In This Edition

 

The Japan-South Korea island disputes rage on with Japan's parliament adopting a resolution in protest against South Korea's latest moves.

Russia says Moscow has had guarantees from the Syrian government that it will not use any of its chemical weapons.

German and French leaders call on Greece to keep its commitment of reform.

And China's work safety regulator says the country's coal mining remains a high-risk industry.

 

Hot Issue Reports

 

Japan-South Korea Island Disputes Continue

The territorial disputes between Japan and South Korea over some contested islets in the East China Sea rage on, with Japan's parliament adopting a resolution in protest against South Korea's latest moves.

 

The resolution asks the South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to apologize for his comments on the Japanese Emperor he made last week.

 

Lee Myung-bak told a group of students hours after his trip to the disputed islands that Japanese Emperor Akihito should apologize for Japan's colonial rule if he wanted to visit South Korea.

 

The Japanese Prime Minister is Yoshihiko Noda.

 

"Lee Myung-bak's comments on the Emperor are totally incomprehensible and very regrettable. On August 17 we have already demanded through the South Korean ambassador in Tokyo that the president reconsider his actions, but I would like to take this occasion to repeat our demands for an apology and retraction of his comments."

 

Japan sent a letter to the South Korea president last week written by its Prime Minister Noda, saying Japan will propose to resolve the issue under the international law.

 

The South Korean side returned the letter.

 

Meantime, South Korean foreign ministry has protested the comments by the Japanese foreign minister that South Korea is occupying the islands "illegally".

 

Apart from the diplomatic tit-for-tat, economic and trade cooperation between the two sides have also been dampened.

 

The islands are known as Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea.

 

Russian Deputy FM Says Syria Tells Moscow It will not Use Chemical Weapons

Russia says Moscow has had guarantees from the Syrian government it will not use or move any of its chemical weapons.

 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov.

 

"As to Russia, we have guarantees from the Syrian government that it will not undertake any steps involving chemical weapons. And I want to reiterate that on this issue we will restrain it in all ways and work with the aim of preventing such things from happening."

 

Gatilov says Russia is working closely with the Syrian government to ensure its stock of chemical weapons remain securely in place.

 

He also reiterated Russia's stance regarding Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying that only the Syrian people can decide their country's fate.

 

Earlier, US President Barack Obama warned the US might intervene in the Syrian civil war if the Syrian government were to use or move chemical weapons.

 

Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons, thought to be one of the largest in the world, has been one of the lingering concerns in the year-and-a-half long conflict.

 

Zuma Outlines Lonmin Mine Probe Details

South African President Jacob Zuma has outlined the details of the commission that is being tasked with probing the violence at the Lonmin Platinum Mine north of Johannesburg.

 

Zuma says the commission is going to be asked to examine both security issues and working conditions.

 

"The commission will look into the following matters; whether the company, by act or omission, created an environment which was conducive to the creation of tension, labour unrest, disunity among its employees or other harmful conducts."

 

The commission is tasked with probing the actions of the government, police, unions and individuals.

 

The 3-judge panel will complete its work within 4 months.

 

44 people have been killed in the violence at the platinum mine over the past 2 weeks.

 

A rivalry between 2 competing unions is at the heart of the violence.

 

The strike at Lonmin has also prompted job action at two neighboring platinum mines.

 

Germany and France Urge Greece to Continue Reforms

German and French leaders are issuing new statements, calling on Greece to keep its commitment of reform.

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been meeting with French President Francois Hollande in Berlin.

 

The meetings come just a day before a visit to both by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.

 

"It is important for me that we all stay true to our commitments and above all wait for the troika report to see what the result is. But we will, and I will, encourage Greece to continue on its path to reform, which has demanded a lot of the Greek people."

 

French President Francois Hollande says he and Angela Merkel have agreed they both want Greece to remain part of the eurozone.

 

"This is what we have said since the beginning of the crisis. It is for the Greeks to make the necessary efforts so we can achieve this goal."　

　

Greece's Prime Minister has been angling to try to get a 2-year reprieve in implementing the reforms that are a condition of the country continuing to get bailout cash.

 

The German government is refusing the plea.

 

Experts from the troika of European Central Bank, European Commission and International Monetary Fund are set to return to Greece next month for more auditing.

 

Norwegian Mass Killer Breivik Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison

The mass murderer Anders Breivik has been sentenced to a maximum of 21 years in prison by a court in the Norwegian capital, Oslo.

 

The five judges declared unanimously that Breivik was sane at the time of the massacres.

 

Judge Wenche Elisabeth Arntzen read out the verdict, imposing a sentence of "preventive detention", a special term used for criminals who are considered to be dangerous to society.

 

"The verdict is unanimous and has the following conclusion: in a unanimous decision ... the court sentences the defendant to 21 years of preventive detention."

 

Although the term holds a maximum tariff, his sentence could be prolonged beyond 21 years should he - at a later date - still be deemed a danger to society.

 

Breivik had already admitted the murders of 77 people when he set off a bomb in central Oslo before opening fire on an island youth camp last year.

 

More than 240 people were wounded in the attacks.

 

Caribbean Countries Await Tropical Storm Isaac

Caribbean countries, including Haiti and the Dominican Republic, are on high alert as Tropical Storm Isaac approaches Hispaniola, the island shared by the two countries.

 

Aid groups are warning that the some 400-thousand Haitians still living in makeshift camps after the deadly earthquake two years ago are among the most vulnerable.

 

Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe says the government is trying to relocate vulnerable people to safer areas.

 

"We will continue coordinating. I will have a meeting with the international community on the matter and we will reinforce the mechanism of communication and also I asked the Minister of Interior to keep security tight and to make communication a priority."

 

Forecasters say Isaac is likely to become a hurricane by the time it hits the island later on this Friday.

 

Isaac is expected to move on to Cuba and the Southern US later this week.

 

It could pose a threat to the US Republican National Convention held in Florida.

 

China's Coal Mining Still High-risk Industry: Work Safety Regulator

China's work safety regulator says the country's coal mining remains a high-risk industry.

 

Huang Yi, spokesperson for the State Administration of Work Safety, warns that the government must stay alert.

 

"The frequency of coal mine accidents, particularly serious accidents, still remains very high. We cannot over-estimate our abilities. We must stay clear-headed all the time and be on alert for mine safety."

 

Thirty-five workers are killed in China's coal mines for every 100 million tons of coal output. That is 10 times the fatality rate in the United States.

Huang Yi says, due to poor safety provisions, small coal mines in China are particularly dangerous to miners.

 

"We will keep shutting down small coal mines – 625 for this year, probably even more. China is a major coal manufacturer. The industry cannot be relied on small mines. Mechanization and modernization are the only future for China's coal-mining industry."

 

Nearly 2-thousand miners were killed in China's coal mine accidents last year, almost 20 percent fewer than in 2010.

 

Huang Yi has also taken time to make comments on a major bridge collapse in China Friday morning, saying "there must have been a serious problem with the bridge".

 

The eight-lane bridge in northeastern China's Heilongjiang that just opened to traffic late last year collapsed early Friday morning, killing three people and injuring five.

 

The collapse sent four tracks falling 30 meters to the ground in the capital Harbin.

 

Huang Yi says an investigation is underway.

 

China has experienced several construction accidents over recent years, with at least six major bridge collapses happening over the course of the last year.

 

Typhoon Tembin Lands in South Taiwan

China's coastal regions are on yellow alert with giant waves expected as two typhoons move closer to the mainland.

 

"Tembin" -- the 14th typhoon of the year -- whirled its way through the southernmost tip of Taiwan Friday morning, bringing strong winds and downpours to the region.

 

Authorities had taken precautions, evacuating more than three-thousand people from mountainous areas.

 

Tembin is now moving towards the northeast of the South China Sea.

 

Wu Derong, former director of Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau Forecast Center, warned that Tembin might come back to Taiwan under the influence of the 15th typhoon -"Bolaven".

 

"It's hard to predict because it's determined by many factors. The typhoon decreased slightly when it left Taiwan. But it might pick up speed and strength. And if it lands in west Taiwan when it comes back, it would be devastating without the protection of the central mountains. But we cannot say that for sure."

 

Costal areas in Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong Provinces are also expected to see strong winds and heavy rains.

 

Fishing boats in those areas have been warned to take safety measures.

 

The 15th typhoon of the year -- "Bolaven" -- is also moving closer and is constantly gaining power.

 

"Bolaven" is expected to wreak havoc off and along the northeast coast of the country from Sunday to next Wednesday.

 

Armstrong Facing Loss of 7 Tour de France Titles

The US Anti-Doping Agency has said that it will strip Lance Armstrong of his unprecedented seven Tour de France titles after he declared he had given up fighting the drug charges.

 

Travis Tygart, USADA's chief executive, said Armstrong would also be hit with a lifetime ban.

 

Still to be heard from was the sport's governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI), which had backed Armstrong's legal challenge to USADA's authority.

 

The 40-year-old Armstrong, who retired last year, insists his decision is not an admission of drug use, but a refusal to enter an arbitration process he believes is improper and unfair to athletes facing charges.

 

The athlete has called the USADA investigation an "unconstitutional witch hunt."

 

Armstrong has said he tried to not let the doping accusations get to him.

 

"I try not to let it bother me, and just keep rolling right along. I know what I know, and I know what I do, and I know what I did. And that's not going to change."

 

However, USADA reacted quickly and treated Armstrong's decision as an admission of guilt. USADA maintains that Armstrong used banned substances as far back as 1996, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids as well as blood transfusions, all to boost his performance.

 

Liu Xiang Breaks down His Epic Fall in London

Two weeks after crashing out of the London Olympics with a broken Achilles tendon, Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang sat down and talked about the incident for the first time.

 

Liu crashed at the first hurdle in the men's 110-meter heat, to the astonishment of many, including himself.

 

Although Liu claimed to be aware that his legs might not hold up, he says he never expected to fall because he felt he was in good shape on the track.

 

"Then when I leapt at the first barrier [pushing off with the right foot], it was like someone whipped me... Thus my gravity center went down and lost the balance. After the fall I sat on the ground in pain and with a blank mind. I saw my squashed leg, fearing that something was wrong with the tendon."

 

The 29-year-old received surgery in London on Aug 9th.

 

He had hist stitches removed in Shanghai on Thursday, saying that the recovery process had been promising.

 

He is expected to resume training in six months.

 

With Guide Dogs, a Better Life for the Blind

According to the China Blind Person's Association there are 16.9 million blind or visually impaired people in China, but only 47 guide dogs serving them. One of those guide dogs is named Jenny. She lives in northern Beijing with her owner Chen Yan who adopted her last year.

 

Seth Coleman has the story.

 

On August 1st, new policies regarding guide dogs for the blind came into effect throughout China. The new regulations give guide dogs and their owners access to public places and transport. This is good news for Chen Yan and her guide dog, Jenny, whom she adopted last year - though it will take time before all the relevant authorities are aware of, and follow, the new regulations.

 

Here's Chen Yan.

 

"In my family, my husband and I are both blind. He's a massage therapist, and I'm a piano tuner. So in our family, there's only one pair of eyes, and that's Jenny's.

 

Jenny is the 18th guide dog in China - I adopted her in April 2011. She's a four-year-old black labrador.

 

She can take me to the supermarket to help me shop, without using her mouth. She follows my orders - if I say 'Jenny, find the yogurt', she'll take me to it and stop.

 

One month ago, Jenny took me outside. We were walking and Jenny suddenly pushed me into a wall. I felt a wind pass in front of me. And something ran into Jenny. A passerby said that an electric bike - an express delivery bike had hit Jenny with the boxes strapped to the outside. Actually, Jenny could have gotten out of the way of the bike, but she didn't. She was trying to protect my legs using her body. Only family would do that.

 

I have my own ways to go to the places I want. Before I go somewhere, I'll call them and ask if I can bring Jenny. If they allow it, I'll go. If I go in person and they don't let us in, and there's an argument, Jenny can understand and she'll be sad.

 

As people's awareness of guide dogs increases, Jenny and I will be able to go to more places. For the majority of Chinese people, there's not much understanding about blind people's lives - I started a Sina Weibo account named 'guide dog jenny', and so many people ask me 'how can you use weibo if you are blind?'. They don't know about our lives. Although we can't see, our other senses are heightened to make up for it. The world I hear is also beautiful."

 

It will take time to guage the success of the new regulations since there are so few guide dogs in China, and they're unheard of in many places. Chen Yan is trying to change that, and has written a book, an autobiography she says, for Jenny. She's donating the proceeds from her book to the China Guide Dog Training Center in Dalian, where Jenny was trained.

 

For CRI, I'm Seth Coleman.

 

CHINA DAILY

 

China speeds building of emergency alert system

 

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has announced that it has accelerated the building of its emergency alert publishing system.

 

The country aims to build a multi-tier platform, including one state-level, 31 provincial-level and 342 municipal-level platforms. That will improve the function of the publishing system.

 

The project aims to ensure residents receive a warning within 10 minutes after messages are released via the Internet, text messages, radio, electronic screen, and loudspeaker in rural areas.

 

The system is expected to cover 90 percent of the country's population by 2015.

 

SHANGHAI DAILY

 

No love in the air for migrant workers

 

A survey shows that a majority of young migrant workers in Shanghai find it difficult to find love or sustain a love affair.

 

It's found that up to 60 percent of young migrant workers in the city are single.

 

More than 40 percent of unmarried migrant workers said their past relationships broke up in less than 12 months.

 

The survey said factors such as quick change in jobs from city to city, extensive working hours and shortage of channels to meet people make it difficult for them to find partners.

 

Many interviewees blame their low income.

 

Compared to singles, the biggest problem for married migrant workers is the long distance and few opportunities for face-to-face communication with their loved ones. Nearly 70 percent of married migrants in Shanghai don't live with their spouses.

 

CNN

 

Fries from your phone: McDonald's testing mobile payment app

 

McDonald's customers in Paris can now pay for a Royale with Cheese using their smartphones or tablets -- a concept that could spread to the company's 33,500 locations worldwide.

 

Customers at 30 locations in France are now able to order their meals using the McDonald's mobile app, pay for it via PayPal- a mobile payment processing service- then join a separate line to pick up their food.

 

The trial is part of a rapidly growing consumer-service trend of skipping cash, and even credit cards, in favor of a quick tap from a mobile phone.

Major retailers from Target to Best Buy to 7-Eleven have teamed up to develop this kind of mobile app.

 

The app will also give users exclusive coupons and deals.

 

CNN

 

Child eating disorders on the rise

 

A recent study in the US showed that hospitalizations for eating disorders in children under 12 in the country has increased by 120% in recent years.

 

Children having this problem usually show signs of malnutrition, have low energy levels and low iron counts and sometimes report hair loss.

 

Children at risk of an eating disorder share similar personality traits: high anxiety, perfectionism and obsessive-compulsive tendencies.

 

Experts warned that those children are often subject to external pressures such as school bullying, abuse or a divorce, and restricting food intake is a way for a child to feel in control of their life.

 

Market Update

 

U.S. stocks rebounded on Friday, wrapping up a dismal week on positive note, as a letter from the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke fueled the expectations for further stimulus.

 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 0.8 percent to 13,158. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock Index gained 0.7 percent to 1, 411. The Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 0.5 percent to 3,070.

 

In Europe, Frankfurt's DAX gained 0.3 percent to 6,971. CAC 40 in Paris advanced 0.02 to 3,433.