12-26-2005

中国关闭2400座煤矿下令支付安全基金 (China Shuts 2,400 Coal Mines, Orders Safety Bonds Paid)

中国政府表示，今年关闭了大约2千4百座违反安全规定的煤矿，并且将开始要求煤矿交付安全基金。

官方媒体报导说，中国国家煤矿安全监察局官员将要求所有煤矿预付可最高达74万美元的事故保证金。

媒体报导说，保证金的数目将根据产量有所不同。设立基金是为了支付援救工作和向遇难者进行赔偿。

有关当局说，今年有将近1万3千座煤矿由于安全原因被勒令停产。

中国的煤矿是世界上最危险的，据报导每年有超过5千人死于大火、透水和其它矿难。

China's government says it has closed about 24-hundred coal mines for safety violations this year and will start requiring mines to post safety bonds.

Official state media report that Chinese (State Administration of Coal Mine Work Safety) safety officials will require all coal mines to pay deposits of up to 740-thousand dollars as guarantees against accidents.

The media said the deposit money will vary depending on production. The money will be held to pay for rescue efforts and compensation to victims.

Authorities say nearly 13-thousand coal mines were ordered to suspend operations due to safety issues this year.

China's coal mines are the world's deadliest, with more than five-thousand deaths reported every year in fires, floods and other disasters.

中国酒吧失火26人死亡8人受伤 (China Bar Fire Kills 26, Injures 8)

中国广东省中山市一家酒吧圣诞日那天被大火吞没，至少26人遇难，另有8人受伤。大火发生在星期天午夜前。在这个酒吧庆祝圣诞节的目击者说，大火前发生了爆炸。在清理废墟的同时，警方封锁了出事的建筑物和附近的街道。事故原因正在调查中。

近年来，过圣诞节在奉行无神论的中国人中间越来越流行，成为一种时尚风气。

A Christmas day fire gutted a bar in south China, killing at least 26 people and injuring another eight.

The fire broke out before midnight (1600 UTC) Sunday at a bar in the city of Zhongshan in Guangdong province. Witnesses celebrating Christmas at the bar said there was an explosion just before the fire. Police cordoned off the building and nearby roads while debris was cleaned up. The incident is under investigation.

Christmas has been gaining popularity in recent years among atheist Chinese, who find it fashionable to celebrate.