Fresh Start: Podcast News (8/15/2018 Wed.)
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Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People’s Daily app. 

Here are today’s picks from our editors.

China to assess new US foreign investment measures: commerce ministry

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China's commerce ministry has said it will conduct a comprehensive assessment of a new US Defense Bill that, among other things, strengthens Washington's power to review business deals involving foreign firms. 

The ministry also said it will closely track the bill's impact on Chinese firms.  

In a statement on its website, the ministry said that the US should treat Chinese investors with objectivity and fairness and prevent the bill from becoming an obstacle to cooperation between Chinese and US companies.

"Chinese and US companies have a strong wish to deepen investment cooperation and the potential is enormous," the ministry said.

"The governments of the two countries should listen to the voices of the companies and provide a good environment and stable expectations."

The $717 billion defense bill was signed by US President Donald Trump on Monday. (CGTN)

China bans capacity expansion in cement, glass sectors

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Chinese authorities have called for efforts in preventing new capacities in cement and flat glass industries as the government remains firm in its drive to cut capacity.

On the back of the government's efforts to cut capacity, the two sectors have seen improved profitability, which prompted certain regions to expand their capacity, according to a notice released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission.

In light of the emerging trends, the notice strictly banned any approvals of new construction projects as the oversupplied situation in the two industries remained "grim."

Related businesses in land supplies, environmental approvals as well as credit support should also be halted, while projects of capacity replacement should strictly follow local plans, according to the notice. (Xinhua)

Cars plunge in Italian highway bridge collapse

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A bridge on a main highway linking Italy with France collapsed Tuesday in the Italian port city of Genoa during a violent storm, sending vehicles plunging 45 meters into a heap of rubble. The city’s mayor said at least 35 people were killed and others are trapped in the debris.

Italy’s civil protection agency said 30-35 cars and three heavy trucks were on section of the bridge that collapsed.

Hundreds of firefighters and emergency officials searched for survivors and said at least two people were found alive in vehicles and taken to a hospital by helicopter. 

The Morandi Bridge is a main thoroughfare connecting the A10 highway that goes toward France and the A7 highway that continues north toward Milan. (AP – People’s Daily app)

Terror threat remains severe in Britain: PM spokesman

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The Westminster attack is "shocking" and terror threat level remains severe in the UK, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Theresa May said here Tuesday.    

At least three people were reportedly injured as the car hit cyclists and pedestrians.

A man in his late 20s, who drove the car that injured the cyclists and pedestrians, has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences and the police treated the car crash as a "terrorist incident."

Meanwhile, the spokesperson also said that 13 Islamist plots and four far-right plots have been successfully foiled since March 2017, when Khalid Masood ploughed a car into crowds on Westminster Bridge, killing four people. (Xinhua – People’s Daily app)

Erdogan says Turkey to 'boycott' US electronic goods

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said Turkey would boycott US electronic goods like the iPhone in retaliation for punitive sanctions from Washington.

The dispute between the NATO allies -- brought to a new intensity by Turkey's holding of an American pastor for two years -- has raised questions over the future of their partnership and fanned fears of a looming economic crisis in Turkey.

"If (the United States) have the iPhone, there's Samsung on the other side," he said. "We (also) have our Venus and Vestel.” (AFP)

 ‘Comfort women’ issue cannot be resolved diplomatically: South Korean president

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South Korean President Moon Jae-in urged Japan to sincerely apologize to Korean women forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military decades ago, according to Yonhap.

Moon made the remark at a ceremony marking the inauguration of the new national day of the country, which will be observed on August 14, a day before the country’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule from 1910-1945.

"The issue of comfort women for the Japanese military can truly be resolved when the victims' dignity and honor are restored and their broken hearts are healed," Moon said.

The “comfort woman” issue has long been a dispute between South Korea and Japan as Japan refuses to recognize the history, saying the women and girls were voluntary prostitutes. (People’s Daily app)

Four irrigation systems in China added as world heritage sites

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Four irrigation systems in China were added as world heritage sites for irrigation and drainage on Monday on the 69th International Executive Council Meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

The four irrigation systems, Dujiangyan, Lingqu, Jiangxiyan and Changqu, all represent the innovation of ancient China and are the best representatives of China’s agricultural history. (People's Daily app)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What are the Four Cradles of Civilization?

(Answer: Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, and Ancient China.)

Today’s quote is from French author Victor Hugo.

“A mother's arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them.”

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