新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/04/11

The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
Weather
 
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 11 degrees Celsius. Cloudy also tomorrow with a high of 22 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be rainy tonight, with a low of 14, also rainy tomorrow, with a high of 17.
Chongqing will be rainy, 19 degrees the low, overcast tomorrow with a high of 24.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, overcast with a high of 28.
Kabul, sunny, 20.
Over in Australia
Sydney, rainy, high of 22.
Canberra, sunny, 19.
Brisbane, sunny, 33.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 31.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Australia says searchers are confident signals are from MH370 black box
 
Anchor:
Australia's Prime Minister says he confident searchers know the aproximate position of missing flight MH370's black box.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Report
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he's confident searchers now know, withing the range of some kilometers, the position of missing flight MH370's black-box.
But at the same time, Abbott says there is a significant difference between knowing where the flight-data recorder may be and ultimately determining what happened to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.
"All I want to say at this point in time is that we have very much narrowed down the search area and we are very confident that the signals that we are detecting are from the black box on MH370. I really don't want to say any more than that because I want to get the most up-to-date briefing between now and my meeting with the President Xi."
Abbott's comments in Shanghai this Friday come despite an acknowlegement by the search team that signals detected by an Australian search plane on Thursday are NOT connected to the missing flight's black-box.
As the search in the southern Indian Ocean continues, Malaysian police are also continuing their investigation.
Malaysian Police Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar says the recovery of the black-boxes should help their probe into the plane's disappearance.
"We want to know what transpired in the last minutes before the flight lost contact, of course we want to know. So, that's why we said that we are the investigators and the experts will be calling to look into the black box."
While Malaysian authorities have said they're fairly confident about what happened to cause the plane to fly in the completely wrong direction, Bakar says they're still not ready to disclose that information.
"The investigation is ongoing and as I've said before - we may need to prosecute someone later on and if I start telling you what we have now that will hamper the case later on."
Its been over a month since Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean about 6 or 7-hours after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on a flight to Beijing with 239-passangers and crew onboard, 154 of whom are Chinese.
Investigators have said they've ruled out all the passangers on the flight with having any connection to the plane's disappearance.
This has suggested Malay authorities are focusing their investigation into the 12 crew members on the flight, including the pilot and co-pilot.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
 
 
How American Urbanization inspires China
Anchor:
The annual Bo'ao Forum for Aisa is wrapping up this evening in Hainan.
As CRI's Alexander Aucott reports, the urbanization process here in China has been high on the agenda of the various panel discussions.
Reporter:
"The scale and speed of urbanization in China has never been seen before in world history. Taking Beijing as an example, every year more than 500,000 people come to Beijing. The number is equal to the population of a middle-size city. Most of these people are migrant workers. How can we make such a large number of people adapt to the city?"
That is Chen Gang, Vice Mayor of Beijing.
He says so far the population in Beijing has reached more than 21 million, with 8 million being from the migrant population.
The city is finding it increasingly hard to deal with the rapid growth in its population due to limited energy, land and water.
Therefore, Chen says urbanization is a trend that is inevitable.
According to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, urbanization is the certain route to modernization and an important basis for integrating the urban and rural structures.
Wang Lu, a senior government adviser of Hainan Province, says the government should make efforts in human-focused urbanization.
"Currently the rate of urbanization in China is 53.7 percent. However, less than 40 percent of migrants has city household registration. That is to say there is still over 10 percent population without equalized city service."
Daniel Doctoroff, CEO of Bloomberg, also the former deputy Mayor of New York City, gives an example of how a city has achieved successful urbanization.
"The way we judge, certainly in America, the success or failure of a city is actually about its ability to grow. And we have an attitude to grow, the least smart grow, is good and it's the best evidence that what you are offering as a city is successful, that the free market of people moving in and out of jobs, moving in and out of visitors, moving in and out is the best evidence of success."
Transportation is considered play an important part in urbanization.
Doctoroff says making the city more walkable could be also helpful.
"One of the pieces of advices I'd give to Beijing is continue to focus on ways of making it more walkable, creating much more activity on the street level, and that obviously is a difficult thing to do."
According to this year's government work report delivered last month, China will carry out a new type of people-centered urbanization that will grant rural people who live in cities more social welfare currently enjoyed by the city dwellers.
The report says China will grant urban residency to around 100 million rural people who have moved to cities, rebuild rundown city areas and villages inside cities where around 100 million people live, and guide the urbanization of around 100 million rural residents of the central and western regions in cities there.
For CRI, I am Alexander Aucott .
 
 
Ukraine's iterim prime minister travels to the east amid continuing protest
 
The clashes between pro-and anti-Russian protesters in the Ukrainian city of Odessa have left several people injured.
Pro-Russian demonstrators have staged a massive rally in Odessa, calling for a referendum on the federalisation of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, protesters in the eastern cities of Donetsk and Luhansk continue occupying Ukrainian government buildings.
"We will stay here until the end. Our children are now working in mines, but when it starts (Ukraine government operation to clear building) they will all come here. We will stay and if they kill us - let it be."
"We are standing here for federalisation. We want our region to be given wide economic and political rights."
Ukraine's iterim prime minister is travelling to the east of the country to try to end the stand-off.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk will visit the city of Donetsk, where activists have declared the region independent.
"I would like to state clearly that the central government is not only ready for dialogue with regions but is ready to fulfill lawful requirements and wishes of all of the citizens of our country. In the framework of the changed constitution, we will be able to satisfy specific requests of every single region."
The trip comes amid the rising tensions between Russia and the US over Russian gas supplies and troop movements.
NATO says up to 40-thousand Russian troops are massed near Ukraine's border.
Both the White House and NATO have renewed warnings that if Russia moves into Eastern Ukraine, it will trigger a firm response.
Meanwhile, Russian officials say Russia will take action based on its own interests, not in response to threats.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is also warning that gas supplies to Ukraine could be cut off if Kiev doesn't pay off its gas debts.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow is ready for four-party talks next week with the United States, the European Union and representatives from Ukraine.
He is suggesting Ukraine's gas debt to Moscow will be on the agenda.
 
 
South Korean and US troops conduct live fire drills
 
US and South Korean troops have taken part in a joint live-fire exercise today.
The exercise has taken place about 50-kilometers northeast of Seoul, not far from the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.
The live-fire drill is part of the broader joint exercises the US and South Korea have been conducting for the past month.
They're due to end in a week.
Jonathan Patrick White is the US Force's Commander in South Korea.
"The US and Korea are allies, and the important thing is that we come over here and work side-by-side with our ROK partners from the 26th division. We have been training together for four weeks, and we started off at the soldier level and we built up to this exercise you saw today. I think the central thing is that you work together in training, so you understand everyone's capabilities and limitations."
Today's exercises have included 350 soldiers from both countries.　
North Korea has long been denouncing the exercises as preparations for an invasion.
Both South Korea and the US insist the drills are merely defensive in nature.
Close to 30-thousand U.S. troops have been stationed in South Korea since the fighting in the Korean War ended with an armistace in 1953.
 
 
Defence Ministry presents what it says are crashed North Korean drones
 
South Korean authorities say they're confident North Korea has dispatched at least 3 unmanned drones into South Korean territory in recent weeks.
Kim Min-seok is a spokesperson for the South Korean Defence Ministry.
"After our joint investigation on the drone's characteristics and equipment, we found a number of circumstantial pieces of evidence that assured us that North Korea was responsible for this."
The comment comes after the discovery of three different unmanned aerial vehicles in South Korean territory over the past few weeks.
The drones themselves are said to be of relatively low quality, and contain cameras thought to be used to spy on sites in South Korea.
North Korea has not responded to the allegations made by the South.
 
 
Security Council approves 12,000-strong peacekeeping force for Central African
 
The UN Security Council has approved a nearly 12-thousand-strong UN peacekeeping force for the Central African Republic, where escalating violence between Christians and Muslims in recent weeks has left hundreds dead.
Toussaint Kongo Doudou is the CAR's Foreign Affairs minister.
"The whole country has been destroyed by armed bandits, the former rebels, so we have to put back those infrastructures on the ground. So the challenges are enormous. That (is) why we are very happy that the members of the Security Council have adopted that resolution, because the UN is the only partner in the world today who can help us, you know, handle this crisis very efficiently."
Gerard Araud, France's Ambassador to the UN, is describing the resolution "a key turning point."
"It authorises the deployment of a genuine UN peacekeeping operation in CAR - MINUSCA - which will comprise close to 12-thousand UN peacekeepers, 10-thousand soldiers, 2-thousand police and gendarme. Their mandate under chapter 7 will focus on protection of civilians, restoration of law and order, support to humanitarian access, monitoring of human rights, and fight impunity."
France, the former colonial power in the Central African Republic, has been championing an international drive to end the violence in the CAR.
The CAR has been in chaos since March of last year after Muslim rebels seized power and set up a brutal regime.
 
 
Car bombings kill 12 in Iraq
 
At least 13 people have been killed in a pair of car bombings in Iraq.
Around 55-others have been hurt in the blasts, which hit in separate areas of Baghdad.
"A powerful blast took place here destroying shops, nearby bank and cars. It also killed innocent people. What crime have innocent people committed?"
The attacks come just under 3-weeks before Iraq's landmark parliamentary elections on April 30th, which will be the first since the withdrawal of U.S. troops in late 2011.
Waves of violence in Iraq over the course of this past year left nearly 8-thousand people dead.
 
 
Japan approves energy plan reinstating nuclear power
 
Japan's cabinet has approved a new energy policy reversing the previous government's plans to gradually shut down the country's nuclear power plants.
The move is likely to prove unpopular with the public following the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
The plan defines nuclear power as an important base source, meaning it can feed constant power to the grid to meet minimum requirements.
Japan has idled all its 48 nuclear reactors following the Fukushima meltdown in 2011.
 
 
Sanya to get World's Biggest Duty Free Store
 
Anchor:
Chinese officials in Hainan have been flouting the fact the island province is going to be home to, what will be, the world's largest duty free shop.
CRI's Li Dong has more.
Reporter:
Tan Li, the vice-governor of Hainan makes the statement during the 2014 Boao Forum for Asia.
According to the official, the plan is an attempt to boost Hainan's economy by providing better service to tourists.
"The duty-free store in Sanya will be moved to Haitang Bay and will be expanded from its current 10,000 square meters to 60,000 sq m. It will become the largest duty-free shopping mall in the world when it goes into operation. Another duty-free store in Haikou, the provincial capital, will be enlarged from over 3,000 sq m to more than 4,000 sq m."
Local authorities of the famous tourist destination is now waiting for approval from the central government.
Professor Liu Baocheng is with the University of International Business and Economics.
He believes once the store is operational, it will benefit both the local economy and consumers.
"Such a large duty free store may reduce the cost of transactions, for instance, lowering tariffs and the cost of consumption, thus boosting tourism. There are about 7 such maga duty free stores across the globe. These duty free stores may play a major role in boosting the local economy."
Liu notes that as all transactions are supervised, it is very unlikely that people can take advantages from the duty free store to conduct tax evasion.
However, he adds, the government should upgrade certain supportive policies in order to match the expansion.
"For instance, if Thai tourists come here to conduct wholesale purchases at the duty free store, will there be an upper limit for the transaction? The current duty free policy is similar to giving people coupons. But if the store becomes bigger, should there be more supportive policies to facilitate large scale consumption and benefit logistics services?"
Official numbers show that duty-free sales in Hainan soared almost 40 percent year-on-year last year.
Hainan has gained its reputation as an international tourist destination in recent years.
The island province has maintained a growth rate of 10 percent for the past five year, thanks largely to its booming tourism industry.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stocks
Asian stocks fell broadly today, with Japanese shares tumbling to six-month lows, as jitters over the valuation of many companies in the tech sector kept investors on edge, overshadowing upbeat U.S. jobless claims data.
The Shanghai Composite fell 0.2 percent ahead of the release of China's first-quarter GDP figures next week.
The Shenzhen Component gained 0.3 percent.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng dropped 0.8 percent.
Tencent, China's biggest internet company, slumped 6.8 percent in Hong Kong amid a global sell-off in technology stocks.
In Japan, the Nikkei had a rough session, tumbling 2.4-percent.
Market heavyweight Fast Retailing plunged nearly 8-percent after the clothing retailer lowered its full-year earnings forecast.
Australian shares fell sharply amid a lack of fresh catalysts.
The benchmark ASX 200 fell around 1-percent due to a broad-based sell-off.
Banking, oil & gas and retail sareas led the declines in Australia.
In South Korea, the KOSPI finished the trading week down 0.6 percent.
Elsewhere, the key benchmark indexes in India, Malaysia and Singapore finished down between 0.1 to 0.6 percent.
 
 
Chinese inflation rebounds, but economists see calm ahead
 
Anchor:
Consumer price increases have accelerated through March, reversing a downward trend seen over the past few months.
The consumer price index has risen 2.4-percent in March from a year earlier, driven mostly by a 4.1% jump in food prices.
Among the food components, vegetable prices have increased nearly 13-percent.
Meanwhile, deflation in wholesale prices increased last month, with the producer price index retreating 2.3-percent in March, compared to a 2-percent drop in February.
In particular, prices for mining products dipped nearly 7-percent.
For more on the data, we spoke earlier with Shen Hong, Shanghai Bureau Chief,The Wall Street Journal
Back Anchor:
Shen Hong, Shanghai Bureau Chief,The Wall Street Journal.
 
 
China central bank - credit growth steady but watching debt risks
 
China's central bank governor, Zhou Xiaochuan, says although credit growth remains stable, the central bank remains vigilant against the risks from corporate debt.
Zhou Xiaochuan says inflation remains the PBOC's focus for now.
He has told a panel at the Bo'ao forum inflation, GDP growth, new jobs and the international balance of payments are the goals the PBOC considers when formulating monetary policy."
The comments come after Premier Li Keqiang told the Boao forum that sustaining healthy growth in China's labour market is the government's priority, suggesting it doesn't matter if growth comes in a little below the official target of 7.5 percent.
 
 
Australia, China Pursue Expanded Renminbi Direct Trade
 
The central banks of China and Australia are now looking at ways of enhancing the joint clearing and settlement operations to further strengthen direct trading between the Australian dollar and the renminbi.
Monthly trading volumes have jumped seven-fold in the last year to the equivalent of 2.4-billion US dollars.
This has made the Australian dollar the fourth most-traded currency on China's foreign exchange trading system.
Rights to the direct trade of the Australian dollar and the renminbi were granted to a number of Australian banks a year ago.
China is Australia's largest trading partner, with China buying vast amounts of iron ore and coal to support its economic expansion.
 
 
U.S. budget deficit narrows sharply in March
 
New data shows the U.S. budget deficit has narrowed sharply in March as tax receipts have increased and government spending has fallen broadly.
The US government's shortfall has come in at 37-billion US dollars, down 65-percent compared to the same period last year.
Tax revenues through March are up 16-percent year on year while spending has dropped by 14-percent through the month.
The US government's deficit situation has been steadily improving.
The year-to-date deficit is down 31-percent from the same period a year ago.
Total receipts are up 10-percent for the fiscal year to date, reflecting higher individual tax collection from stronger wages and salaries, as well as an increased intake of corporate taxes.
 
 
Austria January Trade Deficit Widens
 
Official data shows Austria's foreign trade deficit through January widened from the same month last year.
The Austrian trade deficit has increased to 800-million US dollars in January from 700-million a year ago.
Imports and exports in Austria have both grown by 0.2-percent each.
Exports to EU countries dropped by 1.1 percent year-on-year, while imports from the region dropped 2.2-percent.
 
 
Fitch raises Portugal's outlook to positive
 
Ratings agency Fitch has raised its outlook for Portugal to 'positive' from 'negative'.
Fitch is still maintaining a BB+ rating for Portugal, but says its fiscal financing conditions have improved substantially since October when the country was last under review.
The ratings agency has raised its economic forecast for Portugal, saying it now expect GDP growth of 1.3-percent this year and 1.5-percent in 2015.
This is up sharply from the 0.2 and 1-percent figures projected previously.
Portugal's economy grew for the first time in three years in the final quarter of last year.
Since requesting an international bailout in April of 2011 and relying on aid from the European Union and International Monetary Fund, Portugal last year raised 4.2 billion US dollars in a bond sale.
Yields on Portugal's 10-year bonds have dropped from 5.8-percent at the beginning of this year down to 3.8-percent.
 
 
Samsung new flagship S5 hit shelves
 
Samsung's new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5, has gone on sale in Hong Kong today.
Pre-orders began last week.
Priced at 6-thousand Hong Kong dollars, Samsung's new Galaxy S5 has an advanced camera, water and dust resistance, as well as biometric sensory systems to "power up a user's body."
Also hitting the shelves in Hong Kong are Samsung's new wearables, including the Samsung Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit.
They can sync up with S5 to provide a wide range of applications.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Australian PM confident on MH370 black box
 
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he's confiden searchers now know, withing the range of some kilometers, the position of missing flight MH370's black-box.
However Abbott also says there is a significant difference between knowing where the black-box may be and ultimately determining what happened to the missing flight.
Abbott has met with Xi Jinping today, briefing the Chinese President on the search effort.
Its been over a month since the flight MH370 disappeared while on a fight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239-passanger and crew onboard.
.
 
 
Ukraine's iterim prime minister travels to the east amid continuing protest
 
Ukraine's iterim prime minister is travelling to the east of the country, as pro-Russian protestors continue occupying government buildings in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk will visit the city of Donetsk, where activists have declared the region independent.
The trip comes amid the rising tensions between Russia and the US over Russian gas supplies and troop movements.
NATO says up to 40-thousand Russian troops are massed near Ukraine's border.
 
 
DPRK sends three spy drones to S. Korea for reconnaissance
 
South Korean authorities say they're confident North Korea has dispatched at least 3 unmanned drones into South Korean territory in recent weeks.
The comments comer after the discovery of three different unmanned aerial vehicles in South Korean territory over the past few weeks.
The drones themselves are said to be of relatively low quality, and contain cameras thought to be used to spy on sites in South Korea.
North Korea has not responded to the allegations made by the South.
 
 
7.3-magnitude quake hits 52km SW of Panguna, Papua New Guinea -- USGS
 
A powerful earthquake has struck off the east coast of mainland Papua New Guinea.
The 7.3-magnitude quake hit this afternoon in the south Pacific, about 60-kilometers southwest of the community of Panguna, which is located on Bougainville Island.
Bougainville Island is situated to the north of the Solomon Island chain.
So far there have been no reports of damage or injuries.
There has been no tsunami alert, even though the quake did strike in the ocean.
The region where the quake hit is prone to earthquakes.
 
 
Excessive benzene found in NW China tap water
 
More than 2.4 million people in a major city in northwest China are being affected by contaminated tap water.
Authorities in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu, have found the tap water in the downtown areas contain excessive levels of benzene.
The city government is warning people in Gansu not to drink the tap water in the next 24 hours.
An investigation into the source of the contamination is underway.
Residents have been rushing to supermarkets or community grocery stores to stock up on bottled water.
 
 
Jiangxi vice governor removed from post
 
The vice-governor of Jiangxi has been sacked.
56-year old Yao Mugen has removed from his position for "severe disciplinary and legal violations."
The exact nature of what he did has not been revealed.
Party disciplinary officials announed Yao was being investigated late last month.
Yao Mugen first took up the post as Jiangxi's vice-governor in May of 2011.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Shanghai Daily
"More funds promised for city's bookshops"
THE city government will this year provide additional financial support for bookstores in a bid to help them compete against online retailers and digital media, officials said yesterday.
According to Xin, one of the offcials, the problem is that with the massive change in the way people buy and consume books these days, bookstore owners must become more entrepreneurial and explore new ways to generate revenue.
"The funding is intended only as a way to help bookstores that are in trouble find new ways to survive," he said.
Shanghai has about 8,000 physical bookstores and many of them are struggling to survive in a climate of rising rents and labor costs, and a never-ending price war with their online competitors.
As a matter of fact, specialist stores which provide more than book selling and other services like meeting authors, hanging out with friends or just enjoy a drink are more popular these days.
China News Service
"Beijing mulls big data"
The Beijing municipal government is considering building a big data platform to integrate data from various institutions and academies.
Such data from government institutions, scientific research academies and industrial organizations will be integrated and made accessible to the public, according to a statement released by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission.
Every year, a lot of scientific data in medical and clinic research, traffic and finance is released, and the data is scattered across various platforms and archived without development and utilization.
The platform will help Internet companies explore the economic and social values of big data, said one of the officials.
And e-commerce companies can also use such data to analyze consumption and reduce outsourcing risks.
Yahoo News
"France bars bosses from bugging employees with email after work hours"
According to a new report, French authorities have just signed an agreement that requires employees to shut off their work-related smartphones after they leave the office, which means that their bosses won't be able to nag them once they go home for the day.
And there's actually some research that shows this might help make French workers more, not less, productive.
Researchers at the University of Florida, Michigan State University and University of Washington have found that reading on your smartphone and checking work email on your phone late at night will make you much more restless and will even make you less productive at work the next day.
The researchers say that smartphone fatigue can be so bad that it might offset all the productivity benefits that smartphones have to our work lives.
Similar research program led by Google in one of its offices in Ireland has showed resembling results.
The Telegraph
"Monosyllabic teenagers 'need speaking lessons' at school"
Schools should provide lessons in speaking and debating to put an end to the image of the "grunting, monosyllabic teenager", according to Mr. Hyman who worked as a speechwriter for former UK premier Tony Blair.
He said: "Speaking eloquently is a moral issue because to find your voice both literally and metaphorically and be able to communicate your ideas and your passions is crucial to how they are going to be a success in the world.
Mr Hyman said children in schools ought to be encouraged to dialogue with each other, question teachers and hold debates.
He also stressed that employers put in all their surveys: they want good oral communication.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
First 24-hour bookstore opens in Beijing
 
Anchor:
A bookstore here in Beijing is now open 24-hours a day, touting itself as the first non-stop bookshop in the capital.
CRI's Liu Kun has more.
Reporter:
The flow of passengers stopping at Dongsi subway station in downtown Beijing at dusk has increased in the past two days, with many heading for the Sanlian Taofen Bookstore, located beside the station.
The Bookstore announced on Tuesday a 10-day trial of a 24-hour operational mode; if the trial is successful the store may operate on a 24-hour basis permanently.
Many visitors applauded the store's gesture.
"I think it provides us with a good option. Say when I get off work and don't want to go home, or just want to re-charge myself, I may go to the bookstore."
"I saw the information online and thought, why not pop by? So after dinner I came here on the subway with my son."
At night inside the store, many readers are either strolling alongside bookshelves, flapping through books or reading at tables newly set up beside windows.
Fan Xi'an, the general manager of the Bookstore says they feel responsible about promoting the reading culture in the city as a well-established cultural brand.
"Sanlian Bookstore is a well known cultural brand and should help nourhish the public's reading habits. We value the practice because we want to light a lamp for readers in Beijing."
To facilitate 24-hour operations, the store has invested 3 million yuan into the project. The money was spent on increasing the number of staff by 15, rehabilitating roads in front of the store, installing new air conditioners, setting up tables and chairs for readers and upgrading bookshelves.
With a history of more than 80 years, the store has attracted a large group of die-hard fans. Here's one:
"In the past I wasn't so busy at work so I often came here, either for reading for a bit or just for the pleasant atmosphere. But now I am too busy at work. When I heard that the store was trialing a 24-hour operation, I decided to come because I wanted to show my support, as well as to find a moment to purify myself."
The female reader however, is concerned about whether the 24-hour operation mechanism will last in an era when digital books are readily available virtually everywhere.
General Manager Fan Xi'an expresses his views about this concern.
"Although there may not be as many readers at night and we won't be able to achieve much financially, I am confident that 24-hour non-stop management will prove to be positive for the future of the store."
Fan acknowledges that governmental support encouraged him to make up his mind to launch the operation. The Chinese government waived the valued added tax of bookstores last year and Sanlian Taofen Bookstore has therefore benefited by about 1 million yuan from the policy.
Back Anchor:
That is CRI's Liu Kun reporting.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Bill Haas is the early leader after day one at the Masters
 
At the Masters,
American Bill Haas took the early lead after carding a 4-under-68 in the opening round.
"Tomorrow, it's a new day. I was leading last week after the first round and finished 37th, so I know -- very recently, I know there's tons of golf left.　And maybe understanding that, I know that I can't expect too much.　You've just got to go out there and keep playing golf, try to hit that fairway on No. 1 tomorrow."
Haas has been getting valuable advice from his veteran golfer father Jay who played in the Masters 22 times with five top-10 finishes.
It was quite a sad turn of events for defending champion Adam Scott. After a beautiful front side, Scott sent his ball flying into Rae's Creek on the 12th hole. That cost him a double-bogey five as he ended one stroke off the lead.
"I certainly feel like I prepared very well for this event, and I was comfortable with my game anyway.　But having won last year, I think in some ways has taken a little pressure off me as I teed up today and kind of felt like what was the worst that can happen; I'm still going to be a Masters Champion"
Two strokes back are American Gary Woodland and South Korea's KJ Choi, as well as a trio of rookies: Kevin Stadler, Jonas Blixt, and Jimmy Walker.
Rory McIlroy, one of the favorites to win this year, ended at one under par.
"It was solid. I did what I needed to do I felt. You know the conditions were tough. The golf course was set up that it didn't really let you get under par. I just had to birdie the holes that you could birdie like the par fives on the back nine.　It was a little disappointing to bogey the last but anything underpar today was a good score."
Three-time champion Phil Mickelson struggled and ended the first day at four over par.
"Disappointing for sure. I mean you know we got a long ways to go and I've got a lot of work to do. I don't feel like my game is off. I really don't I feel solid with my ball striking. I feel great with the putter. I had all those chips solid flush but I misjudged I was just off I was really off today and it was very disappointing but I don't feel like I have to go to the range and find something I feel very confident with the way I'm hitting it and striking it but my scoring is just , I'm making way too many mistakes like that."
Another one who struggled was Canadian Graham DeLaet who ended day one with an 80.
 
 
Spurs close in on top seed in WC after win over Dallas
 
In the NBA,
The San Antonio Spurs are closing in on the top seed in the Western Conference after a win over the Dallas Mavericks, 109-100.
Tony Parker is still sidelined with an injury, but was replaced by Patty Mills, the Australian guard who rose up out of the small West Coast Conference and who actually had a stint playing in the CBA. Mills scored 26 points, and Tim Duncan added 20.
And it was a very close game between Denver and the Golden State Warriors, with Denver just edging them out 100 to 99.
Timofey Mozgov had a big double-double for Denver, 23 points and 29 boards. Stephen Curry was top scorer for Golden State with 24 points.
 
 
Juventus, Benfica, Sevilla and Valencia advance to Europa League semis
 
In football,
Yesterday in the Europa league,
Juventus advanced to the semifinals after defeating Lyon 2-1 in the second leg of their quarterfinal.
Antonio Conte's side advanced 3-1 on aggregate after a 1-0 first leg win in France.
Elsewhere, Sevilla crushed Porto 4-1 to advance to the semis after turning their 1-0 deficit from the first leg.
Sevilla advances to the semis where they'll meet Juventus, Valencia, and Benfica.
Over in the English Premier League, a bunch of games are coming up tomorrow.
Newcastle United is on the road to face Stoke City. Newcastle's manager Alan Pardew insisted that his side is not yet finished in this league, despite
"Pressure on any squad has to be channelled in the right way. We have to channel that pressure that's on us into a performance. That's something we've done well at this football club in the past. We've had a lot of pressure on us in different circumstances and we've dealt well with them, particularly since I've been here, so I am very confident that these players can deal with that pressure. I think this is a tough game for us (match against Stoke) this weekend, on the back of the results we've had, but we are going to have to face it full on and hopefully have a few more options next week with one or two available."
Also tomorrow Sunderland is up against Everton, Tottenham is at West Brom, and Norwich faces Fulham.
 
 
New York Islanders defeat Montreal 2-0 to jeopordize playoff position
 
In the NHL,
The New York Islanders defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0. That loss when considered alongside Tampa Bay's 4-2 win over Philadelphia means that the Canadiens may not have a chance to start the playoffs on home ice.
Tampa Bay are within a point of the Canadiens for second place in the Atlantic division after that win over the Flyers.
The Nashville Predators landed a serious blow to Phoenix's playoff hopes after winning 2-0. Phoenix had needed to win their final three contests to secure the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference, now it depends on how the other teams perform.
Kyle Brodziak scored twice and John Curry made 43 saves in his debut when the Minnesota Wild downed the ST. Louis Blues 4-2, the fourth straight loss for the Blues.
And Martin Jones recorded his fourth straight shutout with 17 saves as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-0.
Ottawa beat New Jersey in a shootout, 2-1. The New York Rangers beat Buffalo 2-1, and the Washington Caps although they'll be missing the playoffs, defeated Carolina 5-2.
 
 
Third fastest man in the world Asafa Powell banned from competition for doping
 
Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell has been handed an 18 month ban from athletics after testing positive for a banned stimulant last June.
Powell is the former 100-meter world record holder, and was a pretty big name before being overshadowed by his countrymate Usain Bolt.
Fellow Jamaican sprinter Sherone Simpson was also banned earlier this week after testing positive for the same stimulant: oxilofrone.
Powell had an endorsement deal with Li-Ning, but was dropped by the Chinese sportswear company after the positive test results surfaced.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Stephen Colbert to succeed David Letterman as host of 'The Late Show'
 
CBS has announced that Stephen Colbert will succeed David Letterman as the host of "The Late Show".
The announcement came one week after Letterman told his audience that he would retire sometime in 2015.
CBS said Colbert had signed a five-year contract to helm the iconic late-night broadcast.
Colbert has been the host of Comedy Central's Emmy-winning show, "The Colbert Report," since 2005.
Outside "The Colbert Report" studio in New York City, fans were thrilled to hear the news.
"He is the best. I am so glad he is taking over because he is the best and he is very political and he is right on point all the time, never fails. I watch his show on Comedy Central all the time, now I can see him on channel 2, isn't that the greatest?"
Colbert is apparently excited about hosting "The Late Show," as well. He said in a statement that he never dreamed he would follow in Letterman's footsteps.
But the new job offer also means Colbert has to leave behind his title show. Comedy Central said Colbert will end "The Colbert Report" in eight months.
 
 
Zhang Yimou Praises Highly Lead Star Gong Li and Chen Daoming in His New Film
 
Chinese film director Zhang Yimou has praised the performances that actress Gong Li and actor Chen Daoming delivered in his newest film, "Coming Home".
He made the comment during a promotional video released today.
The film tells a love story about separations and reunions. It's adapted from Yan Geling's novel, "LU FAN YAN SHI." However, the film begins where the novel ends, when the main character returns home.
Zhang shared his admiration for the acting prowess Chen Daoming and Gong Li displayed in "Coming Home."
"Everyone knows that Chen Daoming and Gong Li are the best actors in China. I wanted to cast them from the very beginning. I learned a lot from them, too. They also gave advice about certain details of the film. Their contributions to the movie went beyond acting."
He also shared his thoughts on the performance by actress Zhang Huiwen, who plays the main character's daughter.
"I was impressed by Huiwen's big, bright eyes when I first saw her, which echoes the arrogance of the Red Guards -- this is what I needed. During shooting, I need her to act absent-minded and hesitant — she really embodied that."
The film hits Chinese screens in May of this year.
 
 
The cast of "The Amazing Spiderman 2" shine at film's world premiere in London
 
The cast of "The Amazing Spiderman 2" walked the red carpet in London's Leicester Square on Thursday (10 April) for super-sequel's world premiere.
As part of the press tour for the new blockbuster, leading man, Andrew Garfield, posed for a photo with a group of children.
Garfield explained that the photo was for a charitable initiative called "Kid City".
"What we are trying to do is to take the responsibility of Spider-man and the ethos and the energy of Spider-man and have it break through just being a movie and turn it into real life. Two days ago I went and visited these kids at a school in Brixton and I went as Spider-man. It is amazing being able to partner up with an organization like that on a press tour like this."
Also at the premiere was Garfield's on-screen and off-screen girlfriend, Emma Stone, who plays Gwen Stacy in the film.
The latest installment of the Spider-man franchise sees Peter Parker struggling to balance his regular life and his super-hero alter-ego.
Also adding to his problems is the recurring threat of the Green Goblin, this time played by Dane Dehaan. The trouble is doubled this time around when Electro, a new super-villain played by Jamie Foxx, emerges.
"The Amazing Spider-Man 2" swings into Chinese theaters on May 4th.
 
 
2014 MTV Movie Awards to be handed out on April 13th
 
The 24th annual MTV Movie Awards takes place on April 13th in Los Angeles, California.
Oscar winner "12 Years a Slave" will face off with blockbusters like "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" and "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" for the "movie of the year" silver popcorn container, which serves as the events award trophies.
The other movie of the year nominees are "The Wolf of Wall Street" and "American Hustle".
Rihanna, Eminem, Ellie Goulding and Zedd are among the evening's performers.
Garrett English, the MTV Movie Awards executive producer, says there is also a tribute planned for the late actor, Paul Walker.
"He's been such a big part of our show in the past that if felt really right to us and we're just really happy and honored that they were willing to allow us to do something for him on the show."
The awards' "best kiss" category has a strong favorite: Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence's smooch in "American Hustle."
For best shirtless performance, Jennifer Aniston from "We're the Millers" will vie with Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Wolf of Wall Street" for the honor.
Funnyman and late-night host Conan O'Brien will host the event at the Nokia Theater.
 
 
'Frozen' Elsa dress selling for $1,000 on eBay
 
The phenomenal success of Disney's highest-grossing animated film, "Frozen," has created a new frenzy on eBay.
Parents are shelling out over one-thousand dollars to grab a limited-edition version of Queen Elsa's sparkling ice-blue dress from the movie, which sold for 149 dollars and 49 cents when it first hit Disney stores in mid-November of last year.
A cheaper version made by toy maker Jakks Pacific, which originally retailed for 20 dollars, is also selling on eBay for 150 dollars and 350 dollars.
Disney's limited-edition character dolls of Elsa and her sister Anna, priced at 99 dollars and 95 cents each, sold out within 45 minutes after they launched on disneystore.com in January.
On eBay, bids for the limited edition dolls range from a few hundred dollars to over three-thousand dollars.
 
 
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Australia's Prime Minister says he's confident searchers have managed to pinpoint the location of the flight data recorder of missing Malaysia Airlines light MH370.
This year's Bo'ao Forum for Asia is coming to a conclusion this evening in Hainan.
Ukraine's interim Prime Minister is heading to the country's embattled east to try to difuse a continu]ing standoff there.
In business... the Producer Price Index here in China continues its deflationary spiral.
In sports... Bill Haas heading into round-2 of the Masters as the early leader.
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.