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Here are today’s picks from our editors.
Xi orders resolute efforts to curb virus spread
President Xi Jinping has ordered resolute efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that has caused cases of pneumonia.
Instructing on the work related to the pneumonia situation, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed putting people's safety and health as the top priority.
As of 6 pm Monday, a total of 224 pneumonia cases caused by the novel coronavirus had been reported in China. Of them, 217 had been confirmed and 7 remained suspect.
Overseas, one case has been confirmed in Japan, two in Thailand, and one in the Republic of Korea.
Xi ordered heightened attention and all-out prevention and control efforts. (Xinhua)
15 Chinese medical workers confirmed infected with coronavirus
15 medical workers in the central Chinese city of Wuhan have been diagnosed with pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), plus one suspected case, the municipal health commission reported early Tuesday morning.
One of the 16 patients is in critical condition while the rest are in stable condition. All of them are being treated in isolation, the commission said. (Xinhua)
Putin introduces draft law on constitutional amendments to State Duma
Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced a draft law on amending the constitution for consideration by the State Duma, or the lower house of parliament, the Kremlin said in a statement Monday.
The draft law is aimed at improving the regulation of certain aspects of public government organizations, said the statement.
Putin said Wednesday in his annual address to the Russian Federal Assembly that he believes "it is time to introduce certain changes to the main law of the country" to protect citizens' social rights and the national economy from any attempts of foreign pressure. (Xinhua)
Iran to leave NPT if nuke case sent to UN Security Council: FM
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday that the Islamic republic will leave the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the nuclear case of the country is sent to the UN Security Council.
"If the Europeans continue their unjustifiable behavior or send Iran's nuclear dossier to the UN Security Council, Iran will leave the NPT," Zarif was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.
The remarks by the Iranian foreign minister followed last week’s move as the three European countries Britain, France, and Germany announced they had taken a step to trigger the dispute mechanism with Iran in response to Tehran's back-off from nuclear commitments made over the past months. (Xinhua)
Mexico extradites El Chapo's financial operator to US
Mexican prosecutors said Sunday they have extradited to the US an associate of jailed drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.
Local media have identified the suspect as Jose Sanchez Villalobos, a financial operator and tunnel builder for the jailed Chapo.
The suspect extradited was known as "The Lord of the Tunnels" due to his underground mastery, which helped the Sinaloa cartel secretly move drugs into the US. (AFP)
Experts say Vincent van Gogh self-portrait is genuine
After years of doubts about its authenticity, experts in Amsterdam have confirmed that a Vincent van Gogh self-portrait was indeed painted by the Dutch master as he recovered in a French asylum from a mental breakdown.
Van Gogh Museum researcher Louis van Tilborgh dispelled the doubts Monday, saying the oil-on-canvas painting of the anguished-looking painter was completed in the late summer of 1889 while Van Gogh was at the Saint-Remy asylum in southern France.
Questions about the painting rose in the 1970s. The use of a palette knife to flatten brush strokes on Van Gogh’s face and what were then considered to be unusual colors in the painting led to speculation about the authenticity of the work. (AFP)
Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.
And now for the Question of the Day:
Which mineral was once considered so valuable that ancient Roman soldiers were partially paid with it?
(Answer: Salt.)
Today’s quote is from British poet Edith Sitwell (1887-1964).
"Poetry is the deification of reality."
(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, and Elaine Yue Lin. Music by Eugene Loner.)