09/09/2016  HOMINID LUCY 'DIED IN TREE FALL'
Researchers from the United States and Ethiopia say one of the best-known human ancestors may have died after falling from a tree.The group of scientists carried out a study of what killed Lucy, a female hominid who lived in Africa about 3.2 million years ago. She was a member of an early human species.Lucy's skeleton, which is about 40 percent complete, was unearthed in northeastern Ethiopia in 1974. The fossil is regarded as an important specimen for studying human evolution.The researchers used a CT scan to analyze the remains, and found upper arm, ankle and pelvis fractures. They said her internal organs likely were also damaged. They said the injuries indicate that Lucy fell from a height of more than 12 meters.The researchers say the findings appear to back a theory that while early human species walked upright on the ground, they also spent nighttime in trees.
09/12/2016  AMBASSADOR'S ECO-FRIENDLY RIDE
Mexico's ambassador to India is doing her part to help ease air pollution in New Delhi. Melba Pria is using an auto rickshaw as her official vehicle.The Mexican Embassy introduced the three-wheeled vehicle this year. Pria hopes it will send an eco-friendly message to the Indian people.
(Melba Pria / Mexican Ambassador to India)"We live in a highly polluted city, and if you can do something against pollution or towards lesser pollution, why not?"
Pria uses the vehicle almost every day for her commute and for official duties. She said that at first it wasn't permitted to enter government facilities, but it's now welcomed everywhere.The auto rickshaw runs on natural gas, which is more environmentally friendly than gasoline. And there's no mistaking it's a Mexican vehicle, given the flag and logo promoting tourism in Mexico.
09/13/2016  RIO PARALYMPICS OPEN
The Paralympic Games have opened in Rio de Janeiro, with more than 4,400 athletes competing in 12 days of events.The opening ceremony was held at Maracana Stadium. Athletes from 159 countries and territories, plus a team of refugees, are taking part. They will be competing for medals in 528 events in 22 sports.The International Paralympic Committee has banned the entire Russian team due to alleged state-sponsored doping. But organizers insist that the Rio Games will be the greatest ever, combining the city's passion with the Paralympic spirit.
09/14/2016  POPULAR CARTOON BOWS OUT
Japan is known for its manga, but sometimes even the wildly popular ones must come to an end. A legendary series, which lasted for four decades, will finish on September 17th.The humorous cartoon story depicts the crazy adventures of a middle-aged policeman who works in a police box in downtown Tokyo. The series, often called "Kochikame," has attracted fans for generations.Cartoonist Osamu Akimoto started the stories in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1976 and has continued uninterrupted since. With more than 150 million books in print, the upcoming 200th book will be the final volume in the series.Akimoto says he decided that the 40th anniversary and 200th volume would be the right time to leave gracefully. He said he is so lucky to have had the experience of creating it.
09/15/2016  DRIED BONITO FACTORY IN FRANCE
Japanese food continues to make inroads in Europe. Several companies have set up a factory in France for producing dried bonito, which is an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine.The group of fish-processing firms from Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, started the project three years ago. Their new factory is in the French port town of Concarneau.Strict EU regulations and high transport costs make it difficult to export Japanese-produced dried bonito to Europe, so the companies have turned to local production. The factory employs six French workers, who have been trained for every step of production.The factory produces 200 kilograms of the product a day. It will be sold in France and other European countries.
09/16/2016  BIGGER ROLE FOR FOREIGN CARE WORKERS
The Japanese government is looking to expand the roles of care workers from other countries. The aim is to cope with a staff shortage as the population continues to age.Government officials started accepting foreigners eight years ago, giving them the chance to acquire certification to become care workers in Japan. These are the result of economic partnership agreements with the workers' countries.Three hundred fifty-five people from Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam have the qualification. But they are limited to work only at nursing-care facilities, not at people's homes.A welfare ministry panel has proposed changing the rules to lift the restriction under certain conditions. Panel members have suggested that experienced Japanese care workers accompany foreign staff for a certain period when providing support at homes. They also recommend that the workers receive training to handle emergencies that can happen at home.Ministry officials plan to compile new guidelines and start allowing foreign caregivers to provide home care as early as next April.
09/19/2016  TOY FAIR FOR CHRISTMAS
It's still early September, but almost 50 companies are already promoting their products at the annual Tokyo Christmas Toy Fair.Manufacturers are not just targeting children. Many toys can be enjoyed by both kids and adults, and they've got grownup prices too.A doll that comes with a handbag and other accessories costs nearly 120 dollars. The maker says a celebrity stylist helped with the design.A pen that's filled with resin instead of ink can create three-dimensional drawings. The resin dries under a special light.Digital technology appears in the latest model railway. A train that's fitted with a dash cam lets smartphone users watch the passing scenery from the cockpit.Organizers say Japan's population of children may be declining, but the number of people who buy toys is on the rise.
09/20/2016  TAX REVISION DISCUSSIONS
An advisory panel to the prime minister that's studying revisions to the tax system has met. The panel is tasked with drawing up changes for next fiscal year.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the meeting that the income tax system needs to be revised to match the changes in society. One revision that's being considered is the spousal deduction for income tax.Under the current taxation system, if one of a married couple's annual income is 1.03 million yen or less, equal to about 10,000 dollars, the partner is eligible for a 380,000 yen tax deduction. Because of this, many women working part-time tend to limit the number of hours they work so as to keep their annual earnings below 1.03 million yen. This allows their husbands to remain eligible for the spousal deduction.However, critics say the current system favors families with a single breadwinner, and that it fails to match the change in society where double-income families have become a majority. The government panel plans to look into a new system that includes a "tax deduction for couples" regardless of the earnings of either partner.
09/21/2016  UK ISSUES FIRST PLASTIC BANKNOTE
Britain has introduced the country's first plastic banknote. The Bank of England says it's harder to forge and stronger than paper ones.The new, polymer five-pound note began circulating on Tuesday. It's made of thin, flexible plastic. The note, worth about 6.6 dollars, has a portrait of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the reverse side. It's about 15 percent smaller than its predecessor.The central bank says the note has security features that make it harder to counterfeit. It says the strength of the material means the new notes are expected to last for about five years. That's two-and-a-half times longer than the paper type. The bank also says the plastic notes can survive a spin in the washing machine, and that their longer life will reduce production costs.The Bank of England plans to introduce a polymer 10-pound note in mid-2017 and a 20-pound note by 2020.
09/22/2016  U.S. BOMBERS FLY OVER S. KOREA
The U.S., South Korea and Japan are working together to increase pressure on North Korea, following its fifth nuclear test. The U.S. military has sent two strategic bombers to South Korea in a show of force against Pyongyang.The B-1 bombers made a low-altitude flight over Osan Air Base near Seoul. They were escorted by U.S. and South Korean fighter jets.
(Gen. Vincent Brooks / U.S. Forces Korea Commander)"The United States has an unshakable commitment to defend allies in the region and will take necessary steps to do so, including operations like the one you observed today."
The U.S. Pacific Command says while the bombers were on their way from Guam to the Korean Peninsula, they joined exercises with fighter aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.South Korean President Park Geun-hye ordered her ministers to remain on full alert. President Park accuses the North Korean leadership of only thinking about maintaining power while the people of the country live with hunger and human rights violations.