新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2014/06/10

The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
Shane Bigham with you this Tuesday, June 10th 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening,
China's cabinet has released an assessment of Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" policy, outlining economic progress and social development.
The Chinese government is calling for order on the seas, saying maritime disputes need to be settled through negotiations.
And China's foreign minister has wrapped up a two-day visit to India.
In business, China's CPI reading jumps to a 4-month high.
In sport, home court for the Heat, heading back to Miami in the NBA finals.
In entertainment, Jennifer Lopez quits the World Cup opening ceremony.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will have thundershowers tonight with a low of 17 degrees Celsius. Sunny tomorrow with a high of 29 degrees.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be overcast tonight, with a low of 21, cloudy tomorrow, with a high of 28.
Chongqing will have showers, 21 degrees the low,　overcast tomorrow with a high of 28.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 42.
Kabul, sunny, 29.
Over in Australia
Sydney, cloudy, high of 18.
Canberra, mostly sunny, 16.
Brisbane, partly cloudy, 23.
And finally, Perth will be mostly sunny with a high of 18.
 
 
Top News
 
 
State Council issues white paper on "one country two systems" policy in HK
 
Anchor:
The Information Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, has issued a white paper on the implementation of the "one country, two systems" policy in Hong Kong.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Reporter:
The white paper outlines social progress and economic development in Hong Kong after its return to China in July 1997.
It says as part of the "one country, two systems" policy, the central government maintains the Basic Law of Hong Kong and supports the administration of the chief executive and government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The Hong Kong SAR exercises a high degree of autonomy based on the law, and is vested with executive, legislative and independent judicial power.
The white paper says the election of the chief executive of the SAR has become increasingly democratic.
In 2007, the 31st Session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress said that the election of the fifth chief executive of Hong Kong in 2017 may be carried out by universal suffrage.
Meanwhile, the election of Hong Kong's Legislative Council could also be implemented via universal suffrage.
In terms of economic development, the white paper says Hong Kong has maintained steady growth from 1997 to 2013, as the gross regional product grew by 3.4 percent annually.
Over the years, Hong Kong has also generally been recognized as one of the world's freest economies.
In the World Bank's World Investment Report 2013, Hong Kong was ranked third in the world in attracting foreign direct investment.
The region also continues to provide quality medical and health care services, as the budget on the health sector accounts for 17 percent of expenditures in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
The paper also calls for enhanced cooperation and exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland to boost communication and understanding.
Hong Kong's city government has welcomed the whitepaper, saying the government will facilitate public access to the paper through different channels.
The "one country, two systems" policy was first put forward by late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s.
The groundbreaking policy, which aims to realize the peaceful reunification of the country, allows Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan to retain their capitalist systems while the mainland adheres to the socialist system.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
 
 
China calls for peaceful settlement of maritime disputes
 
China is calling for order on the seas, stressing that maritime disputes should be settled through direct negotiation.
Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, made the call at a meeting to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The ambassador says China is a staunch defender and promoter of international maritime rule of law and the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes.
Earlier, the Chinese envoy sent a note to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, presenting documents making clear Vietnam's provocation and China's stance regarding the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea.
 
 
Chinese FM wraps up two-day India visit
 
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has concluded a two-day official visit to India, marking the end of India's first high-level meeting since its general election last month.
During his visit, the Chinese Foreign Minister met with the new Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Wang Yi has said China would like to work with India in its development plan with more investment.
"The new Indian government is moving forward with a strategy to develop its east region, and China is working to develop its west region. We can well cooperate in this field and promote our development together. China is ready to invest more in India, particularly in sectors in which China has excelled in expertise like infrastructure and manufacturing."
Earlier on Monday, Modi's new government spelled out its foreign policy in the Indian parliament, saying that India will engage "energetically" with China to develop strategic and cooperative partnerships.
The decades-old border dispute between China and India was also discussed.
Wang Yi stated he hopes the two sides will continue dialogue on the issue.
The two countries have also decided to increase the frequency of high-level visits.
 
 
South Korean sunken ferry crew go on trial
 
Fifteen crew members from the sunken South Korean ferry Sewol have gone on trial in a local district court.
The crew members are facing charges of negligence and failing to save the over 300 people, mostly high school students, who died or are missing after the disaster.
Relatives of the victims packed the court in Gwangju, the closest city to the scene of the disaster.
All surviving crew members responsible for the ship's navigation have been charged with negligence and with failing to do their duty to protect passengers.
Captain Lee Joon-seok and three others are facing the most serious charges of "homicide through willful negligence".
Earlier, South Korean President Park Geun-hye also urged police to capture the head of the family that owns the operator of the sunken ferry.
"Prosecutors and police have been making efforts to capture Yoo Byung-Un, but it does not make any sense that they haven't caught him yet. They need to recheck arresting methods and explore every possible means to bring Yoo to justice."
Yoo is wanted on charges of embezzlement, negligence and tax evasion.
So far 292 bodies including those of four Chinese nationals have been retrieved. 12 others are listed as missing.
The ferry sank in April.
 
 
Attackers might be foreigners and severe warn by Pakistan Interior Minister
 
Several people have been injured when unknown gunmen attacked an airport security force's camp near Pakistan's busiest airport Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
This comes after a similar assault at the airport on Sunday leaving at least 38 people dead, including ten attackers.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said the perpetrators may have been foreigners, warning the whole country to be on the alert.
"I was told that apparently their features show that they are foreigners. But this can only be confirmed after biometric examinations and post mortems of the bodies have been recovered."
On Monday, the Pakistani Taliban threatened more attacks after admitting responsibility for Sunday's assault.
The Taliban says the attack was in revenge for the killing last November of the militant group's leader in a US drone strike.
 
 
Iran, Turkey further boosts bilateral ties
 
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has been meeting with Turkish officials in Ankara in an attempt to shore up ties among the two countries.
Rouhani's state visit to Turkey is the first for an Iranian president since 1996.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says both sides want to build a preferential trade partnership agreement.
"We discussed all of this. Both sides have already pledged to turn this unfortunate course around and to reach our goal of 30 billion US dollars."
Rouhani has overseen the signing of a number of deals connected to banking, transportation and energy.
When it comes to the Iranian nuclear issue, Rouhani says his side appreciates the position Turkey has held.
"On the nuclear issue, we share similar points of views. We discussed it. Turkey has always been cooperative regarding this issue (nuclear), both during the P5+1 negotiations and also on the fair rights of all those countries which are after peaceful nuclear technology."
The talks come after years of relative estrangement between the two countries.
Iran and Turkey have had a cool relationship for the past 20-years, as previous Turkish governments have allied themselves with Europe.
But Rouhani's election last year has allowed the two Islamic countries to become more diplomatically engaged.
 
 
'20 women abducted' in northern Nigeria
 
Suspected Boko Haram militants have abducted at least 20 women from an area close to where more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped in northern Nigeria a few weeks ago.
Eyewitnesses say the women were loaded onto vans at gunpoint and driven away to an unknown location in Borno state.
The army has not commented on the incident.
The Nigerian military has faced mounting criticism for failing to stop militant attacks in the north-east.
 
 
Seven men arrested for sexual assault in Cairo
 
Seven men have been arrested in the Egyptian capital, accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old student in Cairo's central Tahrir Square.
The alleged assault happened during the inauguration of Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi as the country's new president.
A woman has been admitted to hospital, but details of her condition have not been released by authorities.
According to security officials, 27 other complaints of sexual harassment during Sunday's rallies are being investigated.
Sexual violence in Egypt has increased during the past three years following the 2011 uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak.
Activists complain that new laws have not done enough.
"What happened yesterday near Tahrir Square was sexual harassment and rape by using sharp objects. It proves that a weak law or even 10 initiatives will not be able to put an end to crimes of sexual violence against women and girls. Policy makers should have a complete patriotic plan."
Sexual harassment has been one of Egypt's enduring social ills.
To curb it , a new decree declaring it a crime and can be punished by up to five years in prison has just been issued by the authorities last week.
 
 
Low Carbon Day
 
Anchor:
Today marks China's second National Low-Carbon Day, introduced by the State Council in its bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions across the country.
The initiative is part of a series of activities being held during this Energy Saving and Environmental Protection Promotion Week.
Li Dong has the details.
Reporter:
Southern China's Guangdong provincial government is calling on staff in all official agencies and public offices to reduce the use of elevators, turn off the lights when rooms are not in use, and suspend the use of air conditioners on June 10.
The purpose of the move is to remind people what it feels like to deal with an energy shortage and make people aware of how much energy they use.
Ordinary people have voiced opinions on this.
"Low carbon life is good. But we should not be superficial in our actions. It's not enough to shut off the air conditioner on this particular day only."
"The government is supposed to set an example of promoting low carbon and energy savings. Only by governments practicing what they preach can the public follow the example."
In Beijing, the 8th International Energy Saving Exhibition is happening in conjunction with the weeklong low-carbon campaign.
Various high tech and innovative energy saving products are on display at the expo. Eco-transport and air cleaning products are the highlights of the event.
A volunteer uses software to show visitors how our daily habits are contributing to carbon emission.
"For instance, you just input, in a year, how many kilometers you drive, whether your car is a low emission type, plus the electricity and other energy you use in your life, and the software shows how many trees you need to plant to balance the carbon footprint you make."
Promoting the use of public transport is considered an efficient way to cut energy use and reduce carbon emission.
Zhou Yifan, deputy director of Beijing Association to Promote Energy Consumption and Environmental Protection, explains.
"According to official plans, an estimated 23 subway lines will be in service in Beijing by 2018. The total length of the transit system may exceed 700 kilometers. Using subways and reducing the use of other vehicles which burns gasoline and diesel may make Beijing's sky more blue."
China introduced the National Low-carbon Day last year.
The activity is aimed at promoting awareness about climate change and low-carbon development policies, encouraging public participation and facilitating the country's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Gender Equality in Workforce
 
Despite gender equality being enshrined in the Chinese constitution, many women in this country complain they're still finding it difficult to climb the corporate ladder.
Salaries for women doing work similar to their male counterparts still lags behind.
And with more women entering into the job market following college, concerns are being raised about issues surrounding gender disparities in the work place.
To that end, CRI's Zheng Chenguang spoke earlier with Julia Broussard, country program manager at the UN Women China Office.
…
Julia Broussard, country program manager at the UN Women China Office, speaking with CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Stocks 
 
Anchor:
Time for a look at what's making news in business, beginning with market numbers in Asia. With more, here's Ding Lulu.
Reporter:
Asian markets were mostly higher on Tuesday following fresh records on Wall Street, while Shanghai and Hong Kong headed higher after data showed Chinese inflation surged in May.
Chinese shares closed higher, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 1.1 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index climbed 1.6 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng went up 0.9 percent.
Tokyo shares lost ground on a stronger yen, with its benchmark Nikkei index slipping 0.9 percent.
South Korean shares ended in positive territory as major exporters gained ground after the local currency weakened against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark KOSPI surged 1.1 percent.
Singapore's Straits Times was down 0.3 percent.
Sydney's ASX edged up 0.1 percent.
 
 
China's CPI jumps to 4-month high at 2.5 pct
 
New government data shows China's consumer inflation edged up to a four-month high of 2.5 percent in May while factory price deflation eased, reinforcing signs of stabilization in the economy.
The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, a main gauge of inflation, was 1.8 percent in April.
Accelerated increases in food prices were the main contributor to the higher CPI figure. Food prices increased over 4 percent year on year, nearly double that in April.
The government has set an inflation target of around 3.5 percent this year.
The producer price index, or PPI, fell 1.4 percent in May from a year earlier - the 27th consecutive month of decline – versus a 2 percent fall in April and market expectations of a 1.5 percent drop.
 
 
China approves 10 IPOs after four-month halt
 
The China Securities Regulatory Commission has approved 10 new IPO applications.
The move marks the official restart of the IPO process, which has been stalled since mid-February.
The CSRC says five companies will be listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Five others will be listed in Shenzhen.
The names of the companies haven't been released.
The CSRC plans to allow 100 new IPO's before the year is out.
About 600 companies are now awaiting to be listed here in China.
There have been concerns about the restart of the IPO process, as investors are worried the new listings might dilute market values, leading to potential losses for existing market players.
 
 
China c.bank cuts banks' reserve requirement ratio by 50 bps
 
Anchor:
China's central bank is set to lower the deposit amounts that banks have to leave with the central lender, cutting them by 50 basis points in some cases.
The move is meant to free up more cash for lending, with the goal of spurring economic growth here in China.
The People's Bank of China says the reduction will be effective from next Monday.
In making the move, the central bank also says the current amount of liquidity in the Chinese banking system is ample, and that the direction of the country's monetary policy hasn't been changed.
For more on this, CRI's Paul James spoke earlier with Gao Shang, analyst with Beijing-based Guantong Futures.
…
Back to Anchor:
That was Gao Shang, analyst with Beijing's GuangTong Futures.
 
 
China set for 'Golden Age' of natural gas
 
The International Energy Agency says that demand for natural gas is set to nearly double within five years in China but will meet half that demand with domestic supplies.
In its latest medium-term forecast for the natural gas sector, the IEA has trimmed its five-year outlook for consumption by 0.2 points to an annual increase of 2.2 percent as European countries step up use of renewable energy.
It says demand for cleaner-burning natural gas was likely to grow in China as air quality concerns prompted authorities to take measures to reduce pollution.
The IEA says "driven by booming demand, the 'Golden Age' of natural gas that is now firmly established in North America will expand to China over the next five years."
The energy analysis arm of the OECD group of advanced countries says China is also set to benefit from a boom in gas production.
 
 
China Mobile buys $880 mn stake in Thailand's True Corp.
 
Thai telecommunications firm True has agreed to sell an 18-percent stake in its business to China Mobile for about 880 million US dollars, creating a strategic partnership.
True says it will use the money to reduce its debt and pursue its goal of becoming "an all-powerful leading convergence telecommunications player", bringing together broadband Internet, pay TV and mobile telephone services.
True also says the partnership "reflects the international business community's confidence in Thailand's long-term economy".
China Mobile, the world's biggest mobile operator by subscribers, says the purchase reflects its international expansion and search for strategic investment opportunities overseas.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
China issues white paper on policy in Hong Kong
 
The Chinese central government has published a white paper detailing the "one country, two systems" practice in Hong Kong, stressing the policy as a basic state policy despite new circumstances.
The white paper says thanks to the policy, Hong Kong is able to continue to prosper, its society remain stable, and full development is being witnessed in all undertakings.
It notes that the mainland has provided solid backing for Hong Kong over the years, by helping the region defuse risks and strengthening competitiveness.
It also calls for fully and accurately understanding the policy, stressing that the high degree of autonomy of Hong Kong is not full autonomy, nor a decentralized power.
 
 
Two sentenced in Vietnam over riot at Taiwan owned factory
 
A Vietnamese court has sentenced two men involved in last month's riot at a Taiwan-owned steel factory 350 kilometers south of Hanoi.
One of them has received a 30-month prison sentence while the other has received a 24-month term.
Both are charged with stealing assets from a construction company which is building facilities for the Taiwan-based Formosa plant in the Vung Ang industrial zone.
At least 36 others are awaiting trial.
The riots left five Chinese nationals dead, around 20 foreign factories burned down, and some 1,100 foreign companies affected.
 
 
Park nominates ex-journalist as prime minister
 
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has nominated a former journalist as her new prime minister.
Moon Chang-keuk, who used to work for the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, was named to replace Chung Hong-won as the country's No. 2 official.
Chung has offered to resign following outrage at the government's poor handling of the deadly ferry sinking in April.
 
 
2 killed, 5 injured in flyover collapse in western India
 
At least two laborers have been killed and five others injured in a construction accident in western India.
A senior police official says the workers were building a road overpass in Surat city when a pillar collapsed, raining debris on top of the crew.
Local TV reports indicate that rescuers are still working to free some laborers believed to be trapped in the rubble.
Poor construction practices are often blamed for collapses of buildings and overpasses in India.
 
 
U.S. energy self-sufficiency rate reaches 84 pct
 
The United States says it was able to satisfy 84 percent of its energy needs in 2013 domestically, a rapid climb from the all-time low of 69 percent recorded in 2007.
The new practice of hydraulic fracturing gets much of the credit for the increase.
It has allowed for the drilling of oil in dense rock formations where crude was previously inaccessible.
US energy authorities say more than 7.8 million barrels of oil per day were pumped out of the ground in the US last year, accounting for roughly 10 percent of the world total.
The US plans to shift from a net importer of oil to an exporter by 2020.
The country is expected to become the world's top oil producer next year, passing Russia and Saudi Arabia.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Shanghai Daily
"Tooth decay an alarming problem in migrant schools, study finds"
A new study finds more than half of students in some schools for migrant children have decayed teeth.
The study was done by the Shanghai branch of Roots & Shoots, an international non-governmental organization promoting environmental education and action.
The study finds over half of students in the schools have decayed teeth, mostly because their parents lack knowledge about proper dental care.
The study found that less than 20 percent of children in the schools brush their teeth twice a day.
China News Service
"Space trips to be sold on Taobao"
Booking a space trip online in China will become a reality in a few days.
Taobao has announced that it will exclusively broker the Dutch Space Expedition Corp's business in China.
Consumers on the Chinese mainland can book a private tour to explore space on its platform starting June 12.
Three astronaut programs will be offered: Pioneer Astronaut, Founder Astronaut, and Future Astronaut, selling for some 600 thousand yuan, 1.4 million yuan and 630 thousand yuan respectively.
The Pioneer astronaut program, providing an option to fly 61 km high on a Lynx Mark I, is expected to take off in 2015.
People in good health over 18 years old, less than 2 meters in height, can apply for the space tour programs. But only after passing a medical exam and training programs can the applicants fly into space.
Sky News Australia
"Junk food ads target sports kids: study"
A new study says junk food advertising at community clubs is undermining the benefits of children's sport.
Researchers say the extent of the problem is staggering.
Bridget Kelly is the lead author of the study.
She says children are being exposed to unhealthy messages for up to four hours a week.
This is achieved through marketing on uniforms, signage on the field, discount vouchers and other promotions.
According to the study, those playing outdoor cricket and rugby have the greatest exposure.
The researcher says children's exposure to unhealthy food and drink marketing is recognised as a significant contributor to childhood obesity.
Daily Mail
"Is the noise of modern life making you ill?"
We are surrounded by the sounds of the machinery that make our lives comfortable and convenient.
But when we have to listen to these noises for too long or at the wrong time, they can inflict silent and stealthy damage.
Increasing evidence shows this damage isn't just to our ears, but to our waistline size, blood vessels and hearts.
A four-year project by researchers in Sweden has found people's waistline sizes increase a centimetre for every ten-decibel rise in the noise levels.
Another study reported that the waistlines of those most exposed to plane noise increased on average by 6?cm.
A similar study found that being exposed to higher levels of aircraft noise raised the risk of admission to hospital for heart disease by 20 per cent.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
1,600 Paper Pandas start their tour in Hong Kong
 
Anchor:
Hong Kong is now playing host to a display of some 16-hundred paper-mache Pandas.
The stop in Hong Kong is part of a tour which has already made stops in Europe and other parts of Asia.
CRI's reporter in Hong Kong is Li Jing.
Report:
The panda flash mob has been unveiled at Hong Kong airport, but will stop at more than 10 Hong Kong landmarks, including Victoria Harbor and the giant Tian Tan Buddha, to surprise locals and tourists.
Passengers at the airport are impressed by the spectacular view of so many pop-up pandas.
"I think they are really cute. It's a good way to unite people around to. There is also a sign of what we can be doing better in our environment. There's no reason that they should be going extinct, we just need to better take care of their environment."
"There are only 1600 pandas in the wild now, so we need to protect them."
French artist Paulo Grangeon, who designed the paper pandas, says he hopes the exhibition will remind the public of nature conservation, and leave a legacy more than just photos and idle talk.
"Environmental conservation is a serious theme, but we express it in an entertaining way. I hope people are aware that the pandas are endangered. Not only pandas, but other animals, plants and even oceans are facing severe environmental issues. We choose pandas, which are loved by people worldwide, to start with, and later, we can do more to protect other species."
The pandas are made with recycled paper, rice and environmentally friendly paint. They are strong enough to resist light rains, but in case of storms, they will have to be moved into shelter.
Each exhibition requires new pandas to be made. This time, the pandas have been made in a Thai village, taking two months to make, and the whole preparation for their arrival in Hong Kong took up to six months.
SK Lam is head of the AllRightsReserved organization, the same team that brought the Rubber Duck to Hong Kong last year, and the 100 Doraemon expo in 2012.
"During the exhibition of Doraemon, we understand people really enjoy family gathering, that's why we think why not we do something more special? That's why Rubber Duck artist Hoffman to do something together. There were no exhibition at the Victoria Harbor ever before. And this time I think it is another challenge, because we go to more than 10 iconic landmarks. Some flash mobs are not in the day time, but at the midnight or early in the morning. So it is not easy. "
After the show, an adoption program will be launched in which owners can name the pandas.
All the funds will go to WWF to promote sustainable development between humans and nature.
Later this month, the pandas will go on a two-week display at PMQ, a new hub for creative industries in Hong Kong.
Since 2008, the paper pandas have visited more than 100 cities in 20 countries.
For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.
 
 
Sports
 
 
Heat to take on Spurs at home in Game 3
 
And tomorrow morning in Miami, the Heat will hope to take their first home game and lead the series at 2-1 against San Antonio in the NBA finals.
On Sunday, the Heat bounced back to beat Spurs 98-96 in Game 2 and evened their series at one game apiece.
Game 3 is set for tomorrow morning at 9am Beijing time.
 
 
Sterling withdraws from selling the Clippers
 
Off court in basketball,
Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has withdrawn his support from a deal to sell the team and says he will pursue his 1 billion dollar federal lawsuit against the NBA.
Sterling had previously said he would support the 2 billion dollar sale of the team negotiated by his wife Shelly Sterling.
But on Monday, the embattled Sterling, who was ousted from the NBA because of his racist remarks, said the team is no longer for sale.
The 80-year-old says he will continue pursuing the lawsuit against the league on grounds that it violated his privacy rights by relying on information from "illegal" recordings.
The lawsuit also alleges that the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling 2.5 million dollars and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver decided to ban Donald Sterling for life, fine him millions, and began efforts to force Sterling to sell the team following the racism scandal last month.
It's not clear how the buyer of the team, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, has reacted to Sterling's pulling out from the agreement.
 
 
Chinese female mountaineer admits using helicopter
 
Chinese female mountaineer Wang Jing has admitted to using a helicopter during her ascent to the summit of Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest.
The 41-year-old reached the summit of the world's highest peak from the Nepal side on May 23th, and became the first to do so after an avalanche killed 16 Nepalese mountaineers on April 18.
She flew over the dangerous stretch of the traditional route in a helicopter.
Wang had two successful ascents prior to the helicopter trip. She says she took the helicopter to make time for an "Explorers Grand Slam."
However, using a helicopter constitutes a serious moral violation in mountaineering.
 
 
Brazil's sports minister defends World Cup spending
 
Also in football, Brazil's sports minister is now defending the spending on the World Cup, saying that the money has been well spent, although it has been called the 'most expensive World Cup'.
It was revealed that the event has cost Brazil over 11 billion U.S. dollars, triple the amount spent on the last World Cup in South Africa.
On Monday, renewed strikes from teachers stopped the subway system in the city of Sao Paulo.
The sports minister, Aldo Rebelo, however, says that the total sum spent amounts to just the monthly expenditure in the education sector.
"To improve current transportation capacity, Brazil has made heavy investments in transport infrastructure such as airports, roads, and the subway system. In addition, Brazil has also made heavy investments in security, for example, purchasing equipment, training troops. In total, the government has spent approximately 27 billion reals, which is only equivalent to the monthly expenditure in the education sector."
The stadium for the opening ceremony and match has been put into operation. The venues in 12 other cities have passed test runs.
But telecommunications networks remain a problem as early hitches during testing have given rise to concern over broadcast facilities at the stadiums.
The waiting is almost over though, the opening match between the hosts and Croatia is now only two days away.
 
 
Inzaghi signs Milan's first team, replacing former team mate Seedorf
 
In football,
AC Milan has officially unveiled former player and youth team coach Filippo Inzaghi as the new manager.
Inzaghi, who spent 11 years as a player at Milan will take over from former teammate Clarence Seedorf.
Upon the announcement, Inzaghi said that Milan is his life and he will give all to make the club successful again.
Inzaghi's contract is expected to last until 2016, but the actual sum of the deal wasn't revealed in the announcement.
Inzaghi's previous contract as Milan's youth team coach will be due on June 30, 2016.
Dutchman Seedorf, who only took charge in January this year, has managed to pick up 35 points from his 22 games in charge, but that wasn't sufficient to take Milan to European competitions next season.
It is reported that Milan now owes Seedorf some 10 million euros due to the pre-mature termination of his contract, which still has two years left to run.
 
 
Shanghai to host Laureus Awards 2015
 
The city of Shanghai is set to host the 2015 Laureus World Sports Awards.
It is the first time a Chinese city will host the event in its 15 years history.
Widely regarded as the Oscars of sport, the Laureus awards have been a global event attended by sporting A-listers.
Two Chinese stars have been honoured by the Laureus awards. Former NBA star Yao Ming was the winner of the Laureus World Newcomer of the Year Award in 2003.
In 2005, another Shanghai native, Asia's best hurdler, Liu Xiang, won the same award.
The Chinese Olympic team was voted the best team thanks to its superb performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Other Chinese athletes like tennis player Li Na and swimmer Ye Shiwen, as well as the Chinese table tennis team, have won nominations for the awards.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Jennifer Lopez quits World Cup opening ceremony
 
World football governing body FIFA has announced that Jennifer Lopez will not perform the official World Cup song at the tournament's opening ceremony.
Officials say the singer could not attend the show because of, quote, 'production issues'.
But they gave no details of the issues.
Last week, Lopez said she was thrilled to be given the chance to perform at the ceremony.
Lopez was due to perform together with rapper Pitbull and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte.
They have recoreded the song 'We Are One (Ole Ola)'.
The latter two will stay at the show accompanied by drummers Olodum.
Back in January, Lopez also missed the event where Pitbull and Leitte unveiled plans for the song alongside FIFA officials in Rio de Janeiro.
The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday in San Paulo.
 
 
'The Voice of China' announces coach list
 
With only one month to go, a coach list has been released for the third season of 'The Voice of China'.
Na Ying, Luo Dayou, Wang Feng and Yang Kun were introduced as coaches today.
This year's panel is structured just like the previous two, consisting of one female coach and three male coaches.
Na Ying will serve her third year as coach on The Voice of China, while Luo Dayou will join the team for the first time.
Last year, Luo joined the panel of China's version of 'The X Factor'.
He gave harsh criticism to the participants during the match, which caused much debate.
Yang Kun will make his return. He joined the show in the first season.
Meanwhile, the line-up for third season has been upgraded.
Director Ning Hao will make the promotional films for the show and Grammy-award winner David Foster will act as international musical consultant.
The third season of 'The Voice of China' will premiere on July 11th.
 
 
David Beckham and Prince William call for curbing the illegal trade in wildlife
 
The Duke of Cambridge and British football icon David Beckham have launched a new campaign that aims to use the power of sport to curb the illegal wildlife trade.
Prince William is also the president of United for Wildlife.
Under the #WhoseSideAreYouOn initiative, the Prince hopes to bring public attention to the issue via various social network sites.
"In February we set out our commitments to improve protection and enforcement, reduce demand and to help the business community to tackle international trafficking. That was our first step but we knew we needed to do more to bring this trade into the open. The illegal wildlife trade thrives because it is hidden, often invisible, making it easy for criminals to build and expand their violent greed."
Beckham describes the trade in illegal wildlife products as "devastating."
He says people need to take actions and make a difference.
"This is devastating, it really is devastating. And we are in a world where our generation and the younger generation can really, really make a difference and we need to do it now."
Headed by Beckham, a team of sports stars is backing the campaign, including Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and former South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar.
 
 
Clint Eastwood, Christopher Walken attend special screening of 'Jersey Boys'
 
The Tony Award-winning "Jersey Boys" musical has been made into a film.
Clint Eastwood and Christopher Walken have attended a special screening of the new flick in New York.
The film tells the story of four young men from the wrong side of the tracks in New Jersey who come together to form the iconic rock group Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.
Eastwood both produced and directed the film.
He says he decided to make the film after heading to Broadway a number of times to see "Jersey Boys".
"I just researched it and saw the play three times. I kind of - like most audiences - I kind of fell in love with the idea of doing it and it just seemed like the thing to do."
Oscar and Tony-winning actor Christopher Walken plays Gyp DeCarlo in the movie.
Walken says it was the first time he's met or worked with Eastwood but had fun playing the role.
The role of Valli is played by John Lloyd Young who won a Tony Award for his portrayal of the lead singer on Broadway.
Young says making a film allowed him to expand upon the role.
"So on screen I was able to let these insights that I had all these years about the character sort of come out to play in a way that was not possible on stage and allow certain thoughts and attitudes of my character to just be present and they're visible here because the camera catches that."
'Jersey Boys' opens in U.S. theaters next Friday.
 
 
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
China's cabinet has released an assessment of Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" policy, outlining economic progress and social development...
The Chinese government is calling for order on the seas, saying maritime disputes need to be settled through negotiations...
And China's foreign minister has wrapped up a two-day visit to India...
In business, China's CPI reading jumps to a 4-month high...
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.