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Here are today's picks from our editors. 

China, Russia agree to strengthen contemporary global strategic stability

China and Russia vowed to strengthen contemporary global strategic stability in a joint statement signed by visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Recognizing that the current international security is facing serious challenges, China and Russia intend to deepen strategic mutual trust and strengthen strategic coordination to firmly safeguard global and regional strategic stability, according to the joint statement.

China and Russia note with alarm the extremely dangerous actions of certain states that, out of their own geopolitical and even commercial benefits, destroy or adapt the existing system of arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to their needs, the statement said.

Both sides urged actively promoting the three pillars -- nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and peaceful use of nuclear energy, it said.

The two sides reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the unconditional implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iran nuclear issue and declared their rejection of unilateral sanctions by the United States against Iran, according to the statement.

China and Russia also pledged to promote multilateralism and expressed commitment to working together to preserve the system of international mechanisms on non-proliferation and arms control. (Xinhua)

China completes first offshore rocket launch

China successfully launched a rocket from a mobile launch platform in the Yellow Sea off Shandong Province on Wednesday, sending two technology experiment satellites and five commercial satellites into space.

A Long March-11 solid propellant carrier rocket blasted off at 12:06 pm from the mobile platform. It is China's first space launch from a sea-based platform and the 306th mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. (Xinhua) 

Prayut Chan-ocha elected prime minister of Thailand

Thailand’s Parliament elected current prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to continue as prime minister of the country in a vote on Wednesday.

Prayut got 500 votes while his main rival got 244 with three abstaining from voting.

Prayut, who has run the country since 2014, is yet to set up a cabinet in which a maximum of 36 persons including himself can be named ministers. (People's Daily - Xinhua) 

Ukraine to join NATO only after referendum

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday Ukraine will join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) but only after a referendum.

"When the Ukrainians are ready, we will definitely put this question in a referendum, and Ukraine will join NATO," he said.

During a joint briefing with NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on Tuesday, Zelensky said that joining NATO and the European Union was a foreign policy priority for Ukraine. (Xinhua) 

At least 20 people injured in explosion in Italy's Sicily town

At least 20 people were injured in Italy's Sicily on Wednesday, following the explosion of a gas cylinder in a street market, local media reported.

The incident occurred in late morning in a roast chicken shop in the town of Gela, in the southeast province of Caltanissetta, according to local media.

None of those injured in the incident would be in life-risk conditions, according to reports so far. The prosecution office in Gela has opened an investigation into the incident. (Xinhua) 

China to realize full electronic toll coverage by year-end

More than 90 percent of vehicles on expressways in China should be able to use the electronic toll collection (ETC) system by year-end, according to the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Transport.

The move is part of an effort to reach the goal of essentially removing all tollgates in two years, as laid out in the Government Work Report in March. The brick-and-mortar tollgates will finally be replaced with the virtual ETC system, partly to reduce emissions and logistics costs.

With all expressway lanes capable of offering ETC service by October, an increase in the number of China's ETC users will make the 90 percent passage via ETC a reality by year-end, the action plan said. (China Daily) 

Infantino re-elected as FIFA president for second term

Over three years after taking office to replace the scandal-hit Sepp Blatter, Gianni Infantino got the confirmatory vote of FIFA's 211 member associations, re-elected on Wednesday as president of the world soccer governing body.

Promising not to "stand still" but to develop the game and "defend football", an emotional Infantino said in his closing speech that his priority is to create more youth competitions, to continue on developing women's football and to organize a "world convention on football development." (China Daily) 

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

How can you leave a room with two legs and return with six legs?

(Answer: Bring a chair back with you.)

Today's quote is from French novelist Honore de Balzac (1799-1850).

"The more one judges, the less one loves."

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