Fresh Start: Podcast News (4/20/2018 Fri.)

Welcome to Fresh Start.

This is People’s Daily app.

Here are today’s picks from our editors.

China eyes early accession to WTO Government Procurement

China is looking to significantly improve its international trade by working with the World Trade Organization on its Government Procurement Agreement.

According to Lou Hong, director-general of the Finance Ministry's National Treasury Department, the agreement would allow China to network with other participants and increase its international purchases.

Lou said being part of the agreement involves multilateral negotiations based on mutually beneficial exchanges and fairness. (People’s Daily app)

China announces import ban on 32 types of solid waste

China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced Thursday that China will ban 32 types of solid waste imports to reduce environmental pollution.

These waste imports include compressed car scraps, scrapped ships, and stainless-steel scraps. Half of the imports will be banned by the start of 2019 and the rest will be banned at the start of 2020.

Since the 1980s, China has been the world’s largest importer of recyclable materials. China has decided to phase out imports of solid waste that can be replaced by domestic resources before the end of 2019. (People’s Daily app)

Diaz-Canel to lead Cuban government

Miguel Diaz-Canel was formally named Cuba’s new president on Thursday, succeeding Raul Castro, state media said.

Diaz-Canel, who was the only candidate for the presidency, was elected to a five-year term with more than 99 percent of votes from the National Assembly, according to the website Cubadebate. (AFP)

Russian envoy pans chemical weapon accusations from UK

Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said the UK crossed a line when it accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being involved in a military chemical weapons program.

Last month, the UK blamed Russia for the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

The Russian diplomat called the accusations “slanderous” and that they were demonizing Russia and Putin with their claims. (People’s Daily app)

Zuckerberg asked to face EU parliament

Members of European Parliament on Wednesday have requested a meeting with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, to ask him about the misuse of personal Facebook user data.

Members made the request amid concerns that a similar data breach could affect the European elections in May 2019.

Facebook has been accused of allowing a political consulting group to exploit the personal data of millions of users for the 2016 US presidential election and the Brexit campaign. Last week, Zuckerberg was questioned by American legislators. (People’s Daily app)

China’s three major operators to test 5G network

China's three major telecommunications companies announced on Wednesday that they have permission to run 5G network tests in various cities.

Experts say that 5G will increase network speeds tenfold and will improve experiences for augmented and virtual reality applications.

Beijing said it will pioneer the use of 5G networks in its cities, airports and venues related to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing previously conducted 5G tests in Huairou District. (People’s Daily app)

British film director to tell story of Chinese Titanic survivors

British filmmaker Arthur Jones is set to detail the lives of the six Chinese people who survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

Jones will explore the discrimination the survivors endured, such as their exclusion from lifeboats and how they were deported from the US one day after the accident.

Jones met with one the survivor’s sons living in Wisconsin and will travel to the city of Taishan, which is reportedly the hometown of the survivors.

The documentary, called The Six, is expected to be released in China late this year. (People’s Daily app)

Female stars dominate Cannes festival jury

This year the Cannes Film Festival’s jury ranks will have more women than men according to a statement from the film festival’s organizers on Wednesday.

Hollywood actresses Cate Blanchett and Kristen Stewart are among the five female jurors, in the nine-person jury, that will decide the festival’s top prize.

This year’s festival runs from May 8 to 19 at the French Riviera resort. (People’s Daily app)

Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.

Today’s quote is from French poet and novelist Victor Hugo:

“He who every morning plans the transactions of that day and follows that plan carries a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life.”

(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Raymond Mendoza, Ziyi Zeng, and Terry Guanlin Li.)