[Photo/China Daily]
>National reading campaign for 2021
中宣部部署2021全民阅读
China will launch a national reading campaign for 2021, according to an official circular.
中宣部办公厅近日印发《关于做好2021年全民阅读工作的通知》。
As this year marks the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the campaign will focus on that theme and promote the reading of key publications on the history of the CPC, the country, reform and opening-up, and socialist development among the general public, says the circular released by the general office of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.
通知指出，2021年将紧紧围绕庆祝建党100周年，在广大群众中深入做好党史、新中国史、改革开放史、社会主义发展史等重点出版物阅读推广。
The document asks authorities to go down to communities, ramp up the supply of quality reading materials and update reading facilities in public spaces.
通知还要求有关部门深入基层群众，加强优质出版内容供给，改善公共场所阅读条件。
Efforts are also urged to improve access to reading services among key groups, including rural migrant workers and their children, as well as people with disabilities. Digital reading technologies are also encouraged.
重视保障城市务工人员及随迁子女、残障人士等群体的基本阅读需求，鼓励使用数字阅读技术。
A sandstorm sweeps Wuhai, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Friday morning. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
>Wind blows sandstorm back
强沙尘暴席卷北方多地
Due to shifting wind and weather conditions, a massive sand and dust storm will be blown back to northern China, the National Meteorological Center said on Wednesday.
中央气象台3月17日表示，受大风和气象条件变化影响，强沙尘暴天气在我国北方地区卷土重来。
The sandstorm, which had shrouded Beijing in thick brown dust on Monday, moved away from the capital on Tuesday but continued to sweep through many areas, including the Xinjiang Uygur, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions, as well as the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan and Hubei.
3月15日，我国首都北京遭遇强沙尘暴天气，漫天黄沙，次日沙尘在北京退去，但却进入了新疆、内蒙古、宁夏、青海、甘肃、陕西、山西、河北、山东、河南、湖北等许多地区。
Most of those regions were to be affected by the sandstorm until Thursday, according to the center, which reminded people in affected areas to be prepared and close windows and doors. "People are advised to wear masks and other protective gear to prevent possible damage to their eyes and respiratory tract," an earlier notice from the center said.
中央气象台预计，沙尘天气将影响上述地区中的大部分直至3月18日，提醒当地群众做好防范准备，关闭门窗，并注意带好口罩等防尘用品，以免沙尘对眼睛和呼吸道造成损伤。
The notice also warned drivers to pay more attention to road safety due to poor visibility.
沙尘天气能见度低，驾驶员要注意道路安全。
A worker performs a quality check in the packaging facility of Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech in Beijing, China, Sept 24, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]
>Visa rules eased for many foreigners
接种中国疫苗享签证便利
China will simplify visa applications for many foreign nationals who have been inoculated with Chinese-produced COVID-19 vaccines, the latest step toward normalizing personnel exchanges.
为有序恢复中外人员往来，中国将对已接种中国生产的新冠肺炎疫苗的外籍人员提供来华签证便利。
Starting on Monday, Chinese embassies in multiple countries, including Japan, Israel, Thailand, Pakistan and the Philippines, will have streamlined visa application procedures in such cases.
从3月15日起，中国驻日本、以色列、泰国、巴基斯坦、菲律宾等国大使馆均针对上述情况发布了简化签证申请流程的通知。
The US, Germany, Australia and Greece are also included in the plan.
其他适用国家还包括美国、德国、澳大利亚和希腊。
Those planning to visit for business purposes and who have been inoculated with a Chinese vaccine can prepare their visa application and inoculation materials, and apply for visas according to requirements from pre-epidemic times, according to a notice issued by the Chinese Embassy in the US.
中国驻美国大使馆网站发布公告称，因商业目的赴华并已接种中国生产的新冠疫苗的签证申请人，可按照疫情前要求准备签证申请材料和疫苗接种材料并递交申请。
The notice said that vaccinated passengers traveling to China by air are still required to provide negative certificates of nucleic acid tests and IgM antibody tests before boarding and should comply with Chinese regulations on quarantine and observation after arriving.
关于搭乘航班赴华人员须凭新冠病毒核酸检测及血清抗体检测双阴性证明乘机的要求不变。有关人员入境后应遵守中方关于隔离观察的相关规定。
[Photo/Sipa]
>Fed keeps interest rates near 0
美联储决定维持零利率
The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the record-low level of near zero, as inflation debate heats up, driven by COVID-19 vaccination progress and the latest relief package.
虽然通货膨胀辩论升温，但受新冠疫苗接种进程和最新一揽子救济方案的影响，美联储3月17日决定继续维持基准利率接近零的历史最低水平不变。
The Fed also said it will continue an asset purchase program, and buy at least $120 billion of bonds a month, increasing its holdings of Treasury securities by at least $80 billion and of agency mortgage-backed securities by at least $40 billion.
美联储还表示，将继续实施资产购买计划，每月购买至少1200亿美元债券，每月增持至少800亿美元的国债和至少400亿美元的住房抵押贷款支持证券。
Fed officials expect the US economy to grow by 6.5% this year, better than the previous projection of 4.2% in December.
美联储官员预计2021年美国经济将增长6.5%，高于去年12月时预测的4.2%。
Most Fed officials expected that interest rates would remain near zero at least through 2023, but seven out of the 18 participants looked for a hike in 2023.
美联储多数官员预计，至少到2023年底，利率将保持在接近零的水平，但是18人中有7人预计2023年会加息。
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