新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2013/09/25

The Beijing Hour
 
Morning Edition
 

RH with you on this Wednesday , September 25th, 2013.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
Kenyan President announces they are now in control of a Nairobi mall after four days confrontation.
United Nations General Assembly opens in New York with Syria topping the agenda.
China stresses cooperation with Africa at the UN Assembley
Business
The first pilot free trade zone in China to be officially launched in Shanghai on Sunday.
Sports
Third seed Sara Errani knocked out at the Toray Pan Pacific Open
Entertainments
Comedian and actress Jane Lynch's special tribute to the late Cory Monteith at the Emmy's comes under fire
Plus
Special reports looks at new arguments here in China about the viability of a spouse visitation law for those with family in other parts of the country.
First, let's check on what's happening on the weather front...
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be sunny today, with a high of 25 degree Celsius in the daytime, and it will be clear tonight with a low of 10.
In Shanghai, it will see slight rain today, 24 the high, and it will be overcast tonight, the low of 18 degrees Celsius.
Lhasa will be cloudy in the daytime the temperature's at 22, and tonight will have showers with a low of 7 degree Celsius.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny, 33.
Kabul, sunny, with a high of 31.
And in North America
New York, sunny, with a high of 23 degrees.
Washington, sunny, highs of 22
Houston, overcast, 34.
Honolulu, overcast, 31.
Toronto, sunny, 19
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires, sunny, 14.
And Rio de Janeiro will have thundershowers with highs of 27 degrees Celsius.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Kenyan President says militants "defeated"
 
Anchor
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta says the terrorists who took control of a Nairobi mall have been defeated after a four-day deadly confrontation.
More than 60 civilians and 6 Security officers were killed during the operation.
CRI's Hu Jia reports
Report
"We have ashamed and defeated our attackers"
This message by Kenya's president Uhuru Kenyatta comes as relief to residents in Nairobi, after four days of attacks at a shopping mall in the capital.
In a televised address to the country, Kenyatta announced they had defeated the attackers believed to be Al-shabaab .
"Five terrorists were killed with gunfire. Eleven suspects are in custody in connection with the attack These cowards will meet justice, as will their accomplices and patrons, wherever they are."
But as the rescue operation comes to an end, more work lies ahead.
"Towards the tail end of the operation three floors of the Westgate Mall collapsed and there are several bodies still trapped in the rubble including the terrorists"
More than 60 civilians lost their lives in the attack.
Many families have indentified the bodies of their relatives, but for some like Alfred Musyoki the search is still on.
"We have been looking for her since Saturday but we have not yet seen her. We have gone to the red-cross desk but her name does not appear. Her name is Anne Mbinya Mutua and she used to work as a house girl near Westgate"
President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced three days national mourning beginning on Wednesday, during which official flags will fly at half-mast throughout the country.
Meantime forensic experts are working to identify the nationalities of the terrorists.
Somali-based Al-Shabaab launched the attack on Saturday.
The al-Qaeda linked group claims the attack as a response to Kenya's support of the African Unison assault on the terrorist group in southern Somalia.
For CRI, I am Hu Jia.
 
 
Syria issue tops UNGA agenda
 
Anchor
The annual United Nations General Assembly has opened at the UN headquarters in New York.
Topping the agenda is Syria's recent pledge to handover its chemical weapons stocks and its ongoing civil war.
CRI's Marc Cavigli has more.
Reporter:
Opening the UNGA, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on members of the Security Council to adopt an "enforceable" resolution on the issue of the use of chemical weapons in Syria.
"I look forward to the imminent introduction of an enforceable and binding Security Council resolution on chemical weapons."
The UN inspection team is scheduled to return to Syria Wednesday.
They are expected to further probe pending credible allegations, including the March 19th incident at Khan al-Asal.
Meantime, Ban has also urged world leaders to bring an end to the atrocities brought by conventional weapons, which are supplied to Syria by outside powers.
"We can hardly be satisfied with destroying chemical weapons while the wider war is still destroying all of Syria. The vast majority of the killing and atrocities have been carried out with conventional weapons. I appeal to all states to stop fuelling the bloodshed and to end the arms flows to all the parties."
It's now been a week since the US and Russia reached a deal on the disposal of Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles.
But diplomats say differences between the two have held up action at the UN Security Council.
Russia has rejected any Security Resolution that includes the use of force against Syria.
But the US and France have insisted that consequences should be part of a resolution to make Syrian President Bashar al-Assad honor his commitment.
French President Francois Hollande.
"The resolution that we are preparing should make provision for coercive measures, meaning under Chapter 7, in case of non respect of commitments by the Syrian regime. This indeed is what the agreement signed between Russia and the US foresaw so it is one more reason to put it in the resolution."
Russia has been supplying the Syrian security forces with weapons in the fight against the rebels.
While the West and its middle east allies, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have tried in many ways to sponsor or arm the Syrian opposition.
The civil war in Syria has left more than 100,000 dead.
Almost one third of the country's population has been forced to leave the country.
For CRI, i am Marc Cavigli.
 
 
Obama signals direct engagement with Iran on its Nuk program
 
Hopes are running high that a breakthrough could be made with Iran over it's talks with world powers on its nuclear program.
At the UNGA, US President Barack Obama signalled a willingness to directly engage Iran's leaders on the issue.
"We are encouraged that President Rouhani received from the Iranian people a mandate to pursue a more moderate course. Given President Rouhani's stated commitment to reach an agreement, I am directing John Kerry to pursue this effort with the Iranian government, in close co-operation with the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China. The roadblocks may prove to be too great, but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested."
Obama added that the US does not seek regime change in Iran and respects the right of the Iranian people to access peaceful nuclear energy.
For his part, newly-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he was ready to restart stalled nuclear talks without preconditions.
However Iran's pledge was once again rubbished by its neighbor and arch enemy Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Israel would welcome a genuine diplomatic solution that truly dismantles Iran's capacity to develop nuclear weapons. But we will not be fooled by half-measures that merely provide a smokescreen for Iran's continual pursuit of nuclear weapons. And the world should not be fooled either."
Netanyahu also went as far as instructing Israeli diplomats to leave the UN General Assembly when President Rouhani speaks.
Earlier, Iran has agreed to restart talks on its nuclear program with the five Permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.
Before that, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday.
 
 
China stresses cooperation with Africa
 
Anchor
Ahead of the UN General Assembly, China's foreign minister Wang Yi has been discussing the importance of China-Africa cooperation.
CRI's Ding Lulu has more.
Reporter
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane jointly hosted the meeting, with some 40 other African countries attending.
As part of the meeting, the group has signed a Joint Communique, the 3rd of its kind among the foreign ministers from China and African countries.
Wang Yi says China and Africa share common goals.
"Since the beginning of the new century, we have seen Africa has changed, from 'the forgotten land' to a continent full of hopes and growth. Over 1 billion African people unite together and strive to realize their African dream of development and prosperity."
The Chinese foreign minister also says China and Africa are bound together.
"China is and will always be a faithful and reliable friend for Africa. We will strengthen cooperation with African countries for opportunities, development and better life for our people. Our cooperation will also contribute to a global dream of peace and common prosperity."
Wang Yi notes Chinese President Xi Jinping visited a number of African countries shortly after taking office earlier this year.
The Ministerial Political Consultations between China and African countries have been held every three years since 2007.
For CRI, this is DLL
 
 
China poses no threats to others
 
The Chinese government has issued a new statement, saying its maritime activities are based on international laws and do not pose any threats to any other countries.
The statement has been made in response to a Japanese plan to send additional patrols into the Western Pacific.
The Japanese side says it's making the move amid increased Chinese naval activity in the Western Pacific.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei.
"Some countries are creating tensions and threats, in order to find excuses for their military expansion. We hope that Japan learns from history and plays a constructive role in regional stability and peace. "
The new Japanese patrol ship is being sent to waters around the Japanese island of Iwo Jima.
China and Japan have been maintaining a tense stalemate in the region amid the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands.
 
 
The People's Liberation Army band is in Canberra
 
Anchor
The People's Liberation Army band has begun rehearsals with its Australian counterpart in the Australian capital.
As CRI's Wang Xiao reports, this is part of a culture and frienship event being held in Canberra.
Reporter
The rehearsals between the PLA and the Australian Defense Force bands have taken place at the Royal Military College of Australia in Canberra.
This is the first time the PLA has attended a culture and friendship week in a western country.
The concert they'll be putting on is just one of a number of events being held this week in Canberra.
The first composition the two bands rehearsed was the Ode to the Motherland, which is well known in every Chinese household.
Senior Colonel Zhang Haifeng is the PLA band's conductor.
"The Ode to the Motherland is a very famous song in China. It is played in almost all important performances especially on national ceremonies. The composition we are going to play is adapted from this song. There are two tempos in the composition, the beginning and the end are slow, and the middle is performed at the same tempo with the song."
Although the musicians speak different languages, they have little difficulty in communicating through music.
Australian Defence Force band director Gordon Lambie says the concert will help promote communication and understanding between the two militaries.
"We are very pleased to welcome the PLA band to Australia. It is almost a return visit because you host the Australian army band back in 1998 in Beijing. This is initiative by both of our governments to broaden our awareness of the cultural diversity of the countries. It's something we are very excited about. We are excited because we are chosen to initiated through music."
As part of the 8-day visit, the PLA band will also show off a photo exhibition and hold talks with their Australian counterpart.
For CRI, this is Wang Xiao from Australia.
 
 
PLA hospital ship arrives in Cambodia, the last stop of its overseas trip
 
A Chinese naval hospital ship has arrived in Cambodia's southern port city of Sihanoukville.
The arrival of the "Peace Ark" is the ship's last stop on a 4-month overseas voyage to provide medical services in the region.
The ship has been welcomed by Cambodia's naval officers and a group of local students with traditional Chinese festive dance and music.
During its one-week stay in Sihanoukville, Chinese medics will provide medical services to local patients onboard the hospital ship.
Meanwhile, medical teams are also to be dispatched onshore to give on-the-spot medical services to locals.
The "Peace Ark" has over 400 people onboard.
Around 100 of them are medical staff.
The vessel set sail from China in early June.
This mission is its third overseas trip, which has seen it make stops in 8 Asian countries and the Gulf of Aden.
 
 
3 killed as 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits SW Pakistan
 
At least 93 people have been killed and over 200 others injured following a major 7.7 magnitude earthquake in a remote area in Southwestern Pakistan.
Most people were killed when their houses collapsed.
Local officials in Baluchistan say they are sending in food and tents.
Strong aftershocks are reported in the area.
The tremors have been felt in neighboring India's capital New Dehli and in many Pakistani cities.
Mohammad Taimur is a resident in Karachi:
[bjh/soundbite/0925 Taimur, in Urdu]
"I was working on my computer in the office. Suddenly I felt tremors, my table and computer started shaking. I thought I was feeling dizziness but I soon found out they were tremors. I immediately left and came down for safety."
Baluchistan is Pakistan's largest province but also the least populated.
The province is prone to earthquakes.
Earlier this year, a 7.8-magnitude tremor centered in southeastern Iran which killed at least 35 people in the province.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Anchor
First off, a check on the stock market of North America and Europe
Join me on the desk, CRI's Hu Jia.
Reporter
U.S. stocks ended mostly lower, as a recent slide in the financial sector and uncertainties over budget discussions, weighed on sentiment.
Financials and health care were the leading sector decliners, while industrials gained.
In corporate new, Facebook gained 2.7 percent.
As media reports indicates that the Chinese government plans to lift an Internet access ban within the Shanghai free-trade zone.
This could enable citizens to visit social media sites like Facebook.
When the market closed,
The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.4 percent.
The S&P 500 index slipped 0.3 percent.
while the Nasdaq gained 0.1 percent.
European stocks earlier dipped into negative territory
after data showed a drop in U.S. consumer confidence,
but most indexes nudged to a positive close
after upbeat figures on German business sentiment.
As such,
France's CAC 40 gained 0.6 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 added 0.2 percent.
Germany's DAX tacked on 0.3 percent.
 
 
China to inaugurate Shanghai FTZ on Sunday
 
The first pilot free trade zone in China will officially be launched in Shanghai on Sunday.
Municipal authorities say the preparation work is going smoothly.
The zone covers an area of 29 square kilometers.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says priority will be given to easier investment and greater openness.
State Council is suspending administrative approvals covering foreign-funded enterprises, Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures and contractual joint ventures in the FTZ.
In the pilot zone, goods can be imported, processed and re-exported without the intervention of customs authorities.
 
 
Shanghai Free Trade Zone to Free up Deposit and Lending Rates
 
Media reports suggest China will further free up interest rates in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.
The Shanghai FTZ will see both the removal of the floors for deposit rates and lending rates.
Meanwhile, firms located in the pilot zone will be able to borrow money from Chinese and foreign banks without restrictions.
Foreign lenders will enjoy the same favorable treatment as domestic banks.
In addition, internal sources revealed that any banks who seek to set up branches in the FTZ will receive preferential policies.
It is not clear whether Shanghai FTZ will allow free yuan exchange.
 
 
Morning Call In China's Sat Nav Targets
 
Anchor:
China's satellite navigation and location service industries is aiming to generate output of 225-billion yuan, some 36 billion U.S. dollars by 2015, that’s according to a recently released white paper.
This target will entail a three-fold increase in just three years.
Last year total industry output reached 81-billion yuan.
As part of the plans, China's domestically produced BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has been targeted to reach annual product of 400 billion yuan by 2020, with a user base of 800 million.
Currently, only around 230-thousand BeiDou terminals are used by consumers.
For more on China's prospects of achieving these goals in this strategically important industry, I am joined on the line by Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.
Questions:
1. Ben what are the advantages of BeiDou products compared to its global sat nav competitors?
2. How has the growth of this domestic satellite navigation industry looked in the past few years?
3. What strategies will China use to achieve these ambitious targets?
4. What are the possible hindrances to these strategies?
5. Do you think Beidou will become the Sav Nav system of choice in the near future?
That was Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai
 
 
Global M&A is up 13% in first 9 months of 2013
 
The financial information provider Dealogic is reporting, that Global merger and acquisition has been up 13-percent year on year.
M&A volume hit 2-trillion US dollars through the first nine months of this year.
However, despite the increase in volume, global activity was down 20-percent over the same period.
It signals a second straight year on year decline.
Currently Goldman Sachs is the global leader in terms of M&A volume; JP Morgan was the US leader for M&A.
Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and Barclays round out the top five in the global volume rankings.
 
 
Next bank stress test cycle to include Basel III: U.S. Fed
 
The US central bank is emphasizing that all the banks in America, must incorporate the new Basel III, in the next survey of bank stress tests.
The upcoming stress tests will begin in October.
The Federal Reserve has enacted two interim final rules from the stricter capital measures.
One for banks with 50-billion US dollars or more in total consolidated assets.
The other for groups with assets of 10 to 50 billion US dollars.
Bigger banks in the first category will have to take Basel III rules in the October stress tests.
For most banks who fall in the second group, there is a one-year transitional period.
The Basel III which requires banks to hold more equity capital to fund business will be phased in starting next year.
Bank holdings of common equity are supposed to hike to 4.5 percent from the 2 percent in the Basel II rules.
 
 
Moody's warns of risk from U.S. debt ceiling
 
Global rating agency Moody's, is warning that a failure to the US debt limit negotiation, will result in a more-negative outcome, for financial markets.
It says the damage will be much more significant than a government shutdown.
In a latest report by Moody's, the perception is that if the U.S government were to default on its debt, it could roil the financial markets, damage businesses and consumer confidence.
The U.S Treasury is set to bump up its 16.7 trillion US dollar borrowing limit around mid-October.
But Moody's is expecting the U.S could avoid a shutdown and increase the debt limit.
Congress has no more than a week to pass a federal budget to guarantee government operation.
 
 
Jingdong Mall and Baidu Obtain Nod to Set up Small Loan Companies
 
Beijing has given approval to Baidu and Jingdong Mall to set up small loan companies.
The collaboration, between China's dominant search engine and one of the major players of online retailers, will be located in Jiading district, Shanghai.
Registered capitals for the two loan firms are 200 million and 300 million yuan respectively.
Earlier in July Suning Commerce Group, China's biggest appliance chain has been approved to establish similar small loan firm.
It will start a trial run in the upcoming month.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Death toll set to rise after some bodies trapped in Kenya's mall
 
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta says security forces have now defeated the attackers four days after fighting began at a Nairobi mall.
In a televised address to the nation, Kenyatta said three days of national mourning would begin Wednesday.
The death toll now stands at 61, although more bodies are believed to be trapped in the mall.
At least 18 foreigners are among the dead, including a Chinese woman.
The attack at the Westgate shopping mall also left 240 injured.
Five of the gunmen have been killed and another 11 suspects taken into custody.
Somali-based Al-Shabaab launched the attack on Saturday in what they say was a response to Kenya's support of the African Union assault on the terrorist group in southern Somalia.
 
 
UN General Assembly begins annual general debate
 
The 68th session of the UN General Assembly has begun its annual general debate at the UN headquarters in New York.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered an opening speech.
He called on the member states to take "bold" steps and work together to tackle a host of concerns, including the situation in the Middle East and North Africa and including a new climate change regime.
More than 130 heads of state, heads of government and deputy prime ministers are scheduled to address the conference.
The use of chemical weapons in Syria and the nuclear issue in Iran are hot topics among world learders and diplomats.
 
 
93 killed as 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits SW Pakistan
 
At least 93 people have been killed and over 200 others injured following a major 7.7 magnitude earthquake in a remote area in Southwestern Pakistan.
Most people were killed when their houses collapsed.
Local officials in Baluchistan say they are sending in food and tents.
Strong aftershocks are reported in the area.
The tremors have been felt in neighboring India's capital New Dehli and in many Pakistani cities.
Baluchistan is Pakistan's largest province but also the least populated.
The province is prone to earthquakes.
Earlier this year, a 7.8-magnitude tremor centered in southeastern Iran which killed at least 35 people in the province.
 
 
China to inaugurate Shanghai FTZ on Sunday
 
The first pilot free trade zone in China will officially be launched in Shanghai on Sunday.
Municipal authorities say the preparation work is going smoothly.
The zone covers an area of 29 square kilometers.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says priority will be given to easier investment and greater openness.
State Council is suspending administrative approvals covering foreign-funded enterprises, Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures and contractual joint ventures in the FTZ.
In the pilot zone, goods can be imported, processed and re-exported without the intervention of customs authorities.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
South China Metropolitan Daily
House Sister' stands trial for illegal hukou
Summary:
Gong Aiai, former bank executive in Shaanxi Province, denied charges of forging and trading official documents during a trial.
Gong reportedly owns 41 properties in Beijing and has four sets of illegal residence registration permits, or hukou,
No verdict has been given.
Beijing Morning Post
Three detained for shooting imitation guns
Summary:
Three men have been detained after they shot at people with plastic bullets fired from imitation firearms.
The men shoot at passers-by from a vehicle.
Police detained the men on suspicion of endangering public security.
Beijing Times
Anti-graft agency gets 760 tips daily
Summary:
The country's top anti-corruption agency receives an average of 760 whistle-blowing tips every day through its website, officially launched in September.
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China has set an entrance on the front page of its website, through which Internet users can report their information.
Global Times
Beijing unveils trillion yuan air pollution plan
Summary:
Over 1 trillion yuan ($163.4 billion) will be allocated to the fight against air pollution in Beijing.
However, only 200 to 300 billion will come from the government.
The rest of the money will be taken from enterprises and other organizations.
Contributing enterprises would be those responsible for air pollution.
Beijing News
Bedbugs found on high-speed train Summary:
The Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the presence of bedbugs on a D313 high-speed train between Beijing and Shanghai.
The bugs were identified from a video clip shot by a passenger showing the small insects on a train bunk.
China Daily
Business students want to return home
Summary:
According to a new report, Chinese students from wealthy families and those who study business in the US are more willing to return to China after graduation.
That is attributable to the economic situation in the US and employment opportunities in China.
Shanghai Daily
Christie's picks Shanghai for its first auction on Chinese mainland
Summary:
Christie's will hold its first auction in Shanghai tomorrow.
The London auction house will put up 42 works from various fields — from paintings, jewelry, watches, wine and decorative arts — under the hammer, estimated to be worth 100 million yuan ($16 million).
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Home leave holiday
 
Anchor
New arguments are being made here in China about the viability of a law which allows employees who work for government agencies 20 to 30-days off a year to visit parents or spouses living in different parts of China.
CRI's Li Dong explains.
Reporter
The law was made 32 years ago. At that time, there were very few privately owned enterprises.
In a random survey in Hangzhou, most interviewees didn't even know the existence of such a holiday, stipulated by the law as only designated for visiting parents and spouses residing in another city.
Si Lijuan has been working in a company in Hangzhou for four years. She says her company doesn't offer such home leave holidays.
"Our company says this home leave regulation was made a long time ago and doesn't apply to our company."
But even in state-owned enterprises, enjoying home leave is no easy task. Shen Xiangjuan is a HR manager in a SOE. She says enterprises have their concerns.
Shen says, the regulation hasn't been changed since made in 1981. However, as the country's economy and society is experiencing enormous innovation, her company is trying their best to strike a balance between having staff enjoy their home leave and rising labor costs.
"When employees decide to use their home leave, whilst his or her basic salary remains untouched, all their bonus will be deducted or at least seriously affected. This is a big sacrifice for them. That's why employees give serious thoughts about whether to use their holidays for home leave."
Xu Jianyu is an associate professor at Zhengjiang University Guanghua Law School. He says that as a law-protected holiday system, it has legal force. Both employees or the employers should abide by it, no matter whether the company is publicly or privately owned. Depriving employees' right to home leave is illegal and violates the principal of fairness protected by China's Labor Law.
Xu Jianyu says some revisions need to be made to the old home leave regulation, but cancelling such a holiday is not a good option.
"Personally, I don't think cancelling the home lave holiday is right. Because the function of home leave can't not be substituted by a paid holiday. The subject of visits made during home leave is restricted to only spouses and parents, not ordinary relatives."
Some internet users say their current paid holiday is already hard to guarantee, let alone the outdated home leave. Some also say that labor supervision departments should put in more effort to support employees to carry out their legal holiday rights no matter what kind of organization they work for, whether it be publicly or non-publicly owned.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Third seed Sara Errani was knocked out at the Toray Pan Pacific Open
 
Third seed Sara Errani has been knocked out in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Tuesday.
Errani was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Russian Svet/lana Kuz/net/sova.
Kuz/net/sova is a two-time major winner, having won the 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open, but is now ranked 27th in the world.
Next up for Kuznetsova in the third round is 15th-seeded Sorana Cirstea, the Romanian beat Japanese wildcard Misaki Doi 6-1, 6-2.
However, it is still business as usual for the rest of the top seeds in the second round, including Jelena Jankovic.
The sixth seed fired down seven aces and easily outclassed her Japanese opponent Ayumi Morita 6-4, 6-1.
Serbia's Jankovic will now face Eugenie Bouchard in the third round.
High hopes for Japanese number one, Kimiko Date-Krumm, in her match against Australia's Samantha Stosur, have collapsed.
Stosur dispatched the local favourite 6-3, 7-6 (2).
 
 
Alois Kankovsky wins second stage of Tour of China II
 
In cycling,
Stage two of the Tour of China II is a 132.6 kilometre ride around Yueyang, a prefecture-level city in the northeast corner of Hunan province.
Twenty-one year-old German Daniel Klemme began the day with a slender lead.
He would remain in possession of the yellow jersey - but only just.
Alois Kankovsky of the Czech Republic drew level with Klemme's overall time after success in a sprint finish.
Giorgio Brambilla came second, with fellow Italian Angelo Furlan achieving third.
Stage three will span 132.8 kilometres from Xiangyang Laohekou to Xiangyang Gucheng.
 
 
Ryder Cup captains look forward to contest with year to go
 
To golf and
Ryder Cup captains enjoyed a light-hearted news conference at Gleneagles in Scotland on Tuesday.
United States captain Tom Watson wants his team to draw on the memory of their painful 'Miracle at Medinah' defeat when they bid to wrestle the Ryder Cup back from Europe in Scotland next year.
"Actually I hope that that feeling remains for some of those players who remain on my team, on our team, coming up next year. And be able to use that as a motivator, now I don't think there is going to be much motivation necessary, but maybe just a word about 'We don't want this to happen again'."
Europe have won five of the last seven Ryder Cups.
But European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley said there is never anything to choose between the two lineups.
"I am well aware that the margins between the two teams is slight and I think that it is going to be a very closely fought contest and that's what makes the Ryder Cup so special and that's why everyone has such an interest in it. And we know in boxing terms it is going to be a heavyweight contest, toe to toe from start to finish."
The joint news conference was held to mark the one-year countdown to the next edition of the biennial team event.　　
The 2014 matchplay tournament is set to take place at the famous Scottish venue.
 
 
Pittsburgh Pirates reach playoff for first time in 21 years
 
Baseball,
The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.
After two consecutive decades of losing, the Pirates have clinched at least a National League (NL) wild card when they beat Chicago 2-1 and the Washington Nationals lost to St. Louis 4-3.
It will be Pittsburgh's first trip to the post-season since Barry Bonds helped the Pirates win three straight NL East titles from 1990-92.
Bonds then left for San Francisco as a free agent, and the small-budget Pirates piled up 20 consecutive losing records, the longest streak in the four major professional sports.
 
 
Ancelotti expects Bale to return in time for Atletico game
 
Football
Real Madrid has announced Gareth Bale should be back from injury in time to face city rivals Atletico this weekend.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti:
"Gareth Bale - he didn't have anything in particular, he has a little problem, he started to train yesterday and today he worked on individual exercise. Without problems he will be ready for Saturday's match."
Bale was due to make his home debut for Real against Getafe on last Sunday but injured his thigh during the pre-match warm-up.
Ahead of their crunch match against Atletico, Real will face newly promoted side Elche on Wednesday:
"Easy match, not will be easy, every match before the game you have to stay focus, to stay concentrated, of course you have to consider we have more quality but if you don't use the same motivation, the same character with the team will be difficult."
Madrid currently sit third in La Liga behind Atletico and Barcelona who have both won all their of opening five league matches.
Elche are yet to win and have amassed only three points from a possible 15.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Some Emmy Watchers Angered over Monteith Tribute
 
(glee clip)
Comedian and actress Jane Lynch's tearful special tribute to deceased Glee costar Cory Monteith at the Emmy's has upset a large group of people.
Five television stars were honored with special tributes at this year's Emmys including Monteith however many are upset Monteith's tribute pushed out other TV legends who died this year and deserve the honor more.
Alan Klugman, son of TV legend Jack Klugman, spoke out against the decision pointing out his father was present during the inception of television and helped shape it in its early days.
Others believe Dallas actor Larry Hagman was more deserving of the honor.
Emmy executive producer Ken Ehrlich stands by his decision to give Monteith the special tribute though, saying not only does he deserves the honor but his death acts as a cautionary tale.
During the tribute Lynch did not shy away concerning the details of Monteith's death who died last July from an overdose of heroin and alcohol.
Monteith had been struggling with a heroin addiction for most of his life.
 
 
Daniel Radcliffe to Play Freddie Mercury?
 
Following actor Sacha Baron Cohen's disappointing departure from the Freddie Mercury biopic in which he would portray the legendary Queen singer, many were left wondering whether a suitable replacement would ever be found.
Well now it looks like Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe has been linked to the role.
(queen clip)
Producers for the film are said to be considering Radcliffe for the role following the actor's chameleon-like portrayal of poet Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings.
However, the remaining Queen band members claim they have not approached the actor about the part.
Cohen left the project saying he and the rest of Mercury's band Queen couldn't agree on the direction of the film.
Cohen wanted to tell a more honest, darker tale whereas Queen members Roger Taylor and Brian May wanted to celebrate Mercury's life with a family friendly version.
May has also announced duets between Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson will be released soon.
 
 
Giant Soundtrack to Grand Theft Auto Released
 
The soundtrack to the new record breaking videogame Grand Theft Auto 5 has been released in 3-volumes.
The first volume contains original music from several bands including Flying Lotus, Wavves, Neon Indian, and Yeasayer.
(wavves clip)
The second volume contains the game's original score composed by Tangerine Dream, the Alchemist, Oh No, and game composer Woody Jackson.
The score's stems were mixed into a full album by DJ Shadow.
The third volume contains selections of songs from a variety of bands that appear in the game's 17-radio stations.
These bands include Bob Seger, Toro Y Moi, Jai Paul, and dozens more.
In its first 3-days on the market Grand Theft Auto 5 pulled in 1-billion US dollars for its game studio Rockstar.
The game, like all of its previous incarnations, has come under fire though for being explicitly violent and naughty.
 
 
 
That's all we have time for on the show as well.
Recapping our top headlines....
Kenyan President announces they are now in control of a Nairobi mall after four days confrontation.
United Nations General Assembly opens in New York with Syria topping the agenda.
China stresses cooperation with Africa at the UN Assembley
Business
The first pilot free trade zone in China to be officially launched in Shanghai on Sunday.
On behalf of the Beijing Hour team, I'm Rebecca Hume in Beijing, hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together!