People's Daily Tonight: Podcast News (4/13/2018 Fri.)

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

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Trump looks to rejoin Trans-Pacific Partnership

US President Donald Trump is looking to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which he abandoned on January 23, 2017.

According to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, Trump told a group of lawmakers on Thursday morning that he is asking the US trade representative and the director of the National Economic Council to study the possibility of rejoining the TPP if terms were favorable.

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China issues road test regulations for driverless cars

China has released new rules that will give driverless and semi-autonomous vehicles more opportunities to be tested on public roads.

The "Road Test Management Regulation of Intelligent Connected Vehicles (Trial)" was issued jointly by three national ministries on Thursday and will be implemented from May 1.

The regulation means that intelligently connected vehicles, or ICV, have more chances for real-world trials, including passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, but excludes low-speed cars and motorcycles.

Organizations seeking to test ICV on public roads need to apply and obtain approval. Backup drivers of ICVs require a driver's license and three years of driving experience.  The driver assumes responsibility for traffic violations during road tests. The tests must take place in stipulated areas such as closed roads.

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Pompeo attempts to soften hawkish profile at secretary of state confirmation hearing

Mike Pompeo, US President Donald Trump’s pick to replace outgoing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, attempted to strike a cooperative tone to other nations in his confirmation hearing in the Senate on Thursday.

Trump has to decide around May 12 if the US will leave the Iran deal, but Pompeo said his objective was to "fix this deal."

He further explained that should the framework agreement not be in place by May 12, he would work for a better agreement despite Tehran's threat to leave the deal if Washington drops out of it.

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2 dead in Russian military chopper crash in Baltic Sea

The helicopter crashed during a nighttime test flight over the Baltic Sea at about 11:30 pm, Moscow time, on Thursday, according to a statement released by the Baltic Fleet's press service.

Both pilots on board died, it said. A search operation is underway at the crash site.

The Ka-29 is a combat transport helicopter developed by the Moscow-based Kamov Design Bureau, which designs helicopters for Russia's naval fleets. It made its debut flight in July 1976.

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Seven US spy planes spotted near Russian bases in Syria

Seven US military aircraft conducting reconnaissance missions were spotted in the eastern Mediterranean near the coast of Syria, where Russia's Hmeymim airbase and Tartus naval facility are located, RIA Novosti news agency quoted Russian military flight monitoring center as saying on Friday.

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Cambodians flock to hometowns on free bus rides for traditional New Year celebrations

Hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers left the capital Phnom Penh on Friday for their home provinces to celebrate the traditional lunar New Year, which falls on April 14, 15 and 16 in 2018.

This year, the government has arranged, for the first time, 60 buses to transport travelers to their hometowns free-of-charge from April 12 to 18.

Donated by the Chinese government in July 2017, the Yutong buses equipped with modern-tech and air-cons, have been used to serve passengers in Phnom Penh in the city bus fleets.

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Chinese books a big hit at London Book Fair

Chinese books are attracting attention at the London Book Fair, one of the largest publishing events in the world.

The number of Chinese exhibitors at the London Book Fair has consistently been among the top 10 in the last three years. They are exploring different ways to enter the global market and give readers ways to discover China.

The second volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" is under the spotlight, as the multilingual versions of the book were launched in London. The new book is now available in Traditional Chinese, English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Japanese, Arabic and Portuguese. It contains a collection of 99 articles, including Xi's speeches, conversations, instructions and congratulatory messages, dated between August 2014 and September 2017.

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And that's People's Daily tonight. Thanks for joining us.

(Produced by Qu Qiuyan, Wu Kai and Liang Peiyu)