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

Coming up on the program this evening...

The Chinese premier says the economy is operating within an appropriate range, though there are challenges...

the country's legislature has removed the death penalty as a punishment on nine crimes...

over a hundred thousand protesters have rallied in Tokyo against security bills that would expand the role of the military...

In the 2nd half of the hour, we'll bring you some of the science & technology stories that have made headlines over the past week.

In Sports...a Chinese high jumper is going for the gold at the athletics world championships in Beijing...

And in Entertainment...a Chinese crime drama's first weekend of release earns 100 million yuan at the 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.

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Top NewsChina's economy operating within appropriate range: PremierPremier Li Keqiang says China's economy is operating within an appropriate range and the country continues to lead the world in terms of growth.

Li says the implications of recent world market volatility are growing for China's financial markets as well as for imports and exports, adding new pressure on the economy.

On the issue of economic work in the coming months, Premier Li says the key is delivering results from decisions already made, with top priority given to ongoing development.

He adds that proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy will stay in place.

The Premier says as the traditional drivers for economic growth are not as strong, it is necessary to provide more public goods and services, and encourage mass entrepreneurship and innovation to boost momentum.

Li Keqiang says there exists no basis for continued depreciation of the RMB and China is well positioned to defend the bottom line, and to prevent regional and systemic risks.

China adopts amendments to Criminal LawAnchor:

China's top legislature has adopted amendments to the Criminal Law, removing the death penalty for nine crimes. Among other changes, the amendment alters conviction standards for the crime of corruption, and extends protections for women and children.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen has more.

Reporter:

The National People's Congress Standing Committee on Saturday voted to change the conviction standards for the crime of corruption.

The amendment says criminals convicted on serious corruption charges who have received a two-year suspended death sentence will face life imprisonment after serving two years.

The move aims to safeguard judicial fairness and prevent the most corrupt criminals from serving shorter prison terms through commutation.

Qu Xinjiu, professor at the China University of Political science and Law, says the amended statute is more reasonable than the previous one.

"Compare to the previous provision, the change is that other factors, such as the motivation and the damage to the society, will also be considered. This can rectify the unreasonable phenomenon in which only the amount of corruption is concerned. Of course, the level of corruption is still the most important factor to consider."The new rule mainly targets officials who illegally seek commutation, parole or non-prison sentences.

At the same time, the amendments also stipulate that human traffickers must face harsher criminal penalties.

Professor Qu Xinjiu says that, compared with previous revisions, the change is relatively substantial.

"The old version stipulated that the crime could be remitted if one didn't abuse or rape the trafficked women or children, or impede the rescue, which means the police would not press charges. But the law has changed and now those actions will only alleviate your penalty, which is a world of difference from the original version."The revised law also repealed the crime of sex with underage prostitutes and reclassified it as rape, meaning it involves a tougher punishment.

Under the previous law, people who have sex with prostitutes less than 14 years old face a maximum of 15 years in prison, while those convicted of raping a child may face the death sentence.

The revision comes after heated debates among many legal professionals questioning whether to scrap the crime of sex with underage prostitutes since it was written into the Criminal Law in 1997.

The top legislature has also removed the death penalty for nine crimes at the end of a six-day bimonthly session.

The nine crimes include smuggling, counterfeiting currency and raising funds by means of fraud, among other things.

After removing the death penalty for these crimes, those convicted will face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

For CRI, I'm Wang Mengzhen.

China, DPRK hold symposium on Japan's distortion of aggression historyExperts from China and North Korea have gathered in Pyongyang and have held a first international symposium on Japan's distortion of its invasion history.

Representatives from the North's Academy of Social Sciences and members of the history society of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression delivered speeches at the symposium.

Officials and experts from both sides have discussed Japan's aggression.

They've also talked about Japan's distortion of history which includes crimes such as the conscription of comfort women, forced labor from the Korean peninsula, and the Nanjing Massacre.

South Africans looking forward to China's V-Day military paradeSouth African students and academics have expressed much interest and expectations in China's upcoming military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of its victory over Japan in World War II.

Evance Kalula, a professor at the International Academic Programs Office at the University of Cape Town, says the military parade will allow people to learn more about history and the contributions China made in the war.

"Too often all we are told in the history books is about the Western front. Yes, the war on the Western front was important, but there's also the Asian front where people suffered and the gallant people and soldiers of China did everything possible to defeat the Axis in terms of the Japanese and the Germans. This is worth remembering - that the Second World War was not fought on one front, it was fought on several fronts."Over 30 heads of state and government leaders, including South African President Jacob Zuma, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Korean President Park Geun-hye, will attend the military parade.

Part II –Two Individuals' SacrificeAnchor:

We now continue our VJ Day series marking the 70th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the end of World War II.

For China's northeastern provinces, it was a 14-year battle against Japanese occupation and colonial rule. For the entire nation, it meant an all-out war of eight years. National salvation depended on both collective efforts and individual sacrifices.

Sometimes it seemed as if the fate of the entire Chinese nation was on the shoulders of just one person.

In our 2nd report, CRI's Xiaoyi tells about stories of a guerrilla solider and a child ox herder who contributed to the war effort.

Reporter:

Reporter:Areas along the Songhua River in Heilongjiang Province, especially the vast mountains and deep jungles,witnessed prolonged guerrilla warfare. Soon after it gained full control of the northeast after the September 18th incident in 1931, Japan set up a puppet Manchuria regime and imposed colonial rule, seizing resources, and enforcing cultural invasion.

As China withdrew its regular army, guerrilla warfare became the main form of resistance.

91-year-old Huang Dianjun explains why he fought.

"(People were) Oppressed by the Japanese, beaten and cursed by them. We were furious and full of anger. We had to stand up."Huang Dianjun joined the combats in snowy mountains. They were led by General Yang Jingyu.

Writer and historian Sa Su says General Yang was one of the most heroic figures in those days, a brave soldier with military wisdom.

"He was the master of guerilla warfare. He was 1.9 metres tall and was nimble. So hew as like god to many Chinese. His troops were quick to attack and quick to retreat. They often travelled long distances, leaving enemy troops tracing behind at a loss.Once there was an opportunity for combat, he seized it."Heavily outnumbered by the enemy, the guerillas managed to inflict big losses of the Japanese, who mobilized elite troops to catch him.

A scorched earth strategy was carried out, looting rural harvests to cut off any means of supply. In February 1940, YangJingyu and his men were separated ands urrounded by Japanese troops.He was fighting alone, but hit and ran for five days, with no food at all. Finally, he was killed by machinegun shots.

Historian Sa Su says Yang Jingyu won the respect of even enemy soldiers.

"The Japanese media reported that their soldiers couldn't help but burst into tears for his braveness when they approached the dead body."Unable to understand why he could hold on, the Japanese ordered an autopsy, only to find tree bark, cotton and grassroots in his stomach, for he had not eaten for more than six days.

Japanese commander at the scene, Ryuichiro Kishitani, was shocked. Later, after Japan's defeat, he committed the seppuku-style suicide. His will reads," His Majesty might be wrong in launching this war. China has steely soldiers like Yang Jingyu. It would not fall."YangJingyu's death inspired more people to fight. During the 14-year occupation of the northeast and eight-year national war, many joined in the battles.

Down south, in Laiyuan County, about 210 kilometres southwest of Beijing, a boy oxherd's story moved many hearts. A song depicting the sacrifice of 13-year-old Wang Erxiao later became a national hit.

On October 25th, 1942,Erxiao was herding his ox on a mountain slope, when he saw dozens of Japanese soldiers approaching, in search of wounded Chinese soldiers. Thinking there were also thousands of villagers hiding in the valley, the boy lied to the Japanese and led them to the ambush of the Chinese army.

85-year-old Shi Linshan remembers how he cooperated with Erxiao to warn Chinese soldiers that Japanese troops were coming.

"A bayonet was pointed at his back towards the heart. They forced him to show the way to the Chinese army base. He circled them around. He was stalling so that our soldiers could retreat."When ambushed, one angry soldier stabbed Erxiao and tossed his body onto a mountain rock. The boy died later.

1942 was a tough year for people in North China. Japan was eager to dispatch some of their troops in China to other countries and even cross into Siberia to open a second warfront against Soviet Red Army. But continued fighting in China pinned down many of their divisions, delaying or even barring them carrying out the strategies jointly designed with Nazi-Germany.

Frustrated, the Japanese troops intensified their scorched earth policy, killing, burning and looting, in order to tighten the grip of North China. A tougher time for China, whose regular army were engaged in major battles elsewhere. Therefore pinning down as many enemy troops as possible would mean doing the impossible, and they did it, often relying on individual sacrifices, as in the case of Wang Erxiao.

Deputy Curator of the Museum of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Luo Cunkang, emphasizes the distinguished contribution Chinese people made to the global anti-Fascist war.

"Another thing is China was the main oriental battlefield in the whole picture of the world's anti-Fascist war.However some Chinese people have little awareness of the important role that China played in this regard. Also the international community has put little emphasis on this fact."1.5 million Japanese soldiers were eliminated in China, accounting for about 70 percent of Japanese casualties in World War Two. That helped achieve the overall victory of allied troops, at a huge cost of national sacrifices and individual pains, with a total casualty of 35-million Chinese.

Back anchor: CRI's Xiaoyi with Part Two of our VJ-Day series. Tomorrow, we will take a detailed look at the bitterness of the war.

China's new Rainbow No. 5 UAV completes maiden flightThe Chinese Rainbow 5 unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV has successfully completed its maiden flight in Gansu Province.

According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), Rainbow 5 is the largest reconnaissance and strike drone developed by China.

Ou Zhongming, head of the UAV project, says the maiden flight is considered a success.

"It is successful in accordance with our standards, as the taxiing distance before the taking-off and after landing and the landing point were all within the limits permitted by our calculation."Rainbow 5 is designed to perform reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting, and intelligence gathering.

Russian bear anaesthetized after roaming into ChinaA black bear from Russia has been captured and released into the wild after crossing into China.

The small bear was spotted swimming across the border river of Wusuli into Heilongjiang Province on Saturday morning.

Forestry officials used a tranquilizer gun to subdue the bear, then released it into a forest away from the populated area.

The local government says four bears have been spotted crossing the border since August 20. Local authorities are tracing the other three to ensure locals' safety.

Reports of tigers and bears crossing into China from Russia have been rising, thanks to improved habitat along the border.

Last year, two Siberian tigers released by Russian President Vladimir Putin wandered into China.

IOC President Visits Chongli CountyThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) President visited Zhangjiakou's Chongli County in north China's Hebei Province on Sunday.

Some events of the 2022 Olympic Games will be held in this county.

Thomas Bach believes the Games will bring great benefits to the area.

"We are very happy that the Olympic Winter Games 2022 can serve as a catalyst for the already existing long-term development plan for Chongli County, and for the Hebei Province, together with neighboring provinces."In the first seven months of this year, 2.3 million visitors visited the county, and brought 1.25 billion yuan of tourism income. This is an increase of 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

World Championship winner Bolt receives gift from cameraman who crashed into himAnchor:

Sprinter Usain Bolt, winner of several gold medals at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, has received a gift from the Chinese cameramen who accidentally crashed into the runner on Thursday following a race.

CRI's Guo Yan has the details.

Anchor:

Usain Bolt was knocked over by the cameraman on an electric scooter when he was celebrating completing the World Championship sprint double on Thursday evening.

Song Tao, the cameraman, explained he was following Bolt and staring at the camera lens' viewfinder when the self-balancing scooter's wheel caught another camera track on the ground and lost balance.

Song sent a red bracelet, a good-luck charm, to Bolt and placed it on the champion's wrist as an apology after the award ceremony on Friday night.

The world champion said at a news briefing afterward that he was not hurt in the accident and even made light of the situation.

"He said sorry as much as he could. But I checked to make sure if he was okay because I think he got the worst of it because he was off-balance falling backwards. I'm not sure if he hit his head but I'm just happy that he's okay. I'm fine, so it's all fun."The cameraman returned to work at the championships, saying he was also uninjured.

"My first thought was that, no matter what, please do not let Bolt be injured due to this. I was worried and did not feel relieved until the news briefing was over, when he said he was alright."Media staff at the games site said they understood that Song was so focused on his job that he did not notice the track on the ground.

Diago is a reporter for Globo television in Brazil.

"It's unfortunate because Tao Song... He did such a beautiful shot, he was circling around Usain Bolt as Bolt did the lighting, such a beautiful shot. He would be remembered by that, but the whole world has seen him, there were about thousands of cellphones filming him as he ran over Usain Bolt. Probably he was even more scared than Bolt to hurt that man's so expensive legs. He is very famous in Brazil now."Some Internet users joked that the cameraman was the only man capable of taking down Bolt, who has won all but one world and Olympic individual sprint titles since 2008.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

Tokyo Stages Protest against New Security BillsAn estimated 120-thousand people staged a rally in Tokyo on Sunday to protest recent security bills heralded by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The controversial bills would expand the role of Japan's military beyond self-defense. Japan's lower house has already passed the bills. A final decision on the new measures s expected next month.

Mami Tanaka, a mother participating in the protest with her three children, explains her presence at Sunday's event.

"So that we won't lose any more lives to war, unless we take action now, I think Japan will take a turn for the worse and that's why we are here today. Let's all do this."Polls show the majority of the Japanese population is opposed to the legislation.

UN Secretary General Regrets Egypt's Sentencing of JournalistsUN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed regret over the sentencing of Al-Jazeera journalists by an Egyptian court.

On Saturday, Egypt sentenced the journalists to three years in prison for operating without press licenses and broadcasting materials harmful to Egypt.

The journalists include a deported Australian reporter, an Egyptian-Canadian reporter, and an Egyptian producer. The three were arrested in 2013. Last year, two of them were sentenced to 7 years in prison while the other received a 10-year imprisonment, over charges that they were aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood. Saturday's verdict came from a retrial.

Peter Greste, the convicted Australian, challenged the verdict while speaking in Sydney.

"As you know, I'm also convicted and also sentenced to three years in prison. I'm also innocent. There was never any evidence that the court presented, that the prosecutor presented, either in the first trial or in the second, to confirm any of the allegations against us. And, in fact, I'd like to publicly challenge the prosecutor to present evidence of anything that we produced that was falsified."In a statement on Saturday, the UN Secretary-General highlighted the importance of pluralism and respect for fundamental freedoms for the long-term stability of Egypt. Ban had previously called on Egypt to process the trial while protecting freedom of expression and association and observing due process guarantees.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said she will seek to overturn the verdict through diplomatic means.

Bangkok bomb may conntect to certain groupsPolice in Thailand have hinted that they know who is behind the explosion in Bangkok that killed 20 people.

Police Chief Prawut Thawornsiri has said the attack could have been carried out by "certain groups" though he doesn't elaborate beyond that.

"It might be an act of vengeance by certain groups who weren't happy with the authority's work, the crackdown of their smuggling gangs or their fake passport businesses. It's all a possibility because in the past we have conducted a number of crackdowns on these cases."The Thai police detained a man in connection with the deadly blast.

The man is said to be part of a human-smuggling ring.

Investigators say he was found with bomb-making equipment and multiple passports. But he hasn't given any useful information.

The blast that hit the Erawan shrine in a busy Bangkok shopping district on August 17 was Thailand's worst single mass-casualty attack, killing 20 people.

Top U.S. security adviser in discussion with Pakistani PMU.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice has discussed bilateral issues and security matters with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Officials say a detailed statement about the meeting on Sunday will be released later.

Official sources say the U.S. security adviser is scheduled to hold more meetings that will include interaction with senior military leaders.

It is expected that the current stalemate in the Afghan peace negotiations may also be on the agenda of the U.S. security adviser.

Pollution at World's Largest Freshwater Lake Causing ConcernThe deteriorating ecosystem at the world's largest freshwater lake is causing concerns for environmental officials and scientists. Russian authorities say Lake Baikal, located in Siberia, has been plagued by illegal and irresponsible tourist activities.

The Irkutsk region Prosecutor for Conservation Aleksei Kalinin says some tourists have been dumping human waste and chemicals into the lake despite threats of hefty fines.

"We have found out that the conservation law is breached also by the tourist industry on the shores. Many tourist camps dump unfiltered waters. They dump this waste water on the shores."Officials say a growing number of illegal camp sites have popped up near the lake, coupled with an increasing flow of tourists, many of whom lack environmental awareness.

Abnormal amounts of seaweed have already been spotted near the lake's shores – an indication that ecological changes have already begun due to pollution.

Lake Baikal is the world's oldest and deepest lake and also home to 1,500 indigenous species. It was put on the UN's World Heritage list in 1996.

NASA Launches One-Year Isolation ExperienmentSix scientists have begun a year-long isolation experiment inside a small dome in Hawaii.

The NASA-sponsored program aims to simulate life on Mars.

The group of participants is made up by four Americans, one German and one Frenchman.

To test the limits of long-duration space exploration, the scientists will spend 12 months in a 30-square-meter dome. It is 11 meters in diameter and two stories tall. Each person will have a small room for privacy. Food will be provided in packets and cans.

The participants will be allowed to go outside – only in spacesuits, however, as they would if they were on Mars. They can also exit the experiment anytime.

Sheyna Gifford, a member of the group, says she will miss some earthly elements.

"Well I think it's taken for granted that we'll all miss our friends and family but just this, the wind in your face, the sun, that I'm gonna miss a lot."Kim Binsted, another member, says interpersonal dynamics will also be a factor in the experiment.

"The main thing that's new about this mission is its sheer length, so as you might imagine, as the group gets to know each other, that whole dynamic changes over time."The participants will be under constant surveillance via cameras and body movement trackers.

The isolation experiment will be the longest in US history, with the previous one lasting 8 months.

New Orleans holds "day of service" to mark tenth anniversary of hurricane KatrinaA "day of service" to mark the tenth anniversary of hurricane Katrina has been held in New Orleans, the city hardest hit by the devastating storm.

The hurricane put around 80 percent of the city under water and destroyed many communities in the eastern part of the city.

More than 300 million trees were completely destroyed or damaged during the storm.

Joanna Sese, a volunteer who experienced the hurricane at the age of 19, remembers the hurricane well.

"I was in college. I was not very far away. I remember seeing the flood, waters and people are evacuating their homes and people trying to find shelter, remember not understanding why people didn't have place to go and how we could let that happen,"The category-three storm claimed 1,800 lives.

WeatherBeijing will have slight rain tonight with a low of 18, tomorrow will have thunderstorm with a high of 26.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 24, tomorrow will also be cloudy, high of 31.

Chongqing will be cloudy with a low of 24, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 33.

Lhasa will have shower tonight with a low of 10, tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 22.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will have slight rain with a high of 35.

Kabul, cloudy, 26.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, cloudy, high of 17,Brisbane,sunny,20,Perth, slight rain, 15,And finally Auckland, New Zealand will have slight rain with a high of 17 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChina's economy operating within appropriate range: PremierPremier Li Keqiang says China's economy is operating within an appropriate range and the country continues to lead the world in terms of growth.

Li says the implications of recent world market volatility are growing for China's financial markets as well as for imports and exports, adding new pressure on the economy.

On the issue of economic work in the coming months, Premier Li says the key is delivering results from decisions already made, with top priority given to ongoing development.

He adds that proactive fiscal policy and prudent monetary policy will stay in place.

Tokyo Stages Protest against New Security BillsTens of thousands of people staged a rally in Tokyo on Sunday to protest recent security bills heralded by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The controversial bills would expand the role of Japan's military beyond self-defense. Japan's lower house has already passed the bills.

A final decision on the new measures s expected next month.

Polls show the majority of the Japanese population is opposed to the legislation.

Top U.S. security adviser in discussion with Pakistani PMU.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice has discussed bilateral issues and security matters with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Officials say a detailed statement about the meeting on Sunday will be released later.

Official sources say the U.S. security adviser is scheduled to hold more meetings that will include interaction with senior military leaders.

It is expected that the current stalemate in the Afghan peace negotiations may also be on the agenda of the U.S. security adviser.

New Orleans holds "day of service" to mark tenth anniversary of hurricane KatrinaA "day of service" to mark the tenth anniversary of hurricane Katrina has been held in New Orleans, the city hardest hit by the devastating storm.

The hurricane put around 80 percent of the city under water and destroyed many communities in the eastern part of the city.

More than 300 million trees were completely destroyed or damaged during the storm.

The category-three storm claimed 1,800 lives.

51 militants killed in Afghan army operationsFifty-one militants have been killed in the Afghan army's latest operations.

According to the country's Defense Ministry, four insurgents were wounded and 22 have been detained during the raids conducted in 14provinces since early Saturday.

About six army personnel were killed in firefights with insurgents and by roadside bombs during the operations.

IOC President Visits Chongli CountyThe International Olympic Committee (IOC) President visited Zhangjiakou's Chongli County in north China's Hebei Province on Sunday.

Some events of the 2022 Olympic Games will be held in this county.

Thomas Bach believes the Games will bring great benefits to the area.

In the first seven months of this year, 2.3 million visitors visited the county, and brought 1.25 billion yuan of tourism income. This is an increase of 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

Sci&Tech (Sunday)Anchor:

It's time to check the headlines from the past week in the science and technology sector.

Chinese lawmakers are considering increasing the financial incentives that inventors receive for their creations.

Chinese scientists have made a monumental breakthrough in genetics;An American student wins the 2015 Stockholm Junior Water Prize…We get more from CRI's Wen Jie.

Reporter:

China's top legislature is planning to increase the incentives received by inventors in academic circles, hoping the move will spur their vital research.

The plan would see the minimum reward raised to 50 percent of the invention's worth, up from the current 20 percent.

The bill was brought up for a second reading at the ongoing bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

It is the first attempt to revise the law in nearly two decades.

The move aims to encourage and standardize the commercial development of inventions made at research institutions and universities and accelerate sci-tech progress.

Chinese scientists have made a monumental breakthrough in understanding the structure and mechanism of the spliceosome, arguably the most complex macromolecular machine in genetics.

Shi Yigong, dean of the School of Life Sciences at Tsinghua University, announced the findings following the publication of two papers in the U.S. journal Science.

Shi's lab used the latest cryo-EM technology, which is used to study the architecture of cells, to map the structure of the spliceosome at atomic resolution. His findings improved the resolution by almost eight times.

The Spliceosome was discovered in 1977, but scientists had made no breakthroughs in the analysis of its structure until Shi's team announced its results after six year's of investigation.

"The spliceosome is a huge dynamic molecular machine. So naturally, we can see how each protein in the spliceosome functions, and how the sequences inside introns are identified. Therefore, if there is problem that leads to disease, we can imagine how the problem is formed."The breakthrough is expected to help scientists understand better genetic processes, as well as genetic disorders - 35 percent of which are caused in the splicing process.

An American student received the 2015 Stockholm Junior Water Prize on Tuesday night for inventing a filter through which toxic heavy metals from electronic waste can be removed from water.

At the Grand Hotel in central Stockholm, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden presented the prize to Perry Alagappan, who won out of the group of 29 finalists.

According to World Water Week, Alagappan's design created a first-of-its-kind filter that removes over 99 percent of heavy metal contaminants from drinking and industrial waste water.

The Jury believes the technology used in the project could revolutionize the way water can be treated and has a broad range of applications.

Teams from 29 countries competed in the 2015 finals of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, which encourages young scientists to develop their continued interest in water and the environment.

Chinese-developed offshore oil rig N0.981 completed its first deep-water, high temperature and high pressure (HT/HP) drilling on Monday in China's South China Sea.

The oil well's drilling depth reaches a record 4,448 meters.

Huang Yi is a manager of well drilling for China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

"According to the drilling result, the bottom hole temperature was 153 degrees Celsius, and the pressure coefficient was 1.93, which was above the standard of HT/HP wells in our industry".

Huang adds that deep water, high temperature and high pressure are the world-class problems for China's oil exploration and drilling.

The N0. 981 rig's successful drilling provided a technological support for China's construction of the giant gas/oil area in the South China Sea, and plays an important role in the country's energy safety.

The first head tower of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has been successfully hoisted, breaking the world record for the largest tower.

The 3000-ton head tower, measuring 105 meters high, was steadily lifted onto its base during a 10-hour operation.

It is the first time such a large head tower has been hoisted anywhere in the world.

The bridge is a mega sea crossing linking the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong province, and Macao Special Administrative Region.

NASA 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.

Researchers 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.

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 be fatal.

The installation of reflectors on the world's largest radio telescope in Southwest China's Guizhou province has begun, marking the start of a final key stage of the telescope's construction.

Located in a natural valley, the 500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope, known as the FAST Project, had its first reflecting unit installed in early August.

The reflector surface of the telescope consists of 4,450 reflecting units and the installation is due to be completed by March next year.

When completed, the telescope will take the place of the 305-meter-diameter Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico as the largest of its kind in the world.

The sensitivity of the telescope will be more than 10 times stronger than that of a 100-meter telescope near Bonn, Germany.

Scientists believe more discoveries and breakthroughs are expected after construction is completed in September 2016.

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

I'm Wenjie. See you next week.

SportsIAAF words call-inBeginning with action from the IAAF world championships on this last day of competition,Chinese high jumper Zhang Guowei is competing for a medal in the men's final tonight.

For the latest, we have our reporter Luo Bin on the line.

Back anchor: That was our reporter Luo Bin live at the Bird's Nest stadium.

Guo Ailun returns to national team for Asian championshipIn basketball,Top scorer from China's Olympic team Guo Ailun has returned to the national team.

Guo had injuries to tend to at the end of last season and wasn't available for training.

He played the Atlas eight nation challenge and the Stankovic continental Cup for the Olympic team and averaged 16 and 21 points respectively in these events.

Guo has resumed training and very likely will be selected for the men's Asian Championship next month.

Volleyball updateIn volleyball,China has beaten Cuba 3-0 at the FIVB women's world Cup in Japan.

That makes it five wins and one defeat for China so far.

Women's basketall: China beat Thailand 113-34In women's action,The host team China opened the Asian championships with a whopping 113-34 victory over Thailand.

China takes on South Korea, one of its toughest opponents, today.

Other action from the opening day,Defending champion Japan beat South Korea 59-53,Chinese Taipei defeated India 92-61.

The winner among the 12 teams gets a direct entry into the Rio Olympics Games.

Sunday football recapIn football,Bayern Munich returned to the top spot in the Bundesliga with a home victory over Leverkusen.

Thomas Mueller scored two goals in his 200th appearance for Bayern.

Mueller tops the scorers' chart with five goals from three games.

Arjen Robben topped it off with a penalty to make it 3-0.

In other action,Wolfsberg moved to second place on the table, behind Bayern, with a 3-0 win over Schalke.

Frankfurt downed Stuttgart 4-1,And Cologne edged Hamburg 2-1.

In the French Ligue 1,It seems Marseille's new coach needs time to make things work for his side. The team suffered a 2-0 defeat by Guingamp.

Players preview US OpenIn tennis,Serena Williams needs only a US Open title to complete a calendar year grand slam.

Williams has already won four straight grand slam events. The world number one says she will draw on the experience of dealing with the pressure to help her this week.

"I think Wimbledon gave me unbelievable practice for this. At Wimbledon I was going for the second Serena Slam. That is rare. So, yeah, that really gave me the best practice and preparation in terms of going for the Grand Slam."Another Grand Slam singles title will put Williams only two back from Margaret Court's record of 24.

On the men's side,Hoping to return to form is two-time champion Rafael Nadal, who is seeking a strong come back at a place that he's always fond of.

"Last year I missed the tournament so for me it's very special to be back. It's a tournament that I've had very positive feelings [about] the last couple of years, and New York is just very, very special for me and I'm going to try to be ready for it."The US Open begins tomorrow evening Beijing time.

EntertainmentChinese Hugo Award winner: Science-fi is to stimulate readers' imaginationChinese writer Liu Cixin, winner of this year's Hugo Award for Best Novel, has gone on record saying it is science fiction's mission to stimulate readers' imagination and arouse their interest in science.

At a book-signing for the second installment of his "The Three-body Problem" trilogy, the writer says the knowledge presented in his books is not science, but science fiction:

"I'm 100 percent sure that I know nothing about physics, cosmology or astronomy. The book targets at some general readers. Its function is to stimulate readers' imagination, broaden their mind and arouse their interest in real physics, real astronomy and real science, and then make them learn about it further more. I think it is the correct mission of a science fiction".

Last Sunday, "The Three-body Problem" received the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

It took two hours after the announcement for the books to grab a bestselling spot on Amazon.

Box Office of Crime Film "The Dead End" Exceeds 100 Million YuanChinese crime film "The Dead End" has nabbed over 100 million yuan, or 16 million US dollars.

This comes just three days after its opening.

The film tells a story in which a family of five is brutally slaughtered in a rape-murder case.

The perpetrators evaded arrests but later confessed to their crimes and were brought to justice.

The film is directed by Cao Baoping, who was also at the helm of many award-winning films such as "Einstein and Einstein" and "The Equation of Love And Death".

He was named the Best Director with "The Dead End" at the 18th Shanghai International Film Festival this June.

Three actors in the film - Deng Chao, Duan Yihong and Guo Tao shared the Best Actor award at the festival.

Downton Abby Releases Trailer for Final SeasonA trailer of the last season of British period drama Downton Abby has been released.

With "Time to Say Goodbye" as the background music, the one-minute trailer shows numerous members of the Crawley household and staff contemplating life outside of Downton.

Not much has been revealed about the upcoming farewell, other than it being set in 1925, six months after the Season 5 finale.

Jim Carter, who plays Mr. Carson, recently warned that the final episode on Christmas Day would bring even the most stoic of people to tears.

Earlier, producers of the drama said they were seriously contemplating a Downton Abbey movie.

Season 6 will kick off on September 20 in the UK.

Venice Film Festival: Martin Scorsese's 'The Audition' Premiere CanceledMartin Scorsese's much-anticipated short film "The Audition" will not debut at the Venice Film Festival this year, as originally planned.

The festival cites "technical problems" for the exclusion of the big-budget short.

Scorsese stars in the film, which has him pitting Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro against each other for a leading role in an upcoming film.

Brad Pitt also makes an appearance.

A representative for the film says the film is still in post-production and will not be completed in time.

Clive Owen Makes Broadway DebutBritish actor Clive Owen is making his Broadway debut.

He will play in a revival of Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter's 1971 play-"Old Times".

In the play, Owen's character Deeley and his wife Kate receive a visit from her longtime friend Anna, an encounter where memories are soon viewed as threats amidst building emotions.

Owen will appear alongside fellow Britons Eve Best, who previously starred in Pinter's "The Homecoming", and "True Detective" actress Kelly Reilly.

"Old Times" officially opens on Oct. 6 at the American Airlines Theatre in NYC and will run until November 29.

WeatherBeijing will have slight rain tonight with a low of 18, tomorrow will have thunderstorm with a high of 26.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 24, tomorrow will also be cloudy, high of 31.

Chongqing will be cloudy with a low of 24, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 33.

Lhasa will have shower tonight with a low of 10, tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 22.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will have slight rain with a high of 35.

Kabul, cloudy, 26.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, cloudy, high of 17,Brisbane,sunny,20,Perth, slight rain, 15,And finally Auckland, New Zealand will have slight rain 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 premier says the economy is operating within an appropriate range, though there are challenges...

the country's legislature has removed the death penalty as a punishment on nine crimes...

over a hundred thousand protesters have rallied in Tokyo against security bills that would expand the role of the military...

In the 2nd half of the hour, we'll bring you some of the science & technology stories that have made headlines over the past week.

In Sports...a Chinese high jumper is going for the gold at the athletics world championships in Beijing...

On 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.