12-26-07

非洲裔美國人開始慶祝寬扎節 (African-Americans Begin Celebration of Kwanzaa Holiday)

今天(星期三)是美國非洲裔社區紀念為期一個星期的文化節日“寬扎節”的第一天。寬扎節由活動人士和學者莫拉納.卡倫加創立於民權和黑人自由運動處於高潮的1966年。他以傳統的非洲“第一果實”或者豐收慶祝為寬扎節的基礎，目的是推廣非洲裔美國家庭、社區和文化。

寬扎節的每一天裏，各個家庭都要點燃一隻蠟燭。第一天的主題是團結。其他6天包括自決、共同工作及責任、合作經濟、目的、創造和信仰。

Today (Wednesday) marks the first day of the week-long observance of Kwanzaa, a cultural holiday within the African-American community. Kwanzaa was established in 1966, during the height of the Civil Rights and Black Freedom movements, by activist and scholar Maulana Karenga. He based the observance on traditional African "first fruit," or harvest celebrations, with the goal of promoting African-American families, community and culture.

Families light a candle for each day of the Kwanzaa holiday. The first day is dedicated to the theme of unity. The other six days include self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

反對派候選人退出俄總統大選 (Opposition Candidate Withdraws From Russian Presidential Race)

俄羅斯反對黨候選人、前副總理涅姆佐夫退出俄羅斯的總統競選。涅姆佐夫是右翼力量聯盟的一位領導人。他星期三說，民主反對派在明年3月的選舉中應該只有一位候選人。他在自己的網站上發表的聲明中宣佈退選。

涅姆佐夫稱即將到來的總統大選是一場鬧劇，說克里姆林宮在利用宣傳、安全和官僚體制壓制反對派。其他5位候選人繼續參加總統大選，包括由現任總統普京的統一俄羅斯黨提名的第一副總理梅德韋傑夫。

其他候選人是俄羅斯共產黨領導人久加諾夫、自由民主黨人日裏諾夫斯基、前總理卡西亞諾夫以及民主黨候選人博格達諾夫。俄羅斯憲法禁止普京總統競選三屆連任。

An opposition candidate and former deputy prime minister Nemtsov has withdrawn from Russia's presidential race. Boris Nemtsov, a leader in the Union of Right Forces party (SPS) ，Wednesday said the democratic opposition should have a single candidate in the March election. He withdrew from the race in a statement posted on his website.

Nemtsov called the upcoming presidential election a farce, saying the Kremlin is using propaganda and security and bureaucratic pressures against the opposition. Five other candidates remain in the presidential race, including Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev, who was nominated by current President Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party.

The others are Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, Liberal Democrat Vladimir Zhirinovsky, former Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, and Andrei Bogdanov of the Democratic Parity. Russia's constitution bars Mr. Putin from seeking a third consecutive term.