介绍:
This is NEWS plus Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.
Chinese doctors will be required to sign written commitments of not accepting any kickbacks or gifts from hospitalized patients beginning on May 1.
A statement from the National Health and Family Planning Commission says hospitals will present this document to patients within 24 hours after they are hospitalized.
Patients will also need to sign the paper and promise not to give extra money or gifts to doctors.
In fear of being neglected or receiving poor treatment, many patients are inclined to give presents or money to their doctors in exchange for favor.
Sometimes it will involve a large amount of money if the doctor is well-known and busy or the surgery is difficult.
The statement says the move is expected to create a clean environment at hospitals and keep doctor-patient relations simple.
Health departments will set up tip-off hotlines for those failing to do so, and commitment papers will be kept in archives for future inspection.
This is NEWS Plus Special English. I’m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.
The world's largest human migration came to an end last week.
February 24th marks an end of China's month long bittersweet travel period which started in Mid-January.
As many as 3.6 billion trips were made during the Spring Festival travel period around the Chinese Lunar New Year which fell on January 31st this year.
Around 270 million train trips were made, up 12 percent from a year ago. Journeys by highway stood at 3 billion, while those by air and water amounted to 86 million.
Meanwhile, ticket shortages and traffic jams caused anxiety for many people.
Official data showed that more than 90 million tickets were on sale each day during the travel period.
The peak fell on Feb. 6, the last day of the Spring Festival holiday, when a record 8.4 million railway trips were made.
Cai Tuan-jie, director of the Spring Festival transportation office, says it was difficult for people to get back home because of the vast number of passengers.
This year's 3.6 billion trips set a new record.
Since the reform and opening up three decades ago, rural migrant workers have shaped the Spring Festival travel rush.
Experts say the surge in the number of trips demonstrated the country's ongoing urbanization. It mirrors China's fast pace of development.
China is attracting private funds to help ease the country's stressed railway system.
This is NEWS Plus Special English. I’m Mark Griffiths in Beijing.
China's lunar rover Yutu has entered its third planned period of dormancy.
The mechanical control issues that might cripple the vehicle are still unresolved.
Yutu, the Jade Rabbit, only carried out fixed point observations during its third lunar day, equivalent to about two weeks on Earth.
Its radar, panorama camera and infrared imaging equipment are functioning normally.
The control issues that have troubled the rover since January persist.
This is one of the oldest people in China, He Er'xiu, has died at the age of 117 in east China's Jiangxi Province.
She passed away at her home in Wenshui Village in Yongxin County in the presence of about 100 descendants.
She was born in January 1898 and had six children. Her husband died 53 years ago in 1961 at the age of 79.
A village official says she was an outgoing woman and was clearheaded before she passed away.
She drank rice wine made by her every day, and worked out regularly. That is believed to be her secret for long life.
The Geriatric Society of China claimed in October last year that the oldest person in China is Alimihan Seyiti in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Seyiti was born on June 25, 1886, and is almost 128 years old. She is an ethnic Uygur living in Shule County in Xinjiang.
If verified, Seyiti could be the oldest person in the world. She would beat the Guinness World Record of 122 years old set by Jeanne Calment from France.
You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English, I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing. You can access our program by logging onto NEWSPlusRadio.cn.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please let us know by e-mailing us at mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. That's mansuyingyu@cri.com.cn. Now the news continues.
The globe cozied up to the fourth warmest January on record this year, essentially leaving just the eastern half of the United States out in the cold.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the Earth was almost 1.2 degrees warmer in January than the 20th century average.
Since records began in 1880, only 2002, 2003 and 2007 started off warmer than this year.
Almost all of Africa, South America and Australia, and most of Asia and Europe were considerably warmer than usual.
China and France had their second warmest Januaries. Land in the entire Southern Hemisphere was hottest for January since record began.
While more than half of America shivered in January, it was one of the few populated spots on Earth cooler than normal.
The deep freeze of early January came from the polar vortex.
The polar vortex is a high-altitude wind pattern that normally keeps Arctic air bottled up in northern Canada and around the North Pole.
In January, a big chunk broke off and allowed that ultra-chilly air to meander south.
