US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. [Photo/IC]

>Whistleblower claims probed 蓬佩奥被举报滥用特工

Democrats on a key House congressional committee are investigating allegations from a whistleblower within the State Department about Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his family's use of taxpayer-funded Diplomatic Security, CNN reported. 据美国有线电视新闻网报道，美国众议院一个重要委员会的民主党人正在调查国务院内一名举报人关于国务卿迈克?蓬佩奥及其家人滥用外交安保人员的指控。

Congressional investigators told CNN that the whistleblower has raised multiple issues over a period of months, about special agents being asked to carry out some questionable tasks for the Pompeo family. 国会调查人员透露，这名举报人几个月来提出了多个问题，其中包括有特工被要求为蓬佩奥家族执行一些有问题的任务。

In April, for example, an agent was asked to pick up Chinese food - without Pompeo in the car. 例如，今年4月，在蓬佩奥不在车里的情况下，一名特工被要求去取中餐外卖。

The whistleblower said this led agents to complain that they are now serving as "UberEats with guns," which has created a buzz within the department. 举报人说，此事导致特工们抱怨自己成了"配枪的外卖小哥"，这在安全部门内部引起了轩然大波。

On another occasion, the whistleblower said, a Diplomatic Security special agent was given the job of picking up the Pompeo family dog from a groomer. 举报人还说，还有一次，一名外交安全特工接到任务，从一名宠物美容师那里接走了蓬佩奥家的狗。

Historic cable car with skyline and harbour in the background approaching its terminus on July 30, 2015 in Wellington, New Zealand.[Photo/IC]

>New Zealand charges visitors 新西兰对外国游客征税

New Zealand has started charging an "admission fee" of NZ$35 to overseas visitors. 新西兰开始向外国游客征收"入场费"，每人35纽元(约合人民币160元)。

The International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy came into effect on July 1, 2019. 这项国际旅客保育及旅游税于2019年7月1日生效，适用于大多数外国游客。

The tax applies to most foreign visitors. Citizens of Australia and some small Pacific nations are exempt, as are transit passengers. 澳大利亚和一些太平洋小岛国居民可以免交旅游税，其他免税人群包括，中转旅客、船员和飞机乘务人员等。

Crews on ships and aircraft will also dodge the levy. Tourism contributes one-10th of New Zealand's GDP and employs over 230,000 people. 旅游业所贡献的收入占了新西兰国内生产总值的1/10，解决了超过23万人口的就业问题。

The levy is expected to generate NZ$80m in the first full year. 预计旅游税在第一年将带来8000万纽元(约合人民币3.7亿元)的收入。

The Olympic torch of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is displayed at a Torch Relay event to mark the 300-day milestone to the starting date of the torch relay in Tokyo, Japan, June 1, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]

>Podiums made of discarded plastic 东京奥运造'废料领奖台'

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizers earlier announced their gold, silver, and bronze medals would be made of discarded electronic devices. 东京奥组委早些时候曾宣布，2020年东京奥运会的金牌、银牌和铜牌将由废弃的电子设备材料制成。

Now they are going a step further. 如今他们又有了新举措。

The podiums that athletes will mount to receive their medals next year in Tokyo will be made primarily of recycled household plastics. 东京奥运会的领奖台将主要由回收的家用塑料产品制成。

Organizers expected to build about 100 sets of podiums with recycled plastics, probably reinforced with aluminum. 东京奥组委将用回收塑料建造大约100套领奖台，可能还会用铝加固。

Metal could come from temporary housing built after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Fukushima region of northeastern Japan, according to Tokyo Olympics chief executive Toshiro Muto. The discarded plastics would be collected at 2,000 retail stores across Japan. 东京奥组委秘书长武藤敏郎说，领奖台使用的金属或将来自2011年日本东北部福岛地区地震和海啸后建造的临时房屋，废弃塑料制品则将通过日本2000家零售店收集。

The podiums might be given afterward to schools or athletic organizations, Muto said. 武藤敏郎说，领奖台可能会在比赛结束后送给学校或运动员组织。

Tokyo organizers say using recycled materials for the medals and the podiums is a first for an Olympics. 东京奥组委表示，这是奥运会历史上首次使用可回收材料制作奖牌和领奖台。

Tom Holland, who stars in the new movie "Spider-Man: Far From Home," attends a news conference at a hotel in Seoul on July 1, 2019.[Photo/IC]

>Academy welcomes new members 奥斯卡'招新'男女各一半

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Monday invited 842 members from 59 countries to the Oscars organization and, for the first time, reached gender parity in its new class of inductees. 7月1日，奥斯卡主办单位美国电影艺术与科学学院邀请来自59个国家的842名新成员加入，新受邀成员的男女比例首次达到持平。

In 10 of the 17 branches - including the directing, writing and producing branches - more women than men were invited. This year's class of new members also includes 29% people of color. 奥斯卡奖项涉及的17个专业门类里，有10个门类的女性新成员人数超过男性，包括导演、编剧、制作等。今年的新成员中还有29%为有色人种。

New invitees include Lady Gaga, Sterling K. Brown, Claire Foy, Letitia Wright, Tom Holland and Adele. 新受邀成员包括嘎嘎小姐、斯特林?k?布朗、克莱尔?福伊、莱蒂蒂亚?赖特、汤姆?霍兰德和阿黛尔。

Newly invited directors include "Crazy Rich Asians" filmmaker Jon Chu and "The Babadook" director Jennifer Kent. 此次受邀加入的导演包括《摘金奇缘》电影制作人朱浩伟和《鬼书》导演詹妮弗?肯特。

If most accept their invites, the film academy will number more than 9,000 members. 如果多数受邀者接受邀请，学院成员总数将超过9000人。

Find more audio news on the China Daily app.

来源：chinadaily.com.cn