【推荐1】Families will be rewarded for the first time for putting out less rubbish under new plans to significantly promote recycling, especially of valuable materials like glass.

The new plan for collecting waste in England will scrap fines (罚款) for putting plastic in the wrong recycling bin. Instead, families will be offered rewards for recycling more rubbish measured by a microchip (芯片) in the rubbish bin. Caroline Spelman, an Environment Secretary, said, “It is better to use a plan that offers people rewards, rather than punishing them. We want to help those people who want to do the right thing by reducing waste and recycling at home. This means making sure communities are getting the collection services they want and not punishing hard-working families who make mistakes by putting bins out on the wrong day or leaving the waste in the wrong recycling bin.”

Though the punishment for putting waste in the wrong recycling bin has been given up, plans to try and remove the unpopular twice-a-week bin collections have largely failed despite the efforts of Eric Pickles, a Communities Secretary. Although Mrs. Spelman made it clear that communities will be supported in efforts to increase the times of collections, and the Conservative Party will not force local authorities to return to weekly collections. Most communities expect the introduction of weekly rubbish collections, as this will solve some of the problems about environment.

“We will continue to help local communities develop local solutions to collecting and dealing with family waste and will work with communities to meet families’ reasonable expectations for weekly collections, particularly of smelly waste.” said Mrs. Spelman.

【推荐2】Suppose your permanent residence, or hukou, was in Chongqing, you worked in Beijing and you needed to get a passport for a business trip abroad. What should you do?

You have to go back to Chongqing, which is 1,500km away, and apply to local public security authorities for the passport, because in China public services are closely linked to hukou. But a new regulation, which is part of the hukou reform, will make this annoying experience a thing of the past.

The regulation targets China’s newly introduced residence permit system, which will take effect on Jan 1, 2016. It allows people who don’t have local hukou to receive more access to basic public services in the cities where they are living. These include education, basic employment services, automobile registration, and passport and ID card application processing.

You can apply for a residence permit at the local police station, which has jurisdiction (管辖权) over the area where you live. The documents needed for the permit application include your ID card, photos and materials that prove that you have a job, a place to live, or that you are studying at an education institution.

To certify that you have a place to live, a house rental contract or property ownership certificate will do. For employment, a business license, job contract, or employment certificate can do the trick. If you are a student applying for the permit, show your student card or other documentation issued by your school.

Despite all this, maybe you are still not happy about not having a local hukou. Don’t worry. People will have a chance, as the country is reforming the hukou system further.

【推荐3】They hide in trees, hang from helicopters, even follow people down on motorcycles—all so that they can snap a shot of a celebrity. They are paparazzi—photographers who make a living by taking pictures of the rich and famous.

This September, California, a state with plenty of celebrities, passed a law aimed at taking action against paparazzi. The law forbids photographers from entering private property to take pictures, from using high-tech devices to take pictures of people on private property, and from “persistently following in order to take a picture.” Violators can be fined or spend time in prison. The United State Congress is considering passing a similar law.

Supporters of the California law say it will protect the privacy of celebrities, whom paparazzi have been bothering for years. Opponents (反对者) say the law restricts photojournalists from doing their job.

Most celebrities seem to like having their pictures taken when they are in public at award shows or other events. After all, it’s free publicity. But when they’re not in public, they say, photographers should leave them alone. Yet paparazzi have been known to secretly look in windows and worse. Actor Michael J. Fox said that paparazzi have even “tried to pretend to be medical personnel at the hospital where my wife was giving birth to our son.”

Celebrities have as much right to their privacy as anyone else, supporters of the law state. Supporters further argue that the California law is a fair way to keep the press at bay, because the law still allows photographers to do their job. It only punishes them, supporters say, when they violate celebrities’ privacy.

Opponents of the law say it violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution (美国宪法第一修正案), which guarantees that no laws will be made to limit “the freedom of speech, or of the press.”Although some people might not consider paparazzi a part of the legal press, the California law does not single out paparazzi. It applies to photographers working for any publication.

Opponents of the law are also concerned about its wording. “Does ‘persistently’ mean following someone for six minutes, six seconds, or six days?” asked lawyer Douglas Mirell. The wording of the law is too vague, critics complain, and could be used to punish almost any news photographer.

The United States needs a free press to keep the public informed about important news, paparazzi law opponents say. Limiting the press in any way, they argue, limits the freedom of all.

【推荐1】The Spanish sun makes the beaches, the sea and nature glow in a special manner, which gave the place a name so meaningful: La Costa de la Luz ( The Coast of Light).

The charming “Costa de la Luz” is the guarantee(保证) for a dream-like holidays and one of the jewelleries of the Spanish beaches. Here you can sun-bathe till October. The friendly people make you want to come back. You’ll fall in love with beaches. Sand and wood surround the Coast. Behind them you discover the beauties of wild life in Donana National Park. If you stay in a hotel situated on the beach, and every morning you’ll be woken up by the breaking white waves and the sound of the birds.

In the year 711 the Muslims living in North Africa conquered (控制) almost the entire area of Spain. Traces of their culture and civilization are to be found in Sevilla, one of the oldest towns in Spain.

You’ll be delighted by the colorful view of the towns, which are filled with all kinds of flowers. For one of the best holidays in your life, don’t hesitate and choose Andalucia. You won’t regret it.

【推荐2】This Monday, the nation will start to celebrate Presidents’ Day, just seven days before George Washington’s birthday. Everyone agrees that day is a holiday, but is it just to celebrate George Washington’s Birthday? What about Abraham Lincoln? Some government offices call it Presidents’ Day. Others say the holiday is officially Washington’s Birthday. Confused yet?

George Washington was elected the country’s first President on April 30, 1789. Soon after, Americans began publicly celebrating his birthday. Presidential historians say the actual date of George Washington’s birth is February 11, 1732. But a change in the calendar system 20 years later shifted all dates，making Washington’s birthday February 22, which is now well accepted. In 1879, Congress made Washington’s birthday an official federal holiday. It was the first federal holiday to celebrate an individual’s birthday. In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, which moved the holiday to the third Monday in February. The new law did not change the holiday’s name. It was still called Washington’s Birthday, even though some lawmakers wanted to call it Presidents’ Day to include Abraham Lincoln, whose actual birthday is February 12.

Many people argue that the holiday should celebrate all past Presidents. They feel Lincoln should be honored for his role in preserving the nation during the Civil War and helping to free slaves. Others feel the holiday should only honor Washington, the country’s first President. They say shifting the focus away from Washington would mean future generations of kids would not know about the Father of Our Country.

Laws have been introduced in Congress over the years to require use of the term ＂George Washington’s Birthday.＂but none of those laws have been passed. Meanwhile, many state governments and school districts now use the term ＂Presidents’ Day.＂Many stoles also use it to promote holiday sales.

Should the holiday honor Washington, Washington and Lincoln, or all past Presidents? Write to emailbag@timeforkids.com and tell us what you think.

【推荐3】A discovery in animal science is causing quite a stir among dog owners nationwide. The discovery was made by distinguished researcher and veterinarian, Dr. Marty Goldstein.

“I used to spend a lot of time teaching owners to spot red flags---like restlessness, inactiveness, and antisocial behavior---so they can tell when their dog is asking for help right away,” he recalls. “But now, I want to help people take a more proactive approach to their dog’s health.”

It was this mission that led Dr. Marty to discover a remarkable new care technique that could help your dog lead the longest, healthiest life possible---no matter their age. “It was amazing to see the transformation, especially in older dogs who were already slowing down,” he says. “In a matter of weeks, their vitality noticeably improved. They had more energy, they were more playful, more flexible, more relaxed...it was pretty astonishing. Even their coats looked healthier.”

Over the course of his career, Dr. Marty has treated countless animals and been at the forefront of veterinary（兽医的）advancement for years, but believes this to be his most important discovery to date. “It’s rooted in science typically reserved for humans, but I’ve made it very simple to use for dogs,” he explains. “I think it’s exactly what our four-legged friends have been asking for.”

Earlier this month, Dr. Marty released an educational video for other dog owners, so they could follow his advice at home. If you’d like to try enhancing your pet’s life span using Dr. Marty’s approach, click below for more complete instructions.

【推荐1】I grew up suddenly that winter night after we said goodbye to my aunt, because my mother told me that we would soon leave for America. On the bus, thinking of the fact that I would leave the place and people I liked, I couldn’t help crying. People on the bus were turning around to look at me curiously.

Finally, the day came. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see—the strange and mysterious places I had known only from books and pictures. I was completely at a loss.

The following four years taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once.

For the first two years in New York I was really lost. I didn’t know what would happen in the future. Because of family moves, I had to study in three schools. Then my mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. It took a long time for my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad and wondered how long “the hard times” would last.

Since I knew English better than everyone else at home, I shouldered more responsibilities. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.

Slowly, from my experiences I have learned one important rule: those annoying troubles will finally go away.

Don’t give up, and something good is bound to happen in the end. I firmly believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 and committed to maintaining international peace and security; developing friendly relations among nations; promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

The issues on our agenda are complicated and diverse, as are the careers we offer.

Education: Business or Public Administration, Finance, Economics, Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Commerce, Law, or related fields.

Posting title: Executive office of the secretary-general

Duty station: New York

Posting period: 2 May 2021 - 30 June 2021

Education: Political Science, Law, International Relations, Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics, or related fields.

Posting title: Intern — political affairs

Duty station: Vienna

Posting period: 17 October 2020 - 30 June 2021

Education: Law, Business Administration, International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration, or related fields.

Posting title: Legal officer

Duty station: Montreal

Posting period: 14 December 2020 - 27 January 2021

Education: Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, Law, Public Finance, or related fields.

Posting title: Intern — environment affairs

Duty station: Incheon

Posting period: 2 October 2020 - 30 December 2021

【推荐3】World can expect a more open, inclusive China

On this very day 70 years ago, the People’s Republic of China was founded, initiating a time different in nature from the various dynasties in Chinese history.

While celebrating the 70th anniversary of its founding, it is of particular importance to know why the past seven decades are special for this country and its people.

Seventy years are an instant in the more than 5,000 years of the Chinese civilization, but the past 70 years are special. Not least, because they have seen the founding of the New China, which has enabled the Chinese people to stand up and the nation to stand on an equal footing with other countries, the advance of reform and opening-up which has enabled this country to shake off poverty and become prosperous; and the start of a new era, in which the Chinese nation is finally becoming strong enough to realize its great rejuvenation(复兴).

Socialism with Chinese characteristics has turned out to be the right model for China’s overall development

Reform and opening-up has guaranteed the country’s economic growth with the trend of globalization, which has provided the country with what it needs for the development of a modern economy while the design of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the Communist Party of China has equipped China’s development with the synergy and cohesiveness it badly needs for social and political stability.

What this country has achieved in the past seven decades, especially after the reform and opening-up policy was adopted, points to the fact that had it not been for its integration with the world economy, China would not be what it is today—the world’s second-largest economy.

Nevertheless, China is not a passive beneficiary of economic globalization. With its double-digit(两位数) economic growth rate for more than 30 consecutive years, China’s contribution to the world economic growth has been more than 30 percent for several consecutive years.

It is no exaggeration to say that China’s development has already become an important part and a major driver of the world economy.

With an increasingly strong economy, China has never forgotten its mission as a responsible big country. That explains why President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative. That also explains why China has proposed the development of an international community with a shared future.

When China and its people celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China, the world should be assured that it will have an even more open and inclusive China standing on the side of multilateralism and free trade.

【推荐1】These days scientists have been looking beyond diet and lifestyle to genetic factors when it comes to long life. The small village of Molochio in Calabria, Italy, has a population of about 2,000. And of these, there are at least eight people over a hundred years old. Researchers ask people about the secret of their long life. The answer is mainly to do with diet and is almost always the same, “I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.” “A little bit, but of everything.” “No smoking, no drinking.”

Eric Topol is one researcher who questions the received wisdom, saying,“ There must be genes that explain why some people are protected from the harmful genes that affect the aging process.”

In one small region, Ecuador, there are a number of people with a genetic condition called Laron syndrome (综合症), which limits a person’s growth to a little more than a meter, but seems to   protect them against cancer. Those with Laron syndrome live longer than the rest of their families. Meanwhile, on the Hawaian island of Oahu, there’s a completely separate group of Japanese-American men who are particularly long-lived. And it turns out that they have a variant (变异) of the same gene as the Laron syndrome group.

Back in Calabria, scientists have been trying to work out exactly how much of the local longevity (长寿) is due to genetics and how much to environmental factors. Researchers built the family trees of the 100-year-old people. They looked at family information from the 19th century to today. They conclude that there are genetic factors that give health benefits to the men—a surprising result because generally, in Europe, women over a hundred years old outnumber (超过) men by five to one.

You’ve been around forever, I can remember all the pain you’ve caused me.

Do you remember the night you almost took my father’s life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He’s addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn’t the only one hurt by you that night.

Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were intrigued by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. “I’m so embarrassed,” they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit. “I’m sorry,” they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. “This won’t happen again,” they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped. Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.

Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn’t realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it’s all your fault.

I wish you’d walk out of my life forever. I don’t want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you’ve caused. Sure, you’ve made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you’ve caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring (引诱) in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please.

Sincerely,

Anonymous

【推荐3】Have you ever lined up? How do you feel? Most of us line up a large number of times during our lives. Waiting lines are such a thorn in our sides at popular destinations — Disney World, the Empire State Building — that many of us are willing to pay to avoid lines.

Culture has much to do with how we handle waiting lines. The British are the best people in the world at waiting in lines. I’ve never seen a people less concerned with lines than the British.

If you’ve been to Wimbledon you know what I mean. There are no online ticket sales for this fortnight of tennis. You queue up for hours, often a half day or more with 8,0000 others on a golf course near the stadium, suffering whatever rain, wind or sun.

It is an unwritten but ever present rule at Wimbledon that you never talk about or even admit that the queue exists. You’ll hear and participate in every conversation imaginable while waiting. It’s not really possible to jump or break-in a queue at Wimbledon because of the stewards and the time-dated stamps they hand out, and it’s considered bad behavior anywhere by the British.

Some places such as restaurants in Canada and in the States are getting wise. The host or hostess greets you, and says politely. “Sorry, but it will be about 45 minutes!” Almost always you’ll be seated in just 20 to 30 minutes. It’s called managing expectations. But, now you’re very happy as if you had something to do with getting a table earlier.

Finally, technology promises to save some queuing time. In the years ahead, stores will adopt Apple’s methods, with every salesperson capable of taking payments. Then the lines will disappear.

With age, perhaps, comes wisdom. I do whatever I can to avoid activities where queues are quite common. But you can’t always avoid lines, so I make the best of them. I usually start conversations with total strangers in a queue... at the very least you open yourself up to an opportunity for an engaging conversation. Queues, like life, have a lot to do with attitudes.