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Greek debts threaten the euro 希臘債務危及歐盟

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.

歐盟領袖在布魯瑟爾招開高峰會議，討論希臘經濟問題，一致同意聯手幫助解決其債務帶來的金融危機。這項決議主要在保護歐元區其他國家經濟。

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.

這次高峰會的最初計畫是讓歐盟各國總理及總統討論如何提高產值和工作機會，可是因為歐盟國家使用單一貨幣的政策，而歐元面臨前所未見的危機，原始的振興議案遭到取消，改為討論如何幫助頻臨破產的希臘。雖然希臘經濟體和其他歐盟國家相比較下規模不算大，但是因為它是歐元區的成員，這就代表它和歐元區使用其它強勢貨幣的會員其實是生命共同體。

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.

多年來，希臘政府一直寅吃卯糧，支出大於稅收，再以借貸來彌補差額，造成今日公債之高已危及國家總體經濟。希臘剛由社會主義者執政，開始引進節流政策，政府不但凍結工務人員薪資，並且調高油價，希望減低財政赤字，然而擔心政府無法支付債務，希臘股票市場還是應聲倒地。

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.

那到底該怎麼做？透過承銷希臘人的債務，政府希望在阻止金融危機蔓延的同時也能保護自己的政權。但如此慷慨的做法也並非沒有風險。如果最終他們不得不支付希臘債務，那麼此刻會面的領導人知道，這個做法將對選民來說是既昂貴又不受歡迎的。

※PIGS: 葡萄牙(Portugal)、義大利(Italy)、希臘(Greece)、西班牙(Spain)

Premier League 英格蘭足球超級聯賽

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.

英國知名足球球隊努力在世界最富有的足球聯盟尋求交易，如今正一步步瀕臨破產邊緣。這個案例凸顯出素有「美麗的比賽」之稱的足球賽事正面臨經濟風暴。

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.

目前名列英格蘭足球超級聯賽墊底，奄奄一息的樸次茅斯球隊有一場更硬的仗要打 -- 得阻止因未繳稅而被英國稅捐處判決政府收管。

US Announces Taiwan Arms Sale, Braces for Chinese Reaction 美國宣布對台出售武器 對中國反應防備

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.

美國五角大廈已正式通知國會將販售價值六十億美金的軍事設備予台灣，預料此舉將激怒中國並可能引發報復行動。

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.

五角大廈這份正式通知函可說早在預期之內。函中指出美國將販售直升機、高級防禦飛彈、防水雷艦艇、雷達、通訊設備與其他相關軍備給予台灣。台灣在中國眼中一直是叛變的一個省份。這項軍售計畫並不包括台灣一直想要的先進型F-16戰鬪機。