01-29-08

中国暴雪中大客车翻车二十五人丧生 (Bus Crash Kills 25 During Heavy Snows in China)

中国官方新华社报导说，贵州省一辆大客车星期二早上在结冰的路面上翻车，造成至少25人死亡，13人受伤。中国当局说，更多暴雪仍在威胁中国疲于应对交通混乱和电力短缺的部分地区。

中国国家气象局星期一发出警告，中部和东部一些省份继续会有大雪和冰雨。暴风雪使中国的公路、铁路和机场瘫痪，困住了数以十万计的希望同家人共度农历新年的旅客。

中国总理温家宝星期天命令所有政府部门采取紧急行动，应对他所称的“越来越严峻的形势”。温家宝说，政府面临保障能源供应的“严峻”挑战。

Chinese official Xinhua news agency say at least 25 people were killed and 13 injured when their bus crashed on an icy road early Tuesday in Guizhou Province. Chinese authorities say more snow storms are threatening parts of the country already struggling with transport chaos and power shortages.

China's Meteorological Administration issued warnings Monday of further heavy snow and freezing rain in some central and eastern provinces.The snow storms have paralyzed highways, railways and airports, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers hoping to join their families for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Premier Wen Jiabao ordered all government departments Sunday to take urgent action to prepare for what he called an "increasingly grim situation." He says the government faces a "severe" challenge in maintaining China's energy supplies.

伊朗以金融罪处死一海关官员 (Iran Executes Customs Official for Financial Crimes)

伊朗以腐败罪名处死一名海关合同人员，这是伊朗对金融犯罪罕见的惩罚。伊朗一位司法发言人星期二说，这名合同工因腐败、贿赂以及干扰金融秩序被处死。他没有公布被处死人的身份，也没有提供罪行的详情。

这位发言人说，其他3名海关雇员也因类似的罪行面临死刑判决，但是司法官员正在考虑他们提出的要求减判为终身监禁的上诉。

根据伊朗的伊斯兰法律，谋杀、强奸、抢劫、通奸以及贩毒等罪行可判处死刑。死刑通常都以绞刑执行。

人权组织大赦国际说，伊朗去年处死了200多人。

Iran has executed a customs contractor for corruption -- a rare punishment for financial crimes in the country. An Iranian judiciary spokesman said Tuesday the contractor was executed for corruption, bribery and disrupting the financial system. He did not identify the person executed, or give details about the crime.

The spokesman said three other customs employees are facing the death penalty for similar crimes, but judicial officials are considering their appeal to reduce the sentence to life imprisonment.

Under Iran's Islamic law, murder, rape, robbery, adultery and drug trafficking are punishable by death. The sentences are usually carried out by hanging.

The human rights group Amnesty International says Iran executed more than 200 people last year.