 11 in Central US)

暴風雪橫掃美國的中部和中西部的偏北地區，導致至少11人死亡。星期六和星期天的大雪以及冰凍和霧造成了致命的交通事故和斷電。暴風雪還導致飛機停飛，致使許多耶誕節期間的旅客耽誤了行程。

這種冬季天氣還使芝加哥繁忙的國際機場取消了大約300個航班。國家氣象局星期日對臨近加拿大的“大湖區”部分地區發出了冬季風暴警報，明尼蘇達、威斯康辛和密西根三州有大雪和強風。

A snow storm that has swept across the central U.S. and upper midwest is blamed for at least 11 deaths. Heavy snow, ice and fog Saturday and Sunday caused deadly road accidents and power outages. The storm also grounded flights for Christmas holiday travelers.

The winter weather forced about 300 cancellations at Chicago's busy (O'Hare) International Airport. The National Weather Service on Sunday issued winter storm warnings for parts of the Great Lakes region bordering Canada, with snow and powerful winds in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.