People's Daily Tonight: Podcast News (2/1/2018 Thur.)

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

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China's online population hits 772 mln: report

China’s online population continues to grow.

It’s now at 772 million, or close to six percent more than last year.

China credits the increase to constant innovations on the Internet.

Close to 98 percent surf the net using smart phones.

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China denies accusation of 'worsened conditions' for foreign reporters

China says it rejects a Japanese reporter’s claim that foreign journalists face a poor work environment in the country.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying says the Sankei Shimbun journalist is the only one among 600 foreign journalists who feels that way.

Hua told the reporter to reflect on himself.

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N. Korean athletes fly South for Winter Olympics

North Korean athletes have begun to arrive in Pyeongchang for the Winter Games.

Its skiers and skaters arrive today, setting the stage for the so-called peace Olympics.

This comes after a year of tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear arms program. 

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British embassy in Bangkok sold for £420m

The UK is selling its old embassy building in Bangkok for 420 million pounds.

Officials say that’s because of a fund shortage.

Reports say it's the largest ever land transaction in Thailand.

The new embassy is located in Bangkok’s central business district.

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Putin orders sports competition for banned Russian Olympic athletes

Meantime, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the government to organize a competition for Russian athletes banned from the Games.

He says victorious athletes would receive compensation equal to what Moscow normally awards Olympic medalists.

The International Olympic Committee banned Russia from next month's event in South Korea after allegations of an extensive Moscow-backed doping scheme in previous Games.

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Apple to respond to US probes into slowdown of old iPhones

Apple says it’s cooperating with US government inquiries into the secret slowdown of older iPhones. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported that the US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission were investigating how investors have been affected by Apple’s handling of the situation.

A software update released in 2016 began to slow down older iPhones when their batteries weakened to prevent them from abruptly turning off. 

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Dark matter detection satellite functioning normally: experts

And China says its dark matter detection satellite is operating normally.

The statement comes a month after a computer malfunction in late 2017.

Wukong was launched in December 2015.

China says it is helping scientists lift the cloak of invisibility from dark matter.

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

(Produced by David Nye, Jiang Zhuqing and Liang Peiyu)