09-04-09

09-04-09

投资者抢购黄金 (Worried Investors Rush to Gold)

黄金价格逐步攀升，显示投资者可能担心全球经济复苏的力度和速度。近几天黄金交易价格将近每盎司$1000美元，星期四高达每盎司999.5美元，这是自2008年3月金价创纪录以来从未出现的水平。 人们通常在经济不景气时购买黄金，因为他们认为黄金比其他投资更保值。出于同样的原因，当投资者认为美元将贬值时也会购买黄金。 一些经济学家说，当前抢购黄金的现象是人们担心全球股市将大幅下跌的结果。其他经济学家说，黄金价格飙升可能是由于政府斥巨资刺激经济，人们害怕这可能导致许多货币贬值。

Gold prices are rising, a sign investors may be worried about the strength and pace of a global economic recovery.Gold has been trading at close to $1,000 an ounce in recent days (going as high as $999.50 an ounce Thursday), levels not seen since gold prices set a record in March 2008. People traditionally buy gold during difficult economic times because they think it will hold its value better than other investments. For that same reason, investors also buy gold when they think the value of the U.S. dollar is going to decline. Some economists say the current rush to buy gold is the result of fears that the world's stocks markets are headed for a steep decline.Other economists say the surge in gold prices may be based on fears that the value of many currencies is going to decline because of the massive amount of money governments are spending to stimulate economic growth.

洛杉矶大火为蓄意纵火,以凶杀案立案 (Los Angeles-Area Fire Declared Arson, Homicide Probe Launched)

加州当局表示，最近烧毁近6万公顷土地的洛杉矶大火为蓄意纵火。加州和联邦政府官员星期四晚上宣布了大火的调查情况。这场大火摧毁了64所房屋，是洛杉矶县有史以来规模最大的火灾。 当局表示，他们已经以他杀罪立案，原因是有两名消防员在大火中丧生。星期天他们在紧急救护车坠落山坡时身亡。 数百名消防人员星期五聚集在消防指挥站，悼念他们逝去的战友。下个星期将为这两名消防员在洛杉矶道奇棒球场举行公众悼念仪式。 调查人员现在集中调查洛杉矶北部的一处疑似起火点。大火已经燃烧了大约10天，有关人员表示现在有42%的火势得到了控制。

Authorities in California say arson is the cause of a wildfire that has burned nearly 60,000 hectares of land near Los Angeles.State and federal officials made the declaration Thursday evening. The fire, which also destroyed 64 homes, is the largest wildfire in the history of Los Angeles County. Authorities say they have launched a homicide investigation because of the deaths of two firefighters, (Ted Hall and Arnie Quinones) who were killed Sunday when their emergency vehicle plunged down a steep mountain road. Hundreds of firefighters gathered at the fire command post Friday to honor their fallen comrades. A public memorial will be held next week (September 12) at the baseball stadium for the Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodger Stadium). Investigators are focusing on an area north of Los Angeles as the possible epicenter of the fire, which has burned for about 10 days. Officials say the blaze is now 42 percent contained.

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