新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2014/04/21

The Beijing Hour
 
Morning Edition

 
Shane Bigham with you on this Monday, April 21st, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
The mayor of a city in eastern Ukraine is urging Russia to send troops to the region...
South Korean authorities have released transcripts of final communications with the crew of the ferry that sank last week...
And Yemeni authorities say multiple US drone strikes in their country have killed at least 30 al-Qaeda linked militants...
In Business...Chinese IPOs resume...
In sports...Liverpool is as close to the premier league championship as it's been in 23 years...
In entertainment...there's going to be a prequell movie for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
But first... lets get a check on the weather...
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be sunny today, with a high of 24 degree Celsius.
Overnight temperatures should drop down to around 10.
Shanghai will see moderate rain with a high of 17.
Overnight temperature will stay around 13.
Chongqing will see showers today with a high of 20.
Overnight lows are expected to be around 17.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia.
Islamabad, cloudy with a high of 28.
Kabul will see showers with a high of 17.
Over to North America.
New York will be sunny with a high of 13 degrees.
Washington, mostly cloudy with a high of 18 degrees.
Honolulu, cloudy, 27.
Toronto, Canada, will be overcast with a high of 13 degrees.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 21.
And Rio de Janeiro will see slight rain with a high of 29 degrees Celsius.
 
 
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TIMECHECK
 
 
Top News
 
 
Slovyansk mayor calls on Putin to intervene
 
The self-styled mayor of eastern Ukraine's city of Slovyansk has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send the army as peacekeepers.
The request comes after a shootout at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian protesters near the city. It left at least three people dead on Sunday.
Slovyansk mayor Vyacheslav Ponomaryov:
"I would like to address the leaders of the Russian Federation and personally Vladimir Vladimirevich Putin. We beg you for help. If you cannot send the army as peacekeepers to help us, then help us by sending weapons, or in any other way you can."
The identity of the attackers remains unclear.
Russia has blamed militant Ukrainian nationalists while the Ukrainian government says the attack was staged by provocateurs from outside the country.
The attack is the first fatal incident after an international agreement was reached last week in Geneva to ease tensions in Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry says Moscow is outraged by the attack and calls on Ukraine to strictly fullfill its obligations to de-escalate tensions.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk accused Putin of trying to restore the Soviet Union.
Monitors from the European security body OSCE have already moved into the area to try to persuade pro-Russian militants to lay down their arms.
Pro-Russian groups have occupied government buildings in around 10 cities in east of Ukraine, demanding closer ties with Russia.
The international deal asks all protesters to disarm and leave the buildings.
 
 
Last-minute communication of sunken South Korea ferry revealed
 
South Korean authorities have released the last-minute communications between the sunken ferry Sewol and vessel traffic center.
The transcript shows that an official at the Jeju vessel traffic services center recommended evacuation just five minutes after the ferry's distress call.
But a crew member kept on asking the traffic center whether passengers would be rescued if they abandoned the ship.
"Since we don't know situations there, the captain should make the final decision on whether or not to evacuate the passengers."
It took 30 minutes for the captain to give the evacuation order as the boat listed.
However, it is reported that several survivors said they never had any evacuation order.
The captain has said he delayed the evacuation for fear people would be swept away.
After sending the distress signal, the ferry remained afloat for some two and a half hours with its body tilting.
Police arrested the captain over the weekend on five charges, including negligence of duty and abandonment resulting in death.
It is reported that the captain ordered passengers to stay put while he and other crew members were leaving the sinking ferry.
Meanwhile, the confirmed death toll has risen to 58 as divers finally found a way inside the sunken vessel.
244 others including 4 Chinese nationals are still missing.
Families have expressed anger towards what they called tardy rescue operations.
The ferry, carrying 476 passengers, many of them high school students, capsized on Wednesday on a journey from the port of Incheon to holiday island of Jeju.
 
 
Search teams to determine next step for missing Malaysian flight
 
Malaysia and Australia are to discuss their next moves concerning the six-week-long search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.
Australian officials have said the current underwater search for the plane, focused on a tight 10 km circle of the sea floor, could be completed within a week.
Although the aerial search for debris is continuing, sonar footage obtained by the U.S. Navy owned AUV is now the focal point of the search, some 2,000 km west of the Australian city of Perth.
Meanwhile, Malaysian authorities have said the prime ministers of the two countries will discuss the next stage of the search operation today.
On the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysians say they want the search to continue until some trace of the missing jetliner is found.
"There are techniques to help detect the plane, so I don't think I agree if they cease the operation next week. They should continue. I think we can appeal for continuation."
"If they couldn't find it where they're locating now, they should wider the search somehow; they have to come to a conclusion whereby they give the positive answer to the public and the members of the family. That's the most important."
Officials have not indicated whether they are confident that the current search area will yield any new information about the flight.
They have also not stated what they would do in the event that the underwater search prove fruitless.
The Malaysia Airlines flight vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8th with 239 people onboard.
It is believed to have ended up in the Southern Indian Ocean, although no traces of it have yet been found.
 
 
Two Chinese Engineers Abducted in Sudan
 
Two Chinese engineers have been abducted in Sudan by unidentified men.
The Chinese embassy in Khartoum says the two workers were working at an oil field belonging to Sudanese oil companies in western Sudan.
They were taken on Friday.
The embassy has been in contact with Sudanese authorities.
Local media reported earlier Sunday that an armed group, belonging to the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement, attacked an oil field of the Sudanese Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company.
Rebel groups have been active in western Sudan where these groups usually target vital projects such as the oil fields to put pressure on the central government in Khartoum.
 
 
Egypt's presidential registration ends with two candidates
 
Egyption voters will have only two candidates to choose from during next month's presidential election.
Registration closed on Sunday. The contest will be between former military chief Abdel Fattah Sisi and leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi.
The first round of the election is slated for May 26 and 27.
Sisi is expected to win easily. He led the military ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi last July.
The election campaign officially begins on May 3.
 
 
Wang Yi meets up with Cuban counterpart
 
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, in Havana during the first of his five-day visit to Latin America.
Wang Yi says the visit is aimed to beef up bilateral relations and prepare for Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to Cuba.
"The goal of my visit to Cuba is to strengthen the coordination and relations between the ministries, and another goal even more important is to make the political arrangements for the high-level interchange we will have this year, the visit of President Xi Jinping to the island. We need to coordinate the work to ensure the success of that visit, so the relations between China and Cuba can enter into a new stage of development."
For his part, Parrilla thanks Wang for China's support of Cuba, saying excellent bilateral ties are developing on all fronts.
China is Cuba's second-largest trade partner after Venezuela.
In 2011, China and Cuba widened the scope of their cooperation with a series of new accords.
Wang Yi will continue his Latin American tour in Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil.
 
 
Chinese Court Detains Japanese Boat over Unpaid Damages
 
A maritime court in Shanghai has detained a Japanese ship.
The order was given on Saturday following a court verdict that ordered the ship's owner to pay delayed rent and losses to a Chinese firm.
The court says it will dispose of the ship if the Japanese company continues to refuse to fulfill its obligation.
The ship, named BAOSTEEL EMOTION and owned by Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), is being held at a port in east China's Zhejiang Province.
A Chinese company sued the Japanese shipping firm in 1988 in the Shanghai maritime court over alleged delays in rent payments for two ships and economic losses.
The court ruled late in 2007 that the Japanese firm should pay nearly 3 billion Japanese Yen, or some 28 million U.S. dollars, including delayed rent and operating losses.
 
 
Runners Highlight Causes at Beijing Run
 
Anchor:
More than twenty thousand running enthusiasts have participated in this year's Beijing Run, which was held on Sunday.
CRI's Cao Yuwei finds out how the event has given exposure to some of the runners and the values they stand for.
Reporter:
At the starting line, the music shows the tempo of the event and why so many runners view it as a festival.
The Beijing Run, which takes place near the end of Spring each year, has regularly attracted a wide consortium of groups and individuals to take part.
It's common to see employees running under the banner of their company, reminiscent of the mass rallies on the May Day and National Day holidays.
There are also those young individuals who seek to express themselves with their unusual costumes.
A 30-year-old male runner who gave his name as Unique Style explained his decision to wear a complete Superman outfit.
"I am championing for animals rights. I chose this outfit because I think it is eye-catching. My group looks after abandoned pets, street dogs and cats. And we also call on people to pay attention to wildlife, to stop wearing fur and for poachers to stop killing animals."
Unique Style added that he has worn this outfit on many other occasions too, including last year's Color Run and the Beijing International Marathon.
He said such exposure has drawn attention to him and given him opportunities to explain his cause to people.
Unique Style may not be that unique however, as there are others who are wearing even more outspoken costumes.
A 24-year-old college student who declined to give his name ran alongside his girlfriend with both wearing fluffy skirts of a style more commonly seen on teenage girls.
The man explained that he opted to wear the skirt after being asked by his girlfriend to show his commitment to the relationship.
There are also fathers like Liu Kexun who brought his six-year-old son along to the 5,000 meter run in the hope of allowing him to develop an interest in running.
"I want my son to like sports. Nowadays so many kids indulge in video games and the internet. I hope he can become more comfortable with people and outdoor activities. Today's kids have a serious problem socializing and I think running is a good practice to help them pick up such skills."
This year's Beijing Run, which starts off from the Tian'anmen Squre and passes through a fleet of famed historical sites such as the Qianmen, Tianqiao, and Xiannong Temple, has attracted participants from several other countries.
Sussie Degrandmonte is from California.
"I am running because this is my first 5K, and today is my birthday. So i thought why not do this on my birthday. I am turning 52 today, and I can run 5K and i think its a good accomplishment."
Aside from the usual speed chasers, this year's Beijing Run also features a group of wheelchair riders.
For them, the event is as much an exercise as a way of showing how one can overcome an impairment to achieve great things.
For CRI, I am Cao Yuwei.
 
 
Hyper-exotic to hyper-practical - New York Auto Show hosts latest cars
 
Anchor:
Hybrid and luxury are the buzzwords at this year's New York International Auto Show, though some familiar models have been re-worked in order to appeal to customers.
Our reporter Hu Jia takes a closer look.
Reporter:
The Fiat Chrysler is unveiling a slew of luxury models, with the Alfa Romeo getting the most publicity because it was the car that Dustin Hoffman drove in the iconic movie The Graduate.
Being absent from the market for 2 decades, this two-seat sportster shows that Fiat Chrysler is anxious to reclaim its grip on the lower end of the U.S. luxury market.
Bill Visnic, senior editor of Edmunds.com explains.
"What's really interesting now when you say the 'luxury spectrum', there's a lot of spectrum there now with the luxury market and so, you see even the established players, Mercedez, BMW, everyone, they're really moving down into very accessible kind of money for people who are first-time buyers, you know, in the 30,000 dollar range, so the bandwidth at the bottom is where a lot of the action is in the luxury market and in the premium segments so Alfa Romeo should fit in really well there as you start to work into the midrange of the premium market."
Other luxury names meanwhile are taking on Tesla with plug-in models such as the Cadillac ELR, the Porsche Panamera, and the BMW i3 and i8.
Ludwig Willisch, the head of BMW North America.
"It's a much more compelling offer from A to Z. And the i8 is tomorrow's supercar. If you look at the fact that it accelerates from 0 to 60 in a bit more than four seconds on the one hand, and goes up to 90 MPG - that's something that has not been accomplished so far by anybody else."
Less glitzy, but more important to the average consumer are the hotly competitive mid-size sedans.
Toyota refreshed its Camry by ramping its style up a notch. This comes at a crucial time because it has been America's best-selling car for the last 12 years, despite being momentarily eclipsed by the Nissan Altima and increasingly challenged by rivals such as Hyundai and their mid-sized Sonata.
Hyundai Vice President Michael O'Brien talks about his company's focus with relation to the Sonata model.
"With this new generation, we set out to build upon Sonata's success by prioritizing engineering integrity. That is, a meticulous dedication to ensure every vehicle attributes and system was developed with a sense of harmony and integration in order to deliver a world-class, midsized sedan."
Unlike its Hyundai Sonata rival, the Camry of Toyota promises a more "premium" feel, with better materials, improved amenities and a little more space for passengers.
The New York International Auto Show is open to the public until April 27th.
For CRI, I'm Hu Jia.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
With nearly one-third of S&P 500 companies set to report earnings this week, investors hope the news provides a catalyst to buy stocks.
Firms delivering results include Apple, Microsoft, General Motors, McDonald's and Boeing.
Also expected are some key economic indicators including updates on U.S. home sales and durable goods orders.
Monday brings earnings from Netflix, whose share price suffered steep declines amid the recent sell off in tech, internet and biotech stocks.
Tuesday sees earnings from McDonald's, AT&T, China Mobile, and news on U.S. existing-home sales.
Wednesday could bring the big corporate news of the week, with both Apple and Facebook reporting earnings after markets close in New York
Thursday is another big day for earnings, with results expected from General Motors, Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon.com, Visa, Caterpillar, and Time Warner Cable.
Thursday also brings updates on U.S. durable goods orders and weekly initial jobless claims.
On Friday, the closely-watched University of Michigan U.S. consumer confidence survey is released and earnings are expected from Ford Motor among others.
 
 
Automakers unveil China-focused models in Beijing
 
Beijing's annual auto show is underway with domestic and foreign brands unveiling dozens of new models and concept cars.
Ford Motors has unveiled a new Escort sedan designed in China for global sales, highlighting the growing influence of Chinese tastes on the industry.
Alan Mulally, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company, says adjustments were made after Chinese buyers said they wanted more room in the back seats.
"They want to be able to handle their families in a neat, safe way, so I think this, led by China, is also going to be a preferred vehicle around the world but it really was led by the Chinese taste."
The new Escort, a compact sedan with a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine, goes on sale in China this year, expanding later to other markets.
Meanwhile, the German automotive group Daimler has unveiled plans to build an all-electric vehicle with its Chinese partner BYD.
Daimler says its DENZA electric car will be eligible for local subsidies in China when it goes on sale in September.
Also, Fiat and Chrysler announced that their Jeep brand will begin manufacturing in China next year with Fiat's local partner, Guangzhou Automobile Group. That will allow Jeep to avoid steep import taxes.
Chinese SUV maker Great Wall Motors unveiled its latest model, the Haval 8.
But China's domestic brands have been slowly and steadily declining in market share over the past year.
Their first-quarter sales shrank more than 2 percent from a year earlier, while the overall market grew nearly 8 percent.
Zhang Yale is an auto analyst for Auto Foresight magazine.
"We can imagine a car with a logo of a foreign brand and a cheaper price than a domestic brand. It poses furious competition for Chinese domestic automakers because foreign brands have a better reputation and naturally many young people choose to buy a foreign car."
China's annual auto shows, held in Beijing and Shanghai in alternating years, have grown into some of the industry's most important commercial events.
 
 
China's IPO resume
 
Anchor:
China's securities regulator has unveiled a short list of companies applying for listing. It happened over the weekend, following a two-month pause, signaling a restart of the initial public offering (IPO) review that has been suspended for over a year.
28 companies appear on the list, including 16 for the main board of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, 4 for the small and medium-sized enterprises board in Shenzhen, and 8 for the ChiNext Board.
All of these applications are still subject to approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
Now for more on this, we are joined on the line by Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor of China's University of Economics and Business.
1. How is the stock market likely to react to the list?
2. What is the likelihood that all of the companies on the list will be approved? any troubled applicants?
3. 16 of the 24 companies will be listed on the Shanghai stock Exchange, why the high proportion?
4. A total of 606 companies are still on the waiting list. Will we see a steady stream of applications and approvals moving forward, or long lists every few months?
Back Anchor:
Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor of China's University of Economics and Business.
 
 
The Samsung Galaxy S5 sales have broken records over initial selling days
 
The Samsung Galaxy S5 has broken sales records in the days following its April 11 release date.
Samsung product strategy VP Yoon Han-kil says over the past week, Galaxy S5 sales were much higher than that achieved by the Samsung Galaxy S4 for the same period last year.
The Samsung executive adds the advanced 4G capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S5 are a huge point of interest. And along with the big sales numbers, the Samsung Galaxy S5 has also had the biggest pre-order numbers ever.
Setting it apart from the Galaxy S4, the Galaxy S5 comes with higher water and dust resistance, an integrated fingerprint sensor and heart rate monitor.
 
 
China firm plans $1 billion distressed asset fund for foreigners
 
One of China's biggest bad-debt firms plans to woo foreign investors with a one billion dollar fund for soured property loans and distressed real-estate assets.
China Orient Summit Capital, 80 percent owned by China Orient Asset Management Corp, has sought regulatory approval for its new fund.
It would target institutional investors and pension funds in the United States, the UK, and the Middle East.
The fund is being launched as growth in China has slowed to an 18-month low and the housing market is losing strength.
 
 
China streamlines tax break procedures for small firms
 
China is streamlining its recently-announced tax break procedures for small businesses.
The State Administration of Taxation says firms with annual taxable income under 100,000 yuan, or 16,000 U.S. dollars, will have their business income tax halved without pre-approvals.
And those firms are not required to seek official approvals to keep the money.
Chinese authorities rolled out the tax break about two weeks ago.
It's valid from Jan. 1 this year until the end of 2016.
Those that had fully paid business income tax before the announcement of new policy can get refunds.
The tax break comes amid an economic slowdown. China's GDP rose 7.4 percent year on year in the first quarter, the slowest rate in 18 months.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Ukraine slams Russia for deadly gun attack in eastern town
 
Ukrainian authorities say Russia should be held responsible for a deadly shootout on Sunday in Slavyansk.
It left at least three people dead on Sunday.
The attack is the first fatal incident after an international agreement was reached last week in Geneva to ease tensions in Ukraine.
Russia has blamed militant Ukrainian nationalists while the Ukrainian government says the attack was staged by provocateurs from outside the country.
Tensions in eastern Ukraine have been escalating since last weekend following an armed confrontation between Ukrainian security forces and pro-Moscow activists, who demanded a referendum on autonomy and closer ties with Russia.
 
 
Death toll surges to 58 as divers enter sunken S.Korean ferry
 
The death toll from the ferry disaster off the coast of Korea has increased dramatically, as divers entered the sunken vessel and found many bodies.
So far, 58 people have been confirmed dead, though some 244 others are still missing.
A navy diver died yesterday during an underwater search.
More than 200 ships are participating in the search and recovery operation, with dozens of planes in the air as well.
The ferry's captain was arrested on Saturday and charged with negligence of duty and abandonment resulting in death. He was one of the first to abandon ship.
Most of the passengers on the ship were high school students on their way to a resort for a four-day field trip.
 
 
China to Launch Major Energy Projects: Premier
 
A number of major energy projects are about to break ground across China.
Premier Li Keqiang made the announcement at a meeting of the State Energy Commission on Friday.
Li Keqiang says the goal is to ensure stable economic growth while restructuring the country's energy layout.
New nuclear plants with state-of-the-art safety measures are to be built on the east coast.
Other projects include hydro-electric stations, wind and solar power stations, and ultra-high-voltage transmission lines.
The energy sector will also be opened up to encourage financial inflows from different kinds of investors.
 
 
Search Teams To Determine Next Move Regarding MH370
 
Malaysian and Australian authorities are to discuss their next moves regarding the six-week-long search for that missing Malaysia Airlines flight.
The current underwater search is focusing on a 10 km circle of seafloor and should be completed within a week.
Although searching for debris from the flight continues on the ocean surface, the real focal point is the area underwater being searched by a US Navy underwater drone.
Authorities say the prime ministers of Malaysia and Australia will discuss the next stage of the search operation today.
Meantime, officials have not indicated whether they are confident that the current search area will yield any new information about the flight.
They have also not stated what they would do in the event that the underwater search prove fruitless.
 
 
Construction of Largest Radio Telescope in Progress in Guizhou
 
The world's largest radio telescope, currently under construction in southwest China's Guizhou province, has seen the completion of its outer steel framework.
The radio telescope has a bowl-shape surface measuring 500 meters in diameter, as large as 30 football pitches.
The project is scheduled to be finished by September, 2016.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
BEIJING MORNING POST
Headline
China shuts down 110 porn websites in national crackdown
Summary
The State Internet Information Office says China has shut down 110 websites as part of a national crackdown on online pornography.
Some 3,300 accounts on China-based social networking services, such as WeChat and Sina Weibo, as well as online forums have been deleted.
Close to 7,000 advertisements and 200,000 texts with pornographic content have also been deleted.
BEIJING NEWS
Headline
Nuclear plants to get the nod
Summary
The State Energy Commission says China is quickening its approvals for nuclear energy and will launch projects in coastal areas to ensure energy security and economic growth.
This is part of the government's plan to push economic growth with minimal measures.
According to the National Energy Administration, China will launch another 800 gigawatts of capacity for nuclear power this year.
GLOBALTIMES
Headline
Chinese premier stresses protection of local chronicles
Summary
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed better compilation and protection of local chronicles nationwide.
Local chronicles are documents recording the history of local places, which helps provide a more accurate and comprehensive picture of Chinese history.
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
No cut in residential green area to make space for parking lots
Summary
Local authorities in Shanghai have ruled out any compromise on green areas to make space for parking at residential complexes.
Vertical greenery and road widening are being considered as solutions to alleviate the shortage of parking space.
CHINA DAILY
Headline
China raises alert against cancer crisis
Summary
A week-long campaign has been held in Beijing to boost public awareness of cancer prevention and control.
This year's campaign urges people to improve disease prevention through a slew of activities, including online interviews, lectures and free physical examinations.
Cancer has reportedly been the top killer for Beijingers for seven consecutive years between 2007 and 2013.
BEIJING TIMES
Headline
Shanghai relaxes controls on armed patrols
Summary
More than 1,000 policemen in Shanghai have begun carrying revolvers while on patrol as China tightens public security to deal with serious violent crimes.
The police will carry out routine patrols in pairs in densely populated areas, such as urban centers and transport hubs.
SOUTH CHINA METROPOLITAN DAILY
Headline
China to push urbanization reform
Summary
The minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission of NDRC says China will enhance reforms in the management of population data, land, funding guarantees, housing and environmental protection to boost the urbanization process.
The work in population management will accelerate household registration system reform, improve basic public services and build a nationwide population database.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Mercedes Benz unveils new models
 
Anchor:
Starting from today, we'll bring you a series of reports on the 2014 Beijing Auto Show, which officially kicks off today.
Mercedes Benz has unveiled its new models including CLA-class and C-class long-wheelbase models, drawing hot attention from the Chinese media and car buyers over the weekend.
CRI's Liu Min has talked with Nicholas Speeks, President and CEO of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service at the Auto Show. Let's find out more.
Q1. At the just concluded new model launching ceremony, we've seen the debut of the brand new C-class long-wheelbase, and it was quite impressive. Would you please tell us more about what Mercedes Benz has brought to the 2014 Beijing Auto Show?
Q2.Last year, Mercedes Benz launched many new models in the Chinese market, and brought in a new generation of E –class sedans and brand new flagship S-class models. And those models had ensured Mercedes Benz to be quite competitive in the Chinese market in the second half of 2013. So what is Mercedes Benz's plan to introduce new models to China this year?
Q3.In the first quarter of 2014, the sales volume for Mercedes-Benz in China surged by 47 percent compared to the same time last year. What do you think is the reason or momentum to achieve that?
Q4. At the special occasion, do you have anything to say to our EZFM audiences?
Anchor:
That was CRI's Liu Min talking with Nicholas Speeks, President and CEO of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show. The interview was for both CRI EZFM and China.com.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Liverpool edges closer to EPL title
 
In European football news, Liverpool moved closer to an English Premier League title after they won at Norwich 3-2 last night.
The victory gave Liverpool a precious three points and allowed them to stay atop of the table five points adrift with only three matches remaining.
This is the closest Liverpool has been to the title in 23 years.
19-year-old English player Reheem Sterling scored twice in the win, and Liverpool coach Brendan Rogers was extremely pleased with the youngster.
"I think he is arguably the best young player in European football at the moment. At nineteen years of age, if he doesn't win the young player of the year this year, which I think should be under-21 - it's up to 24 isn't it? Christ, it's ridiculous, you know? So, I think that the talent... I have been really, really pleased with his maturity."
Norwich remains mired in the relegation battle in 17th place, two points above Cardiff City and Fulham and three ahead of Sunderland.
Also last night, Everton kept its hopes for a top four finish alive after beating Manchester United 2-0 and now trails Arsenal by one point.
Lukas Podolski scored twice as Arsenal claimed an important 3-0 victory at Hull City to stay in fourth place.
Over in the Spanish La Liga, Barcelona has ended its three-game losing streak, beating Athletic Bilbao 2-1.
 
 
Ding Junhui builds a 6-3 lead after first session of Round One at Crucible
 
In snooker,
Chinese ace Ding Junhui is now on course to move to the second round at Crucible in Sheffield after he won the first session of his first round match at the World Snooker Championship against Michael Wasley 6-3 last night.
Ding had fallen behind 2-3 but claimed the next four frames in a row to finish.
Ding also scored the highest break of the tournament so far with a 136.
The second session of the match will resume at 9:30 tonight.
Meanwhile, another Chinese player, Xiao Guodong, was beaten 10-8 by Englishman Ali Carter.
Carter will face compatriot Mark Selby or Welshman Michael White next.
Earlier, Ryan Day moved to the second round with a 10-9 win over Scotland's world number nine Stephen Maguire.
Irishman Ken Doherty eliminated sixth seeded Stuart Bingham 10-5 to book his second round place for the first time in eight years.
 
 
Lewis Hamilton's third straight win of the season
 
In Formula One, Lewis Hamilton has grabbed his third straight race this season at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
We have more on the race from our reporter in Shanghai for the race, Alexander Aucott.
Anchor:
That's our reporter Alexander Aucott in Shanghai.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Prequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to be filmed
 
(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
The creators of the Oscar-winning martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon have started pre-production for a prequel to the story.
Filming of the "The Green Destiny" will get underway this summer on locations in New Zealand and China.
Michelle Yeoh will be back in her role as female warrior Yu Shen Lien. And Yuen Woo-ping is back to coordinate more of the action scenes that have become so iconic.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the most successful Chinese-language film of all time, after making over 200 million US dollars on its release in 2000.
The film was also awarded the Oscar for best foreign-language film the following year.
The prequel would have been quicker in coming if it weren't for a dispute over film rights to novels by Wang Du Lu which the films are based on.
 
 
Quentin Tarantino stages reading of leaked script Hateful Eight
 
Award-winning director Quentin Tarantino staged a reading of his leaked script, Hateful Eight.
The script was for a film that was meant to be the sequel to Oscar-award winning film Django Unchained, but which was cancelled after the content was leaked throughout Hollywood and online.
Tarantino said he was "very, very depressed" about the leak, and will have to re-draft the script.
But in the meantime, the 51-year old director got some of his old cast-members together to take part in the reading, including Tim Roth, Kurt Russell and Amber Tamblyn.
About 1200 people attended the event, with tickets costing between $150 and $200.
Tarantino is in the process of suing gossip website Gawker for posting a link to the leaked screenplay.
 
 
Paolo Nutini becomes fastest-selling artist with Caustic Love
 
(Caustic)
Scottish singer-songwriter Paolo Nutini became the fastest-selling artist with his album Caustic Love.
The album topped the charts with over 100,000 copies after just seven days on the shelves.
The previous record was set by Sam Bailey who sold 73,000 copies of his record The Power of Love in one week in March.
Nutini's album features the single Scream, and a mix of soul-inspired songs.
That's the second UK number one for the singer, after his 2009 hit Sunny Side Up.
 
 
Fans attend Wondercon pop culture convention
 
Tens of thousands of enthusiastic movie-lovers and pop culture fans descended on Anaheim California for WonderCon, an annual pop culture convention.
Comic book fanatics, cosplayers, and genre geeks dress up in costumes of their favorite characters. This year there were plenty of Batmen and Robins, a Princess Peach, and a Spartan warrior from the battle film"300".
The event is a chance for actors and studios to highlight their upcoming movie releases.
Hollywood stars ranging from Eric Bana to Richard Armitrage were among those promoting their summer films.
Andy Serkis was also in attendance to promote his upcoming movie "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes."
"They're great. It's great. It's amazing here as well. We've just come down in an elevator and saw the most amazing, incredible costumes. Every time I see those guys -- such a wide variety of genres, it's just like wow."
For many hardcore fans, WonderCon is just the warmup for the much larger ComicCon that's coming up in San Diego this July.
 
 
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
 
Planet of the apes fans can get excited, because the second film in the franchise is coming out this summer.
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" is the sequel to 2011's "Rise of the Planet Of the Apes", which is a franchise originally launched in 1968 with Charlton Heston's "Planet of the Apes".
James Franco starred in the first film, but was not involved in filming the second.
However, British actor Gary Oldman joins the cast, playing a human rather than an ape. And Keri Russell will also be a fresh face among the apes.
 
 
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The mayor of a city in eastern Ukraine is urging Russia to send troops to the region...
South Korean authorities have released transcripts of final communications with the crew of the ferry that sank last week...
And Yemeni authorities say multiple US drone strikes in their country have killed at least 30 al-Qaeda linked militants...
In Business...Chinese IPOs resume...
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'l