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Here are today's picks from our editors. 

China's iconic revolutionary base Yan'an bids farewell to poverty

Yan'an, a former revolutionary base of the Communist Party of China (CPC), is no longer labeled "poor," as its last two impoverished counties, Yanchuan and Yichuan respectively, have shaken off poverty, the Shaanxi provincial government announced Tuesday.

Yan'an hosted the then headquarters of the CPC and the center of the Communist revolution from 1935 to 1948. The city is now home to more than 350 sites related to the Chinese revolution.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to end poverty in old revolutionary base areas and improve local people's standard of living. Xi said a well-off society is incomplete if people in old revolutionary base areas cannot shake off poverty.

According to the provincial poverty relief office, poverty-stricken residents in the two counties now only account for 1.06 and 0.58 percent respectively of their populations, meeting the country's requirement for an impoverished county to cast off the title. (Xinhua) 

Pompeo cancels Berlin visit over 'pressing issues'

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called off his visit to Berlin due to "pressing issues,” the US Embassy in Berlin said on Tuesday.

For his Germany visit, Pompeo had planned to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. He had planned to discuss topics such as Ukraine, Venezuela, Iran, and Syria, according to Deutsche Presse Agentur.

Local media said the cancellation might be a sign of the tense ties between Berlin and Washington, as they were recently at odds on several issues like the construction of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the sanctions against Iran. (Xinhua) 

ROK, US, Japan to hold denuclearization talks in Seoul

The Republic of Korea (ROK), the US, and Japan will hold their annual trilateral security talks later this week in Seoul, local media reported Tuesday, citing ROK's Defense Ministry.

The 11th round of Defense Trilateral Talks (DTT) will be held on Thursday at the ROK’s Defense Ministry headquarters in Seoul.

The three sides will discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the settlement of permanent peace, regional security, and the trilateral defense cooperation, the ministry also said. (CGTN) 

Russia probes pilot error after deadly plane blaze

Russian investigators on Tuesday were considering pilot error as the cause of a crash-landing that ended in flames at Moscow's busiest airport, killing all 41 people on board, media reported.

The Sukhoi Superjet-100 had departed Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday evening when it sent out an emergency signal and then circled back, bouncing on the runway where it caught fire.

Investigation sources told Kommersant newspaper that Aeroflot pilots made a number of errors including flying into a thunderstorm and landing with a full tank rather than circling to use up fuel.

Investigators are examining the plane’s black boxes and have so far given no official reason for the crash. (AFP) 

Sri Lankan president says 56 suspects linked to Easter explosions in custody

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday said that 56 suspects linked to the Easter Sunday terror explosions were in police custody.

Addressing Parliament, Sirisena said security forces were successful in identifying all those involved in the terror attacks and normalcy had been restored in the country.

During extensive search operations so far, 13 safe houses used by the terrorists and 41 bank accounts have been identified, he added. (Xinhua) 

China to build Asia's largest reclaimed water wetland park

Beijing has started building Asia's biggest reclaimed water wetland park in the southeastern region, People's Daily reported Tuesday.

The wetland park, with a total area of 638,000 square meters, will use reclaimed water from a nearby wastewater processing plant as its sole water source, the newspaper reported.

It could take in the maximum 500,000 tons of reclaimed water every day once completed, the report said. (Xinhua) 

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What is the best type of grain used in brewing beer?

(Answer: Barley.)

Today's quote is from French writer Joseph Joubert (1754-1824).

"Imagination is the eye of the soul."

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