04-30-08

美关注西藏抗议者被判监禁 (US Concerned About Prison Terms for Tibet Protesters)

美国说，对中国当局本星期把30名被控参与最近西藏骚乱的人判刑表示关注。白宫发言人佩里诺星期三在华盛顿对记者说，美国尽管认为任何人都不应违反法律，但同时信奉言论和集会自由。

佩里诺说，中国上周末提出与流亡国外的西藏精神领袖达赖喇嘛的代表对话，美国为此感到鼓舞。她还表示，她相信达赖喇嘛能够帮助中国缓和西藏的紧张局势。

星期二，西藏的一个法院判处被控参与动乱的30名藏族人徒刑，刑期从三年到终身监禁不等。

The United States says it is concerned about China's sentencing of 30 people to prison this week over their alleged involvement in recent Tibetan unrest. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters in Washington (Wednesday) that while the United States does not think anyone should break the law, it also believes in freedom of expression and assembly.

Perino says the U.S. is encouraged by China's offer late last week to open dialogue with representatives of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. She also says she believes the Dalai Lama could help China calm tensions in the area.

On Tuesday, a court in Tibet sentenced 30 Tibetans from three years to life in prison for taking part in the unrest.

中国当局指火车相撞与奥运建设有关 (Chinese Authorities Link Train Crash to Olympic Construction)

中国官员说，2008年北京奥运之前的铁路建设与中国东部本星期发生致命火车相撞事故存有些关联。那次事故造成71死亡，400多受伤。

调查人员说，其中一列火车在脱轨并撞上另一列火车时，时速超过131公里。淄博市政府发言人今天(星期三)对记者说，在北京奥运前，当地这段铁路正在进行提升工然b。

他表示，一条新铁路将大大加快济南和沿海城市青岛之间的交通。北京奥运的帆船比赛将在青岛举行。

政府调查人员对中国官方媒体说，事故发生前，在事故发生前，火车司机曾被告知在这段整修路段上减速。

Chinese officials say railway construction ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics played a role in a deadly train crash this week in eastern China that killed 71 people and injured more than 400.

Investigators say one of the trains was traveling more than 131 kilometers-per-hour when it derailed (near the city of Zibo in Shandong province) and rammed into another train. A Zibo city spokesman (Li Chenggang) told reporters today (Wednesday) that the railway line in the area is being upgraded ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games.

He said a new line will make the traffic between Jinan and the coastal city of Qingdao much faster. Qingdao is the site of the sailing competition for the Summer Games.

Government investigators tell Chinese state media that train operators were told to slow down at the section of the track under construction before the accident took place.