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Here are today’s picks from our editors.

China unveils new embassy in Dominican Republic

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, along with Dominican Republic's Chancellor Miguel Vargas, unveiled a plaque during the opening of the new Chinese Embassy in the capital Santo Domingo on Friday. 

It marks a new chapter of bilateral ties while ushering in a bright future, Wang said at the opening ceremony. 

The People's Republic of China and the Dominican Republic officially established diplomatic ties on May 1, after the Caribbean country severed "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan. 

It became the 176th country to build diplomatic ties with China. 

The two countries also vowed to expand cooperation in various sectors. (CGTN)

Over 470,000 sit for China's first reformed legal profession admission exam

More than 470,000 people took China's first unified qualification exam for legal professionals Saturday, according to the Ministry of Justice.

The new exam expands the range of candidates, while the previous national judicial exam was only taken by those aiming to become judges, prosecutors, lawyers and notaries.

Starting this year, people aiming to become legal arbitrators and civil servants whose jobs are to review and deliver administrative penalties or offer legal advice are required to pass the new exam.

Also, it was the first time for all candidates to take the exam Saturday using computers, said the Ministry of Justice. (Xinhua)

Vietnamese vice president becomes acting president

Vietnamese Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh became the acting president on Sunday, two days after Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang passed away, according to Vietnam News Agency.

On Sunday, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, chairwoman of Vietnam's National Assembly, signed an announcement on behalf of the National Assembly's Standing Committee about the new position of Thinh. 

Thinh has been the vice president since April 2016. She will act as the acting president till the top legislature elects the new president.

Vietnam will hold a two-day state funeral for Quang who died of serious illness on Friday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

During the state funeral on Sept. 26-27, all national flags at governmental agencies will be tied to the pole by a black piece of cloth, and the flags will be flown at half-mast.

All entertainment activities will be officially suspended. (Xinhua)

US considers limit on green cards for immigrants on benefits

The Trump administration on Saturday proposed rules that could deny green cards to immigrants if they use Medicaid, food stamps, housing vouchers and other forms of public assistance.

Federal law already requires those seeking green cards and to prove they will not be a burden — or “public charge” — but the new rules detail a broad range of programs that could disqualify them.

The Department of Homeland Security said current and past receipt of certain public benefits above thresholds would be considered “a heavily weighed negative factor” in granting green cards as well as temporary stays. (AP)

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park reopens after being closed for months

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, located in the US Pacific island state of Hawaii reopened Saturday after being closed for 134 days due to the Kilauea volcano eruption in May.

"Tourists all rejoiced at the reopening of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. But some of them were still a little worried about the threat of Kilauea volcano," said Chen Bing, a local tour operator told Xinhua via Wechat.

Kilauea volcano, one of the youngest and most active volcanoes in the world, had been erupting nearly continuously since early May, prompting the closure of two-thirds of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Lava from the volcano has destroyed hundreds of homes in the island and dramatically changed the landscape.

The cumulative loss in tourism on the Big Island inflicted by the Kilauea volcano eruption has been estimated at approximately $200 million. (Xinhua)

Nobel laureate in physics Charles Kao Kuen dies at 84

Nobel Prize-winning physicist Professor Charles Kao Kuen, known as the father of 'fiber optics', passed away Sunday morning in Hong Kong after battling Alzheimer’s disease for years. He was 84.

Professor Kao pioneered the development and use of fiber optics technology, bringing revolutionary changes to modern telecommunication technology, said Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam.

Born in Shanghai in 1933, Kao moved to Hong Kong in 1948. 

He studied at the University of London where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree and his PhD in electrical engineering. (People's Daily app)

Chinese scientists call for cooperation against asteroid threat

Chinese scientists have appealed to further strengthen international cooperation in space exploration, aiming to reduce the risk of near-Earth objects.

There are more than 18,000 near-Earth asteroids - around 800 have a diameter greater than 1 km. Researchers have discovered 180 giant impact craters on our planet, which exhibit the formidable power that a small celestial object could generate when hitting the Earth.

Evidence found in the strata in Kamba County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, showed that Earth suffered a major asteroid impact about 65 million years ago, which might have led to the extinction of dinosaurs.

Ouyang Ziyuan, a CAS academician and first chief scientist of China's lunar probe project, also believes that the danger from small celestial objects "is worth attention while we are devoted to building a community with a shared future for humanity." (Xinhua)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

And now for the Question of the Day:

What causes tides?

(Answer: Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun, and the rotation of Earth.)

Today’s quote is from American author Mark Twain

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” 

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, and Terry Guanlin Li.)