This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.
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China's central bank conducts first CBS
China’s central bank, the People's Bank of China, conducted the first central bank bills swap to support the issuance of perpetual bonds by commercial banks.
The swap is valued at $222 million.
It’s open to primary dealers with a fixed rate at 0.25 percent. The swap will be due on Feb. 20, 2020.
The scheme allows dealers to swap the perpetual bonds they hold for central bank bills, which will effectively boost market demand for perpetual bonds.
In January, the bank issued the first-ever perpetual bonds by a Chinese bank, which were oversubscribed by investors, including domestic insurance companies, securities firms, and some foreign institutions. (Xinhua)
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School strips alumnus actor's PhD over plagiarism
The Beijing Film Academy (BFA) revoked alumnus actor Zhai Tianlin's doctorate following an investigation into allegations of plagiarism in one of his published papers.
Zhai's PhD adviser, Chen Yi, was disqualified from teaching doctoral candidates. Both Zhai and Chen accepted the school's decision and further investigations will continue, according to a notice BFA posted on its Sina Weibo account Tuesday afternoon.
The scandal raised alarm bells at BFA, Peking University and all higher education institutions, which should strengthen regulations over academic management, Chu Zhaohui, a research fellow at the National Institute of Education Sciences said. (Global Times)
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Japanese ASDF fighter jet crashes into sea, 2 crew members rescued
A Japanese fighter jet crashed into the Sea of Japan during training Wednesday morning.
But its two crew members were rescued.
The Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-2 fighter jet went missing around 9:18 a.m. local time off the coast of Yamaguchi Prefecture.
The plane's last confirmed location was about 130 kilometers northeast of the Tsuiki Air Base in Fukuoka.
The F-2 left the base with two other fighters before 9:00 a.m. local time to conduct the training exercise, before the accident occurred. (Xinhua)
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Fouled waters reveal lasting legacy of US mining industry
Every day many millions of gallons of water loaded with arsenic, lead and other toxic metals flow from some of the most contaminated mining sites in the US and into surrounding lakes and streams without being treated, The Associated Press has found.
That torrent is poisoning aquatic life and tainting drinking water sources in Montana, California, Colorado, Oklahoma and at least five other states.
The pollution is a legacy of how the mining industry was allowed to operate in the US for more than a century. Companies that built mines for silver, lead, gold and other "hardrock" minerals could move on once they were no longer profitable, leaving behind tainted water that still leaks out of the mines or is cleaned up at taxpayer expense. (AP)
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Trump orders Pentagon to draft space force legislation
US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to draft legislation on creating a US Space Force.
The White House calls it a bold, strategic step toward guaranteeing American space dominance.
The Space Policy Directive-4 called on the Defense Secretary to develop a legislative proposal establishing the Space Force as the sixth branch of the Armed Forces.
The Space Force will initially be established within the Air Force.
The creation of a new military branch still requires congressional approval. (Xinhua)
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The most beautiful picture of moon's far side: Young Chinese scientists behind the scenes
The latest journal of Science, the world's top academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, published a photo of the far side of the moon, with Earth in the background. The photo was called "the most beautiful photo of Moon and Earth". People were surprised that it was actually taken by a group of 20-something Chinese scientists.
The photo was taken on February 4, 2019 by a simple, thumb-sized camera built by students on board a micro Chinese satellite: Longjiang-2, along with the Chang'e-4 lunar probe's relay satellite from southwest China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center into space on May 21, 2018. (People's Daily app)
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Forbidden City glows as night tours open to public marking Lantern Festival
And to help shine a light on the Lantern Festival, Beijing's Forbidden City on Tuesday night was unconventionally sparkling.
The 720,000-square-meter complex of palatial edifices was lit up for the event, which many consider the unofficial end of the extended Lunar New Year holiday.
About 3,000 people visited the Gate of Supreme Harmony and view the outer city walls of the Palace Museum to enjoy a night tour, which was graced by 350 pairs of red lanterns.
It was the first time the museum opened its doors at night to the public. (China Daily)
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And that’s People’s Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.
(Produced by David Nye and Cheng Weidan)