Erinome: Hello everyone! Welcome to our daily news podcast. I'm Erinome, and here with me is Enceladus. Let's dive into today's top stories, shall we?  

Enceladus: Hi Erinome! Sounds good. Let's start with the weather first—everyone cares about that, right?  

Erinome: Exactly! So, two cold waves will affect China this week. Some northern areas may see a temperature drop of up to 12℃, and many places might hit the lowest temperature of the second half of the year. Wow, that's really cold!  

Enceladus: Oh no, I need to tell my friend in Beijing to grab a heavy coat! 12℃ drop is no joke. Next, any news about school kids? I bet they’re waiting for vacation!  

Erinome: You’re right! The winter vacation time for primary and middle schools across China is out. Provinces like Liaoning, Hebei, Hainan have the longest vacation—45 days! While Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai have the shortest, only 25 days each.  

Enceladus: Oh, kids in Hainan must be jumping for joy! 45 days is like a mini summer break. Shanghai kids might be a bit sad though… 25 days goes by fast, you know?  

Erinome: Haha, probably! Now, good news for travelers: Xixia Mausoleum Scenic Area, a world heritage site, announced it will waive the first entrance fee for all tourists nationwide. And Taizhou in Jiangsu? Many scenic spots there will waive tickets for tourists from cities with "zhou" in their names!  

Enceladus: Wow, that’s a great deal! If my city had "zhou" in its name, I’d pack my bag today. Saving money on tickets is always nice.  

Erinome: Totally! Drivers, listen up too—domestic refined oil prices just saw the 10th drop this year. 92-octane gasoline is back to the 6-yuan era, and filling a full tank will cost 2.5 yuan less.  

Enceladus: Oh, that’s good news! Even 2.5 yuan saved adds up, right? Drivers must be smiling at the gas station today.  

Erinome: For sure! Now, a little economy news: The central bank will conduct a 1 trillion yuan MLF operation on November 25th. It’s a 1-year term—um, MLF is like a loan tool for banks, I think? Not super sure, but it sounds important for the economy.  

Enceladus: Maybe! Let’s move to education. Any updates on postgraduate exams?  

Erinome: Yep! The number of postgraduate applicants in 2026 is 3.43 million. That’s 450,000 less than 2025, and it’s the third year of decline. Experts say talent demand is changing, so applicants are being more rational.  

Enceladus: Sad for some students who dreamed of grad school, but being rational is smart. Maybe they’re choosing jobs or other paths now.  

Erinome: Exactly! Now, a heartwarming rule from Shanghai: This month, a new policy starts—only children can get 7 days of nursing leave when their elderly parents are hospitalized. And guess what? No household registration restriction!  

Enceladus: Oh, that’s so helpful! Taking care of sick parents is tough, so this leave must reduce stress a lot. Good for Shanghai!  

Erinome: Totally! Now, space news—super cool! China will launch a space exploration satellite program to search for the origin of cosmic life. And there’s more: China is starting an international fusion program, calling on the world to work together on "artificial sun" energy research.  

Enceladus: Wow, "artificial sun"! That sounds like something from a sci-fi movie. I hope it works—clean energy for everyone!  

Erinome: Me too! Now, some travel trouble: Platform data shows 12 China-Japan routes have canceled all flights. The cancellation rate might hit 21.6% in the next week.  

Enceladus: Oh no, people with trips planned must be upset. I hope flights resume soon.  

Erinome: Same here. Next, animal lovers might want to hear this: Japanese officials revealed that the giant panda loan program has stopped.  

Enceladus: Oh no, pandas are so cute! I hope the pandas in Japan are doing okay and can go home safely.  

Erinome: Me too. On a brighter note, Indian media says India fully resumes issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens. And direct flights between New Delhi and Shanghai will start next February!  

Enceladus: That’s great! Traveling between India and China will be easier now. More people can visit the Taj Mahal or the Great Wall, right?  

Erinome: Exactly! Now, news from London: British media reports London may impose a tourist tax on overnight visitors. It could raise up to 240 million pounds every year.  

Enceladus: Hmm, travelers might grumble about extra costs, but maybe the city needs the money for subways or parks. Who knows?  

Erinome: Maybe! Now, some US news: US media says there’s a rumor the US "Government Efficiency Department" has disbanded early, but the director denied it. Also, the US CDC will end all monkey research—some monkeys may even be euthanized.  

Enceladus: Oh, that’s sad… Poor monkeys. I hope there’s a better way than euthanasia. They didn’t do anything wrong!  

Erinome: I agree. Alright, that’s a lot of news today! Let’s wrap it up.  

Enceladus: Yep! Thanks for tuning in, everyone. We’ll be back with more updates next time. Bye!