09-07-07

布什促中国在2008北京奥运展示更大开放 (Bush Urges China to Exhibit Greater Openness at 2008 Beijing Olympics)

美国总统布什敦促中国利用2008年北京夏季奥运会的时机展示其信守进一步开放和更加宽容的承诺。布什说，主办奥运会对中国来说是值得骄傲的一刻，全世界的目光将聚集在北京。

星期四，布什总统接受了中国国家主席胡锦涛的邀请，将与家人一道出席北京奥运会。中国人权政策的批评者呼吁各国抵制北京奥运会。美国总统的国家安全顾问说，布什总统向胡锦涛主席解释，他出席北京奥运会是为了体育，而不是为任何政治表态。

President Bush is urging China to use the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing as an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to greater openness and tolerance. Mr. Bush said the games will be a moment of pride for China and a moment when the eyes of the world will fall on Beijing.

On Thursday, Mr. Bush accepted an invitation from China's President Hu Jintao to attend the Olympics with his family. Critics of China's human rights policies have urged countries to boycott the Olympics. A national security adviser to the president said Mr. Bush explained to Mr. Hu that he would attend "for the sports and not for any political statements."

美法官否决爱国法案一条款(US Judge Dismisses Provision of the Patriot Act)

美国一名联邦法官否决了爱国法案中的一项条款。那项条款允许联邦调查局在没有法庭准许的情况下秘密迫使一些公司提供客户资料。

马雷罗法官星期四裁决，这项条款不符合宪法。他说，这项禁声条款违反了宪法第一修正案保障的言论自由。该项法律允许联邦调查局迫使电信公司向联邦官员提供客户的财务、电话通讯以及因特网活动的记录，同时禁止这些公司公开联邦调查局向公司提出过这种要求。

美国民权联盟对这一条款提出挑战后，雷罗法官2004年裁决这一条款不符合宪法。他说，联邦调查局在没有法官批准的情况下发出“国家安全信函”是不恰当的做法。联邦调查局用这些信函来调查恐怖主义活动。美国国会在2005年修订了爱国法，后来这项法案再次被送交给马雷罗法官审核它是否符合宪法。

A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a provision of the Patriot Act that allows the Federal Bureau of Investigation to secretly force companies to provide access to customer records without a warrant.

Judge Victor Marrero Thursday ruled the provision is unconstitutional and said the gag order violates the First Amendment guarantee of free speech. The law allows the FBI to force communications companies into releasing their customers' financial, telephone and Internet records to federal officials, while forbidding the companies from disclosing information about the request.

Marrero first ruled the provision unconstitutional in 2004 when the American Civil Liberties Union challenged it, saying it was improper for the FBI to issue so-called national security letters without a judge's order. The letters are used in terrorism investigations. Congress revised the Patriot Act in 2005 and it was sent back to Marrero to review the law's constitutionality a second time.