News Headlines - 10 September 2013

▽AFP: Syria vows to dump chem arms, US strike threat recedes

Syria promised to renounce chemical weapons Tuesday as diplomatic wrangling between Russia and Western powers again pushed back the threat of US strikes against the regime.

▽Shinzo Abe to write revival story for Japan with Olympics - FT.com

Tokyo has been granted its second Olympics and Shinzo Abe knows just the story the games should tell: the same one as the first time round, in 1964, when the five-ringed banners all but shouted the prime minister’s favourite slogan, “Japan is back”.

▽China warns Japan against stationing workers on disputed isles | Reuters

China said it would not tolerate provocation after Japan's top government spokesman said on Tuesday Japan might station government workers on disputed islands in the East China Sea to defend its sovereignty.

▽How British attitudes have changed over 30 years - Channel 4 News

British people have hardened their view on the NHS in recent years but softened in their attitude towards state benefits for the unemployed, according to the British Social Attitudes survey.

▽BBC News - Bob Geldof set to travel into space

The singer and campaigner Bob Geldof is to travel into space as a passenger on a commercial space flight. Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) is hoping to launch 100 people into space in 2014 at the cost of $100,000 (￡64,000) per ticket.