中国での経済低迷と若者の冒険[CNN10]

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Hello everyone, I'm Coy Wire, and this is CNN 10, your source for simplified news. It’s Your Word Wednesday, so listen closely to see if your vocabulary word helped us write today’s show!

We start with news from China, where thousands of cyclists recently shut down roads on a late-night quest for dumplings in an ancient town. Most participants were university students exploring on tight budgets as China's economy continues to struggle. Despite being the world's second-largest economy, China has faced challenges after years of strict pandemic restrictions and a real estate crisis that drained local government reserves. By the end of last year, China had accumulated nearly $2 trillion in hidden debt. Officials are working to reduce this debt to $320 billion by 2028.

Local governments, burdened by rising debt, struggle to provide basic services, leaving them with limited resources to stimulate growth. To address this, China's central government has stepped in with a $1.4 trillion stimulus plan to boost the economy. This plan allows local governments to refinance their debt at lower borrowing rates, freeing up funds for other uses. However, analysts believe the plan falls short of what’s needed to significantly boost growth, as it lacks measures to increase consumer spending—a crucial component for economic recovery. Investor disappointment was evident as Chinese stocks fell after the announcement. Meanwhile, job opportunities remain scarce nationwide. CNN's Will Ripley reports on how students are finding ways to escape the anxiety of a shrinking job market and how authorities have reacted.

Under the glow of streetlights, tens of thousands of Chinese students embarked on a spontaneous 40-mile bike ride from Zhongguo to the ancient city of Kaiyun. Students have been making this journey for months, some drawn by the thrill, others by the city’s popular jumbo soup dumplings, and many to relieve stress from the pressure of job hunting. Youth unemployment in China is soaring, and this ride offered a brief escape. One student said, "We wanted to take the challenge of riding a shared bike to Kaiyun City. We're only young once."

Some riders carried Chinese flags, while others sang the national anthem. State media even released a viral video of students chanting about their enthusiasm. But authorities soon intervened, closing bike lanes due to safety and traffic concerns. Bike-sharing companies issued warnings, and some colleges restricted students from leaving campus. Officials said these were temporary measures to manage traffic disruptions caused by abandoned bikes and large gatherings. Such events make the ruling party uneasy, as large student-led movements have been significant in Chinese history, from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests to the COVID lockdown protests of 2022.

Now, we move to the east coast of the United States, which has experienced severe wildfire smoke in recent years. This time, historic drought conditions and strong winds have led to deadly wildfires in New York and New Jersey. The Jennings Creek Fire, straddling the state border, has already burned thousands of acres. While rain over the weekend provided some relief, dry conditions are expected to continue. CNN's Gloria Pasmino reports on how crews are combating these unprecedented fires.

From parks in New York City to forests across the Hudson River in New Jersey, the fires have been fueled by strong winds and months without significant rainfall. "I've never seen it like this before," said one resident. The Jennings Creek wildfire is one of 600 wildfires that have occurred across New York and New Jersey since October. Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old Parks and Recreation employee, tragically died while responding to a fire. The region remains under red flag warnings, with air quality affected for millions of people. October was one of the driest months on record, straining water supplies. In Jackson Township, New Jersey, a man was charged with arson after allegedly using an illegal shotgun that sparked a fire, leading to evacuations.

Pop quiz time! What is the name of the Italian volcano that buried the ancient city of Pompeii in 79 AD? Is it Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius, Mount Stromboli, or Mount Lipari? If you said Mount Vesuvius, you’re correct! This volcano, located near the Bay of Naples, continues to draw visitors to Pompeii, which was famously preserved under ash. This summer, Italy saw record tourist numbers, and now, to preserve the site, Italian officials will limit daily visitors to 20,000 starting November 15th. CNN's Barbie Latza Nadeau explains the plan.

In response to a record-breaking summer with visitor peaks of over 36,000, Pompeii will now require personalized tickets to curb ticket reselling by travel groups. The goal is to make visits safer and more sustainable by focusing on quality over quantity. The site is still an active archaeological project, with only two-thirds excavated.

Finally, we travel to Hawaii for a heartwarming rescue. A baby goat found itself in a precarious situation, stuck on a cliff in Oahu. Despite multiple response agencies being unable to rescue the goat due to its location, a group of determined locals took action. Goinda Hansen, her husband Ben, and their friend Caleb gathered their climbing gear and ventured to the site. With patience and a few apples, they successfully rescued the tiny, exhausted animal, now named Bala, who is safe at an animal sanctuary and even has his own social media account.

A special shoutout goes to Ms. Lang’s class at Seaford High School in New York for submitting “cacarophobia,” an abnormal fear of failure, as part of Your Word Wednesday. Keep those words coming!

Today's shoutout also goes to the Bulldogs of Edgerton High School in Edgerton, Ohio. Thanks for subscribing and commenting on our CNN 10 YouTube channel. We’ll see you again tomorrow. I’m Coy Wire, and we are CNN 10. [Music]