This is People’s Daily Tonight, your news source from China.  

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Central bank unveils plan on digital currency

The central bank is accelerating efforts to introduce a government-backed digital currency.

This, to secure a cutting-edge position in the global cryptocurrency race.

The People's Bank of China is organizing market-oriented institutions to jointly research and develop a central bank digital currency and the program has been approved by the State Council, the country's Cabinet. (China Daily)

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Indonesia to send 210 tonnes of waste back to Australia

Indonesia said Tuesday it would send more than 210 tonnes of garbage back to Australia, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash.

The eight containers seized in Surabaya city should have contained only waste paper, but authorities also found hazardous material and household trash including plastic bottles and packaging, used diapers, electronic waste and cans, a spokesman for the East Java customs agency told AFP.

Following the inspection the Indonesian environment ministry recommended "the items be re-exported," the agency said in a separate statement Monday. (AFP)

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US billionaire pleads not guilty to sex trafficking charges

US Financier Jeffrey Epstein pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking underaged women and conspiracy.

An indictment unsealed on Monday showed that the 66-year-old billionaire was accused of sexually exploiting and abusing dozens of girls as young as 14 from at least 2002 to 2005.

Federal prosecutors said the former hedge fund manager had lured those girls to his homes in New York and Florida, and paid them for sex acts. 

He also paid some of his victims to recruit more under-aged girls. (Xinhua)

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China, Germany work to cut emissions from raising livestock

Chinese and German scientists are working together to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions from raising livestock, China Daily reported Tuesday.

The project, signed between China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and Germany's Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, runs between April and the end of the year, according to the report.

Scientists from the two countries are developing innovative methods and technologies focusing on greenhouse gas reduction at three pilot farms in China, Yang Hongjie, division chief for animal industry development at the National Animal Husbandry Services under the MARA, was quoted as saying.

To carry out the project, participating experts will conduct exchange programs, and some Chinese technical experts will receive training in Germany, Yang said.

China has been stepping up efforts in environmental protection in the agricultural sector while at the same time increasing its total production. (Xinhua)

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China's tracking ship Yuanwang-3 wraps up monitoring mission

China's spacecraft tracking ship Yuanwang-3 wrapped up its mission of monitoring the 46th satellite of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.

The tracking ship has traveled more than 30,000 nautical miles in the one-month monitoring mission.

China's second-generation space tracking ship has completed 83 monitoring missions from the sea.

This includes maritime tracking of the Shenzhou space-craft, the Chang'e lunar probe and BeiDou satellites. (Xinhua)

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US to apply tariffs to Mexican fabricated steel imports

The US Commerce Department announced Monday that it has decided to once again apply tariffs on fabricated steel imports from Mexico.

In a statement, the US agency said the decision came after an investigation into government subsidies assisting companies that export fabricated structural steel from Mexico, China and Canada. The agency said it determined Canadian exports do not warrant the tariff, but those from Mexico and China do.

Mexico's economy ministry said the decision was unrelated to tariffs that the US lifted on Mexican steel and aluminum May 20 or to President Donald Trump's since rescinded threat to put tariffs on all Mexican exports to the US.

The Commerce Department said the determination is preliminary, but the tariff goes into effect immediately. (AP)

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DJ set to be first black African in space killed in bike crash

And a South African man who won the chance to be the first black African in space was killed in a motorbike crash before turning his dream into reality.

Mandla Maseko, a part-time DJ and candidate officer with the South African Air Force, was nicknamed "Af-ronaut" after landing a coveted seat to fly 103 kilometers into space in 2013 in a competition organized by a US-based space academy.

The 30-year-old had beaten a million other entrants from 75 countries to be selected as one of 23 people who would travel on an hour-long sub-orbital trip on the Lynx Mark II spaceship. (AFP)

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

(Produced by David Nye and Wang Zi)