新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2013/08/13

 Rebecca Hume with you on this Tuesday, August 13th, 2013.

Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
China urges Japan to follow 1978 peace and friendship treaty
Gunmen kills 44 at a mosque in northeast Nigeria
Egyptian authorities extend Morsi's detention
Business
China’s State Council unveils new financial support for cash-strapped small businesses.
Sports
New Zealander Valerie Adams becomes first woman to win four world titles at the World Athletics
Entertainments
First-ever Qixi Cultural Festival opens in Beijing.
Plus
Special reports examines why a third of all Chinese cities struggles to deal with their garbage.
First, let's check on what's happening on the weather front...
 
 
Weather
 
 
Super Typhoon Utor arrives in South China Sea
 
Super Typhoon Utor has now crossed through the northern part of the Philippines, with the eye churning in the warm waters of the South China Sea.
Described as the strongest typhoon globally so far this year, Utor struck the northern Philippines throughout the weekend, dumping heavy rains.
So far one death has been reported in the country and 38 others are missing due to the typhoon.
Forecasters expect Utor will continue to strengthen as it continues its path towards southern China.
Winds are expected to reach around 175-kilometers per hour when it makes landfall sometime Wednesday evening.
 
 
Beijing will be overcast today, with a high of 32 degree Celsius in the daytime, and it will be cloudy tonight with a low of 24.
In Shanghai, it will be sunny today, 36 the high, and it will be clear tonight, the low of 28 degrees Celsius.
Lhasa will be cloudy in the daytime the temperature's at 25, and tonight will be cloudy with a low of 13 degree Celsius.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny, 31.
Kabul, sunny, with a high of 31.
And in North America
New York, moderate rain, with a high of 28 degrees.
Washington, overcast, highs of 31
Houston, thundershowers, 33.
Honolulu, overcast, 31.
Toronto, overcast, 23
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires, overcast, 16.
And Rio de Janeiro will be overcast with highs of 27 degrees Celsius.
 
 
Top News
 
 
China urges Japan to follow peace, friendship treaty
 
Anchor
The Chinese government says the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed in 1978 should be commemorated and followed well.
Su Yi has more.
Reporter
Monday marks the 35th anniversary of the signing of the treaty.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei says the treaty provides a political foundation for relations between China and Japan.
Hong Lei says it is in line with the fundamental interests of the two sides to maintain a "long-term, stable and friendly" relationship.
At the same time, the Chinese government says given the current tensions between the two sides, both should be striving for the normal development of bilateral relations.
Relations between China and Japan have soured following the Japanese government's move last year to purchase part of the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
The Chinese government's comments also come after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went on record saying he would not stop his cabinet ministers from visiting the Yasukuni Shrine this coming Thursday.
This marks the day Japan surrendered at the end of World War II.
The shrine in Tokyo which is dedicated to honoring Japan's war dead, also enshrines 14 convicted Class-A war criminals.
Visits to the shrine by Japanese politicians are widely seen as an insult to countries in the region which were invaded by Japan during its years of military expansion.
Meantime, Japanese Foreign Ministry has also issued a statement, saying the Japanese government remains committed to improving its ties with China.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kuni Sato says the relationship with China remains one of Japan's most important bilateral ties.
For CRI, I'm Su Yi.
 
 
Prolonged heat, floods complicate grain production
 
Anchor
Grain production here in China is becoming more affected as the scorching heat and flooding in a number of places in the country are taking a growing toll on agriculture.
CRI's He Fei has more.
Reporter
Monday marks the 19th straight day when the second-highest emergency level for the heat has been issued in the eastern and central parts of China.
The National Meteorological Center says temperatures in parts of the country have once-again topped 42 degrees Celsius.
Official data shows the droughts caused by the heat have left millions of hectares of farmland parched across different parts of the country.
Over 550 medium- and small-sized reservoirs and hundreds rivers have dried up due to the extreme arid weather in Hunan, leaving many farmers without a livelihood.
"The fields will bear no harvest at all this year."
Provincial drought relief authorities say over three million people in Hunan are in short of drinking water.
Meanwhile in China's northern regions, heavy rains have been pounding Heilongjiang and Liaoning in the northeast.
Heavy downpours have also battered Beijing, Tianjin, neighboring Hebei and parts of Shandong through the weekend, with rain exceedding 10 centimeters in some areas.
One person was also killed by lightening here in the capital.
The inclement weather is triggering concerns the grain market may fall victim to speculation from both home and abroad.
The current heatwave is expected to linger for much of this week in many parts of China.
For CRI, this is He Fei.
 
 
Soumaila Cisse concedes defeat in Mali election
 
Mali's ex-finance minister Soumaila Cisse has condeded defeat in the country's presidential election.
Cisse was facing former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in the runoff this past weekend.
In the first round, Keita won nearly 40 percent of the vote in the first round, while Cisse came second among the 27 candidates with almost 20 percent.
The election comes after more than a year of turmoil including a coup and a French-led military intervention to oust an Islamic insurgency from the north.
 
 
Gunmen kill dozens at Nigeria mosque
 
Local officials have confirmed at least 44 people were shot dead at a mosque in northeast Nigeria Sunday morning.
Local news reports say another 26 were injured.
The killings took place in Borno State during dawn prayers.
It is not clear if the attacks were carried out by Islamist group Boko Haram, which are responsible for most of those attacks in northern Nigeria in the past few years.
 
 
Israel to Start Releasing Palestinian Prisoners
 
Anchor
Twenty-six Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released Tuesday or early Wednesday morning as first to be freed ahead of the renewed peace talks this week.
CRI's Jordan Lee has more.
Reporter
The Israeli Prison Service has published a list of 26 Palestinian prisoners who will be released ahead of the renewed peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
Israel agreed last month to free 104 long-term Palestinian and Arab-Israeli prisoners in four stages over nine months, depending on progress at the peace talks.
The decision has been opposed by many Israelis, especially for the bereaved families.
Many have been demonstrating with the pictures of their lost family members.
(Soundbite 1, demonstrator, female in Hebrew)
"It cannot be that they will return home as heroes, and we will remain only with the picture. We are here paying the price of the blood of our children."
Meir Indor, CEO of the Israeli terror victims organization Almagor, says peace cannot be reached by releasing those who killed people and his organization will do their best to fight against the "big mistake".
"When I'm fighting against terrorism, I'm fighting for peace, in a logic way, in a practical way. There is no question in my eyes that you don't contribute to the system of peace with giving up to those terrorists, to those murderers. There is a system of law. You did something bad, you have to pay, otherwise the balance of the whole world is destroyed."
However, not all people who lost their family members have the same opinion.
Robi Damelin lost her son David in 2002 when he was serving in the army and killed by a Palestinian sniper.
For her, reconciliation with the Palestinians is a must for reaching real peace and ending the pain.
"Peace does not equal justice. It is painful. It is awful, because justice is the core that glues society together. But in this case, we have to give up on being right. Unless you want to continue the circle of violence forever, and your children, and your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren will continue to kill each other. For what? How many people need to die before we get it?"
On the Palestinian side, although being happy for the release of the prisoners, Qdoura Fares, Director of the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, says it is not fair that Israel decides everything.
"The feeling is not good because first of all they don't mention all the names of the prisoners in which stages they will be released. And we don't know about anything. Everything has to wait for the decision of the Israeli community. If they recognize they are partners, they have to tell us what they are going to do."
All the prisoners will return to the West Bank and Gaza Strip according to where their families live. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has stressed the continued effort in releasing all detainees held in Israeli jails, stating the issue is of "top priority".
For CRI, I'm Jordan Lee.
 
 
Egyptian authorities extend Morsi's detention
 
An Egyptian court has extended the detention of deposed President Mohamed Morsi for another 15 days.
A judge, assigned by the military-backed Justice Ministry, decided to prolong Morsi's detension over charges of conspiring with Palestine-based Hamas.
Morsi has been placed in custody since July 26th.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian authorities have postponed a move to disperse two pro-Morsi sit-in camps in Cairo.
A security official said the authorities had hoped the dispersal warning would encourage protesters to pack up.
But Morsi supporters say they will persist until the ousted president returns to power.
Gehad El-Haddad is a spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood.
"It's not the sit-in that creates the cause, it's the people in it. They disperse one, we create two. This movement will continue, it's gaining momentum, it's gaining hearts and minds, and it will continue until it reverses the military coup fully."
Earlier the Muslim Brotherhood also turned down a reconciliatory offer by the head of the Al-Azhar, Egypt's top religious institution.
The Muslim Brotherhood said the cleric, Ahmed el-Tayyb was not an impartial mediator because the latter had endorsed the military coup.
 
 
India launches its first indigenous aircraft carrier
 
India has launched its first indigenous aircraft carrier.
It is the biggest warship built in the country.
Speakign at the launch of the "INS Vikrant", Indian Defence Minster AK Antony said it marks India's entry into a select club of countries capable of designing and building a carrier of its size.
"Launching of the indigenous aircraft carrier is a milestone. So far, only five countries are able to make it through. India now becomes the sixth country. "
Antony says the carrier will help strengthen the Indian Navy's power in the coming years.
"Today's launch marks just the first step in a long journey, but the same time an important one. We must continue the process of developing indigenous capability to secure our maritime interests."
The launch of the warship is behind schedule by 3-years.
It was set to undergo trials in 2016 before being put into active service by the end of 2018.
The "Vikrant" carrier can deploy over 30 planes and helicopters, along with other modern weapons systems.
 
 
Britain Threatens Legal Action Against Spain over Gibraltar Row
 
Anchor
Tensions between the UK and Spain are escalating over Gibraltar.
London is threatening to take "unprecedented" action against Madrid, while the latter insists it will not back down.
CRI's London correspondent Tu Yun has more.
Reporter:
Britain and Spain have been in diplomatic rows since late last month after the Gibraltarian authorities decided to create an artificial reef it claims aimed at replenishing fish stocks.
But Spain said the Gibraltar authorities made the move deliberately to block Spanish fishing boats in the area.
Madrid responded by increasing border controls and suggesting that a 50 euro, or some 66 US dollar fee could be imposed on every vehicle entering or leaving Gibraltar through its border with Spain.
After weeks of discussions British Prime Minister David Cameron says Britain is now considering legal action through the EU against Spain.
A Downing Street spokesman has called the move "unprecedented", but has not given any details on what the action would be.
But Spain insists it will not back down, defending its border control measures as "legal and proportionate".
On Monday, British Royal Navy warships set sail for the Mediterranean.
The journey will include a stop in Gibraltar.
But Britain has stressed it's a routine exercise and has nothing to do with the row over Gibraltar, which is currently under British control but also claimed by Spain.
For CRI, I'm Tu Yun in London.
 
 
Find shows Neanderthals may have first invented bone tools
 
Researchers in France say they have found the first examples of specialised bone tools made by Neander/thals or early man.
The tools are similar to a tool type well known from later human sites and still in use today by high-end leather workers.
Professor Marie Soressi, leading researcher with the group said the findings present new questions about how the Neanderthal species became extinct.
"So it's a new confirmation that Neanderthals' abilities and technical capacities were high, and that was certainly not because of technical disabilities that the Neanderthals disappeared."
The neanderthals lived some 50,000 years ago.
It has been long debated about how advanced Neanderthals were - and how much contact they had with modern humans.
The latest find may suggest that Neanderthals may not have co-existed with modern humans at all.
 
 
South Korean wedding companies woo rich Chinese
 
Anchor
Today marks the Qixi Festival, the traditional Chinese Valentine's day.
Now a growing number of Chinese couples are choosing to go to South Korea for their wedding photo shoot.
CRI's Lucy Du explains.
Reporter
The bride sits patiently as her makeup is applied and her tiara fixed in place.
After choosing the South Korean company to shoot their pre-wedding photo online, Yang Candi and her fiance have travelled to Seoul from their home in China.
"In China, the photo shoots are more likely to be in traditional Chinese style or European style. Compared to those, South Korean photo studios are very simple and express their own stories. So it was unique."
These photo shoots are big business for South Korea's 15-billion US dollar wedding industry.
It's also a sign of the rising purchasing power of Chinese people, whose exposure to South Korean pop culture brings them to Seoul with high expectations.
The service normally costs between 2 to 4-thousand dollars US.
Lee Su-sun is Deputy Director of Partner Relationship Management at "iWedding", a prominent South Korean wedding planner hosting Chinese tourists.
"Our Chinese customers coming to Seoul total around 40 to 50 couples per month, and those going to Jeju island total 20 to 30 couples per month on average."
He adds that strict Chinese visa regulations means that normally only the elite can afford to travel.
Song Sung-uk, professor of South Korean pop culture studies at the Catholic University of Korea says this is an economic effect that has - in part - been generated through South Korean soap operas.
"I think self-empathy and envy of Chinese people towards a wedding or a romantic relationship that appeared in South Korean soap operas, leading to a very happy family, naturally led to wedding photo shoots in South Korea. This is an economic effect on tourism that South Korean soap operas have created."
South Korean wedding planners cater primarily to domestic couples.
But there are some companies, such as iWedding, which are hoping to further tap the Chinese market.
South Korea's tourism ministry estimates more than 2.5 million Chinese tourists spent an average of 21-hundred-50 US dollars per person, per trip to South Korea last year, which is more than any other nationality.
For CRI, this is Lucy.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Anchor
First off, a check on the stock market of North America and Europe.
Join me on the desk, CRI's Su Yi.
Reporter
U.S. stocks cut earlier losses and closed in mixed territory on Monday following last week's slump, as tech shares rallied.
Wall Street opened lower on Japan's weaker-than-expected gross domestic product data.
Later within the trading day, Blackberry shares surged 10.5 percent on reports that the smartphone maker is considering to go private.
Moreover, Apple shares also went up 2.8 percent as the tech giant will reportedly announce its next generation iPhone next month.
Wall Street also regained momentum somewhat from jumping stocks in Chinese market yesterday.
The Dow closed almost flat.
The Standard & Poor's 500 was down 0.1 percent.
The Nasdaq advanced 0.3 percent.
Meanwhile, Canada's S&P/TSX gained 0.4 percent.
In Europe, European shares steadied around two-month highs on Monday.
It was propped up by mining stocks after positive newsflow out of top metals consumer China.
Investors were also awaited German economic data later in the week.
Germany's DAX rose 0.3 percent.
France's CAC 40 edged down 0.1 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 down 0.1 percent.
 
 
China reiterates financial support for small businesses
 
The State Council, China's cabinet has unveiled details of financial support for cash-strapped small businesses.
It is suggesting credit growth to small enterprises should not be lower than total credit growth and the incremental amount should not be less than that of last year.
The government is also encouraging village banks, credit companies and small financial institutions to set up branches in areas where small businesses are concentrated.
Private banks, financial leasing companies and consumer financial companies are also being encouraged to set up in those areas.
With the economy slowing for several quarters, China is reportedly looking to small businesses to stabilize growth and employment.
Earlier this month the country suspended value-added tax and turnover tax for businesses with monthly revenues below 20 thousand yuan.
Data shows 99 percent of companies registered in China are small or medium enterprises.
They provide up to 80 percent of urban jobs and 60 percent of economic output.
 
 
Call-in Online merchants rival to win handsome money from Qixi?
 
Anchor:
E-commerce businesses here in China never let a chance for a golden sales promotion pass by, this time it is Qixi—the traditional Chinese Valentine's day.
Latest report shows online sales of household appliances hit 53 billion yuan over the first half of this year, making around 18 percent of the e-commerce retail market share.
Flat-panel TV, the most demanded product has seen a growth rate of more than 100 percent over the period.
For more on e-commerce retailing platforms this year, we're joined live now by Mark Hughes, Executive Business Editor of China Daily.
Draft Questions:
1 How do you think online retailers will try to stand-out this year when it comes to marketing their products toward Chinese Valentines day? What kind of products are we talking about here?
2 Is it viable for online retailers here in China to focus on niche markets, such as holidays?
3 How are online retailers going to cope as far as logistics are concerned? Deliveries were a major issue during recent "singles day" promotions.
4 In terms of payment convenience and after sales service, how well are online shops performing?
Back Anchor:
Mark Hughes, Executive Business Editor of China Daily
 
 
Beijing Mulls Pension System Reforms
 
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has revealed the country's top planners are crafting an overall plan to reform the current dual-track pension system.
The ministry also set to begin soliciting public opinions.
Government employees are covered by a separate scheme under the current pension system here in China compared to those in the private sector and people from rural areas.
The government is moving to break down the tiered structure.
The ministry says its ultimate goal will be to replace the two-track system with a unified program.
 
 
BlackBerry may put itself up for sale
 
BlackBerry is reportedly mulling options that could include joint ventures, partnerships or an outright sale.
The Canadian Smartphone maker had set up a committee to review its options.
The debate has reportedly been over whether the company is more valuable as a whole or snapped up piece by piece by competitors or private investors.
It's being reported Fairfax Financial Holdings, BlackBerry's top shareholder, is exploring ways to take the company private.
Analysts say the smartphones that bear its name now have little or no value, and it may cost $2 billion to shut that unit.
BlackBerry once pioneered on-your-hip email with its first smartphones and email pagers.
 
 
U.S. federal budget deficit reaches 98 bln USD in July
 
Latest report from the U.S. Treasury shows U.S. federal government recorded a budget deficit of 98 billion U.S. dollars in July.
The report says the federal government raked in 200 billion dollars of revenue last month, and reported outlays of 298 billion dollars in the same month.
Spending on healthcare programs, pensions for the elderly and the military are being cited as the reason.
The budget gap for the first ten months of the current fiscal year starting in October last year totaled 607 billion dollars.
The figure represents a narrowing from the $974 billion deficit chalked up in the same 10 months of the fiscal year 2012.
 
 
British insurer Prudential reports 22-pct surge in half-year profit
 
British insurer Prudential PLC is reporting a 22-percent jump in its first-half profits.
Ths increase is reportedly thanks to good performances in Asia and the United States.
Prudential's operating profits came in at 1.4 billion pounds, against a forecast of around 1.3 billion pounds.
According to Prudential's half-year results, new business profits of the company in the six months to the end of June was up 11-percent.
The company says its Asia business contributed a big share in its profit growth.
It is reporting operating profits in the region are up 18 percent, and new business profits up 20 percent.
Asia's cash contribution to the Group in the first six months increased 51-percent.
Meanwhile, the insurer is also saying its U.S business realized operating profits were up 32-percent.
 
 
Commercial Banks Raise Deposit Rates to Lure Cash
 
Commercial banks in Beijing and Shanghai have raised their medium and long term deposit rates by 10 percent to attract cash amid fierce competition locally.
City commercial banks and joint-stock banks including China Guangfa Bank, China Everbright and Ping'An are all making the move.
The standard 2 year deposit rate now stands at 3.75 percent.
The 5-year deposit rate is at 4.75-percent.
However, the four major state-owned banks have yet to adjust their rates.
Official data shows deposits in the big four banks shrunk by nearly 1 trillion yuan last month.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
China urges Japan to follow peace, friendship treaty
 
The Chinese government says the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship signed in 1978 should be commemorated and followed well.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei says the treaty provides a political foundation for relations between China and Japan.
Hong Lei says it is in line with the fundamental interests of the two sides to maintain a "long-term, stable and friendly" relationship.
At the same time, the Chinese government says given the current tensions between the two sides, both should be striving for the normal development of bilateral relations.
Meantime, Japanese Foreign Ministry has also issued a statement, saying the Japanese government remains committed to improving its ties with China.
 
 
Super Typhoon Utor arrives in South China Sea
 
Super Typhoon Utor has now crossed through the northern part of the Philippines, with the eye churning in the warm waters of the South China Sea.
Described as the strongest typhoon globally so far this year, Utor struck the northern Philippines throughout the weekend, dumping heavy rains.
So far one death has been reported in the country and 38 others are missing due to the typhoon.
Forecasters expect Utor will continue to strengthen as it continues its path towards southern China.
Winds are expected to reach around 175-kilometers per hour when it makes landfall sometime Wednesday evening.
 
 
H7N9 patient dies in Beijing
 
A male patient infected with the H7N9 avian flu has died of multiple organ failure in a Beijing hospital.
The 61-year-old tested positive for the virus and has since received treatment at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital.
The Chinese mainland so far has confirmed 134 infections with 44 deaths.
Health authorities say they are monitoring the situation in case of another outbreak this fall and winter.
An emergency response was halted in May.
 
 
Soumaila Cisse concedes defeat in Mali election
 
Mali's ex-finance minister Soumaila Cisse has condeded defeat in the country's presidential election.
Cisse was facing former Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in the runoff this past weekend.
In the first round, Keita won nearly 40 percent of the vote in the first round, while Cisse came second among the 27 candidates with almost 20 percent.
The election comes after more than a year of turmoil including a coup and a French-led military intervention to oust an Islamic insurgency from the north.
 
 
Gunmen kill dozens at Nigeria mosque
 
Local officials have confirmed at least 44 people were shot dead at a mosque in northeast Nigeria Sunday morning.
Local news reports say another 26 were injured.
The killings took place in Borno State during dawn prayers.
It is not clear if the attacks were carried out by Islamist group Boko Haram, which are responsible for most of those attacks in northern Nigeria in the past few years.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Global Times
Headline
China among world's top plastic surgery markets
Summary
With cosmetic surgery season peaking this month, surveys show no signs of market slowdown as young Chinese continue to change their looks in hospitals.
China ranked third in the world's plastic surgery markets following Brazil and the US in 2011.
Shanghai Daily
Headline
Storm over ad banners on historic mountain
Summary
Online game advertising on Jinggang Mountain, a site revered as the birth place of the Chinese Red Army, has kicked up a storm of protest.
Jinggang Mountain in Jiangxi Province is known as the "cradle of the Chinese revolution."
Protestors claimed the ads were not in line with the patriotic nature of the place.
China Daily
Headline
Program keeps workers cool with drink of water
Summary
197 companies in Hangzhou participate in the "Glass of Water" program, offering free drinking water to tens of thousands of workers who are continuing to work under the burning sun.
Supermarkets, shopping malls, banks, postal offices and other businesses are appealed to participate in the program.
It aims to increase concern for those workers with jobs out in the heat.
Beijing Morning Post
Headline
Beijinger builds luxury villa on 26-story rooftop, angers neighbors
Summary
A Beijing resident is currently being investigated for illegally building a two-story villa on the rooftop of a 26-story apartment building.
The 1,000-square-meter villa rests atop a faux mountain complete with terrace, trees and other landscape features.
Those living below have complained of chronic leaks and constant noise ever since it was constructed in 2007.
Changjiang Daily
Headline
Man, 70, gets 4 years in jail for her wife's mercy killing
Summary
A 70-year-old man who helped his bed-ridden wife to end her life was sentenced to four years for intentional homicide by a court in Wuhan.
The man's wife, 67, was diagnosed with cancer but was unable to have surgery because of her weak heart. So she begged her husband to drown her.
Beijing News
Headline
County building in Anhui disguised to avoid accusation of waste
Summary
A county government building in east China's Anhui Province has no nameplate on the fa?ade because officials were afraid the fancy building would cause complaints about excessive official spending.
The building was built under the name of a business center. Local residents said they didn't know government officials work there.
Beijing Evening News
Headline
Vegetables burnt to death in summer heat
Summary
The weeks-long heat in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, takes toll on of vegetables: either burnt to death or suffer from severe insect attack.
The vegetables could only be sold at extremely low price, bringing huge economic loss to local farmers.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Garbage Treatment in China
 
It's being reported around a third of all Chinese cities struggling to deal with their garbage, given limited options for the disposal of urban garbage.
Despite a continuous government push, a greener way to deal with municipal waste that requires garbage classification has never really gotten off the ground.
So to that end, CRI's Zheng Chenguang spoke earlier with Professor Morton Barlaz.
He is the head of the Department of Civil Construction and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University.
Professor Morton Barlaz with the Department of Civil Construction and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University, speaking with CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Valerie Adams became the first woman to win four successive world titles in Moscow
 
Let's start of with the results from yesterday's competitions at the IAAF world championships in Moscow.
New Zealand's Valerie Adams became the first woman to win four successive world titles when she claimed shot put gold yesterday with a third-round throw of 20.88 meters.
Germany's Christina Schwanitz took silver, and China's Gong Lijiao the bronze.
Christine Ohuruogu set a British record in the 400 meters and regained the World Championship title she first won in 2007.
"I heard the crowd screaming, and I was facing the other way. And I was thinking: 'I hope they are screaming for me!' and then I turned around and I saw. I said: 'Thank God, thank you Jesus I made it!."
In the men's hammer throw,
Pawel Fajdek of Poland defeated Olympic champion Krisztian Pars of Hungary.
The United States had a one-two finish in the mens 110-meter hurdles, with David Oliver taking gold and Ryan Wilson the silver.
Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce blew out her competition in the 100 meters to claim her second world championships title.
"I knew that persons in the field were good starters as well. And I knew they were very good at top end. So I had to get as far a lead as possible. So if they even tried to catch me, I would be gone by then."
Fraser-pryce finished 0.22 seconds ahead of silver medalist Muriel Ahoure of the Ivory Coast. Defending champion Carmelita Jeter of the United States took bronze.
At the end of day three, the United States leads the medals table with three gold and six overall. Germany is in second with four medals.
 
 
Serena Williams passes Monica Seles in WTA career wins
 
Serena Williams has passed Monica Seles on the all-time Womens Tennis Association winners list with her most recent victory at the Rogers Cup.
"It definitely means a lot to me passing Monica. I think my career's longer than hers and she did so much more at a younger age, but I loved her growing up, and to this day she's the reason I do so many things that I do on the court. So yeah, it's pretty awesome."　
Monica Seles won a total of 10 Grand Slam singles titles throughout her career, including back to back US Open titles.
The 39-year-old is also well-known for being the victim of a knife-attack when a crazed fan rushed onto the court during a match in 1993 and stabbed her in the back.
 
 
Milos Raonic cracks the ATP top ten
 
Milos Raonic has become the first Canadian to crack the world's top 10, after moving up three spots to number 10 yesterday.
The 22-year-old advanced to the Rogers Cup final where he lost to Spain's Rafael Nadal.
"It's really great what I've done this week. It's tough against Rafa (Nadal). He is so good and he makes you want to and makes you feel like you need to do so much more and I got a little bit caught up in that and hopefully I learn for next time."
Raonic was the first Canadian since the now 81-year old Robert Bedard to reach the final at the home tournament.
 
 
Jason Dufner prepares for the spotlight after maiden win at US PGA
 
Fresh off his first major victory at the US PGA yesterday, Jason Dufner is preparing himself for the spotlight.
Yeah, it's definitely going to change my life, but I'm determined that it's not going to change me. I've got a great circle around me from a management team to my caddie to my wife to my coach that I'm looking for them to keep me in check to make sure that it doesn't change me."
The 36-year-old has won over a lot of fans for his laidback and slightly unpolished persona.
He even inspired a viral craze called "Dufnering", which refers to having a slumped posture and expressionless face.
It started with a photo taken of him during a charity appearance at a primary school, where the golfer was captured slumped against the wall staring aimlessly across the room.
Perhaps not the most flattering movement to inspire, but people seem to like him all the more for it.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
First-ever Qixi Cultural Festival highlights traditions
 
As a celebration for Chinese Valentine's Day, the first-ever Qixi Cultural Festival has opened at the Grand Canal Cultural Square in Beijing.
One highlight of the Qixi Cultural Festival is a concert featuring love songs.
Pop stars Jonathan Lee, Zhang Liangying, Hu Xia and Xiong Tianping are among the performers.
In addition, activities showcasing various wedding ceremonies and traditions from ancient times will be staged at the event.
Rong Dali is the organizer.
"This event is very meaningful. It can help youngsters find out more about traditions and attract more people to pay attention to the Chinese Valentine's day. It's kind of passing on the tradition."
A blind date for single men and women will also be held during the Festival.
 
 
'Elysium' leads US box office with $30m
 
Matt Damon's Elysium topped this weekend's US box office charts.
(Elysium trailer)
Director Neil Blomkamp's sci-fi thriller stars Damon as Max, an ex-con who barters for his life in a future where Earth is in ruins and the wealthy live on a man-made space station.
Elysium earned $30.4-million, pushing last week's winner, Denzel Washington's '2 Guns', to the fifth spot with $11.1-million.
Coming in at the number two spot, 'We're the Millers' with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis earned $26.5-million.
The family animation 'Planes' landed in the number three spot with $22.5-million.
(Planes trailer)
Filling out the rest of the countdown are 'Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters', 'The Smurfs 2', 'The Wolverine and The Conjuring'.
Falling to the bottom of the top ten at the box office, 'Despicable Me 2' earned $5.7-millon with 'Grown Ups 2' taking home $3.7-million.
 
 
'World War Z' is Brad Pitt's top-grossing film of all time
 
World War Z has become the highest-grossing film of Brad Pitt's career.
(World War Z trailer)
The movie has earned over $500 million worldwide.
The zombie action film has surpassed Troy, which grossed $497 million following its 2004 release.
Pitt heavily invested his own money in the film, which cost $220 million.
The adaptation of Max Brooks's book was expected to be a flop, after a troubled production period and a series of extended delays.
Pitt will next be seen in 12 Years a Slave and The Counselor.
World War Z is expected to launch a continuing franchise.
 
 
Naomi Watts on 'Diana': 'I was very nervous about capturing her voice'
 
Naomi Watts has admitted that she was "very nervous" about capturing Princess Diana's voice in the new biopic Diana.
(Diana trailer)
The actress also confessed to watching the late princess's infamous Panorama interview "every day" to get it "exactly right".
"I read all the biographies. I looked every piece of footage.I spent every single day for weeks listening to that must interview in my iPod."
Watts has previously described her role in the movie as "the hardest thing she's done".
The film will centre on the final two years of the princess's life as it explores her affair with heart surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan, played by Lost's Naveen Andrews.
Watts had to recreate Diana's Panorama interview in one of the crucial scenes.
Diana will open in UK cinemas on September 20th.