美国的劳动节
美国正在过劳动节，这是一个为表彰美国工人及他们对国家经济贡献而设定的节日。
在19世纪80年代，人们开始推动对美国工人的关注，当时他们可能每天工作至少12小时，每周工作6天，工资微不足道。条件恶劣的工厂里甚至有5岁的儿童。医疗保健福利闻所未闻。
美国各州一个一个地起草并通过立法，专门指定一天来表彰普通工人的贡献。
美国国会在1884年6月28日通过一项法案，指定每年9月的第一个星期一为劳动节，使之成为联邦假日。
近年来，随着技术的发展和世界经济的全球化，美国工会成员人数有所减少，但工会数十年来争取到的工人福利现在在大多数美国工作场所都成为惯例，包括八小时工作日、每周工作五天、医疗保险和带薪假期等。
为了和设立劳动节的初衷保持一致，美国一些城市仍然举行表彰工人和工会的游行，以及为工人和其家人提供娱乐的节日活动。
不过大多数美国人在休假这一天与家人共度时光，在后院烧烤或前往公园和海滩。
美国的劳动节也被看作是夏季结束的非正式象征，因为新学年通常在劳动节后开始。尽管现在越来越多的学校在八月份就开学。
Labor Day in the United States
The United States is observing Labor Day, a day set aside to honor U.S. workers and their contributions to the country's economy.
In the 1880's, there was a push to recognize the U.S. worker, who back then was likely to be working at least 12 hours a day, six days a week, with a paltry salary. Even children as young as five were often part of a factory's dingy landscape. Health care benefits were unheard of.
One by one, states drafted and passed legislation that set aside a day to honor the contributions of the common worker.
On June 28, 1884, Congress passed an act designating the first Monday in September of each year as Labor Day, making it a national holiday.
In recent years, labor unions have seen their membership dwindle with the growth of technology and the globalization of the world economy.
However, the workers' benefits unions fought for decades ago are now customary in most U.S. workplaces, including the eight-hour work day, five-day work weeks, health care insurance and vacations paid for by employers.
In keeping with the original intent of the holiday, some U.S. cities continue to stage parades honoring trade and labor unions, and hold festivities for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.
However, most workers in the U.S. have the day off and spend time with their families, gathering for backyard cookouts or trips to parks and beaches.
Labor Day has become known as the unofficial end of summer since schools usually reopened from summer vacation after Labor Day. But now, more and more schools are reopening in August.
中国承诺对非援助新增600亿，不附加政治条件
北京承诺再向非洲提供600亿美元援助，用于从加强工业发展到基础设施建设。中国还表示，某些非洲国家的无息贷款今年晚些时候到期时，将免除这些国家的债务。
中国国家主席习近平周一在北京举行的中非合作论坛开幕式上作出这一承诺。
习近平没有指明哪些国家的债务会被免除。此举似乎是北京方面为转移人们对非洲大陆债务的担忧以及“债务陷阱外交”风险的最新努力。
习近平在北京人民大会堂向来自30多个非洲国家的领导人发表讲话说，中国在非洲大陆的投资和参与将继续下去，北京对非洲的投资没有任何政治条件。
美国约翰霍普金斯大学中国非洲研究项目的数据显示，中国在2000年至2016年期间向非洲大陆贷款约1250亿美元。这导致一些国家，像吉布提和赞比亚的债务风险很高。中国最近在吉布提开设了第一个海外军事基地。
中国否认正在进行债务陷阱外交。中国官方媒体说，西方媒体和政客们提出的担忧只不过是处于酸葡萄心理。
China Pledges Fresh $60 bln to Africa, says No Political Strings Attached
Beijing is pledging to extend new funding of $60 billion to Africa, aimed at areas from industrial enhancement to infrastructure. China also says it will wipe clean the debt for certain African countries when interest-free loans come due later this year.
President Xi Jinping made the pledge Monday during the opening ceremony of the triennial Forum on China Africa Cooperation in Beijing.
He did not say which countries would have their debt absolved, but the move appeared to be the latest effort by Beijing to deflect concerns about debt levels on the continent and the risks of “debt trap diplomacy.”
Speaking to leaders from more than 30 African countries at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi said China’s investment and engagement on the continent would continue, with no political strings attached to Beijing’s investments in Africa.
According to data from John Hopkins University’s China Africa Research Initiative, China has already loaned around $125 billion to the continent between 2000 and 2016. That has led to high debt risks in countries like Djibouti — where China recently opened its first overseas military base — and Zambia.
China has denied it is engaged in debt trap diplomacy and Chinese state media have argued that concerns raised in Western media and by politicians are nothing but sour grapes.
