新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/06/04

 
 
The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Mark Griffiths with you this Wednesday, June 4th 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
Dozens of civilians seek refuge in makeshift underground shelters amid intense fighting between anti-government rebels and Ukrainian troops.
Nato prepares to bolster its defence capabilities in central and eastern Europe as the US pledges a billion dollars worth of military deployments.
The count begins in Syria’s presidential election.
In Business, China's Ministry of Commerce says a ruling by the United States on imported photovoltaic products from China is an abuse of trade remedy measures.
In Sport, World Cup hosts Brazil consolidate their position as a tournament favorite by thrashing Panama 4-nil.
In Entertainment, Angelina Jolie is in Shanghai to promote her film 'Maleficent'.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 21 degrees Celsius. Cloudy tomorrow with a high of 34 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 20, cloudy also tomorrow, with a high of 27.
Chongqing will have moderate rain, 23 degrees the low,　also showers tomorrow with a high of 27.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 41.
Kabul, mostly sunny, 29.
Over in Australia
Sydney, showers, high of 19.
Canberra, mostly sunny, 17.
Brisbane, partly cloudy, 25.
And finally, Perth will be mostly sunny with a high of 24.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Civilians seek shelter in basement as fighting intensifies in eastern Ukraine
 
Dozens of civilians are seeking refuge in makeshift underground shelters, caught up in air attacks and intense fighting between anti-government rebel and Ukrainian troops.
It is reported that Ukrainian troops have launched an offensive against pro-Russian insurgents in the eastern city of Slovyansk and advanced through the city's outskirts.
In Slovyansk, some civilians found refuge inside a basement.
"We want peace. We do not want war. We beg you, help us. Please help us. Tell the truth. Save the people of Donbas, save the people of south-eastern Ukraine and of all Ukraine. We just want peace."
"In some cases 100 people stay here for up to three nights. Please I beg you, I am a mother myself. I don't want my son to fight. I don't want children to die. I don't want to see lives being lost and for us to step aside not being able to do anything. Save the children because we can't do anything. Help us survive."
The Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly announced an escalation in armed operations, only to eventually back down.
In recent days, government forces have been noticeably reinforced to the north of Slovyansk, however, and deployment of air power over the past week has signaled increased determination.
Meanwhile, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin says his country will continue to push for the adoption of a resolution on ending the violence in eastern Ukraine.
"It(the draft)could play a role in stopping the violence in Ukraine. Unfortunately, if it is to continue, then not only we are going to have a deteriorating humanitarian situation but we believe that the overall situation in Ukraine, political situation in Ukraine, will further deteriorate, which will not bode well for the new leadership in that country."
Earlier this week, Russia submitted the draft resolution to the UN Security Council, proposing talks to end the violence and create humanitarian corridors in that country.
The draft resolution has so far met with a cool response from the Western powers.
 
 
NATO enhances collective defense, reaffirms support for Ukraine
 
Anchor:
In another development,
Nato is set to bolster its defence capabilities in central and eastern Europe after the United States pledged 1-billion US dollars worth of military deployments to Europe.
CRI's Alexander Aucott has more.
Reporter:
Ukrainian acting defence minister Mykhailo Koval has met his NATO counterparts in the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Brussuls.
Koval praised NATO for the "overwhelming support" offered to Ukraine.
"I must tell you that we received today the most important help, the total support of the whole alliance. As I told you, 21 ministers spoke and all supported us, it is very important for us."
He also said that the operation against rebels in the east of the country was going "according to plan" and was expected to be successful.
The two-day meeting in Brussels was supposed to help set the stage for the US-led alliance's forthcoming meeting in Wales.
NATO has pledged to bolster its defence capabilities in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
"Today we made clear that NATO looks forward to working with the new president of Ukraine and is committed to supporting reforms in Ukraine's security and defence sector. In the weeks to come we will finalize a comprehensive package of long-term measures to make Ukraine's reforms more effective and its armed forces stronger."
The announcement came hours after the US president pledged 1-billion US dollars to boost military deployments to Europe.
"Today I'm announcing a new initiative to bolster the security of our NATO allies here in Europe. Under this effort and with the support of Congress, the United States will preposition more equipment in Europe. We will be expanding our exercises and training with allies to increase the readiness of our forces."
Obama's announcement came at the start of a three-country swing through Europe.
He is set to meet with Ukraine's newly elected president Petro Poroshenko on Wednesday.
The Russian side says it may withdraw from the 1997 Nato-Russia Founding Act if there are major NATO deployments in eastern and central Europe.
Russia is also set to reorganize its armed forces to strengthen military potential and troop mobility.
NATO has suspended all practical civilian and military cooperation with Russia over the Ukraine crisis.
However, it opted to keep its political dialogue with Moscow open.
For CRI, I'm Alexander Aucott .
 
 
Election officials begin count and verification process as voting ends
 
Election officials have begun counting votes in Syria's presidential election as polling stations close in government-held areas.
The election officials have begun the process of checking the number of votes against lists of registered voters to ensure that the numbers match.
President Bashar Assad is facing two government-approved challengers in the race.
Maher Hajjar and Hassan al-Nouri both were little known in Syria before declaring their candidacy for the country's top post in April.
Bashar Assad is widely expected to win a third seven-year term in office.
The election is the first held in half a century.
Previously, there have only been referendums to support Assad and his late father who was in office from 1971 to 2000.
 
 
Q&A with Hua Liming
 
ANCHOR:
For more on the situation in Syria, CRI's Xie Zhao spoke earlier with Hua Liming, former Chinese ambassador to Iran and now a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.
…
BACK ANCHOR: Hua Liming, former Chinese ambassador to Iran, talking to CRI's Xie Zhao.
 
 
Egyptians celebrate Sisi's victory in presidential election
 
Egyptians have gathered in Cairo's Tahrir Square to celebrate former Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's landslide victory in the country's presidential election.
But Egypt's Elections Commission says turnout is only about 47 percent of the country's 54 million voters.
The lower-than-expected turnout raises doubts about Sisi's ability to maintain popularity while attempting to fix a battered economy, ease poverty and prevent further political crises from paralysing Egypt.
In his first speech since the election, Sisi has promised Egyptians a brighter future. He has insisted that hard work will cure Egypt's ills.
"I send special appreciation to Mr. Hamdeen Sabahi, the presidential candidate, who provided a serious chance of electoral competition. I tell him, and say to all the Egyptian people, I look forward to the continuation of your effort and determination in the upcoming building stages. Sons of the great Egyptian people I speak to all of you. You have fulfilled your duties and now is the time for work that will transport our Egypt to a bright tomorrow and a better future."
Many ordinary Egyptians hope that Sisi can restore stability after years of turmoil that have seen the worst civil unrest in Egypt's modern history.
"I want safety and security and peace from him [Sisi], and we don't want this for ourselves, we want this for our children, and for our people. We don't want any more than that."
Human rights groups say abuses have spread since Mursi's downfall, with opponents of the government that Sisi installed thrown in jail and tortured.
But the authorities deny that abuses have occured.
 
 
Rouhani defends Tehran's nuclear rights on eve of new round of talks
 
Iran's president says his administration will defend his country's nuclear rights and work to end international sanctions that have devastated its economy.
Hassan Rouhani made the remark in a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
"We will succeed in foreign policy. We'll both defend the nuclear rights and break apart the chain of sanctions."
The remarks come on the eve of a new round of talks on Wednesday to work on the details of a possible comprehensive deal on Tehran' s nuclear program.
The president's remarks are seen as part of his efforts to defuse claims by hard-liners that he has given too many concessions to the West in return for too little in the previous talks.
Under an interim deal in November, Iran has agreed to cap its nuclear activities in return for an easing of sanctions by the West.
The US and its allies suspect Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons, but Iran denies the charge saying its aims are peaceful.
 
 
Bonus point items reduced in Gaokao system
 
Anchor: As the annual Gaokao, China's national college entrance examination approaches, the country's education ministry has announced a new policy to narrow the extra-curricula activities which can garner extra points for students' Gaokao scores. CRI's Li Dong has the details.
Reporter: For years, China has adhered to a policy of awarding extra gaokao points to students who are winners of major sports events or math or science competitions, children of returned overseas Chinese, and ethnic minorities among other groups.
Du Li, deputy director in charge of China Youth Daily's education and technology section says the bonus points policy exists for a reason.
"What is fair? It's a line which can efficiently distinguish students with different qualities. The gaokao is one of the lines by which students who demonstrate better memorizing and answering skills can stand out. And there are other lines as well, like recruiting standards by different universities. Because they want to recruit students with specialties they need. The arguments in balancing the two lines have never stopped in China's Gaokao reform."
The Ministry of Education has listed 14 items that qualify for gaokao bonus points.
But according to an estimate by Yang Dongping, a Beijing Institute of Technology professor, the actual number of items for which points are awarded across various provinces, municipalities, and regions may exceed 190.
Du Li says in recent years with more items listed in universities' independent recruitment plans and local educational bureau's bonus point policies, the fairness of the gaokao is being challenged.
"In terms of universities' independent recruiting, more corruption is found in the recruitment process, like trading the enrollment quota with money and other interest relations. The same situation happens in bonus point systems as well, for instance, in Hangzhou, there are cases that students whose parents can afford to buy expensive aviation and marine models can get the bonus points."
This year, in a bid to create a fairer competition environment for students, education authorities in multiple provinces and regions are making big moves to cut the number of bonus point items, as well as the points themselves.
South China's Guangdong province stipulates that, in this year's Gaokao, only first prize winners in the national level Olympiads can qualify for bonus points. Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces have also halted awarding bonus points in fields like aviation and marine model making, as well as radio direction finding. West China's Sichuan province hasw also scrapped 29 bonus points items.
But Du Li adds that putting too much expectation on establishing an absolutely fair Gaokao recruiting system is not realistic.
"China is a country with a big population. Using a system with multiple evaluation standards to assess a student's academic and capability is a more ideal option, but that means we need more high quality teachers to evaluate the students and more resources to cover the cost of complicated multi-layer evaluation. Right now, in China that's impossible. Meanwhile, taking Gaokao as the sole standard in this big country is also not fair for those students with great potential in other fields rather than just reciting. So the reform of the gaokao system is going to be a long process."
In China, gaokao results are the major assessment standard for a student's application for a place at college. The exam saw some 9 million test takers in 2013.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Severe weather sparks floods in Chile, Mexico braces for storm
 
Torrential rain has flooded large areas of Chile and Mexico, causing significant damage to homes and vehicles.
Emergency officials reported snow in some areas of Chile.
Sidi Bravo, Regional Director of National Office of Emergency of the Interior Ministry in Aysen.
"It's now snowing across our region, the Lago Verde (sector) has about 25 or 30 centimetres (9 or 11 inches) of snow; Puerto Ibanez has 80 centimetres (31 inches) and the Jofre sector has 60 centimetres (23 inches) of snow."
Elsewhere, tropical Storm Boris has formed off Mexico's Pacific coast, forcing evacuations in seaside and mountain communities vulnerable to flooding and mudslides.
In the city of Arriaga, in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, heavy rain damaged several homes.
Boris could produce as much as 10 to 20 inches (25 to 50 centimetres) of rain over southern Mexico in the coming days, creating the risk of deadly floods and mudslides.
A tropical storm warning is in effect in southern Mexico from Salina Cruz to Mexico's border with Guatemala.
In the meantime, thousands of families living in low-lying areas near the Paraguay River have been evacuated after torrential rain sparked floods.
The health and public works ministries have been working to unblock flooded roads and vaccinate children and senior citizens, who are most vulnerable to respiratory illnesses.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stocks 
 
Asian stock markets drifted lower Wednesday, following the lead of Wall Street as investors awaited confirmation of new stimulus from the European Central Bank and a crucial U.S. jobs report.
Chinese shares closed lower, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down 0.7 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index lost 1.3 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng went down 0.6 percent.
Tokyo stocks closed 0.2 percent higher after the previous day saw the market post its best finish in two months.
South Korean markets were closed for regional elections.
The Australian share market has closed lower as investors shrugged off better-than-expected headline economic growth figures and decided to take profits ahead of a key European Central Bank meeting on Thursday.
Australia's ASX 200 shed 0.6 percent.
 
 
U.S. abuses trade remedy measures: MOC
 
China's Ministry of Commerce says that the preliminary ruling by the United States on imported photovoltaic products from China is an abuse of trade remedy measures.
The U.S. Department of Commerce set preliminary subsidy rates on Chinese PV products on Tuesday, signaling that it may impose punitive duties on those products.
The U.S. has once again started anti-dumping and countervailing investigations on Chinese PV products, having previously tried to levy high duties on those products in November 2012.
China's commerce ministry says the "U.S actions will certainly worsen the Sino-U.S. dispute in the photo-voltaic trade."
 
 
HK Retail sales plunge 9.8 pc
 
New data shows that Hong Kong retail sales have plunged almost 10 percent - the biggest drop since February 2009.
The government attributes the drop to a decline in sales of high-value goods including jewelry and watches.
It says that the decline - the third in as many months - might reflect a cutback in visitor spending after a prolonged period of brisk growth.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying says he hopes the new data would stimulate further discussion on whether Hong Kong should act to reduce the number of mainlanders visiting the SAR.
"The opinions (we have gathered over last week) are very useful, we will discuss it within the SAR government and with relevant ministries on the mainland. If the central government carries out adjustment of the number of mainland visitors to the SAR, these opinions are also very useful."
Leung earlier floated the figure of a 20 percent cut in visitors as an option in the face of criticism from some Hongkongers about the number of mainlanders flooding across the border.
Retailers fear the situation will worsen if such an option is adopted.
Hong Kong's retail sales in March and February both dropped by 1.5 percent and 2.2 percent year-on-year respectively.
 
 
Russia and China to create joint rating agency
 
Anchor:
Russia and China have reached an agreement to create a joint credit rating agency.
Russia's finance minister says that the new rating agency will be modelled on existing agencies.
He also says the agency will "be apolitical."
Currently three western agencies - Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch dominate the ratings market.
For more on this, CRI's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Benjamin Cavendar, associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.
…
Back Anchor:
That was Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.
 
 
China becomes world's biggest online market
 
The Ministry of Commerce says China's e-commerce market has become the world's largest.
The Ministry says online shopping transactions surpassed 1.85 trillion yuan, or 300 billion US dollars, last year.
According to the Ministry, China had an estimated 300 million online shoppers last year, and online shopping transactions accounted for nearly 8 percent of the country's total retail market.
 
 
WeChat opens door to small merchants
 
Chinese tech giant Tencent is pushing further into mobile e-commerce by lowering the threshold to set up stores using its popular mobile messaging application WeChat.
The move could represent a threat to the country's leading online retailer, Alibaba Group.
Shenzhen-based Tencent, a shareholder of online shopping website JD.com, has rolled out a shopping channel on WeChat, a messaging app that has more than 500 million users in China.
It says it will allow small and medium-sized merchants to open stores using WeChat.
The announcement marks Tencent's latest move into mobile e-commerce.
WeChat was launched in 2011.
It had amassed nearly 400 million monthly active users by the first quarter of this year, a surge of approximately 90 percent year-on-year.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Civilians seek shelter as fighting intensifies in eastern Ukraine
 
Dozens of civilians are seeking refuge in makeshift underground shelters as fighting between anti-government rebel and Ukrainian troops intensifies.
It is reported that Ukrainian troops have launched an offensive against pro-Russian insurgents in the eastern city of Slovyansk and advanced through the city's outskirts.
The Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly announced an escalation in armed operations, only to eventually back down.
In recent days, government forces have been noticeably reinforced to the north of Slovyansk, however, and deployment of air power over the past week has signaled increased determination.
 
 
Obama to meet Ukraine's president-elect
 
US President Barack Obama is to discuss economic support for Ukraine when he meets President-elect Petro Poroshenko in Warsaw.
Obama has said he will offer US support as Kiev tries to settle a gas bill with Russian supplier Gazprom or risk a cut in supply.
The US leader was in Poland at the start of his four-day European tour.
On Tuesday he pledged one billion dollars to boost military deployments to Europe in response to the Ukraine crisis.
 
 
Pakistan's suicide blast kills 5, injures 7
 
A suicide bombing has killed at least five people including two army officers in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.
Three civilians also died while seven others got injured when a suicide bomber crashed into an army vehicle.
Police say the bomber seems to be a teenager boy of Uzbek ethnicity.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
 
 
Venice Mayor Orsoni held in Italy corruption inquiry
 
The mayor of Venice is among 35 people arrested in Italy over alleged corruption in connection with new flood barriers built to protect the city.
Giorgio Orsoni and dozens of officials and businessmen are being held over claims of bribery during the public tender process of the project.
Construction on the barriers began 11 years ago but has been hampered by delays in funding due to Italy's economic crisis.
Investigators are looking into allegations that 20m euros in public funds was sent to foreign bank accounts and used to finance political parties.
 
 
China punishes 422 porn websites
 
China has investigated and punished over 400 websites as part of a national crackdown on online pornography.
The State Internet Information Office says it has closed more than 4,800 accounts on social networking services since the beginning of this year.
More than 9,000 advertisements and over 300,000 pieces of information with pornographic content were deleted.
 
 
S. China downpours cause casualties, economic losses
 
A new round of rainstorms has been wrecking havoc in south China, causing casualties and economic losses.
Four people have been killed and two remain missing in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
More than 200 thousand people in the province's 14 cities and counties have been affected.
In Sichuan, a 70-year-old villager was killed by mountain torrents while rescuers are trying to save a woman buried in a landslide.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Xinhua
"China's smog clear-up faces challenges: vice minister"
China still faces major challenges in improving its air quality nationwide.
Li Ganjie, vice minister of environmental protection, made the comment at a press conference on Wednesday.
Li said only three cities of the 74 major Chinese cities subject to air quality monitoring met the national standard for good air in 2013.
The 10 most polluted cities in 2013 included seven in north China's Hebei Province, Jinan in east China's Shandong Province, Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Zhengzhou in central Henan Province. Most of these are located near Beijing.
Li urged addressing the key areas of industrial structure, energy efficiency, vehicle emissions and dust from construction sites in improving air quality.
Li stressed the importance of the timely disclosure of information and the public's participation in protecting the air.
China Daily
"China opens school for elder-care experts"
Ningbo has opened China's first school of elderly care and management as the nation copes with the growing number of senior citizens.
The school, at the Ningbo College of Health Sciences in Zhejiang province, has five departments, including elderly nursing, nutrition, and linguistics and auditory rehabilitation.
The school has 450 undergraduates.
Graduates are expected to work in community service centers, nursing homes and at healthcare agencies.
The college says more majors, such as elderly services and elderly healthcare, are being planned.
The school also provides short-term professional training courses for those who are already working in these fields.
The Korea Herald
"Fewer elderly Korean parents live with their children"
The number of elderly parents living separately from their children has increased dramatically over the past 20 years.
The Korea Institute for Health and Social Services released the report.
The report says the number of parents who live with their children, decreased from over a half in 1994 to less than a third seven years later.
Meanwhile, a researcher says seniors are in better health while the public perception of supporting ageing parents has changed.
The report adds more than 70 percent of parents who live apart from their children said they still receive emotional and financial support from them.
AFP
"Global warming: Breakthrough material absorbs CO2"
Chemists have said they had invented a material that easily removes carbon dioxide from natural gas, making the fuel more climate-friendly.
The porous substance can cheaply separate carbon dioxide at wellheads and safely store it for industrial use or for re-injection into the gas field.
Current processes for removing carbon dioxide involve chemical scrubbing. It is a costly procedure in which the carbon in natural gas is dissolved into liquid compounds heated to 140 degrees Celsius.
The new material comprises a carbon powder, studded with microscopic holes and infused with nitrogen or sulphur atoms, which turns carbon dioxide gas into solid chains of polymer molecules.
The polymers become trapped in the material's pores, while the natural gas is let through.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Robots Go From Fiction to Reality at Hong Kong Conference
 
ANCHOR:
The ongoing annual International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Hong Kong is attracting developers and academics from across Asia to discuss how robots can help humans in a variety of ways.
With the details, here's CRI's Cao Yuwei.
REPORTER:
With the theme of "Robotics and Automation: Technologies Enabling New Economic Growth", this conference focuses on helping humans, with many 'service' robots on display.
Jason Jin, an Assistant Research Engineer at Robotics, shares his ideas on how robots can help.
"Before this technology was developed, students mainly focused on math or physics, learning a single subject in those fields. But as this technology is developing, children can make physical contact with what they are learning. Robotics is an integrated subject, including electronics, mechanics and computer science, etc. So robotics has great educational potential. Now the development of robotics provides children with some more suitable learning tools."
Aside from educational purposes, robots can also be used for human care, work in danger zones, and menial labor.
Julian Ware is an exhibitor at the conference who specializes in using robots for outdoor research.
Ware says the potential for what robots can do in the real world is not far from what Hollywood has imagined in films in the last decade.
"Obviously there's a lot of entertainment value in those movies, but in those same movies you'll see autonomous vehicles, I think we're only a few decades away from that."
Robotic arms, mostly used for rehabilitation and medical purposes, are also widely seen in the conference.
Some people expect robots will help promote social development by taking over menial work, leaving humans with more time for bigger jobs.
An example of that is the Baxter, created by renowned Australian roboticist Rodney Brooks.
It is a low-cost and user-friendly factory robot which can be programmed simply by moving its arms.
Jenssen Chang is the general manager at Shanghai Gaitech Scientific Instruments Co Ltd.
"I mean, robots can replace the labour. I mean, to repeat a low-level task. At the same time, you can train the people to do something advanced. This is the so-called development for society."
The conference runs until Thursday.
For CRI, I'm Cao Yuwei.
 
 
Sports
 
 
All-Spanish duel in the quarterfinal at Roland Garros
 
Coming up in the French Open tennis championships,
All eyes are on an all Spanish quaterfinal duel between the world number one and top seed Rafa Nadal and his fifth seeded compatriot David Ferrer.
Clay king Nadal is searching for a record fifth consecutive title at Roland Garros.
The match will begin at 10 pm Beijing time.
Around the same time, Britain's number one player Andy Murray will take on Frenchman Gael Monfils for another semi-final berth.
The other half of the semi-final has already been decided after world number two Novak Djokovic dispatched Canada's Milos Raonic in three straight sets and Latvia's Ernests Gulbis knocked out sixth seed Tomas Berdych in their quarterfinal matches.
Facing Gulbis, Djokovic said he is counting on a quick recovery and hard work to win against the 18th seed, who earlier overcame Roger Federer in the fourth round.
"I think only about Gulbis, and he's been playing really well. He's confident. Two days off will definitely serve well now to recover, to work on some things on the practice courts and then come back strong and prepare for the next challenge."
On the women's side,
Eugenie Bouchard became the first Canadian woman to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros after she defeated Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in their quarterfinal tussle.
The 20-year-old will next go up against seventh seed Maria Sharapova.
Sharapova moved to the last four after overcoming a scare to beat top seed Serena Williams' terminator Garbine Muguruza 1-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Later tonight, Italy's Sara Errani will take on Germany's Andrea Petkovic for her semi-final ticket.
While fourth seed Simona Halep will engage Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in the last quarterfinal match.
And in the women's doubles event,
Top seeds Peng Shuai and her partner Su-Wei Hsieh are now safely through to the last four pairs after they came out on top 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 against fifth seeds Cara Black of Zimbabwe and India's Sania Mirza in the quarterfinals.
 
 
European football boss slams Daily Telegraph for drawing him into corruption claims against Qatar's World Cup bid
 
Continuing with the corruption scandal involving Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid.
UEFA boss Michel Platini has attacked British newspaper the Daily Telegraph for seeking to tarnish his reputation by drawing him into corruption claims against the Qatar World Cup bid.
The Daily Telegraph alleged that the UEFA president held a secret meeting with Mohamed Bin Hammam, the controversial Qatari accused of making slush fund payments to secure support for Qatar's 2022 campaign.
Platini admitted he had met Bin Hammam but insisted that the object of the discussions was the candidacy for the FIFA elections.
Platini's slam of the Daily Telegraph comes one day after renewed calls for FIFA to have a fresh vote on the location of the 2022 World Cup.
The latest round of firepower against Qatar's bid was triggered by a report in the British newspaper The Sunday Times, which alleged that it holds substantial evidence of corruption involved in Qatar's bid.
 
 
Brazil consolidates favorite position with 4-0 thrashing of Panama in warm-up
 
Now news of the Brazilian World Cup,
Hosts Brazil have consolidated their position as a tournament favorite and a challenger to Spain's reign with a 4-nil thrashing of Panama in their penultimate warm-up game last night.
Goals from Neymar, Dani Alves, Hulk and Willian secured the win which once again show the quality of Brazil's firepower on the attacking line.
Brazil's youthful squad stunned reigning world and European champions Spain last summer at the Confederations Cup with a 3-nil thump in the final.
Brazil are now looking to win a record sixth World Cup, this time on home soil.
The team open their quest against Croatia on 12th, that's next Thursday.
But before that, they will do their final preparation work against Serbia this weekend.
 
 
LA Kings and New York face off in Stanley Cup final series opener later tonight
 
In ice hockey,
The Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers are now gearing up for the National Hockey League's grand final series.
New York's path to the Stanley Cup Finals has not been an easy one as they needed seven games to beat both the Philadelphia Flyers and Penguins before seeing off the Montreal Canadiens in six games to claim the Eastern Conference title.
Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather.
"I mean every year there are only two teams that fight for the Stanley Cup and there is only one team that wins. it takes time to get into this position. I think anyone that has been in the hockey business knows that it is complicated. I don't see any personal satisfaction, I'm satisfied that the team is here and that the job is partially done. We know we are up against great forwards, great defense and great goaltenders. It's going to be tough."
The L.A. Kings are widely regarded as favorites after they ousted defending champions the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals.
There's good news for the Kings, their goalie Joanthan Quick says he is ready for the finals opener tonight at the Staples Center as he nurses a collarbone injury incurred during training early on Tuesday.
Quick won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the play-off MVP while leading Los Angeles to the NHL title in 2012.
The U.S. Olympic team goalie's statistics have been less impressive this spring, but still has won a Game 7 in three straight playoff rounds.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Angelina Jolie in Shanghai to promote 'Maleficent'
 
Angelina Jolie has arrived in Shanghai to promote her film 'Maleficent'.
Maleficent is one of Disney's most popular villains since she appeared as the wicked fairy in the 1959 animated feature "Sleeping Beauty," in which she casts an evil spell on the princess.
The film is the biggest box-office debut of Jolie's career after earning nearly 70 million U.S. dollars in North America last weekend.
Maleficent will hit China's mainland cinemas from June 20.
During her stay in Shanghai, she and her partner Brad Pitt and their children also paid a visit to the Long Museum for Contemporary Art.
Last Wednesday, Brad Pitt was jostled by ex-journalist Vitalii Sediuk, who was later arrested.
However, Jolie says they won't tighten their security policies during publicity events.
"No, no. We are...the people like that are an exception to the rule. Most fans are just wonderful. We've had a wonderful experience over the years and are very grateful for their support and it will not change the way we behave."
The movie star also celebrates her 39th birthday in Shanghai.
When asked about her birthday wishes, she said her wish is just like every mother, which is for her children and her family.
 
 
Customized Trailer of the Godzilla Reboot Released
 
The customized version of the trailer for the much anticipated monster movie Godzilla has been released for Chinese audiences.
The trailer exclusively shows the intense fight between Godzilla and another monster MUTO and the enormous Godzilla roaring in a China street lit with red lanterns.
It also contains a greeting video from the movie's director Gareth Edwards.
"Hello everyone in China, I'm Gareth Edwards I'm excited to show the trailer from the new film Godzilla to be released throughout China on June 13, we hope you enjoy it."
The film is a co-production between Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers.
The reboot of the American science fiction film franchise Godzilla is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Bryan Cranston, best known for the crime drama Breaking Bad, Kick-Ass actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and French actress Juliette Binoche.
Gozilla is expected to create another stir among Chinese audiences after last year's monster-themed movie Pacific Rim.
 
 
Queen to release new album to compile collaborated songs with MJ
 
Brian May of Queen has confirmed the release of a new Queen compilation album later this year.
The album is tentatively entitled Queen Forever and will feature previously unreleased music from the 1980s, including some of the so-called 'lost' collaborations between Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury.
Brian May says he and Roger Taylor are recording the music for these songs.
Since the death of Freddie Mercury, Queen has only released one album entitled 'Made in Heaven ' in 1995.
Meanwhile, Queen and Adam Lambert have announced a North American summer tour that will take the legendary rock band and the young-gun singer on a 19-date trek starting later this month in Chicago.
 
 
Jupiter Ascending pushed back to February 2015
 
The release date of 'Jupiter Ascending' has been pushed back to February 6 next year.
The Wachowskis' epic sci-fi movie was set to debut next month.
A number of trailers for the movie have been released.
Starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis, the movie has a hefty investment of 150 million US dollars.
Reports claim that extra post-production and special-effects are needed.
The Wachowskis' last film, Cloud Atlas, suffered a defeat at the box office despite a 100 million US dollar budget.
The film will now open against the Johnny Depp film 'Mortdecai' and 'Seventh Son' starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.
 
 
Lindsay Lohan's mom gets sentenced after drunken driving
 
Dina Lohan, the mother of actress Lindsay Lohan, has been sentenced to 100 hours of community service and will lose her driver's license for a year.
Dina Lohan was caught speed driving on New York's Long Island while drunk last September.
Her daughter, Lindsay, has been caught driving while drunk on several occasions and has also been in rehab.
 
 
Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner to get Emmy honour
 
Mad Men creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner has collected an early honour at the 2014 International Emmy Founders Award.
He will be presented with the honour at the awards gala on November 24 in New York.
Last year, Star Wars director JJ Abrams was granted the honour.
The president and CEO of the International Academy of Television Arts & Science praised Weiner for creating a global cultural phenomenon and dramatically changed the television landscape.
Debuting in 2007, the drama has won four Emmy awards.
The show will end next year.
The seventh and final season of the tv series has been split into two parts.
The first part has just concluded.
The final seven episodes will be aired next year.
 
 
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Dozens of civilians seek refuge in makeshift underground shelters amid intense fighting between anti-government rebels and Ukrainian troops.
Nato prepares to bolster its defence capabilities in central and eastern Europe as the US pledges a billion dollars worth of military deployments.
The count begins in Syria’s presidential election.
In Business, China's Ministry of Commerce says a ruling by the United States on imported photovoltaic products from China is an abuse of trade remedy measures.
In Sport, World Cup hosts Brazil consolidate their position as a tournament favorite by thrashing Panama 4-nil.
In Entertainment, Angelina Jolie is in Shanghai to promote her film 'Maleficent'.