02-12-08

台湾评估美间谍案损害程度 (Taiwan Assessing Damage From US Espionage Case)

台湾国防部说，正在试图确定美国一个中国间谍案涉案人员是否向中国提供有关台湾军事防御系统的情报。台湾国防部星期二在一份声明中说，这起间谍案很重大。国防部补充说，台湾已经成立特别小组来评估在美国的间谍可能造成的损害。

美国司法部星期一说，正在指控国防部一名雇员和两名其他人士向中国出售敏感情报。一些情报与美国对台军售有关。法庭文件显示，被告人曾经谈论过有关提升台湾军队指挥与通讯能力的一项重大项目。

任何有关台湾军事行动的情报对中国来说都将很重要的。中国威胁，如果台湾有任何迈向永久独立的举动，中国就会攻击台湾这个自治的岛屿。

Taiwan's defense ministry says it is trying to determine whether individuals involved in a Chinese espionage case in the United States provided China with information on the island's military defense systems. In a statement Tuesday, the ministry said the case was of great importance, adding that Taiwan has set up a task force to assess the possible damage spies in the United States may have caused. 

On Monday, the U.S. Justice Department said it was charging a Defense Department employee and two others with selling sensitive information to China. Some of that information was related to U.S. military sales to Taiwan. Court documents show the accused had conversations about a major project to upgrade the island's command and communications capabilities for its troops. 

Any insight into Taiwan's military operations would be significant for China, which has threatened to attack the self-governed island if it makes any permanent moves toward independence.

联合国粮食主管称全球最贫困者买不起食品 (UN Food Chief Says World's Poorest Cannot Afford Food)

联合国世界粮食计划署负责人约瑟特.施林说，很多世界上最贫困的人都由于飞涨的物价而买不起粮食。施林在接受美联社采访时说，恶劣的天气、缩短的收获期、升高的原油价格以及用粮食制作生物燃料，都导致食品开销超出贫困人口承受能力。用她的话说，“他们完全被高物价排挤出食品市场”。

她说，食品供应必须要调整，这样粮食才能不间断地运到世界上最易受影响的地区。施林说，她希望看到国际社会向需要加强农业基础的地区投资。

世界粮食计划署目前正对该机构认为最急需帮助的30个国家进行评估，其中包括阿富汗和几个非洲国家。

Josette Sheeran, the head of the United Nations World Food Program says that many of the world's poorest people cannot buy food because of soaring prices. Josette Sheeran said in an interview with the Associated Press that severe weather, shorter harvests, higher oil prices and the use of food to produce biofuel are driving food costs out of the reach of the poor. In her words, "they are simply being priced out of the food markets." 

She said that food supplies have to be adjusted, so they will get to the most vulnerable parts of the world without disruptions. Sheeran said she would like to see the international community make investments in regions that need a stronger agricultural foundation.

The World Food Program is currently doing an assessment of 30 nations it has deemed most needy, including Afghanistan and several African nations.