**朝鲜半岛局势紧张**
位于朝鲜半岛南北之间的开城联合工业园区仍然前途未卜，平壤连续第二天不准韩国工人进入园区。
首尔预计星期四将有大约200名工人从开城工业园区返回韩国，该园区位于朝鲜境内大约10公里。有关官员说，此后将有大约600名韩国人留在园区。
有关方面担忧，如果发生冲突，这些韩国工人可能被困在朝鲜。韩国曾经表示，如果韩国工人的安全受到威胁，军事行动将是最后的选择手段。
朝鲜星期四再次威胁要关闭开城工业园区，而该园区是南北双方合作的仅存迹象。开城工业园区于2004年开始运营，对现金匮乏的平壤而言，该园区是一个重要的收入来源。
但韩国统一部否认了有关朝鲜命令所有韩国人离开开城工业园区的报道。韩国统一部说，星期四清早开始出现的有关报道是基于对一条发给韩国工人的信息的误解。
最近联合国针对朝鲜核项目而实行的新制裁激怒了朝鲜当局，平壤近来几乎每天都对美国和韩国进行威胁。
**KOREAS TENSIONS**
The future of a joint industrial complex between North and South Korea remains in question, as Pyongyang blocked South Korean workers from entering the center for a second day.
Seoul expects about 200 workers to return home Thursday from the Kaesong industrial zone, which lies about 10 kilometers inside North Korea. Officials say that would leave about 600 South Koreans at the facility.
There are concerns that the workers could become trapped in North Korea, should any conflict break out. South Korea has said that military action is a last-resort option if the safety of its workers is threatened.
North Korea on Thursday renewed its threat to shut down the complex, which is the last remaining sign of inter-Korean cooperation. The facility, which opened in 2004, is also an important source of income for cash-strapped Pyongyang.
But the South Korean Unification Ministry is denying reports the North has ordered all South Koreans to leave the facility. It said the reports, which circulated early Thursday, were based on a misunderstanding of a memo sent to South Korean workers.
Pyongyang, which is angry at recent U.N. sanctions over its nuclear program, has issued near-daily threats against Seoul and Washington.
**白宫宣布：奥巴马将交还5%的工资**
白宫官员说，为了显示和那些被迫无薪休假的联邦政府员工同心同德，奥巴马总统将交还他5%的工资给政府。
星期三，白宫官员说，为了支持那些由于被称为强行减赤措施而被迫无薪休假的政府员工，奥巴马总统决定和他们一起分担他们作出的牺牲。
奥巴马总统的年薪是40万美元。奥巴马决定从强行减赤开始实行的3月1号起每个月交回5%的工资，也就是大约每个月1700美元。
星期二，国防部长哈格尔和副部长卡特也表示，他们也将交回部分工资。
**White House : Obama to Return 5 Percent of Salary **
White House official says that in a show of solidarity with furloughed U.S. federal employees, President Barack Obama will return 5 percent of his salary to the government.
The official Wednesday said the president decided to share in the sacrifice public employees are making because of the automatic spending cuts called the sequester.
Mr. Obama makes $400,000 a year. Five percent of his salary, going back to March 1, when the sequester started, would be about $1,700 per month.
Tuesday, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his deputy, Ashton Carter, both said they will refund part of their salaries.