Fresh Start: Podcast News (2/11/2018 Sun.)

Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People's Daily app.

Here are today's picks from our editors.

Kim Jong-un invites Moon to Pyongyang

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong on Saturday invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang as soon as possible and presented him with a personal letter from Kim Jong-un.

Kim Yo-jong said during a lunch with Moon in the presidential residence of Blue House and pleaded for him to play a leading role in the unification of two Koreas.

If the proposed meeting took place, it would be the third of its kind after those held in 2000 and 2007, both in Pyongyang. (People's Daily app)

Combined Korean hockey team loses to Swiss in Olympic debut

The Korean women’s hockey team, the first to combine players from the North and South, was defeated by Switzerland on Saturday 8-0.

Among the cheering fans were South Korean President Moon Jae-in and sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

“I think a unified one is stronger than two divided ones…If North and South Korea will send unified teams on sports and all other sectors, we’ll have good results,” North Korean player Jong Su Hyon said. (AP)

Deadly Hong Kong bus accident

A double-decker bus flipped on its side on Hong Kong’s Tai Po Road on Saturday evening. It killed at least 19 and injured more than 60 others who are receiving medical treatment. An investigation into the accident is underway. (CGTN)

China to stage Chinese New Year galas around the world

The “Happy Chinese New Year” gala, a large celebration of the traditional Chinese holiday, will be held at over 400 cities in over 130 countries in 2018.  

The gala will continue to deliver high-quality and diverse cultural activities this year, including temple fairs, town square celebrations and food tastings, according to China’s Ministry of Culture. (China.org.cn)

Egypt launches major assault on militants ahead of election

Egypt launched an assault on militant targets on Friday focused on the Sinai Peninsula, as a major offensive against the Islamic State.

In November last year, President el-Sisi ordered the military to defeat insurgency by February in response to an attack on a mosque which killed more than 300 people. (Reuters)

3-D printable tools help monitoring astronauts' health in space

To monitor their health in space, astronauts must send their biological samples to earth.

Now thanks to 3-D printing, NASA is developing a technology that will allow the astronauts to complete the analysis by themselves. (Xinhua)

Sterile mosquitos released in Miami to battle disease

In a latest attempt to knock down the disease-carrying mosquitos, health officials in Miami are releasing millions of non-biting sterile male mosquitos.

A spokesperson for the company behind the project said the mosquitos are very safe for humans and pets. (AFP)

'Meng Meng' the favorite Panda outside China

Meng Meng, a Panda living in the Berlin Zoo, emerged victorious in the Panda Global Awards held in the Germany capital, winning both “Favorite Panda Outside China” and “Panda Moment of the Year.” 

This year’s awards attracted 300,000 panda fans from around the world. (China Plus)

Thank you for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow. 

This weekend’s poem is by Indian poet and writer Ravindranath Tagore.

“Let life be beautiful like summer flowers / and death like autumn leaves.”

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Ziyi Zeng, and Regina Barna.)