This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.
New Zealand bans sale of assault, semi-automatic rifles: Media
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Thursday an immediate ban on the sale of assault rifles and semi-automatics.
This, in response to the Christchurch attack that killed 50 people.
She added that high capacity magazines and devices similar to bump stocks will also be banned.
She also announced interim measures to stop a rush of purchases before legislation on the measures takes effect. (Xinhua)
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US trade delegation to visit China next week for 8th round of talks
A US delegation will visit China on March 28 and 29 for the eighth round of high-level economic and trade consultations between the two countries.
The Chinese delegation will be led by Vice Premier Liu He.
In April, Chinese delegation will go to the US for the ninth round, said Gao Feng, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, at a press conference Thursday. (People’s Daily app)
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Boeing 737 MAX to face first congressional hearing
Boeing's ill-fated 737 MAX and federal regulators will face next week their first public grilling by Congress over the two fatal plane crashes in recent months.
Senator Ted Cruz called for a hearing of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation and Space with three transportation officials, including the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Cruz intends to hold a second hearing to question Boeing officials as well as pilots and others in the industry.
More than 300 people died in the two crashes of 737 MAX 8s that occurred shortly after takeoff in Indonesia in October and in Ethiopia earlier this month. (AFP)
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China's cloned police dog starts training
China's first cloned police dog has begun training after arriving at a police base in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, earlier this month.
Three-month-old Kunxun is a clone of Huahuangma, a seven-year-old female Kunming wolfdog serving in the police force of Pu'er, Yunnan Province.
Huahuangma was recognized as the Ministry of Public Security first-class meritorious dog in 2016, for her contributions in investigating murder cases.
The birth of Kunxun makes it possible for the mass production of elite police dogs at a lower cost and shorter time, experts say. (Global Times)
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Idai 'one of the worst' storms to hit S. Africa
Cyclone Idai may be one of the worst natural disasters to hit southern Africa in living memory.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, gave a grim report of the destruction left by the cyclone that hit parts of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
He said what is needed is not yet known "because of the amount of the damage that's been created and the inaccessibility to the area.
Idai killed hundreds and left untold destruction in the three countries. (Xinhua)
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Blizzard closes over 10 expressways in NE China
A blizzard has hit Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, forcing more than 10 expressways to close on Thursday.
The province's weather department issued an orange alert for severe snowstorms at 11:20 a.m. Thursday, forecasting more heavy snow.
China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue. (Xinhua)
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Hundreds of thousands of eggs pulled from Australian shelves over salmonella concerns
And hundreds of thousands of eggs have been pulled from supermarket shelves across Australia.
This, after five cases of salmonella illness were traced to a farm in the eastern state of Victoria.
Foods Standard Australia-New Zealand has recalled eggs from Bridgewater Poultry farm, with the farm itself going into lockdown.
Australians consume around 17 million eggs per day and health authorities have warned that while other eggs are safe to consume they should always be cooked to avoid risk of contamination. (Xinhua)
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And that's People's Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.
(Produced by David Nye and Huang Jingjing)