Greek debts threaten the euro 希腊债务危及欧盟

European leaders at a summit in Brussels have been discussing the Greek economy and have agreed to help the country with its financial crisis. The aim is to protect the economies of countries using the euro.

欧盟领袖在布鲁瑟尔招开高峰会议，讨论希腊经济问题，一致同意联手帮助解决其债务带来的金融危机。这项决议主要在保护欧元区其他国家经济。

This summit was supposed to be a chance for Europe's prime ministers and presidents to discuss ways to promote growth and jobs, but with the euro single currency facing its worst ever crisis, the original agenda has long since been scrapped. Instead, all the focus will be on how to shore up Greece's precarious finances. Though the Greek economy is relatively small, its membership of the euro zone means its fate is wedded to that of the stronger currencies in the single currency.

这次高峰会的最初计划是让欧盟各国总理及总统讨论如何提高产值和工作机会，可是因为欧盟国家使用单一货币的政策，而欧元面临前所未见的危机，原始的振兴议案遭到取消，改为讨论如何帮助频临破产的希腊。虽然希腊经济体和其他欧盟国家相比较下规模不算大，但是因为它是欧元区的成员，这就代表它和欧元区使用其它强势货币的会员其实是生命共同体。

For years Greek governments have spent more than they earned in taxes and borrowed to make up the shortfall. That public debt now threatens to engulf the economy. Greece's new socialist government has introduced some drastic austerity measures, such as a public sector pay freeze and fuel price increases to try to reduce the deficit, but the prospect of a default has prompted huge falls on the Greek stock market. The uncertainty has spread to other big euro debtors like Spain and Portugal. It's this contagion that most worries euro zone leaders as it risks destroying confidence in the euro as a whole.

多年来，希腊政府一直寅吃卯粮，支出大于税收，再以借贷来弥补差额，造成今日公债之高已危及国家总体经济。希腊刚由社会主义者执政，开始引进节流政策，政府不但冻结工务人员薪资，并且调高油价，希望减低财政赤字，然而担心政府无法支付债务，希腊股票市场还是应声倒地。

So what to do? By underwriting the Greeks' debts they hope to stop the financial turbulence spreading and protect themselves in the process. But such largesse is not without risk. If they do end up having to pay Greece's debts, the leaders meeting here know it will be both expensive and unpopular with the voters back home.

那到底该怎么做？透过承销希腊人的债务，政府希望在阻止金融危机蔓延的同时也能保护自己的政权。但如此慷慨的做法也并非没有风险。如果最终他们不得不支付希腊债务，那么此刻会面的领导人知道，这个做法将对选民来说是既昂贵又不受欢迎的。

※PIGS: 葡萄牙(Portugal)、义大利(Italy)、希腊(Greece)、西班牙(Spain)

Premier League 英格兰足球超级联赛

A leading English football club plying its trade in the world's richest league has moved a step closer to financial ruin, in a case which highlights the dire economic climate the "beautiful game" finds itself in.

英国知名足球球队努力在世界最富有的足球联盟寻求交易，如今正一步步濒临破产边缘。这个案例凸显出素有「美丽的比赛」之称的足球赛事正面临经济风暴。

Portsmouth, currently languishing at the bottom of the Premier League, faces an even greater battle off the pitch as it attempts to block a move by British tax authorities to have it placed in administration due to unpaid taxes.

目前名列英格兰足球超级联赛垫底，奄奄一息的朴次茅斯球队有一场更硬的仗要打 -- 得阻止因未缴税而被英国税捐处判决政府收管。

US Announces Taiwan Arms Sale, Braces for Chinese Reaction 美国宣布对台出售武器 对中国反应防备

The Pentagon has informed Congress it will sell more than $6 billion worth of military equipment to Taiwan, a move expected to anger China and possibly result in retaliation.

美国五角大厦已正式通知国会将贩售价值六十亿美金的军事设备予台湾，预料此举将激怒中国并可能引发报复行动。

The Pentagon's official notification was long expected. It says the United States will sell helicopters, advanced defensive missiles, anti-mine ships, radar, communications equipment and related items to Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province. The planned sale does not include advanced F-16 fighter jets, which Taiwan had wanted.

五角大厦这份正式通知函可说早在预期之内。函中指出美国将贩售直升机、高级防御飞弹、防水雷舰艇、雷达、通讯设备与其他相关军备给予台湾。台湾在中国眼中一直是叛变的一个省份。这项军售计划并不包括台湾一直想要的先进型F-16战鬪机。