Fresh Start: Podcast News (3/26/2019 Tue.)
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Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People's Daily app.

Here are today's picks from our editors. 

Xi, Macron agree to forge more solid, stable, vibrant China-France partnership

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Monday agreed to carry forward the high-level ties between the two countries and forge a more solid, stable and vibrant China-France comprehensive strategic partnership on a new starting point in history.

The consensus was reached during the talks between Xi and Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Xi said that great changes have taken place in the international situation, but the China-France relations have always kept developing on a high level and in a sound and stable way.

"China is willing to work with France to inherit the past and create the future, enable our close and enduring comprehensive strategic partnership to continue leading the way, and make more historic contributions to building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity," Xi said. (Xinhua) 

New emergency response team rushes to Xiangshui to assist with rescue efforts

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The Armed Police Force has dispatched a new emergency response team comprising of 400 people to assist with rescue efforts after a deadly chemical plant explosion in East China's Jiangsu Province.

The members on the team, who are specialized in chemical defense, engineering and transport, have come from the Armed Police Force troops stationed in Jiangsu, Anhui and Fujian Provinces and brought with them plenty of equipment, such as chemical reconnaissance and decontamination vehicles.

The death toll from the explosion has risen to 78 as of Monday afternoon, authorities said. (Xinhua) 

Trump signs declaration reversing US policy on Golan Heights

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US President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Monday recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, reversing more than a half-century of US policy in the Middle East. 

Trump said his decision would cement the Jewish state's ability to defend itself from regional threats should a broad Arab-Israeli peace deal ever be reached. 

Syria denounced the US move as "blatant aggression" on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

Israel has long argued that the strategically important area has for all practical purposes been fully integrated into Israel since it was captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and that control of the strategic plateau is needed as protection from Iran and its allies in Syria. (AP) 

Russia denies meddling in US vote, says ready to improve ties

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The Kremlin on Monday reiterated its denial that Moscow interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. The announcement comes at the end of a US investigation into collusion between Donald Trump and Russia during the 2016 election. 

US Attorney General William Barr said on Sunday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had found no evidence of collusion in his investigation. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia's "principled position on this matter is well known: our country has not interfered in the domestic affairs of other countries, including the United States." 

The Kremlin also said it was ready to improve ties with the US but that it was up to Washington to make the first move. (CGTN) 

China to enlist college students as volunteers in Mekong River areas

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China will recruit roughly 100 college students to provide volunteer services in areas along the Mekong River, the School of International Studies of Peking University, who will lead the recruitment process, announced at a launch event in Beijing on Sunday. 

The volunteer program is aimed at promoting communication between young people from six countries involved in the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation framework. The six countries include China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. (Xinhua) 

Cambridge says use of gaokao in admission evaluation an old policy

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The United Kingdom's Cambridge University acknowledged on its Weibo account that it did consider a Chinese student's score on China's national college entrance exam known as the gaokao for new admissions. However, school officials also stressed that admissions are not only based on test scores but a comprehensive assessment of each applicant. 

The response came after inquiries started pouring in two days ago when news reports surfaced claiming that Cambridge accepted gaokao scores from new applicants. 

The university, however, says it has considered gaokao scores for years, requiring a student to rank in the top 0.1 percent on the test in their home province. Students also have to meet English language requirements and pass the still-required aptitude test known as the IELTS. (Global Times) 

Olympic champion Ye dominates women's 200m individual medley

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Chinese Olympic champion Ye Shiwen won the gold medal of the women's 200m individual medley with ease in two minutes and 9.24 seconds at the National Swimming Championships on Monday.

It was Ye's first title after returning to the pool last November as the two-time Olympic champion had spent the previous two years studying at Tsinghua University. (Xinhua) 

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What is the longest river in France?

Answer: The Loire is the longest river in France (1012 kilometres).

Today's quote is from French author Marcel Proust (1871-1922).

"We must never be afraid to go too far, for truth lies beyond."

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, and Elaine Yue Lin. Music by Eugene Loner.)