People's Daily Tonight: Podcast News (3/26/2019 Tue.)
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This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.

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A gift from Macron to Xi, a friend from afar

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French President Emmanuel Macron presented the original French version of "An Introduction to The Analects of Confucius," to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a national gift when the two leaders met on Sunday in Nice, France.

Xi said he would take this precious gift back to China's National Library.

Macron said the early translations of the analects had inspired French thinkers.

Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing once told Xinhua that he had read many Chinese classics, including the analects. (Xinhua)

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UK lawmakers seize Brexit agenda in bid to break deadlock 

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British lawmakers seized a measure of control over the stalled Brexit process from Prime Minister Theresa May's foundering government Monday, setting up a series of votes that could dramatically alter the course of the UK's departure from the European Union.

The move came after May conceded that Parliament would defeat her twice-rejected divorce deal with the EU again if she put it to a third vote.

With Brexit delayed and the new departure date up in the air, the House of Commons voted to give itself temporary control of the parliamentary timetable starting on Wednesday so lawmakers can vote on alternatives to May's withdrawal deal. (AP)

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Chinese premier vows to further stimulate market vitality

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with foreign repre-sentatives attending the China Development Forum 2019.

He pledged to use the reform and opening up as a driving force to further stimulate market vitality to ensure the healthy development of the Chinese economy.

Li said China will continue to vigorously promote countermeasures such as tax and fee reduction and foster new growth engines.

He added that China will strengthen the protection of foreign businesses' legitimate rights and interests. (Xinhua)

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Former senior official handed 14-year jail term for bribery

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Lu Wei, former deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, was handed a 14-year jail term plus a fine of 3 million yuan for taking bribes, the Ningbo Municipal Intermediate People's Court ruled on Tuesday.

The money and property that he had received in the form of bribes, as well as any interest arising from them, would be sought and recovered before being turned over to the state treasury, according to the verdict.

Lu stated his acceptance of the judgment in court and said he would not appeal.

Lu was found to have taken advantage of his positions to help certain organizations and personnel with internet management, running enterprises, personal promotions and job transfers between 2002 and 2017, according to the court. He had directly or through others accepted or solicited money and property worth 32 million yuan from the above-mentioned organizations and personnel, the court said. (Xinhua)

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Pentagon authorizes $1 bn for Trump's border wall

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Acting Pentagon chief Patrick Shanahan said he had authorized $1 billion to build part of the wall sought by President Donald Trump along the US-Mexico border.

The Department of Homeland Security asked the Pentagon to build 92 kilometers of 5-and-a-half-meter fencing, build and improve roads, and install lighting to support Trump's emergency declaration.

Shanahan defended the move by citing a federal law that he said "gives the Department of Defense the au-thority to construct roads and fences, and to install lighting to block drug-smuggling corridors across international boundaries of the US in support of counter-narcotic activities of federal law enforcement agencies. (AFP)

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China to streamline procedures for exit-entry permit application

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China will streamline procedures for applying for exit-entry permits for its citizens, according to the National Immigration Administration Tuesday.

Chinese citizens on the mainland, regardless of where they were born or live, will be able to apply for passports and travel passes for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan at any immigration administrations across the country starting April 1.

Citizens no longer need to return to their birthplaces to apply for exit-entry permits.

The administration estimated that more than 21 million exit-entry permits will be issued to applicants outside their birthplaces in 2019, saving applicants more than 20 billion yuan of transportation fees. (Xinhua)

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Apple unveils new media-focused products at 'Show Time' event

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And Apple unveiled new media-related products, including news and the world's first game subscription service for both mobile and desktop users, at a long-awaited "Show Time" event at its Cupertino, California headquarters.

Apple said subscribers to its Apple News+ service can enjoy personalized access to more than 300 popular magazines, leading newspapers and digital publishers within the Apple News app in the US and Canada.

Apple said the games will include releases from re-nowned creators worldwide like Hironobu Sakaguchi, Ken Wong, SEGA Games and Will Wright. (Xinhua)

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And that’s People’s Daily Tonight.  Thanks for joining us.

(Produced by David Nye and Wang Xiangyu)