新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/06/05

The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Mark Griffiths with you this Thursday, June 5th 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
Chinese president Xi Jinping calls for a deepening of the Sino-Arab strategic relationship of cooperation at a Sino-Arab forum in Beijinjg.
Russia’s President Putin calls US foreign policy ‘aggressive and tough’, but says he's ready to meet US President Obama in France.
In business, growth in China's services sector retreats to a four-month low in May.
In Sport, China's largest e-commerce giant Alibaba becomes part owner of the country's top football club Guangzhou Evergrande.
In entertainment, the Committee of the 17th Shanghai Film Festival has released the second batch of films in competition.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will have thundershowers tonight with a low of 23 degrees Celsius. Heavy rain tomorrow with a high of 27 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 21, cloudy also tomorrow, with a high of 29.
Chongqing will have moderate rain, 23 degrees the low,　overcast tomorrow with a high of 28.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 41.
Kabul, mostly sunny, 30.
Over in Australia
Sydney, rain, high of 17.
Canberra, partly cloudy, 16.
Brisbane, mostly sunny, 25.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 24.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Chinese president addresses CASCF ministerial meeting
 
Anchor:
Chinese president Xi Jinping is calling for a deepening of the Sino-Arab strategic relationship of cooperation when addressing a high-level Sino-Arab cooperation forum here in Beijing.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Report:
When delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, President Xi says the next decade is crucial for both sides.
"The next decade will be the key period for the mutual development of China and the Arab states. It requires us to carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road and continue to enhance our comprehensive cooperation and mutual development in order to deepen the Sino-Arab strategic relationship of cooperation."
Xi Jinping stresses the two sides should persist in the building of the Silk Road economic belt and the 21st century maritime Silk Road.
"It's mutually beneficial for us to build the economic belt and maritime Silk Road, as they'll bring our economies closer and will promote infrastructure construction and institutional innovations. They will help create new sources for economic growth and employment, while at the same time enhancing our endogenous power and anti-risk capabilities in economic growth".
The Chinese president also calls on both parties to be frank with each other in political communications.
"We should be frank with each other, never be afraid of differences, and never evade problems. We should communicate with each other about our respective foreign policies as well as development strategies to enhance our political mutual trust while promoting the coordination of our co-development strategies so as to promote Sino-Arab cooperation through policy support."
Also at the meeting, Xi Jinping has repeated a call for a political resolution to the Syrian crisis.
He says in order to help resolve the crisis, China will provide a new batch of humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan, as well as other countries."
"China respects the reasonable demands of the Syrian people, and supports the early adoption of the Geneva communique and the opening of an inclusive political process to bring about a political resolution to the Syrian issue."
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the CASCF.
China is currently the second biggest trade partner of Arab countries, with a bilateral trade volume of almost 240 billion US dollars last year.
For CRI, this is Xie Zhao.
 
 
Putin lambastes U.S. policy as "most aggressive, toughest"
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he's ready to meet US President Barack Obama in France, but he also lists US foreign policy as "the most aggressive and toughest."
Putin made the remarks in an interview with French television channel TF1.
"Concerning the policy of the United States, it's a secret to nobody. The country that carries out the most aggressive and toughest international policy in order to protect its interests according to its leaders, is the United States, and this has been so for a long time. We have almost no military presence abroad, meanwhile American army bases are everywhere on the entire planet. Wherever they are, they take active measures to decide the fate of other people, thousands of kilometres from their borders."
U.S. President Barack Obama has declined to offer Putin a formal meeting, though both of them will be in Normandy to attend the anniversary commemorations.
The Russian president has been invited to France to attend a commemoration ceremony for the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
But Putin isn't going to Brussels as he has been banned from the ongoing Group of Seven, or G7, summit.
G7 leaders have urged Putin to stop destabilizing Ukraine or face further sanctions. But G7 leaders from Britain, France and Germany are still set to meet Putin in France.
Obama has accused Russia of using "dark tactics" to violate Ukraine's sovereignty.
The Russian leader has dismissed the allegations of Russian military interference in Ukraine, delivering a scathing attack on U.S. attempts to isolate his country over the Ukraine crisis.
He has also accused the United States of hypocrisy in its "aggressive" attempts to punish Russia over Ukraine.
 
 
S. Korea slams Japan's repeated claim over disputed islets
 
Seoul has slammed Tokyo for its repeated territorial claim over a pair of islets, called Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, lying halfway between the two countries.
Noh Kwang-il, South Korean Foreign Ministry Spokesperson.
"Japan's nationalist politicians held another so-called 'Tokyo Rally' again, following the previous one in 2012, repeating their nonsensical claim over our territory, and the Japanese government repeated its provocative action by sending a senior official to the rally."
A group of nationalistic cross-party Japanese lawmakers, and officials and fishermen from the Shimane Prefecture attended the meeting held in Tokyo, with the stated aim of resolving the territorial dispute with Seoul.
The Japanese government has sent Masazumi Gotoda, senior vice minister of the Cabinet Office, to the controversial meeting, causing a strong backlash from its neighbor.
In 1905, the militaristic Japanese government unilaterally incorporated the islets into the Shimane Prefecture. Korea was colonized by Japan between 1910 and 1945.
South Korea has controlled the rocky outcrops since 1954 when it stationed border guards there.
The ministry has called for the Japanese government to repent for the massive damage and suffering it inflicted on its neighboring countries in the past and stop laying territorial claim to the Dokdo islets.
Otherwise, it says improved ties between Seoul and Tokyo will be difficult to achieve.
 
 
Opening of Asia Europe Meeting Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
 
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has opened an international conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, with a call for a "focused, international effort" to combat climate change.
"Is it not incumbent upon all of us to address the problem of climate change as one global community in the soonest possible time? This is why we are here today. Because we all agree that we cannot sit idly by as the effects of climate change worsen. It is vital, now more than ever, that we mount a focused, international effort to address the threats posed by climate change, and to build communities that are resilient in the face of disaster."
Kristalina Georgieva, the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, says that "international cooperation" is essential in achieving that goal.
"We take international cooperation as the only way forward. No country is rich enough on its own to cope with this more difficult fragile future."
Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in November, killing at least 6,300 and displacing four million.
The government's disaster management agency reported in April that the typhoon alone caused at least 90 billion pesos, that's around 2 billion US dollars worth of damage.
 
 
China faces "serious" environmental challenges
 
Anchor:
China has released an official report highlighting the challenges it is facing in protecting its water, air and soil.
The report comes ahead of World Environmental Protection Day today.
CRI's Cao Yuwei has more.
Reporter:
According to the report that reviews environmental data from last year, China's environment has improved in general, but conditions remain grim.
Li Ganjie, vice minister of environmental protection, quotes the report as saying that air quality issues in major cities are "serious".
"According to the newly released National Ambient Air Quality Standards, among 74 cities applying the standard, only 4.1% have met it. And acid rain, which mainly affected the areas along the Yangtze River, especially the southern side of the middle and lower reaches, polluted around 10.6 percent of the nation's land."
Water quality across China is less than ideal.
According to the report, in 2013, among China's top 10 river valleys, about 9 percent of water sections were classified as the worst level.
And the quality of groundwater assessed in over 60 percent of monitoring sites was rated between poor and extremely poor.
Another alarming condition is the deteriorating quality of land.
Besides pollution and degradation, the report finds that almost one third of the country's land area is threatened by soil erosion.
Against that backdrop, authorities have called for improvements to the legal system, a more environmentally friendly development outlook, and better institutions to protect the worsening environment.
Li Ganjie, vice minister of environmental protection, says to tackle the pollution issue, sources of the problem need to be identified and dealt with.
"First, we should maintain good quality in areas that enjoy good quality. As for severely polluted waters, especially in areas where the public is most affected, we need to control, eliminate, or wipe out issues affecting water quality."
In April, the top legislature approved a revised law on environmental protection, stipulating that environmental protection is a basic policy of the country, prioritizing protection over economic development.
As for air quality in cities, a five-year action plan in 2013 stipulated cuts in coal use and the density of inhalable particulate matter, as well as the closure of polluting enterprises.
According to a recent UN report, China is ranking as the number-one nation in terms of investment in renewable energy.
For CRI, this is Cao Yuwei.
 
 
Q&A on China's effort and challenges on the issues of environmental protection
 
With more on environmental protection issues here in China, CRI's Zheng Chenguang spoke earlier with Professor Zhang Shiqiu, Director at the Institute of Environment and Economy at Peking University in Beijing.
…
Back Anchor:
That was Professor Zhang Shiqiu, Director at the Institute of Environment and Economy at Peking University in Beijing, speaking with CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
 
 
Debate on whether to keep English in Gaokao still on
 
Anchor: Debate is still raging over the value of studying English even after the Ministry of Education recently denied that English would be removed from the "gaokao", China's national college entrance examination. Li Dong has more details.
Reporter:
"In our daily teaching, the average time each student speaks English is only a few minutes, sometimes even less than 1 minute. And most people don't need to use it at all."
"I think English can help us narrow the technological and cultural gap between China and other countries. It's a great tool."
In 1984, English was listed as a priority test subject in the gaokao.
However, English classes in school have been criticized for stressing grammar and vocabulary over listening and speaking. Students are taught to score well in tests rather than master communication.
A survey by Shanghai International Studies University reveals that fewer than 5 percent of Chinese who have learned English could communicate smoothly in English without stumbling.
English also stands accused of harming the purity of the Chinese language.
The People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China, said in an editorial this month that the influx of imported words was harming the purity of the Chinese language.
Thus, many people hold that English should be removed from the Gaokao, and the time saved should be returned to other subjects. At least, English test should be optional to ease the burden of students.
But, Wang Qingguo, a scholar from Shenzhen University doesn't agree. He says English is a necessary ability for Chinese people to understand the world.
"We need to improve students' ability to put English to practical use, rather than debating whether this subject should be removed from the Gaokao."
And this parent agrees that even if English is removed from the Gaokao, this should not be the end of English learning, rather it should be the beginning of learning the language more rationally.
"When we are discussing keeping or removing English, we should not mislead students into thinking that removing English from the Gaokao is the same thing as thinking that English is useless. What we need to do is to remove test-oriented English learning and build a more rational learning and test mechanism."
The Ministry of Education recently revealed that the plan to change the English test in the gaokao is still under consideration, but it will not downplay English education. In October, Beijing Municipality announced a plan to reduce the value of English by shifting points to Chinese in college entrance exams from 2016.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stocks
 
Asian equities closed mixed in choppy trading Thursday, as traders braced for a highly-anticipated European Central Bank meeting.
But China's benchmark Shanghai Composite reversed earlier losses to jump 0.8 percent, snapping a four-day losing streak and bouncing off Wednesday's two-week low.
The Shenzhen Component Index gained over one percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 0.2 percent, retreating further from Tuesday's five-month high.
Japan's Nikkei ended marginally higher, marking a fourth straight gain.
Softbank, the principal owner of Sprint, ended 0.3 percent higher on news that the U.S. firm is closing in on an agreement to pay $40 a share to buy T-Mobile US.
South Korea's KOSPI ended at a three-week low as investors sold off shares before Friday's Memorial Day holiday.
Markets were also shut Wednesday for regional elections.
Among the biggest losers, Kia Motors closed down 1.7 percent while Samsung Electronics eased nearly 1 percent.
and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.1 percent.
 
 
China's May HSBC services PMI eases to four-month low of 50.7
 
A private survey shows that growth in China's services sector retreated to a four-month low in May.
The services purchasing managers' index compiled by HSBC and Markit slipped to 50.7 in May from April's 51.4.
Readings above 50 indicates expansion.
The new data contrasts with official data which raised hopes that the world's second-largest economy may have steadied last month.
But three separate PMI polls released in the past week all showed China's factory and services sectors enjoying their best performance in four or five months in May.
 
 
Starbucks to open 300 new stores by 2015
 
The Starbucks Coffee Company is expected to open at least 300 new stores in China by the end of next year.
Starbucks' top executive Howard Schultz announced the expansion plan during his ongoing visit to China.
He says the company will have over 1,500 stores in the country by 2015. The chain currently has 1,200 stores in 68 cities across the Chinese nation.
Schultz, founder of the Starbucks Foundation, also announced a 3 million dollars investment in China, including 1.5 million to the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation.
 
 
FTSE readies new global index series to include China A-shares
 
Global index provider FTSE Group is to introduce a new series of indexes that will allow investors to include China's mainland A-shares in global benchmarks at their discretion.
The new series, known as the FTSE Global R/QFII Index Series, is designed to allow investors to transition into investing in China's onshore equity market.
FTSE's standard global benchmarks currently do not include China A-shares.
China is gradually opening up its domestic markets to foreign investors.
For foreign investors to gain access to the A-shares market, they must do so through a quota system known as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor scheme.
The new FTSE index series will be available starting June 17.
 
 
Qualcomm to sell its first China-specific chips this year
 
World's No.1 smartphone chipmaker Qualcomm plans to sell its first smartphone chips tailored to China this year.
Three chipsets unveiled in February will appear in Chinese handsets before anywhere else.
The majority of its chips end up in high-priced phones such as Apple's iPhone.
But the U.S. chip maker is adapting to the Chinese market where growth is increasingly driven by low-priced handsets.
 
 
ECB set for growth-boosting interest rate cut
 
Anchor:
Expectations are running high that the European Central Bank will loosen its monetary policy at its meeting on Thursday.
Most expect at least a cut to the benchmark interest rate, while others say the ECB will go further.
It is thought that the ECB could introduce negative rates on deposits, in an effort to boost bank lending.
This would mean banks would pay to keep money at the central bank, rather than receiving interest.
Recent economic indicators show that the recovery in the eurozone is subdued at best.
On Tuesday, figures showed that inflation fell to half a percent in May, considerably below the ECB's goal of just below 2%.
This has raised the threat of deflation.
Meanwhile, unemployment continues to plague the eurozone.
Now for more on this, Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Cao Can, CRI's Financial commentator.
…
Back to Anchor:
Cao Can, CRI's Financial commentator.
 
 
GlaxoSmithKline in $105m settlement with 44 US states
 
UK pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to a 105 million US dollar settlement with 44 US states and the District of Columbia over allegations it mis-promoted three drugs.
The drugs are asthma medication Advair and anti-depressants Paxil and Wellbutrin.
GSK did not admit any wrongdoing, and said the charges came from past issues.
As part of the settlement, GSK must extend its Patient First Program until 2019, which prohibits financial incentives for its sales people.
It is also prohibited from paying doctors to speak about GSK's products or attend conferences.
The firm, which is one of the UK's largest companies, is also facing a criminal inquiry from the UK's Serious Fraud Office.
 
 
Remy Cointreau profits hit after China corruption crackdown
 
Operating profits at the French spirits group Remy Cointreau have fallen 40 percent following a crackdown on corruption in China.
The campaign has reduced gift-giving and spending on luxury goods by civil servants, which has hit sales of Remy Cointreau's premium brands.
Remy, which makes Remy Martin Cognac and Cointreau liqueur, said it would cut its dividend by 9.3 percent.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
China, Arab states to enhance exchanges to mark "friendship years"
 
China and Arab states have decided to designate 2014 and 2015 as the years of China-Arab friendship, and hold a series of friendly exchange events within the framework.
President Xi Jinping made the announcement at the opening ceremony of the sixth ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum held in Beijing.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the forum. It will focus on the building of the Silk Road economic belt and the 21st century maritime Silk Road.
The "One Belt and One Road" concept was put forward by the Chinese leader during his visit to Central Asia and Southeast Asia last year.
 
 
G7 leaders warn Russia of fresh sanctions over Ukraine
 
Leaders of the G7 industrial nations meeting in Brussels say they are prepared to impose further sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
In a joint statement, the leaders condemned Moscow for its "continuing violation" of Ukraine's sovereignty.
The summit is the first since Russia was expelled from the G7 following its annexation of Crimea in March.
 
 
G7 stops short of endorsing Japan's anti-China rhetoric
 
Leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized nations have stopped short of endorsing Japan's anti-China rhetoric at a meeting in Brussels.
In a statement, the G7 leaders expressed their concern over tensions in the East and South China Sea, without specifying any country.
Japan had reportedly pushed the G7 to single out China for the rising regional tensions, hoping to apply international pressure on China in its territorial disputes with Beijing.
 
 
Assets of Yingluck, former Thai ministers to be investigated
 
Thailand's anti-corruption agency has set up a committee to investigate the assets of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and several former ministers who were involved in the controversial rice- pledging scheme.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission ruled early last month that Yingluck was derelict in her role overseeing the rice-subsidy program that cost as much as 21 billion US dollars.
The commission holds that Yingluck failed to prevent or stop fraud in the program.
Yingluck was forced to step down on May 7 after the Constitutional Court found her guilty of abusing power.
 
 
Palestine vows response against Israeli settlement plans
 
The Palestinian presidency has warned of unprecedented response to Israel's bids to build new 1,500 settler units in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.
A spokesman for the Palestinian president says there can be no peace when Israel is going on with its settlement activities.
Earlier, Israel's housing ministry said it is advancing plans for 1,500 new settlement housing units in areas the Palestinians claim for their future state.
The move is in response to the new Palestinian unity government backed by militant group Hamas.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
China News Service
"China set to adopt smart transport technology"
China's Ministry of Transport has announced a guideline to adopt an intelligent public transport system to improve efficiency and reduce traffic congestion.
The ministry said real-time information should be easily accessible via websites, electronic boards, apps and hotlines.
Citizens are also encouraged to make suggestions, comments and complaints about public transport services.
In future, citizens waiting for buses will be able to use their smartphones to find out updated arrival times, and also whether buses are jammed with passengers.
Beijing has already launched an app that provides real-time departure and arrival information for 125 of the 1,000 or more bus routes in the city.
Nature Culture Daily
"Fake sick leave certificates target soccer fans"
Some online shops have started to sell sick leave certificates for those who want to burn the midnight oil watching live Brazil World Cup games.
Most of the matches in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, which starts on June 13, will start at midnight Beijing time. And many Chinese fans who watch the games may feel too tired for work the next day.
The online shops are selling sick leave certificates priced from 10 yuan to 300 yuan that purport to have been issued by doctors in hospitals.
The certificates can excuse the fans' absence from work to rest at home after watching the games.
Law experts said that those who make, sell or use such sick leave certificates are breaking the law and will be punished.
Channel News Asia
"More than half the mobile phones in SEA are smartphones: Research"
Smartphone sales continue to grow in South-East Asia.
Market research company GFK says 18 million units were sold in the first three months of this year.
The volume of smartphone sales grew 43 per cent in the first quarter over the same period last year.
The company says a mix of Chinese and local brands have penetrated into the smartphone markets of emerging economies.
Those brands are usually very attractively priced to appeal to the low-end segment, managing to convert those consumers who cannot afford the premium phones."
The report noted that smartphones priced lower than 100 US dollars turned in the strongest growth, accounting for some one third of the overall sales value in the first quarter.
BBC
"Softbank unveils 'human-like' robot Pepper"
Japanese firm Softbank has unveiled a robot called Pepper, which it says can read human emotions.
It uses an "emotional engine" and a cloud-based artificial intelligence system that allows it to analyse gestures, expressions and voice tones.
The firm said people could communicate with it "just like they would with friends and family".
It can also perform various tasks.
It will go on sale to the public next year for,930 US dollars.
Softbank said it planned to subsequently station Pepper at more of its stores nationwide.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
China Caravan Expo Held in Beijing
 
Anchor:
Hundreds of camping enthusiasts from across China and beyond are descending on a campsite in suburban Beijing for the country's first-ever international camping and motorhome rally.
CRI's Xie Zhao reports.
Reporter:
The 80th International F.I.C.C. Rally is bringing together both those who are already a part of China's emerging motorhome world and those keen to join it.
As one of the rally participants, Gu Yuxin, bought his first Recreational Vehicle, or RV, in 2011 and has already upgraded to a new one since then.
He says it lets him link with a larger community of like-minded travelers by joining online camping and caravanning interest groups in China.
"Me and other travellers chat in online chat groups every day. We stay in touch and go travelling together when time permits. Our community allows us to travel more and spend more time together. And lots of RV companies organize trips for customers."
These online interest groups in China have attracted tens of thousands of participants.
Li Sixin, deputy general manager for RV International Trade and Marketing says they have a strong faith in China's market.
"Our sales figures grow by 30 to 50 percent every year. We sold 160 RVs last year, and we're aiming for 300 this year. This year, we've already sold 150 in less than six months."
Despite this, not everyone in China can afford an RV or camping trailer, which could cost tens of thousands of yuan.
Therefore, retailers like LEHERO have scrambled to fill the niche in China's market.
They carry a full line of camping products targeted at China's burgeoning group of SUV owners, which can give them the chance to join in the camping adventure by converting their car roof into a temporary, portable camping space.
Wang Han, LEHERO's general manager, is confident that products like this will be a hit with Chinese consumers.
"Consumers are becoming interested in exploring the wilderness and to enjoy their lives. Also, they are able to afford entertainment. And the total amount of automobiles in China ranks high in the world. These reasons make a booming market in China possible."
The 80th F.I.C.C. Rally is on until this Sunday in Yanqing County, near the Great Wall, northwest Beijing.
Organizers and retailers are hoping more people in China will soon be joining these participants on the open road.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
 
 
Sports
 
 
The Netherlands beat Wales 2-0, while England were held to a 2-2 draw by Ecuador
 
More football news from the World Cup preparations,
Three warm-up matches wrapped up earlier today with 2010 tournament finalist the Netherlands beating Wales 2-nil.
Roy Hodgson's England were held to a 2-2 draw by Ecuador.
The lively friendly wasn't all desirable as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared to twist a knee during the game, putting his participation in the World Cup finals in doubt.
But Roy Hodgson said he could come to terms with it.
I'm disappointed with a potential injury to one of our players. But as a friendly match, as a warm-up match, it answered all of the things that we were looking for."
England's final warm-up game will be against Honduras this Saturday in Miami.
The team have been drawn with Italy, Uruguay and Costa Rica in Group D.
Also this morning, Argentina made easy work of Trinidad and Tobago 3-nil in their penultimate warm-up in Buenos Aires.
Argentina face Slovenia in their warm-up game on Saturday before beginning their campaign with the Group F clash against tournament debutants Bosnia and Herzegovina on 15th June.
 
 
Alibaba becomes a co-owner of Guangzhou Evergrande
 
Starting off with a blockbuster event in Chinese football,
China's largest e-commerce giant Alibaba has become a part owner of the country's top football club Guangzhou Evergrande, with a 1.2 billion yuan investment.
Alibaba has made the investment, which is roughly 190 million US dollars, in order to acquire a 50 percent stake in the Asian Championship's top club.
Evergrande's owner Xu Jiayin says having Alibaba onboard will help consolidate Guangzhou's supremacy in the Chinese Super League and give the club more means to make its footprint on the world football stage.
Evergrande's rise to Asian prominance has stunned many.
The club was promoted to the country's top flight back in 2011, and won the title in the very season before they went on to successfully defend the crown in the next two consecutive seasons.
Last year the club, under much famed world cup winning coach Marcello Lippi, claimed the Asian Champions League title, becoming China's first Asian champions since the country launched the professional league in 1994.
 
 
Maria Sharapova faces Eugenie Bouchard in semifinal at Roland Garros
 
Coming up in the French Open tennis championship,
Seventh seed Maria Sharapova will be fighting for her place in the final when she takes on Canadian Eugenie Bouchard in just over an hour from now.
20-year-old Bouchard came into the match with a three-set rout of Spaniard Carla Surez Navarro in their quarterfinal meeting and became the first ever Canadian woman to reach the last four at Roland Garros.
Sharapova, who went down to Serena Wlilliams in the final last year, will be searching for her second title at Roland Garros, having won her first in 2012.
Also tonight, fourth seed Simona Halep will engage Germany's Andrea Petkovic in the other semifinal.
Both players will be appearing in their first grand slam semifinals.
Romanian Halep cruised into the last four after dispatching former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in two straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
Petkovic reached the semifinals after outplaying 10th seed Sara Errani of Italy with the same score.
Earlier in the men's draw,
Clay king and defending champion Rafael Nadal got the better of his compatriot David Ferrer in four sets 4-6, 6-4, 6-love, 6-1 to claim his semifinal berth.
Ferrer, who was seeded fifth in the tournament, said he simply lost concentration after the second set.
"Well, I think it was not a good match for both players. We did a lot of mistakes, first and second set. I lost the second set. In the third I lost my concentration, my focus. I did a lot of mistakes. It was my fault. Anyway, Rafael, in the third and the fourth he played better and did less mistakes."
Ferrer's defeat helped Nadal stay on course for his fifth consecutive title at Roland Garros.
But before that happens, he will take on Britain's number one player Andy Murray in the final four.
Murray became the latest to join the last four, for the first time in two years, after he knocked out Frenchman Gael Monfils in five sets 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 1-6, 6-love.
The match-up between Nadal and Murray will take place after the other semifinal between second seed Novak Djokovic and Latvia's Ernests Gulbis.
 
 
San Antonio and Miami gear up for finals showdown
 
In basketball,
After a brief recess, the San Antonio Spurs and defending chamipions Miami are now ready to get down to business as the opening game of their best-of-seven NBA Final is just hours away.
San Antonio power forward Tim Duncan said earlier that the Spurs would not repeat last year's heartbreaking, seven-game loss to Miami.
But Heat forward LeBron James said he didn't believe that motivation matters much once the game begins.
"You know I think they are motivated, I think motivation can only go so far, how much motivation can carry you to a championship, I'm not sure, at the end of the day, five, ten guys on the floor, three refs and one basketball, you got to make plays, I can't shoot the ball and say motivation will make it go in."
Miami are seeking a third straight championship, having beaten the Spurs last season and Oklahoma City in 2012 for the title.
But unlike last year's finals, the Spurs will have the home-court advantage to start, as the first two games of the series are in San Antonio and the next two are in Miami.
Off the court,
It's now been confirmed that embattled L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling has agreed to sign off on selling the team to fomer Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Sterling's attorney says Sterling has approved a deal negotiated by his wife Shelly Sterling to sell the team, and has also decided to drop his lawsuit against the league.
The attorney meanwhile suggested that the sale will amount to a record 2 billion US dollars.
The deal will be subject to approval by a majority of the other NBA owners.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Full list of films in competition during Shanghai Film Festival released
 
The Committee of the 17th Shanghai Film Festival has released the second batch of films in competition.
The four films are Brad Anderson's psychological movie, 'Eliza Graves', Korean action movie, 'The Target', World War II jungle survival story 'Canopy' and 'The Sacred Arrow'.
Now, with the 11 films announced last week, all 15 films will compete for the festival's highest honour, the Golden Goblet.
This year's opening film will feature the restored classic 'Two Stage Sisters', a film by late Chinese director Xie Jin in 1964.
And it will close with 'Transformers: Age of Extinction'.
The jury at the festival will be led by Chinese actress Gong Li.
It is the first time a woman has headed the jury at the festival.
Back last month at the Cannes Film Festival another woman, Jane Campion, headed the jury for the first time.
Also joining Gong Li are Korean director Im Sang-soo, British director Sally Potter, Danish director Lone Scherfig, Chinese director Liu Jie, Iranian actor Peyman Moaadi and Japanese director Shunji Iwai.
This year's festival will run from June 14 till 22.
 
 
Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton big winner at CMT awards
 
Carrie Underwood has shone at the Country Music Television awards.
Picking up her third straight "Video of the Year" award, Underwood took top the honour for "See You Again".
In her acceptance speech, she took some time to thank her fans.
"Fans, thank you, so much. You've been awesome to me. It's really hard to believe, I've been doing this for nine years but every single second of those nine years you guys have been amazing."
The former "American Idol" champion has made to the CMT's top overall winner with 11 trophies.
Meanwhile, the male 'Video of the Year' award has gone to Blake Shelton, who had bet against himself in the category.
Shelton won for "Doin' What She Likes".
"Honestly, I am shocked to be standing here holding this. I'm freaking out because Cassadee won, I'm so excited for her, so y'all have made this already an unbelievable night for me."
Coached under Shelton in singing show "The Voice", Cassadee Pope has received the Breakthrough Video of the Year award, which definitely adds a color of glory to Shelton.
Elsewhere, Alan Jackson was awarded his first CMT Impact Award.
Jackson is celebrating the 25th year of his career.
Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line won collaboration of the year.
The band Perry secured Group Video of the Year.
 
 
Jonah Hill avoids press at NY premiere after apologizing for gay slur
 
Channing Tatum has hit the red carpet for the premiere of comedy movie "22 Jump Street" in New York.
But his co-star Jonah Hill left the event early, saying he had to go to take part in the TV show "The Colbert Report".
Hill stood outside taking photos and waved to fans before rushing away.
On Tuesday, Hill apologized for using a gay slur against a paparazzi photographer, acknowledging that he used, quote, "a disgusting word".
Hill was caught on video berating a cameraman who was badgering him.
At the premiere, Tatum stood up for his partner.
"Look it's unfortunate. I think it's awkward for him obviously because I think people can tell that he didn't mean that. It was just the thing out of like a hateful moment when someone was being hateful to him and he said probably the most hateful thing that he could think of and not even thinking. You know, it was unfortunate."
"22 Jump Street" is the sequel to "21 Jump Street", which made more than 200 million U.S. dollars worldwide in 2012.
In the sequel, Hill and Tatum move on from high school to college as undercover agents and attend fraternity parties, play American football and jump onto semi-trailer trucks at 90 miles per hour.
The new film will hit U.S. screens next Friday.
 
 
Exo-M's Kris expected to Star in City of Fantasy
 
An insider reveals that South Korean pop band EXO-M's leader Kris is expected to star in Chinese Young Adult writer Guo Jingming's novel 'City of Fantasy'.
The story is circulating on the Sina Weibo microblog, while it's not yet officially confirmed.
The source also reveals that 'City of Fantasy' invested by Huace Film & TV is scheduled to shoot in the latter half of the year.
Tiny Times' main actor Chen Xuedong and Guo Biting will also star in the movie.
City of Fantasy was Guo Jingming's first novel and was published in 2003. It made his name.
But the novel has been criticized by readers for its plagiarism of a Japanese cartoon and Chinese movie.
Guo achieved bigger success with his book-turned-movie, Tiny Times 1 and 2 last summer.
Tiny Times 3 is set to be released in July this year.
 
 
'Penny Dreadful' booked for second season
 
'Penny Dreadful' has been renewed for a second season by U.S. cable network Showtime.
The horror drama will be made into ten episodes in the second season, two more than the first one.
Three-times Oscar nominee John Logan wrote all eight episodes for the first season.
The second season is due to be aired next year.
 
 
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Chinese president Xi Jinping has called for a deepening of the Sino-Arab strategic relationship of cooperation at a Sino-Arab forum in Beijinjg.
Russia’s President Putin has called US foreign policy ‘aggressive and tough’, but says he's ready to meet US President Obama in France.
In Brussels, the leaders of the seven industrialized nations are discussing the situation in Ukraine.
In business, growth in China's services sector retreated to a four-month low in May.
In Sport, China's largest e-commerce giant Alibaba has become part owner of the country's top football club Guangzhou Evergrande.
In entertainment, Hollywood sci-fi film "Edge of Tomorrow" is set to hit Chinese cinemas.