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

Coming up on our program this morning...

A series of arrests have been made in connection with this month's deadly explosions at the Port of Tianjin.

A new research report into the next 5-year plan has been unveiled by Chinese lawmakers.

The father of the TV journalist murdered on-air is calling for the US gun lobby to be held accountable for his daughter's death.

In Business... three of China's biggest state-run banks reporting a significant slowdown in profits.

In Sports... Usain Bolt is golden again at the IAAF Championships here in Beijing.

In entertainment..... Oscar submissions are now open for Best Foreign Language Film.

Top News11 Officials under Investigation and 12 Detained over Tianjin ExplosionsAnchorChinese prosecutors have taken time to explain the decision to investigate and charge nearly two-dozen people in connection with this month's deadly explosion at the Port of Tianjin.

CRI's Yu Yang has the details.

ReporterThe Supreme People's Procuratorate is investigating 11 officials and port executives for allegations of dereliction of duty and abuse of authority.

Li Wensheng is heading the investigation.

He says they've found numerous causes for possible prosecution.

"Through our investigation, the special probe has found serious dereliction of duty in the licensing, approval, management and supervision of many administrative and supervision departments in Tianjin, including the municipal transport committee, the work safety bureaus and port authorities. We have opened official files and cases against the officials involved."The 11 officials being investigated include the director of the Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission, the former deputy-director of the Tianjin Municipal Communication, Transportation and Port Administration Bureau, the director of the Port Administration Office and the vice-head of the Tianjin Bureau of Work Safety.

Li Wensheng says their investigation process involves three steps.

"First, we investigate and collect evidence into the 11 suspects. Secondly, we will continue looking for more clues into what caused the blasts and put all suspects involved in the case under investigation. Third, we're also looking into possible embezzlement and bribery."At the same time, police have officially arrested 12 people connected to Ruihai International Logistics.

This is the company which owns the warehouse which stored the chemicals involved in the explosion.

Those arrested include Ruihai's chair, vice-chair and three deputy general managers.

They have been charged with illegally storing dangerous materials.

An inspector with the company which gave Ruihai the original safety approvals has also been taken into custody.

Meanwhile, five state-owned property developers in Tianjin have formed an alliance to purchase apartments damaged in the explosion.

Zong Guoying with the Binhai New District Committee says those who choose not to sell will also be given help.

"After the apartments are fully inspected, we'll work out a detailed plan. Depending on how badly the apartments are damaged, we'll decide whether or not to repair them or demolish them. We promise the government will provide compensation."The official death toll from the explosions currently stands at 145.

Nearly 30 others are still listed as missing.

For CRI, I'm Yu Yang.

Xinjiang Jails 45 Terrorists, People Traffickers45 people in Xinjiang have been given jail terms ranging from 4-years to life on terrorism-related convictions.

The group has been tried in 10 separate cases in different cities in Xinjiang.

Eighteen of them have been found guilty of human trafficking.

They have been convicted of helping more than 300 people cross the border illegally into Vietnam.

In a separate case, 5 have been sentenced to 8 to 10 years in prison for attempting to join the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and the Taliban.

Authorities say the group would often meet together to read books about religious extremism, watch videos featuring violent terrorism, and to conspire to traffic people to other countries to take part in international terrorist activities.

China opens media center for V-Day commemoration activitiesThe media center for the V-Day celebrations has officially opened.

Media center director Zhai Huisheng says they will be holding daily news conferences ahead of the September 3rd parade.

"More than 37-hundred journalists have registered. Among them, over 15-hundred are from over 400 foreign media outlets. Ahead of the military parade, we will arrange 6 news conferences and 6 different tours for the media. We're also going to offer cultural performances to help them better understand China and our current society."Academics will also be giving a series of lectures at the media center about the war.

The media center also has a website and social media account to give journalists covering the event real-time information.

China's military trains with US, AustraliaA trilateral military exercise among forces from China, Australia and the United States is underway in Australia.

Yang Yujun with the Chinese Defense Ministry says the exercise is focused mostly on survival training.

"The joint exercise will promote mutual understanding and friendship, deepen military cooperation and improve ground forces' operational capabilities and real-combat training levels."At the same time, the Ministry of Defense has announced plans for a joint naval exercise with Malaysia next month.

"The exercise will include joint escort training, naval hijacking drills, weapons training and humanitarian aid and disaster relief exercises."This will be the first joint exercise between the militaries of China and Malaysia.

Innovation Will Lead China's DevelopmentAnchorA new research report has been released by the National People's Congress, outlining some of the pressing issues to be dealt with over the next 5-years.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen had details.

ReporterThe report is meant to provide suggestions for Chinese central authorities putting together the 13th five-year plan.

One of the over-riding themes in the research report is how to keep China's economy moving under the "New Normal."This is the term being used to describe slower, but more sustainable growth.

Xin Chunying, deputy General Secretary of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, suggests future development will heavily rely on innovation.

"An innovation-driven development model is being suggested, with technological and systemic innovation highlighted as the key. Economic growth, industrial upgrades and the increase of our country's competitiveness is going to rely on technological advances."The report is the culmination of some 4-months of field research by lawmakers.

It's calling for a continued push toward a market economy.

At the same time, it also highlights income distribution, health, education and social security.

Xin Chunying says one area they're focusing on, in particular, is how to care for the country's elderly.

"Improving services for the elderly is one of the key areas we're focusing on in trying to building a well-off society in the 13th five-year plan period. The government is expected to play a leading role by providing financial support and policy incentives. The public sector is also being encouraged to tap into the area."The 13th five-year plan, the first under President Xi Jinping's leadership, is to map strategies for China's development with growth targets between next year and 2020.

The final goal is to produce a moderately prosperous society in the next 5-years.

The NPC's Xin Chunying says this is going to be done through better legislation.

"We're going to create new laws focusing on the protection of seniors' rights, comprehensive loan services and basic healthcare everyone. Legislation surrounding the protection of the maritime environment, poverty relief and food security will also be prioritized."The next 5-year plan is to be formalized at a meeting of the country's top lawmakers and advisors later this year in Beijing.

For CRI, I'm Wang Mengzhen.

Keep China's Cyber Space Clean Depends on Government Will Power: ExpertsAnchorQuestions are being raised in China about how far the government's crack-down on internet pornography is going, and whether more should be done to limit sexually-charged advertising.

CRI's Xiao Yi with more.

ReporterA typical scenario when surfing the web in China is that, as you scroll down while reading a serious story on your computer, a sexually-inclined picture or stories with sensational headlines will appear somewhere on the screen. This even happens at some China's major news portals, as observed by Ma Ai, an expert on criminology from the China Psychological Society.

"Many words have sexual connotations, which to some extent could influence the teenagers."Since more and more people work with computers in open spaces, this can be particularly disturbing for office workers, like this young woman who would only identify herself with surname of Ge.

"I'm an office worker and I need to search websites constantly. Since I share the office with many colleagues, it is very embarrassing to have things like that displayed on my screen when you have colleagues passing by."Airwaves are not immune from similar content. Programs that promote drugs claiming to enhance men's potency, complete with call-ins discussing various sexual experiences, are broadcast.

Why do serious news stories have to be mixed with sexual information?

Zhou Xiaopeng, deputy editor-in-chief of Sina.com, the largest news portal in China, says it depends on how administrators define their services and value orientation.

"Websites want to maintain high page views and traffic flow, so these things become part of their content. Basically, it is a dissimilation of legitimate business operations."Traditionally, Chinese are reserved on issues of sex. Open discussion of sexual matters was never part of their culture.

But the recent availability of widespread information, either on the internet or the airwaves, tends to turn this approach to sex upside down.

China has specific laws and regulations prohibiting obscene content from being published by its citizens, but few seem to be enforced in earnest, according to Hong Daode, professor of criminal law from China University of Political Science and Law, who believes the punishment for such violations is too lenient.

"As long as law enforcement bodies demonstrate their determination, and exercise zero-tolerance on this phenomenon, I believe website operators can find their way out with technical methods".

Hong believes that whether or not the country's cyber space and airwaves can keep clean depends on the will power of the state.

Ancient Chinese wisdom believes in "better late than never". What is lacking here is not wisdom. An unambiguous government policy is needed.

For CRI, I'm XYee.

Air and Snow Won't be Problems for Beijing Hosting Winter Olympics: expertAnchorA foreign advisor who worked closely with the Chinese Olympic Committee in setting up the 2008 Summer Olympics is speaking out about what's going to be needed for Beijing to put on a successful Winter Olympics in 2022.

CRI's Yu Yang has more.

ReporterProfessor Gilbert Van Kerchhove from Belgium is the President and founder of a Beijing-based management consulting firm.

He was deeply involved in the preparations of for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Van Kerchhove says one of the main issues leading up to 2008 was air pollution.

He says this shouldn't be a major concern by 2022.

"Today the laobaixing the normal Chinese people are very well aware of the problem. The Chinese government is also very well aware of it. The Chinese government has already taken major decisions in the 12th five-year plan to try to tackle the issue of pollution. Now we are moving to another five-year plan and measures taken by the government are even more important."At the same time, Van Kerchhove says the regional integration plans currently in-place are also going to make the 2022 Winter Olympics a lot easier to pull-off.

"This year the government has taken in Beijing very strict measures again, one of it being reducing the population of the city. Also the government is clamping down on any industrial development in the whole area of Beijing. Even some of the real estate regions that were planned have been taken back by the government. And they are now making green belts around Beijing."One of the concerns raised by observers ahead of the successful bid for the Winter Olympics is the lack of snow the capital region gets during the winter.

Van Kerchhove says this issue can be overcome with proper resource management.

"It's very interesting when you check a little bit of water availability for ski resorts, you will be very surprised that most of the big ski resorts today around the world, I'm not talking even about China, they all suffer from not having enough water. Now the issue is not really that much availability of snow, it's really availability of water controlling also the management of the water."Beijing will be home to the indoor winter events in 2022.

The alpine events are set to take place in the mountains to the north of Beijing in neighboring Hebei.

For CRI, this is Yu Yang.

Virginia reporter's father vows to combat gun violenceThe father of the television reporter murdered on-air this week in Virginia is speaking out for the first time.

Andy Parker says the gun lobby in the United States needs to be held accountable.

"How many times are we going to see a crazy person with a gun kill people? The politicians have got to stand up to the NRA and close some of these loopholes so that crazy people don't get guns. There are just too many guns in the hands of crazy people."Parker's 24-year old daughter Alison, along with her camera man, was gunned down while she was doing a live interview on Wednesday morning.

The shooter, a disgruntled former employee, later killed himself.

Meanwhile, grieving staff at the TV station have returned to the anchor desk for the first time.

"It wasn't easy. I knew it was going to be the hardest day of my career and it has been. But I knew that I had to be here, I had to be here for our station, for our family, mostly I had to be here for Alison and Adam because I know if it had been me or anyone else here, they would have done it for me."Authorities say the killer, 41-year old Vester Flanagan, was a former on-air reporter at the station who was let go a couple of years before.

He's been described as a troubled man who had persecution issues.

Bodies of Dozens of Migrants Found in TruckDecomposing bodies of at least 20 migrants have been found in a truck parked near the border between Austria and Hungary.

Hans Peter Doskozil with the local police says they're still searching for more victims.

"We are acting on the assumption that the figure of 20 will be surpassed, we reckon that 20 to 50 persons were transported in the van, and that those 20 to 50 persons died. It is highly probable that these persons are refugees who have been transported by people smugglers on the East-West route"Authorities haven't said what they believe the cause of death may be.

Autopsies are set to be conducted in Vienna.

The discovery comes as European leaders continue to meet at summit of Balkan states in Vienna to discuss the massive influx of migrants this year.

Tens of thousands of people, mainly from Africa and the Middle East, have been using the Balkan region as a gateway to try to make it into other parts of Europe.

Greek Supreme Court chief sworn in as caretaker PMThe head of Greece's Supreme Court, Vassiliki Thanou, has become the first female Prime Minister in Greece's history.

She is taking over as an interim Prime Minister as the country heads into elections next month.

Outgoing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras took part in the hand-over ceremony.

"I am very pleased to welcome the first female prime minister in the history of the Greek republic - and this is an important step. I am certain that you and the government that you will appoint will respond in an exemplary way to your duties in a crucial moment for the country."Tsipras called for snap elections a day after finalizing a new bailout agreement with the country's European creditors earlier this month.

Ukraine clinches debt-restructuring deal with int'l creditors: PMThe Ukrainian government and its international private creditors have reached an agreement on restructuring the country's foreign debt.

The deal comes after some 5-months of negotiations.

Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk says investors who own Ukrainian bonds are being asked to write off 20 percent of their holdings.

"We have managed to achieve these conditions: firstly, 20 percent of our debt will be written off by our creditors. We can say that the Government got almost 4 billions of US Dollars written off. Secondly, the price for monthly interest credit payments will not rise. Thirdly, for the next four years, Ukraine will not be paying the main body of credit."The deal will also extend the payment period on the government bonds by 4 years.

Ukraine has been in talks with its private foreign lenders over restructuring its public debt since mid-March.

Ukraine's total external debt sits at around 126-billion US dollars.

This is around 110-percent of the country's GDP.

Saudi Ministry of Health Records New MERS CasesSaudi Arabia's Health Ministry has confirmed a series of new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in the country.

Doctor Abdulaziz Asseri says the new cases are believed to be connected to an earlier outbreak of the virus.

"Fourteen additional cases have been recorded and confirmed, linked to the outbreak at the King Abdul Aziz City National Guard, bringing the total number of cases of this outbreak since more than a month to 71 confirmed cases in our laboratories and there are still 35 cases hospitalized, 19 cases in intensive care unit."Researchers in Saudi Arabia are looking into possible links between livestock and the spread of the MERS.

MERS, first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia, is a SARS-like corona virus.

It can have a mortality rate of up to 90-percent in some cases.

So far the latest MERS outbreak has been confined to Saudi Arabia.

Nigeria marks 500 days since schoolgirls seized by Boko HaramAnchorRelatives of over 200 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents have taken to the streets to mark 500 days since their abduction.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara reportsReporterParents of the abducted girls marched on the streets of Abuja on Thursday waving placards with pictures of their missing daughters, urging the government to save them.

But a mother of one of the abducted girls says the government has done very little so far"For 500 days they have been searching for the Chibok girls but they cannot get one, just one, just one. They cannot get just one of them and they cannot get the necessary information where these girls are. Now we don't even know whether they are alive or dead. With faith, with hope I know that she is alive but they are not doing anything for us at all."Boko Haram fighters stormed the Government Secondary School in the remote town of Chibok in Borno state on the evening of April 14 last year and seized 276 girls who were preparing for their year-end exams.

Fifty-seven children managed to escape but nothing has been heard of the 219 others since May last year. That was when about a 100 of them appeared in a Boko Haram video in full hijab and reciting the Koran.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has since said they have all been "married off."The father of an abducted girl says he fears that the girls are being be kept as slaves.

"Five hundred days is not five days, it's very painful. Our daughters, in their mother land, they are now in slavery, it is very painful. We only pray that Buhari will try his possible best to rescue our daughters."The Nigerian military says it knows where the girls are. But they have ruled out a rescue effort because it would put the girls' lives in jeopardy.

Aisha Yesufu, leader of the community group Bring Back Our Girls, that organized the march says children in Nigeria are now living in fear after the abduction incident"The captivity of the Chibok girls, one thing that it has done to us is the fact that it has made our children to be so afraid. They have this fear that they too can go to school and be taken away and nothing will be done for 500 days just the way that Chibok girls have been taken away."The date was marked as the security situation in northeastern Nigeria – the stronghold of Boko Haram – continued to deteriorate.

Boko Haram has stepped up deadly attacks since the new President Muhammadu Buhari took office, killing more than 1,000 people in three months.

More than 15,000 people have died and some 1.5 million have been forced to flee their homes since the Islamist insurgency started in 2009. The fighting has also spilled over the border to Chad and Niger.

Nigeria's new President, who came to power in May, had given his generals three months to crush the bloody insurgency.

But so far there is no end in sight.

For CRI I'm Poornima WeerasekaraNASA: Sea Level Rise AcceleratingNASA has released new images showing a rise in global sea levels.

The agency says its analysis shows sea levels have risen four inches over the last two decades.

NASA Climate Scientist, Josh Willis, says the seas are still rising.

"There has been an acceleration in the rate of global sea level rise. Definitely since the late 1800s. At about 1900 sea level was rising at a rate of one millimeter per year. By the middle of the 1900s it was about two millimeters per year and the modern day rate is three millimeters per year."Melting polar ice and the expansion of ocean water due to trapped carbon emissions are being blamed.

NASA says sea levels could rise by as much as several feet over the next century.

Knut drowned after brain swellingResearchers in Germany have finally determined what caused the death of a famous polar bear at one of the country's zoos a number of years ago.

Zoologist Alex Greenwood says they've figured out that 'Knut' died of a rare form of encephalitis.

"We have got to solve why he actually died, because it was an autoimmune disease, the same way rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases attack your own immune defences, your own antibodies attack you, that's exactly what happened to Knut, it wasn't because of an infectious disease."The polar bear drowned 4-years ago after collapsing in his enclosure at the Berlin Zoo.

The report into his death has finally determined the animal died from an anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.

This is a rare autoimmune disease only discovered in humans 8-years ago and never previously found in animals.

Greenwood says their research will go a long way toward better understanding this rare form of encephalitis.

"The knowledge gained from his death should benefit both human medicine, because people will know the Knut disease and be more aware of it, and for animal medicine, now they have something new they can consider when they're dealing with these cases, which they wouldn't have even been thinking about, because nobody had heard of these diseases outside of human medicine in principle, it wasn't being considered."Encephalitis is an autoimmune disease which attacks the lining of the brain and spinal cord.

It causes swelling which can often-times be fatal.

WeatherBeijing will see showers with a high of 32 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 21.

Shanghai will have thundershowers with a high of 30 and a low of 24.

In Chongqing, it will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 29 and lows of 22.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Kathmandu, moderate rain, 27.

Islamabad will be sunny with a high of 35.

Kabul will be cloudy with a high of 28.

Over to North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 27 degrees.

Washington, cloudy with a high of 28 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 29.

Toronto will see slight rain with a high of 25 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 22.

And Rio de Janeiro will have slight rain with a high of 23 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsXinjiang Jails 45 Terrorists, People Traffickers45 people in Xinjiang have been given jail terms ranging from 4-years to life on terrorism-related convictions.

The group has been tried in 10 separate cases in different cities in Xinjiang.

Eighteen of them have been found guilty of human trafficking.

They have been convicted of helping more than 300 people cross the border illegally into Vietnam.

In a separate case, 5 have been sentenced to 8 to 10 years in prison for attempting to join the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and the Taliban.

Authorities say the group would often meet together to read books about religious extremism, watch videos featuring violent terrorism, and to conspire to traffic people to other countries to take part in international terrorist activities.

China, Iran pledge closer cooperationChinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has sat down for talks with the head of the Iranian government's nuclear program here in Beijing.

Iranian Vice President Ali-Akbar Salehi, also head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, says he hopes to see China continue to exert its influence in the implementation of the new nuclear deal.

For his part, Wang Yi says China will help Iran safeguard its rights for civil nuclear energy.

China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, was one of the principles involved in the negotiations to hammer out a nuclear agreement with Iran.

MH17 final report to be disclosed on Oct. 13It's been announced the final report into the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine will be made public on October 13th.

The Dutch Safety Board says the relatives will be informed about the conclusions before the official publication.

A preliminary report issued in September says the crash was caused by a large number of high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from the outside.

Earlier this month, authorities announced that 7 parts from a surface-air-missile system have been found in the MH17 crash zone in eastern Ukraine.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 blew up mid-air while flying over eastern Ukraine last July on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.

All 298 people on board were killed.

Ukrainian authorities have pinned the blame on the rebels.

Moscow claims it was a Ukrainian fighter jet which took the plane down.

IAEA to establish the first nuclear fuel bank in KazakhstanThe International Atomic Energy Agency has announced the creation of a low-enriched uranium fuel bank.

It's being established in Kazakhstan.

The facility will eventually be able to hold up to 90-tons of low-enriched uranium.

The IAEA is going to spend around 150-million to build the facility.

Kazakhstan has been chosen as the site because of the country's rich uranium deposits.

Biz ReportsAnchorTurning onto business news. First, a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe as well as a recap on the Chinese market.

Joining me on the desk, Wang Mengzhen.

ReporterU.S. stocks closed higher for the second straight day on the back of optimistic US economic data and the rebound on the Chinese stock exchanges.

New stats show the US economy has grown by an annualized rate of 3.7% from April to June, beating expectations.

The growth has been driven by strong consumer and government spending, as well as higher exports.

Meanwhile, oil futures also jumped by more than 10% on Thursday, the biggest 1-day rise since 2009.

At the close,The Dow Jones added 2.3 percent.

The S&P 500 increased 2.4 percentThe Nasdaq surged 2 and half a percent.

Meanwhile in Europe,European stocks won also rallied on the back of upbeat markets news in other parts of the world.

At the closing bell,The UK's FTSE 100 gained 3.6 percent.

Germany's DAX advanced 3.2 percent.

France's CAC 40 added 3 and half percent.

Finally in China,Chinese stocks finally staged a much-needed rally on Thursday after shaking off a five-day losing streak.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index soared 5.3 percent.

The smaller Shenzhen Component Index added 3.6 percent.

ICBC, AGB and BoCom net profit gains less-than-expectedThree of China's "Big Four" state-owned commercial banks are reporting smaller-than-expected profits through the first half of this year.

Net profits for Industrial and Commercial Bank of China are up 0.7 percent year-on-year in the first half, coming in at around 150 billion yuan.

Agricultural Bank has recorded 0.5 percent profit growth in the first half year.

Bank of Communications' profit has come in at 1.5 percent, or just over 37-billion yuan.

Mounting bad loans and the central bank's recent monetary easing are being pointed to as factors.

Stats show ICBC has posted an over 30 percent increase in bad loans in the first half.

Agricultural Bank's bad loans are up 28 percent.

The profit reports follow on the heels of the Central Bank this week cutting interest rates and the reserve requirement ratio.

China's central bank pumps more money into marketThe central bank has pumped more money into the market to ease liquidity concerns.

The People's Bank of China has conducted a 150 billion yuan 7-day reverse repurchase agreement.

A reverse repo is a process where the central bank purchases securities from banks with an agreement to resell them in the future.

This reverse repo had a yield 2.35 percent, down from the 2.5-percent yield on Tuesday's reverse repo.

China eases expat home purchase rulesThe State Council, China's Cabinet, has eased restrictions on foreign investment in the country's property market.

The Ministry of Commerce is allowing both overseas institutions and individuals buy homes without going through the previous qualification process.

Under the old rules, foreigners who wanted to buy a home in China had to go through a year-long approval process.

Those restrictions have now been scrapped.

To apply for a purchase, overseas institutions will still need to have branches and representative offices in China.

Foreign individuals have to be either working or studying in the country.

Industry observers are suggesting the adjustment is unlikely to have major impact on the overall real estate market.

China's Wanda Completes $650 Million World Triathlon BuyDalian Wanda has purchased US-based World Triathlon Corporation in a deal worth some 650-million US dollars.

The Florida-based World Triathlon organizes virtually all of the triathlon competitions around the world.

Wanda chair Wang Jianlin says the acquisition has turned Dalian Wanda into the world's largest sports operations company in the world.

He says it will also promote triathlon's in China through training programs.

"What we want to do now is teach those who ride to run marathons and teach runners how to swim. Those who register will be given training and coaching. But I think it will take time to have 100-thousand people take part in the event in China. But our overall target is to have 200-thousand athletes participating in a decade."Wanda's acquisition of World Triathlon Corporation comes on the heels of the company's purchase of In front Sports and Media, which is one of the world's largest sports advertising firms.

China Investors Changing Lives of UgandansAnchorA Chinese company currently operating in Uganda in east Africa is suggesting the Chinese government's new "Belt and Road" initiative is going to help them expand their presense in the region.

CRI's Isabel Nakirya has more from Kampala.

ReporterFor 13 years the Tian Tang group has worked in Uganda, pumping 85 million US dollars into different sectors in the economy.

Its operating one of the biggest steel and mattress manufacturing companies in the east African nation.

Wang Wentong, owner of the multinational says business in Uganda is thriving.

"There is a good investment environment in Uganda, government gives a lot of support to the investors, for example we import the material for manufacturing and enjoy the tax-free."The Tian Tang group is changing the livelihood of over 10,000 Ugandans by providing employment.

"To the benefit of the local people, Tian Tang group is changing ordinary farmers to industrial laborers by empowering them through vocational training so that they can have better lives."Brenda Namugolo is a University graduate who has been working here at the mattress factory for one year.

Brenda says the job has helped her provide for her family...

Brenda Namugolo - Tailor"As a single parent it has helped me a lot because i can be able to feed myself, even to care for other children that are there at home."Wang Wentong expects to expand his business empire throughout Africa.

"In the future we want to build a bigger platform to facilitate other Chinese investors to come and invest in Africa, in Uganda particularly because China now because China now has the 'go out strategy' and a new initiative called 'one belt one road' which is a good policy to encourage Chinese companies to go out and Tian Tang group is willing to provide some contribution in providing such platform."Chinese investment in Uganda has continued to grow and currently stands at 596 million dollars providing jobs to more than 28,000 Ugandans.

For CRI, I'm IN in Kampala, Uganda.

Eswar Prasad Launches Book and Holds Talks on RMB's Role in Global FinanceThe former head of the IMF's China Division has stopped in Beijing for a tour of his new book.

Eswar Prasad's "The Dollar Trap: How the U.S. Dollar Tightened Its Grip on Global Finance" is now available in Chinese.

Speaking to reporters at the launch of his book here in Beijing, Prasad says he believes the Renminbi is beginning to stake its claim as a global reserve currency.

But at the same time, he says authorities need to do more to make the Chinese currency more "freely usable."Amazon Fire Phone Flop: Layoffs At Online Retailers' Special Devices LabIt is being reported that Amazon is laying off employees at "Lab 126" in Silicon Valley.

The Lab is a secretive wing of the online retailer that focuses on developing hardware.

It's the first time in "Lab 126's" 11-year history that there have been layoffs.

The job losses follow an attempt by Amazon to enter the smartphone market.

However, it's failed to impress consumers.

Fire Phone, which features facial-recognition software, has seen disappointing sales numbers since its release.

Amazon is also said to be scaling back on other hardware projects, including its planned large-screen tablet.

SportsUsain Bolt Wins World Championships 200 Metres FinalUsain Bolt has triumphed yet again in Beijing.

Bolt has taken gold in the 200-meter event at the IAAF World Championships, clocking in with a time of 19.55 seconds.

"I am definitely satisfied. I am definitely proud of myself. I think I really showed my championship potential at this championships so I am really happy with myself."American Justin Gatlin came in 2nd.

Galtin says he's going to focus now on getting ready for the forthcoming season.

"That's the plan. The plan is to go home and get ready for the next season. Hopefully I will see him on the circuit. If not I'll see him at Rio."Meanwhile, in a bizarre incident, Usain Bolt was accidentally taken down by a cameraman on an electric scooter while taking part in his victory lap.

Hit in the legs, Bolt wasn't seriously hurt.

--On the women's side,American Allyson Felix has taken the gold in the women's 400 meter event.

"Yeah. It's really neat. Especially to do it at 400 metres and it just means a lot to still be here."Shaunae Miller from the Bahamas claimed silver and Shericka Jackson of Jamaica took bronze.

-------On the medal standings,United States has surpassed England into second place with 3 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze.

Kenya still tops the medal count with 6 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze.

China remains in 15th place with 3 silver and 1 bronze.

Lesia Tsurenko defeats Karolina Pliskova in Connecticut Open QuarterfinalsIn tennis action from the Connecticut Open,Little-known Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine has earned a place in the semi-finals of the tournament, downing fifth-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-2.

This is Tsurenko's first career semi-final.

Tsurenko is next going to face Lucie Safarova from the Czech Republic, after she knocked out Dominika Cibulkova.

In women's doubles,Taiwan's Chan Hao-Ching and her American partner Casey Dellacqua have been bounced, going down to a pair from the US and Canada in straight sets.

----------------------Ahead of the start of the US Open this coming week, world number one Serena Williams has been fielding a lot of questions about her potential shot at the record books.

"I feel like there's always another record and there's always another person to catch up with or to pass. And I never really thought I would be in this position where I would be even talking about records or talking about passing Steffi Graf or even mentioning Margaret Court. I just grew up trying to be the best that I could and do the best that I could."If Williams wins the US Open, it will the first time since Steffi Graf in 1988 that a player has won all four Grand Slam's in a calendar year.

----------------------Meanwhile,Novak Djokovic has been appointed goodwill ambassador by UNICEF.

"As somebody that was very fortunate in life to pursue his dreams and to realize his dreams, I share the same philosophy and I share the same mission on making sure that every child, not just in Serbia but worldwide, has the opportunity to dream and has a good start in their life because education is the fundamental basis for everything that is expected of them in their later adult life."The world number one has also established a Foundation in partnership with the World Bank to promote early childhood development.

----------------------Here in China,The list for this year's China Open has been announced.

Ten Grand Slam winners and nine players who have been in the world number one spot are booked for Beijing.

Men's current world number one Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are the highlights on the men's side.

The star-studded women's line-up includes Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Victoria Azarenka and the Williams sisters.

The China Open gets underway here in Beijing on September 27th.

Draw for 2015-16 UEFA Champions League Group Stages ReleasedIn football,The draw for the forthcoming UEFA Champions League group stages has been set.

32 teams have been drawn into 8 groups of four.

Title-holders Barcelona will be in a group with Bayer Leverkusen, Roma and BATE Borisov.

Real Madrid are pooled with Shakhtar Donetsk, Paris Saint-German and Malmo.　Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno.

"It's going to be a very even group with six difficult matches, PSG has a very, very strong squad, not just the staring eleven, because it is a squad full of international stars, some players who can win a game on their own. It is going to be difficult, we know that, but at the same time we know that if we play at our level of course we'll have our chances to qualify."Other groups include Juventus, Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Manchester United return after a one-year absence against top-seeded PSV Eindhoven, CSKA Moscow and Wolfsburg.　Champions League group action begins on September 15th.

---------------In off-court football news,Argentinian star Lionel Messi has been voted UEFA's best player in Europe for this past season.

The 28-year-old has claimed the title for the second time ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez.

"I feel very happy. I would like to thank you all, especially my teammates. This is theirs as well. I believe that this represents all the changing room,. We had goals for this year and, without them, we wouldn't be here. This is from all of us."--------------Other football news,Thiago Alcantara has extended his contract with Bayern Munich ahead of schedule for two years.

The 24-year-old Spaniard joined Bayern in the summer 2013 from Barcelona.

He has made only 41 appearances due to a serious knee injury.

The two-year contract extension keeps the midfielder with Bayern Munich until June 2019.

LA Dodgers beat the Cincinnati Reds 1-0A quick look at the Major League Baseball,The Los Angeles Dodgers have completed a three-game sweep of the reeling Cincinnati Reds with a 1-0 win this morning.

Zack Greinke allowed just 4 hits over 7 innings, giving the Dodgers its first sweep of Cincinnati since a three-game set in July 2009.

The 31-year-old has improved to 7-2 in 12 games against Cincinnati.

In other action,The Kansas City Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-1.

The LA Angels blanked the Detroit Tigers 2-0.

The Texas Rangers saved themselves from a sweep, downing the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1.

And it was the San Francisco Giants over the Chicago Cubs 5-1.

Chinese players claim all titles at chess world championshipsChinese players have claimed all of the top prizes at the Go Chess World Championships in Munich, Germany.

The six-day competition attracted 63 players from 20 countries.

EntertainmentBest Foreign-Language Film Oscar submissions for 2016Submissions for the Best Foreign-Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards are pouring in and will continue until October, when the full list of eligible submissions will be revealed.

It's been reported that China is going to submit the drama "Wolf Totem" for this year's Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The film is based on a legendary Chinese novel which has topped the bestseller charts for four years since its publication.

It tells a story about a young man, who is sent to Inner Mongolia to teach shepherds and who becomes fascinated with local wolves.

So far Kazakhstan has selected Stranger as the official submission for Foreign Language Category, and Germany has picked 'Labryinth of Lies'.

Last year, a record 83 countries submitted features and the eventual winner was Polish feature Ida, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.

This year's nominations must be submitted by Oct 1.

Nine finalists will be shortlisted, which will be whittled down to five nominees that will be announced on Jan 14, 2016.

The 88th Academy Awards will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb 28, 2016.

Ingrid Bergman Cannes doc set for US releaseRialto Pictures has acquired U.S. and Canadian theatrical rights to "Ingrid Bergman - In Her Own Words," a feature-length documentary tribute to the international movie icon.

The film had its world premiere in the Cannes Classics section earlier this year and will hit the New York Film Festival in October.

"In Her Own Words" features never-before-seen home video footage alongside Bergman's personal notes, letters and diaries to create an intimate portrait of one of the most acclaimed film actresses of all time.

"In Her Own Words" was awarded the special Golden Eye for Best Documentary at this year's Cannes Classics program.

The doc is set to open at New York's Lincoln Plaza Cinemas on November 13 and L.A.'s Nuart on December 11.

Taylor Swift invites Lisa Kudrow onstage for 'Smelly Cat'

Continuing her run of inviting surprise guests to join her onstage during her current tour, Taylor Swift performed duets on Wednesday night with Selena Gomez and Justin Timberlake.

But it was her ode to a cat that had everybody talking.

Midway through her set in Los Angeles, Swift brought out actress Lisa Kudrow for a loose rendition of "Smelly Cat," the song Kudrow's ditsy Phoebe character famously sang on "Friends."In recent weeks, Swift's concerts have included cameos by enough celebrity guests to fill a week's worth of late-night talk shows.

Among them: Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Rock, Julia Roberts, John Legend, Alanis Morissette, and more.

The U.S. leg of Swift's "1989" tour wraps up on October 31 in Tampa, Florida.

U2 Premieres New Video for 'Song For Someone'

U2 has released a new music video for "Song For Someone" from their most recent album Songs of Innocence.

The band shared the Matt Mahurin-directed video on facebook.

It features footage of Bono shot earlier this year in Malibu, California, interspersed with the typically-epic U2 imagery of barren deserts, daunting silhouettes, and smoky night skies.

This isn't the first time Mahurin has collaborated with U2. The illustrator-photographer worked with them on their 1993 video for "Love Is Blindness."In July 2015, U2 shared an earlier music video for "Song for Someone," this one a nine-minute short film starring Woody Harrelson.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

A series of arrests have been made in connection with this month's deadly explosions at the Port of Tianjin.

A new research report into the next 5-year plan has been unveiled by Chinese lawmakers.

The father of the TV journalist murdered on-air is calling for the US gun lobby to be held accountable for his daughter's death.

In Business... three of China's biggest state-run banks reporting a significant slow down in profits.

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.