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Brazilian midfielder Fernando to join Beijing Guoan

(Xinhua)10:21, July 31, 2019

BEIJING, July 30 — Brazilian midfielder Fernando Lucas Martins is set to join Beijing Guoan Football Club, Russian Premier League side Moscow Spartak announced on Tuesday.

Beijing Guoan made this move to help add quality and depth to midfield after Jonathan Viera was sidelined with a rib fracture from the upcoming Chinese Super League. The club also had their offer for French forward Wissam Ben Yedder turned down by Spanish side Sevilla.

The 27-year-old Brazilian footballer has contributed 12 goals in his 98 appearances for the Spartak during the past three years, including 3 goals and 2 assists during the last season of Russian Premier League.

Having made his professional debut in Gremio, Fernando was called up by Brazil in 2012-13.

He signed a contract with Donetsk Shakhtar in 2013 before he transferred to Italian Serie A club U.C. Sampdoria in 2015 and one year later to Russian club Spartak Moscow.

Fernando, who reportedly arrived in Beijing on Tuesday morning and already taken medical, may make his debut in the Chinese Super League in the match against Hebei China Fortune FC this Friday.

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Directors of the board

(China Daily)10:36, July 31, 2019

Liu Jiaming, 23, a promising skateboarder prepares to drop in to a 3-meter jump in a recent reality show, One More Try.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Skateboarding is thriving now, but its taken the hard work of dedicated and bruised practitioners to build up momentum, Xing Wen reports.

A low rumble, punctuated by the rhythmic click, click, click caused by the grouting between paving slabs. A scrape, a sharp CLACK, silence, and a clatter, followed by the return of that monotonous rumble鈥?Its a soundtrack heard on nearly every street in almost every corner of the world.

It is the music of defiance and rebellion, of freedom and youth. Its a song that parents hate and that evokes dollar signs in the minds of osteopathic doctors.

Yet, in Tokyo next year, it will be one of the loudest played pieces in the concerto of the Summer Olympics. Skateboarding has finally arrived on the biggest stage in the world-and China is looking for a front-row seat.

These days, young people skateboarding wherever the street furniture forms ramps, bumps, rails and ledges may be common-along with hearing slang terms like lock in and drop in-but, the development of skating culture in China is a 30-year story.

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New studies show diverse benefits of eating blueberries

(Xinhua)10:49, July 31, 2019

LOS ANGELES, July 30 — New studies have added fresh evidence on how blueberry consumption contributes to healthy aging, the latest release of the Gerontological Society of America said.

Since the 1990s, research on the health benefits of blueberries has grown exponentially, said an opening editorial of The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.

Studies have documented that this fruit ranks highest in antioxidant activity compared with many other popular fruits. Moreover, other mechanisms for the health benefits of blueberries, such as their anti-inflammatory properties, have been identified, according to the publication.

Another study published on the journal found that consuming 200 grams of blueberries (about one cup) daily can improve blood vessel function and decrease systolic blood pressure. As to the cause, the authors cited anthocyanins, which are phytochemicals that give blueberries their dark color.

Other studies document the cognitive benefits of eating blueberries, including the fruits high polyphenol count to improved performance on memory effects in children and older adults.

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S. Africas HIV prevalence estimated at 13.5 pct

(Xinhua)10:06, July 30, 2019

CAPE TOWN, July 29 — The estimated overall HIV prevalence rate is approximately 13.5 percent among the South African population, according to figures released on Monday.

South Africas total number of people living with HIV stands at approximately 7.97 million in 2019, a sharp increase from an estimated 4.25 million in 2002, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said in its latest population estimate.

This indicates that South Africa has the biggest and most high-profile HIV epidemic in the world, accounting for a third of all new HIV infections in southern Africa.

In 2018, South Africas registered total number of people living with HIV stood at 7.52 million, making up 13.1 percent of the total population of 57.7 million then.

For adults aged between 15 and 49 years, an estimated 19.07 percent of the population is HIV positive in mid-year 2019, Stats SA said.

The agency also said South Africas mid-year population is estimated to have increased to 58.78 million in 2019.

Life expectancy at birth for 2019 is estimated at 61.5 years for males and 67.7 years for females. The infant mortality rate for 2019 is estimated at 22.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the agency.