Fresh Start: Podcast News (10/16/2018 Tue.)
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Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People’s Daily app.

Here are today’s picks from our editors.

Xi urges deeper military-civilian integration

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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called for a stronger sense of mission for deeper military-civilian integration.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while presiding over the second session of the Central Commission for Integrated Military and Civilian Development, which he also heads.

He asked for a stronger hold on the implementation of the integration, strengthened role of rule of law, deeper reform of system, and further coordinated innovation in science and technology.

The meeting deliberated and passed a guideline on strengthening the role of rule of law in integrated military and civilian development. (Xinhua)

China vows to work with Netherlands to safeguard multilateralism, free trade

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday that China is willing to work with the Netherlands to safeguard multilateralism and free trade through more open and pragmatic cooperation.

Premier Li made the remarks during talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague.

Li noted that China will make it known worldwide that China, the Netherlands and the rest of Europe, are committed to safeguarding the rule-based international order to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

Rutte, for his part, said the Netherlands is willing to work with China to explore new cooperation potential in the fields of circular economy, urbanization and smart cities, and jointly safeguard rule-based multilateralism and free trade systems. (CGTN)

German police seize Cologne hostage-taker

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German police said Monday that they had subdued and detained a man who took a woman hostage in a pharmacy in Cologne's central train station.

“A female hostage has been lightly wounded and is being cared for," Cologne police added, calling on the public to keep their distance from the area.

The hostage-taker also suffered injuries, a police spokesperson said, adding that the man's motives were not yet known. (AFP)

China's largest trade fair opens in Guangzhou

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China's largest trade fair opened Monday in Guangzhou, capital of southern China's Guangdong Province, attracting more import-oriented companies.

The fair features an exhibition area for imports with 636 companies, 19 firms more than the previous session, from 34 countries and regions to exhibit at around 1,000 booths.

The number of firms from countries and regions along the Belt and Road makes up around 60 percent of the total participants at the import exhibition. (Xinhua)

Sears files for Chapter 11 amid plunging sales, massive debt

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Sears has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, buckling under its massive debt load and staggering losses.

In its last fiscal year, it generated $16.7 billion in sales, down from more than $50 billion in 2008.

As of May, it had fewer than 900 stores, down from about 1,000 at the end of last year. The number of stores peaked in 2012 at 4,000, including its Sears Canada division that was later spun off. (People's Daily app)

Asteroid named after university of China's science academy

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An asteroid has been named after the university of China's top science academy, with approval from the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Asteroid Guokeda (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), coded 189018, was discovered on Oct 14, 1998 by astronomers with the Beijing Schmidt CCD Asteroid Program at the Xinglong observatory in northern China, according to a recent IAU communique.

With an absolute magnitude of 15.2, the asteroid orbits in an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Its orbital period is 5.33 years.

A senior official with the university read the communique at an event Sunday to celebrate its 40th founding anniversary. (Xinhua)

Kensington palace announces Meghan Markle pregnant

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Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is pregnant and due to give birth next spring, Kensington Palace announced Monday.

The news came within hours after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrived in Australia for their first royal tour. They will spend 16 days in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

The baby will be seventh in line to the throne. (Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

Which jungle is the densest in the world?

(Answer: The Amazon is the densest jungle in the world.)

Today’s quote is from Polish scientist Marie Curie.

“Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.”

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