新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2015/10/18(在线收听

 The Beijing HourEvening EditionIt's Paul James with you here on this Sunday, October 18, 2015.

Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the program this evening...
Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister David Cameron talk with the media ahead of the Chinese President's impending trip to Britain this week.
A major defense forum has wrapped up in Beijing.
At least one person is dead now that Typhoon Koppu has made landfall in the northern Philippines.
In the 2nd half of the hour, we'll be bringing you a recap of the major stories this week in the world of Science and Technology.
In sports... Novak Djokovic remains undefeated in China.
In entertainment... four different Chinese films are set to be screened at this year's Chicago Film Festival.
All of that coming up in the next hour, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.
You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour.
We're also on WeChat. Type in "Beijing Hour" to find us.
Email us directly at [email protected].
You can also visit crienglish.com for the latest news and information from China Radio International.
Top NewsXi Jinping talks with Reuters ahead of UK tripChinese President Xi Jinping has sat down for a one-on-one interview with the Reuters News Agency ahead of his forthcoming trip to the UK.
As part of the interview, the Chinese President has stood firm on Chinese sovereignty over the South China Sea.
But in addressing questions about it, Xi Jinping also says the Chinese side will manage disputes in the region through talks, and will always ensure freedom of navigation through the vital waterway.
At the same time, Xi Jinping also says the slowdown of the Chinese economy is a concern, but says steps are being taken to address the issue.
On a lighter note, Xi Jinping, a football fan, has talked excitedly about his impending trip to Manchester later this week, where he's going to tour Man City's football headquarters.
Preview of President Xi's UK VisitAnchor:
China's Ambassador to the UK has outlined what to expect when Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in London on Monday.
CRI's Niu Honglin has more.
Reporter:
President Xi Jinping will arrive in the UK on Monday - the first state visit to that country by a Chinese president in a decade.
"I am convinced that Xi Jinping's visit will officially usher in a golden era for China-UK relations."According to Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese President will be greeted with a high-level reception.
The president will honoured with a 103-gun salute on the Green Park and the London Tower Bridge and Queen Elizabeth will hold a grand welcome ceremony for him. After the ceremony, the royal couple will accompany Xi Jinping and his wife to Buckingham Palace.
"When I say 'super high standard,' I mean the royal family, not only the queen but also the three generations of royal family members, will attend President Xi's activities. On the government side, Prime Minister David Cameron will hold official talks with Xi Jinping and accompany him to participate in a series of activities."The Chinese President's time in the UK has been scheduled with a variety of activities, including a visit to historical London, and rambling in the countryside with Cameron.
Ambassador Liu Xiaoming notes that a number of cooperation deals are expected to be sealed during Xi Jinping's stay in the UK.
"The two governments will reach a series of agreements and companies on both sides will sign big contracts in such fields as infrastructure, financial cooperation, investment, new energy, and creative industry."Besides trade and investment, inter-governmental relations and people-to-people exchanges are also topics to be addressed during the visit.
Xi Jinping is going to attend a business forum and visit parliament, where he is scheduled to deliver a major speech.
"The two countries see more closer high-level contacts and deepening political mutual trust. Another area is deepening cooperation. The third highlight is more people-to-people exchanges, so that the people of the two countries will become more familiar with each other. China-UK ties are growing increasingly mature and stable, with closer cooperation in international affairs."According to the Ambassador, Xi Jinping will also visit the London-based Imperial College and attend the annual meeting of the Confucius Institute.
More than 2,000 Chinese students pursue studies in this college.
For CRI, this is Niu Honglin.
Cameron on Xi's VisitAnchor:
British Prime Minister David Cameron is suggesting his forthcoming discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week in London are going to go beyond bilateral ties between China and the UK.
CRI's Luo Wen reports.
Reporter:
David Cameron is credited with coining the term "golden" to describe the UK's current ties with China.
This is a term which has been sprinkled around liberally through the talking points on both sides in the lead-up to Xi Jinping's trip to the UK this week.
However, Cameron is suggesting he'd like to add a new buzz-word to the mix.
"Well, "Golden", I think, is one of the words I introduce. But the word I'd use today, I think, is opportunity, because I think the opportunities for Chinese investments into the United Kingdom are absolutely beneficial both to Britain and to China, I think, the opportunity for British businesses to expand and grow in China. I think the opportunities for our young people to attend universities together and learn from each other, I think, those are big opportunities. So the word I would use is "opportunity", a strong relationship."When it comes to specifics, David Cameron says he wants to take his conversation with Xi Jinping beyond bilateral ties.
"Trade is growing, investment is growing, the people-to-people contact is increasing, not least with 135,000 Chinese students studying here in Britain. I think it's an opportunity to review all of those things, but also talk about how Britain and China can work together on some of the global issues, talking about climate change, tackling poverty, making sure that the world institutions like the United Nations are working for the benefit of the world."China is Britain's fourth-largest trading partner.
The bilateral trade topped 70 billion US dollars in 2013 and is expected to hit 100 billion by the end of this year.
Trade is something Cameron says is also going to be high on his agenda during his time with the Chinese President.
"What we've seen in the last ten years is actually a quadrupling of British exports to China, as the Chinese economy has been one of the drivers of world growth, and I think that will continue. China's growth has been remarkable. Obviously, there are issues at the moment that are being addressed in China. I'm sure the growth will continue. So, we can continue to have a situation that benefits both our countries."Its widely-expected the two leaders are also going to discuss the impact the newly-signed Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is going to have on global trade.
The UK's role in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is also likely to be one of the main economic talking-points.
"Britain is a global trading nation, the fifth largest economy in the world. We've always had trading and investment relationships right around the world including right across Asia. So, being involved in the development of this important institution, it is clearly in our national interest and, I think, will be to the benefit of the AIIB as well."Beyond the UK's role in Asia, Cameron also says his government still wants to see more Chinese investment moving the other way.
"Britain is one of those open economies in the world. We encourage overseas investment and China is investing more in Britain than other European countries. And the change we will see is obviously the investment into our infrastructure; new Chinese companies are helping people creating wealth and jobs."A meeting between David Cameron and Xi Jinping is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 Downing Street.
It's widely expected the two are going to oversee the signing of a number of new agreements connected to a new nuclear power plant in the UK, as well as China's involvement in a new high-speed rail project.
For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.
Art meets architecture as Chinese installation sets sail on the Thames River in LondonAnchor:
A new piece of Chinese art is generating a lot of attention on the Thames River in London.
CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has more.
ReporterArtist Xiang Yang created 'Ultra Architecture' as a tribute to his childhood home, it's now to encounter the British capital's historic monuments.
Chugging along London's River Thames - between the sightseeing cruises and transport vessels - is an artistic tribute to architecture.
The work of upcoming Chinese artist Xiang Yang, known as 'Ultra Architecture' – has traveled halfway round the world, from Tianjin, China before hitting the British capital.
It's the artist's first international solo exhibition.
Artist Xiang Yang says the artwork is a visual representation of the interaction between Chinese and western philosophy, art and architecture.
"I want to open a door from the Chinese culture and let it merge into the contemporary concepts of architecture."Xiang Yang's work combines materials that are symbols of traditional Chinese culture.
He works with antique wooden furniture, colored silks and ink paintings.
He has combined these elements into a large-scale sculptural installations which explore modern China's relationship with its past.
Xiang was raised in a wooden house in China before moving to the United StatesThe artist says his latest work is a tribute to this lost childhood home.
"The original inspiration of the piece comes from my childhood when I had a wooden house just like this. It was torn down because of the demand from the reconstruction of China. I think what is happening in China today is to destroy our memory of the past. And for me the culture has become dream composed of broken pieces which are travelling with me and never vanished."2015 has been designated as the Year of Cultural exchange between the UK and China.
Earlier this year, several prominent British artists were invited to exhibit their works in China.
Alex Gao, Director of the renowned Today Art Museum in Beijing says artistic exchanges between the two countries have increased in recent years.
"Because this year is the China-UK Cultural exchange year and in the first half of this year we saw many British artists coming to China, and we hope that in the second half of the year we can see many Chinese artists display their works in the UK."As business, travel and tourism between Beijing and London increases, Xiang Yang's work is intended to be a symbol of east meeting west.
'Ultra Architecture' by Xiang Yang will be on show on a floating pontoon at London's St. Katharine Docks until October 28.
Permanent collections of Xiang Yang's work are on show at the National Art Museum of China and the Today Art Museum in Beijing's famous 798 Art district.
For CRI I'm Poornima WeeerasekaraThe Sixth Xiangshan Forum Wraps upA large-scaled defense forum focusing on the Asia-Pacific region has wrapped up in Beijing.
Around 500 defense officials and observers took part in this year's Xiangshan Forum.
The majority of the discussions revolved around counter-terrorism, as well as maritime and internet security.
As part of the sessions, Fan Changlong, vice chair of China's Central Military Commission, took time to address issues connected to the South China Sea, saying the Chinese side has no intention of using force to back up Chinese sovereignty in the region.
Luo Yuan with the China Association of Military Science says he believes this year's Xiangshan Forum has done a lot to ease concerns.
"We can learn from each other about our individual security concerns and our bottom line strategies. So I think it's conducive to enhancing trust and clarifying doubts."Niklas Swanstrom, director of Sweden's Institute for Security and Development Policy, says he's glad to hear the Xiangshan Forum is now going to be turned into an annual event.
"From my view, from the first time to now, we've seen an enormous development of this, in improvement of people, topics, and the way we discuss it. It's much more open, much more transparent. Topics discussed are much more sensitive today, and it is all extremely good."Defense ministers from 16 different countries took part in the event, including defense chiefs from Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
Originally held every 2 years, this year's Xiangshan Forum is to be the first of an annual series of regional defense meetings held here in China.
Giant money pit delivery service to be tested by booming businessesAnchor:
New analysis is suggesting China's rapidly-growing express delivery sector is going to move some 20-billion packages this year.
CRI's Min Rui has more.
Reporter:
With nearly a month to go, couriers in China have already started to prepare for the massive number of order they are expected to take during the Double 11 shopping frenzy.
China's State Post Bureau predicts the "special day" this year will generate more than 500 million packages from e-commerce companies during the promotion period, up 5 percent from last year.
Ma Junsheng, Director of China's State Post Bureau, urges courier firms to upgrade services, and expand services into far reaching areas.
"Internet plus delivery services is the direction. Delivery and postal services should integrate with the Internet through online platforms and IT technology, so to grow the market and expand services. By 2020, we aim to complete the upgrade of delivery services into rural areas, and provide better, greener and more efficient services to all people."The notion of Internet Plus was proposed by Chinese premier Li Keqiang.
It stresses the integration of the Internet and traditional industries through online platforms and IT technology, to help economic restructuring.
Ma Junsheng from the State Post Bureau says as the express delivery grows rapidly, certain regulations on the vehicles and motor tricycles used by courier services are also necessary.
"The latest document includes standards in two aspects. First is the vehicle standard, which regulates both commutes and temporary parking of these vehicles in the city. Second, a national standard for motor tricycles in delivery services is currently under study and will come out soon to solve practical problems."Express delivery has now become a pillar of the e-commerce industry, and is becoming increasingly important for Chinese economic development because of its fast-paced growth.
Authorities estimate that the number of deliveries could reach 20 billion by the end of the year.
According to a China Daily report, express delivery companies in the country have already overtaken their US counterparts in terms of total deliveries annually, making China the "express delivery capital" of the world.
For CRI, I'm Min Rui.
Typhoon "Koppu" Kills 1 in PhilippinesAt least one person is dead so far following typhoon "Koppu" making landfall in the northern Philippines this Sunday morning.
The 14-year-old has been killed in the capital, Manila.
At least 5 others have been hospitalized with storm-related injuries.
The Philippine government is calling for more evacuations.
The storm hit the northern Philippine island of Luzon this morning with winds of some 185-kilometers per hour.
It has torn through numerous homes along the southeastern coast of Luzon.
Power and lines of communication have also been cut in the region.
Alexander Pama with the Philippines Disaster Emergency Response Center says the heavy rains being brought by "Koppu" are also creating a major threat.
"We are recommending, strongly recommending, this morning, the forced evacuation in the Cordillera area, the autonomous region all the barangay (villages) that are landslide-prone and flood-prone areas."Over 14-thouand people have already been moved out of the path of "Koppu" as a precaution.
The storm itself is starting to lose some of its strength as it continues to swirl over the southern part of Luzon.
However, forecasters are predicting the storm is still expected to begin a northward path across the island through the next 48-hours before hitting the Luzon Strait on its way to Taiwan.
Forecasters in China are already warning of heavy gales and high waves along the coast of Fujian and southern Taiwan over the next couple of days.
2 Japanese Cabinet ministers visit notorious Yasukuni ShrineTwo members of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet have paid a visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine this Sunday.
Newly-appointed Justice Minister Mitsuhide Iwaki, as well as the country's Internal Affairs minister, have made stops at the Shrine as part of a 4-day autumn festival in Japan.
This follows a move by Shinzo Abe to send a ritual offering to Yasakuni on Saturday.
Though he has not gone to the Shrine personally, Abe's offering has drawn criticism from the South Korean government.
The South Korean governemnt says Abe's offering is the same as glorifying Japan's past colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
Chinese authorities have yet to react to the move.
The Yasukuni Shrine is a memorial garden which honors Japan's war dead.
However, it also enshrines 14 convicted Class-A war criminals from World War II.
Homages to Yasakuni by Japanese politicians are viewed as an insult in China and other countries invaded by Japan during the War.
Myanmar to revoke forex service licenses in wake of unstable exchange rateFinancial authorities in Myanmar are rolling back the country's currency reforms.
In an attempt to stem the recent devaluation of Myanmar's currency, the kyat, the country's central bank has announced its going to revoke the licences of companies which are allowed to accept foreign money.
The new policy will take effect as of the end of November.
As such, transactions in Myanmar will all have to be done using the kyat.
This means hotel stays, travel and food, as well as all business deals, will have to be done through the local currency.
Myanmar's central bank says its decided to make the move to end the demand for US dollars in the country.
The kyat at this time last year was valued at around 850-to-1 US dollar.
Today, that rate is hovering close to 13-hundred.
The move comes ahead of the country's national elections on November 8th.
Voting begins in Egypt's parliamentary electionsVoting is underway in Egypt's first parliamentary elections since the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.
This Sunday's vote is the first of a 2-phase national election.
The 2nd round of voting will take place on December 2nd.
More than 27 million voters in 14 different provinces in Egypt are being asked to elect new members of parliament this Sunday.
"Everyone should come down and vote for the sake of our country so that we can have a parliament overseeing the government. This is the last and final stage of our transition to democracy after we have voted for our president and a constitution."Egypt has been without a working parliament for the past 3-years.
Polling suggests candidates aligned with current President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi are likely to dominate the new parliament.
Supporters of Mohamed Morsi's now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood are not fielding any candidates.
Bear Hunting under SpotlightAnchor:
Environmental activists are keying on allegations against a National League Hockey player to push their demand to bring an end to trophy hunting.
CRI's Victor Ning has the details.
Reporter:
Canadian ice hockey player Clayton Stoner has been charged with illegally shooting a grizzly bear in British Columbia.
He is accused of two counts of falsifying statements to obtain a hunting license.
Stoner is also accused of hunting out of season, without a license and unlawfully possessing dead wildlife related to the shooting of a bear.
The case has shined a spotlight on trophy hunting in Canada.
A large number of grizzly bears live in British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest, one of the richest unprotected wildlife habitats.
It's legal to hunt black bears and grizzlies there.
About three hundred grizzly bears are killed by trophy hunters every year in the provinceGwen Barlee, from the Wilderness Committee, says many Canadians are opposed to the practice of hunting bears.
"The vast majority of British Columbians are opposed to it and to kill this majestic bear, for pleasure, for sport, for a trophy or for being a rug, that just strikes people as wrong and it strikes them as wrong whether you live in a rural community in British Columbia or whether you live in the city"British Columbia's government claims there are 15,000 grizzly bears across the province, but environmentalists fear the number is as low as 6,000.
Foreign hunters are the main shooters of grizzly bears in the region. They have to be accompanied by a tour operator. Operators charge up to 25,000 Canadian dollars, or just below 20,000 USD, to kill a Grizzly.
Resident hunters have to pay 1000 Canadian dollars, or around 800 USD, for a hunting license each year, but there is a lottery system to obtain a license.
Research results show only 1.9% of resident hunters identify themselves as trophy hunters.
Alan Martin, President with the British Colombia Wildlife Federation, which represents the interests of 100,000 resident hunters in the province, says negative media coverage tarnishes all hunters.
"It is damaging because it affects, perception of, of hunting and hunters. I think that the focus is on, not the benefits of hunting but individual incidences where, there was inappropriate behaviour that is not certainly not condoned by the, by the BC Wildlife Federation or the hunting population at large."The federation says there is a clear distinction between hunting for food and hunting for sport, and for most hunters it's just an opportunity to experience nature.
The killing of grizzly bears and the Zimbabwean lion Cecil have incited widespread public mourning and sparked a major debate on the ethics of trophy hunting.
But proponents argue that it brings millions into the local economy. Wildlife is a serious business in British Columbia, generating 1.5 billion Canadian dollars, or 1.2 billion US dollars, and sustaining 26,000 jobs.
For CRI, this is Victor Ning.
Chinese Medicine Grows Rapidly in San FranciscoAnchor:
The recent awarding of the Nobel Prize in Science to a Chinese researcher for her work with Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat malaria is spawning suggestions TCM might become more accepted in other parts of the world.
CRI's Li Jianhua has more.
Reporter:
Located on a typical street in San Francisco, the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine continues to break new grounds with ancient methods.
More than three decades ago, the school founded America's first graduate degree program in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. It recently became the first to have two doctoral degree programs.
Austin Gresham is a student from the University of South Carolina. There, he studied Mandarin, which eventually led him to China.
"I studied abroad in China, got sick in China, took herbal medicine there and it worked. So I kept thinking there must be something to this."Around 230 students are currently enrolled in an 80 thousand-dollar, three-to-four-year program to become experts in acupuncture, Chinese herbs and massage therapy.
The college even has a garden with about 300 herbs brought in by a student who spent 10 years collecting seeds in China. And just as the herbs have successfully taken root, the school hopes Chinese medicine will continue to blossom in America.
Li Xin is the executive director of the college. He has watched the school steadily grow for the past three decades while also working to help acupuncture gain the acceptance of U.S. healthcare providers.
"The whole change is pushed by patients who receive the benefits of Chinese medicine. There are about 7,000-8,000 students enrolled in a Master/Doctorate program in the U.S. And those schools are established in 28 states. Licensing is in 44 states. You tell me, what else can you find that is recognized as part of Chinese culture, but so successfully landed and rooted in American public?"Li adds that the school also collaborates with programs in China, allowing students to do something they cannot do in America - practice Chinese medicine in hospitals.
The school's clinical director and academic associated dean, Steve Given, says it would take some serious funding to produce the research necessary to convince the U.S. hospital system to fully integrate traditional Chinese medicine.
But he is seeing increased cooperation.
"Now, we are interested in collaborative care. Not only should the physician and the acupuncturist both be involved, but that there should be a higher level of communication between the physician and the acupuncturist to make sure the patient is at the center of care."More collaboration is also happening across international borders.
The college recently teamed up with China's oldest and largest herb company - Beijing Tong Ren Tang - to help expand the presence of Chinese medicine worldwide.
For CRI, I'm Li Jianhua.
Chinese company gives up purchase of local diary farms in New ZealandA Chinese company currently embroiled in a dispute with the government of New Zealand has decided to turn-up the pressure, saying its going to walk away from plans to purchase 10 different dairy farms in the country.
Shanghai Pengxin, which is owned by Chinese billionaire Jiang Zhaobai, says its shelving plans to buy the farms because of regulatory burdens.
The company announced this past week that its going to try to take the New Zealand government to court over its decision to block Pengxin from purchasing a 13-thousand hectare farm in New Zealand earlier this year.
Pengxin is planning to argue New Zealand's rules for foreign investment are unclear and arbitrary.
Justin Ensor with KPMG suggests Pengxin may have a legitimate case.
"Delays in processing, and uncertainly around assessment can create perceived uncertainties for incoming investors. They are assets which result in construction of new premises, new jobs, so those things are real positives for New Zealand and should be recognized as such."The New Zealand government decided to block Pengxin's bid to purchase the massive dairy farm on New Zealand's North Island in September, saying the 88-million US dollar deal would not provide substantial enough benefits for New Zealand.
WeatherBeijing will be clear tonight with a low of 10 degrees. Tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 21.
Shanghai will be cloudy overnight with a low of 18. It will be cloudy tomorrow with a high of 25.
Chongqing will have showers tonight with a low of 20. Tomorrow, showers, high of 25.
Lhasa will be cloudy tonight with a low of 2, sunny tomorrow with a high of 15.
Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will see light rain tomorrow with a high of 23.
Kabul, light rain, 18.
In the Southern Hemisphere.
Sydney, light rain with a high of 25.
Brisbane, cloudy, high of 24.
Perth, cloudy, 23.
And finally Auckland will be rainy with a high of 17 degrees Celsius.
Headline NewsXi Jinping talks with Reuters ahead of UK tripChinese President Xi Jinping has sat down for a one-on-one interview with the Reuters News Agency ahead of his forthcoming trip to the UK.
As part of the interview, the Chinese President has stood firm on Chinese sovereignty over the South China Sea.
But in addressing questions about it, Xi Jinping also says the Chinese side will manage disputes in the region through talks, and will always ensure freedom of navigation through the vital waterway.
At the same time, Xi Jinping also says the slowdown of the Chinese economy is a concern, but says steps are being taken to address the issue.
On a lighter note, Xi Jinping, a football fan, has talked excitedly about his impending trip to Manchester later this week, where he's going to tour Man City's football headquarters.
2 Japanese Cabinet ministers visit notorious Yasukuni ShrineTwo members of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet have paid a visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine this Sunday.
Newly-appointed Justice Minister Mitsuhide Iwaki, as well as the country's Internal Affairs minister, have made stops at the Shrine as part of a 4-day autumn festival in Japan.
This follows a move by Shinzo Abe to send a ritual offering to Yasakuni on Saturday.
Though he has not gone to the Shrine personally, Abe's offering has drawn criticism from the South Korean government.
The South Korean governemnt says Abe's offering is the same as glorifying Japan's past colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
Chinese authorities have yet to react to the move.
Two soldiers killed in clash in S. PhilippinesTwo Filipino soldiers have been killed in clashes with rebel forces in the country's restive south.
The Philippine Military says the solders killed were part of a patrol group which was ambushed by some 60-members of the New People's Army.
This is an armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which continues to control pockets of the southern Philippines since it took up arms in the late 1960's.
The NPA is said to be made up of close to 4-thousand fighters.
The Philippine government has been attempting to broker peace talks with the group, but has met with little success.
The New People's Army is listed as a terror organization by the US and Europe, though the Philippine government removed it from its terrorist list in 2011.
Voting begins in Egypt's parliamentary electionsVoting is underway in Egypt's first parliamentary elections since the ouster of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.
This Sunday's vote is the first of a 2-phase national election.
The 2nd round of voting will take place on December 2nd.
Egypt has been without a working parliament for the past 3-years.
Polling suggests candidates aligned with current President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi are likely to dominate the new parliament.
Supporters of Mohamed Morsi's now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood are not fielding any candidates.
Weekly Sci-tech ReportAnchor:
It's time to check in with what's been happening in the world of Science and Technology with our weekly Sci-Tech feature.
In this edition, we'll take you through the development of an artificial skin, and tell you how a Chinese company plans to help prevent the spread of the deadly ebola virus.
Here's CRI's Wenjie.
Reporter:
Scientists craft artificial skin that can feelA Chinese researcher working at Stanford University in California has led a team who has developed a new form of skin.
which might one-day be able to help people with prostethics feel their missing limb.
Bao Zhen'an, a chemical engineering professor at Stanford, has worked for the last decade to create a flexible plastic 'skin.'
She and her research team, which includes PhD student Alex Chortos, have developed the 'skin' through a technique which aligns neurons together to send signals through it.
"This concept for sensing is a general concept that in the future we plan to extend it to basically all of the things that people can sense, things like temperature and the stretching of the skin as well as the pressure that's applied to it. So in this study we did a kind of proof of concept where we showed that we can do this with pressure and the next stage is to do this with all types of sensations that you would want to feel."The team of 17 scientists say they're hoping to turn their design into a practical device which might, one-day, allow people with prostethics to once-again feel their missing body-part.
==Scientists debate gene editing to correct diseaseFinal preparations are being made for a major international conference in early December to discuss the ethnics of genome manipulation.
The meeting has been called by the American National Academy of Scientists.
It's expected to include gene researchers from around the world, including a number of Chinese scientists.
Kevin Esvelt with Harvard University says the focus of the session will be to discuss whether human gene editing is a road scientists want to go down.
"I would like to see a consensus built around how we should handle the challenges posed by CRISPR and other potentially extremely powerful technologies relating to biology."Gene-editing allows researchers to precisely edit genes inside living cells, correcting or repairing them, allowing them to wipe out genetic diseases.
Scientists are already widely using the technique for research in plants and animals.
However, the session in December will debate whether or not this is a technique scientists want to begin testing on human embryos.
Some have argued it could lead to breakthroughs in ending genetic diseases.
However, the same techniques can also be used to manipulate human genomes to potentially create human beings with tailored attributes, something the Nazi's experimented on during their time in power in Germany.
==Research to stop spread of malaria from a mosquito's biteResearch is underway that could prevent people contracting malaria from a mosquito bite.
Scientists are looking at ways of stopping the parasite which causes the infectious disease from spreading within the blood.
Professor Mike Blackman is one of the lead researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London.
"If we can prevent this we can essentially prevent disease. We can design drugs that prevent the parasite from destroying itself and leading to all the manifestations of malaria, or the symptoms of fever and anaemia that make people so ill."Similar technology has already been used to produce drug therapies for HIV infections.
Malaria is a viral infection spread through mosquito bites which results in a fever that typically mimics the flu.
However, in severe cases it can cause organ failure and death.
Malaria kills around 600-thousand people every year.
==NASA release animation of JupiterNASA has unveiled a new, highly-detailed, animation of Jupiter.
The North American Space Agency has used the Hubble Telescope to take more precise shots of the massive planet, hoping to study Jupiter's intricate characteristics.
The new animation shows a variety of colours and shapes on Jupiter.
Featuring prominently is the Great Red Spot.
This is a giant storm which scientists have discovered is shrinking and becoming more circular.
NASA is using the Hubble Telescope to study the planet's winds, clouds, storms and atmospheric chemistry.
Researchers hope to use the new information to better-judge how planets change over time.
The same research is also planned for Uranus, Neptune and Saturn.
==Dancing robots and wearable tech for pets at Hong Kong electronic fairA number of new technological advancements, including dancing robots and wearable technology for pets, have gone on display at this year's Hong Kong electronics fair.
This edition is focused on how smart devices and mobile technology can benefit people's daily lives.
A drone featuring customized applications, including a "Follow me" and "Watch me" mode, has gone on display.
Lawrence Wan with Yuneec International is the developer of the high-tech drone.
"The "Follow me" function is something like if you moving the RC ( remote control) to this side, the drone will follow, from here, they will follow together, and then, it's doing the "Follow me"(function). However, when you press the "Watch me" function and the drone will automatically turn the camera to facing the drone, the RC, the remote control, and then do the "Watch me" function."Smart technology, robotics and unmanned technology are also being highlighted at this year's event in Hong Kong.
==Tech-based creations take Frieze by stormTechnology is now being incorporated into the arts on a regular basis.
This is been made quite evident at one of the world's leading contemporary art fairs which took place this past week in London.
The London Frieze is an annual contemporary art event.
This year's event featured 164 galleries from 27 different countries.
This year's event was home to a number of tech-based art creations.
Art critic Estelle Lovatt.
"You know, in the 1960s when Dan Flavin was using electronic flight strips, everybody thought; 'Wow, this amazing'. But now, to incorporate it with master painting at canvases, it's incredible. Nobody ever thought that this day would come and that's all down to technology."New-York based artist Rachel Rose is one of those using technology in art.
"Every project is an opportunity to explore new forms of making and living in the time we live in now, it's a great opportunity to take advantage of the technologies available,"The London Frieze ran for 3-days this past week in Regents Park.
==China to mass produce Ebola vaccineA Chinese biotechnology company has announced plans to mass-produce a vaccine for the Ebola virus.
Tianjin CanSino Biotechnology has already begun construction of an industrial facility to produce the vaccine.
It's due to be complete in 2018.
Authorities in Sierra Leone, one of the three West African countries which was hit by the mass ebola outbreak, has declared the Chinese vaccine clinically safe.
The vaccine itself was produced by researchers with the Chinese military.
==Croatia Solar Bench- Park bench uses solar power to go smartA series of unique park benches are beginning to pop up around the eastern European country of Croatia.
Designed by a group of Croatian students, the next-generation park benches are essentially solar panels you can sit on.
They absorb power through the day and store it in batteries inside the bench.
People can then use them throughout the day to charge their electronic devices.
"Everybody needs to charge their electronic devices and it really plays well into the European idea of public spaces being used to the public and being for everyone."The benches can also store enough power to light up at night, making them useful as lights in an otherwise dark public park.
The first so-called Smart Bench was established in the designer's home town of Solin in Croatia, but are now being set up in other public parks across the country.
==Plant Charger invented by Chilean studentsThree Chilean engineering students have developed a device that can charge smartphones and tablets using household plants.
The E-Kaia portable charger prototype is based on a plant's bio-circuit, capturing the residual energy of the plant and converting it into electricity.
A single plant can charge a smartphone in two hours or less. The plant's growth is not affected.
The idea occurred to the three student engineers six years ago.
Now the trio have been awarded several prizes by the Chilean government for this innovation.
Program Coordinator Mauricio Cifuentes, says he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the prototype.
"It has been the most amazing project I've ever seen in my life, plain and simple. At first, I didn't believe what Evelyn had brought to me as a project and she had to bring the prototype for me to believe her. "The device is not yet available for sale, as it's in the stage of prototyping and testing.
How the plant charger functions is being kept secret until the patents for the technology are registered.
==And that brings us to the end of this edition of our weekly science and technology feature.
Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the show.
I'm Wenjie. See you next week.
SportsWorld number one Novak Djokovic secures another championship in ChinaIn tennis,World Number-1 Novak Djokovic remains perfect in China.
Coming off the heels of his victory this past weekend at the China Open in Beijing, Djokovic has taken the final at this year's Shanghai Masters, rolling over France's Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in straight-sets this afternoon, 6-2, 6-4.
In other tennis action here in China,Agnieszka Radwanska has taken the title at the WTA Tianjin Open, cruising past Montenegro's Danka Kovinic 6-1, 6-2.
The victory assures Radwanska a spot at the season-ending WTA finals in Singapore later this year.
--The Chinese duo of Zheng Saisai and Xu Yifan have taken the doubles crown in Tianjin.
--And in Hong Kong, Jelena Jankovic managed to come from a set down, and survive a 2nd set tiebreaker, to take the Prudential Championships over Angelique Kerber 3-6, 7-6, 6-1.
The loss by Kerber means the German will still need to drum up at few more victories to assure her a spot in the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Relegation battles tonight in CSL actionIn football,The last set of matches in the 3rd-to-last week of the Chinese Super League are getting underway tonight.
Its essentially a battle to see which clubs can avoid relegation.
Its Hangzhou against the aptly-named Who win from Liaoning.
If Liaoning can live-up to its namesake and win, it will vault them over Hangzhou and Guangzhou R&F into 11th on the table.
While this won't secure them a slot in next year's season, it will help, as current relegation slot holder Guizhou Renhe dropped its match last night to Shandong 5-2.
Guizhou sits at 25 points, while Liaoning has 27.
Hangzhou also needs a win tonight to ease its relegation concerns.
Greentown is currently sitting at 28 points, and with a win tonight, would almost ensure the club will be in the CSL next season, provided the club either gets a single point in the last two matches, or sees Guizhou drop another game.
--The other match tonight has bottom-dwelling Shanghai Shenxin, which is already guaranteed to be relegated, on the road in Chongqing.
Chongqing only needs a draw to ensure it will remain out of relegation.
In action last night,League-leaders Guangzhou Evergrande took another step toward securing the title again this year, downing Tianjin 2-nil.
Combined with last night's 2-2 draw between 2nd place Shanghai SIPG and Shijiazhuang, Evergrande now has a 4-point spread over Shanghai.
A win next Sunday at home against Shandong will secure Evergrande's title.
Shandong's 5-2 trouncing of Guizhou last night did keep that club in contention for a shot at the Asian Champions League slot next year.
Luneng sits just one-point back of 3rd place Beijing Guo'an, who kept their own ticket punched for ACL next year with a 2-nil victory over Guangzhou R&F last night.
In other action,Jiangsu and Henan drew 1-1.
And it was Shanghai Shenhua blanking Changchun 3-nil.
English Premier League recapIn action from the English Premier League,Manchester City has maintained its lead in the English Premier League, thrashing Bournemouth 5-1 last night.
Raheem Sterling netting 3 first-half goals to help lead his club to the victory.
Cross-town rivals Man United also kept pace in 2nd, thumping Everton 3-nil.
The two clubs are due to clash horns next weekend.
In other action,Arsenal remains tied with Man-U at 19 points, following a 3-nil victory over Watford.
--Liverpool's struggles continue, despite the new direction from manager Jurgen Klopp, drawing nil-nil with Tottenham.
Star striker Daniel Sturridge was not in the line-up for Liverpool.
He sat out because of swelling in his leg after injuring himself in practice.
Its unclear when he might be able to return to action.
--It was Chelsea blanking Aston Villa 2-nil.
West Ham United dumped Crystal Palace 3-1.
West Brom Albion got past Sunderland 1-nil.
And two second-half goals from Jamie Vardy, including an equalizer one-minute into injury time, helped Leceister City salvage a 2-2 draw with Southampton.
--There's one match tonight to wrap up Week-9 in the Premiership, with New Castle at home to Norwich.
Lexi Thompson squeezes out HanaBank LPGA victoryIn golf,American Lexi Thompson has taken this year's HanaBank Championship in South Korea.
Thompson carded a 3-under-69 this afternoon for a one-stroke victory at minus-15.
Taiwan's Tseng Yani finished tied for 2nd, one stroke back at minus-14 after turning in a 4-under-68 on the day.
Mainland golfer Feng Shanshan finished 3-back at minus-12.
However, the story of the day was South Korea's Amy Yang.
She fired a course-record tying 10-under-62 today to come from way back to finish tied for 4th at 13-under.
Yang's blistering final round tied the record set on Thursday by fellow South Korean Park Sung-hyun, who finished tied for 2nd with Tseng Yani after only managing to turn in an even-par-72 on the final day.
--On the men's side,American Brandon Steele continues to hold the lead after the 3rd round of the PGA tour's season-opening Frys.com event in northern California.
Steele carded a 3-under-69 today to head into the final round tomorrow with a one-stroke lead at minus-14.
However, he's now being challenged by another pair of relatively unknown golfers, who sit on his heels at minus-13.
Andrew Loupe fired a blistering 9-under-63 this morning to share 2nd with fellow American Kevin Na, who himself carded an 8-under-64 on the day.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, the top ranked golfer in the field, currently sits well back at minus-6.
McIlroy, who finished the day at one-under, came just inches away from possibly not being able to finish his round.
Confusion on a short par-4 4th hole allowed new PGA addition Emilano Grillo to tee-off while McIlroy was still chipping his way onto the green.
Grillo's drive missed McIlroy's head by just inches as Grillo flew the 296-yard green in-one.
The winner of the Frys.com tournament earns an automatic exemption into next year's Masters Tournament.
KC, Mets take victories in MLB Championship seriesIn baseball,The Kansas City Royals have taken a 2-nothing lead in their best-of-7 American League Championship Series, coming from behind to down the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 this morning.
KC produced a 5-run 7th inning to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the game.
The series now shifts to Toronto.
--The New York Mets have drawn first blood in their National League Championship Series against the Chicago, downing the Cubs 4-2 this morning.
Game-2 of that series will take place tomorrow morning, 8am Beijing time.
New Zealand advances to semi-final of Rugby World CupIn rugby,The last of the quarter-finals are set to get underway this evening at this year's World Cup.
First up is Ireland taking on Argentina.
That clash is set to get underway at 8pm Beijing time.
Following that, its Australia up against Scotland, in what is likely to be a tight affair.
Last night,It was the defending champs New Zealand cruising into semi-finals after demolishing France 62-13.
The All Blacks poured in 9 tries in thumping the French.
New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen.
"As I said earlier in the week when I named the team, there's a difference between pool play and knockout play and obviously that creates an edge in itself, because if you don't turn up you go home. Tonight we turned up, attitude plays a massive part in any sporting event. And tonight it certainly showed that when you couple the attitude with the talent you can do certain things."The All Blacks are going to be up against South Africa, after they narrowly edged Wales 23-19.
The Welsh appeared to have the advantage before an uncharacteristic defensive laps allowed the South Africans to knock home a try with just 5-minutes remaining to lead them to victory.
The semi-finals are set to take place next weekend.
Entertainment4 Chinese films make it to the Chicago Int'l Film FestivalFour Chinese films have been chosen for this year's Chicago International Film Festival.
The festival kicked off on Thursday night at the Auditorium Theater in downtown Chicago.
The four Chinese films included in the festival are Hou Hsiao-Hsien's "The Assassin", Jia Zhangke's "Mountains May Depart", "Underground Fragrance" by Song Pengfei and "In the Underground" by Song Zhantao.
"Mountains May Depart" has been selected for the Gold Hugo International Feature Competition.
The film is about a young woman's choice to marry a wealthy capitalist over a coal miner and a scattered family's chase for a vision of success over a span of more than two decades.
The Festival received more than 4,500 applications, but less than 200 films were selected.
The 51st Chicago International Film Festival will run until October 29.
Filmmakers and actors mark 65th anniversary of China's film educationFilmmakers, scholars and actors celebrated the 65th anniversary of China's film education on Saturday in Beijing.
In 1950, China's first college on film studies, the Beijing Film Academy, was founded.
Famous alumni who came to the event included, director Zhang Yimou, actor Tang Guoqiang, Huang Xiaoming, Huang Bo, actress Zhao Wei, Yao Chen and Liu Yifei.
Teachers and students from the college have taken part in the production of 64 percent of all the domestic films so far.
A forum of leaders from international film academies also kicked off Saturday.
This year also marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of Chinese film, and the 120th anniversary of the world film industry.
K-pop band Big Bang takes Australia by stormPopular K-pop band Big Bang has taken Australia by stormThousands of fans gathered on Saturday at Sydney's Allphones Arena for the first Australian concert of the South Korean boy band.
The Seoul-based group will have two shows in Sydney followed by two in Melbourne.
While many of Big Bang's Australian fans are from a South Korean background, concert goers said that language was not a barrier for Big Bang.
Sarah Albrtol is one of the fans of Australian Filipino origin.
"Sometimes you have to google to translate it but sometimes it doesn't matter because we don't know."Another fans, Kelcee Davy flew to Sydney from Brisbane to see Big Bang's first Australian concert.
"Language doesn't matter, the music speaks through all of that and it's just catchy, it's fun to dance to, the music videos are intense, they're amazing," she said.
According to their promoters, the Big Bang official YouTube channel has accumulated more than 1.2 billion views.
Lindsay Lohan Announces Possible 2020 Presidential RunLindsay Lohan may be taking on her most ambitious role yet – as a presidential candidate.
On Friday, the "Mean Girls" actress shared her thoughts on joining Kanye West as the latest celebrity to run for the highest office in America.
But Lohan already faces a major hiccup in her potential campaign.
The current 29-year-old will still be one year shy of the minimum age requirement to qualify for the 2020 election ballot, a conflict she appeared to address in her post.
Lindsay followed up her announcement with a throwback photo of her and Kanye.
She even shared what she'd like to accomplish if elected to White House.
She says her first priority would be to take care of all the suffering children in the world.
J.K. Rowling reveals her favorite Harry Potter chapterHarry Potter author J.K. Rowling wrote seven books about "The Boy Who Lived," and, as it turns out, she has a favorite chapter.
When asked about it on Twitter, Rowling revealed that chapter 34 from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, titles "The Forest Again" was her all-time favorite.
This is the moment when Harry, realizing what he must do to kill Voldemort, enters the Forbidden Forest to confront the dark wizard.
It also features the moment when he is finally able to open the Golden Snitch and see his deceased family using the treasure within.
Rowling returns to the world of Harry Potter — though not to Harry Potter himself — in penning the screenplay for the film adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The film will hit theaters in November, next year.
WeatherBeijing will be clear tonight with a low of 10 degrees. Tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 21.
Shanghai will be cloudy overnight with a low of 18. It will be cloudy tomorrow with a high of 25.
Chongqing will have showers tonight with a low of 20. Tomorrow, showers, high of 25.
Lhasa will be cloudy tonight with a low of 2, sunny tomorrow with a high of 15.
Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will see light rain tomorrow with a high of 23.
Kabul, light rain, 18.
In the Southern Hemisphere.
Sydney, light rain with a high of 25.
Brisbane, cloudy, high of 24.
Perth, cloudy, 23.
And finally Auckland will be rainy 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...
Xi Jinping and UK Prime Minister David Cameron talk with the media ahead of the Chinese President's impending trip to Britain this week.
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James in Beijing hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour, and open a window to the world together.
  原文地址:http://www.tingroom.com/lesson/thebeijinghour/329096.html