-
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Paul James with you this Monday, April 21, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
More arrests have been made in connection with last week's deadly ferry sinking in South Korea.
The Chinese government is blasting an offering made today to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Tensions have been heightened in eastern Ukraine following a shooting which has left at least 3-people dead.
In business, more signs are pointing to the much-anticipated restart of the IPO process here in China.
In sports, the Miami Heat has opened up their NBA playoffs with a victory.
In entertainment, a prequel is in the works for the hit Chinese film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
Weather
Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 10 degrees Celsius. Sunny also tomorrow with a high of 26 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will have light rain tonight, with a low of 12,cloudy tomorrow, with a high of 19.
Chongqing will be overcast, 15 degrees the low, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 24.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, cloudy with a high of 29.
Kabul, rainy, 18.
Over in Australia
Sydney, overcast, high of 26.
Canberra, overcast, 21.
Brisbane, sunny, 28.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 25.
Top News
South Korea president condemns ferry crew: conduct akin to 'murder'
South Korea's President is likening what the captain and certain crew members of the sunken ferry did as murder.
At the same time, Park Geun-hye is vowing to force those responsible to take legal responsibilities.
Meeting with her cabinet, Park says it is an unthinkable act both legally and ethically for the captain to order passengers to stay put, then abandon the ship themselves.
"The action of the captain and some of the crewmen was incomprehensible from a common-sense point of view and it was like an act of murder that must not be tolerated. We will force those responsible to face criminal and civil charges regardless of their ranks."
69-year old Captain Lee Joon-seok is facing five charges, including negligence of duty and abandonment resulting in deaths.
It's being alleged he ordered the passengers on the stricken ferry to stay in place.
Later, he and some of the crew of the floundering ship abandoned the vessel.
It's said the Captain was one of the first to leave the ship.
Four other crew members have also been arrested today.
The four are being charged with negligence of duty and violation of the rescue act.
The ferry capsized last Wednesday while on a trip from Incheon to the resort island of Jeju.
Of the 476 onboard, only 174 were rescued.
So far only 65 of the over 300 people presumed drowned have been recovered.
The South Korean Coast Guard is deploying two underwater drones to help in recovery.
Ko Myung-suk is with the South Korean coast guard.
"We will listen to experts' opinion to discuss ways of rescue operation while considering various possibilities. We will also use a Remotely-Operated Vehicle (ROV).As you know; the tidal current is strong at the accident site. The usefulness of ROV equipment is basically very low at a site where the tidal current is strong. It is not that efficient."
South Korean government has designated two areas linked to the ferry disaster as special disaster zones to speed up state support.
Park Seung-gee is with the South Korean ministry of oceans and fisheries.
"Jindo and Ansan have been declared as disaster zones. We will execute budget for the necessity and will ask for additional budget in case of the operations to be extended,"
Bad weather and dangerous tides in the region have been hampering the recovery effort.
Malaysia Airlines aircraft being forced to turns back after burst tire
A Malaysia Airlines flight with 166 people on board has been forced to turn back in Kuala Lumpur after one of the plane's tires on its main landing gear burst during takeoff.
Malaysia's acting Transportation Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says there is going to be a full investigation.
"I'll look at every possibility. In fact, I've already directed the police especially the special branch to get going immediately. But any leads that we have, must be verified, must be corroborated. And I believed that what we're going through in 370, not only will change the aviation landscape globally, but I think it is something that we can already put in place in relation to this incident."
This comes almost two months after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Malaysia Airlines is expected to hand over a report on the tire explosion by Wednesday.
Navy plane continues search for missing Malaysian plane
At least one aviation expert is cautioning the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 may still take a while.
Malaysian authorities over the weekend suggested they may be getting closer to pinpointing where the wreckage of the plane is.
However, aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas suggests the authorities should not back down in their search.
"There was discussion a week ago about winding back the air search. The only part that has been wound back so far is the civil component. They were using two or three executive jets with volunteer spotters on board. That part has been wound back last Thursday (April 17) but there's no sign of any abatement in the military search and I think while there's a chance of finding something on the surface that search should continue".
The search for the missing flight is now in its 7th week.
The underwater search with a deep-sea submersible is heading into its 2nd week.
Geoffrey Thomas suggests the underwater search isn't going to be easy.
"With relationship to the Bluefin-21 scanning the bottom we have to remember that in the search for Air France 447 it took them 18 missions to finally find the wreckage of that aeroplane. They found it 10km (6.2 miles) away from where they thought it was and they knew exactly where that plane crashed on the surface so we're only in mission number eight, sorry nine, so far. Eight completed, into the ninth so we have a long way to go yet with the Bluefin-21 operation."
So far the submarine has not detected any sign of the aircraft's wreckage.
As the underwater search continues, the surface search with close to 2-dozen ships and planes is also taking place on a daily basis.
That search has not discovered any sign of the plane either.
Japan's PM makes offering to war-linked Yasukuni, drawing criticism
The Chinese government is lashing out at Japan's Prime Minister for making another offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Qin Gang.
"Japan should face up to and reflect on its past wartime history. Distancing itself from his past militarism is an important political foundation for Sino-Japanese ties. We urge Japan to adopt a correct attitude toward history and stop provocative acts. Japan should be trying to win the trust of its neighbors and the international community through practical action."
Shinzo Abe has made the offering to the Yasukuni Shrine on the first day of the three-day spring festival in Japan, which began today.
The move comes ahead of a visit this week to Japan by US President Barack Obama.
The United States has been critical of previous moves by the Japanese government when it comes to the Yasukuni issue, saying visits to the shrine continue to damage ties in the region.
South Korea has also denounced Abe's offering.
The Yasukuni Shrine honors 14 Japanese war criminals and is considered as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.
Group sues Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over Yasukuni shrine visit
A group of Japanese families, religious activists and South Koreans have filed a lawsuit, claiming that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine are unconstitutional and an infringement on the separation of church and state.
The group's lawyer is Yogo Kimura.
"In this lawsuit, we are looking to show that Prime Minister Abe's visit to Yasukuni Shrine last December 26 was against the separation of church and state and as such is unconstitutional. Additionally, we are looking for a verdict that will prevent future visits from taking place".
The suit also calls for a cash settlement for each plaintiff of 100-US dollars.
Pro-Russian militants continue to occupy public buildings in the eastern Ukraine
Anchor:
Moscow and Kiev are accusing one-another of being behind an incident in the eastern Ukraine which has left 3 people dead.
The accusations come as pro-Russian protestors in eastern Ukraine continue to refuse to leave the government buildings they've been occupying.
CRI's Qi Zhi has more.
-----
Reporter:
Russia's Foreign Ministry has released a statement, accusing Kiev of breaking last week's accord signed in Geneva designed to try to bring the crisis in eastern Ukraine to an end.
The accusations come after a shooting in the city of Slovyansk which has left at least 3 dead.
The self-styled mayor of the city has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to send in the Russian army as peacekeepers.
The shooting itself has taken place at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian protesters near the city.
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 is pointing the finger at militant Ukrainian nationalists.
The Ukrainian government says the attack has been staged by provocateurs from outside the country.
Authorities in Kiev say they're launching an investigation.
The attack is the first fatal incident following the signing of an international agreement reached last week in Geneva.
The Russian government has since issued a statement, saying it is outraged by the attack.
It's demanding the Ukrainian government strictly fullfill its obligations under the Geneva agreement to bring the tensions to an end.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is accusing Vladimir 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.
Despite this, pro-Russian protesters show no signs of leaving.
Meanwhile, seven Ukraine naval ships have arrived in Odessa from Crimea.
The ships are being handed over as part of ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
The captain of the 'Kirovograd', Dmitry Kovalenko, says the ship's crew has decided to stay behind and serve in Russia.
"Optic devices have not been left on the ship at all, it was taken together with specific vessel watches, some stuff did disappear but in general the ship is safe. The ship has been operating for eleven years, unfortunately it's crew decided to stay in Russia, but they have saved this ship and I am grateful for this, and despite their decision I am grateful."
US Vice President Joe Biden is set to meet Ukrainian authorities in Kiev later today.
The White House says Biden is going to discuss the international efforts underway to try to strengthen Ukraine's economy ahead of the planned presidential elections on May 25th.
For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.
Syria opens registration for presidential candidates
Syria's parliament has announced the presidential elections will be held on June 3rd.
The parliament has also opened the registration for presidential candidates in its upcoming election.
This will be the first multi-candidate election since the adoption of the current constitution.
President Bashar al-Assad has not publicly said he will run, but is widely expected to win another seven-year term.
The election comes as the Syrian conflict enters its fourth year.
Egypt's presidential registration ends with two candidates
Egyptian voters will have only two candidates to choose from during next month's presidential election.
When the registration closed, it's now going to be a battle between former military chief Abdel Fattah Sisi and leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahi.
The first round of the election is slated for May 26th and 27th.
Sisi is wide expected to win.
He led the military ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi last July.
The election campaign officially begins on May 3rd.
Anti-government protesters clash with National Guard officers
Anti-government protesters have been clashing with National Guard officers in Caracas, Venezuela.
The fighting comes shortly after thousands of demonstrators marched peacefully through the Venezuelan capital.
Groups of masked protesters have hurled rocks at the National Guard, who responded with a water cannons and tear gas.
The protesters have also set up barricades.
Violent protests have rocked Venezuela since February, leaving 41 dead and hundreds of others wounded.
The Croisements Festival Brings China a Tinge of French Arts
Anchor:
A French art exhibition has kicked off here in Beijing, which is part of the celebrations marking 50-years of diplomatic ties between China and France.
The details from CRI's He Fei.
Reporter:
As the opening cultural program for the Croisements Festival, the exhibition collects 10 paintings from five of the biggest museums in France, including the Louvre Museum and Pompidou Centre. The names of the artists are also well-known, though not just indigenous to France, including Fragonard, Renoir and Picasso.
Lv Zhangshen, director of the National Museum of China, said the works on display were selected because of their inherent power and the meanings they represent.
"Each painting not only carries the historical connotation of the age in which it was created and symbolizes art movements and distinct styles; each piece also has one or several stories behind its creation."
Whether holding their cameras or not, people are standing still, drinking in the view and details of each painting. Crowds are gathering together to watch the videos that tell the stories behind the artwork.
From the portrait of King Francois I to the contemporary abstract painting of Soulages, Chinese audiences are enraptured by the beauty of each picture.
"I think some portraits are very lifelike. Picasso's painting looks so strange to me. I can't understand it, but the rest of the works are really good."
"The exhibit is neither a professional show for impressionism nor a comprehensive exhibition showcasing arts of a particular school. You can only find one or two symbolic pieces from these representative painters here, but for the Chinese public, it's not easy to get a chance to view these works. "
Even people from France are intrigued by the exhibition. Francoise Ly is working in China and she took the opportunity to view the exhibition.
"I think they did a very good display of the ten paintings. Because you have the impression that it is huge and you feel like you are in France visiting all these museums."
As one of the flagship events of the 9th Croisements Festival, the exhibition runs from April to mid-June. The cultural exhibition aims to evoke emotions among audiences and help shape the image of France through the tip of a paintbrush.
Sylvie Bermann, the French Ambassador to China, says that culture could be used to illustrate the respective influences and innumerable exchange between China and France.
"During the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between our two nations, this exhibition plays a unique role. Since France and China are both cultural giants, we always comprehend and explore the greatness of humankind through arts."
The ambassador adds that the Croisements Festival will host more than 100 events in over 40 Chinese cities this year.
BACK ANCHOR:
That is CRI's He Fei reporting.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Reporter:
Asian markets moved mostly higher today, with investors indulging in some selective buying.
With Wall Street closing flat on Thursday, the mood remains cautious here in Asia, where some markets are closed for Easter holiday.
Despite weak trade data, the Japanese market traded higher, with a weaker yen triggering some buying in exporters.
The Nikkei 225 ended up 0.6 percent.
Among other markets in the Asia-Pacific region,
Chinese shares closed lower today as investors fear the restart of the initial public offering process may put pressure on market liquidity.
The Shanghai Composite closed down 1.5%, while the Shenzhen Component lost 1.4 percent.
South Korean shares ended in negative territory as local institutions reduced their holdings of stocks ahead of a full-scale announcement of the first quarter earnings results from this week.
The benchmark KOSPI slid 0.25 percent
Indonesia and Malaysia traded modestly higher.
Singapore finished up marginally, while markets in Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand are closed for the Easter holiday.
Mike Bastin on China's IPO resume
Anchor:
China's securities regulator has unveiled a short list of companies applying to go public.
This is being viewed as a signal the authorities here in China are preparing to restart the initial public offering process, which has been on-hold for over a year.
28 companies are on the list.
16 are applying for the main board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, while 4 are trying for the small and medium-sized enterprises board in Shenzhen, and 8 for the ChiNext Board.
All of the applications are still subject to approval from the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
Now for more on this, CRI's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor with China's University of Economics and Business.
…
Back Anchor:
Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor of China's University of Economics and Business, speaking with CRI's Shane Bigham.
Shanghai FTZ to Further Open up its Cultural Products Market
Authorities with the Shanghai Free Trade Zone are planning to open up the cultural products market.
The Shanghai Municipal Government says foreign-funded businesses are going to be allowed to produce and sell game and entertainment devices in the FTZ.
Foreign investors are also going to be allowed to independently set up and operate entertainment venues in the FTZ.
China streamlines tax break procedures for SMEs
Tax authorities here in China are making it easier for local small business when it comes to tax breaks.
The State Administration of Taxation now says small firms with annual taxable income under 100 thousand yuan can have their business income tax halved without approvals.
The new policy will valid through the end of 2016.
Tax authorities say eligible small firms will only be required to put their financial conditions on record at local tax offices, even though the firms have no complete accounting books.
Those that have fully paid business income taxes before April 8th will be eligible for refunds.
There are around 11.7 million small and micro companies in China, accounting for over three-quarters of the total number of firms in the country.
Beijing Sets Boundaries for P2P Lending
Regulators here in China are warning of the rising risks from P2P lending.
P2P lending, or peer to peer lending, is a method of debt financing that enables individuals to borrow and lend money without the use of an official financial institution as an intermediary.
The China Banking Regulatory Commission says regulators are looking to set 'boundaries' on P2P lending platforms.
As part of the restrictions, P2P lending platforms can only serve as intermediary agents between lenders and borrowers, and not as lenders themselves.
P2P platforms are also not going to be allowed to provide loan guarantees.
They are also being prohibited from pooling funds collected by their wealth management products and investing the money in assets with different risk levels and maturities.
China to speed up nuclear-power approvals
It's being reported the central authorities here in China are planning to speed up the approvals for nuclear power plants this year.
The China Daily is reporting the authorities plan to begin approving plants to a total capacity of 800 gigawatts, up from 221 gigawatts last year.
Authorities are also planning to start approving ultrahigh-voltage power lines to take the electricity generated to the sparsely populated west.
The move is part of the broader plans to stimulate the economy with targeted infrastructure projects.
Authorities are also planning to speed up the construction of five new railway lines this year.
CDB to Issue CNY 100 Bn New Loan to Support Shantytown Renovation
The China Development Bank has announced plans to lend an additional 100-billion yuan by the end of this month to support shantytown renovations across China.
In addition, a new department will be set up in the China Development Bank to facilitate home financing via bond sales.
A special fund is also being established to accelerate the nation's urbanization.
The governor of the CDB has made the announcement at a recent high-level forum on China's urbanization.
Compact Luxury Car Sales Surge in China
Mercedes-Benz is reporting sales of its luxury vehicles here in China have increased by some 47-percent through the first quarter.
Nicholas Speeks is the CEO of Mercedes-Benz Beijing Sales division.
He says the company is looking to attract more middle-class buyers.
Italy economy minister says 2014 growth could be above 0.8 percent
Italian Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan says he believes Italian growth this year is going to come in higher than 0.8-percent.
Padoan's suggestion in a recent interview flies in the face of his own government's projection of 0.8-percent forecast earlier this month.
Padoan hasn't said how much he thinks the Italian economy will surpass its target by.
Italy's economy, the euro zone's third-largest, shrank in 2012 and 2013.
It only emerged from recession for the first time in more than two years through Q4.
A consensus of 20 economists polled by Reuters earlier this month suggests Italy's gross domestic product will only rise 0.6-percent this year.
Japan's trade deficit quadruples in March
Japan's trade deficit has quadrupled in March, as export growth has slowed and energy imports continue to rise.
A weak Japanese currency, which has pushed up the cost of imports, has also contributed to the widening gap.
Japan's trade deficit has come in at 14 billion US dollars, up from 3.5 billion US dollars during the same month a year ago.
Japan's energy imports costs have been rising after authorities shut down all the nuclear reactors in the aftermath of the Fukashima meltdown.
The Japanese yen has also dropped nearly 10-percent against the US dollar over the course of this past year.
Observers are suggesting Japan's recent sales tax hike has also played a part in boosting imports through March.
The rise in the sales tax - also known as the consumption tax - came into effect on April 1st.
The sales tax has been increased to 8-percent from 5-percent.
It is scheduled to rise again to 10-percent in October of 2015.
Headline News
South Korea president condemns ferry crew: conduct akin to 'murder'
South Korea's President is likening what the captain and certian crew members of the sunken ferry did as murder.
At the same time, Park Geun-hye is vowing to force those responsible to take legal responsibilities.
69-year old Captain Lee Joon-seok is facing five charges, including negligence of duty and abandonment resulting in deaths.
The ferry capsized last Wednesday while on a trip from Incheon to the resort island of Jeju.
So far only 65 of the over 300 people presumed drowned have been recovered while close to 200 others are still missing.
The South Korean Coast Guard is deploying two underwater drones to help in recovery.
Bad weather and dangerous tides in the region have been hampering the recovery effort.
Malaysia Airlines aircraft being forced to turns back after burst tire
A Malaysia Airlines flight with 166 people on board has been forced to turn back in Kuala Lumpur after one of the plane's tyres on its main landing gear burst during takeoff.
Malaysia's transportation authorities say there is going to be a full investigation.
This comes almost two months after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Malaysia Airlines is expected to hand over a report on the tire explosion by Wednesday.
Japan's PM makes offering to war-linked Yasukuni, drawing criticism
The Chinese government is lashing out at Japan's Prime Minister for making another offering to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.
Shinzo Abe has made the offering to the Yasukuni Shrine on the first day of the three-day spring festival in Japan, which began today.
Chinese Foreign Ministry has released a statement, urging Japan to face up to and reflect on its past wartime history.
South Korea has also denounced Abe's offering.
The Yasukuni Shrine honors 14 Japanese war criminals and is considered as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.
Pro-Russian militants continue to occupy public buildings in the eastern Ukraine
Russia's Foreign Ministry has released a statement, accusing Kiev of breaking last week's accord signed in Geneva designed to try to bring the crisis in eastern Ukraine to an end.
The accusations come after a shooting in the city of Slovyansk which has left at least 3 dead.
The identity of the attackers remains unclear.
The attack is the first fatal incident following the signing of an international agreement reached last week in Geneva.
Meanwhile US Vice President Joe Biden is set to meet Ukrainian authorities in Kiev later today.
The White House says Biden is going to discuss the international efforts underway to try to strengthen Ukraine's economy ahead of the planned presidential elections on May 25th.
Syria opens registration for presidential candidates
Syria's parliament has announced the presidential elections will be held on June 3rd.
The parliament has also opened the registration for presidential candidates in its upcoming election.
This will be the first multi-candidate election since the adoption of the current constitution.
President Bashar al-Assad has not publicly said he will run, but is widely expected to win another seven-year term.
The election comes as the Syrian conflict enters its fourth year.
Newspaper Picks
Beijing Youth Daily
"Public pool water quality available online"
The water quality of public swimming pools in Beijing can now be monitored by smartphone in real time.
The Beijing municipal health authority has started a project to monitor the water quality of 80 swimming pools in the city by linking water monitors online.
Residents who download software to their smartphones can receive information about the pools' water quality from the monitors.
Another 300 swimming pools in the city will have such monitors installed in the near future.
Shanghai Daily
"No cut in residential green area to make space for parking lots"
Local authorities in Shanghai have ruled out any compromise on green areas to make space for car parking at residential complexes.
The Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau said vertical greenery and road widening are being considered as solutions to alleviate the shortage of parking space at complexes, but reducing green cover is not among them.
Earlier, some residents believe reducing greenery in residential areas will create more parking space.
The bureau said the root cause for parking space is because there are more cars now and not due to reserved green spots.
The Telegraph
"Rise of the 'super workers' who never take time off"
A research suggests that a 'super' working class is emerging made up of well-educated rich people. They work longer hours than the poor and do not see leisure time as preferable to the office.
The researchers said a 'superordinate working class' was turning human history on its head, as traditionally the lower classes have worked the longest hours.
Economists claim that as better educated people more away from manual jobs, work has become more satisfying both intellectually and emotionally, meaning they don't feel the need for as much time off.
Oxford researchers also speculate that higher earnings make work seem increasingly more profitable than leisure time.
Relevant study by the University of Zurich found that in 1800 the average English worker labored for 64 hours a week.
Asia One
"Indonesians are happy in general: Survey"
A survey by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) was lately issued on measuring the level of happiness among Indonesians. And the outcome, Indonesians, in general, is indeed "happy".
The survey was conducted last year, when unemployment was high and poverty soared following the subsidized fuel price hike.
The results were based on a "life evaluation score", which includs health, family, job security, political freedom and government corruption. And the survey used a sample of 9,500 people from across the archipelago.
Indonesia scored over 65 per cent on a scale of 100 on the "Happiness Index", which measures happiness in relation to the growing level of equality in the country.
According to similar survey, Scandinavian countries were the happiest, with Denmark topping the list, followed by Finland and Norway, and then the Netherlands.
Special Reports
Hyper-exotic to hyper-practical - New York Auto Show hosts latest cars
Anchor:
A number of familiar hybrid vehicles have been given a make-over at this year's New York International Auto Show.
CRI's Hu Jia has more.
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.
Sports
NBA roundup
The NBA playoffs are now in full-swing, with 4 games this morning.
The Miami Heat have jumped out to a 1-0 series lead after downing the Charlotte Bobcats 99-88 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
LeBron James led the heat with 27.
Dwyane Wade added 23.
Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra.
"I think throughout the game, we were flat to start and I think our guys were, I think they were just anxious to get started - not that they were tense, I just think there was so much build up, that extra day, that's not an excuse but they were very excited and anxious to start the postseason. But we started to get more into our groove at the end of the first quarter even though the scoreboard didn't necessarily translate but we were more competitive, there was more thought to our offense."
Game 2 of the series is set for Wednesday in Miami.
Still in the east, it was Washington all over Chicago 102-93.
Nene Hilario led the Wizards with 24-points.
Out West, LaMarcus Aldridge had 46-points and 18-rebounds to lead the Portland Trailblazers over Houston 122-120 in Game-1 of their Best-of-7.
And it was San Antonio edging Dallas 90-85.
Tim Duncan leading the Spurs with 27-points.
There are only two games scheduled for tomorrow morning.
Oklahoma City is entertaining Memphis, with the Thunder looking to take a 2-0 series lead.
LA Clippers are at home to Golden State, looking to even their series at 1-games apiece.
Boston Bruins beat the Red Wings
In the National Hockey League playoffs,
Justin Florek and Reilly Smith scored in a three-minute span in the first period, as the Boston Bruins have levelled first round best-of-7 at 1 with Detroit, following a 4-1 victory this morning.
After losing the series opener 1-0 on a late goal by Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk, Boston scored on their first shot of the game this morning in Game 2.
Game 3 is set for Detroit on Wednesday morning.
In other action this morning...
The Montreal Canadiens are now one-win away from advancing into the next round, after edging the Tampa Bay Lightening this morning 3-2.
Thomas Plekanac getting the game winner in the 3rd for the Habs, who now have a 3-0 series strangle-hold over the Bolts.
The Philadelphia Flyers have evened their series with the New York Rangers at one-game apiece following a 4-2 victory this morning.
Philly scoring 4-unanswered goals for the victory.
Out West, the San Jose Sharks continue to dominate, taking a 2-0 series lead over Los Angeles after hammering the Kings 7-2 this morning.
Seven different players each scoring a goal for the Sharks.
Joe Pavelski ended up with a 3-point game.
LA goaltender Johnathan QUick, who was shelled in the first game of the series and yanked, stayed in for the entire game today.
It's set to be another busy day tomorrow in the NHL playoffs, with 4-games on the schedule.
In the East, Columbus is at home to Pittsburgh trying to gain the advantage over the Penguins.
That series is currently tied at 1-1.
The rest of the games are in the western conference.
Chicago is at home to St. Louis, looking to get themselves back in their series after dropping the first two on the road against the Blues.
Chicago will be without Defenseman Brent Seabrook, who has been suspended for 3-games following a nasty hit on David Backes in Game-2.
Seabrook had a goal and an assist in each of the first two games for the Blackhawks.
Anahiem will be looking to take a 3-0 strangle-hold in their best-of-7 with the Dallas Stars tomorrow morning.
And Minnesota is at home to Colorado, with the Avalanche coming into the game holding a 2-0 series lead.
Soccer roundup
In soccer,
Liverpool has moved closer to an English Premier League title after after a 3-2 victory over Norwich last night.
The victory gives Liverpool a precious three points and allows them to stay atop the table, five points adrift with only three matches remaining.
This is the closest Liverpool has been to the title in 23 years.
Meanwhile, Everton has kept its hopes for a top four finish alive after beating Manchester United 2-0.
Everton now trails Arsenal by only one point.
In the Spanish La Liga, Barcelona has ended its three-game losing streak, beating Athletic Bilbao 2-1.
In the Argentine Final championship, River Plate has moved to the top of the table after defeating Velez Sarsfield 1-0.
Beckham promotes soccer among China youth
Former British footballer David Beckham has co-founded a youth soccer fund here in China to promote the sport.
The fund has been established in cooperation with the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation.
The launch ceremony has been held here in Beijing.
"Obviously I'm very proud of my involvement with the foundation. Everybody knows how important youth and the children are to myself. I have four beautiful children myself. So I know how important children are. It sounds obvious, but they're our future."
Organizers, led by Beckham, have raised an initial investment of 6 million yuan.
The money will go toward upgrading soccer facilities in this country's lesser-developed regions.
The program is also planning to create soccer exchanges between China and Britain.
David Beckham is China's global football ambassador.
Ding Junhui looking to move to round-2
In snooker,
Chinese ace Ding Junhui is set to get back into action later on tonight in the first round of The Crucible in Sheffield, England.
Ding has a 6-3 lead in his first-round matchup against Michael Wasley following their first session.
The winner of this round will go on to face the winner of the first-round matchup between Mark Davis and Dominic Dale.
That tie has not yet gotten underway.
American Matt Kuchar wins in US PGA
In golf, American Matt Kuchar holed a 20-yard bunker shot to birdie the final hole and claim a one stroke victory over Luke Donald to win the RBC Heritage Classic in South Carolina.
Minutes after three-putting the 17th from four feet when he had victory in his grasp, Kuchar bounced back in dramatic fashion to end a frustrating run of near-misses on the PGA Tour.
Kuchar carded a final round 7-under to finish at 11-under.
Luke Donald turned in a final round 69 to finish alone in second, one stroke clear of Americans Ben Martin and John Huh.
35-year Kuchar has been in good form recently, with top five finishes in his last three starts, including a tie for fifth at the Masters.
He collects over 1 million US dollars for his seventh tour victory.
Wawrinka wins Monte Carlo Masters
In tennis,
Stanislas Wawrinka has taken the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time, rallying to beat Roger Federer 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 in an all-Swiss final.
The Australian Open champion had lost his previous two Masters finals and looked like he was going to lose a third until Federer's level dropped suddenly late in the second set.
The fourth-seeded Federer, who accepted a wild card invitation to play in the tournament, was also looking to win it for the first time after losing his three previous finals to Rafael Nadal.
Boston marathon kicks off today
This year's Boston Marathon is set to take place later on this Monday.
Many who are preparing to take part in this year's race say they're doing it to show their resolve after last year's terrorist attacks.
"Just to show the terrorists that they can't win. I saw a picture a few weeks ago that said 'we need to take our finish line back' and that's what I think that 36,000 people are going to do- is take the finish line back."
Monday's marathon is expected to one of the biggest in the race's history, with over 36-thousand having signed up to run.
A lot of eyes are going to be on Boston-native Shalane Flanagan, who finished 4th in last year's race.
Flanagan is a three-time Olympian.
No American runner has won the Boston Marathon since Lisa Larsen-Weidenbach took the women's title in 1985.
Entertainment
'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' prequel to be filmed
The creators of the Oscar-winning 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 at locations in New Zealand and China.
Michelle Yeoh will be back to reprise her role as female warrior Yu Shen Lien.
Yuen Woo-ping is back to coordinate the action scenes.
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is still the most successful Chinese-language film of all time after making over 200 million US dollars in its release in 2000.
The film was also awarded the Oscar for best foreign-language film the following year.
The prequel may have been quicker in coming if it weren't for a dispute over the film rights.
Gong Li Recalls Most Impressive Scene of 'Coming Home'
Chinese actors Gong Li, Chen Daoming and others have held a news conference to promote the new Zhang Yimou film "Coming Home."
The film is adapted from the novel "Lu Fan Yan Shi," or "Criminal Lu Yanshi."
Gong Li says filming at the Tangshan Railway station in Hebei was a unique experience.
"The impressive scene for me is getting the 'criminal.' It's set in 1960s and 70s. We shot it in Tangshan Railway Station in Hebei province. It took us more than ten days to finish it. We worked on it together. One of the extras ran so fast he suffered a heart attack. It was hot out there, but we had to wear warm clothes when shooting it. The next day, Chen Daoming ran so quickly that he threw up. Liu Peiqi and I were ok. That scene was most impressive to me."
"Coming Home" is set shortly after the Cultural Revolution.
The film is set to hit Chinese screens on May 16th.
Charlie Chaplin Main Inspiration for 'Rio 2' Director
Brazilian director Carlos Saldanha has been promoting his new film 'Rio 2' here in China.
In an exclusive interview with China Radio International, Saldanha says Charlie Chaplin provided the greatest source of inspiration for him when he was developing his artistic sense as a child.
"I watched a lot of animations, especially the Disney movies back in the day, with classics of course, like Dumbo, Bambi, Pinocu, but also with TV, Tom and Jerry. I love Tom and Jerry. And also the biggest inspiration from my childhood was watching Charlie Chaplin movies. And I loved watching those black and white movies with no dialogue, just action and fun. You know acting of those iconic masters of cinema."
The 3D computer-animated 'Rio 2' features the returning voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Will.i.am and Jamie Foxx.
It is now in theaters across China.
'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' sequel to be released in summer 2014
Good news for 'Planet of the Apes' fans: 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".
The film follows the rise of ape Caesar, who is portrayed by Andy Serkis, the actor who is probably best known for his portrayal of Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The film also stars American actress Keri Russell.
"There was lots of running in fear, heavy breathing and panting in forests. A lot of that. There was a lot of that. Sweat and big heavy backpacks and getting rained on and screaming with fake apes and things like that."
James Franco, who starred in "Rise," is not a principal in the new movie.
However, Franco does make a cameo.
"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" hits theaters on July 11.
Michelle Obama to make Nashville TV cameo
Michelle Obama is set to join the cast of the musical drama 'Nashville' as a guest star.
The US First Lady is going to be featured in an episode called 'All Or Nothing With Me' to be aired on ABC on May 7th.
The episode is set at Fort Campbell, a US Army base near Kentucky, Tennessee.
This is not the first time the US First Lady has appeared in TV programs.
She made an appearance in the season finale of the NBC comedy 'Parks and Recreation'.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
More arrests have been made in connection with last week's deadly ferry sinking in South Korea.
The Chinese government is blasting an offering made today to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Tensions have been heightened in eastern Ukraine following a shooting which has left at least 3-people dead.
In business, more signs are pointing to the much-anticipated restart of the IPO process here in China.
购买
在百度中搜索