Student loan (贷款) debt has become a worldwide problem. In America, the country's overall student debt reached a record of $1.6 trillion in 2019. The average person with student loan debt owed between $20,000 and $25,000. A recent Japanese government report says it has been lending over $9 billion yearly to students since 2010. Similar conditions exist in Africa and South America.

Several factors account for high student loan debt. One is that employers everywhere have increased their demands for skilled workers, making higher education a requirement for many jobs. The students, however, after graduation, often find that their country's economy is not strong enough to support their financial needs, so their ability to pay back the loan becomes a problem.

To solve the problem, many countries are seeking their ways. Australia has developed a system where students do not have to pay anything back until they are earning at least $40,000 a year. In America, several candidates running for president in the 2020 election have offered more extreme solutions that all or at least some of these loans will be forgiven.

Some professors in several universities recently studied what the effects of debt forgiveness might be. They found that, overall, sudden debt relief greatly improved the borrowers' lives. Not only did they have more money, but they were more likely to move to a new area and seek better paying work.

Yet the professors' research doesn’t include what might happen to financial institutions or the overall economy if debt were totally forgiven. It only looks at how debt forgiveness would help the borrowers. They warn of some other possible negative effects. If a borrower knew that if he ran into any trouble he would be saved because he could get the debt relief, then he might actually become more reckless (轻率的) with his borrowing in the future.

No matter what, the professors agree that if countries do decide to approve some student debt relief the neediest students should be helped first.

At 8: 43 p.m. Beijing time on November 3, accompanied by the thunderous roar of engines, a 57-meter-tall rocket pushed itself into the sky over Hainan Province.

An increasing number of Chinese rockets have been launched in the past few years, but this one was particularly significant. It was the first launch of the new Long March 5 rocket, which is much larger than previous versions of China’s carrier rockets. Its successful launch has pushed China to the forefront of the world in terms of rocket carrying capacity (容量、能力). The heavy-lift carrier rocket will enable China to build a permanent manned space station by 2022.

“China is developing very rapidly into one of the major space players,” says Brian Harvey, a space analyst and author of China in Space: The Great Leap Forward. “You will see the Chinese quite visibly begin to match the capacity of the other space powers.” “We are not satisfied with the achievements we have made in the fields of space technology. With the development of China’s space program, we are trying to make contributions to human knowledge about the universe.” says Wang Chi of the National Space Science Center.

For the next decade, the Tiangong Space Station will be China’s principal destination. Although not as large as the International Space Station, it will have a broadly similar capacity to perform scientific experiments. China also plans to land a small rover (探测车) on the far side of the moon in 2018, which will be a world first. Also in the advanced planning stages is a over to go to Mars. Additionally, designs for a Long March 9 rocket are being studied. With the first launch of the rocket due in 2025, China could very well be in a position to land astronauts on the moon by 2030.

China’s space program is making progress year upon year. It is quite clear that a dramatic shift in space power is taking place.

When I was 16years old and in foster care （非亲代养）in Tennessee，people told me I was unadoptable．But I desperately wanted a family．I sought the help of a judge，even the commissioner of the Department of Children's Services and was adopted just a week before my 18th birthday．

We have a lot to be grateful for and this holiday season .Let's not forget about the more than 415000 youth in foster care especially older youth．These youth are the most likely to get overlooked for adoption but they shouldn't be．They need and deserve a family just as much as young children do．Making an older youth a part of your family can bring just as much a joy as adopting a baby or a younger child-without all the diapers and potty training．

My adoption was life changing and probably the best thing that ever happened to me．I still remember the first gift my parents gave to me．It was a Mickey Mouse key chain with a key to their home．They told me that no matter what happened they would always love me and I'd always have a place to come home to．This is our 17th Thanksgiving together…

My first Thanksgiving with my family was a little overwhelming with lots of extended family including grandparents，aunts，uncles，and cousins．However，it's when I realized that I would never have to spend another holiday alone and that was truly an amazing feeling．

I was always eager to spend time with my little sister，Beth．She was six when I joined the family．My dad always says he knew we were really sisters，and I was no longer a guest in the house when Beth and I had our first fight．Today，she's one of my best friends，and I'm her biggest cheerleader．

There were also bittersweet Thanksgivings．One we spent in my mom's hospital room．It was there that she helped me plan my wedding but passed away three weeks before the ceremony，My dad walked me down the aisle，and my sister was my maid of hono,Because of our bond we were able to support each other through that challenging time and that's what family is for-the good and bad times．

It's nice having my dad and sister to share holidays and special occasions．But they're even more important when it comes to the little things like having someone to share my bad day with,celebrate my promotion at work，or help me think through a difficult decision．It's in these moments that I just can't imagine being alone in the world．

I'm so glad that I didn't listen to those people who said I was unadoptable，I'd never find a family，and that I was putting myself out there for rejection．It's a risk for older foster youth to consider adoption．It's an opportunity to be rejected once again． But it's a risk they should take because life doesn't end at 18．It's really just beginning．

If you know someone who might consider adopting an older teen，please share my story--and have him or her think of my family．They didn't get to see my first steps or watch me be a pilgrim in my second grade Thanksgiving play．But they taught me so many things about life and were there to watch me walk across the stage when I graduated from college and law school and accompanied me to the White House last year as I was honored for my work helping foster youth．

I look forward to many more Thanksgivings with my family and I'm eternally thankful they chose me to be a part of their family．

A Whale of a Time

The annual whale festival in Hermanus, South Africa, kicks off today. The coastal town, located on the Western Cape about 1.5 hours from Cape Town, is well-known for whale watching. It is one of the best locations in the world to witness the migration of southern fight whales. The festival, which is the only eco-arts festival in South Africa, attracts upward of 130, 000 visitors.

Hermanus also takes pride in the world’s only “Whale Crier”. His job is to go around and herald the whereabouts of whales to everyone—with his horn. Fortunately, the timing of the festival almost guarantees a whale sighting—as close as a few meters from shore!

The whales are, of course, the main attraction of the festival, but many more terrific activities are available. The seaside environment, with the mountains as a backdrop, makes an ideal setting to enjoy the festival’s musical performances and fantastic seafood. For those who desire more adventure, there’s open water swimming, a night run and sports challenges. And there are other festivities and entertainment for kids. With something for everyone, what more could ask for?