新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2014/06/13

 
The Beijing Hour
 
Morning Edition
 
 
Paul James with you on this Friday, June 13, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
The final preparations are underway for Premier Li Keqiang's impending trips to both the UK and Greece.
The Chinese government is pointing the finger at Japan for a close-encounter in the Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea.
US President Barack Obama says he's keeping his options open when it comes to the massive insurgency in northern Iraq.
In Business... Zhaopin.com has made its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange.
In sports... Brazil opens up this year's World Cup with a victory.
In entertainment... Harrison Ford has reportedly been injured while filming the new Star Wars sequel.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be cloudy today with a high of 31 degree Celsius.
Overnight cloudy and temperatures should drop down to around 21.
Shanghai will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 32.
Overnight, it will be clear with a low of 21.
In Chongqing, it will have showers with a high of 24.
Overnight still showers and lows are expected to be around 21.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,
Islamabad will be sunny with a high of 44.
Kabul will be sunny with a high of 29.
Over to North America,
New York will see slight rain today with a high of 27 degrees.
Washington will have moderate rain with a high of 27 degrees.
Honolulu, cloudy, 31.
Toronto, Canada, will have slight rain with a high of 23 degrees.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires will sunny with a high of 15.
And Rio de Janeiro will be sunny with a high of 25 degrees Celsius.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Japan: China blames Japan for warplane encounter over East China Sea
 
Anchor:
The Chinese government is pinning the blame on Japan for a close encounter between Chinese and Japanese military planes over East China Sea earlier this week.
The details from CRI's Luo Wen.
Reporter:
The Chinese Defense Ministry says two Japanese fighter jets came within 30-meters of a Chinese military plane running patrols in the Air Defense Identification Zone.
The Chinese side says the incident seriously threatened the safety of the Chinese aircraft.
The Japanese government has denied its fighters came near the Chinese jet.
Japan is also trying to shift the blame for the incident on China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
"I want to point out that this is not the first time for Japan to act like a cop when being as the robber and put the blame on the victim. It has been a long time since the Japanese side tails after, monitors and disturbs Chinese airplanes in a short distance, which severely threatens the security of Chinese airplanes and triggers the security issue of Sino-Japanese air and sea."
The Chinese defense ministry is describing the Japanese incursion into the Air Defense Identification Zone as "dangerous and obviously provocative".
Chinese ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, has met with Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki in connection with the issue.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying notes this isn't the first time Japanese aircraft have intruded into the ADIZ.
"Thinking about the series of actions taken by Japan, military expansion and war preparation, playing up regional threats and creating tension and confrontation, it is necessary for us to keep sober and highly vigilant regarding Japan's intentions. We want to ask Japan to honestly explain its intentions and the Chinese side reserves its right to take further action."
Last month, two Japanese airplanes also entered the Air Defense Identification Zone to reportedly observe a series of Chinese and Russian naval drills taking place in the northern part of the East China Sea.
For CRI, this is Luo Wen.
 
 
Chinese Premier visits UK, Greece to deepen cooperations
 
Anchor:
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is set to make his way to Britain and Greece for a pair of official visits next week.
CRI's Min Rui has more.
Reporter:
Vice-foreign minister Wang Chao says Li Keqiang's forthcoming trip should help establish a new direction for cooperation between China and the UK.
"Premier Li's visit to UK will further cement the bilateral cooperations, especially the cooperations concerning infrastructure construction, nuclear power, high-speed railway, finance and high technology, and bring vitality and new content to the bilateral partnership. The talent exchange will be promoted through cultural interactions, media collaboration, educational communications and personnel exchange. We will put forward new measures to consolidate the frienship between the two countries."
Li Keqiang is due to meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron.
He's also been granted an audience with Queen Elizabeth II.
The Chinese Premier is also due to meet with business leaders and deliver a speech to a British think-tank.
Chinese vice Commerce Minister Gao Yan also says the trip should help solidify Britian's move toward becoming a major hub for the movement of the Renminbi.
"The city of London has always been committed to become the RMB trading center. China will held talks with Britain around the issue. I hope Li's visit will help make progress in this issue and in finance cooperation as well."
As for the 2nd leg of Li Keqiang's trip to Greece, business dealings will also be high on the agenda.
Greece, still trying to claw its way out of debt, has been looking toward China for investment opportunities.
Chinese shipping giant COSCO has already acquired a 35 year deal to operate piers at Greece's Piraeus port.
Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Chao says the Piraeus port deal is a good example of the cooperation that's available between China and Greece.
"Both countries are large ocean countries, with long costal lines and ample oceanic resources. The two sides have great potential in ocean cooperation.
Li Keqiang's latest overseas trip will run from June 16th to the 21st.
For CRI, I'm Min Rui.
 
 
China will continue maintian peace: Chinese FM
 
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China will continue to maintain maritime peace and stability in the region, including in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Foreign Minister has made the comments while meeting with his Singaporean counterpart here in Beijing.
"We will continue to consolidate the friendly relationship between us. In the meantime we will continue to maintain the peace and stability of the region, including the South China Sea. We are full of confidence and capability to do so. We hope and believe that Singapore will continue to play a positive role in this regard."
For his part, Singaporean foreign minister K. Shanmugam says the two sides have reached a "broad consensus" on how they should be viewing regional issues.
 
 
Families of MH370 passengers receive advanced payment
 
Malaysian authorities say the families of seven passengers on missing flight MH370 have received advanced payments from the airline's insurance provider.
The seven claimants include one Chinese national and six from Malaysia.
Each claimant has received 50-thousand U.S. dollars.
Hamzah Zainudin is Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister.
"Six already received advance payment, some already appointed their own lawyers and we are dealing with the lawyers."
Malaysian officials are now in the process of finalizing the payout for another 40 claimants from China.
The Malaysian government says the full payments will only be paid after the investigation into the disappearance of MH370 deemed over.
So far, no trace of the missing flight has been found.
The jetliner, carrying 239 people, disappeared in March shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, bound for Beijing.
Around two-thirds of the passengers are Chinese nationals.
 
 
Iraq will need more help: Obama
 
U.S. President Barack Obama says he's not going to "rule out anything" in his support of the Iraqi government to deal with the Islamist overrun of northern Iraq.
In making the statement, Obama says the US government "has a stake" in ensuring the insurgents are not getting a foothold in either Iraq or Syria.
"But what we have seen over the last couple of days indicates the degree to which Iraq is going to need more help. It is going to need more help from us and it is going to need more help from the international community. So, my team is working around the clock to identify how we can provide the most effective assistance to them. I don't rule out anything, because we do have a stake in making sure that these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in either Iraq or Syria for that matter."
The northern Iraqi city of Mosul, which has been taken over by members of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, is a gateway to Syria.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has reportedly requested US airstrikes against staging areas for the insurgents.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is vowing to take its fight throughout Iraq, including a pledge to assault the capital, Baghdad.
But in making the pledge to help in Iraq, the US side has already ruled out putting ground troops back in the country.
The US completely withdrew from Iraq at the end of 2011.
At the same time, the UN is also condemning the mass insurgency.
Farhan Haq is a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
"The Secretary-General strongly condemned the upsurge in violence in Iraq at the hands of terrorist groups. He said that terrorism must not be allowed to succeed in undoing the path towards democracy in Iraq as determined by the will of the Iraqi people."
It's also being reported around 300 Iraqi troops have been taken hostage, after being overrun in Saddam Hussien's former home town of Tikrit.
 
 
Turkey urges citizens to leave Iraq
 
The Turkish government is calling on its citizens living in Iraq to leave the country immediately.
This follows the abduction of some 80 Turkish nationals by Islamic militants in the city of Mosul.
The Turkish government is recommending citizens who want to leave Iraq do so through a northern border crossing.
The al-Qaeda affiliated Islamic State in Iraq and Levant took control of the Turkish consulate on Wednesday, kidnapping 49 staffers and their families.
An additional 31 Turkish citizens are also being held, after the power plant they were working in was overrun.
 
 
Australia urges countries not to rely on US for security
 
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is urging countries in Asia-Pacific not to be complacent or rely on the United States for security.
The suggestion comes amid an agreement by Australia and Japan to jointly develop stealth submarine technology.
"The United States has many calls on its resources in many parts of the world and while we welcome and encourage the United States rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, the countries in our region should not be complacent about how their continued growth and prosperity depends on United States regional engagement."
Bishop is also calling for greater cooperation among countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
She has also voiced her support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to loosen constraints set out in Japan's pacifist constitution, that have kept the military out of overseas conflicts for nearly 70 years.
 
 
Tensions high for upcoming Afghan presidential runoff election
 
Tensions are running high in Afghanistan ahead of the next round of voting in the presidential runoff coming up this Saturday.
There have been complaints about irregularities in the first round of the runoff vote, which took place on Wednesday.
The Independent Election Commission says it is working hard to try to ensure the vote comes off fair.
Naeem Ayubzada is the head of the Transparency Election Foundation of Afghanistan.
"We got some positive answers and responses, but there are still fundamental issues that need to be focused and considered for the second round. But due to the lack of time, I accept that it is not easy to bring much changes in the process. But we're willing at least to have an election that can be accepted by the citizens and that can be accepted by the candidates."
Attacks by the Taliban have become increasingly rampant in recent days.
This has led to increasing concerns about voter safety.
 
 
Proposed canal between Beijing and Tianjin arouses discussion
 
Anchor:
At least one expert is raising questions about a recent suggestion that a canal flowing from Beijing to Tianjin will help improve the environment here in the capital.
CRI's Li Dong explains.
Reporter:
The plan has been formulated by the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences in a bluebook released on June 9th.
It elaborates on a wealth of benefits the canal would bring, from environmental improvements to opportunities for economic development.
The proposed canal starts from Beijing's Tongzhou district and flows through neighboring Hebei province to Tianjin's Binhai New Area, with an estimated length of 160 kilometers.
The bluebook says the project would bring seawater from Bohai to Beijing, where it can be used after desalination to help ease the capital's water shortage. It also says the canal will create a microclimate conducive to reducing PM2.5, since the canal's moisture can serve as a dust deterrent.
But Wang Jianhua, a scientist with the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, says there are potential problems with introducing seawater to Beijing via the canal.
"Introducing seawater to the area will definitely affect the quality of the underground water. The leakage of the salty water may ruin the freshwater, which is already scarce."
As for whether a proposed canal from Beijing to Tianjin would reduce the capital's smog, Wangjianhua says.
"A river can only contribute just a little to the nearby eco-environment. The assumption that this canal can change the climate of an area as large as Beijing, and lowering its PM 2.5 figure—I don't think it's practical, unless Beijing suddenly becomes a seaside city."
The Beijing Youth Daily says the canal will be navigable for a 30-thousand-ton-class cargo ship, opening up a new line of waterway transport for Beijing and neighboring areas.
As for whether this proposed canal can boost the economy in the area, Yi Peng, Director of the Urbanization Research Center under the International Finance Forum doubts it.
"More resources will be allocated to Beijing if the canal is built. It's not good for the economic integration of the area as a whole. Also, the canal will require use of a large stretch of land, which is also a scare resource. Plus, the cost of such a big construction project may put huge financial burdens on local governments. I don't think it's a good idea."
The cost of household water in Beijing rose in May. According to the Beijing Water Authority, the capital's annual water consumption has reached 3.6 billion cubic meters, which has made a significant and negative impact on the environment.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
First off, a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe.
Joining me on the desk, CRI's Luo Wen.
Reporter:
U.S. stocks accelerated losses Thursday following a downturn on Wednesday, as investors locked in gains amid mixed economic data.
The Dow and S&P 500 both declined 0.7%, while the Nasdaq fell 0.8%.
On the economic front, U.S. import prices ticked up 0.1 percent in May, after a 0.5-percent decrease in April.
The price index for U.S. exports also advanced 0.1 percent in May following a 1-percent drop in April.
In Europe,
Germany's DAX ended down 0.1%.
France's CAC closed flat.
London's FTSE 100 inched up 0.1%.
 
 
China's career platform Zhaopin makes public debut on NYSE
 
Zhaopin.com has made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange.
Zhaopin's nearly 76-million US dollar offering has started out well.
The company closed out its trading day at 14-dollars-65 cents a share.
Its initial offering was set at 13-dollars-50-cents.
It opened the trading day in New York at 14-dollars-61-cents.
Zhaopin.com is a Beijing-based online recruitment platform.
 
 
Live call-in with Doug Young on corporate news of the week
 
Anchor:
Let's check out some of the key events on the corporate front in China this week.
Doug Young joins me on the line, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
Story 1: China Mobile Targets 100 Mln 4G mobile devices
China Mobile's 4G network has accumulated 6.5 million users and covered 300 cities across the country since its launch six months ago. It also plans to sell more than 100 million TD-LTE devices by the end of the year
Story 2: China's ZTE has found rare opportunities to cherry-pick talent from global competitors like BlackBerry and Motorola Mobility
Inside ZTE's human resources department, a special team is tasked with recruiting talent from BlackBerry. While the team has so far recruited fewer than 20 people, it plans to hire more.
Most of the new hires from BlackBerry, which include senior engineers, are currently based in Canada, but they may later move to the U.S. or China to play greater roles for ZTE.
Back to Anchor:
Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
 
 
Alibaba, China Post in logistics tie-up
 
Alibaba has signed a new deal with China Post.
As part of the agreement, Alibaba and the state-run postal service will share warehouses, processing centers and delivery resources.
The goal for Alibaba is to reach out to the rural areas of China, where China Post still has a stronger footprint than privately-run logistics companies.
Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
 
 
Portugal decides not to receive last tranche of int'l bailout
 
Portugal's government has decided not to receive the last tranche of its international bailout
In making the decision, the Portuguese government says the move will not affect its international market credibility.
The Portuguese government has turned its back on the remaining bailout funds, because it can't meet the obligations set-out in the bailout agreement.
Portugal has been going through a massive austerity program to try to meet the requirements of the 78-billion euro bailout program it entered into in May of 2011.
 
 
EU, EIB Group join forces to support R&I investment
 
The European Commission and the European Investment Bank have launched a new financial instrument to help companies in the innovation sector.
Around 25-billion euros is being set aside for financing research and innovation projects over the next seven years.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
China, Republic of Congo pledge closer cooperation
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met with his Republic of Congo counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso here in Beijing.
The two have also overseen the signing of a number of agreements connected to trade, infrastructure construction, finance and culture.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
 
 
UNESCO accepts China's "comfort women" application
 
China says UNESCO has accepted its application to register records of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre and Japan's use of 'comfort women' to its Memory of the World Register.
The application has been accepted, despite strong opposition from Japan.
The materials submitted in the application include a series of documents, photos and first-hand accounts of survivors of the Nanjing Massacre.
The documents also include accounts of how the Japanese military conscripted so-called 'comfort women,' which is a euphemism for sexual slaves.
UNESCO's Memory of the World Register was created in 1997 as a way to preserve historical documentation.
 
 
Mainland's Taiwan affairs chief to visit Taiwan
 
In another sign of cross-strait reproachment, it's been announced the head of the mainland's Taiwan Affairs office is going to travel to the island later on this month.
Zhang Zhijun's visit will be the first time a mainland official of his rank will visit Taiwan.
Zhang is due to spend 4-days on Taiwan, making stops in a number of different cities.
The trip is a reciprocal visit, after Zhang's Taiwan counterpart, Wang Yu-chi, travelled here to the mainland in February.
 
 
Obama says all options possible in support of Iraqi gov't
 
U.S. President Barack Obama says he's not going to "rule out anything" in his support of the Iraqi government to deal with the Islamist overrun of northern Iraq.
In making the statement, Obama says the US government "has a stake" in ensuring the insurgents are not getting a foothold in either Iraq or Syria.
The northern Iraqi city of Mosul, which has been taken over by members of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, is a gateway to Syria.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has reportedly requested US airstrikes against staging areas for the insurgents.
 
 
Gas leak at state-owned steel plant kills 5, injures 40 in central India
 
At least 5-people are dead following a gas leak in central India.
Over 40 others have been hospitalized after inhaling poisonous gas at a steel plant in the central Indian state of Chhatisgarh.
34 of them are said to be in serious condition.
A pipe exploded inside the plant, sending noxious fumes blasting through the facility.
The incident comes just half-a-year before the 30th anniversary of the deadly gas leak at the Union Carbide plant in the same region, which left nearly 4-thousand people dead.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
BEIJING MORNING POST
Headline
Chinese police target drunk driving during World Cup
Summary
Chinese police are promising a crack down on drunk driving during this year's world cup.
The traffic bureau is also warning it won't tolerate aggressive driving brought on by the result of wins and losses in the matches, even though China is not in the World Cup.
THE BEIJING TIMES
Headline
Former ref to get reduced sentence
Summary
Lu Jun, the former football referee, is going to get one year off his five-year sentence for good behavior.
Lu, formerly one of China's top football referees, was sent to jail for gambling and corruption.
BEIJING YOUTH DAILY
Headline
Soldiers reburied
Summary
The remains of soldiers connected to a Chinese Expeditionary Force which fought the Japanese in Myanmar during World War II have been reburied in Yunnan.
635 of the soldiers remains have been repatriated.
THE BEIJING NEWS
Headline
Supreme court rejects death for rape
Summary
China's supreme court has annulled the death penalty for two people convicted of forcing a girl into prostitution.
The annulment of the death sentences is a new twist in the ordeal of Tang Hui, who was put in a labor camp after protesting her daughter's plight.
GLOBAL TIMES
Headline
Prostitution bust
Summary
Police in Guangdong have arrested over 3-thousand suspects in a crackdown on prostitution.
The new figures follow a recent esposee on TV which detailed the massive prostitution rings operating in the city of Dongguan.
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
Lanzhou tap water pollution cause identified
Summary
Outdated water ducts are being blamed for the recent contamination of tap water that affected 2.4 million people in Gansu's capital, Lanzhou.
Cracks have been discovered in a pair of pipes running through a local water plant.
Authorities say the pipes have been in-use beyond their designed lifetime.
CHINA DAILY
Headline
New air pollution campaign
Summary
The municipal government here in Beijing has launched a five-month campaign to fight air pollution and smog.
The campaign will focus on emissions from industrial sectors.
Open-air barbecues and restaurants are also going to be targeted.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Tang Shi signed by Brazilian football Club Botafogo
 
Anchor:
Just ahead of the opening of the World Cup, a young Chinese footballer has been offered a long-term contract with Brazilian football club Botafogo.
CRI's Chi Huiguang has more.
Reporter:
The 17-year-old Tang Shi caught the eye of Botafogo talent scouts during the Rio de Janeiro club's under-19 team Asian tour last year, which is known as the "Luneng Weifang" Cup International Youth Football Tournament in China.
When asked the reason why he was chosen by the well-known club, Tang replies:
"I was representing Luneng Football School when I played against the Botafogo Team last year. In the semifinals, we tied 2:2 and my team got the victory on penalties. I think maybe the way I played in the game impressed them."
Mauricio Souza is a coach of the Botafogo club's youth team. He says:
"Tang is a player with excellent skills and energy. He is good in the midfield and sides. He will be able to improve the overall speed of our team and he can create a lot of pressure in the backfield of the opposing team. He is really fast with the ball."
Botafogo is one of the four best-known football clubs in Rio, with a long history of nearly 120 years. It is also the home-town club of Elkeson, the foreign aid of Guangzhou Evergrande club in China. It holds the record of sending the most players to the Brazilian national team, but this is the first time the club has signed a player from Asia.
According to Tang Shi, everyone at the club has been taking care of him and he has been training in accordance with a specially designed program.
"First of all, I am a foreigner to them and that makes them curious. And second, they recognized my skills on the field, which is another reason why they have been taking good care of me. The third, I think football helps us communicate. It's the same everywhere around the world."
The future presents many opportunities for Tang Shi, but he says he also faces challenges such as understanding Portuguese and trying to adapt to the new environment and training program.
After a month's training in Brazil, Tang has figured out some differences between the two countries.
"Brazil is a place training talented players. Many football stars have come out from Campeonato Brasileiro, so Brazil is a good platform. The physical demand and overall level here is higher. Coaches and players communicate in a different way. Requirements are not the same on the pitch. I think I should also work harder to have a foothold here. I need to improve my physical abilities and to broaden my views on the whole sport."
Tang Shi says he is willing to learn; he hopes to meet with his fellow teammates and start playing matches as soon as he can.
BACK ANCHOR:
CRI'S Chi Huiguang reporting.
 
 
Sports
 
 
World Cup group A opener: Brazil beat Croatia 3-1
 
In the FIFA World Cup opener,
It was not pretty, but Brazil has managed to open the 2014 World Cup with three points, with the host nation edging Croatia, 3-1.
Croatia took a shock lead early on thanks to Marcelo's own goal.
However, Neymar leveled the score 11 mintues later in the first half.
He then knocked in a penalty after a controversial call in the box to take a 2-1 lead.
Brazil then scored in injury time in the 2nd half to take the victory 3-1.
This now gives Brazil 3-points and the early lead in Group A.
There are no other games today.
Three matches are set for tomorrow, including Mexico vs. Cameroon,
Spain will battle the Netherlands.
Australia takes on Chile.
 
 
Barcelona agree to sell Fabregas to Chelsea
 
In off-pitch football news,
Barcelona has agreed to sell midfielder Cesc Fabregas to Chelsea.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
The 27-year-old Fabregas had been with Barcelona for nearly 3-years after coming in a deal from English side Arsenal.
Fabregas is currently playing on the Spainish national team at the World Cup in Brazil.
Spain opens up its World Cup tomorrow morning against the Netherlands.
That match gets underway at 3am.
 
 
McDowell grabs early lead with 68 at US Open
 
In golf,
Former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell has claimed a share of the early lead with a 2-under 68 at Pinehurst No.2.
McDowell was tied for the top spot with American Kevin Na.
Matt Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker and Henrik Stenson were one stroke off the lead.
Phil Mickelson got off to a strong start with a par-70 in his bid for the career Grand Slam.
Mickelson carded three birdies and two bogeys.
Rory McIlroy opened with a 71 while defending champion Justin Rose shot 72.
 
 
NBA finals Game 4: Spurs vs. Heat
 
In the NBA finals,
The San Antonio Spurs are looking to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Miami Heat in Game 4 later on this morning.
The Spurs come into the game after easily handling the Heat 111-92 in Game 3.
The Spurs shot a Finals record 75.8 percent from the floor in the first half in Wednesday morning's Game 3.
They blitzed the Heat during the first 24 minutes, building a 25-point lead at one point in posting the victory.
Game 4 is set to tip off at 9am Beijing time.
 
 
Murray crashes out at Queen's, Nadal knocked out in Halle
 
In tennis,
Third seed Andy Murray suffered his first defeat on grass since the 2012 Wimbledon final with a 7-6, 6-2 upset to Radek Stepanek in the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club.
Stepanek has moved on to face South African Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals later today.
Top seed Stanislas Wawrinka is also through, after rolling past American Sam Querry in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
Wawrinka has set up a quarter-final meeting with Australian Marinko Matosevic, who knocked out fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-2, 6-4.
Also through to the quarter-finals is Czech Tomas Berdych, who beat France's Adrian Mannarino 7-6 6-4.
----
On the women's side,
China's Zhang Shuai has advanced to the quarter-finals at the Aegon classic with a 6-love, 7-6 win over Petra Cetkovska of the Cezch Republic.
Zhang will now face 3rd seeded American Sloane Stephens, who defeated compatriot Alison Riske 7-6, 2-6, 6-1.
Zhang is also into the quarter-finals in the women's doubles event with her Czech partner Klara Koukalova.
Back in the singles event, Fourth seeded Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium came from a break down in the second set to defeat Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak 1-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Second seed Australian Sam Stosur has been bounced in the 3rd round by compatriot Casey Dellacqua 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Top seeded Ana Ivanovic is easily through to the last eight with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over American Lauren Davis.
---
At the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany.
World No.1 Rafael Nadal has suffered a shock second round defeat, losing to Dustin Brown of Germany 6-4, 6-1.
Earlier in the day, defending champion Roger Federer rallied to beat Portugal's Joao Sousa 6-7, 6-4, 6-2.
Federer is next up against Lu Yen-Hsun from Taiwan, who eliminated Croatia's Ivo Karlovic 7-6, 7-6 in the second round.
 
 
Ex-world champ Wang Yihan out of Japan Open
 
In badminton's Japan Open,
China's former world badminton champion Wang Yihan has crashed out in the second round, losing to Japan's Sayaka Takahashi 21-13, 21-16.
Top-seeded Li Xuerui of China is through after hammering Japan's Eriko Hirose 21-5, 21-16.
----
In the men's competition,
Chinese ace Lin Dan is through after getting past compatriot Gao Huan 21-17, 21-15.
Second-seeded Chen Long has also advanced after getting past Hong Kong's Hu Yun 21-17, 21-15.
World No.1 and top-seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia defeated Germany's Marc Zwiebler 21-13, 28-26 in the second round.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Harrison Ford injured during Star Wars filming
 
Reports are coming in that the Hollywood actor Harrison Ford has been injured, while filming the new Star Wars movie at Pinewood Studios and has been taken to hospital.
The 71-year-old played swashbuckling pilot Han Solo in the original three films, and is now reprising that role as Disney make another three films in the series.
The exact nature of the injury is unconfirmed at the moment, but some reports say his ankle was crushed and he was airlifted to hospital in Oxford for treatment.
A Disney spokesman has said the film will continue on schedule while the actor is recovering. Star Wars episode VII is set for release in December next year.
 
 
Godzilla released in China today
 
The monster movie, Godzilla is released on the Chinese mainland today (Friday, June 13).
(Godzilla trailer)
In the movie Joe Brody, played by Brian Cranston, returns to a Japanese nuclear plant 15-years after an accident that claimed the life of his wife.
Accompanied by his son, Brody discovers the secrets of the disaster, but as he digs deeper he unwittingly unleashes a force of nature that poses a threat to all of humanity.
 
 
Eddie Pang releases new poster for new Wong Fei-hung film
 
Eddie Pang has just unveiled the international poster for his first ever Kung-Fu movie, "Rise of the Legend" here in Beijing.
The Taiwan-born actor admitted being a little nervous at playing martial artist Wong Fei-hung - a role made famous by two of Hong Kong's biggest kung fu stars, Jet Li and Jackie Chan.
"When I was studying abroad, I felt so touched when I saw the movies about Wong Fei-hung because I felt like we have something to present to the foreigners. And because of this, I made a lot of friends, because we were all talking about kung fu, Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Although I don't know how to play kung fu, I grew up in a culture of kung fu, so when the director and investors said to me that they want to present a new hero of kung fu, I felt a lot of pressure."
The offer came as a surprise to Eddie Pang, who is better known as a youth idol for his romantic movies, but the film makers intend to put a "bold new spin" on the character they say.
Wong Fei-hung was a real-life martial-arts master from China's Guangdong province, who came to prominence during the late Qing dynasty and has been popularized over the decades in numerous films and television series.
"Rise of the Legend" is scheduled for release in the second half of this year.
 
 
Rik Mayall cause of death 'acute cardiac event'
 
British comedian Rik Mayall, who died earlier this week at the age of 56, suffered "an acute cardiac event" after a morning run, his wife has said.
Barbara Mayall said her family has received "thousands and thousands of messages of condolence" from around the world.
Along with the outpouring of grief, a petition in his home country looks set to get his world cup song from 2010 into the top 10 of the English chart.
The song Noble England, which sees Mayall dressed as Shakespeare's Henry V motivating his troops to bring the trophy home in the name of St George.
 
 
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The final preparations are underway for Premier Li Keqiang's impending trips to both the UK and Greece.
The Chinese government is pointing the finger at Japan for a close-encounter in the Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea.
US President Barack Obama says he's keeping his options open when it comes to the massive insurgency in northern Iraq.
In Business... Zhaopin.com has made its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange.
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.