09-15-06

台湾几十万民众要求阿扁下台 (Hundreds of Thousands of Taiwanese Demand Taiwan President's Resignation)

在台湾，几十万名抗议者涌上台北街头，要求总统陈水扁辞职。从上星期台北发 生各种形式的反陈水扁总统的抗议活动以来，抗议示威已经成为昼夜不停的活动。 组织者说，星期五晚上有大约30万人走上街头。警方部署了4000警员维持秩序。

抗议者指责陈水扁总统腐败。几个月来，虽然陈水扁不断受到指责，家人和助手 也卷入丑闻，但是他一直没有动摇。

陈水扁的女婿因涉嫌内线交易和收受贿赂已受到起诉。总统夫人由于被指称接受 换取游说帮助的百货公司购物券正在接受调查。检方人员还在就总统滥用国务机 要费的指称进行调查。陈水扁总统否认有任何违法行为。

Tens of thousands of protesters have marched through the streets of Taiwan's capital Taipei, demanding that President Chen Shui-bian resign. Protests of varying kinds against the president began in Taipei last week and have gone on around the clock since then. Organizers say that some 300-thousand people took to the streets Friday night. Police deployed about four thousand officers to maintain order.

The protesters accuse President Chen Shui-bian of corruption. But he has stood firm for months in the face of allegations against him and scandals involving his family and aides.

Mr. Chen's son-in-law has been indicted on suspicion of insider trading and taking bribes. The president's wife is under investigation for allegedly accepting department store gift certificates in exchange for lobbying efforts. Prosecutors also are investigating the president for the alleged misuse of public funds. President Chen denies all wrongdoing.

中国甘肃250儿童铅中毒住院 (250 Children Hospitalized for Lead Poisoning in Gansu, China)

中国国家媒体报导说，还有250名儿童和8位成年人因为铅中毒而继续住院治疗。 新华社说，至少有4名儿童血液里的铅含量高到足可导致大脑损伤。

污染源已被查明是广泛存在贫困的甘肃省一个金属冶炼厂，就在受害者居住的地 区。这些受害者目前正在临近陕西省的一家医院治疗。金属冶炼厂已经被拆除。 新华社说，调查人员认定，这个冶炼厂2004年更新设备后没有进行环境评估。有 关官员说，该厂的废料处理设备不符合国家标准。

自8月以来，共有360多名村民出现病状。铅量过高会对损坏神经系统和生殖系统。

250 Children Hospitalized for Lead Poisoning in Gansu, China Chinese state media say 250 children and eight adults sickened by lead poisoning in northwestern China are still in the hospital. The Xinhua news agency says at least four of the children have lead levels in their blood high enough to cause brain damage.

The pollution has been traced to a metal smelting plant in poverty-stricken Gansu province, where the victims live. They are being treated at a hospital in neighboring Shaanxi province. The smelting plant has been torn down.

Xinhua says inspectors have determined the plant failed to conduct an environmental assessment after upgrading its equipment in 2004. Officials say the plant's waste disposal equipment does not meet national standards.

More than 360 villagers have been sickened since August. Excessive amounts of lead can damage the nervous and reproductive systems.