新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/03/10

The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Shane Bigham with you on this Monday, March 10th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this evening.
The latest on the ongoing search for a missing jet from Malaysia. It vanished three days ago.
The Presidents of China and the US have exchanged views on the Ukraine situation over the phone.
and there has been a rare show of cooperation between rebels and government forces in war-torn Syria.
In business, Car sales in China jumped 18 percent, year on year, in February.
In sports, the youngest winner ever of a World Golf Championship event.
In entertainment, Isaiah Washington Returns to Grey's Anatomy.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will have smog tonight with a low of　2 degrees Celsius. Overcast tomorrow with a high of 12 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be clear tonight, with a low of 6, Sunny tomorrow, with a high of 15.
Chongqing will be cloudy, 12 degrees the low, overcast tomorrow with a high of 18.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, rainy with a high of 13.
Kabul, overcast, 9.
Over in Australia
Sydney, sunny, highs of 27.
Canberra, sunny, 29.
Brisbane, sunny, 28.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 33.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Round up of searching effort for missing jet
 
The rescue effort is continuing for the missing Malaysia Airline jet.
It vanished from radar nearly 3 days ago.
CRI's Lucy Du has more.
Reporter:
Malaysian authorities have confirmed that the oil slicks found in waters around the search site are not from the missing jet.
A floating object spotted earlier by Vietnamese vessels is also confirmed as not belonging to the flight MH370.
Meanwhile, the two passengers onboard holding stolen passports are confirmed as not being Chinese.
On Monday, the Chinese navy sent two more warships to join the rescue effort, looking for the missing Malaysian aircraft.
Li Jiaxiang is head of Civil Aviation Administration of China.
"China is making all-out efforts and has dispatched nine rescue vessels. Today, meteorological conditions for searching the lost jet are good. Visibility can range from 5 to 10 kilometers and wave height is between 1 to 2 meters. Tomorrow weather conditions should still be good."
Currently, some nine Chinese vessels are joining dozens of ships and aircraft from seven countries in searching for the missing plane around Malaysia and south of Vietnam.
Despite the massive search effort, authorities in Kuala Lumpur confirmed on Monday they are still no closer to locating the plane.
Malaysian civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman says the fate of the missing plane remains a mystery.
"Unfortunately, ladies and gentlemen, we have not found anything that appears to be from the missing aircraft, let alone the aircraft itself...It's an unprecedented mystery, as much so as you can put it."
The official also says authorities have not ruled out hijacking as a cause of the plane's disappearance.
China's Foreign Ministry has released a new statement, urging the Malaysian side to step up search efforts.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang.
"In the past days, we have seen that the Malaysian authorities have attached great importance to the search, and we see their attitudes are sincere. They are trying to do their best. A lot of things have happened in the past days and we hope the Malaysian authorities can understand the concern from the Chinese side, especially from the relatives of those Chinese passengers onboard the plane, to step up the investigation and rescue effort, to give us a clear answer as soon as possible."
Meanwhile a working group comprised of Chinese officials from the ministries of transport, the foreign ministry and public security , as well as the civil aviation administration, also arrived in Malaysia on Monday to handle the aftermath of the of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight.
The flight, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members.
154 Chinese nationals are among those missing.
Malaysia Airlines earlier said it plans to fly the first group of Chinese family members to Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
For CRI, this is Lucy Du.
 
 
Chinese, U.S. presidents exchange views on bilateral ties, Ukraine over phone
 
Chines President Xi Jinping has had a phone conversation with US President Barack Obama to discuss bilateral relations and the situation in Ukraine.
Xi Jinping says he's looking forward to the next meeting with Obama in the near future.
Obama conveyed his sympathy over the missing Malaysian airlines plane and said the US is ready to fully cooperate with China in the search effort.
He also sent his condolences to the victims of the terrorist attack in Kunming, pledging to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation with China.
Meanwhile, Obama briefed the Chinese president on the U.S. stance about the Ukrainian situation.
Xi Jinping stressed China's objective and fair stance on Ukraine, urging all parties concerned to remain calm and exercise restraint, to avoid the escalation of the crisis.
 
 
Chairman of Crimean election commission sets out rules for March 16 referendum
 
The chairman of the Crimean elections commission has set out a few rules for next Sunday's referendum on unification with Russia, scheduled by the local parliament.
Myhkailo Malyshev is head of the Crimean Referendum Organising Committee
"All citizens who are registered in the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea have the right to vote at this referendum, meaning that nothing will prevent them from voting."
The new government in Ukraine has denounced the planned referendum in which voters will be asked if they want Crimea to be part of the Russian Federation.
It is understood that 2.2 million ballot papers are being printed but that the Ukrainian government might hold the only electoral rolls.
Without cooperation from Kiev it might be very difficult to properly organise the vote.
Crimea, a strategic peninsula in southern Ukraine, has become the flashpoint in the battle for Ukraine, where three months of protests sparked by President Victor Yanukovych's decision to ditch a significant treaty with the European Union.
A majority of people in Crimea identify with Russia, and Moscow's Black Sea Fleet is based in Sevastopol, as is Ukraine's.
 
 
210 Chinese procurators punished in 2013: top procurator
 
The top procurator says 210 procurators have been investigated or punished for violating laws and regulations in 2013.
Procurator-General Cao Jianming, says 26 of them had already faced criminal charges.
Cao revealed the number in a report released on Monday to national lawmakers at the ongoing annual parliamentary session.
Cao Jianming says nationwide, about 182 thousand officials were punished by the Party's internal disciplinary body.
The top procurator also vows there will be increasing scrutiny for party officials, as the fight against graft picks up momentum here in China.
 
 
China's chief justice delivers work report to top legislature
 
Meanwhile China's chief justice Zhou Qiang has also delivered a report on the work of the top court to the annual NPC session.
In his report, Zhou Qiang , president of the Supreme People's Court, notes that Chinese courts convicted and punished 31 thousand criminals in 29 thousand cases of embezzlement, bribery and breach of duty last year.
Courts across the country concluded 954 thousand criminal cases in first trials, convicting nearly 1.2 million people.
In his report, Zhou also warns against some judges' bureaucracy and misconduct.
He notes that some judges even took bribes and bent the law for personal ends and people are angry with them.
According to Zhou's report, a total of 381 judges and court staff were caught misusing their power and violating disciplines and laws last year.
In outlining the courts' work in 2014, Zhou Qiang pledges to severely punish terrorists in cases like the Kunming railway station attack.
 
 
Should Naked Official Be Removed from Position?
 
Anchor:
The fight against corruption is the issue the public seems most concerned with at the ongoing "two sessions".
Political advisors are now proposing that all so-called "naked officials" should be removed from their posts.
CRI's Hei Fei has more.
Reporter:
The central government decided earlier this year that naked officials, those whose spouse and children have emigrated overseas, will not be considered for promotion.
The decision was made after media reports suggest that more than half of these "naked officials" are involved in embezzlement cases.
Liu Xiaozhuang is a political advisor at this year's top-level meeting.
He says naked officials are a high risk group for corruption, as many of them are becoming "naked" to transfer assets and escape investigation.
"I think naked officials should not be promoted, and they should no longer keep their posts as well. In recent years, many criminal cases have involved naked officials. They take graft and then flee. What they do is cheat the public."
In order to avoid more corruption, Liu suggests that stricter monitoring are needed.
"First, all naked officials should be removed from posts, because even though they have no way to get promoted, they still can accumulate wealth. Second, all the family assets of naked officials should be publicized. Additionally, China should also complete the anti-corruption mechanism and close all the naked official's foreign banking accounts."
However not all of the political advisors to the ongoing meeting think to simply sack those "naked officials" are an useful way in fighting against corruption.
Professor Wang Jianmin, from the School of Management at Beijing Normal University, says thorough investigation is needed to determine if an official is "corrupt" or not.
"In my opinion, we need to deal with the 'naked official issue' in specific situations. What on earth could be defined as a "naked official"? For example, what if the wife of an official is abroad accompanying their child in study? It's sometimes hard to define. I don't think it's proper to simply demote every official who is claimed to be "naked." We need to examine it case by case."
Professor Wang also agrees with stricter disciplinary inspection to officials.
However he also suggests that "naked officials" are better to bring their spouse or children home.
According to Wang's study, there are nearly 1.2 million Chinese officials have their spouse and children emigrated overseas.
For CRI, this is He Fei.
 
 
China Urges Palestine and Israel to Seize the Negotiation Opportunity
 
Anchor
China's Middle East Envoy has issued a new call for the Palestinians and the Israelis to take the next step in their peace process.
CRI's Alexander Aucott has more.
Reporter:
As the deadline of the ongoing peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis approaches, Chinese Middle East Special Envoy Wu Sike says China supports the negotiations at this critical and sensitive stage.
"It is important to keep the peace talks continue and make progress at this moment. To really push forward the just solution of the Palestinian issue is not only the wish of Palestinian people, but also an important factor for the stabilization, development and prosperity of the region. We hope the two sides, especially Israel, can seize the opportunity, eliminate the barriers of the negotiations and make progress within the time limit."
The Palestinians and Israelis resumed peace talks in last July.
The two sides have been tasked with reaching an agreement within nine months.
Following a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, Wu Sike says the Palestinian leadership appears willing to make the next step.
"They wish there will be progress and believe it is the best choice for Palestine. They are willing to make efforts and show a flexible attitude on certain disputed issues. But they are also firm on some basic principles, such as sovereignty and the status of Jerusalem."
Wu Sike says while supporting the peace talks, the Chinese government is also supporting the Palestinians through cooperation.
"The cooperation with Palestine is always important to China, which includes offering trainings to Palestinians and encouraging Chinese companies to join the development of Palestine. China also thinks highly of cooperation with Palestine in regional and international issues."
Wu Sike is due to meet with Israeli officials in Jerusalem later on this Monday.
For CRI, I'm Alexander Aucott.
 
 
Syrian rebels release nuns held since December
 
Syrian rebels have released more than a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns in exchange for Syrian authorities releasing dozens of female prisoners.
One of the nuns says her group is pleased to be free.
"We are very pleased that we returned in good health. Thank God. We would like to thank everyone that helped us to get back."
The release of the nuns and their helpers, 16 women in all, is a rare, successful prisoner exchange deal between the Syrian government and the rebels seeking to overthrow the rule of President Bashar Assad.
But, it is unlikely to soothe the fears of many Syrian Christians that their ancient minority is in danger, should rebels come to power.
Syrian rebels, including members of the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, seized the 13 nuns and their three helpers from a convent in December.
 
 
Arab ministerial meeting kicks off
 
Arab foreign ministers have met at the Cairo-based Arab League headquarters to prepare for the coming Arab Summit in Kuwait later in March.
The meeting of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level will also discuss recent developments in Syria and Palestine.
Arab League Chief Nabil Elaraby has warned that Syria could become a "failed state", referring to the country's unresolved three-year crisis.
Elaraby's warning regarding Syria is referring to recent talks in Geneva, where both sides have failed to set the parameters for the formation of a transitional government.
"It appears that the idea of negotiations around the formation of a transitional ruling authority (in Syria) which possesses complete executive powers is facing several obstacles, and is cause for concern and deep regret because of the failure of efforts to find a solution to the continuing violence, the victims of destruction, and the destruction of the elements of the Syrian state."
This is the first time that Arab ministers have met after a recent joint decision of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to withdraw their ambassadors from Qatar earlier on Wednesday.
The three countries have blamed Qatar for not being committed to the principles of the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC.
The meeting is also the first occasion for the Arabs to convene, after a previous Saudi decision to list the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group.
Egypt has labeled the group as a terrorist organization and asked the Arabs to cooperate in this regard.
During the two-day meeting Arab foreign ministers will tackle common security, and social and political issues.
They will also discuss establishing a nuclear-free zone as well as the Arab Center for International Law.
 
 
El Salvador's presidential runoff election too close to call after early returns
 
A former Marxist guerrilla leader and his conservative rival have been locked in an unexpectedly tight race in El Salvador's presidential election run-off, with the contest too close to call.
Polls ahead of the run-off have showed Salvador Sanchez Ceren of the ruling Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, or FMLN, the rebel group in the country's 1980-1992 civil war, the favorite to win with about 55 percent support.
But he has only a razor-thin lead over his conservative challenger Norman Quijano, the former mayor of San Salvador, with returns in from 98.8 percent of polling stations.
Sanchez Ceren has 50.08 percent support against 49.92 percent for Quijano.
There are less than 4,500 votes between them.
Both parties have claimed they have won the election, but the election tribunal says the race is "extremely tight" and it is too early to call a winner.
Quijano has accused the election tribunal of corruption and hinted at fraud.
"We are determined to defend this victory which we have built among all.　They are not going to rob us of this victory.　We are going to fight, if necessary, with our life, but democracy we will enforce democracy. We are not going to allow fraud in the Chavez or Maduro style like in Venezuela.　Here we are in El Salvador.　We have our own recount where it will be clearly established that we have won"
Whoever loses the count is almost certain to challenge the result.
Sanchez Ceren won 49 percent of the vote in the first round of voting last month, leading Quijano of the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena) party by 10 percentage points and falling just short of the majority needed to avoid a run-off.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stocks
 
Asian stocks declined on China's export slump and weaker than expected growth in Japan.
China's CSI 300, the index of the largest Chinese stocks, slid 3.3 percent at close. This is a plunge to the lowest levels recorded in five years.
Shanghai Composite Index shed 2.9 percent
The Shenzhen Component Index dropped 2.9 percent
Over in Hong Kong the Hang Seng lost 1.8 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei shed 1 percent on lower than expected growth last quarter.
Singapore's Strait Times Index edged down by 0.3 percent
South Koreas Kospi dropped 1 percent
And finally, Australia's ASX 200 also lost 1 percent.
 
 
Chinese car sales jump 18percent
 
Sales of passenger-vehicles in China rose 18 percent in February.
Figures released by China Association of Automobiles shows that wholesale deliveries of cars climbed 1.31 million units last month, compared to the 1.27 million estimate predicted by analysts in a Bloomberg survey.
The rise is led by Japanese companies extending their rebound from the anti-Japan protests of 2012 which had hurt sales in China.
Ford also saw rising sales last month, at the fastest pace in seven months as foreign brands grabbed more market share in the world's largest automobile market.
The expectation is that Chinese brands will continue to decline due to their wanting in terms of quality and service-coverage compared to foreign competitors.
 
 
China's exports slide in February
 
China's exports tumbled in February adding to fears of a slowdown in the world's second largest economy.
Exports in February dropped 18.1 percent year on year, following a 10.6 percent jump in January.
However, imports in February surged 10.1 percent, resulting in a trade deficit of $23 billion during the month.
This is in contrast to a $32 billion surplus in January.
 
 
POBC cuts reference rate by 0.18 percent following weak exports
 
The People's Bank of China cut the currency's fixing by the most since July 2012.
The country's central bank lowered the daily reference rate by 0.18 percent to 6.1312 per dollar today.
This is the weakest level since December 3rd and comes after figures emerged showing that exports fell over 18 percent year on year in February.
This was a massive difference to the 7.5 percent export increase analysts had predicted.
 
 
Tencent to buy 15 percent stake in JD.com
 
Anchor:
Internet giant Tencent is planning to buy a 15 percent stake in JD.com, a major direct sales company.
The $215 million deal will see JD taking over Tencent's business-to-consumer (b2c) and consumer to consumer (c2c)operations.
Tencent will offer JD level 1 access points at WeChat and Mobile QQ, two of the most popular communication mobile applications developed by Tencent, to boost the latter's growth in physical goods e-commerce, the statement said.
The two firms will also further ties in mobile applications and payment solutions, with JD being regarded as Tencent's preferred partner in certain business areas.
The move will preceed JD's $1.5 billion dollar initial public offering in New York.
The deal is a further move for Tencent towards direct competition with Alibaba, by far the most dominant player in Chinese e-commerce.
For more on this we are joined by Gao Shang, analyst with Guangtong Futures.
…
That was Gao Shang, analyst with Guangtong Futures.
 
 
First bond default signals market progress: Shenzhen exchange chairman
 
The chair of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange contends the first Chinese default of an onshore corporate bond signals market progress.
Chen Dongzheng notes that any financial product has its risks.
His comments come after the Shenzhen-listed solar energy company Shanghai Chaori Solar Energy announced that it's failed to fully service a 90 million yuan interest payment.
The Chinese government has not stepped in on the company's behalf.
 
 
Unilever buys share in China water firm
 
Dutch food and cosmetics giant Unilever has bought a majority stake in Chinese water purification company Qinyuan.
The purchase is said to be Unilever's biggest investment in China in a decade.
Unilever hasn't disclosed a price for the purchase or the size of its stake.
Qinyuan made almost 140 million euros worth of sales in China last year.
The company has grown by more than 20-percent a year over the last three years.
Founded in 1930, Unilever employs some 174-thousand people worldwide.
The company earned a net profit of 4.84-billion euros last year.
Qinyuan makes water purifiers, drinking water equipment and water treatment membranes.
Founded in 1988, the company currently employs around 25-hundred people.
 
 
Cambodia inaugurates China-built 176 km road
 
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday inaugurated the China-funded road No. 57B in northwestern Battambang province.
The 176-km road was built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation under a 90 million U.S. dollars soft loan from the government of China.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Hun Sen said the road would greatly contribute to improving livelihoods of local residents and upgrading road infrastructure in northwestern Cambodia.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Round up of searching effort for missing jet
 
Chinese navy has sent two more warships to join the searching effort, looking for the missing Malaysian aircraft.
A total of nine Chinese vessels will join dozens of ships and aircraft from seven countries in searching for the missing plane around Malaysia and south of Vietnam.
Malaysian authorities have confirmed that the oil slicks found by Chinese marine police earlier this afternoon are not from the missing jet,.
A floating object spotted earlier by Vietnanese vessels is also confirmed as not from the flight MH370.
Meanwhile, the two passengers onboard holding stolen passports are confirmed as not being Chinese.
China's Foreign Ministry has released a new statement, urging the Malaysian side to step up search efforts.
A working group comprised of Chinese officials has arrived in Malaysia to handle the aftermath of the of the missing flight.
The flight, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members.
154 Chinese nationals are among those missing.
 
 
Chinese, U.S. presidents exchange views on bilateral ties, Ukraine over phone
 
Chines President Xi Jinping has had a phone conversation with US President Barack Obama to discuss bilateral relations and the situation in Ukraine.
Xi Jinping says he's looking forward to the next meeting with Obama in the near future.
Obama conveyed his sympathy over the missing Malaysian airlines plane and said the US is ready to fully cooperate with China in the search effort.
He also sent his condolences to the victims of the terrorist attack in Kunming, pledging to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation with China.
Meanwhile, Obama briefed the Chinese president on the U.S. stance about the Ukrainian situation.
Xi Jinping stressed China's objective and fair stance on Ukraine, urging all parties concerned to remain calm and exercise restraint, to avoid the escalation of the crisis.
 
 
China's chief justice pledges to fight terrorism
 
China's chief justice is promising severe punishments for terrorists, like those responsible for the Kunming railway station attack on March 01st.
Zhou Qiang made the comment while delivering his work report at the annual NPC meeting in Beijing.
Zhou told nearly 3 thousand lawmakers that the courts will severely punish offenders who harm national security, especially those who carry out terrorist attacks, pose serious threats to social security, and damage military facilities.
Chinese courts convicted and punished more than a thousand criminals last year, including 325-thousand felony cases.
 
 
Japan to restart safe nuclear power plants: PM
 
Japan's prime minister has announced plans to restart all nuclear reactors that have been certified safe by nuclear regulators.
Shinzo Abe was speaking at a session of the Diet, just ahead of the third anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Following the earthquake and tsunami that lead to the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986, almost all of Japan's reactors were taken offline.
That lead to a spike in energy imports in Japan, leading to a record trade deficit last year.
On Sunday, thousands of people rallied outside the Diet building in Tokyo, to oppose re-starting Japan's reactors.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Shanghai Daily
"37 smokers fined after Shenzhen crackdown"
A police crackdown on smoking in public places in Shenzhen of south China's Guangdong Province resulted in 37 people being fined on Saturday.
The raids came exactly a week after authorities in the city introduced tough new anti-smoking regulations.
The majority of the offenders were found in restaurants and hospitals. They were each fined 50 yuan (US$8.16), the lowest possible fine.
Individuals who refuse to comply with the ban can be fined up to 500 yuan, while venue owners face charges of up to 30,000 yuan. People who publish advertisements for tobacco products or entice others to smoke can be fined up to 100,000 yuan.
The new regulations ban smoking in 16 types of places, including kindergartens, health facilities and parks.
China is the world's largest cigarette producer and consumer, with more than 300 million smokers.
CNTV
"Express services expand to laundry delivery for college students"
Express delivery services in China have expanded to include the new business of delivering laundry, as many college students send back their dirty clothes home and ask parents to do their laundry.
An official from the State Postal Bureau on Sunday said many college students are sending piles of dirty clothes home so their parents can do the laundry. Clean clothes are sent back to the students through express delivery services again after they are washed.
Sky News Australia
"New ozone-depleting gases found up high"
Worried scientists say they have found four new ozone-destroying gases in the atmosphere, most likely put there by humans in the last 50-odd years despite a ban on these dangerous compounds.
They said it is the first time since the 1990s that new substances damaging to Earth's stratospheric shield have been found.
The research has shown four gases that were not around in the atmosphere at all until the 1960s, which suggests they are man-made.
Researchers say they still don't know where the new gases are being emitted from.
Three of the gases are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - a group which includes chemicals traditionally found in air-conditioning, refrigerators and aerosol spray cans but were banned under the Montreal Protocol.
The fourth is a hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), part of a closely-related group of compounds which replaced CFCs but are now being phased out.
The team said more than 74,000 tonnes of the four newly-identified gases had accumulated in the atmosphere by 2012.
Medical Daily
"Does Insomnia Make You Stupid? How Trouble Sleeping Leads To Lower Brain Volume"
In a study of Gulf War veterans, disrupted sleep patterns were associated with a lower brain volume, which suggests that effective treatment for insomnia might improve some cognitive functioning.
While past work has linked sleep problems to brain changes, researchers in this study observed changes in the amount of grey matter — or "brains" — found in the frontal lobe.
Researchers found that veterans with sleep problems had less grey matter in the frontal lobe than others.
Psychiatrist John Winkelman, a sleep expert at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, said corroborating data showed that insomnia are reflected in reduced volumes in the brain, which makes sense because sleep and mood are functions of the brains.
The brain's frontal lobes, were "an essential part of human functioning" necessary for maintaining the continuous phenomenon we refer to as the self — that which plans and ponders, an emotive area also important to moods.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Eating in Antarctica
 
Anchor:
Antarctica has never had a native population.
Scientists and research station staffers are only temporary residents of our icy south pole.
CRI's Xiong Siqi, who recently went to China's main scientific research station in Antarctica, has more about the eating habits in Antarctica.
Report:
The Great Wall Station is the first Chinese scientific research station in Antarctica, built in 1985 on King George Island.
Here is Cao Jianjun, the leader of Great Wall Station talking about the amount of people who stay at the research facility.
"We've had over 70 people here at most this year. Now there are 49 people. But some of them will go back to China by the end of March. And in winter there will only be 14 people staying here."
Among the 14 people set to stay throughout the winter is the station's cook. Hu Xin is responsible for preparing the meals at the Great Wall Station. He came here for the first time ever on December 5th last year. However, in Antarctica, there are no markets and no gardens. So, what does he cook for his colleagues every day?
"For vegetables, we mainly eat cabbage because it's easy to store. The polar resupply ship came here recently, but half of the vegetables had already gone rotten. Now our storage of cabbages can be used for two months. But in the winter, our food is mainly frozen food, such as frozen vegetables, frozen fish and frozen beef."
Vegetables and fruits are usually stored in a box in the snowfield. Even though the vegetables and fruits can still be eaten, they are no longer fresh. And after several weeks, any taste to the fruit will be gone.
Just as they suffer from loneliness and emptiness out here, the staff at the station is also feeling an empty feeling when it comes to taste.
So Hu Xin always tries his best to cook a greater variety of dishes in order to provide the staff with more choices.
"Cooking is fine, but preparing the menu is a real headache. I brought some cookbooks here, trying to cook in different ways every day at least for half a month. I'm afraid they feel bored eating the same dishes."
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to dine at the Great Wall Station. Even though the fare was simple, it was still one of the most luxurious lunches I have ever had. They used their best ingredients in order to provide us with a real treat. But an increasing number of Chinese tourists visiting the station have created more pressure for the people who work there as station leader Cao explains.
"We must receive Chinese tourists. But we hope tourists can let us know in advance, such as when you'll land and how many people will come to visit. Then we can prepare earlier. In Antarctica's summer, we're usually very busy unloading the cargo. So sometimes we're short of hands to entertain them. I hope the tourists can understand."
Visiting compatriots in Antarctica is certainly a good thing, but people should avoid burdening the staff at the Great Wall Station. If you plan on paying the base a visit, remember to communicate with them in advance.
For CRI, I'm Xiong Siqi.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Li Na cruises through to the third round at the expense of Zheng Jie
 
In tennis,
Australian Open champion Li Na cruised to the third round of the Paribas Open in Indian Wells after knocking out compatriot Zheng Jie 6-1, 7-5.
Li will next meet 21 year-old Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the third round.
Li's third round match takes place at 2:00 Beijing time tomorrow morning.
Meantime, world women's doubles number one Peng Shuai and her partner world number two Hsieh Suwei of Chinese Taiwan also advanced to the third round.
The pair dumped Russian duo Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 in a match lasting only 62 minutes.
On the men's side, following the exit of fourth seeded Tomas Berdych earlier in the day, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also crashed out, falling to compatriot Julien Benneteau 6-4, 6-4.
Benneteau will next face 20-year-old Austrian Dominic Thiem, who ousted world number 23 Gilles Simon 7-6, 6-2.　
Last year's finalist, Juan Martin Del Potro, withdrew from tournament citing a wrist injury.
"I'm not feeling one hundred percent and I'm not in good condition to compete and to trying to win the tournament I mean I always like to feel, to feel good and to feel a chance to win the tournament and I'm not feeling that and the wrist is still bothering me a lot."
Del Potro was forced out of the Dubai tournament last week due to the same problem.
In other action at Indian Wells,
Bulgarian ace Grigor Dimitrov eased past Robin Haase of the Netherlands 6-4, 6-3.
And world number two Novak Djokovic cruised through against Romanian Victor Hanescu 7-6, 6-2.
Djokovic will take on Alejandro Gonzalez of Colombia in the third round.
 
 
Houston stun Portland while Lakers fought off Oklahoma City
 
Onto basketball, a very exciting day in the NBA with nine games.
In Houston, James Harden scored 41 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Rockets stun Portland 118-113 in overtime and snatched their fifth straight win.
Jeremy Lin came off the bench and provided 26 points for Houston.
LaMarcus-Aldridge led the Trail Blazers with 28 points and 12 rebounds but couldn't help Portand from dropping its second consecutive game.
Over in California, Jodie Meeks had a career high of 42 points, including 24 in the second half as the Los Angeles Lakers fought off Oklahoma City 114-110.
Paul Gasol added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers.
Kevin Durant had a triple double of 27 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists for the Thunder.
Meantime, the Mavericks handed eastern conference leaders Indiana their fouth straight loss 105-94.
LeBron James' Miami didn't fare much better, falling 95-88 to Chicago and dropping their third game in a row.
Elsewhere, New Orleans fended off Denver 111-107.
Toronto thumped Minnesota 111-104.
Golden State romped Phoenix 113-107.
And lastly, Boston edged past Detroit 118-111.
 
 
Real Madrid move 3 points clear atop of the La Liga standings
 
European football news,
First off, the semi-final draw for the English FA Cup is now complete.
Cup holders Wigan secured a meeting with Arsenal after they stunned Manchester City 2-1 in a repeat of last year's final.
And Hull City defeated Sunderland 3-0 to advance to take another semi-final berth.
Arsenal, meanwhile, secured its place in the last four after beating Everton 4-1.
Arsenal's German playmaker Mesut Ozil scored the opening goal in the seventh minute.
Manager Arsene Wenger said he noticed sharp improvement in Ozil's play that night.
"What I liked with him is that physically he looked regenerated, having more power in his runs. As well what I liked, he did a lot of dirty work for a player like him - that means he tracked back in the first half, especially on the counter-attack. He came back with long runs and, when he behaves like that, of course you have a better chance to win the game."
The last semi-final ticket went to Sheffied United, which defeated Charlton 2-0.
Over in the Spanish La Liga,
Real Madrid moved to 3 points clear atop of the standings after they won 3-0 against Levante.
Earlier on Saturday, Barcelona's title defense took a blow when it stumbed to a 1-0 defeat at Valladolid.
And lastly in the Italian Serie A,
Juventus remained firmly on course for a third straight title after beating Fiorentina 1-0 to extend its lead atop of the standings to 14 points.
Second-placed Roma still has a game in hand on Juventus, but missed a chance to narrow the gap when they lost 1-0 to Napoli.
 
 
23-year-old Patrick Reed wins the Cadilllac Championship
 
In golf, American Patrick Reed became the youngest winner of a World Golf Championship event when he held on for a one shot victory at the Cadillac Championship in Florida.
The 23-year-old shot a final round of even-par 72 to finish at four-under 284, one shot clear of Bubba Watson and Welshman Jamie Donaldson.
It was Reed's third PGA Tour title in the past eight months.
Donaldson and Watson finished tied for second at three-under but no other players finished the tournament under par.
World number one Tiger Woods had moved into contention with a third round 66 to start the final day three shots behind.
But Woods failed to make a single birdie in his final round and returned to a six-over 78 to finish tied for 25th.
Woods arrived at Doral with his fitness in question after pulling out of the final round of the honda Classic a week earlier.
As he completed the championship, he was once again grimacing in pain, leaving his health a concern with the Masters coming up next month.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Opera Director Gerard Mortier Dies at 70
 
Belgian opera director great Gerard Mortier has passed away at age 70. Mortier had been suffering from pancreatic cancer for some time.
The colorfully cosmopolitan impresario had a taste for edgy, risk-taking productions that earned him admiration around the world. In his four-decade career, he has spearheaded multiple prominent opera companies and forged a reputation for embracing new works and reinterpreting classics in contemporary ways.
Most recently, as the artistic director for Madrid's Teatro Real, he secured the world premieres of renowned operas including Philip Glass' "The Perfect American," about the death of Walt Disney, and the recent "Brokeback Mountain," an adaptation of a short story about two cowboys who fall in love.
Mortier's outspoken nature sometimes got him into trouble. Last year, he told a Spanish newspaper that no qualified Spaniards could fill his shoes and that he would cut short his term at the Teatro Real if a successor was named who did not meet his approval. Shortly thereafter, the company announced that Mortier was departing and that Joan Matabosch , the artistic director of the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, would take his place.
Prior to his death, Mortier reportedly said that the only thing that was of importance for him was to be busy intellectually.
 
 
Lee Min-Ho Visits Hangzhou, Fans Swarm
 
South Korean actor and singer Lee Min-Ho caused quite the commotion when he visited the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Saturday.
Upon arriving at the airport, Lee was immediately surrounded by security guards, who in turn were surrounded by ecstatic fans swarming the airport.
Passions ran high and, inevitably, Lee's fans began to push and shove to bet closer to the star. One of the admirers ended up with an injured skull.
Meanwhile, another South Korean actor was also in China. Kim Soo-Hyun was shooting an episode of reality show "The Brain." He kept his itinerary more discreet and crowds did not gather to greet him. Nothing was hurt on Kim's behalf except, perhaps, his fans' feelings.
 
 
Kesha Returns from Rehab and Drops $ from Name
 
American pop star Kesha has returned from rehab after two months of treatment.
The popular singer has removed the dollar sign from her name, replacing it with a normal 's'. She checked out of rehab after a two month stay and has kicked off her new life by making a few changes to her social media accounts announcing the change to the spelling of her name.
The 27-year-old star tweeted "Happy to be back! Feeling healthy & working on tons of new music. I can't thank my fans enough for all the love & support u have given me."
Kesha entered rehab at Timberline Knolls, a facility outside of Chicago, in early January. She announced on her Facebook that she would be seeking treatment for her eating disorder.
Kesha's return from rehab was reportedly a surprise to her friends and family, who had "no timeline" for when she'd be done.
 
 
Jason Bateman Feature Directorial Debut in "Bad Words"
 
"Arrested Development" star Jason Bateman makes his feature directorial debut with "Bad Words." Bateman also acts in the film as the lead character who enters a spelling bee as an adult to compete against kids.
Bateman says he was happy with the dual responsibilities, though it was not his original plan. He had initially intended to only direct the black comedy but the handful of actors he had in mind for the lead part did not want to take the role, so he had to take it himself.
Bateman has already directed several TV offerings but says he has been wanting the chance to direct a film.
"This is something I wanted to do for a very long time, because of its complexities and the length of the process. I just can't wait to do it again."
He loved the process of creating "Bad Words" so much that he has already started working on his next directorial effort, an adaptation of the novel "The Family Fang" in which Nicole Kidman will star.
"Bad Words" is due in U.S. theatres on March 28th.
 
 
Isaiah Washington Returns to Grey's Anatomy
 
Actor Isaiah Washington will return to US medical drama Grey's Anatomy, seven years after he was fired from the show.
The 50-year-old played heart surgeon Preston Burke and was one of the stars of the first three seasons for the hit TV series. However, he was axed after he used a homophobic slur during an on-set argument with co-star Patrick Dempsey.
Soon after, fellow cast member TR Knight revealed he was gay and said he was offended by what the actor had said. Washington then further angered network bosses by repeating the slur backstage at the Golden Globes while denying he had said it.
Washington later publicly apologized for his comments and met with gay rights groups to discuss ways to address homophobia. However, after his controversial exit from Grey's Anatomy, he struggled to find continuous work and mainly landed bit parts.
Washington will make a guest appearance to coincide with the departure of series regular Sandra Oh, his former on-screen love interest. Series creator Shonda Rhimes says his return is integral to saying goodbye to Oh's character.
 
 
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The latest on the ongoing search for a missing jet from Malaysia. It vanished three days ago.
The Presidents of China and the US have exchanged views on the Ukraine situation over the phone.
and there has been a rare show of cooperation between rebels and government forces in war-torn Syria.
In business, Car sales in China jumped 18 percent, year on year, in February.