Fresh Start: Podcast News (9/16/2019 Mon.)
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Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People’s Daily app. 

Here are today’s picks from our editors.

China sees 105 mln tourists during Mid-Autumn Festival holiday

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A total of 105 million Chinese tourists traveled around the country during this year's three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday which started Friday, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) said Sunday.

The figure represented a 7.6 percent increase compared with the holiday last year, the ministry said.

Domestic tourism revenue generated 47.28 billion yuan, up 8.7 percent year on year, according to ministry figures. (Xinhua)

Hong Kong officials promise more actions to improve livelihoods for citizens

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Principal officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Sunday promised more measures to improve citizens' living conditions.

In 2019-2020, the HKSAR government's recurrent expenditure on social welfare, education, health care and other livelihood-related sectors will exceed $32 billion to account for about 60 percent of the total recurrent expenditure, said HKSAR chief secretary Matthew Cheung.

The chief executive and principal officials of the HKSAR government will soon go into communities and hold dialogues with citizens to find solutions to long-standing problems including housing, the rich-poor gap, and opportunities for the young, Cheung said. (Xinhua)

Saudi races to restore oil supply after strike blamed on Iran

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Saudi Arabia raced on Sunday to restart operations at oil plants hit by drone attacks which slashed its production by half, as Iran dismissed US claims it was behind the assault.

The Tehran-backed Huthi rebels in neighboring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, have claimed Saturday's strikes on two plants owned by state giant Aramco.

But United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed the finger squarely at Tehran, saying there was no evidence the "unprecedented attack on the world's energy supply" was launched from Yemen. (China Plus)

Syrian president issues general amnesty

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday issued a general amnesty, according to the state news agency SANA.

The presidential pardon covers crimes committed before September 24, except for fugitives, who must surrender themselves to benefit from the amnesty.

The decree also minimized some sentences from execution to life-time hard labor imprisonment. (Xinhua)

Turkey says delivery of second S-400 battery complete

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Turkey's Defense Ministry said on Sunday the delivery of a second battery of Russian S-400 missile defense systems is complete as of Sunday and said the systems would become active in April 2020.

The initial parts were delivered to Ankara in July despite warnings about possible US sanctions over the purchase. The US has also expelled Turkey from the F-35 program, but Ankara has so far dismissed the warnings. (CGTN)

Michael Jordan sells minority stake of Hornets to two new partners

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Basketball legend and Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan will be selling a minority stake of the NBA franchise to two new partners, local media reported on Sunday.

Gabe Plotkin, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Melvin Capital, and Daniel Sundheim, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of D1 Capital, have joined the Hornets as partners.

Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, purchased the team in 2010 and will remain the majority owner. (Xinhua)

Spain beat Argentina to claim first FIBA World Cup title since 2006

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Spain defeated Argentina 95-75 in the FIBA Basketball World Cup Final in Beijing on Sunday, claiming the country's first title since 2006. Ricky Rubio scored 20 points, the highest on his team, to lead Spain.

Spain opened up the game with an 11-2 run before Argentina hit back with 11 unanswered points to trim the deficit to 1 point on 13-14. 

Spain surged to a 17-1 run again to expand the lead to 17 points on 31-14 in the second quarter.

With a great defensive output, Spain repelled Argentina's comeback and put the game beyond reach in the last period. (Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What is the name of the layer of air closest to us in the atmosphere? 

(Answer: Troposphere.) 

Today’s quote is from French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917). 

"True artists are almost the only men who do their work for pleasure."

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, and Paris Yelu Xu. Music by Eugene Loner.)