When Jennifer Williams, now 54, became an elementary school teacher and tutor in Danville, Virginia, she wanted her students to fall in love with reading just as she had. But early on, she realized that some kids had limited access to books. “It’s very obvious to teachers of young children which kids are read to versus kids who are not,” she said. “It’s obvious at the end of the first day of school.” To Williams, the solution was simple: Give kids books. In 2017, as part of an event called Engage Danville, she gave away 900 used children’s books over three days. Most people would be satisfied with that.

“Anybody could do that,” she said. “I wanted to do something that’s going to stretch my faith, my work ethic, my everything.” So she decided to set a new goal for herself: Give away one million books. It sounds like an unreachable number, but as Williams posted on Facebook: “Don’t complain in the bleachers if you aren’t willing to work hard out on the field.’’ So she got to work, first by roping in friends to donate books or money to buy books. Before long, as news of Williams’s project spread, strangers started leaving bundles of books on her front porch. As quickly as the books come in, Williams gives them to local schools— free of charge— and also supplies books to little free libraries around the city of 41,000 just over the North Carolina border. She also hosts a book club for inmates in the local jail. In the four years she’s been doing all this, the Book Lady, as Williams has come to be known, has given away more than 78,000 books— only 922,000 more to reach her goal! And she’s not slowing down. It’s too important for kids with few options. Reading can take you anywhere,” she told CNN. You can travel in time and space. If you can read, you can learn almost anything.

Around 50 Mars missions have been launched globally since 1960. Yet more than half of them have failed to reach the planet. So after China’s Mars probe—Tianwen-1, was launched on July 23, Thursday last year, there was an anxious wait to learn its fate.

The news that the craft carrying exploration rover Zhurong landed safely on the surface of the planet on Saturday has therefore been met with both relief and celebration in the country.

That the landing was carried out exactly as planned has made China the latest member, after the United States and Russia, of the club of the world’s pioneering Martin explorers, and shows the reliability of the relevant technologies that China has developed on its own. Though the first Mars mission of the country, it was a brave undertaking: to complete orbiting, landing and roving in one single mission.

It is that can-do spirit of self-reliance（自力更生） that has played a key role in China’s scientific and technological development in recent decades despite some foreign countries’ attempts to prevent its progress. China made its early breakthroughs in rocket and space technologies with its own scientists, engineers and scientific workers starting from the 1960s under very difficult conditions when the country remained largely a backward agricultural country and faced foreign blocks of technology and materials.

However, the country has made the most of what it had over the past more than six decades, making continuous efforts to go ahead in the aerospace（航天）cause. Thanks to the hard work and even sacrifices of generations of scientific workers, China has laid a solid foundation for the fast development of its aerospace industry, and has achieved one milestone after another in its space endeavors.

In the human space odyssey, China, with enthusiasm, diligence and willingness to cooperate, will help promote humankind to travel faster and farther.

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed this week that a ban on displaying products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) in noticeable locations such as shop entrances and cashier desk areas will come into force on October 1. The Government also confirmed it is delaying a ban on multibuy deals on HFSS foods, such as “buy one, get one free”, until October next year in response to customers facing cost-of-living pressure. There has been no confirmation over plans for a crackdown (打击) on junk food advertising, which had also been delayed for a year.

It emerged earlier this month that the Government was reviewing its anti-obesity (对抗肥胖) strategy. It was reported that plans to tackle junk food could be abandoned by Prime Minister Ms Truss with fears that it would increase pressure on customers already struggling with rising costs.

Food and Drink Federation chief executive (执行官) Karen Betts said: “Our industry looks forward to continuing to work with Government to help tackle obesity and poor diets. Food and drink businesses know we have worked hard over many years to redevelop the recipes of our products to make them healthier while keeping their delicious flavours. This has included work to help people choose appropriate amount of food. We know how valuable good health is to everyone, and we’re committed to continuing with this and other work to help people eat well whatever their lifestyle.”

Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said, “Local shops have sunk huge sums of money in refitting their stores to obey these regulations when their businesses are already under pressure from rising energy bills and increased products costs. Retailers (零售商) have been frustrated by the Government’s rushed approaches to policy development and hesitancy about implementation dates.”

Health campaigners said they hope companies will use the year’s delay “responsibly” to develop a healthier food offering.