Evening Edition

 

 

Thursday, August 29th, 2013.

Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.

Coming up on our program this evening.

UN chemical weapons inspectors are due to leave Syria this coming weekend after conducting a series of tests around a suspected attack site.

The Chinese government has issued a new report about its economic ties with Africa.

Major flooding is taking place in Heilongjiang and along the west coast of Taiwan.

In Business, the State Council has approved a plan to securitize debt and make it tradable on the markets.

In sports, China's Zheng Jie back in action at the US Open tonight after a big win last night in the single's competition.

In entertainment, Miley Cyrus' controversial collaboration has surfaced online.

 

Weather

 

 

Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 18 degrees Celsius.　Tomorrow sunny with a high temperature of 26.

Meanwhile Shanghai will have showers tonight, with a low of 27,　moderate rain tomorrow, with a high of 32.

Lhasa will have moderate rain tonight, 10 degrees the low, thundershowers tomorrow with a high of 22.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia

Islamabad, sunny, with a high of 34.

Kabul, sunny, 32.

Over in Australia

Sydney, rainy, highs of 26.

Canberra, rainy, 18.

Brisbane, sunny, 26.

And finally, Perth will have rain with a high of 19.

 

 

Top News

 

 

UN inspectors team to leave Syria on Saturday

 

Anchor:

The United Nations has announced its weapons inspectors in Syria will leave the country on Saturday.

This comes after US president Barack Obama declared no decision has been made on possible military strikes within Syira.

CRI's He Fei has more.

Reporter:

The UN inspectors are now on the third day of their on-site investigations of a suspected chemical weapons attack last Wednesday in eastern Damascus.

UN Chief Ban Ki-moon says now that "valuable samples" have been collected from the site of the alleged gassing, the inspectors will be out of the area on Saturday.

This comes amid after US President Barack Obama announced the United States has "concluded" the Syrian government is behind last week's chemical weapons attack.

Though Obama hasn't provided any direct evidence to back up his assertions, he says he is in the process of evaluating possible military options.

"And if in fact, we can take limited, tailored approaches, not getting drawn into a long conflict, not a repetition of Iraq, which I know a lot of people are worried about, but if we are saying, in a clear and decisive but very limited way, we send a shot across the bow saying 'Stop doing this' that can have a positive impact on our national security over the long term."

Meantime, the British government has agreed to hold-off on a parliamentary vote on possible British action in Syria until the UN inspectors report back on what actually happened on the ground.

Wednesday's UN security council meeting has seen Russia reject a UK push to try to get a resolution passed to try to protect civilians in Syria.

Meanwhile, there are reports suggesting Russia is sending an anti-submarine ship and a missile cruiser to the eastern Mediterranean.

In a sign of the growing fears of an impending attack, Lebanese officials are reporting at least 6-thousand Syrians have crossed into Lebanon in a 24-hour period.

At the same time, there have been protests in the UK and US on possible US-led strikes in Syria.

"But they are going to make it worse, they are going to ruin it, and they're going to make it like Iraq and we do not want it to happen there. We don't want Syria to be the same as Iraq. They are not trying to help, they are after something else, everyone knows it. They are not after helping people."

Here in China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is calling on all sides to keep calm and restrained when it comes to Syria.

As far as the Chinese government's position is concerned, Wang Yi says they're keeping a close watch on the latest situation in Syria.

He also says no one should interfere with, or prejudge, the investigation into the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.

For CRI, I am He Fei.

 

 

China and Africa to build a community of shared destinies: white paper

 

Anchor:

A new Chinese government report is suggesting trade between China and Africa has maintained comparatively rapid growth this year, despite the slowdown of the overall global economy.

CRI's Ding Lulu has more.

Reporter:

The Chinese government has issued a white paper on China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation.

The paper is meant to underline what's been achieved between China and African countries.

Zhong Manying is the head of the Department of Western Asian and African Affairs with the Ministry of Commerce.

"In terms of investment and financing, we are committed 20b USD of financial support to Africa. We have signed preferential loans and commercial loans contracts with some African countries, to support projects in infrastructure construction, industry, agriculture, transportation, and telecommunication, etc. And China will also help the African countries to improve their investment facilitation, health care, education, culture, human resources training and environment protection."

In 2009, China became Africa's largest trading partner.

In the following two years, the scale of bilateral trade has expanded rapidly.

Through last year, the total volume of China-Africa trade reached close to 200-billion U.S. dollars.

This represents year-on-year growth of over 19-percent.

At the same time, direct Chinese investment in African countries expanded over 20-percent this past year.

Li Jinzao, China's deputy minister of commerce, says despite the recent economic slowdown, many Chinese firms still have their eye on Africa.

"Africa is China's important overseas markets, investment destination and energy supplier, meanwhile, Africa's development need China's experience, technology, capital and personnel. That's why I say the two parties should build a Sino-African community of shared destinies. Both China and Africa deeply know that we cannot be separated from each other, and we can only cooperate on the basis of equality and mutual benefit."

So far over 2-thousand Chinese companies have investments in more than 50 African countries and regions.

For CRI, this is Ding Lulu.

 

 

China's newly appointed ambassador Ma Zhaoxu arrived in Australia to take office from Wang Xiao in Sydney

 

Anchor:

The new Chinese ambassador to Australia has arrived in Australia to take up his new position.

CRI's Australia correspondent Wang Xiao has more from Sydney.

Reporter:

Anyone who has followed news in China for the past few years is likely quite familiar with China's new Ambassador to Australia.

Ma Zhaoxu had been the director-general of the Information Department and the Chinese government's lead spokesperson in foreign affairs from 2009 until last year.

Upon his arrival on Thursday, Ma Zhaoxu says China and Australia are enjoying increasing mutual political trust and strong economic and trade cooperation.

"At present, the Sino-Australian relations are at a new historical starting point. As President Xi Jinping has said, in the face of complex and changeful international and regional circumstances, the common interests of the two countries have not decreased but increased, the scope for cooperation is not shrinked but enlarged, and the shared responsibility is not reduced but added."

The newly-appointed ambassador is also hailing the establishment of the strategic partnership and the leaders' regular meeting plan established this year, saying it will help further upgrade bilateral relations to a new level.

Ma Zhaoxu says China wants to work with Australia to expand pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

"I will work hard with all of you to enhance the Sino Australian relations and provide better services to overseas Chinese, Chinese funded institutions and Chinese students here."

China and Australia established diplomatic ties 41-years ago.

Ma Zhaoxu is the 13th Chinese ambassador to Australia.

For CRI, this is Wang Xiao from Sydney

 

 

NE China river records highest water level

 

The Heilong River in northeast China is marking record highs along certian sections.

The river which divides China and Russia is now running nearly 2.2-meters above warning levels along the Fuyuan Section of the river.

Flooding has been hitting certain sections of that river.

It's also destroyed a national sturgeon breeding base, resulting in the loss of a million kilograms of the rare and precious fish.

The Heilong River has been peaking for the past couple of weeks, with some sections of the river experiencing its worst flooding in recorded history.

Flooding in neighboring Jilin and Liaoning has also left 85 dead and 105 others missing.

 

 

Five border ports in Heilongjiang temporarily shut down due to flood

 

Five border ports in Helongjiang have been temporarily shut down due to flooding.

A number of the facilities at the ports have been damaged by the flooding along the Heilong River the past few days.

Water levels along the Heilong River, which divides China and Russia, have been hitting record highs over the past couple of weeks.

Peng Li is the director of the Raohe Border Inspection Station.

"We have negotiated with the Russian border inspection authorities to prolong each working day by two hours to ensure the travelers could pass through the customs in time and avoid any stranding."

Boats, travelers and cargo at the five ports have been forced to pass through customs in 13 other ports.

 

 

Tropical Storm Kong-Rey triggers heavy rains and flooding in Taiwan's west coast

 

Tropical Storm Kong-Rey has blown past Taiwan, but not before dumping more than 19 inches of rain on the the island's heavily populated west coast, causing widespread flooding.

Particularly hard hit are the large west coast cities of Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung, where flooding in some areas has reached second-storey levels.

"I can't go to work or go home right now. I can't do anything. I have to wait till flood water goes away," she said.

There are no immediate reports of fatalities.

Scores of international flights had to be cancelled.

High speed rail services between Taipei and Kaohsiung have been disrupted due to high winds and heavy rain.

Kong-Rey is the second major storm to hit Taiwan this month.

Last week, a severe tropical storm dumped 39 inches of rain on the southern part of the island.

Kong-Rey is currently situated northeast of Taiwan and is tracking toward Japan's home islands over the next two days.

 

 

DPRK says U.S.-South Korea drill hinders dialogue

 

North Korean authorities have issued a new statement, taking issue with the on-going US-South Korean military exercises.

But in language somewhat less boisterous than in the past, a spokesperson for North Korea's National Defense Commission is describing the exercises as a "confrontational policy" which will only cast a shadow over the hard-won atmosphere for dialogue.

In the past, North Korea has used much stronger language to describe the joint-exercises, including threats in the past to destroy the United States.

Still, the North Korean side is also describing the new exercises as "war preparedness," which is a term often used by Pyongyang to describe US-South Korean coordination.

The comments come amid a new agreement signed this Thursday to set up a joint committee to coordinate operational activities at the jointly-run Kaesong Industrial Park.

This comes as North and South Korea continue talks about the potential reopening of the Mount Kumgang resort, and the recent agreement to resume family reunions in September.

 

 

Major Nidal Hasan sentenced to death for killing 13 in shooting rampage

 

Former U.S. army major Nidal Hasan has been sentenced to death for killing 13 unarmed soldiers in a 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood in Texas.

A court-martial jury of 13 retired military officers has unanimously agreed on the maximum penalty of lethal injection.

The 42-year-old American-born Muslim did not dispute the allegations he killed 13 people and wounded 30 others in the rampage.

Hasan has expressed a desire to be seen as a martyr for Islam.

Gale Hunt is the mother of Specialist Jason Hunt, who was killed in the Fort Hood shootings.

"Anyone who would use their religion to commit acts of terrorism serves no god except their own hatred and self interest. As far as his claim that he was saving lives he's done nothing but further deteriorate relationships with the US and Middle Eastern countries. Nidal Hasan is a coward and an unrepentant murderer."

Hasan will now be taken to the maximum security U.S. military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

He'll be placed on death row while awaiting his automatic appeals, which could take years to exhaust.

Hasan is poised to become the first American soldier executed since 1961.

The President has to give final authorization before any service member is executed.

 

 

Fast-unto-death case shakes Nepal

 

A protest taking place in Nepal is reviving nation-wide debate about the decade-long civil war, and how those involved will face justice.

A couple in the capital, Kathmandu, is vowing to fast-until-death until they get justice for their son.

Their son was killed by a Maoist rebel during the 1996 to 2006 conflict.

The parents are demanding the supect be tried under the current civil law.

However, the now-political wing of the former rebels contends the suspect should be dealt with under the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was set up as part of the deal to end the insurgency.

The couple's health is now in critical condition.

All parties involved, including the government, are pleading with the couple to end their fast.

However, they're still refusing.

Their action has sparked a new set of protests by some of the families killed in the decade-long civil war.

Some 15-thousand people were killed in the conflict in Nepal.

 

 

The 20th Beijing International Book Fair Kicks off

 

Anchor:

This year's Beijing International Book Fair is underway at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing.

CRI's Lucy Du has more.

Anchor:

This year's book fair is held with a principal of "introducing excellent books from around the world into China and leading Chinese books to the world."

The 5-day conference focuses on communication among publishers around the world.

Li Yinghong, is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of China CITIC Press.

"I think this platform works well, as an international book fair, the conference aims at copyright trading. Through the trade, we can meet publishers from abroad to know about each other's advantages and books. I hope to let more foreigners know about a more abundant and specific China through the books."

Over 2-thousand publishers from around 70 countries and regions are attending this book fair.

Saudi Arabia is participating in this book fair as the Country of Honor.

The Kingdom's exhibition area is about a thousand square meters, making it the biggest exhibit at this year's conference.

Dr. Saleh Alqasoumi is Saudi Arabia's Cultural Attaché at the embassy in China.

"We spent acturally more than 1 year to organize Saudi's participation in Beijing Book Fair. We have 13 departments, they reflect the Saudi culture and Saudi heritage. ."

On top of traditional publishing, this year's fair is also focused on digital publishing. Marc Boutet is the CEO of De Marque, a book distributor based in Canada.

"I was excited about the conference and attend the digital conference of program and also its my first time in Beijing, also since it's my first time in Bejing, it's very enjoyable to discover the city, I think it's both interesting business and personal experience for us."

Over the past twenty years, the Beijing International Book Fair has become a major international publishing event in Asia.

Just under 33-hundred contracts have been signed at last year's event, marking an increase of close to 12-percent over the previous year.

For CRI, this is Lucy Du.

 

 

Biz Reports

 

Asian Stock

 

Most Asian stocks advanced this Thursday, with the energy sector particularly strong after U.S. crude-oil prices topped 110 US dollars-a-barrel overnight.

However, Chinese shares closed lower today, despite strong performances of shares related to the building of free trade zones.

The Shanghai Composite dipped 0.2 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index lost 0.5 percent.

In Hong Kong, shares of CNOOC climbed 1.2 percent, while PetroChina gained 1.9 percent, and Kunlun Energy rose 2.6 percent.

All three stocks have essentially recovered the steep losses they suffered Wednesday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.5 percent.

Elsewhere,

Japan's Nikkei 225 has ended a 3-day losing skid, gaining 0.4% today.

South Korea's KOSPI added 1.2%.

Singapore's Straits Times gained 1 percent.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.4%

 

 

Beijing Vows to Expand Pilot Credit Asset Securitization Scheme

 

The State Council has confirmed its moving forward with a plan to securitize outstanding loans and trade the securities in Shanghai.

The decision has been made at an executive meeting of the Chinese cabinet.

It's hoped that under the new securitization program, more bank liquidity will be freed up to allow for more lending to government-prioritized projects, including shantytown renovations and other infrastructure projects.

But at the same time, officials with the State Council notes risk control measures need to be balanced off with the potential rewards for the program.

Regulators are promising to keep a tight watch on what sort of loans and assets can be securitized.

It was a lack of oversight of complex derivatives, which often included securitized toxic-loans, which led to near collapse of the US banking system in 2008 which sparked the global economic downturn.

 

 

Standard & Poor's Warns of Credit Risks in China's Banking Industry

 

Standard & Poor is warning credit risks in China's banking industry are likely to increase amid the overcapacity seen in certain industries.

S&P's latest report says Chinese banks are facing accumulated pressure over rising credit costs, a narrowing interest spread and decreasing non-interest income.

S&P contends these issues will have an adverse impact on Chinese bank profitability.

At the same time, the report also says the chances of credit losses in Chinese banks will increase sharply in the next few years.

 

 

China's Top Planners Highlight Expansion of Pilot Housing Property Tax Scheme

 

Anchor:

The head of the National Development and Reform Commission and China's Finance Minister are both on-record saying the expansion of this country's property-tax system is going to be critical in reigning in housing process.

The comments by the two leading officials has led to new speculation the property-tax program is going to see further expansion before years-end.

However, no time-table has been confirmed.

Property taxes were first established in Shanghai and Chongqing in 2011.

For more on property taxes here in China, CRI's Rebecca Hume spoke earlier with Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.

…

That's Cao Can, CRI's Financial Commentator, speaking with CRI's Rebecca Hume.

 

 

Two Chinese oil & gas giants slammed for emission cut failure

 

China's environmental watchdog is slamming a pair of Chinese oil and gas giants for environmental failures.

Environmental authorities are suspending new project approvals for China National Petroleum Corporation and China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation.

Liu Bingjiang is with the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

"It is the harshest penalty in China ever given to companies for environmental pollution. Pollutants emitted from the two oil and gas companies are major contributors to haze. So we decided to suspend approval for their refining and chemical projects. This decision will also help make the situation known to the public and push the two companies to make a contribution to eliminating haze by cutting emissions and reducing pollution as soon as possible"

CNPC failed to meet its reduction target for chemical oxygen emissions for last year.

The China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation has failed to reduce its emissions of nitric oxide.

 

 

Enthusiasm for Free Trade Zone Pilot Grows in More Regions

 

It's being reported a number of provinces and cities here in China have been expressing their intention to follow in Shanghai's footsteps in opening up localized Free Trade Zones.

Media reports are suggesting the coastal city of Xiamen is very likely to become the next FTZ testing ground.

Other contenders also include Guangzhou, Tianjin, Shenzhen and Chongqing.

Authorities in Guangdong are reportedly poised to apply for the establishment of an FTZ in the Nanshan New Area.

Officials in Guangdong are suggesting they would like higher-level regulatory approvals within the year.

Meanwhile, industry insiders are suggesting authorities in Zhejiang have already sped up their preparation for the Zhoushan FTZ.

 

 

Brazil's annual basic interest rate up to 9%

 

Brazilian authorities have decided to hike the country's benchmark interest rate 50-basis points.

This now puts Brazil's benchmark rate up to 9-percent.

The move is being made to try to reign in inflation.

Though the fourth consecutive hike of the basic interest rate this year.

The move was expected by the markets.

Brazil has registered an inflation rate of nearly 3.2-percent through the first seven months.

The annual inflation target has been set at 4.5 percent for the year.

 

 

Egyptian cabinet approves $3.2 billion economic stimulus plan

 

Egypt's interim government has approved an additional stimulus plan for the next 10 months to try to save the country's shattered economy.

The stimulus could be worth an estimated 3.2 billion US dollars.

The new spending plan will be presented to Gulf Arab countries, who would need to finance the program.

Gulf Arab countries have already promised Egypt 12-billion US dollars worth of loans.

5 billion has already been received.

Egypt's interim government is hoping to reduce its budget deficit to 9-percent of GDP over the next year.

Last year the deficit to GDP ratio was at 14-percent.

 

 

Japan resumes tests on maglev trains.

 

Japanese authorities have resumed testing its experimental magnetic levitation train for the first time in 2-years.

The latest test has seen the Maglev train in Japan travel nearly 43 kilometers.

It is reported the train will run as fast as 581-kilometers per hour.

Akihiro Ota is Japan's transport minister.

"This is a totally new high-speed railway technology, independently developed in Japan. It gives us great hopes for the future."

The super-high speed train will cut the trip between Tokyo and Nagoya to 40 minutes from one hour.

The route, which cost more than 61 billion US dollars to build, isn't expected to be open until 2027.

Plans are still in-place to extend the maglev line to Osaka by 2045.

 

 

Headline News

 

 

UN inspectors team to leave Syria on Saturday

 

The United Nations has announced its weapons inspectors in Syria will leave the country on Saturday.

UN Chief Ban Ki-moon says now that "valuble samples" have been collected from the site of the alleged gassing.

This comes after US president Barack Obama declared no decision has been made on possible military strikes within Syira.

The British government is said to hold-off on a parliamentary vote on possible British action in Syria until the UN inspectors report back on what actually happened on the ground.

Meanwhile Lebanese officials are reporting at least 6-thousand Syrians have crossed into Lebanon in a 24-hour period.

Here in China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is calling on all sides to keep calm and restrained when it comes to Syria.

 

 

China and Africa to build a community of shared destinies: white paper

 

A new Chinese government report is suggesting trade between China and Africa has maintained comparatively rapid growth this year, despite the slowdown of the overall global economy.

The white paper on China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation is issued by the Information Office of China's State Council on Thursday.

It is meant to underline what's been achieved between China and African countries.

The paper said through last year, the total volume of China-Africa trade reached close to 200-billion U.S. dollars.

China's direct investment in Africa increased from 1.4 billion U.S. dollars to 2.5 billion dollars, with an annual growth of 20.5 percent from 2009 to 2012.

 

 

NE China river records highest water level

 

The Heilong River in northeast China is marking record highs along certain sections.

The river which divides China and Russia is now running nearly 2.2-meters above warning levels along the Fuyuan Section of the river.

Flooding has been hitting certain sections of that river.

It's also destroyed a national sturgeon breeding base, resulting in the loss of a million kilograms of the rare and precious fish.

The Heilong River has been peaking for the past couple of weeks, with some sections of the river experiencing its worst flooding in recorded history.

Flooding in neighboring Jilin and Liaoning has also left 85 dead and 105 others missing.

 

 

Beijing Vows to Expand Pilot Credit Asset Securitization Scheme

 

The State Council has confirmed its moving forward with a plan to securitize outstanding loans and trade the securities in Shanghai.

The decision has been made at an executive meeting of the Chinese cabinet.

It's hoped that under the new securitization program, more bank liquidity will be freed up to allow for more lending to government-prioritized projects, including shantytown renovations and other infrastructure projects.

But at the same time, officials with the State Council notes risk control measures need to be balanced off with the potential rewards for the program.

Regulators are promising to keep a tight watch on what sort of loans and assets can be securitized.

 

 

Newspaper Picks

 

 

Xinhua

"Lawmakers urge bigger role of TCM"

Chinese lawmakers are calling for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to play a bigger role in preventing and controlling infectious diseases.

The lawmakers say TCM has been proved effective in treating patients of SARS, bird flu and other infectious diseases hitting China over the past 10 years.

Statistics showed that when patients suffering the H7N9 virus were treated with a combination of Chinese and western methods, the death rate was 9 percent, much lower than the 30 percent when using only western treatments.

TCM has also played an important role in preventing epidemics after natural disasters, such as strong earthquakes in Sichuan province and mud-rock flows in Gansu province.

However, the advantages of TCM has not been given full play in treating infectious diseases due to weak promotion among the public and a lack of regulations in the legal system.

Lawmakers are calling for the government to issue regulations that encourage the training of TCM staff so as to promote the industry's development.

Xinhua

"China women's federation denounces crimes against children"

The All-China Women's Federation Thursday strongly denounced crimes against children and called for more social intervention in the wake of recent violent incidents involving children.

The organization called on police to speed up investigations into recent violent cases and urged courts to hand down heavier sentences to offenders in such crimes, said a statement issued by the organization, the biggest national women's group in China.

The organization said local women's organizations will try their best to help law enforcement departments crack down on violent crimes targeting children.

News.com.au

"Ka-ching! One clever man who loves telemarketers' calls"

From employment insurance to solar panels, telemarketers were always trying to sell something over the phone to British man, Lee Beaumont.

Now he can't wait for their calls, because for every irritating second he can keep them on the line, Mr Beaumont is making money.

After getting bugged for years by telemarketers, Mr Beaumont, a businessman in the northern English town of Leeds, decided to convert his home telephone account into a money maker.

He converted his home line into a premium hotline by setting up a new number through Phone Pay Plus.

Now telemarketers who call Mr Beaumont have to pay 17 cents (ten UK pence) a minute for the privilege of speaking to him.

And when a bank, gas or electricity supplier ask him for his details online, he submits the hotline as his contact number.

Since installing his line back in November 2011, Beaumont has earned himself $520 in mad money thanks to intrusive telemarketers.

 

 

Special Reports

 

 

Sidewalks for the visually impaired/Michael 1602

 

Anchor:

New calls are being made here in China for cities to take steps to try to improve sidewalk access for people who are visually-impaired.

CRI's Li Dong has more.

Reporter:

The total length of sidewalks in Beijing is 1,600 kilometers, but reports indicate that blind people are avoiding sidewalks because they are not visually-impaired friendly.

A video clip from October, 2012 in Taiyuan city showed that a 200-meter stretch of sidewalk contained an excess of hard right-angle turns, complicating navigation efforts for the visually impaired. Likewise, as many as 26 hard right-angle turns on 50 meters of sidewalk were captured in the video.

The municipal government has since removed the sidewalk with problems and built new ones.

Similar pitfalls for the blind exist elsewhere in society. At a railway station in Liaoning province, less than 50 meter sidewalks contained 14 sewer manhole covers and 14 right angle turns.

In another city, Xi'an, rebar ends jut out of the sidewalks near a subway station, posing a threat to pedestrians, whether they can or can't see.

Obstacles like high-voltage electricity distribution boxes sit on sidewalks have also been seen in cities around China.

In many countries, sidewalks are well designed and built with the well-being of all citizens in mind.

For instance in Japan, the visually impaired can simply follow the physical and digital instructions on the sidewalks to avoid harm.

Li Hongwei, vice standing chairman of China Blind People's Association, gives another example:

"The roads in the US are better regulated. Actually, they don't have sidewalks specially built for the visually impaired. Blind people can walk along the side of the road and it's safe. So as long as blind people's needs are taken into consideration during the roads' development and order is maintained, it's safe for them to walk independently."

Workers' Daily ran a piece that outlined the complications with fixing the sidewalk by posing the obvious question: who should be responsible for the sidewalk?

It may be very difficult for the plight of the visually impaired to be addressed if everyone with a semblance of authority shirks from their responsibilities.

With China's economic boom and rapid urbanization, there will be greater demands from the disabled to have a more active hand in society.

There are currently about 8.8 million visually impaired people in China.

For CRI, I am Li Dong.

 

 

Sports

 

 

Na and Zheng reach the third round fo the US Open

 

At the US Open...

Later tonight, it's Peng Shuai getting set for her 2nd round matchup with 27th seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The Hunan native is into the 2nd round after dispatching Austrian qualifier Yvonne Meusberger in her opener.

Meanwhile, Peng's double's partner, Hsieh Su-Wei from Taiwan is also in action in the single's event.

She's set to take on world-136 Italian Camila Giorgi in her 2nd round matchup.

---

In the women's doubles action, it's Tianjin native Zhang Shuai and her Kazakh partner starting off their US Open doubles tournament against a pair from Russia.

---

Zheng Jie, coming off the back of her big win last night in the single's event, is getting ready to begin her double's campaign as well.

She and her Indian parter, Sania Mirza, who are ranked 10th in the women's double's event, will battle Pueto Rico's Monica Puig and German Annika Beck.

---

Chinese junior tennis star Zhang Saisai - who has already been bounced from the mixed double's event - gets her women's doubles tournament underway tonight.

She and her American partner are set to take on Sophia Arvidsson from Sweden and her partner from Estonia.

Arvidson comes into the match after being bounced by Li Na last night from the single's event.

Li Na dispatched the Swede 6-2, 6-2.

The 5th seeded Chinese ace will next take on Britian's Laura Robson.

It was Robson who surprised Li Na last year at flushing Meadows in the first round and knocking her out early.

--

In other action from last night...

As mentioned, Zheng Jie pulled off one of the bigger wins of the tournament so far.

She outlasted Venus Williams in a 3rd set tie-breaker to down the hard-hitting American 6-3, 2-6, 7-6.

"I don't know. I till feel tight because in the tie-breaker, the points is very close. I feel so tight. so after I win the match I still feel is so tight. So exciting for me of course, yeah."

Zheng Jie, who is more of a double's specialist, will take on Spain's Carla Navarro in the 3rd round.

In other action, it was 3rd seeded Agnieszka Radwanska easily getting past Maria Teresa Torro of Spain in straight sets.

She's set to take on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who holds the 32nd and final seed in the tournament following the surprising withdrawl of Maria Sharapova before the event began.

---

In the men's draw,

Despite some rain delays, it was 3rd seed and defending champion Andy Murray cruising into the 3rd round with a convincing 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 over France's Michael Llodra.

Meanwhile, 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro emerged from a 4-hour, 13 minute marathon with a four set win over world number 74 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

Garcia-Lopez produced a gritty performance which had Del Potro in trouble at times.

However, the Argentine had too much in the end, earning a　6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 victory.

He's set to take on Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the next round.

9th seeded Stanislas Warinka of Switzerland made quick work of the Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek, dumping him in straight-sets 7-6, 6-3, 6-2.

 

 

China win World Grand Prix thriller against Italy in five sets

 

In volleyball action in Japan,

China's women's team had to go deep into the 5th set, but still maintained its perfect record so far, downing Italy 3-sets-2.

The two squads had a see-saw battle, with China coming back after dropping the first and 3rd sets before eventually taking the 5th set 15-10.

China was led by Hui Ruoqi with 19 points.

Six Chinese players reached double figures.

China is now set to take on the defending champion Americans.

Team USA is off to a rough start this week in Japan.

After losing their first match to Brazil, the American squad also fell this afternoon to Serbia 3-sets-1.

The victory by Serbia gives them a 1-1 record, after falling yesterday to China.

UPDATE

Japan vs. Brazil,3-0.

 

 

AC Milan made it through to the group phase

 

In the European Champions League...

AC Milan has made it through to the group stages with a decisive 3-nil victory over PSV Eindhoven.

The victory earns Milan the 4-1 victory on aggregate.

Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri has been under some pressure in the Italian media in recent weeks.

He joked with journalists after the match.

"In the last two years there were always weird things in the press, always that Allegri is close to being fired, so tonight I gave some different lines. I don't like a flat boring life, so I said I'll take the night to think and maybe tomorrow I'll resign."

In other action from the Champions League.

It was Zenit St. Petersburg dispatching Pacos Ferreira 4-2 last night to win 8-3 on aggregate.

Real Sociedad defeated Lyon 2-nil for a 4-nil aggregate.

Viktoria Plzen has entered to the group phase after dispatching NK Maribor 1-nil.

And Celtic scored a dramatic late winner to defeat Shakhter Karagandy 3-2 on aggregate.

 

 

Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid to win the Spanish Super Cup

 

Barcelona has clinched a record 11th Spanish Super Cup title.

Despite playing to a nil-nil draw last night against Atletico, Barcelona takes the title on away goals, having drawn 1-1 in the first leg.

Barca star Lionel Messi had a chance to put the result beyond doubt in the 89th minute, but fired his penalty kick off the crossbar.

The win represents Barcelona's 16th trophy in nearly 4-years.

The victory is the first championships for new Manager Gerardo Martino.

 

 

Battle begins in Wales for Europe's 2014 team spots

 

In golf...

Some of Europe's best golfers are in Wales this week to set out who might be selected to contest next year's Ryder Cup.

European captain Paul McGinley will be keeping an eye on the early contenders at this week's Wales Open at Celtic Manor.

Italy's Francesco Molinari was a member of the European team which won the 2010 version of the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

"Yes well it's always special to come back here. Your first Ryder Cup is something that you don't easily forget. So I've got plenty memories and it's just a special feeling walking back out on this golf course."

The opening round of Wales Open gets underway today.

Next year's Ryder Cup will be played in Scotland.

Meanwhile, this week's PGA stop is in Boston for the Deutsche Bank Championship.

The first groups are just starting to tee off now.

Among those taking part include Tiger Woods and last week's winner at Barclays, Australian Adam Scott.

Scott taking a one-stroke victory over Woods at that event.

On the LPGA side, the women are in Oregon this week for the Safeway Classic.

This year's event has been moved from a 54-hole to a full, 72-hole tournament.

Rising mainland star Wang Shanshan from Guangzhou is not taking part in this week's tournament.

Candie Kung, Amy Hung and Tseng Yani from Taiwan are in the field.

 

 

Entertainment

 

 

Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber track "Twerk" leaks online

 

The timing could not be more perfect.

"Twerk", the hyped collaboration between Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Lil Twist has surfaced on line.

The leak comes after Cyrus' now infamous performance at the VMAs, which preceded the addition of the word "Twerk" into the Oxford English Dictionary.

Now for those who have been living in a cave for the past year, the dictionary definition of twerk is sexually provocative dancing to popular music.

Before Cyrus' appropriation, the move had in fact been a part of American hip hop culture for close to two decades.

The term was first coined by Cheeky Blakk in his 1995 song "Twerk Something".

However, it took Miley to move the word into the mainstream as well as the dictionary.

"Twerk" is expected to feature on Lil Twist's upcoming debut album Bad Decisions.

 

 

Timbaland hints at Michael Jackson project

 

Legendary producer Timbaland is teasing an upcoming project combining his skills with that of the late, great Michael Jackson.

Timbaland gave first wind of the project in a new video interview with Revolt TV, proclaiming it as "two kings working together".

The 41 year old multi-instrumentalist has been making hits for nearly two decades for the likes of Missy Eliot, Jay Z, Nas and Madonna.

He is the man behind the late-Aaliyah's now iconic track, "More Than a Woman",

More recently, Timbaland has been instrumental in propelling Justin Timberlake's meteoric rise to solo-stardom, working on his solo debut "Cry Me a River" and the innovative "FutureSex/LoveSounds".

Timbaland has yet to reveal what vocal samples of Jackson's he will be working with but this intriguing post-humous collaboration is definitely one to watch.

 

 

70th Venice Film Festival kicks off

 

The Venice Film Festival is well underway and the bar has been set very high.

Italian auteur Bernardo Bertolucci heads the jury at event, which is in its 70th year.

The Academy Award winning director got his break at the festival and he expects to be wowed by this year's selection.

"I hope that the surprises that we will have from the festival this year will be beyond my hopes. Risk brings with it, as we all know, strength. Certainly it is the courage to dare."

Star War's actress Carrie Fischer and British film-maker Andrea Arnold will be on hand to help select a worthy winner for the prestigious Golden Lion.

Chinese film "Stray Dogs" has already become a booky favourite to take home this year's accolade.

Tsai Ming Liang's emotionally charged drama takes a stark look at the life of a homeless family living on the margins of society.

The film was recently added to the 36 main selections for the New York Film Festival, which hits the city late September.

Alfonso Cuaron's new 3D drama-thriller Gravity was chosen as the opener for this year's festival.

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney star as astronauts who are set adrift in space following a collision between their space shuttle and debris.

The film has so far attracted a warm critical response, with many hailing it as a "jaw dropping space thriller" with a startling script.

This is not the only film setting pulses racing.

Other picks include Stephen Frear's "Philomena" starring Dame Judi Dench as a mother searching for the son she gave up for adoption and Terry Gillam's fantasy "The Zero Theorem".

The festival runs until September 7th.

 

 

Zhang Ziyi promotes new film in Beijing

 

International superstar Zhang Ziyi touched down in Beijing to promote her latest film "My Lucky Star".

At today's press conference, the actress opened up about enjoying Beijing street food in preparation for the movie.

She praised co-star Leehom Wang for being the perfect gentleman who can fight, hold intelligent conversation and even display his musical talents when the occasion calls for it.

Directed by Dennie Gordon, the romantic comedy was penned as a prequel to Eva Jin's 2009 smash hit Sophie's Revenge.

Zhang returns for the reboot and is joined by Ruby Lin and Yao Chen who both reprise their "Sophie's Revenge" roles.

Zhang has called the film the "adventure of a life time".

We can be the judge of that when the film hits Chinese cinemas on September 17th.

 

 

Matt Damon joins cast of Interstellar

 

Matt Damon has become the latest addition to the cast of "Interstellar".

The upcoming film comes from "Dark Knight" and "Inception" director Christopher Nolan.

Damon will be joining David Oyelowo, David Gyasi, Wes Bentley and Casey Affleck in the line-up.

Whilst filming is already under way, the producers have kept the plot tightly underwraps.

What we do know is that it will centre around a group of explorers who travel through space via wormholes.

Interstellar is slated for release in November 2014.