This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.
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China announces fee cuts of 300 billion yuan
China announced measures to reduce government-levied charges and operating service fees this year by more than $44.7 billion.
The announment was made at the State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.
The measures are aimed at further lessening the burden on businesses and individuals.
Charges on real estate registration will be cut or canceled and the coverage of patent applications and annual fee reductions will be expanded.
The measures will take effect on July 1. (CGTN)
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30 deceased in SW China forest fire honored as martyrs
Thirty people who died while fighting a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province, have been recognized as martyrs.
The recognition is approved by the Ministry of Emergency Management and the Sichuan provincial government.
The fire broke out on March 30 at a remote spot in the mountains in Sichuan's Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Local authorities dispatched more than 600 people to put out the blaze.
After engulfing about 15 hectares of forest, the blaze was extinguished Tuesday. (Xinhua)
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Nissan’s Ghosn arrested again in financial misconduct case
Tokyo prosecutors have arrested former Nissan Motor Company Chairman Carlos Ghosn.
It comes less than a month after he was released on bail after serving more than 100 days in custody.
The ex-auto tycoon was served a fourth arrest warrant by prosecutors over new allegations of aggravated breach of trust.
Tokyo prosecutors say the latest arrest was based on suspicion Ghosn diverted $5 million from funds that were being relayed from a Nissan subsidiary to an overseas dealership. (Xinhua & AP)
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Ethiopian crew followed procedure, but unable to control jet: minister
A preliminary report shows that the crew of the crashed Ethiopian Airlines plane followed procedures recommended by Boeing, but were unable to regain control of the jet, the Ethiopian transport minister said.
The report recommends that the aircraft flight control system shall be reviewed by the manufacturer.
The minister did not make specific reference to the automatic anti-stalling system which has been implicated in the crash, but did mention a "repetitive nose down" movement of the aircraft. (AFP)
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WTO approves China's Hong Kong-Macao CEPA agreement
The World Trade Organization has approved China's Hong Kong-Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement to ensure that the agreement is in line with WTO rules.
It’s a free-trade agreement with characteristics of the principle of "one country, two systems", which also complies with WTO rules.
The agreement covers the expansion of trade, simplification of customs procedures, collaboration in matters relating to intellectual property, and establishment of a work program on economic and technical cooperation. (Xinhua)
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Two pandas leave for new home in Denmark
A pair of giant pandas is leaving Chengdu, capital of China's Sichuan province, on Thursday for Denmark.
They will stay in the Copenhagen Zoo for 15 years as part of a joint research project between the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens and Copenhagen Zoo to protect and breed giant pandas.
A grand farewell ceremony for the duo, Xing Er, a 6-year-old male, and Mao Er, a 5-year-old female, was held at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on Wednesday.
In 2017, China and Denmark signed an agreement to jointly begin a 15-year giant panda research program. (China Daily)
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Pence warns Turkey over Russian air defense purchase
And US Vice President Mike Pence warned Turkey against purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defense system.
This, despite Ankara's firm stance on the deal.
Turkey finalized a deal with Russia in December 2017 for the purchase of the S-400 surface-to-air missile system.
Russia will deliver the first batch of the defense batteries in late 2019.
The US Defense Department said on Monday that it had halted delivery of F-35-related parts to Turkey because of the latter's purchase of the S-400 defense system. (Xinhua)
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And that’s People’s Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.
(Produced by David Nye, Chen Lidan and Qiao Wai)