RTHK ON INTERNET Online News 2008-08-30 -------------------------------------- 1) Jankovic beats Zheng Jie at US Open (02:45) Tennis- second seed, Jelena Jankovic, came through another bruising battle at the US Open edging past Zheng Jie:7-5,7-5 to reach the fourth round. The Serbian, chasing her first grand slam title, scrambled into the last 16 after two hours nine minutes. World number 37, Zheng, saved four match points in a marathon 12th game of the second set which featured 11 deuces, but Jankovic finally clinched victory when the Chinese netted a forehand. 2) Jamaica battered by tropical storm (01:19) Strong winds and heavy rain have been battering Jamaica, as tropical storm Gustav made its way across the island. There were no immediate reports of casualties, but power supplies have been interrupted and houses damaged. About sixty people were killed in the storm as it passed over the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Gustav is forecast to hit the Cayman Islands next, as it heads into the Gulf of Mexico. 3) Sri Lankans urged to flee fighting (01:18) Residents in rebel-held areas around Kilinochi in northern Sri Lanka say thousands of leaflets have been dropped by government helicopters urging civilians to leave in the face of an advance by the army. Aid agencies say 75,000 people have fled deeper into rebel-held territory in the last three months. 4) Protest against attacks on Christians (01:19) Thousands of Christian schools and colleges are shut across India in protest against continuing attacks on Christians in the eastern state of Orissa. The strike was called by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, which runs about 25,000 education centres in the country. His followers blamed local Christians for his death, although police suspect the man died at the hands of Maoist rebels. 5) Japanese package to prevent recession (01:18) The Japanese government has announced a set of measures to help stave off recession. The package - worth more than US$100 billion - is four times more than expected. It includes subsidies for farmers, companies and consumers to help them cope with the credit crisis. With an election expected in the next few months, the opposition and many economists have criticised the plan as a return to the old habits of overspending. 6) Man jailed for robbing women (01:18) A man with 12 previous robbery convictions has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years after admitting robbing five women following his release from jail in January last year. Sentencing him, Madame Justice Judianna Barnes said Mr Ko - who preyed on single women - was a coward. He had previously served a four-year prison term for robbery. 7) Floods ravage Indian state (01:19) A massive relief operation is under way in the Indian state of Bihar, which is suffering the worst monsoon flooding in decades. Entire villages have been submerged by the overflowing waters of the Kosi River. Nearly 1,500 soldiers boosted rescue efforts as air force helicopters dropped food to more than one-million people. Rising waters have swept away at least 44 people in Bihar, where more than 60,000 have taken refuge in 300 state-run camps. 8) China's former richest man jailed (00:56) A mainland businessman once listed as the richest in the country has been jailed for more than ten years for illegal logging. State media said Luo Zhongfu, 57, the chairman of a real estate company, was found guilty of clearing a forest to make way for a resort development. A court in Qingzhen city in Guizhou province also fined him 50,000 yuan for deforestation, illegal use of farmland and interfering with testimony. The court was told that Luo had decided in 2006 to clear part of a forest to make way for a US$47-million real estate project without first obtaining official permission. His wife, Yang Xiurong, a Guizhou politician, was sentenced to two years in jail and fined 10,000-yuan. Both are reported to have decided to appeal. Luo, a Guizhou native, was listed as China's richest man in 1994 and 1995 by Forbes magazine. 9) Japan inflation hits 10-year high (00:56) Japan's core inflation rate has surged to a ten-year high of 2.4 percent, on the back of soaring energy and raw material costs. The return of inflation - after a long period of deflation - has been met with concern, as it's being driven by rising import costs rather than a stronger domestic economy. Meanwhile, the country's unemployment rate has edged down slightly to four percent. 10) Tibetan monastery reopened (00:56) A major Buddhist monastery in Tibet has reopened after being closed by the authorities during anti-government riots in March. A staff member said the Drepung Monastery, on the outskirts of Lhasa, reopened to visotrs this week and had been fairly busy since then. He said the monastery will hold ceremonies tomorrow as part of a larger religious festival. 11) Mainland gold medallists visit Hong Kong (00:46) Mainland gold medallists and accompanying officials faced the local media.Questions relating to the ages of gymnastic champions were raised, as local media grilled the visitors about claims that two of the gymnasts were under 16,the minimum aged needed to compete.Cui Dalin,the Mainland's sports minister, reiterated that all the gymnasts wre over 16.Reporters were also keen to get the latest on a rumoured romantic relationship and possible marriage between diving queen Guo Jingjing and the son of Sports Federation president, Timothy Fok. 12) No plea from Karadzic at Hague tribunal (00:40) The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, has declined to enter a plea at the International War Crimes Tribunal. He faces charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. He complained that he wouldn't get a fair trial. The judge entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. 13) McCain chooses woman to be running mate (00:38) The US Republican party presidential candidate, John McCain, has chosen a woman to be his running mate. She's the youngest ever Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, who's been in office less than two years. She has a strong anti-abortion record, and her selection was praised warmly by social conservatives, whose support Mr Mccain needs. His campaign hopes the announcement, on the eve of the Republican National Convention, will offset any advantage his rival, Barack Obama, might have gained from coverage of his own Democratic Party Convention. 14) Thai protests spread outside capital (00:14) Anti-government protests in Thailand have spread from the capital Bangkok to several other areas of the country. At least two airports were closed for a while when demonstrators marched on to the runways. The police have pulled back from the main government complex in Bangkok, and protestors who had been occupying it have now surrounded police headquarters in the city. The army commander, General Anupong Paochinda, has said the military will not launch a coup. But he has told Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, that his only option is to negotiate with the protesters. ------------------------------------- All Copyright Reserved. 2002