This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.  I’m David Nye in Beijing.

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stresses multilateralism ahead of 2019 BFA conference

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says China remains committed to deepening reform and expanding opening-up.

He added that the country will continue to safeguard multilateralism and respect the diversity of civilizations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would roll out broader and bolder reforms and further open up its economy at last year’s Boao Forum for Asia.

Boao Forum chairman Ban Ki-moon says the forum will push forward the economic integration of Asia, and contribute wisdom and strength in realizing the world's shared development. (CGTN)

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Ex-Yale coach expected to plead guilty in bribery scheme

The former women's soccer coach at Yale University is expected to plead guilty Thursday to taking bribes in exchange for pretending applicants were recruits to boost their chances of getting into the school.

Rudy Meredith was a key figure in the investigation into the wide-ranging school admissions scandal in which authorities say parents paid an admissions consultant to rig their children's test scores and bribe coaches at sought-after schools.

Meredith began cooperating with the FBI last year after investigators set up a sting in a Boston hotel room and caught him soliciting a $450,000 bribe from a parent. He led authorities to Rick Singer, the consultant at the center of the scheme, who later agreed to work with investigators and record his conversations with parents.

Meredith, who faces wire fraud charges, and his attorneys haven't returned messages. (AP)

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Boeing unveils fix to flight system after deadly crashes 

Boeing unveiled a fix to the flight software of its grounded 737 MAX aircraft.

This, after two crashes killed nearly 350 people in recent months.

Boeing gathered hundreds of pilots and reporters to unveil the changes to the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, which has been implicated in the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia.

It was part of a charm offensive to restore the company's reputation. (AFP)

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Macron's office says gov't spokesman, two ministers resign 

French President Emmanuel Macron's office, the Elysee, on Wednesday announced the departure of two ministers and the government's spokesperson to prepare their bids for the upcoming European election and municipal contest.

"At the proposal of the Prime Minister, the President of the Republic put an end to the missions of Nathalie Loiseau, European Affairs Minister, Benjamin Griveaux, government's spokesman and Mounir Mahjoubi, Digital Affairs Minister," it said in a press release.

The Elysee did not give details about the new comers.

Joining Macron's executive staff in 2017, Loiseau, a career diplomat, on Tuesday said she quit office to head the ruling party's list for the European elections on May 24-26.

Griveaux and Mahjoubi stepped down to run for Paris mayor's race in 2020. (Xinhua)

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British PM pledges to quit to save Brexit plan 

The battle over releasing the special counsel's report intensified as Democrats in Congress insisted that Attorney General William Barr quickly released its full findings.

Skepticism mounted over Barr's four-page synopsis, which was released Sunday and found no evidence President Donald Trump's campaign "conspired or coordinated" with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election.

The push came as the House moved ahead with its own oversight of the Trump administration.

This includes an Intelligence Committee hearing on Russia's role in the 2016 election. (AFP)

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Syria's air defenses respond to Israeli airstrike in Aleppo countryside

The Syrian air defenses responded to Israeli airstrike in Syria's northern province of Aleppo overnight Wednesday, intercepting a number of missiles before reaching their targets, according to the state news agency SANA.

The airstrike targeted the Sheikh Najjar area in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, according to the report, citing a military statement.

Sounds of explosions were heard around the government-controlled area of Sheikh Najjar, which is an industrial zone in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, said the report.

The report said the attacks left damages only.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the explosions occurred in weapon depots of the Syrian army and its allies between the international airport of Aleppo and the Sheikh Najjar zone.

Israel has repeatedly targeted arm depots around the capital Damascus over pretext that the depots belong to Iranian-backed militias. (Xinhua)

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Democrats insist Barr release full Mueller report quickly 

And British Prime Minister Theresa May offered to resign in a final bid to get parliament to back her Brexit deal.

This, as MPs failed in their own attempt to break the deadlock that has plunged Britain into crisis.

Not one of eight proposals put forward earned a majority.

It’s an outcome that Brexit minister Steve Barclay said "strengthens our view that the deal our government has negotiated is the best option”.

MPs have twice rejected May's Brexit deal, both times by large majorities. (AP)

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

(Produced by David Nye, Qu Qiuyan and Qiao Wai)