新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/05/30

 
The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Paul James with you this Friday, May 30, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
The Chinese government is making the development of southern Xinjiang a national priority.
Major portions of China continue to find itself embroiled in a pre-Summer heatwave.
Malaysia's Prime Minister is promising the search will continue for missing flight MH370, despite a lack of clues.
In business, the Chinese government is moving to ease restrictions on foreign investment.
In sports, another top seed falls in the women's draw at Roland Garros.
In entertainment, singer George Michael is said to be recovering following emergency treatment for an undisclosed illness.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 22. Also cloudy, but very warm tomorrow, with high of 34.
Rains are forecast to move into the capital on Sunday, bringing an end to the heat wave for the time being.
Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 22. Also cloudy tomorrow with a high of 28.
Showers for Chongqing tonight with a low of 22.Light rain tomorrow, with a high of 26.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Pakistan's capital Islamabad is in for a hot day tomorrow, with highs pushing 36 degrees.
In neighboring Afghanistan, Kabul will see highs of 34.
Down in Australia, fall temperatures are starting to set in.
Sydney will see light rain, highs of 21.
The capital, Canberra, will also see rain, with highs only to 16.
Brisbane will be rainy as well, highs of 22.
And finally, Perth will be overcast with a high of 21.
 
 
Top News
 
 
China Lists Development of Southern Xinjiang Top Priority
 
Anchor:
The Chinese government is making the development of southern Xinjiang a strategic national priority.
The decision has been made at a 2-day meeting, where Chinese President Xi Jinping has issued a call for the creation of massive security nets to deal with terrorist threats.
CRI's Yu Yang has more.
Reporter:
At the meeting, President Xi Jinping says good governance in Xinjiang is vital, stressing the priority needs to be improving people's livelihoods.
The President says special policies are going to be put in-place to help with the development of southern Xinjiang.
XuJianying is with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
"Southern Xinjiang is facing complicated situation. There is a large area of remote deserts and rivers in that region. The central leadership needs to focus on making this region of Xinjiang more liveable. At the same time, the city of Kashgar has a lot of areas of concern, given its geographical location and the lingering ethnic tensions and non-traditional security threats. This is why the central authorities should be prioritizing the governance of southern Xingjiang."
As part of this week's committee meeting on Xinjiang, Xi Jinping says the government is going to spend more money on education and poverty-alleviation programs in Xinjiang, particularly in the remote border areas of the region.
XuJiangying says this is critically important for Xinjiang.
"Some people have described the economic development in Xinjiang in the past as a 'funnel pattern', which is to say that although the government helped build a lot infrastructure, it failed to bring real benefits to the locals. The central leadership now needs to focus on bringing real benefits to the locals in Xinjiang by expanding employment and improving people's livelihoods. This is a critical step needed for Xinjiang's development and modernization."
Xi Jinping is also asking authorities to set up -quote- "walls made of copper and steel" and "nets spread from the earth to the sky" to capture terrorists, calling for strengthened precautions and international anti-terrorism cooperation.
He says the basic principles for easing religious strife includes the protection of legal religious activities.
However, he says extremism can't be tolerated.
President Xi Jinping has also issued a call for stronger unity among different ethnic groups in Xinjiang.
Xinjiang, home to the majority of China's ethnic Uyghur population, has been the scene of a pair of bloody terrorist attacks in recent weeks.
The latest, an assault on an open-air market in the capital, Urumqi, left 39 dead and close to 100 others hurt.
For CRI, this is Yu Yang.
 
 
Most Chinese cities suffer from summer heatwave
 
Anchor:
Chinese Forecasters have issued another weather alert for today, with high temperatures gripping significant portions of this country.
CRI's Alexander Aucott has more.
---
reporter:
Temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in many central, eastern, and western cities.
The municipal warning center here in Beijing has already upgraded its temperature alert to its highest level, and expects the heatwave will continue through the weekend.
Temperatures as high as 42 degrees Celsius was recorded in parts of the capital on Thursday, the highest readings since 1951.
Meteorological authorities are calling for power suppliers and fire departments to be on alert, outdoor work and activities to be ceased, and classes to be suspended at all schools.
Neighboring regions including Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan have also experienced record highs.
In Jiangsu Province, in the east, weather authorities issued their first heat-related alert.
Locals have been wearing sunglasses and holding umbrellas to protect themselves from the scorching sun.
"It's too hot today. I think it's the hottest day since this summer. My clothes are soaked with sweat. It's uncomfortable."
In Zhongshan city of southern Guangdong, where temperatures hit 35 degrees Celsius on Thursday, and many construction workers stuck to their working site.
"It's quite hot today. I must drink at least three bottles of water in a day. How can our construction workers escape the summer heat? We can only go and work wherever we are needed."
There may be some good news in the forecast for southern China. Moderate-to-heavy rain is expected in the region and that will likely cool the temperature.
For CRI, this is Alexander Aucott .
 
 
China and Malaysia vow to continue search for MH370
 
Anchor:
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is calling on the Malaysian government to take a leading role in expanding the search for missing flight MH370.
The Premier has made the call while meeting with his Malaysian counterpart here in Beijing.
CRI's Jordan Lee has more.
Reporter:
The Chinese Premier has urged Malaysia to formulate a new plan in the search for the missing flight.
MH370, carrying 239 passengers and crew, disappeared from radar screens in early March shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing.
154 passengers onboard are Chinese nationals.
"Following the incident, China has been keeping a close contact with Malaysia. An international search mission has also been carried out by scores of countries. We haven't stopped the search; we are still looking for the plane and trying to find out what happened. We hope Malaysia can continue to take the leading and coordinating role in the search and take the investigation seriously. We also hope Malaysia can respond to the legitimate appeals of passengers' families. China is ready to play an active role in the search and settlement. "
Earlier, the joint coordination center for the search announced that the remote sub Bluefin-21 has completed its mission, without finding any evidence related to the missing flight.
Its search area had been defined based on the four acoustic signals detected by the towed pinger locator deployed on Australian vessel Ocean Shield.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau says the search in the vicinity of the acoustic detections can now be considered complete and the area can now be discounted as the final resting place of the plane.
Australian officials say they remain confident that the missing jet is somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean.
For his part, Malaysian Prime Minister NajibRazak says his country will continue with the search.
"Let me once again express our sorrow, our condolences, to the next of kin, to the families involved. And we owe it to them to continue to search, and Malaysia will continue to search together with China, Australia, and maybe the other countries because this tragic incident is so complex, areunprecedented, it requires the cooperation of several countries if we want to be successful."
Najib also stresses his commitment to finding solutions and answers to what really happened to the aircraft.
Najib's six-day China visit comes as the two countries celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.
Calling Malaysia a friendly neighbour and important partner of China in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Li Keqiang says the two countries have achieved great progress in cooperation over the past 40 years.
The Chinese Premier also pledged to take the opportunity of commemorating the 40th anniversary to strengthen political trust with Malaysia.
Cooperation documents regarding trade, culture, technology and investment have also been signed during the meeting.
Najib started his China visit on Tuesday.
For CRI, I'm Jordan Lee.
 
 
Finding MH370 "impossible" without new lead: expert
 
An Australian deep sea expert is cautioning that finding missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will be virtually impossible without new clues.
Oceanographer Erik van Sebille with the University of New South Wales has made the suggestion after authorities stopped searching in an area thought to be where acoustic pings had been detected.
With the search in the area thought to be where the plane went down exhausted, authorities are planning to expand the search to over more parts of a 60-thousand Square-kilometer arc in the southern Indian Ocean where the plane may be.
Only about 5 percent of this part of the ocean floor has been mapped.
As such, Sebille contends it will be difficult to make a breakthrough without a new lead.
 
 
Ukraine vows to bring peace to east
 
Ukraine's interim defense minister says government forces are going to continue their offensive against rebel forces until peace and order are restored in the country's east.
MykhailoKoval is also accusing Russia of backing the rebels; a claim Moscow denies.
A rebel leader in Donetsk has told Russian media that the only condition for negotiations with Kiev is the withdrawal of its troops from the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Fighting in the region has intensified in recent days.
On Thursday, 12 Ukrainian troops were killed in Sloviansk after rebels shot down an army helicopter.
 
 
Russia pulls most troops from Ukraine border: US defense officials
 
U.S. defense officials say Russia has pulled a large number of its forces away from the Ukraine border.
Exact numbers have not been given.
U.S. officials have previously estimated as many as 40-thousand Russian troops had been aligned along the border with Ukraine.
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who's headed to an Asian defense conference in Singapore, is describing the Russian withdrawal as "promising."
The US and EU have been calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Ukrainian border as a way to try to de-escalate tensions.
 
 
Abbas names Palestinian PM to head new government
 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has asked his Prime Minister, Rami Hamdallah, to head a new national unity government.
The announcement comes on the heels of Abbas's Fatah party and Hamas agreeing to a reconciliation pact last month.
"This is a letter of assignment to our brother Dr. Rami Hamdallah, an order to form the new transitional government. I wish him success in the difficult task which he will undertake."
The two sides have yet to publish who will be part of the cabinet.
It's being reported the two sides still can't agree who should be foreign minister.
Fatah and Hamas developed separate governments after Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.
Israel suspended its peace talks with Fatah after Abbas agreed to the unity pact.
The Israeli government considers Hamas a terrorist organization.
 
 
Bulgarian gov't survives no-confidence vote
 
The Bulgarian government of Prime Minister PlamenOresharski has survived a no-confidence vote.
The non-confidence vote is the fourth since the Socialist leader came to power last May.
The motion comes amid continued problems in the Bulgarian energy sector.
Bulgaria's energy sector has been struggling to recover following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the 'Eastern Bloc.'
 
 
Belgian national and two Thai nationals arrested by Thai military after coup protest
 
Thai authorities have arrested a Belgian national for holding up a T-shirt bearing the words "Peace Please" as part of an anti-military takeover protest in Bangkok.
Plain clothes officers arrested the 42-year old and two others among a group of hundreds of protesters attempting to seal off a busy transport hub in the city.
Under the current Martial Law rules in Thailand, anyone caught criticising last week's military takeover can be jailed for up to two years.
The Thai military took power last week in an attempt to try to end the months of political unrest which has been gripping the country.
 
 
Three men arrested for allegedly gang-raping and hanging two teenage sisters in India
 
Authorities in northern India have arrested three men, including two police officers, suspected of gang-raping and killing two teenage sisters.
The girls, aged 14 and 15, were found dead hanging from a tree after venturing out to relieve themselves in their rural village in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
It's since been determined the girls were gang-raped and strangled to death.
Their murder has prompted a mass protest, with hundreds of villagers taking part in a silent protest in front of the local police station.
Police are still searching for three other suspects.
"Whatever happened, it was very wrong. It is a very serious issue. We are fully prepared and we are with the victim's family. We will take the strictest action against the culprits."
The local police station chief has been suspended.
India tightened its anti-rape laws last year, making gang rape punishable by the death penalty.
Records show a rape is committed every 22 minutes in India.
Many sexual assaults in India still go unreported.
 
 
PIK on Protecting Chinese Citizens Abroad
 
ANCHOR:
The recent kidnappings and murders of Chinese nationals abroad has prompted the Chinese government to increase its international presence through a number of new means, including the launch of a new 24-hour consular hotline.
For more on what's being done to try to protect Chinese citizens abroad, CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King spoke earlier with Cheng Yu-Shek, professor of political science at City University in Hong Kong.
…
Cheng Yu-Shek, professor of political science at City University in Hong Kong, speaking with CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Asian Stocks
 
Asian markets mostly fell Friday.
Chinese shares closed mixed, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index saw a slight drop as investors were hesitant to buy ahead of a long weekend.
But the Shenzhen Component Index gained a third of a percent, helped by the gains in Xinjiang-related companies, as the central government made new policies to support the development in the region.
Hong Kong's Hang Sengrose 0.3-percent, bucking a regional trend, following another record-breaking close on Wall Street.
Elsewhere in the region,
Tokyo's Nikkei fell a quarter of a percent, hit by a stronger yen and data that showed household spending tumbling after a sales tax hike.
South Korea's KOSPI slipped nearly 1-percent.
Australia's ASX lost 0.3-percnet.
And Singapore's Straits Times Index trimmed 0.15 percent.
 
 
China pilots simplified approvals for overseas investment
 
The Ministry of Commerce is moving to ease the approval procedures for foreign investment.
The move includes cutting down approval times and streamlining the paperwork process.
This is part of the government's broader plan to encourage more overseas investment to help bolster the overall economy.
Foreign direct investment here on the mainland increased by over 5 percent year on year, exceeding 117-billion U.S. dollars last year.
 
 
Chinese bank borrows first KRW funds from swap deal with S.Korea
 
The Bank of Communications has become the first Chinese bank to borrow South Korean won as part of a yuan-won swap arrangement.
Bank of Communications has borrowed 400-million won from the People's Bank of China as part of the currency swap.
The money is going to be lent to a China-based multinational and a joint-venture.
The Chinese and South Korean governments have an agreement to allow the exchange of some 56-million US dollar’s worth of one-another's currencies.
 
 
Japan inflation rate hits 23-year high
 
Inflation in Japan has hit 23-year high through April following the increase in the national sales tax.
Consumer prices are up over 3-percent compared with the same period last year.
This is well above the Japanese government's target of 2-percent.
Japan has been battling deflation for the past two decades.
The government raised its sales tax from 5 to 8-percent last month.
Retail sales in Japan have declined by over 4-percent on an annualized basis in April, mostly because of a rush on purchases ahead of the April 1st increase in the sales tax.
 
 
Differing financial reports confuse Scottish voters ahead of referendum
 
The British government and the local government in Scotland have published a varying set of stats in the run-up to the Scottish independence vote.
The local government in Scotland contends its economy could gain an extra 5-billion pounds per year if Scotland becomes independent.
It also contends everyone in Scotland would earn an extra thousand pounds per year by 2029.
However, the British Treasury has published different statistics, suggesting individuals in Scotland stand to lose 14-hundred pounds a year.
Polling shows that around two-thirds of Scottish voters are uncertain which way they will vote.
"This argument has been going on for a long time. Everything has been said by the British government, but our Scottish leader here seems to contradict everything. I mean, it's leaving people very very confused,"
British and Scottish authorities signed the Edinburgh Agreement in October 2012 to allow Scotland to hold an independence referendum this year.
The referendum is scheduled for September 18th.
 
 
Doug Young on corporate news of the week
 
Anchor:
It's been another busy week on the corporate front here in China.
WeChat has teamed up with JD.com when it comes to online shopping, and Oriental Pearl has announced its going to work with Sony to release the Playstation here in China.
For more on these stories, The Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
…
Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters, speaking with the Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham.
 
 
China allows private investment in army equipment
 
The Chinese government is opening up its defense sector to private companies by relaxing market access for the sale of military equiptment.
Authorities are streamlining approvals, as well as reducing taxes on military imports.
The People's Liberation Army is also setting up a website for military procurement.
It's also going to make public its tenders for weapons and other military equipment.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
China Lists Development of Southern Xinjiang Top Priority
 
The Chinese government is making the development of southern Xinjiang a strategic national priority.
The decision has been made at a 2-day meeting, where Chinese President Xi Jinping has issued a call for the creation of massive security nets to deal with terrorist threats.
At the meeting, President Xi Jinping says good governance in Xinjiang is vital, stressing the priority needs to be improving people's livelihoods.
The President says special policies are going to be put in-place to help with the development of southern Xinjiang.
Xi Jinping has also issued a call for stronger unity among different ethnic groups in Xinjiang.
 
 
2nd diver dies in search of South Korean ferry
 
Another diver has died in the recovery effort from the sunken South Korean ferry.
This is the 2nd diver to die in the recovery of the bodies from the April 16th disaster, which has already left over 300 people dead.
The diver never recovered after falling unconscious.
It’s unclear what caused him to pass out.
 
 
Former Ecuador President Mahuad sentenced to 12 years
 
A court in Ecuador has sentenced former President JamilMahuad in absentia to 12 years in jail for embezzlement.
The ruling comes two days after Interpol issued a warrant for his arrest.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
Mahuad fled to the United States in 2000 after a military coup.
He is accused of ordering banks to close for several days and freezing the accounts of ordinary citizens to protect the interests of bankers associated with him.
 
 
Rescue under way after China quake injures 29
 
Rescue work is underway following 6.1-magnitude earthquake this Friday along Yunnan's border with Myanmar.
The quake has left close to 30 injured, five of them seriously.
The quake hit in Yingjiang County, along the border with Myanmar, at a shallow depth of 12 kilometers.
Power has been cut off in certain areas.
Damage assessments have yet to come in.
The provincial government has initiated its emergency response program, sending a work team and relief supplies to the affected area.
Around a thousand soldiers have also been mobilized.
The region is prone to earthquakes.
A 5.6-magnitude quake hit the same area a week ago, injuring over a dozen people.
 
 
Illegal EU migration surges as thousands flock to Italy
 
New analysis shows there's been a significant rise in the numbers of migrants reaching Europe in recent months.
The EU border agency, Frontex, says the number of people attempting the dangerous sea crossing from North Africa to Italy has risen sharply.
From January to April, 42-thousand migrants were detected on this route.
Combined with seven other less busy routes, the total figures for this year is estimated at around 60-thousand.
The Italian government already estimates the number of migrants to have reached its shores this year has soared to more than 39-thousand.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
 
 
 
ForeAnchor
 
Congratulations you’re listening to the Beijing Hour.
Time is… minutes past the hour.
Let’s check out what’s going on in other media outlets across China and the rest of the world.
Joining me in the studio is Alexander Aucott
 
 
Selected News
 
BJH/0530 Newspaper Picks
 
Shanghai Daily
"City taxi companies start accepting bookings from students taking college entrance exam"
Shanghai's main taxi companies are starting to accept taxi bookings from students planning to attend the college entrance exam on June 7 and 8.
The four companies - Qiangsheng, Dazhong, Jinjiang and Haibo - will start taking orders Saturday morning, one week before the exam time.
To encourage its drivers to provide service for students attending the exam, Qiangsheng is offering a 10-yuan bonus to the cabbies for each ride. The company also required the drivers to study the road situation in advance for better service.
About 52,000 Shanghai high school students will sit for the college entrance exam this year
The Shanghai Metro operator said it would give priority to students heading for exams during the period. Green tunnels will be open for students holding admission cards for the exam.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/metro/education/City-taxi-companies-start-accepting-bookings-from-students-taking-college-entrance-exam/shdaily.shtml
___________
Xinhua
"China expects passenger rush over Dragon Boat Festival"
32.1 million passenger trips will be made during the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday, up 15.2 percent year-on-year, according to a forecast by China Railway Corporation on Thursday.
The daily average passenger flow is estimated to reach 8.02 million during the four-day travel rush that starts on Friday, said the Ministry.
The Dragon Boat Festival, also called Duanwu Festival, is traditionally celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. It falls on June 2 this year.
The festival commemorates famous ancient Chinese poet Qu Yuan. Chinese people eat zongzi, a rice dumpling, and race dragon boats to celebrate it.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-05/29/c_133371711.htm
________
The Telegraph
"Repurposed fridge creates water out of thin air"
An undergraduate student from Nottingham Trent University is using repurposed fridges to create drinking water from thin air to help people in developing countries.
The machine, which can be run by solar power, is designed for use in humid climates.
It can provide enough water to meet the daily needs of a small family.
It works by drawing air into a cool fridge with reused computer fans.
As the warm, humid air cools the vapour contents condense to form water.
The water is then collected at the bottom of the fridge in a container and is stored at a low temperature to reduce any health risks or contamination.
Minerals can be added to ensure that it has the right balance of nutrients which are found in ordinary water.
The inventor says the invention could help save lives in areas which have water shortages.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10863124/Repurposed-fridge-creates-water-out-of-thin-air.html#source=refresh
----
AFP
"Scans reveal Britain's Richard III not a 'hunch-backed toad'"
Scans of British king Richard III's recently-discovered skeleton show that the Shakespearean depiction of the notorious monarch as a 'hunch-backed toad' is a "complete fabrication."
Scientists said the scans showed that Richard's spine has a "well-balanced curve" that could have been hidden under clothes or armour.
Richard, the 14th great-granduncle of Queen Elizabeth II, became the last English king to die in battle when he was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field in August 1485.
The whereabouts of Richard's remains were the subject of a 500-year-old mystery.
His skeleton was finally discovered in September 2012 during the construction of a municipal car park in the market city of Leicester.
Archaeologists subsequently identified the bones as Richard's using DNA that matched that of descendants of the king's sister, and evidence from battle wounds and the twisted spine of his skeleton.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/scans-reveal-britain-s/1128394.html
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Sticky Rice Dumplings
 
Anchor:
With the Dragon Boat festival approaching on Monday, people around this country have begun gathering the ingredients needed to make the traditional "zongzi" rice dumplings.
CRI's Sam Duckett has ventured out to sample the snacks ahead of the festival.
Report:
The Dragon Boat Festival or "Duan Wu Jie" occurs on the fifth day of the fifth month of Chinese Lunar calendar. The festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister, Qu Yuan. The story of Qu Yuan occurred during the Warring States period and the Zhou Dynasty.
Qu Yuan was a poet and a minister for Chu during the warring states period. He was banished for opposing the alliance between the King of Chu and the state of Qin. During his banishment Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. After the state of Qin took the capital of Chu, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River.
It is said that the local people that admired Qu Yuan raced out on boats to try and save him or at least retrieve his body. This story gave birth to the tradition of holding dragon boat races during dragon boat festival.
Another tradition that is held during the dragon boat festival is the practice of eating zongzi. Zongzi is a Chinese food stuff made of glutinous rice, stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo reed. They are also known as rice dumplings or sticky rice dumplings.
I have decided to go to GuoHui supermarket and try this sticky delicious Chinese treat.
Before departing on my quest for zongzi I decided to have a chat with Jinjiang hotel chef Li Peng Yu to find out a bit more about what I would be eating.
"Most Sticky rice dumplings are filled with sweet potatoes or bean paste. In Sichuan we like to eat sticky rice dumplings with spicy meet in the middle. In Guangzhou they often eat them with Cantonese BBQ pork in the middle. Sweet Sticky rice dumplings and preferred in Northern Chinese and salty ones are preferred by southerners. In south China they are also a lot smaller and in the shape of a cone. In northern china they are more of triangular shape."
Wrapping a zongzi neatly is a skill that is passed down through families, as are the recipes. Making zongzi is traditionally a family event of which everyone helps out.
Now let's see if I can order a zongzi.
"We have ready made and freshly made zongzi. We have meat, vegetarian, sweet potato and red bean paste zongzi. Try a red bean paste one; I am sure you will like it. When you get home you may want to re-heat it, you can do this by either putting it in the microwave or boiling it"
I have just ordered a red bean paste zongzi, I need to wait a couple of minutes for it be heated up.
Ok so my Zongzi is ready to eat. Mmmmm it tastes delicious. The smooth sticky tecture complements the sweet taste so well.
I thoroughly enjoyed my sticky rice dumplings and understanding the story behind them made the Dragon Boat Festivalmuch more pleasing. Wishing everyone a happy Dragon Boat Festival or "Duan Wu JieKuai Le".
BACK ANCHOR:
CRI's Sam Duckett reporting.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Peng&Hseih advance at French Open
 
Another day, and another top seed eliminated from the Women's Draw at the French Open.
3rd seed AgnestiaRadwanska has gone down to world number-76 Croatian AjlaTomljanovic, 6-4, 6-4.
Radwanska now becomes the third top-5 seed to be eliminated, after the fall of both Serena Williams and Li Na earlier this week.
Still on the women's singles bracket, 11th seed Ana Ivanovic has advanced, downing Ukraine's ElinaSvitolina 7-5, 6-2.
A major clash taking place right now has 9th seeded DominikaCibulkova up against 19th seeded Australian Sam Stosur.
Still to come tonight, 7th seeded Maria Sharapova is in action against Argentinian Paula Ormaechea.
--
In the women's doubles competition,
The top-ranked Chinese doubles duo of PengShuai and HseihSuwei have advanced into the 3rd round after blowing past compatriot ZhengShuai and her Russian partner 6-1, 6-3.
--
On the men's side, 4th seeded Roger Federer is up against hard-hitting Russian DimitryTursunov.
8th ranked Canadian Milos Raonic is taking on home-crowd favorite Gilles Simon.
France's Jo-Wilfred Tsonga is also in-action, taking on Poland's Jerzy Janowitz
 
 
McIlroy takes lead at The Memorial Tournament
 
Rory McIlroy's hot-streak is continuing.
The Northern Irishman has the lead after the first round at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio.
McIlroy holed two eagles and three birdies on his way to a 9-under-par 63.
McIlroy comes into the Memorial following a one-stroke victory at the BMW PGA Championships in Europe last weekend.
World number one Adam Scott lost momentum after a double-bogey at the ninth.
He sits at 3-under.
 
 
San Antonio beat Oklahoma City for 3-2 series lead
 
In the NBA playoffs,
San Antonio Spurs have taken a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference Finals following a decisive 117-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder this morning.
San Antonio spread around the offense, with 6 players recording double-digit totals.
Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 22 points.
--
In the Eastern Conference finals,
The Miami Heat will look to book their ticket into the NBA Finals tomorrow morning.
Lebron James and company are at home with a 3-2 series lead, despite narrowly missing out on eliminating the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Tip-off tomorrow morning is at 8:30am Beijing time.
 
 
Former Microsoft CEO reportedly buys Clippers for $2 billion
 
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has reportedly reached a deal to buy the Los Angeles Clippers for 2-billion US dollars.
The bid has reportedly been accepted by Shelly Sterling, the estranged wife of Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Donald Sterling has been banned from the NBA for making a series of racist comments.
The deal to sell the Clippers still needs to be approved by three-quarters of the 30 team owners in the NBA.
Donald Sterling still has the option of opposing the sale in the courts.
 
 
New York beat Montreal 1-0 to reach Stanley Cup
 
In hockey,
The New York Rangers are headed to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Rangers, on the back of a lone goal by Dominic Moore in the 2nd period, are heading to the finals after edging the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 this morning.
Henrick Lundquist only had to turn aside 18 shots to earn the shutout.
The Rangers take the series 4-games-2.
This is the first time the Rangers have been back to the finals since they won it in 1994 in a 7-game final against the Vancouver Cancucks.
The Rangers now await the winner of the LA-Chicago series in the West.
LA holds a 3-2 series lead, and can close out the series at home tomorrow morning, 9am Beijing time.
 
 
World champion Marc Marquez aim at MotoGP title
 
The Moto Grand Prix season heads into Italy this weekend.
Reigning MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez is coming in as the odds-on favorite.
"Last year was the most difficult weekend especially after the crash on Friday but anyway on my mind was that I was fighting for the podium, I was second, of course I crashed but anyway I was there, I was quite close from the first guy who was Jorge (Lorenzo) and we will see this weekend. I think with more experience one year later will be different or I expect that."
9-time world champion Valentino Rossi will be riding in his 300th MotoGP event.
"Yes, you know it is a number that makes me not very happy because it means I am very old unfortunately but yes I am happy to celebrate the 300th grand prix in Mugello but especially to arrive in Mugello in good shape and with some good races in the season."
The Italian Grand Prix is set for Sunday afternoon.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Online drama 'Teng Kong de RiZi'gains popularity
 
With university graduation around the corner, an online drama has been creating a buzz on the internet.
'Teng Kong de RiZi' is produced by Tencent Video.
It's a show about what students are going through while preparing to sit the national college entrance exam, or Gaokao.
Li Jiahang and Hu Bingqing are the leads in the series.
The show has already been viewed over 15 million times in just 2 episodes.
A number of movies about university campus life are also gaining popularity, including 'To Youth', 'You Are the Apple of My Eye'.
 
 
George Michael- Singer 'resting' after recent trip to hospital
 
A spokesperson for singer George Michael says he's "resting" after being hospitalized for an undisclosed ailment.
The Sun newspaper in the U.K. is reporting ambulances had to be called out to his home.
The former Wham! front man has since been discharged.
A spokesperson for George Michael is refusing to say what happened, other than to describe it as "personal" in nature.
In 2011, George Michael spent several weeks in hospital with life-threatening pneumonia.
Last year, the 50-year old was hospitalized after falling from a moving car on a highway in England.
The singer has struggled for years with substance abuse.
 
 
Aretha Franklin receives honorary doctor of arts degree at Harvard University
 
Aretha Franklin has received an honorary degree from Harvard University.
The "Queen of Soul" has been honored along with former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and five others.
The 72-year-old Franklin took to the piano to perform the national anthem as part of the university's commencement.
She later received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree.
Aretha Franklin has over 200 albums in a career spanning more than 50 years.
She's received 21 Grammy Awards.
 
 
Actor discusses roles on AMC's 'Mad Men,' Showtime's 'Shameless'
 
Current "Mad Men" actor Harry Hamlin has been talking about his future in the popular show.
Hamlin, who plays Jim Cutler, says fans will see him to return in the forthcoming season.
"Cutler - look - at the end of the day Jim Cutler's a bottom-line guy. He's a pragmatic guy. He wants the best thing for the business and when I said, 'It's a lot of money,' in my last line for the season - it's true - I'm basically a money guy and so I don't know. We wait and we see. I can't - I'm forbidden to say anything about next season, the rest of the season. I can't talk."
Hamlin also has a recurring character in the second and third seasons of Showtime's "Shameless."
The fifth season of "Shameless" is due to return to Showtime early next year.　
"Mad Men's" final episodes are also slated to air next year.
 
 
Actress Anna Lynne McCord claims she was sexually assaulted
 
American actress and model AnnaLynne McCord has penned a first-person article, speaking about a sexual assault she says she endured when she was 18.
The former "Dallas" and "90201" actress says she was assaulted by a friend staying at her house when she was 18.
The article in Cosmopolitan magazine also says she considered taking her own life following the attack.
McCord says she's speaking out to help other women who suffer in silence.
"It's already an issue that I work strongly to fight and to speak out about, working with, you know, victims who have been violated sexually and working with the sex trafficking agency The Blind Organization that I support. That world is nothing new to me and being able to actually speak to my fans about an issue like this has been really great for me. And to just kind of hear their feedback has been wonderful."
McCord says she credits her recovery to professional help and her work with abuse victims in Cambodia.
She has not publically named her attacker.
 
 
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The Chinese government is making the development of southern Xinjiang a national priority.
Major portions of China continues to find itself embroiled in a pre-Summer heatwave.
Malaysia's Prime Minister is promising the search will continue for missing flight MH370, despite a lack of clues.
In business, the Chinese government is moving to ease restrictions on foreign investment.