Editor's Notes: Saturday, China is sending 3 astronauts to its space station, what can we learn from this sending? Globally, U.S. returns to UN Human Rights Council, what can we learn from this move? Let's take a look at today's Global Focus.
1. China to send another 3 astronauts to its space station on Saturday
Three Chinese astronauts, or taikonauts – Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu – will head onboard Shenzhou-13 spacecraft to the core module of China's space station at 00:23 a.m. Beijing Time on October 16 (1623 GMT on October 15), the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced on Thursday during a press briefing.
The Shenzhou-13 mission is the second of four manned missions for the construction of China's space station, Tiangong.
The trio will stay in space for six months, the longest ever in-orbit duration for taikonauts.
2. China launches its first solar observation satellite
China launched its first solar observation satellite at 6:51 p.m. Beijing Time on October 14 from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.
The satellite is equipped with China's first solar telescope in space and will observe the deep-red H-Alpha line of the solar spectrum, enabling scientists to study solar flares.
It is called the Chinese H-Alpha Solar Explorer, or CHASE. It also has a Chinese name, Xihe, which is the name of the sun goddess in ancient Chinese mythology.
The satellite weighs 550 kilograms and has a design life of three years. Its orbit around the Earth will keep it in a fixed position relative to the sun, which it will observe, collect data and create solar images.
3. Xi sends congratulatory letter to 130th Canton Fair
Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 14 sent a congratulatory letter to the 130th session of the China Import and Export Fair, which is also known as the Canton Fair.
The fair opened on the same day in Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province.
In his letter, Xi noted that the Canton Fair made significant contributions to facilitating international trade, internal-external exchanges, and economic development since its founding in 1957.
4. Chinese premier urges high-quality aging population work
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has called for more efforts to implement the national strategy of proactively responding to population aging and promote high-quality development of old-age programs and industries.
Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in an instruction to a national conference on the work concerning the aging population held on October 14.
Relevant departments ought to improve policies and working mechanisms to enhance social security, elderly care, healthcare, and other systems, so as to address the immediate needs of senior citizens, said Li.
5. Chinese yuan strengthens to 6.4386 against USD Friday
The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 28 pips to 6.4386 against the U.S. dollar October 15, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.
In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.
The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.
6. 4th batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccines arrives in Iraq
Iraq on October 14 received the fourth batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government to boost Iraq's efforts to combat the pandemic.
Iraq received the first three batches of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government in March, April, and August respectively.
7. U.S. returns to UN Human Rights Council
The United States was on October 14 elected a member of the UN Human Rights Council, following its withdrawal in June 2018.
In a vote at the UN General Assembly, the United States was elected along with 17 other countries for a three-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2022.
The United States under the administration of Donald Trump withdrew from the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in June 2018, accusing the council of being a "hypocritical and self-serving organization" and biased against Israel. The U.S. seat was later taken by Iceland in a by-election.
After the election of Joe Biden as U.S. president, Washington declared in February 2021 that it would reengage with the council as an observer. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the U.S. withdrawal in 2018 "did nothing to encourage meaningful change, but instead created a vacuum of U.S. leadership."
On October 14’s vote through secret ballot, the United States won 168 out of the 193 votes. In the same regional group, Finland and Luxembourg won 180 votes respectively. Of all the 18 candidates, the United States won the second-lowest number of votes, only before Eritrea, which got 144 votes.
8. S.Korea to ease social-distancing rules on higher vaccination rate
South Korea decided Friday to ease social-distancing rules on a higher vaccination rate, although the highest level of the social-distancing guideline will be maintained for two more weeks amid the continued COVID-19 resurgence.
The Level 4 social-distancing guideline, the highest in the country's four-tier quarantine rules, will be kept in place in Seoul, its surrounding Gyeonggi province, and the western port city of Incheon until Oct. 31.
Under the Level 4 scheme, the business hour of restaurants and cafes will continue to be limited to be until 10:00 p.m. local time.
However, the number of people who are allowed in a gathering will be increased to eight, including at least four fully vaccinated people, from the previous six.
In the non-capital region, the Level 3 social-distancing rules will be maintained for two more weeks until Oct. 31.
However, the business hour of restaurants and cafes will be lengthened by two more hours until midnight.
The number of people allowed for private gatherings will be raised to 10, including at least six fully vaccinated people, from the previous eight.
9. Argentina approves Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for children
Argentina's government has okayed the use of China's Sinopharm vaccine for children from ages three to 11. The decision has sparked a debate as medical experts are recommending families sign up their children for the vaccine.
10. Former U.S. president Clinton hospitalized in California
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has been hospitalized in Southern California for a non-coronavirus-related infection, his spokesperson said October 14.
The 42nd U.S. president was admitted October 12 evening to the University of California Irvine Medical Center, southeast of Los Angeles downtown, Clinton's spokesperson Angel Urena tweeted.
Clinton, 75, "is on the mend, in good spirits, and is incredibly thankful" to the medical team, Urena said.
The former president has remained at the hospital for close monitoring and "administered IV antibiotics and fluids," he later quoted Clinton's personal physicians as saying.
The doctors told CNN that Clinton was in the intensive care unit for privacy and safety. A person familiar with the matter told The Hill that he was hospitalized due to sepsis.
Urena also said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is also in California.
Editor: He Zhenzhen
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