Fresh Start: Podcast News (2/3/2019 Sun.)
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Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People’s Daily app.

Here are today’s picks from our editors.

Xi extends festive greetings to all servicemen

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President Xi Jinping extended festive greetings to soldiers and officers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), armed police, militia and reserve forces Saturday.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), visited the PLA Beijing Garrison Command ahead of the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), which falls on Feb. 5 this year.

Noting that the Beijing Garrison Command was an important force directly commanded by the CPC Central Committee and the CMC, Xi called for efforts to implement the Party's thinking on strengthening the military for the new era, focus on combat readiness and reinforcing guarding capability.

Xi called on the military force to remain fully trustworthy to the Party and the people. (Xinhua)

Russia suspends INF Treaty: Kremlin

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Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said Russia will follow the example of the United States and withdraw from the nuclear arms control deal within six months.

The US administration announced Friday that the United States is withdrawing from the INF Treaty with Russia within six months, starting from Feb. 2.

Despite the retaliatory measures, Putin said that Russia would not deploy medium- and shorter-range missiles in any region as long as the United States avoids doing this in respective regions.

(People's Daily app - Xinhua)

Pakistan’s ex-PM Sharif moved from prison cell to hospital

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An aide to Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says he has been shifted from his prison cell to a government hospital in the eastern city of Lahore.

Senator Asif Kirmani says Sharif was taken from his cell in Kot Lakhpat prison on Saturday to the Services Hospital following the recommendation of a government-appointed team of doctors.

Kirmani says Sharif was diagnosed with heart-related issues which could be life threatening. (AP)

Egypt discovers over 40 mummies in 3 ancient tombs in Minya

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The Egyptian minister of antiquities announced on Saturday the discovery of three ancient tombs with more than 40 well-preserved mummies in Tuna el-Gebel necropolis of Minya Province south of the capital Cairo.

Two of the tombs are connected, which include the large number of mummies, while the third has a couple of limestone, pottery and wooden coffins, the minister said.

The tombs are about 2,000 years old, according to Ahmed Ata, a professor of archeology at Minya University.

"We found out the age of the tombs through the Greek letters written on the legs of the mummies," the professor said, adding that about six mummies of dogs have also been discovered. (Xinhua)

Research reveals giant pandas' more diversified diet 5,000 years ago

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The "menu" for giant pandas 5,000 years ago might have been more diversified than today, when the black-and-white mammal lived in a wider range of environment besides bamboo forests, according to new research.

A team of scientists with the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has found that giant pandas hadn't become a specialized bamboo eater until around 5,000 years ago.

"Giant pandas had become herbivores like deer at that time. But it's hard to know what specific plants they ate. We believe there were some herbs in addition to bamboo on their food list," said Wei Fuwen, an academician of CAS and the leader of the research team. (Xinhua)

New technologies highlighted in 2019 Spring Festival Gala

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China’s annual Spring Festival Gala will make breakthroughs using advanced technologies such as 4K and 5G this year, according to its producer China Media Group.

Cutting-edge technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) will also be employed in the hours-long show, the group said in a statement.

“It combines technological improvement with artistic innovation, marking important innovation in the history of the Spring Festival Gala,” the statement read.

The gala, which usually includes songs, traditional operas, comedies, talk shows and acrobatics, will be broadcast live on Feb 4 via multiple TV and internet channels. (Xinhua)

Sydney lights up for Lunar New Year celebrations

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Australia's most recognizable landmarks, the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge provided a breathtaking setting for the celebration of Lunar New Year events on Saturday, with the bridge's arches glowing red and pink, and spectacular art installations outside the Opera House marking the year of the pig.

Sydney's Lunar New Year celebrations will span across most of February.

One of Australia's favorite ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year is with dumplings, so many dumplings in fact that the city will hold a world record attempt on Feb. 5 for the largest ever Yum Cha meal, a traditional Cantonese-style brunch with tea. (Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

In cricket, which object is used to hit the ball?

(Answer: Bat.)

Today’s quote is from Irish writer Jonathan Swift (1667-1745).

"There is nothing constant in this world but inconsistency."

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Brian Lowe, and Da Hang.)