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Here are today’s picks from our editors.

Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, dead at 80

Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has died at the age of 80, the Kofi Annan Foundation announced on Saturday.

Annan’s home country Ghana has declared a week of national mourning.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described Annan as “a guiding force for good” and “a global champion for peace and all humanity.”

Annan joined the UN in 1962 and served as the seventh UN Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006. Annan was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the UN in 2001 “for their work for a better organized and more peaceful world.” (People’s Daily app)

China dismisses 6 senior officials for defective vaccines

The State Administration for Market Regulation announced Saturday morning that it had sacked six senior officials involved in the case of defective vaccines manufactured by Changsheng Life Sciences Limited.

Among those fired were Ding Jianhua, who headed two departments at the China Food and Drug Administration, and four other officials of the CFDA. The sixth official to get the sack was Wang Youchun, the deputy dean of the National Institute for Food and Drug Control, a body under the CFDA. 

Meanwhile, 11 officials in Hubei Province have been punished in the case related to defective vaccines produced in Wuhan. Six of the 11 officials were sacked, while the other five were given inner-Party warnings and demerits to their records.

On Thursday, a number of high officials in Jilin Province were sacked for dereliction of duty or misconduct over substandard vaccines case. The officials included Jin Yuhui, deputy governor of Jilin Province. (People’s Daily app)

Suspect arrested in Chile after bomb threats

Chilean police arrested two men who grounded nine commercial flights in Chile on Thursday by alleging they were planted with bombs, according to Chile's Investigation Police (PDI).

The 29-year-old suspect, who was arrested early Friday morning at his home, made the calls because he was dissatisfied after missing a flight and losing his luggage, according to Santiago's police chief.

Another suspect, a 33-year-old man, was detained at Santiago airport on Thursday afternoon after allegedly “joking” about a bomb in his bag to a friend as he went through security.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera wrote on Twitter that his government would push for punitive charges against the suspect who disrupted flights. (CGTN)

Italy’s leader demands safe roads; bridge death toll rises to 42

Italy’s president demanded safety guarantees Saturday for the nations roads following the Genoa highway bridge collapse.

Hours earlier, the toll from Tuesday’s bridge collapse rose unofficially to 42 with the discovery of four more bodies.

Italian president Sergio Mattarella told reporters the bridge collapse “is an unacceptable tragedy.”

He demanded that “responsibility be ascertained with rigor” for the collapse of the bridge, which linked two major highways, one leading to Milan and the other toward France. (AP)

Trump nixes $92M military parade, blames DC for high cost

US President Donald Trump said Friday he has canceled plans for a Veterans Day military parade, citing the “ridiculously high” price tag — a day after US officials said the November event could cost $92 million, more than three times the price first suggested by the White House.

Trump tweeted that perhaps something could be scheduled next year when the price “comes WAY DOWN.”

Trump said he would instead attend an event at Andrews Air Force Base on another day and travel to Paris for Nov. 11 events marking the centennial of the end of fighting in World War I. (AP)

Indonesia's richest man going for gold at Asian Games

Billionaire tobacco tycoon Michael Bambang Hartono may not be the oldest competitor at the Asian Games, but he is the richest.

The 78-year-old head of cigarette giant Djarum Group is set to represent Indonesia on its bridge team at the world's second-biggest multi-sport event, which kicks off Saturday in Jakarta and co-host city Palembang.

Hartono is estimated to have a net worth of some $16.7 billion from his interests in tobacco, banking, and communications.

Hartono, who has competed several times in the World Bridge Championships, said he is shooting for gold at the Asian Games. (CGTN)

Ang Lee to be honored by Directors Guild of America

Chinese Oscar-winning director Ang Lee will be honored by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in October, as DGA president announced on Wednesday.

Praising Lee as a legendary director, DGA president Thomas Schlamme said that Lee and other honorees constituted a "critical support system” to produce "the best film and television in the world."

Lee won the DGA Award for outstanding directorial achievements and an Oscar for his 2005 production "Brokeback Mountain," and earned a DGA Award nomination and a second Oscar for "Life of Pi" released in 2012, making him the only Asian director who has won two Oscars for best director. (CGTN)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

Where did the Silk Road get its name?

(Answer: From the silk that China sold to the rest of the world.)

Today’s quote is from Italian poet Dante Alighieri.

“From a little spark may burst a flame.”

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