(Clearwisdom.net)

Commentary on Current Events

Central News Agency reported on August 12th that the deputy spokesman of the Department of State, Philip Reeker, expressed today how the United States has not changed regarding concerns of basic human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of personal beliefs, and has included these points into the latest human rights report. He said that he is not clear about the incident of Hong Kong police forcefully moving and arresting 16 Falun Gong practitioners, but he promised to investigate. Growing concern is developing over this trial, while many are observing it as an indicator of whether freedom and justice can continue to exist in Hong Kong. If Falun Gong practitioners were found guilty, that would indicate that the freedom of speech does not exist in Hong Kong, even though it is a democratic society. The promises of "one country, two system" and "50 years of no change" would be rendered empty.

A Chinese living overseas wrote to the Hong Kong government to say that the consciences of Hong Kong officials are being tested like never before in history:

As a Chinese living overseas, my heart is yearns for China's prosperity. Hong Kong is the pearl of the east and a focal point of the world. I was shocked when Hong Kong police filed a lawsuit against Falun Gong practitioners and accused them of "blocking the traffic." It is so sad! "One country, two systems," the future of Hong Kong's people and the conscience of Hong Kong officials are being tested like never before in history.

References

The last line of antibiotic defense is threatened. Microbiologists have expressed fears that hospitals are ill equipped to cope with "superbugs," after a bacterium resistant to one of the last lines of antibiotic defense was identified in the United States. Always trying to come up with the latest drugs, people are reacting to illness. Although science is quite advanced, human beings are indeed still only guessing at the real cause of diseases.

The impact of being close to the natural world on children's growth. Recent research shows that girls should be encouraged to study or play in a room where they can see the natural world. They should play in the open air, take a break in a natural environment, or grow plants. These have been shown to have benefits on their well-being.