Cuban hurdler Dayron Robles out of shape: coach

Cuban Olympic champion in 110m hurdles Dayron Robles decided to end his season this year because he is not in his “top form,” his coach Santiago Antunez said on Monday.

“Dayron is not in a top form. He is training well, but he still needs to work more, and to polish more details,” the coach added. Read more »

China, DPRK seek restart of nuclear talks

China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) seek an early resumption of the Six-Party Talks to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, leaders of both nations have agreed.

The pledge comes at a time when several parties involved in the nuclear talks have strengthened diplomatic efforts to restart the deadlocked mechanism. Read more »

Fur flies over Teletubbies

Court restores trademark for use by Chinese food and drinks company

Teletubbies may have been designed as child’s play, but the popular children’s TV series has triggered a complex and very adult wrangle over a trademark based on its Chinese translation.
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Airlines will pay $30M extra to Atlanta airport

The city of Atlanta said on Tuesday that airlines including Delta and AirTran have agreed to make $30 million in extra lease payments to keep construction moving on a new international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Read more »

Evacuation of North Carolina Barrier Island Ordered Ahead of Hurricane Earl

A powerful Hurricane Earl threatened to sideswipe much of the East Coast just ahead of Labor Day, worrying countless vacationers who planned to spend the traditional last week of summer at the beach.

North Carolina officials late Tuesday announced the first evacuation would be Ocracoke Island beginning at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Tourists would be ordered to leave the barrier island accessible only by ferries, but those who live there year-round have the option to stay. Read more »

Obama Says Iraq Combat Mission Is Over

WASHINGTON — President Obama declared an end on Tuesday to the seven-year American combat mission in Iraq, saying that the United States has met its responsibility to that country and that it is now time to turn to pressing problems at home.

In a prime-time address to the nation from the Oval Office, Mr. Obama balanced praise for the troops who fought and died in Iraq with his conviction that getting into the conflict had been a mistake in the first place. But he also used the moment to emphasize that he sees his primary job as addressing the weak economy and other domestic issues — and to make clear that he intends to begin disengaging from the war in Afghanistan next summer. Read more »

Wushu rang down the curtain Chinese athletes swept all the gold

Thunderous cheers claimed the perfect end of Wushu in the second race day of the Sport Combat Games 2010 Beijing.

2:0 witnessed the overwhelming victory of Chinese woman athlete E Meidie against Turkey’s Aysegol Behlivan in Women’s Sanshou 52kg Final. The brisk pace and offensive hit ensured Chinese team got the first Wushu Sanshou gold medal, which horned the beginning of the gold wave of China’s winning. Read more »

Russia-China oil pipeline launched

Russia has officially launched its section of a pipeline which will deliver east Siberian oil to China.

At Sunday’s opening ceremony for the initial branch of the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean Pipeline, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hailed the connector, as a multidimensional project that will enhance energy cooperation, between Moscow and Beijing. Read more »

Japan sends large number of delegates

The economic dialogue has seen a large number of delegates from Japan. Experts say this means Japan is eager to strengthen cooperation with China to boost its economy.

The dialogue was first convened in 2007 in Beijing. Japan sent 70 delegates including six cabinet members. Read more »

French filmmaker Alain Corneau dies at 67

PARIS (AP) — The talent agency representing Alain Corneau says the French filmmaker who leapt to international notice with the 1991 hit “Tous les Matins du Monde” has died. He was 67.

Artmedia talent agency said Monday that Corneau had suffered from cancer and died overnight. Read more »