Fresh Start: Podcast News (8/14/2018 Tue.)

Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People’s Daily app. 

Here are today’s picks from our editors.

At least 18 people injured after a magnitude-5 earthquake jolted Yunnan Province

A 5.0 magnitude earthquake affected more than 48,000 residents in the counties of Tonghai and Huaning and Jiangchuan District, administered by Yuxi, damaging over 6,000 homes, according to a statement from the provincial civil affairs department.

The injured are being treated in hospital and are in a stable condition.

The epicenter, with a depth of 7 km, was monitored at 24.19 degrees north latitude and 102.71 degrees east longitude at 1:44 a.m. Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

Just as recovery efforts were underway from yesterday's 5.0 quake, a second one ripped through the same region after the first one hit.

Officials with the China Seismological Network registered a 5.0 magnitude quake in Tonghai County. 

Many witnesses said the tremors were very strong and rushed to vacant areas to avoid danger. (Xinhua)

Huawei becomes second-largest smartphone manufacturer 

Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) announced on August 3 its earnings for the first half of 2018. The company reported solid growth, with global smartphone shipments at over 95 million units. 

According to International Data Corporation (IDC), Huawei advanced as the world's second-largest smartphone manufacturer during Q2 with a global market share of 15.8 percent.

The highlights from Huawei's business performance include high sales volume with several of their latest products, such as the P20 series, Mate 10 series and nova series. 

P20 series global shipments surpassed 9 million units. (Global Times)

Turkish feeling pain, showing solidarity amid lira

Turkish citizens started to feel the bitter effects of their national currency, the lira, up against the US dollar. 

Ozlem Yavuz, a 40-year-old high school teacher, told Xinhua that she and her husband canceled their holiday plans due to high currency fluctuations.

The lira sank to a fresh record low at 7.24 to the US dollar on Sunday. 

It stood at 6.91 on Monday.

Bekir Biklic, owner of Kale Kitchen, a Turkish import company, said the people here should be patient.

"Those who create a desperate atmosphere in Turkey are the ones who play this dollar game with us," he said. (Xinhua)

Some 2,000 evacuated for removal of WWII bombs in Poland

More than 2,000 people were evacuated Monday while Polish Navy experts removed three World War II bombs from the Baltic Sea bed at the Kolobrzeg resort, Polish officials said.

Naval spokesman Jacek Kwiatkowski said the bombs were hoisted out of the sea and placed on a special truck. Afterward, they were transported to a test range for controlled detonation. 

Each bomb weighed some 300 kilograms (660 pounds) and their impact radius was estimated at some 2 kilometers (1.2 miles.) 

Dariusz Trzeciak, a Kolobrzeg city official, said some 2,000 residents along with 200 vacationers were evacuated using their own cars or by bus. (AP)

Friendly tone belied desperate acts of Seattle plane thief 

He cracked jokes, complimented the professional demeanor of an air traffic controller and apologized for making a fuss.

But the friendly tone of a 29-year-old airport worker who stole a commercial plane Friday night, performing acrobatic stunts before the fatal plunge into a thick island forest, belied his desperate actions.

“I think I’m going to try to do a barrel roll, and if that goes good I’ll go nose down and call it a night,” Richard Russell said from the cockpit, according to a recording of his conversation with the controller.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Sunday that Russell had died in the fiery wreckage, but whether the crash was deliberate or accidental was one of several topics remaining for investigators. (AP)

Divorces in China rise for 16 years, marriages sharply fall since 2014 

The number of divorces has been soaring in China in the past 16 years, as the marriage rate significantly falls since 2014.

Ten million couples registered their marriages in 2017, a 7 percent decline from 2016. Meanwhile, about 4.37 million couples divorced in the same year, up by 5.2 percent, according to a 2017 social service development communiqué published on the website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

China's marriage age has also changed, with a growing trend of late marriages. Before 2012, couples between 20 and 24 years old accounted for the most married people. But since 2013, couples aged between 25 and 29 have taken the lead. (Global Times)

American-Chinese co-production 'The Meg' tops North American box office in opening weekend

An American-Chinese co-production, "The Meg," dominated North American box office with an estimated 44.5 million US dollars in its opening weekend, well surpassing all expectations.

Directed by Jon Turteltaub, "The Meg" stars English action star Jason Statham and award-winning Chinese actress Li Bingbing among others. 

"Meg" marks Warner Bros.' biggest opening of the year in North American so far. The film brought even more in China with an impressive 50.3 million dollars this weekend for a total overseas opening of 96.8 million dollars and global weekend cume of 141.3 million dollars. (Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What are the Seven Wonders of the Modern World?

(Answer: The Seven Wonders of the Modern World are: the Great Wall of China, Jordan's ancient rock city Petra, Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer, the hilltop city of Machu Picchu in Peru, Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid, the Colosseum in Rome and India's Taj Mahal.)

Today’s quote is from English novelist Charles Dickens.

“There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart. ”

 (Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, and Lance Crayon)