Fresh Start: Podcast News (2/7/2019 Thu.)
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Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People's Daily app.

Here are today's picks from our editors. 

Railway trips up on short-distance travel demand

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The national railway operator has predicted the number of passengers will continue to grow during the Spring Festival holiday due to rising short-distance travel demand.

The China Railway Corporation added 208 trains on Wednesday to handle a total of 7.67 million railway trips expected, up 8.5 percent year on year.

Local railway bureaus have increased services in remote towns and villages, worked to help passengers transfer to buses and subways, offered better Wifi access and allowed fast security checks for the elderly and disabled. (Xinhua) 

Vietnam welcomes 2nd Trump-Kim meeting

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Vietnam welcomes the second summit between the leaders of the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) slated for Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said on Wednesday that Vietnam strongly supports dialogues to maintain peace, security and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

"Vietnam is ready to make an active contribution to and cooperate with relevant sides to ensure the success of the second US-DPRK summit, thus helping realize the above-mentioned goal," she added. (Xinhua) 

Trump urges unity in State of the Union address amid bitter political fight, polarization

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US President Donald Trump called for unity and bipartisanship in his State of the Union address given a divided Congress after two years of bitter partisan fight and heightened political polarization.

In an 80-minute-plus speech, Trump touched on a variety of topics and priorities of his administration for the coming year, including immigration, trade and economy, infrastructure, health care, and national security.

Speaking to a joint session of Congress in the House of Representatives, Trump encouraged Congress to "reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution, and embrace the boundless potential of cooperation, compromise and the common good."

However, before the address, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer tweeted that even emptier than Trump's policy promises are his "calls each year for unity." (Xinhua) 

NATO members sign Accession Protocol for Macedonia

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Permanent Representatives of the 29 members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Wednesday signed the Accession Protocol for Macedonia.

Following the signing of the protocol, Macedonia can now take part in NATO activities as an invitee, said NATO in a statement published on its website.

The country will become a member of NATO as soon as all members have ratified the protocol, said the statement.

Macedonia and Greece recently resolved their long-standing dispute when the former agreed to change their country name to "Republic of North Macedonia." (Xinhua) 

Taliban sit for second day with Afghan leaders in Moscow

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The Taliban entered a second day of unprecedented talks Wednesday with powerful Afghan politicians in Moscow, sidestepping the Kabul government as they pursue a leading stake in the war-torn country.

The rare public appearance saw Taliban officials spelling out their vision for Afghanistan in front of rolling cameras and a host of political heavyweights, including former president Hamid Karzai.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday described those talks as "constructive" and voiced cautious hope for a negotiated end to America's longest war. (AFP) 

Raya El Hassan becomes first female Interior Minister of Lebanon

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Lebanon’s new interior minister has taken office, becoming the country's and the Arab world's first female official in charge of powerful security agencies.

Raya El Hassan took over on Wednesday as a part of a new government named after nearly nine months of deadlock. She is one of four women in the 30-member Cabinet, a historic record for female political representation in Lebanon. (AP) 

US President Donald Trump gives Lunar New Year greetings

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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday extended his greetings to those celebrating the Lunar New Year.

He wished them "good health, prosperity, and happiness" in the Year of the Pig.

This is a sacred time for many people of Asian descent, and it is an opportunity for all Americans to honor the important contributions these communities have made to the story of American greatness, Trump said in his greetings.

Trump's daughter Ivanka also extended her New Year greetings in Chinese via her Twitter account to celebrate the Lunar New Year. (CGTN) 

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

In which Olympic sport might you get a double axel or a triple Salchow?

(Answer: Figure skating.)

Today's quote is from Roman statesman Lucius Annaeus Seneca (5 BC - 65 AD).

"A happy life is one which is in accordance with its own nature."

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Brian Lowe, and Elaine Yue Lin.)