09/23/2016  EAGLE EYES ON DRONES
While some see drones as a fun pastime, others see them as potential security threats. Dutch police are using a new tactic to take on the modern danger. They've decided to use eagles to take down drones that are being used illegally.Police worked with security companies and trained eagles to catch the machines. The birds have strong nails and fly quickly against the wind.There are other ways to catch drones, such as flying several with a net, or using special electric devices, but those methods are costly and inefficient. A police spokesperson called the predators a "low-tech solution to a high-tech problem."This new idea is drawing attention from other European countries. However, the Dutch method is also raising concerns about the safety of the birds. Some experts say the risk of injury to the eagles cannot be ruled out. Police say they won't be harmed.
10/04/2016  JAPAN GETS 2026 ASIAN GAMES
Japan's Aichi Prefecture and its capital city, Nagoya, have been named as the hosts of the 2026 Asian Summer Games. The games are the largest sporting event in Asia and are held every four years.On Sunday, officials of the prefecture and the city watched as the bid gained unanimous approval at the general assembly of Olympic Council of Asia in the Vietnamese city of Da Nang.Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura pledged to work with the people of the city and the prefecture to prepare for the games. He said he wants athletes and viewers from across Asia to have a good impression of the city.Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura says the games are an opportunity to cooperate more closely with other Asian countries.It will be Japan's first turn at hosting the Asian Summer Games in 32 years, following the games in Hiroshima in 1994.
10/05/2016  UN UNABLE TO STOP FIGHTING
Fresh airstrikes in Aleppo, Syria, have left at least 26 civilians dead. The escalation of violence in the contested city prompted the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting. But divisions between Russia and Western powers prevented the council from taking any action.The U.S., Britain, and France called the meeting. They blamed Russia's support of the Syrian offensive for re-escalating the war, but Russia defended its position.The UN special envoy for Syria briefed the council meeting on his efforts. Staffan de Mistura said his proposal for direct talks between the Syrian government and anti-government forces was rejected.A U.S.-Russia-brokered ceasefire collapsed last week when an aid convoy was bombed, and intense airstrikes resumed in the rebel-controlled city of Aleppo.
10/06/2016  OPEC AGREES ON OIL OUTPUT CUT
Oil prices are surging after the world's largest oil cartel agreed to limit production. OPEC members have been trying to bridge their differences on a way to alleviate a price slump. It's their first such deal since 2008, when demand was shrinking due to the global economic slowdown.Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are holding an informal meeting in Algeria. That's where they decided to limit output to between 32.5 and 33 million barrels a day. How much each country will produce will be decided at the next formal OPEC meeting in November.Saudi Arabia, Russia, and other major oil producers discussed a possible freeze of production levels in April, but failed to reach an agreement. And in June, Saudi Arabia and Iran failed to narrow their differences on a collective output quota, or production control.Crude oil prices spiked in New York Wednesday, following reports of the OPEC agreement. The benchmark WTI futures temporarily rose to the 47-dollar level. That's up more than six percent from the figure the previous day.
10/07/2016  CHINA'S RECORD-BREAKING RADIO TELESCOPE
Chinese astronomers have switched on a device they hope will tell them more about the origins of the universe. They've begun operating the world's largest radio telescope.It measures half a kilometer in diameter, surpassing what was the largest telescope in Puerto Rico. The construction cost about 180 million dollars and caused around 10,000 people to relocate to ensure radio silence.Xinhua says the telescope will listen for signals from outer space. The agency says scientists from other countries will be allowed to use it after two or three years.It's part of China's efforts to boost its space program. The country is also planning to build its own space station.
10/10/2016  ANCIENT WESTERN COINS FOUND IN OKINAWA
Officials in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Okinawa say coins found at ruins of a local castle are thought to be from the Roman and Ottoman empires. The officials say the find shows the wide extent of trade by Okinawa at the time.The education board of Uruma City excavated the ruins of Katsuren Castle in 2013. It found four copper coins believed to be from the Roman Empire in the 3rd to 4th centuries, and another thought to be from the Ottoman Empire in the late 17th century.The castle is a World Heritage site, and is said to have prospered during the Ryukyu Kingdom in the 14th and 15th centuries by trading with China and Thailand. Ryukyu is the former name of Okinawa.Education board officials and experts say the coins may be the first from the Roman or Ottoman empires to be found here in Japan.
10/11/2016  FOOD MARKET PROBE 'INADEQUATE'
Tokyo's governor says an inquiry has failed to clarify who is responsible for problems at the site to replace the famous Tsukiji Market. The metropolitan government's investigation looked into who decided to build the new market without laying clean soil underneath the buildings to prevent contamination.The governor said she appreciates the investigators' work, but called it inadequate.The site was developed to replace Tokyo's popular aging wholesale food market, but a gas plant once operated there, giving rise to safety concerns. So, experts recommended years ago to replace the top two meters of soil, then add another two and a half meters of clean soil over that. Tokyo officials didn't follow that advice and created an open space instead.Koike says she will consider creating a whistle blower system and other measures to prevent similar incidents. She will also call for further investigations.
10/12/2016  PARIS DEAL TO TAKE EFFECT NOV.4
The United Nations has announced that the Paris Agreement will go into force on November 4th. UN and U.S. leaders have welcomed the announcement as a historic step in fighting climate change.UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement on Wednesday, saying strong international support for the agreement is a testament to the urgency of the issue.Last month, it was ratified by the world's two biggest emitters of global warming gases - China and the United States. EU members then sped up efforts to ratify. That surpassed the threshold needed to bring the deal into force - 55 countries representing more than 55 percent of global emissions.U.S. President Barack Obama says it is a historic step in the fight to protect this planet for future generations. But he warns that the agreement alone will not solve the climate crisis.
(Barack Obama / U.S. President)"Even if we meet every target embodied in the agreement, we'll only get to part of where we need to go. But make no mistake, this agreement will help delay or avoid some of the worst consequences of climate change."
10/13/2016  JAPANESE PHYSIOLOGIST (has been) HONORED
This year's winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to a Japanese physiologist. Yoshinori Ohsumi's experiments with baker's yeast led him to discover how cells recycle themselves. The process is known as autophagy, a Greek term meaning "self-eating."Currently a professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ohsumi first identified autophagy in the early 90s. Ohsumi found that when a cell is starved or damaged, it breaks down its proteins and non-essential parts. Some of the contents are then recycled. They're turned into energy or other new proteins.The Nobel Assembly said Ohsumi's research led to the discovery of what can happen if there is a problem with the recycling process.The assembly also said his findings could lead to the development of new treatments to tackle a range of diseases.
10/14/2016  'MATSUTAKE' MUSHROOMS IN SEASON
Japanese lovers of matsutake mushrooms are welcoming a bumper crop. They've had to wait a little longer this year for shipments of the fall delicacy to hit their peak.Ueda City in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan, is a leading producer of the prized fungus, which is known for its distinctive aroma. About 150 kilograms went up for auction at a market in Ueda City on Monday, the largest haul this season. Wholesalers and grocers paid about 30,000 yen, or 300 dollars, per kilogram.
(Kazuyoshi Nagai / Market chief)"People should definitely try these high-quality matsutake mushrooms from Ueda. Now is the best time."
Market dealers say shipments are late this year due to September's hot and rainy weather.