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

Coming up on the program this evening...

The Chinese guard killed at the embassy in Somalia has been returned home, in Shandong provinceheated debate over revised regulations on the management of toll roads in China...

Survivors of the atomic bombs dropped in Japan stress the need for keeping memories of the attacks alive, for future generations...

In the 2nd half of the hour, we'll bring you some of the stories making headlines the world of science & technology this past week.

In Sports....evidence of mass cheating among athletes on the global stage has been published...

And in Entertainment...after four weeks in theatres, Monster Hunt is still the top movie at the Chinese box office...

All of that coming up in the next hour, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour.

We're also on WeChat. Type in "Beijing Hour" to find us.

Email us directly at [email protected].

You can also visit crienglish.com for the latest news and information from China Radio International.

Top NewsOfficials send condolences to dead officer vowing to fight against terrorismAnchor:

An official ceremony has been held in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, for people to pay their last respects to a Chinese guard killed in a terrorist attack in Somalia.

China's Armed Police Force has posthumously conferred a badge of "loyal guard" on Zhang Nan, who served in a detachment in Shandong's Linyi City before he was sent to Somalia in 2014 to be a security officer in the Chinese embassy.

He served with the force for 11 years.

Our reporter Guo Yan has details.

Reporter:

Zhang's remains were returned to Jinan on Saturday evening, with two guards who were wounded in the bombing escorting his coffin.

A eulogy at the event attended by about 1,000 people praised Zhang's courage.

Meanwhile, friends and neighbors are remembering Zhang Nan in Wuqiao County, his hometown in north China's Hebei Province.

They say they were shocked and heartbroken when hearing of his death.

Zhang Guanghui is a childhood friend of Zhang Nan:

"We were good friends when we were children. Zhang Nan cared so much about his job, he wanted to be a good soldier. We had been chatting online all the time, caring about each other. I hope Zhang's comrades can visit his home often and take care of his parents for him."Militant group Al-Shabaab launched the suicide attack on the Jazeera Palace Hotel in Mogadishu on July 26, killing more than a dozen people.

The six-story luxury hotel in the Somali capital houses embassies from China, Egypt, Kenya and Qatar.

Somali Foreign Minister Abdusalam Omer has offered his condolences over the death of the Chinese police officer.

Omer also vowed to find a new place for the Chinese embassy to work, adding that China-Somali relations remain stable and strong.

The foreign minister says his country requires the help and support of the international community to fight against al-Shabaab.

"After you defeat al-Shabaab, after you kick them out, how do you put a basic governance in place, open the schools, open the hospitals, markets and create jobs? Stabilization is the most difficult part because when you liberate a city of 50,000 and there are no governmental institutions, to rebuild all that, we will welcome any support from the international community."China earlier announced it won't close its embassy, which had only just reopened in October last year.

Liu Guijin, the former Chinese Special Envoy on Africa Affairs, says the attack was not targeted at China, and Chinese diplomats cannot leave these countries just because there are risks.

"The purpose of restoring the embassy is to promote the relationship between China and Somalia because Somalia has a legitimate government. Though this government faces many challenges in terms of security, it needs to develop the country, to improve people's livelihoods, and to stabilize the situation."Liu said security remains a significant obstacle for the rebuilding of the country.

He added that the Chinese government has asked Somalia to provide more effective protection to Chinese nationals in the country.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

China to Expand Peacekeeping Mission in S. SudanAnchor:

Today we continue our series on the involvement of China's armed forces in UN peacekeeping missions.

Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan Ma Qiang says China is planning to expand its Peacekeeping contingent to the country, as the civil war there continues to escalate.

CRI's Poornima Werasekara earlier spoke to a group of Chinese nurses deployed in South Sudan to find out what they have been doing to assist the UN peace mission in this protracted war.

Reporter:

Chinese peacekeepers with their Blue UN barrettes have become a welcome sight in many war torn villages in South Sudan. The youngest nation in the world has been plagued by a brutal civil war since 2013.

The UN has deployed over 11,500 peacekeepers on the ground in South Sudan since the violent birth of the country, when it separated from Sudan in 2011.

This includes a large Chinese contingent, comprising of an emergency medical team and 700 soldiers as part of an infantry battalion, making it the first time that China has sent combat forces to serve on foreign soil.

Ambassador Ma Qiang says China wants to be seen as a 'responsible great power' with its long-term commitment to the fragile peace process in the country.

"It is the priority of South Sudan to gain peace for development. As a friendly country to South Sudan and a major responsible country, China has been following South Sudan's situation closely and proactively promoting the peace process led by IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development)."Fighting intensified recently in the oil-rich Upper Nile region in the north of the country. Several International aid agencies including Doctors without Borders say a humanitarian crisis is unfolding there.

Nurse Niu Xiaotang, who has been deployed in South Sudan as part of the Chinese medical team twice says her team has been busy providing cross-border escorts for seriously-ill patients and treating children with severe gunshot wounds.

"We recently received a five-year-old girl, whose upper right arm was inflicted by a gunshot wound and was suffering from osteomyelitis, an inflammation on the bone. She had come here alone and I was shocked to see the state of her wound. The team of nurses attended to her as if she was their own child and would give fruits and candy to her. So far, the girl has been treated for almost a year and is getting better, but she will never fully recover."According to the United Nations, the fighting has killed more than 10,000 people, caused more than 1.5 million people to flee their homes and driven the country of 11 million closer to famine.

Liu Chen, one the youngest nurses in the Chinese medical team, says almost 2000 patients are now hauled up in their makeshift hospitals as fighting continues in adjoining areas.

"So far, we have received nearly 2000 patients, which is roughly around the total number of patients treated by all twelve medial teams deployed in South Sudan prior to us. We didn't' expect to receive such a large amount of patients. Right now, we have a limited number of medicines and medical equipment. We hope South Sudan can resolve its conflict and restore peace soon."But the prospect of peace doesn't seem to be any closer as the warring factions continue to violate ceasefire after ceasefire. Hence a greater need for international peacekeepers, including more medical assistance.

For CRI I'm Poornima Werasekara.

Back anchor: For more stories on China's participation in UN peacekeeping missions, you can go to crienglish.com to find a special page dedicated to this topic.

Improvements Urged for Toll Road ManagementAnchor:

As a controversy remains heated over revisions to regulations of toll road management in China, experts are urging comprehensive guidelines and efficient supervision over fee collection.

CRI's Luo Wen reports.

Reporter:

According to the rule revision proposed last week by state transport authorities, the limit on the number of years tolls can be charged on highways is to be removed, allowing local governments to pay off debts incurred in road construction.

The current Toll Road Management Regulation stipulates that tolls can only be charged for between 15 and 30 years, depending on how the road is initially financed.

But the revised version says that for highways needing a longer period to recoup investment, the toll period could be extended beyond 30 years.

This has triggered worries that highways may become permanent cash cows for local governments, and some people are even casting doubt on the government's right to revise the regulation in the first place.

Zhang Zhuting from the Ministry of Transport defends the revision.

"Law and regulation revisions should keep pace with the country's economic development. Our country's laws stipulate that the State Council has the mandate from the National People's Congress to revise regulations according to the status of economic and social development."A report by the ministry showed that toll collection stood at 365 billion yuan in 2013 while expenditure reached 431 billion yuan, leading to a loss of 66 billion yuan, or about 10 billion US dollars.

The report said the fees collected were mainly used to make principal and interest payments related to construction, with the remainder covering maintenance, taxes and overheads.

Professor Zhang Xiaodong with Beijing Jiaotong University suggests that guidelines for the implementation of the revised rule be issued as soon as possible.

"There should be some detailed guidelines and explanations for the implementation of the revised regulation. Otherwise, different people may have different understandings of the rule, making it difficult for the public to judge whether a fee or a road operator's profit is reasonable. "The professor also urges further disclosure of information.

"The revised version gives full support for the public's right to know toll-related information and stipulates a certain variety of information that should be disclosed. But in my opinion, that's still not enough. People need to evaluate the reasonableness of a fee based on relevant costs. There is no way to do that without the disclosure of the main cost structure."Zhang Xiaodong says third-party supervisors should also be invited to help monitor expenditures for the planning, design, investment, construction and operation of a road.

The transport ministry has invited the public to give opinions on the revised regulation ahead of August 20.

By the end of last year, the Chinese mainland had 160,000 kilometers of roads charging tolls, including more than 106,000 kilometers of toll expressways.

The total length of the expressways on the mainland is the longest in the world.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

Imported Red Ants Wreaking Havoc in S. ChinaImported red fire ants have been wreaking havoc in south China's Hainan province.

Many people have been stung by the ants in Wenchang city, and agricultural has been affected.

A clinic in Shihou village has received over 100 villagers who have been stung by the pest in the past week.

Some patients, with serious symptoms, had to be sent to larger hospitals for treatment.

Pan Jiachun is the deputy party secretary in Shihou Village and explains how the bugs are damaging crops.

"The fruit starts rotting after being damaged by the ants, rendering it inedible."Many farmers no longer dare to go to the field and large areas of farmland have gone to total waste.

Chen Liding is an expert from Wenchang agricultural technology service center.

"Our survey shows that 11 towns and a farm in the city have been plagued by the ants. About 4533 hectares of farmland have been affected,"The imported red fire ants is native to Latin America. They are believed to have been imported to China with flowers, timber and organic fertilizer among other things.

The local government has allocated a batch of pesticide to eliminate the ants.

The pests have also been plaguing some other provinces in south China, including Guangdong and Guangxi.

Malaysia seeks assistance from Reunion Island's surrounding territoriesMalaysia's Transport Minister says his country is seeking assistance from several aviation authorities in territories near Reunion island in the Indian Ocean, to assist investigators should more airline debris be discovered.

A part found on a beach last week has been confirmed as coming from a Boeing 777, the same model as missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

The part has been sent to the French city of Toulouse to be analyzed and to confirm whether it came from the plane that disappeared without a trace on March 8th of last year.

Aid Arrives at Myanmar's Sittwe airportAid has arrived at Sittwe airport in Myanmar after deadly monsoon rains displaced tens of thousands of people.

Local television footage shows military personnel and aid workers unloading boxes of aid while officials visited affected areas.

Heavy monsoon rain has battered vast swathes of the country in recent weeks and the government has declared the four worst-hit areas in central and western Myanmar as disaster zones.

The storms and floods have so far killed 21 people and forced over 18-thousand people into temporary shelters.

An estimated 110-thousand people have been affected by the floods.

Though the rain has stopped in most areas, the recovery effort is a major test for impoverished Myanmar.

The country has only basic infrastructure and medical facilities and is ill-equipped to deal with disasters.

Hiroshima Survivors Struggle to Keep Memories Alive 70 Years LaterAnchor: It's been almost 70 years since the US dropped an atomic bomb over Japan's Hiroshima, forcing the Japanese to unconditionally surrender in WW2. The aging survivors of the event now stress the importance of keeping the memories of the bombing alive for future generations.

CRI's Victor Ning has more.

Reporter:

On August 6, 1945, the United States initiated the world's first nuclear attack on a civilian population, dropping a massive atomic bomb on Japan's Hiroshima. The bombing killed 140,000 in the city that year, with the death toll rising later on as more died from radiation. Along with a similar bombing in Nagasaki three days later, the Hiroshima attack forced Japan to unconditionally surrender on August 15 that year, putting an end to World War II.

Now 70 years later, some of the remaining survivors of the bombing still find their experiences too painful to share, while others are struggling to keep their legacies alive. Hiroshi Harada, who was six years old when the bombing occurred, says it is important for the survivors to remind future generations about the impact of nuclear weapons.

"The atomic bomb survivors are getting older and fewer in numbers. But if one doesn't convey the experiences that one had actually been through, then there's no way that it can get across to most people. So I think it's necessary to continue, to keep talking. As long as the earth still exists, as long as there's still war, as long as the use of nuclear weapons is still an option then we have to continue to pass down our experiences. I think that's Hiroshima's fate."Hiroshima still has about 60,000 survivors. Their average age is reaching 80. Many of them are reluctant to talk about their experiences even with their children, either from a feeling that past was too horrific or from fear of discrimination.

Makiko Kato, an 85-year-old survivor, was only 1.2 km away from the explosion. She has never shared her experiences during the bombing with her children or grandchildren. But now she is reconsidering.

"But recently I have begun to think I need to tell them (her children) because, at this age, there's no guarantee that I'll be able to live to see tomorrow."Fumiaki Kajiya, 76, who lost his sister in the bombing, began teaching children about his experiences in the bombing. Kajiya's other family members managed to survive, but the trauma from the attack and the painful loss of his sister has made him an unequivocal opponent of nuclear weapons.

"Explaining how exactly threatening nuclear weapons are to humanity and how they must not exist and never be used, is something that should be learned from Hiroshima."In recent months, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pushed for a series of controversial and widely unpopular bills that would ease the constraints of the country's post war, pacifist constitution. If passed into law, the bills will expand the role of Japan's military, which critics fear could lead Japan again to misuse its military power.

For CRI, I am Victor Ning.

Photos of Endangered Species Light up Empire State BuildingAnchor:

New York's iconic Empire State Building has lit up to highlight protection for endangered species. Giant projections of threatened animals are being displayed on the tower.

This comes amid the outrage over the death of Cecil the Lion.

CRI's Wang Wei brings the details.

Reporter:

Photos of endangered wildlife, including an image of Cecil the lion, are projected on the Empire State Building.

Travis Threlkel, chief creative officer at Obscura Digital, is an organizer of the event.

"What's happening, when you think about how big hearted and how much we all care and feel the tragedy around Cecil, when you compare that, that's the same feeling that we want everyone to feel and understand for all life on our planet, including us, we're on that list."The large-scale projections are in part inspired and produced by filmmakers of an upcoming documentary called "Racing Extinction".

The film follows activists going undercover to expose the black markets of hunting, killing, and eating endangered wildlife.

Director Louie Psihoyos is also behind the Oscar winning film "The Cove".

His new documentary shines a light on the threat of mass extinction of endangered species.

"There's a great line from our movie, it said, 'It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.' We're lighting the biggest candle in the world up there. This event tonight will hopefully celebrate these animals and give them a chance because Cecil the lion that just died, there's a lot more lions left. They're endangered."The death of the beloved and protected Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe at the hands of American dentist Walter Palmer has ignited the fury of animal lovers.

The killing has also raised global awareness of big game hunting, a lucrative tourism draw for some African countries where hunters can pay tens of thousands of dollars to track and kill lions and other large animals.

New Yorkers watching the endangered wildlife projections on the Empire State Building have mixed feelings about Cecil's death.

"I don't think New York cares, I really don't. They killed that lion, they're going to track down the dentist, they're going to take his molars away, that's all. We're a species like the lions and we're killing more of us than they are of lions."The parks authority in Zimbabwe has imposed an indefinite ban on hunting outside Zimbabwe's biggest park, from where Cecil had lived before being shot dead.

It's been reported that Cecil's brother - Jericho - has also been shot and killed.

The parks authority has not confirmed the killing.

For CRI, I'm Wang Wei.

Greenland Ice Sheet Continues MeltingAnchor:

The melting of the Greenland ice sheet has reached extreme levels. Scientists have warned that minor increases in melting can lead to a devastating rise in sea levels.

CRI's Huang Shan reports.

Reporter:

The Greenland ice sheet is the second largest mass of ice on the planet. The huge mountains of ice and snow have reached as high as three thousand meters above sea level.

However, climate experts say, according to data from satellites and research stations, the ice sheet is gradually shrinking.

A scientist with the Danish Meteorological Institute, Ruth Mottram, even warns that the ice will finally disappear if the melting continues.

"The ice sheet in general is losing more ice every year than it is gaining, it is not in a state where it's going to grow, it's in a state where it's going to gradually shrink. If those rates continue and if those rates start to accelerate, then we could see the ice sheet being lost. But it will still take hundreds of years, if not thousands of years, for the entire ice sheet to disappear. It's not just going to vanish overnight."But there is concern about melting glaciers caving in and falling into the ocean, a phenomenon which is happening faster than before.

Mottram predicts another extreme melt may occur in the next few days as warm weather is expected to hit Greenland.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that global sea levels would rise by about seven meters if the whole of Greenland's ice sheet were to melt.

Senior researcher at the Geological Survey of Greenland and Denmark, Dirk van As, says rising temperatures in Greenland are a problem.

"Yes, currently the ice sheet is getting smaller. So, it's not just getting smaller because it's melting more, but also because it's flowing faster. In these years, it's contributing this much every year to sea level rise. And then you think; 'Well, this is not that much.' But if you have ten years then all of a sudden it's that much and then you get more global warming perhaps and it goes faster and faster."He also says if one tenth of the ice sheet would melt in the following hundred years, the resulting rise of sea levels will bring huge environmental, economic and social impacts on a large share of the world's population.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held between November 30th and December 11th, aiming to cap the average increase in the global temperature at 2 degrees Celsius.

For CRI, I'm Huang Shan.

US Energy Official Introduces China Clean Power StrategiesAnchor:

A forum discussing energy consumption and future trends in both China and the US recently convened in Beijing.

A US energy official has even predicted that by 2040, China's energy consumption will double that of the US.

XU Fei has more.

Reporter:

Adam Sieminski is administrator of the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

At the forum, he mainly touched upon two issues. One is about the Clean Power Plan, where he discusses the latest progress made by the United States in terms of setting state-by-state targets for carbon emissions reductions.

"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a proposal called the Clean Power Plan. And if the Clean Power Plan were put in effect, the coal number would shrink to about 12% in the year 2040. And the renewables and natural gas portion of this graph would grow. If you choose to leave existing law as it is, coal will roughly maintain its market share. If you choose to pass the Clean Power Plan which makes it harder to use coal to produce electricity, and tends the favor renewables even more than natural gas, you will get more renewables."According to a website run by the Union of Concerned Scientists, "ucsusa.org", the power plants in the US have been allowed to dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into the atmosphere. No rules were in effect that limited their emissions of carbon dioxide.

Now, for the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency has developed new rules, known as the Clean Power Plan, which will reduce carbon emissions from power plants.

The development of clean power would also help cut carbon emissions from power plants. The US has the advantage in its liquefied natural gas-producing capacity. Meanwhile, Adam Sieminski thinks this is an area where the two countries might discuss cooperation by facilitating the US exports of natural gas to China.

"There are plenty of opportunities for cooperation between China and the US in energy, and there is a great deal of dialogue already going on. The export of natural gas from the US, we were already exporting large amounts of natural gas to Mexico by pipeline, and at the end of 2016, so next year there will be the first LNG export facility commissioned built by Cheniere Energy. Cheniere has already contracts with some Asian and European buyers."According to the US energy official, before 2010, America's energy consumption had been much larger than China. However, today China's energy consumption has already caught up or even surpassed that of the United States.

He also estimated in the future the US energy consumption would witness a modest growth while China's energy consumption will rise significantly, even to double that of the US consumption by 2040.

For CRI, I'm XU Fei.

China restricts drone, high-performance computer exportsChinese tech companies will have to get official approval before exporting powerful drones or computers, starting from August 15.

The government fears they could compromise national security.

Under the new rule announced by the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs, companies making certain drones and computers specified on the MOC website will have to register with commerce authorities and get a license before exporting them.

weatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 24 degrees Celsius; overcast tomorrow with a high of 30.

Shanghai will be clear tonight with a low of 29; sunny tomorrow with a high of 38.

Chongqing will be clear tonight with a low of 29, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 38.

Lhasa will be overcast tonight with a low of 12, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 24.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, slight rain tomorrow, 34.

Kabul, overcast, 28.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Headline newsOfficials send condolences to dead officer vowing to fight against terrorismA ceremony has been held to pay respects to a Chinese guard killed in a terrorist attack in Somalia.

Zhang Nan was sent to Somalia in 2014 to be a security officer in the Chinese embassy in Mogadishu.

China's Armed Police Force has posthumously conferred a badge of "loyal guard" on him.

Zhang served in a detachment in Linyi City, east China's Shandong, before his deployment to Somalia.

He served with the force for 11 years.

Zhang's remains were returned to Jinan on Saturday evening, with two guards who were wounded in the bombing escorting his coffin.

Militant group Al-Shabaab launched the suicide attack on the Jazeera Palace Hotel on July 26, killing more than a dozen people.

The luxury hotel in the Somali capital houses embassies from China, Egypt, Kenya and Qatar.

China starts 2015 military recruitmentThe Chinese army has begun a two-month recruitment drive, looking especially for people with education.

It is also looking for candidates from ethnic minorities who have bilingual skills or other specialties.

People between 18 and 22 can apply to join the military, though the maximum recruiting age is extended to 24 for college graduates. 17-year-old who have completed high school can also apply.

Archeologists begin investigating sunken Chinese warshipArcheologists have begun an underwater investigation in the Yellow Sea to learn more about a war ship sunk by the Japanese navy during the first Sino-Japanese war.

The investigation was launched on Saturday in the city of Dandong, Liaoning province, where the ship was found last year during underwater exploration for port construction.

The vessel, codenamed "Dandong No. 1" for the time being, is said to be one of the four warships of the Qing Dynasty's imperial marine forces Beiyang fleet. It was sunk by the Japanese navy on September 17th, 1894.

The four ships were China's most modern vessels, bigger and better armed than the Japanese fleet, but slower and lacking ammunition.

The ship's 50 meter haul is said to be intact, though the inside of the ship has been badly damaged.

Malaysia seeks assistance from Reunion Island's surrounding territoriesMalaysia's Transport Minister says his country is seeking assistance from several aviation authorities in territories near Reunion island in the Indian Ocean, to assist investigators should more airline debris be discovered.

A part found on a beach last week has been confirmed as coming from a Boeing 777, the same model as missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

The part has been sent to the French city of Toulouse to be analyzed and to confirm whether it came from the plane that disappeared without a trace on March 8th of last year.

Sci&Tech (Sunday)Anchor:

It's time now to check in with the latest from the world of science and technology this week in our weekly sci-tech feature.

A 100-million year old seabed in has been discovered in China's Xinjiang.

Microsoft has launched its latest operating system.

And a new robot has been developed by Japan's carmaker Toyota.

Let's catch up on all the latest with CRI's Wen Jie.

*******************************The world's first comprehensive protein research facility in China has passed national evaluation.

Lei Ming, director of The National Center for Protein Science Shanghai, says the facility will be able to greatly improve China's protein research.

"The facility will greatly meet the instrument demand of life sciences research institutes in the country, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai. The other important role of the facility is to raise the country's scientific and cultural quality."Located in Shanghai's Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, the facility costs over 100 million US dollars.

It will be used to enhance studies of major diseases, develop new measurements of clinical diagnosis and treatment, as well as explore new drugs and biological material.

It is the second nation-level major science facility in Zhangjiang, following the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility.

Both of them are part of China's Big Science Project to boost the country's scientific innovation.

***************************A Chinese expedition team has discovered some 100 million-year-old seabed ruins in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The ancient seabed ruins were located in the middle part of the Altay Mountains, 2,500 meters above sea level.

Wang Feiteng is a member of the expedition team and researcher in the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"The remains of the seabed we found are just located in a flat area of a ridge, so the remains have been well maintained. It has a very unique outlook, which looks like a dragon from the distance."Wang also says the ancient seabed ruins are the typical marine sedimentary rocks dating back 100 million years ago.

The discovery will help to study the Quaternary Glacier as well as the forming and evolution of the Altay Mountains.

*****************************************The assembly of the world's largest radio telescope is now underway in the southern Chinese province of Guizhou.

Nearly 45-hundred reflector panels are being put together to form the dish.

Once completed, it's going have a diameter of around 500-meters.

This will be much larger than the current largest in the world, which is an American observatory in Puerto Rico.

Professor Xu Renxin with Peking University says the massive telescope in Guizhou will be able to detect radio transmissions from the edge of our known universe when completed.

"The electromagnetic spectrum is much wider than the range human beings can observe. The telescope will be able to capture what we can't see in the optical region or the X-ray wave band."A super-computer, which can do quadrillions of computing operations per second, is going to translate the data the telescope captures.

The original construction for the telescope began in 2011.

It's located in a natural, bowl-shaped valley in the southern part of Guizhou.

****************************Software giant Microsoft has launched a long anticipated new operating system Windows 10.

PC makers are hoping Windows 10 will give their industry a much-needed boost.

These kids won't have to remember passwords or obsess about security, because these kids will grow up with Windows 10.

Microsoft is marketing windows 10 as a fresh but familiar operating system. One that anticipates the future needs of today's children.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explains.

"Windows 10 ushers in an era of more personal computing in a mobile first, cloud first world. We're building into Windows, that's seamless cross over across devices as you move around at home and at work. "New versions of Windows usually ignite sales of personal computers but the last update to windows was widely considered a miserable failure.

Tech analyst Bob O'Donnell says with PC sales sliding four years in a row, Microsoft and PC manufacturers are looking at Windows 10 to set off sparks.

"Microsoft needs a fix because Windows 8 didn't do very well and as a result they really got a lot of egg on their face. And this is their attempt to save face, to bring back together pieces that people liked and knew about windows into a new environment. "Windows 8 detractors say they're relieved to hear Windows 10 has brought back their beloved start menu. It also features a virtual assistant called Cortona…similar to apple's Siri…except you can talk to Cortana on a wide range of devices, including your computer.

"Hey Cortana email…..what's the subject of your email? Dinner plans"Tech analyst Bob O'Donnel says the feature he's most excited about is windows 10's facial recognition feature.

"The coolest thing Windows 10 offers is Windows Hello which is a biometric authentication mechanism whereby you can walk up to your computer and if you have the appropriate 3d camera built into your computer you can walk up to your computer it will recognize your face and log you in"People lined up early in the morning on launch day at Microsoft stores. We spoke to some of them who came for free consultations to see if their pcs are windows 10 accessible…"I always try to keep my systems updated to the latest but I'm excited about Cortana.""Windows is a nice mature operating system. I don't think people give it its due."To jump-start adoption of Windows 10 the company is offering free upgrades to the vast majority of home users. Microsoft has set a target of 1 billion devices running windows 10 within three years of launch.

********************************Carmaker Toyota has unveiled its latest robot that it's designed specifically to pick things up.

The company's human support robot, or HSR, can grasp things of various shapes and sizes with a single mechanical arm.

It can also pick up thinner items with a tiny suction cup.

Toyota engineer Kouichi Ikeda says the robot is aimed to help around regular homes.

"Although it can only do one simple task of picking up, it's already making disabled people quite happy. We're just getting stated, but eventually we want it to enter people's homes."The 135 centimetre tall robot has several cameras, including two on its head that look like its eyes, and sensors on its body.

It scoots quietly around in all directions.

Tadashi Hatakenaka, manager and engineer at the Yokohama Rehabilitation Centre, says a robot like HSR is ideal to replace service dogs.

"People tend to hesitate to ask for help from human helpers and service dogs because they have emotions, but people don't need to respect a robot's feelings, so they can ask robots to do things whenever they want and robots can react to it quickly. That is a big advantage. Because of the reasons above, HSR will be useful in the future."Toyota came up with the basic concept model for HSR in 2012.

The revamped model was announced this month and is ready to enter universities, research facilities and businesses from next year.

**************************And that brings us to the end of this edition of our weekly science and technology report.

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoyed the show.

I'm Wenjie. See you next week.

SportsReports Citing Leaked IAAF Data Alleges Rampid Doping in AthleticsStarting things off with news from the world of athletics:

German broadcaster ARD and UK newspaper The Sunday Times published reports today based on files they've obtained that show the results of 12-thousand blood tests from five-thousand track-and-field athletes. The Times says the evidence reveals an "extraordinary extent of cheating" by athletes competing on the global stage.

Citing two of the world's foremost anti-doping experts, the Times report shows the following:

-A third of all medals won in endurance events at the Olympics and World Championships between 2001 and 2012 were won by athletes with suspicious drug testing results.

-More than 800 athletes named in the files have blood test results "highly suggestive of doping or at the very least abnormal."-More than 80 percent of Russia's medals were won by athletes with suspicious doping tests--the most out of any country with athletes cited in the files.

The International Association of Athletics Federations Vice President Sergey Bubka says he will work closely with the World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, to investigate the cheating allegations:

"WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) exists since 1999. A lot of progress is done. I have recently just 30 minutes ago (talked) with the (WADA) President (Craig) Reedie, we discussed and President Reedie said it is WADA that investigate the situation. For that, we will collaborate very closely and we will not accept any violation of the rule. Doping is a big stress for the 21st century and this is not new, but everyone should know, for cheaters, no space, not in athletics, not in other sport, not in Olympic Movement."The files reportedly came from the IAAF database and were leaked by a whistleblower.

FINA World Championships UpdateTaking a look at actoin FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia:

Chinese swimming star and olympic champion, Sun Yang, stormed the Men's 400-meter freestyle heats, topping the ranks with a time of 3 minutes, 44.99 seconds on the first day of the swimming events at the world championships.

Just behind Sun came James Guy of Great Britain, who clocked in a time of 3 minutes, 45.37 seconds to take second.

Canada's Ryan Cochrane was a close third at 3 minutes, 45.86 seconds.

Sun natched the gold in the same event at the Incheon Asian Games in South Korea last September, just after he served a three-month competition ban for doping.

Later tonight:

The diving finals for the men's 10-meter platform and the mixed 3-meter synchronized springboard.

In action from last night:

China's Shi Tingmao has claimed the title in the 3m springboard final event, adding one more gold to her team's pocket.

==In women's synchro final, China finished second with 96.2 points.

Russia took the lead with 2.1 points beyond China, while Japan came in third and took home a bronze medal.

==And in round 2 of the women's water polo prelims:

China beat Brazil 10-8.

CSL: Shijiazhuang beat Changchun 3-0Taking a look at football action from the Chinese Super League:

Shijazhuang Ever Bright downed Changchun Yatai 3-0 in their 2nd-round league clash.

The first ten minutes of the game didn't see too many scoring attacks from either side.

But thanks to Mario Rondon's goal in the 33rd minute and striker Jacob Mulenga's brace, Ever Bright extended their winning streak to 14 by beating Yatai 3-0 in the away game.

Football: Nicklas Bendtner Helps Wolfsburg Beat Bayern MunichIn football action:

Nicklas Bendtner was the hero of Wolfsburg as they won the German Super Cup for the first time in their history on Saturday (1st August), the Danish striker scoring a late equaliser and then the winning penalty as they overcame Bayern Munich at the Volkswagen Arena.　Four minutes after half-time, Arjen Robben thrash the ball into the back of the net to put Bayern Munich in the lead.

Then, with a little over a minute left, Kevin De Bruyne crossed to substitute Nicklas Bendtner, who was perfectly placed near the post to flick it in for the equalizer.

That forced penalties and Bayern's normally reliable Xabi Alonso saw his kick blocked.

Everyone else scored theirs, which left Bendtner in the spotlight again with his kick.

The Danish international made no mistake and became the toast of Wolfsburg, who won the Super Cup for the first time in their history.

Golf RecapIn golf:

On the PGA Tour--Troy Merritt shot a tournament record 10-under-par 61 on Saturday (1st August) for a share of the lead with Kevin Chappell after three rounds of the Quicken Loans National.

Chappell finished with a four-under 67 to grab a share of the lead with Merritt on 14-under.

In the LPGA:

South Korean Jin Young Ko and Taiwan's Teresa Lu are tied for the lead with eight-under at the close of the third round of the British Open at Turnberry on Saturday.

And on the European Tour:

At the Paul Lawrie matchplay in Scotland:

Robert Karlsson, David Howell, Marc Warren and Kiradech Aphibarnrat will contest the semi-finals after winning their quarter-final ties on Saturday.

And at the Madeira Islands Open:

Sweden's Pontus Widegren tops the tourney ranks at 16 under to finish off round 3.

Tennis: Tournament Finals UpdatesIn tennis:

A whole lot of finals action going on--In women's actoin at the Baku Cup final:

Margarita Gasparyan of Russia downed Patricia Maria Tig of Romania 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.

At the Swiss Open:

Belgian top-seeder David Goffin faced off against Austrian Domonic Thiem.

(UPDATE)In tennis action coming upAt the Hamburg Open:

It's top-seeded Spaniard, Rafael Nadal will be taking on no. 8 Italian Fabio Fognini.

And at the Atlanta Open in the U.S.:

John Isner, the top seed here, plays to a home crowd when he takes on fifth-seeded Cyprus native Marcos Baghdatis.

MMA: Ronda Rousey KOs Bethe Correia in 34 SecondsAnd finally, some news from the world of mixed martial arts:

Ultimate Fighting Championship women's featherweight titleholder, "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey, successfully defended her crown for a sixth-straight time after she dispatched Brazilian challenger Bethe Correia by knockout in just 34 seconds.

Both women came out swinging, but Rousey got the better of the exchanges before she caught Correia behind the ear with a right hand that dropped the Brazilian about half a minute into the fight.

Rousey is now 12-0 in her MMA career.

Entertainment"Monster Hunt" Remains Atop China Box OfficeLive-action fantasy film "Monster Hunt" is continuing to rule China's box office.

The film is already the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time, taking in more than 1.7 billion yuan.

It surpassed 2012 comedy "Lost in Thailand" in just 10 days after opening.

The film has also out-paced "Avengers 2: Age of Ultron" to become the third highest-grossing film of all time in China.

Meantime, "Jianbing Man" is also reporting some good news.

The comedy has grossed more than 1 billion yuan in China in 17 days.

It is the second domestic film to surpass the 1 billion yuan mark this year following "Monster Hunt.""Jianbing Man" cost only 18 million yuan to make, making the it one of the most profitable films in the country.

'The Assassin' Releases Full Trailer in TaiwanA full trailer has been released for the highly acclaimed martial arts film "The Assassin" before its premiere in Taiwan later this month.

The two-minute long trailer has revealed the female assassin's father and husband for the first time, as well as her struggles over the mission to kill her home province's governor, who happens to be the man she's been in love with for years.

The film was adapted from a story dating back to the late Tang Dynasty in the 9th century.

Helmed by veteran director Hou Hsiao-hsien, "The Assassin" stars Shu Qi and Chang Chen.

The film was 7 years in the making and finally began filming in 2012.

The movie has already earned Hou Hsiao-hsien the Best Director award at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

"The Assassin" will open in Taiwan theatres on August 28th, one day later than the mainland.

'Scandal Makers' Gets a Chinese VersionSouth Korean classic comedy "Scandal Makers" is getting a remake in China.

The China-South Korea co-production has already begun shooting in Beijing.

The original film follows a popular radio host who suddenly finds out he has a 20-year-old daughter and a grandson.

The 2008 film topped weekend box office for four straight weeks in South Korea after opening.

The Chinese version will be directed by South Korean director Ahn Byeong-ki, starring Tong Dawei and Taiwan actress Michelle Chen.

Ahn Byeong-ki was also the producer of the original "Scandal Makers" film.

"On Taihang Mountain" to Premiere on CCTVA TV show based on the second Sino-Japanese war has set a premier date on China Central Television.

The 26-part TV series revolves around the Chinese military's resistance against Japanese invaders in central China's Henan province in the early 1940s.

The release of the drama is set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

Veteran actor Tang Guoqiang will reprise the role of Chairman Mao in the series.

"On Taihang Mountain" debuts on CCTV next Tuesday.

'Game of Thrones' Cast Ian McShane for Season 6HBO has confirmed Ian McShane is returning to the network for the hit fantasy drama "Game of Thrones" Season 6.

However, the British actor's role is shrouded in secrecy. Fans are eager to dig into any information on the most mysterious season of the hit show.

In previous years, HBO would have announced numerous cast members by now.

Yet McShane is the first name confirmed for the new season.

The Emmy winner is widely known for his villain roles in a number of works, including "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," and "American Horror Story: Asylum."Season 6 is currently under production.

It is expected to premiere in the spring of next year.

Downton Abbey final season gets U.S. premiere datePBS Masterpiece's acclaimed series Downton Abbey now has a final season premiere date.

Not surprisingly, the series will return in January — when the show traditionally returns in the U.S.

The Crawley family's sixth and final season will premiere on Jan. 3.

PBS chief Paula Kerger also revealed that Downton will have a float in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade.

There's also been some rumblings of a potential spin-off series of the Emmy favorite, but nothing firm has yet been announced.

Guns N' Roses Lose Another MemberAnother member of Rock band Guns N' Roses has left the group.

Lead guitarist Bumblefoot has followed the footsteps of fellow guitarist DJ Ashba to say goodbye to the band.

Bumblefoot replaced his predecessor Buckethead in 2006.

Earlier this week, Ashba released a three-page letter online to explain his decision to withdraw from the band.

Ashba joined Guns N' Roses in 2009 and served as a touring guitarist.

The future of the legendary band has been in doubt.

Richard Fortus, the longest-serving "new line-up" guitarist in the band, said the current state of the band "is pretty up in the air."In April, the now departed Ashba said the band is on a short-term hiatus.

weatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 24 degrees Celsius; overcast tomorrow with a high of 30.

Shanghai will be clear tonight with a low of 29; sunny tomorrow with a high of 38.

Chongqing will be clear tonight with a low of 29, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 38.

Lhasa will be overcast tonight with a low of 12, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 24.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, cloudy with a high of 18.

Brisbane, cloudy with a high of 24.

Perth, cloudy, 17.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will see some clouds with a high of 17 degrees Celsius.

That's it for this weekend edition of the Beijing Hour.

A quick look at the headlines before we go...

The Chinese guard killed at the embassy in Somalia has been returned home, in Shandong provinceOn behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour, and open a window to the world together.