1 . BRICS (金砖国家) grouping major emerging (新兴的) economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is to more than double its members with the admission of six more countries This historic expansion, which was announce data press conference during the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, involves Argentina, Egyptl, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and their membership will take effect from Jan 1.2024.

Observers said that the expansion bears witness to BRICS’ charm and vitality, helps improve the voices of the Global South, and mirrors the resolve of the group and the wider developing world to safeguard global equity (公平) and justice and promote peace and development.

Seventeen years since its establishment, BRICS has witnessed fruitful cooperation results in economic, political and cultural areas, and continues to prosper in a spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation. The BRICS countries have written a wonderful story of the joint development of countries with different systems, cultures and regions, which has become a flagship of South-South cooperation.

Experts believe the expansion will represent a historic and new starting point for BRICS cooperation.

Mohammad Jamshidi, the Iranian president’s deputy chief of staff for political affairs, posted his celebrations to Iran’s accession to BRICS, calling it a “historic move”.

BRICS’ expansion in a well-studied manner “would increase its strength and effectiveness and improve its regional and international role, in a way that contributes.to achieving greater and faster development rates,” said Abdel-Sattar Eshrah, secretary-general of the Cairo-based Egyptian-Chinese Business Council. “It would create many opportunities for joint cooperation among BRICS members in various fields,” the Egyptian business leader said, adding that BRICS’ expansion is to increase the abilities of its members to address economic, financial and political crises and challenges.

Filipe Porto, a researcher at the Federal University of ABC and a member of the Brazilian Foreign Policy Observatory, said although the five founding member states have very different national conditions, the spirit of win-win cooperation has kept the BRICS mechanism (机制) dynamic and drawn interest from more countries.

The rise of emerging economies, represented by BRICS nations, is fundamentally changing the global landscape. With the historic expansion, the BRICS inechanism will have a greater voice in driving global governance reforms toward a more just an id equitable direction, filling the world with greater certainty and stability, said experts.

3 . Did you know many adults sit down for more than nine hours a day? Maybe you’re one of them! Whether it’s working at a desk, sitting motionless in a car, bus or train or lounging on the sofa watching TV, we have a much more sedentary lifestyle than our parents and grandparents did. The question that this raises is just what it is doing to our bodies.

The news isn’t good. A study carried out in the 1950s compared bus drivers with the conductors, who walked around the bus selling tickets. It showed that drivers, who spent many hours sitting at the wheel, were twice as likely to have heart attacks than the more active conductors. In fact, prolonged sitting has been associated with a number of different conditions, even in people who otherwise take regular exercise. If you sit down all day, you burn far fewer calories than someone with a more active job. There are suggestions that its lows your metabolism (新陈代谢) and makes it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar levels increasing the risk of diabetes.

One possible answer to this problem is for desk workers to use standing desks, to spend at least part of their day on their feet. One small study showed that office workers who stood for three hours after lunch had a much smaller increase in blood sugar levels, while another suggested that by standing for three or four hours a day over the period of a year, people would burn as many calories as if they had run ten marathons.

Other experts question this figure and point out that standing all day can also have negative impacts, such as leg or back pain, recommending that if people do want to use standing desks, they should gradually increase the amount of time that they spend on their feet. Crucially, they also point out that there are many alternatives to sitting, and that their impact is unlikely to be the same; walking, for example, burns far more calories than standing.

6 . Think of a caveman, and maybe you imagine someone tearing at the flesh of an animal they’ve just hunted. But this picture may be false—analysis of prehistoric remains suggests that Stone Age people were skilled in processing and cooking different kinds of seeds, even experimenting with different flavours. Seeds are still an important part of our diets, so maybe food choices haven’t changed as much as we think.

In botanical terms, seeds are what new plants grow from. Strictly speaking, edible seeds include nuts, pulses and grains, and area significant source of protein and calories world-wide. Between them, rice and bread are staple foods in most of the world. Many cuisines use beans, whether cooked in stews or curries, or mashed into pastes, like hummus from the Middle East. This definition of seeds also includes coffee beans and the cocoa beans used to make chocolate.

Added to these are culinary (烹饪的) seeds. These are what we more often think of as seeds-we often buy them unprocessed and use them whole in cooking, whether as a seasoning, as part of a salad or as a topping for bread. This includes chia seeds (奇亚籽), sesame seeds (芝麻籽) and flaxseed (亚麻籽).

There are clear health benefits to including these seeds in our diet. They are high in dietary fibre, which is good for digestion and helps fight illnesses such as diabetes and bowel cancer. They are also a good source of unsaturated fat (不饱和脂肪). Experts believe that using this to replace saturated fats, such as those from meat and dairy products, can lower cholesterol and help keep our heart healthy. The minerals contained in many culinary seeds, such as zinc, copper, and folate, can be beneficial for the immune system.

However, it’s not all good news. Seeds can cause an allergic reaction, especially sesame seeds. Sesame is one of the top ten causes of food allergies in the UK. Different types of seeds can share allergy-causing proteins, and other seeds that can cause allergies include sunflower seeds and poppy seeds.

7 . A 17-year-old boy nicknamed Tao Tao with cerebral palsy(脑瘫) has made positive attempts to achieve greater self-reliance through selling self-made popcorn on the street on his own, touching the hearts of netizens and winning him an education opportunity.

According to Tao Tao’s mother: Yao Chuanhua, her son was born with the disabling condition. Over the years, she has continuously tried to train him to adapt and live as normally as possible.

As Tao Tao grew up, the idea of fostering his independence by selling homemade popcorn has brewed in the mother’s mind. She taught Tao Tao how to make popcorn at home and helped set up a stall in Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou city of East China’s Zhejiang province.

“Tao Tao, don’t worry. Take it easy even if no one comes to buy,” after a few words of encouragement, Yao stepped aside and let his son take charge.

Initially reserved and unaccustomed to street vending, Tao Tao struggled to attract buyers. To boost his confidence, the mother even paid some passers-by to buy popcorn from her son’s stall.

Gradually, despite shyness and physical difficulties, Tao Tao has become more active and confident, managing the business smoothly without relying on a megaphone to peddle the product.

“The moment you stood here, you were already a success,” Being proud of Tao Tao’s progress, Yao shared videos of her son’s popcorn selling story online, receiving immense care and support from netizens.

Some traveled specifically to buy popcorn from Tao Tao, and one viewer even ordered thousands of buckets. Many expressed a desire to donate, but Yao declined any form of donations.

“My goal is to encourage him to make a brave step forward and connect with the outside world. I hope that one day he could live independently through his own efforts.”

“Tao Tao is a persevering child. He insists on making and packaging the popcorn all by himself, trying his best his best to prove that he can make it,” Yao added.

The online video sensation has drawn the attention of the local education authority to Tao Tao’s situation. After learning that the teen failed to receive proper school education due to health conditions, they have arranged for local special education teachers to offer him door-to-door teaching.

9 . Looking for a way to arouse your inner competitive side and relax in some delightful bites? Look no further than Hong Kong’s top board game cafes.

Sweet &Fun Café

Cafe-style board game spot, Sweet &Fun Cafe, is perfect for getting competitive and comfortable in their booth-style seating. With no cover charge (服务费), you can support this awesome place by ordering from their food and drinks menu.Every month they add about 3 — 4 new board games to their wide collection, so you can keep coming back to try something new. They also provide free Wi-Fi.

Jolly Thinkers

Jolly Thinkers gives you access to both English and Chinese games. If you find a new favorite,you can always purchase the game from the retail store so that you can bring the fun home! Reservation is recommended to make sure that your fun won’t be spoiled due to lack of enough seats.

808 Board Game

Learn the rules and the strategies for all the games you’ve ever wanted to play at 808 Board Game.With thousands of games to choose from plus dedicated staff available to teach you, no game is off limits. Recently their games have taken on a focus on more Chinese cultural games. Although they don’t provide food, you are welcome to order your own takeaway to bring into their space.

Capstone Boardgame Café

Conveniently located in Causeway Bay, Capstone Board game Cafe allows you to play games at their venue, and offers you a chance to bring all your new favorites home. A large range of games make it suitable for kids, teens, and grownups. Become a member and make new friends while you compete to win!