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Here are today’s picks from our editors.

China to boost ties with Tajikistan to new levels: Premier Li

China and Tajikistan will support each other and seek common development to boost bilateral ties to new levels, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said.

Li made the remarks when holding talks with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on Saturday.

Noting the rapid and healthy growth of bilateral ties and cooperation in all areas at the moment, Li said China stands ready to strengthen the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative with Tajikistan's development strategy to advance good-neighborliness and practical cooperation across the matrix.

Rasulzoda said Tajikistan is willing to take an active part in building the Belt and Road, enhance bilateral practical cooperation in trade, energy, transportation, agriculture, investment and financing, expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, among others, to maintain the healthy and steady development of the bilateral ties. (Xinhua)

Quake warning system to be in place by 2023

China will build a nationwide earthquake early warning system by 2023, said a senior emergency management official.

The early warning system, known as the National Seismic Intensity Rapid Reporting and Early Warning project was approved by central authorities last year. It will include more than 15,000 observation stations, 3,360 service terminals with national and provincial government bodies related to earthquake relief. They will also have a presence at public institutions, and vital infrastructure and utility outlets like nuclear power plants, said Zheng Guoguang, vice-minister of Emergency Management. (China Daily)

New AI-powered lab to support aviation sector

China's first algorithms laboratory aimed at the aviation sector was jointly launched by Tongji University and Xiamen Airlines in Shanghai on Thursday. Both entities expect the lab to play a key role in utilizing artificial intelligence to solve problems and improve overall industry efficiency.

"In the past few years, the rapid development of the aviation sector has led to a growing density of flights and an increasingly complex airlines network which makes it more difficult than ever for humans to manage," said Wang Hongjian, chief information officer at Xiamen Airlines.

Wang added the joint lab would assist or maybe replace humans in creating plane and crew schedules. (China Daily)

OPEC cuts oil demand estimate for 2019

OPEC on Thursday lowered its estimate for the global oil demand next year due to the slower economic and US shale output growth.

The monthly report from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said that global oil demand growth should decline to 1.36 million barrels a day in 2019, down from 1.54 million barrels a day for 2018.

The oil cartel believed slow economic growth and the increase of the world’s oil supply, led by the US shale output rise are the reasons for the decrease. (Xinhua)

Hungarian chief of diplomacy introduces total ban on smoking

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto introduced a smoking ban measure prohibiting smokers from lighting up on government premises and adjacent buildings.  

He also extended the ban to include every Hungarian embassy around the world, according to official sources on Saturday.

The new measure also forbids the designation of closed areas for smokers, which has been the normal practice, up until now. 

The existing smoking areas will be closed and smokers will only be allowed to smoke cigarettes outside on the streets. 

Since 2002, advertising related to smoking remains banned. (Xinhua)

NASA to use Russia's Soyuz despite rocket failure

NASA chief Jim Bridenstine on Friday praised the Russian space program and said he expected a new crew to go to the International Space Station (ISS) in December despite the recent rocket failure.

The NASA administrator spoke to reporters at the US Embassy in Moscow a day after a Soyuz rocket failure forced Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin and US astronaut Nick Hague to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff in Kazakhstan. The pair escaped unharmed.

The next Soyuz launch is scheduled to take a new crew to ISS on December 20. (AFP)

China tops medal table at Asian Para Games

China topped the gold medal table and medals table overall once again as the 3rd Asian Para Games closed on Saturday.

China won 172 gold, 88 silver and 59 bronze medals to lead the tournament for the third consecutive time after they won in 2010 in Guangzhou, China and in 2014 in Incheon, South Korea.

South Korea followed second on the medals table. (Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What is the largest city square in China?

(Answer: Tiananmen Square is the largest city square in China. It is also among the top ten largest city squares in the world.)

Today’s quote is from Greek statesman Solon.

“Learn to obey before you command.”

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, Terry Guanlin Li, and Da Hang.)