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

Coming up on the program this evening...

Cyanide Levels at Tianjin blast site reaching 28 Times over Safety Standard....

5 Chinese nationals confirmed dead in Bangkok blast...

And UN calling on Syrian warring sides to protect civilians....

In Business...China's central bank injecting 120 bln yuan into market....

In Sports...Althetic Bilbao Smashing Barcelona 5-1 on Aggregate to Win Super Cup...

And in Entertainment...Chinese celebrities mourning the dead in Tianjin's blast....

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.

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TopCyanide Levels in Tianjin 28 Times over Safety StandardAnchor:

Officials in Tianjin say that air samples are under pollution limits while cyanide levels in some water samples are more than 28 times over the recommended safety level at the blast site.

CRI's Qian Shanming has more.

Reporter:

Tianjin authorities held a press conference on Tuesday morning giving an update on the latest results on air and water pollution monitoring in the city.

Bao Jingling, chief engineer of Tianjin Environment Protection Bureau, says there are 40 points in total for monitoring water pollution, 26 within the caution zone where 76 samples were collected.

"With regards to the safety levels, in total there are 29 cyanide inspection sites. Of them, eight exceeded safety levels. All were within the blast site. The largest reading was 28 times over the safety standard. Outside the blast site there were 14 inspection sites but none have exceeded safety levels."Bao says air quality is within normal range among all monitored sites.

He also says that in buildings nearby, no cyanide was detected; volatile organic compounds were detected but didn't exceed the allowed limit.

However he warned that risks are involved when entering the buildings as chemicals were blown inside them by the blast waves which broke the windows.

He advised the public not to touch the objects when they return home to retrieve their belongings. He also advised against spraying water on any objects.

Thunderstorms forecast for Tuesday are set to complicate recovery efforts from the blast.

Bao says they are prepared for heavy rain.

"If we find anything that exceeds, or even slightly exceeds, the safety standards, we have a preventative facility to make sure any cyanide pollution is up to standard. Then we will drain the water. There is one more method, we can strengthen the barriers sealing the site at the moment to combat against any heavy rain."Zong Guoying, Standing Committee Member of the Tianjin Party Committee and Secretary of Binhai New Area, says over 6,000 residents were relocated after the blast.

"We immediately set 12 schools and three apartments as the relocation sites which can hold at most 15,000 people. On August 13, more than 6,000 residents were relocated here. By yesterday night, the number of relocated residents fell to 496."Bao Yingxiang, commander of the Tianjin Armed Police Corps, says armed police have made all efforts to rescue the injured and detect the toxic chemicals.

"Up to date, we have sent 2,700 officers and soldiers with 1,800 sets of equipment to the blasts site. We control the blasts site, search for victims and rescue the injured, clear the wreckages and transport relief supplies."On the same day, Tianjin observed a moment of mourning for the victims of the warehouse explosion.

The State Council has established a team to investigate the cause of the deadly explosions, promising to give a responsible answer to the public and seriously punish those found to be responsible.

The team is headed by Executive Vice Minister of Public Security Yang Huanning.

A total of 114 people have been confirmed dead, and 70 remain missing after two huge explosions occurred before midnight on Aug. 12 at a warehouse for hazardous chemicals at the Tianjin port.

For CRI, I'm Qian Shanming.

5 Chinese confirmed dead in Bangkok blastThe Chinese Embassy in Thailand says five Chinese nationals, including three from the mainland and two from Hong Kong, have been confirmed dead in a Bangkok explosion Monday night.

Another 24 Chinese, including 19 from the Chinese mainland, two from Hong Kong and three from Taiwan are undergoing treatment in hospital.

There is one Chinese who remains missing.

The explosion, which rocked Erawan Shrine at Ratchaprasong intersection, a popular tourist destination in downtown Bangkok on Monday night, has left a total of 20 people dead and more than 100 others injured.

PM responds to Thailand blastsAnchor:

Thailand's Prime Minister has spoken out after the blast, expressing fears that the attack could have an overwhelming effect on Thailand's economy.

CRI's Xie Cheng has more.

Reporter:

Officials have not blamed any group for the bombing at the Erawan shrine on Monday night, which the government called a bid to destroy the economy. No one has claimed responsibility.

Thailand's Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Tuesday that he believes this attack was targeted at Thailand's economy, which is highly dependent on tourists.

"This is the worst incident that has ever happened. In the past, there have been some blasts and minor explosions. But this time, they aimed to take the lives of innocent people. So what they want is to destroy our tourism and our economy for whatever reason."The Prime Minister also said they believe they have images of the suspects on CCTV footage.

Currently, teams of officials armed with dogs used for sniffing substances are combing the once popular tourist area. Significant investment has gone into this part of Bangkok which houses top hotels, shopping centres, offices and a hospital.

Grant Wieczorek, a 29-year-old American who is a tourist in the area had this to say about the blasts.

"Being a first time tourist it is, I'm not sure I would have come if this happened before I book my ticket, especially since, but now that I'm here there is no reason for me to not go on living even though it's something that you just have to deal with."Matthew Wheeler, South East Asia analyst for International Crisis Group, says the bombing in Bangkok is a "new kind of attack" for Thailand.

"It is certainly not like politically motivated attacks we've seen in the past which have generally been designed to grab attention but not cause casualties. It's certainly not like attacks carried out by Malay militant Muslims fighting in southern Thailand who've generally restricted their attacks to the southernmost provinces so it's a new kind of attack for Bangkok and it's something that will likely have major ramifications for security in Thailand."The Thai foreign ministry has said in a statement that emergency services and first aid responders are on the scene and those injured have been given full medical attention.

The ministry says it is too early to determine the possible motives or perpetrators of the blast.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

Red Alert Issued to Bangkok by HKSARAnchor:

Hong Kong authorities have raised the Outbound Travel Alert for Bangkok, Thailand to red following the bomb explosion in the center of the city, which has killed two women and injured six more from Hong Kong.

CRI's Hong Kong correspondent Li Jing has the story.

Report:

Two Hong Kong women, aged 19 and 24, have been killed in the bombing, while six other Hong Kong residents are among the dozens of people injured.

Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung has expressed his condolences to the victims' families.

"On behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I give my deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery. I urge the Thai Government to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident."The red travel alert to Bangkok means tourists are advised to adjust their travel plans and avoid non-essential travel, including leisure travel. Those already there should pay attention to announcements by local authorities, attend to their personal safety and avoid areas affected by the explosion incident.

The travel alert to other parts of Thailand remains at the lower amber level.

However, Hong Kong Travel Industry Council executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung says a red alert is not enough.

"The government should issue the highest security warning of "black" travel alert; this will make it easier for travel agencies, airlines and hotels in Thailand to deal with a refund. A red alert does not go far enough."Meanwhile, travel agencies in Hong Kong have cancelled all trips to the Thai capital from tomorrow until the end of this month. About 200 groups are expected to be affected.

Hong Kong tourists who returned from Thailand on Tuesday say the security check at the airport in Bangkok is tighter.

"There are more security guards and police at the airport. The process is slower, I had to remove my shoes and go through a body scan."Hong Kong Immigration Department officers and medical experts from the Hospital Authority have arrived in Bangkok to assist Hong Kong people affected by the blast.

For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.

Indonesian Plane's Blackbox foundRescuers have discovered the black box of the Indonesian crashed plane at the crash site in Oksibil of Papua.

J.A Barata, spokesman of the transport ministry confirmed that the plane was discovered at 1.40pm local time.

Debris of the plane was spotted on Sunday and it is believed it hit the slope of Mount Tangok, located in Okbape district.

All the bodies of the 54 passengers aboard the crashed ATR42-300 Trigana Air Service plane have been found as of 11.00 a.m.

Operations Director for the Indonesian Search and Rescue Agency, Heronimus Guru, stated that removal efforts for the victims' bodies have already been arranged.

"Considering the location of the crash site is very extreme, a helicopter from Freeport will be used to evacuate the bodies from the location and bring them to Oksibil before they are flown to Jayapura."The location of the accident is about 15 to 20 kilo-meters from the airport of Oksibil, according to National Police chief General Badrodin Haiti.

UN Calls on Syrian Warring Sides to Protect CiviliansUnited Nations' top humanitarian official Stephen O'Brien has appealed to all Syrian warring sides on Monday asking them to protect civilians.

"I appeal to every party engaged in violence and fighting to protect civilians and to respect international humanitarian law."O'Brien also says he was horrified by Syrian government air strikes in a Damascus suburb that killed scores of people last Sunday.

Most of the dead and hundreds of wounded are civilians.

O'Brien has also expressed concern over the lack of financial aid for the Syrian humanitarian crisis.

''There is at the moment, about, give or take, 30 percent funding of the current appeal for what we know to be the necessary humanitarian life-saving protective civilian requirements in Syria today. It is clearly now we are near the end of August, way way below where we need to be in order to have sufficient funding to meet the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people.''

The Syrian civil war began in March 2011.

An estimated quarter of a million people have been killed, and about 10-million others driven from their homes since then.

Egypt imposes strict anti-terrorism lawsEgyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has approved an anti-terrorism law that gives more power to courts to enforce penalties against those who are involved in "terrorist acts."The law defines "the terrorist" as anyone who commits, plans, incites, or threatens to commit "terrorist crime" inside or outside the country.

It also defines the "terrorist act" as every use of force, violence, or terror whether inside or outside the country to disturb the public order or to expose society's safety to danger.

Penalty for such crimes according to the new law ranges from five years in prison to death.

Sisi has ordered his government to prepare a law that could set up special courts for prosecuting "terrorists" after the previous criminal courts' procedures have hindered the speed of justice.

His instructions came after the state's top prosecutor, Hisham Barakat, was assassinated in a car bombing in late June.

Under the new law, security personnel could use force as necessary as needed to push any danger away, with no legal accountability.

Financing "terrorist groups" will also carry a life sentence, which is 25 years in Egypt.

For more on the security situation the Egyptian government is facing, CRI's Bryan Kopczynski earlier spoke with Ellis Goldberg, Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington.

10 bln Yuan Embezzled from Affordable Housing FundsChina's top auditing authority has found nearly 10 billion yuan worth of social housing funds have been embezzled.

The National Audit Office says around 200 different organizations illegally used the cash to either make new loans, repay debts, make investments or use the money to pay their bills.

Yu Lin with the National Audit Office says around 4-billion yuan has since been recovered.

"Our work over the past few years to try to strengthen our auditing has helped government agencies improve the management of affordable housing. This has helped eliminate some of the chronic problems we've seen in this sector."The Chinese government spent 560-billion yuan on affordable housing last year.

Help Migrant Children in QingdaoAnchor:

A couple in the city of Qingdao in Shandong have been working to try to help the children of migrant workers, offering schooling and other activities to help them adjust to life in a new city.

CRI's Yu Yang has more.

Reporter:

When the first light of morning shines onto the coastal city of Qingdao, vendors on Tuan Island Farmers' Market have already been busily preparing in their stalls.

But next to the entry of the market, things are much more peaceful. In a room of twenty square meters, the children of vendors are doing their homework. Sui Dongming and his wife help them to go over their lessons.

"When I asked my son: 'what's your dream?' He answered: 'I want to be a scientist, or an astronaut, or become a policeman.' But when I threw the same question to those migrant children, one of them said he wants to become a lamp. I was really shocked. Then I got to know the reason behind it. His parents go to restock at midnight every day. In the winter, the night is dark. He couldn't sleep until his parents come back home safe and sound. That's why he wants to become a lamp to light their way back home."Sui and Liang have been volunteering in a local youth center for many years. In 2013, the Qingdao government launched venture philanthropy projects for young people. Thus, the couple designed a program for the children of local migrant workers.

But they didn't expect there were nearly one hundred migrant children and most of them grew up in villages and followed their parents to the city.

As their research proceeded, the couple found out that those migrant children are introverted, shy and less confident, compared with their city peers.

So every weekend, Sui and Liang have taken those children for outdoor activities. Some responses are quite heart-wrenching.

"During a break, others reported to me that one boy is missing. The last place he had been seen was the washroom. So I ran to the washroom to check. He was still there and enjoyed looking around. I got curious and asked: 'why do you stay in a toilet?' He relied: 'I didn't realize this is a toilet!' That just proved to us how little the kid knows about the place in which he lives. "From group rock climbing to charity bazaar, the couple has assisted these children to be adapted to city life. They even built a classroom near the market and name it as "Society of Learning".

Han Qinglei, who once left a great impression on the couple, is now fourteen. After years of staying within the Society of Learning, he appears to be brighter, happier and more open-minded.

"My attachment towards Qingdao is deeper than my feeling for my hometown. I like this city."Liang emphasizes that parents and the society should do more to help those kids.

"Though many have just arrived in Qingdao and encountered some petty things that they haven't gotten used to, I believe that if parents could spare one hour or half a day to accompany their kids, they will blend in faster."By the end of 2014, the number of migrant workers in China rose to 274 million and the sum of migrant children is climbing every year.

For CRI, this is Yu Yang.

China's Breakthrough at WorldSkills CompetitionAnchor:

The just-concluded WorldSkills Competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil has produced China's first gold medals at the so-called "Olympics of Skills."CRI's Luo Bin reports.

Reporter:

Chinese competitors have managed to clinch gold medals in car painting, fashion technology, welding and manufacturing technology.

They are the first gold medals for China at the world's largest skills competition.

Yang Jinlong, gold medalist in car painting, says he hopes to share his experience with the younger generation here in China.

"Truthfully, I don't think I'm the best in this field. There are many more people in China who are better than I am. I still have a lot to learn from people with more experience than I have. But in the same respect, I do want to use the skills I've learned here to help others."This is the third time a team from China has attended the WorldSkills Competition.

32 young people from China have taken part in 29 different skills competitions.

On top of the 4 gold medals, the Chinese team also won six silver medals, three bronze and 12 other awards.

Simon Bartley, president of WorldSkills International, says their showing is a testament to China's vocational education.

"I think if that continues, then the Chinese economy will grow at an even greater pace than it is at the moment. And, actually the young people of China will be able to satisfy their dreams."This year's event in Sao Paulo has attracted around 12-hundred competitors from 59 different countries and regions.

South Korea has remained the reigning champion of the competition.

Tang Tao, vice-Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, says China's participation in the WorldSkills competition should help continue the development of vocational training in China.

"Participating in such an event can not only help improve the skills of technicians but also increase their competitive awareness. We are considering creating our own domestic skills competitions to meet the growing demands from our fast developing economy and society."The WorldSkills Competition is billed as the "Olympics of Skills."The competitors, aged between 23 and 25, are selected from WorldSkills member countries and regions.

China formally joined the organization 5-years ago.

For CRI, I'm Luo Bin.

China's Football Expected to be Revitalized through ReformA detailed Chinese football reform plan published on Monday says the country's semi-administrative Football Association has now been delinked from the government.

Reform efforts can be seen through a personnel reshuffle.

Officials and staff with the CAS have now withdrawn from CFA management.

CFA's new president will be elected at the end of this year, and its own organizational structure will be set up by then.

The reform initiative was announced in February at a top-level meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping.

The overall plan shows China's determination to popularize football across the country and promote the level of the national team.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 20 degrees Celsius; it will see scattered showers tomorrow with a high of 28.

Neighbouring Tianjin will have thundershowers tonight with temperatures dipping down to 23, moderate rain tomorrow with a high of 28.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 25; overcast tomorrow with highs of 32.

Chongqing will see moderate rain tonight with a low of 22, also rainy tomorrow with a high of 25.

Lhasa will have slight rain tonight with a low of 9, rainy tomorrow with a high of 21.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, cloudy tomorrow, 38.

Kabul, cloudy, 32.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, cloudy with a high of 17.

Brisbane will see some clouds with a high of 20.

Perth, moderate rain, 18.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will see slight rain with a high of 14 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsState Council investigating Tianjin blastsThe State Council, China's cabinet, has established an investigation team to probe the cause of deadly explosions in Tianjin.

A statement issued by the State Council on Tuesday said the team has already started its "comprehensive investigation."The team, headed by Executive Vice Minister of Public Security Yang Huanning, will carry out a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosions.

Volatile phenol first detected in waters off Tianjin portVolatile phenol has been detected in water samples collected near the Tianjin Port.

It is the first time that the toxic substance has been detected in the waters since the warehouse explosions last week.

The State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said Tuesday that minute traces of sodium cyanide were detected again, but at a lower level than the previous day.

The findings were based on monitoring reports from Monday.

Two explosions ripped through a warehouse storing hundreds of tons of toxic chemicals last Wednesday night.

The death toll from the accident has risen to 114, with 692 people hospitalized and 57 still unaccounted for.

China's work safety chief under investigationChina's work safety chief, Yang Dongliang, is now under investigation.

The Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced in a statement today that Yang, director of the State Administration of Work Safety, is under investigation as he is suspected of "severe violation of discipline and law".

Further details have not been provided yet.

Yang is a member of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

The 61-year-old served as vice mayor of Tianjin from 2001 to May 2012, before he was appointed director of the State Administration of Work Safety.

China publishes English edition of book on resistance against Japanese invadersThe English edition of a history book about China's resistance against Japan during World War II has hit the market.

The book is a translation of "The Chinese War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression" published by the People's Publishing House in May.

It introduces important historical facts about China's resistance against Japanese invaders in the 1930s and 1940s.

The book details how China's resistance was an important part of the global war against fascism, as well as the tremendous loss of and extraordinary contribution by Chinese people to achieve victory.

Too early to determine motives of Bangkok blast: Thai foreign ministryThailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is too early to determine the possible motives or perpetrators of the Bangkok explosion.

The Thai government expresses its deep condolences to the victims and their families in a statement.

In the statement, the government said that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has expressed deep concern for the victims and instructed security officials to investigate with a view to maintaining public safety and security.

Biz ReportsTurning now to business news.

First a look at the numbers from across the Asian markets to close out this Tuesday evening.

Chinese stocks closed lower on Tuesday.

Shares related to national defense, leisure services, steels and non-ferrous metal industries are leading the losses today.

At the closing bell:

The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 6.1 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index tumbled 6.5 percent.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's growth enterprises, also dipped 6.1 percent.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng index lost 1.4 percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,Japan's benchmark Nikkei ended slightly lower, losing 0.3 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI was down 0.6 percent.

Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index also dipped 0.6 percent.

And finally, Australia's ASX 200 slumped 1.2 percent.

China's central bank injects 120 bln yuan into marketChina's central bank has pumped 120 billion yuan, or about 18 billion U.S. dollars, into the money market via open market operation.

It is the largest single-day cash injection in the form of reverse repurchase agreement since last January, with the People's Bank of China looking to reassure the market amid tightening liquidity.

The yield for the seven-day reverse repo stood at 2.5 percent.

The operation will offset 50 billion yuan of reverse repo due today and another 40 billion yuan that will mature on Thursday.

Liquidity in the money market has tightened recently due to the depreciating Chinese yuan.

The overnight Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate has climbed to over 1.7 percent, up markedly from around 1.4 percent at the end of July.

China's Holdings of U.S. Treasuries RisesChina's holdings of U.S. Treasury securities have risen for the fourth month in June.

Figures from the U.S. Treasury Department show the holdings have risen to 1.27 trillion U.S. dollars in June.

China has increased its U.S. treasuries holdings for four months in a row and remained the largest holder of U.S. government debt.

In the meantime, Japan has cut its holdings to some 1.2 trillion U.S. dollars in June, the lowest level since 2013.

Japan's holdings have been falling for three consecutive months.

In June, overall foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury securities rebounded to nearly 6.2 trillion U.S. dollars after falling for two months.

Recovery Continues in China's Housing MarketChina's housing market continued its recovery in July with new home prices in an increasing number of surveyed cities registering month-on-month rises.

Figures released today have shown that of 70 large and medium-sized cities surveyed last month, new home prices climbed in 31 cities, up from 27 in the previous month, while 29 reported month-on-month price declines, down from June's 34.

Year on year, 67 cities reported new home price drops, down from June's 68, with Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai the only three cities that posted a rise in home prices.

Meantime, for existing homes, 18 cities saw price declines in July on a monthly basis, 13 reported flat prices, while 39 cities posted gains.

Some analysts say that home prices have seen strong growth in top-tier cities, but continued to decline in third-tier cities, with new and existing home prices recording a weaker growth in second-tier ones.

The housing market in China has seen a downturn since last year due to weak demand and a surplus of unsold homes.

Insurance Compensation for Tianjin blasts could hit 6 bln yuan: industry observersAnchor:

Industry observers are suggesting the insurance claims connected to the Tianjin explosions could reach close to a billion US dollars.

China's insurance watchdog has already been calling for insurance companies to step up and settle claims as quickly as possible.

Emergency response plans have been activated among China's major insurers, including Ping'an, China life and Sunshine insurance.

China Pacific Insurance has already prepaid 2 million yuan to a local logistics firm to help it restart its production line.

International insurance companies such as Zurich Insurance Group and Allianz have also received insurance claims.

For more on the insurance compensation in the aftermath of the Tianjin blasts, CRI's Paul James spoke with Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.

Back Anchor:

That was Gao Shang, Analyst with Guantong Futures, speaking with CRI's Paul James.

Indonesia trade surplus rises significantly in JulyIndonesia witnessed a surge in trade surplus last month as imports are down sharper than exports amid subdued economic growth.

The national statistics bureau announced on Tuesday that Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of over 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in July.

Import fell by 28.4 percent to 10.1 billion U.S. dollars in July from a year earlier, and export scaled down by 19.2 percent to 11.4 billion U.S. dollars in July on year.

Indonesia's economy expanded by the slowest pace in 6 years in the first and second quarters by 4.71 and 4.67 percent respectively.

Indonesia's exports have been subdued in recent months due to falling demand on the country's export products.

Indonesia is the world's largest exporter of palm oil, thermal coal, and the world's third biggest exporter of rubber and cocoa, as well as home to the world's second-biggest copper mine.

German growth to remain strong in H2Bundesbank, Germany's central bank, has predicted that the country's growth will remain strong in the second half of this year thanks to rising consumption and growing exports.

The upbeat outlook comes after Germany reported solid but unspectacular growth figures on Friday, showing GDP expanding by 0.4 percent in the second quarter.

The quarter also ended on a mixed note with falling output and exports but strong investments and unusually strong industrial orders, highlighting some of Europe's growth challenges after a protracted downturn.

Germany will benefit from huge real income increases at home, the Eurozone's recovery, the weaker euro and accelerating growth in the United States and Britain.

Shell gets final permit for oil drilling in ArcticOil and gas giant Shell has been granted the final permit to begin oil drilling below the Arctic Ocean floor.

The final permit is an extension to one issued in July, allowing the company to drill into oil-bearing rock below the ocean floor, for the first time since its last exploratory well was drilled over two decades ago.

Shell began work last month but was only allowed to drill the top sections of two wells off the coast of Alaska.

Experts believe that more than 20% of the world's undiscovered oil and gas resources can be found in the Arctic.

SportsAlthetic Bilbao Smashed Barcelona 5-1 on Aggregate to Win Super CupKicking things off with football action:

Athletic Bilbao beat Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate to win the Super Cup on Monday.

After thrashing Barca 4-nil in the first leg on Friday, Athletic held the Catalans to a 1-1 draw to hoist the trophy.

Barca did have comeback hopes--Lionel Messi scored the opener for the Catalans before half-time.

But Athletic's Aritz Aduriz, who scored a hat-trick in leg one, equalized in the 74th minute for the tie and aggregate win.

Athletic coach, Ernesto Valverde, on how his side downed the La Liga and European champs:

"They were coming from playing a Europe Super Cup, and we the San Mames game. We played a strong game, a tight game, and the truth is that we won a game by 4 goals. That, in the end, is what we came to do here. But of course, the team's courage is incredible, more than anything for the importance of the rivalry."Meanwhile, Barcelona defender, Dani Alves, says they need time to get back into championship form:

"We still need time to get the rhythm back. We still need time to get back to how we were playing at the end of the season. But it's what it is and we must be as tight as ever because in the end it's a continuous race."Athletic hoisted their first trophy in 31 years.

Football: Liverpool Beat Bournemouth 1-0 in Controversial WinIn football action from the English Premiere League:

Liverpool beat newly-promoted Bournemouth in a disputed 1-0 victory.

The Reds' Christian Benteke scored the game-winner in the 26th minute, but Bournemouth was outraged that Philippe Coutinho was not called offsides.

This came after Bournemouth had their goal overturned by the referee for a foul in the area.

Basketball: China NBL Recap, Xinjiang Signs Former LA Laker to New $1.8mln DealIn hoops action from the Chinese National Basketball League,It was Zhengzhou downing Beijing 120-111.

Zhao Nan scored a game-high 53 points for Beijing in the loss.

In other action,Henan downed Lhasa 84-66.

Shaanxi got past Anhui 91-79.

Guizhou went down to Nanjing 107-80.

In off-court basketball news,The Xinjiang Flying Tigers have signed American import Andrew Goudelock to a new contract worth 1.8million US dollars.

27-year-old Goudelock was the LA Lakers' second-round draft-pick in 2011.

Boxing: Federal Judge to Hear Fraud Cases in Mayweather-Pacquiao FightIn boxing news:

Fans claiming that the mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao was fraud will argue their cases in front of a federal judge to get their pay-per-view money back.

The lawsuits claim that Manny Pacquiao's shoulder injury wasn't made public until after the fight; information that should have been disclosed before 4.4 million people bought the fight at 100 U.S. dollars each.

Pacquio and his promoter, Top Rank, are named in all of the lawsuits, according to the AP. Mayweather, his promoter, HBO and Showtime are named in the majority of the suits.

At least 32 lawsuits were filed as of in May in eight U.S. states.

Judge R. Gary Klausner will decide if the cases can be given class-action statuse and move to trial.

Tennis: Cincinnati Open RecapIn tennis action from the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, Ohio:

In men's business:

Two seeded players lost in the first round.

First up Ivo Karlovic.　The big serving Croatian beat 10th seed Gilles Simon in a rain affected match lasting almost two and half hours.

Karlovic hit 35 aces on his way to a 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-3 win over the Frenchman, bouncing back after Simon levelled the match at one set all by taking the second on a tie break.

Meanwhile, Jerzy Janowicz knocked out Gail Monfils.

The Pole brushed past Monfils in little over an hour in a 6-4, 7-5 victory.

In women's action:

Venus Williams reached the second round with a straight sets win over Zarina Diyas.

Williams persevered through a first-set tie break and a surging Diyas in the second to win 7-6, 6-4 and go through to the next round, where she will face sixth seed Ana Ivanovic.

And unseeded Russian Yaroslava Shvedova beat ninth-seeded Spaniard Garine Muguruza 6-4, 7-6.

Golf: Jordan Speith Overtakes Rory McIlroy as World No. 1In more golf news:

A new men's world no. 1 has been crowned.

American Jordan Spieth leapfrogged Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy to take the top spot in the PGA Tour rankings.

Although he was a runner-up at the PGA Championship on Sunday, Spieth has had a phenomenal run, in which he won the Masters and the U.S. Open.

At 22 years old, Spieth has become the second-youngest world number 1 in PGA history. The first was Tiger Woods, who set the record at the age of 21 in 1997.

McIlroy, meanwhile, finished 17th and currently sits at number 2 on the PGA rankings.

PGA Championship winner Jason Day of Australia is now the world number 3.

Golf: Tiger Woods Enters Wyndham Championship for 1st TimeIn golf:

Tiger Woods is entering the Wyndham Championship for the first time in his career on Thursday, in an attempt to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs.

The top 125 golfers on the PGA Tour make into the first FedEx Cup playoff event. Woods sits at 187th and 292 points behind 125th-ranked Charl Schwartzel.

The former world no. 1 finished just five of 10 tournaments he played in this season.

Woods will need to finish alone in second play or better at the Wyndham Championship to qualify for the playoff.

If Woods misses out on the FedEx Cup, the next time he could be playing tourney gold is in October, when the 2015-2016 PGA Tour begins.

MLB: Brewers Affiliate 1st Active Player to Announce He's GayAnd in off-field baseball news:

A first baseman for the minor league Helena Brewers, a rookie affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, has come out publicly as gay, a first for an active player connected with Major League Baseball, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper.

David Denson, 20, came out publicly to the newspaper on Sunday.

The MLB said that it "fully supports" Denson's decision to share his story.

EntertainmentChinese Celebrities Mourns the Dead in Tianjin's BlastChinese celebrities are offering their condolences to the families affected by the blasts in Tianjin on the seventh day since it happened.

Many of them have been closely following the development of the disaster on China's Sina Weibo.

A number of them have also announced monetary donations to families who lost loved ones in the event.

Jackie Chan has announced that he is donating 3 million yuan, or nearly 470 thousand USDOthers including Fan Bingbing, Li Chen, Huang Xiaoming and Angela Baby have also announced plans to help.

Meanwhile, many entertainment shows have been cancelled until Thursday.

Busan Film Festival Unveils New Currents Jury; Top 10 Asian FilmsSouth Korea's 20th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has announced that iconic Taiwan actress and filmmaker Sylvia Chang will lead this year's New Currents jury.

The Golden Bear-nominated film "20 30 40", which Chang directed and starred in, was screened in Busan in 2004.

Joining Chang on the jury is South Korean director Kim Tae-yong, whose films include Memento Mori, Family Ties and Late Autumn.

Indian director Anurag Kashyap, whose critically-acclaimed works include Black Friday, is also part of the judging panel.

German actress Nastassja Kinski, whose films include Roman Polanski's Tess and the chief film critic of the Village Voice Stephanie Zacharek make up the rest of the jury.

The jury will award 30,000 US dollars each to two films in the competition for new Asian directors.

The Busan international Film Festival will run from Oct 1-10 with the Asian Film Market running from Oct 3-6 this year.

Ricky Martin to Launch New Talent Competition 'La Banda'

Ricky Martin has teamed up with Simon Cowell to launch a new talent competition titled 'La Banda'.

The 43-year-old singer says the aim of this talent program is to discover the next Latin boy band.

"We are creating a band, we are creating a super-band. As a judge, I am very lucky to be able to just sit there and watch hundreds of men just wanting to express themselves through music. I think the most important thing is to break boundaries. And yes, it is a Latino band that started in the United States. But my mission is to go across the Atlantic, and perhaps go across the Pacific."The judge panel of 'La Banda' also includes Alejandro Sanz and Laura Pausini.

The competition requires the contestants to speak Spanish and come from the US, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and Puerto Rico.

The final five in the competition can form a band and sign a record contract.

'La Banda' is scheduled to premiere on September 13th.

EXO Kicks off Hong KongPopular Korean boy band EXO have brought their second world tour "The EXO LuXion" to the Asia World Expo arena in Hong Kong.

The nine members of EXO performed over two nights with their hit songs including 'Love Me Right' and 'Baby Don't Cry'.

Over twenty thousand fans filled the arena, cheering and waving glow sticks as the band sang and danced their way through a set list of twenty-eight songs.

The Songs performed at the two-day concerts are mostly in Mandarin as the tour targets audiences in Hong Kong.

EXO is based in Seoul and made their debut in 2012.

The members are divided into two subgroups- EXO-K and EXO-M, performing music in Korean and Mandarin.

They rose to fame with the release of their best-selling album 'XOXO', which won Album of the Year at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in 2013.

The band are next set to play Xi'an this Saturday.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 20 degrees Celsius; it will see scattered showers tomorrow with a high of 28.

Neighbouring Tianjin will have thundershowers tonight with temperatures dipping down to 23, moderate rain tomorrow with a high of 28.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 25; overcast tomorrow with highs of 32.

Chongqing will see moderate rain tonight with a low of 22, also rainy tomorrow with a high of 25.

Lhasa will have slight rain tonight with a low of 9, rainy tomorrow with a high of 21.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, cloudy tomorrow, 38.

Kabul, cloudy, 32.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, cloudy with a high of 17.

Brisbane will see some clouds with a high of 20.

Perth, moderate rain, 18.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will see slight rain with a high of 14 degrees Celsius.

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

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

Cyanide Levels at Tianjin blast site reaching 28 Times over Safety Standard....

5 Chinese confirmed dead in Bangkok blast...

And UN calling on Syrian warring sides to protect civilians....

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, I'm Sophie Williams in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together...