新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2014/07/23

The Beijing Hour
 
Morning Edition
 
 
It's Paul James with you on this Wednesday, July 23, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
Israeli forces are expanding their operations in Gaza, despite growing international pressure for a ceasefire.
China's new envoy for Afghanistan is calling for a speedy resolution to the political crisis in the country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sat down for a meeting with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
In Business.... a pair of tech giants are reporting a mixed set of profits.
In Sports... Real Madrid has officially signed the darling of this year's World Cup.
In Entertainment... Tiny Times has unseated Optimums Prime at the top of the Chinese box office.
First, let's check in with what's happening with the weather....
 
 
Weather
 
 
Beijing will be cloudy today with a high of 32 degree Celsius.
Overnight temperatures should drop down to around 24.
Shanghai will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 34.
Overnight, it will be cloudy with a low of 28.
In Chongqing, it will be cloudy with a high of 38.
Overnight lows are expected to be around 27.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia.
Islamabad will see slight rain with a high of 39.
Kabul will be sunny with a high of 35.
Over to North America.
New York will see moderate rain today with a high of 34 degrees.
Washington will be overcast with a high of 36 degrees.
Honolulu, slight rain, 27.
Toronto, Canada, will be cloudy with a high of 27 degrees.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 11.
And Rio de Janeiro will be sunny with a high of 25 degrees Celsius.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Israel Continues with Military Operation despite Int'l Pressure
 
Anchor
Despite the rising number of casualties on both sides, on top of a rising international call for a ceasefire, Israeli officials are showing no signs of backing away from the military offensive currently underway in the Gaza Strip.
CRI's Qi Zhi has more.
Reporter
With the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip continuing to expand, the situation in the coastal enclave is said to be becoming more and more difficult.
Cecilia Goin is a spokesperson for the Red Cross in Gaza.
"The number of people wounded and killed is increasing. There is a lot of pressure on the medical system. There are hundreds of thousands of people who are displaced. They are afraid. They are completely stressed. They are in panic. The civilians, those people who are not taking part in the hostility, they should be respected by both sides, by the Hamas authorities as well as the Israeli authorities."
Since the offensive began over 2-weeks ago, more than 100-thousand in Gaza have fled their homes.
Most of them have been forced to seek shelter in the 69 schools run by the UN's Relief and Works Agency in the Palestinian enclave.
As the fighting intensifies, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has visited Tel Aviv and Ramallah in an attempt to broker a ceasefire.
"My message to Israelis and Palestinians is the same: Stop fighting. Start talking. And take on the root causes of the conflict, so we are not back to the same situation in another six months or a year. We must address these underlying issues - including mutual recognition, occupation, despair and the denial of dignity - so people do not feel they have to resort to violence as a means of expressing their grievances."
Despite the push by both Ban Ki-moon and US Secretary of State John Kerry to get the two sides talking, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains steadfast.
He says Israel is doing what any other country in the world would do while its civilians are being targeted.
"We did not seek this escalation. We have made every effort and will continue to make every effort to avoid civilian casualties. I think the people of Gaza are the victims of the brutal Hamas regime. They are holding them hostage and they are hiding behind them. It is the right of every state to defend itself. And Israel will continue to do what it needs to do to defend its people. This is not only our right; this is our duty."
Despite the Israeli offensive, rocket fire from Gaza into Israeli territory is still continuing.
A rocket fired from Gaza hit just a mile away from Ben Gurion International airport outside Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
This has prompted the US Federal Aviation Administration to ban all flights into Israel for the next 24-hours.
Several European airlines have also followed suit.
For CRI, I'm Qizhi.
 
 
Li on Gaza situation
 
Anchor
For more on the situation in Gaza, CRI's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Professor Li Guofu, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.
(Q&A with Li-update)
Professor Li Guofu, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, speaking with CRI's Shane Bigham.
 
 
MH17: First bodies to arrive in the Netherlands
 
Forensics experts from the Netherlands have begun counting the bodies of the victims of downed Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.
The bodies have been moved by train to the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv from the rebel-controlled crash site in eastern Ukraine.
The first series of bodies are due to be flown to the Dutch city of Eindhoven later on this Wednesday.
Nearly 200 of the victims from the crash are Dutch nationals.
The head of the Dutch forensics team, Jan Tuinder, says around one-third of the nearly 300 victims are still unaccounted for.
"And we will continue until the last victim is identified and brought home. As far as we know at this moment, we are talking about 200, and that is for sure 200 victims, which means there are probably remains left in the area where the disaster took place."
Meanwhile, European monitors are calling for investigators with "proper expertise" to intensively inspect the crash site.
Spokesperson for the OSCE monitoring mission, Michael Bociurkiw, says they have noticed "changes" on the scene.
"Fuselage has been moved. And also we're going to be checking our photographic evidence with the Malaysians but it appeared that again that big cone section had been more or less split into two. And also there could have been possible changes to the tail fin as well."
So far there has still not been a full-scale investigation at the site.
The Ukrainian rebels have handed over the plane's two black boxes to Malaysian authorities.
The devices are being taken to the UK for analysis.
In Brussels, European Union foreign ministers have announced more sanctions against Russia for its alleged backing of the Ukrainian rebels.
Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans says the sanctions include more visa bans and asset freezes on more officials.
"We've also decided that the commission will be tasked to look at a number of potential measures in a number of fields including defense, duel use goods and high tech goods including in the energy sector and financial services."
The EU decision comes on the heels of the United States bringing down more sanctions on Russia last week connected to the situation in Ukraine.
 
 
Joko Widodo wins Indonesia presidential election
 
Former Jakarta governor Joko Widodo has been officially declared the winner of Indonesia's presidential election.
The official results released by Indonesia's General Election Commission show Widodo has taken 53-percent of the vote.
"This is a victory for all Indonesian people. We hope this victory will pave the way to build Indonesia to be an independent economy."
His rival, former general Prabowo Subianto came in with 46-percent support.
Despite the results being made official, Subianto has been disputing the election, claiming fraud.
The former furniture exporter, commonly known as "Jokowi", enjoys support amongst Indonesia's younger population.
Widodo campaigned on a promise to break with Indonesia's authoritarian past and create a better social welfare system for the poor.
He's set to replace outgoing president Susilio Bangbag Youdohono in October.
 
 
China's 1st envoy to Afghanistan vows to help govt's peaceful transition
 
Anchor
China's new envoy for Afghanistan has issued a call for a peaceful transition of power amid the political showdown taking place between the country's two presidential candidates.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Reporter
Sun Yuxi, China's first envoy to Afghanistan, makes the remark ahead of leaving to the war-torn country.
Sun says his job this time is to help the peaceful transition of the country's government.
"I hope I can finish the task within several weeks. And it is more important for every political power to put peace and stability atop their agendas and reach a national reconciliation. This would require unity and hard work from all parties and political powers as well as solid actions on reconstruction."
Sun Yuxi had been in charge of business related to Afghanistan and Asia in the foreign ministry for more than a decade.
He was the Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan for two years beginning in 2002 after the US launched military operations targeting the Taliban militants in the country.
As the first Chinese diplomat in the country since a transitional government was established in Afghanistan, Sun Yuxi stresses that economic development is more important than military aid to maintain long-lasting stability in the country.
"To ensure the stability in the country is not dependent on what armed forces should be sent there, but to help them restore and rebuild. The international community should help the Afghan government to strengthen its economic power."
China has offered some 240 million US dollars in aid to Afghanistan so far.
The diplomat notes that he will be working to step up business cooperation between the two countries, and more focus would be given to projects covering infrastructure and environmental protection.
Sun also says that China will continue to cooperate with Afghanistan to combat terrorism in the region.
"The East Turkistan Islamic Movement that Afghanistan used to face in the past is now a major terrorist threat to China. China has worked with Afghanistan on combating the terrorism group with positive results. I hope we will continue to deepen our cooperation and eliminate the group one day, to restore peace and safety in the region and around the world."
For CRI, this is Xie Zhao.
 
 
Chinese president visits Fidel Castro
 
Chinese President Xi Jinping has paid a visit to former Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Havana as part of his time in the country.
They have reportedly exchanged views on bilateral ties, the overall international situation and other issues of common interest.
Xi Jinping has also extended his good wishes to Castro for his upcoming 88th birthday.
As part of his time in Cuba, the Chinese president has been pushing to establish a blueprint to guide future ties between China and the island nation.
He is due to meet with current Cuban leader Raul Castro.
Xi Jinping is also scheduled to oversee the signing of a number of cooperative agreements covering areas including trade, agriculture, biotechnology, culture and education.
 
 
Typhoon Matmo makes landfall in Taiwan, loses power
 
Typhoon Matmo has made landfall in Taiwan.
The powerful storm hit the island earlier this morning with winds of around 140-kilometers per hour.
The storm has shifted off its original track, which yesterday had it making a direct line toward Taipei.
Instead, Matmo has made landfall in the relatively unpopulated central region of Taiwan's east coast.
Forecasters are also predicting Matmo is going to lose much of its power as it cuts across the Taiwan Strait over the next 12-hours.
The storm is still expected to make landfall in Fujian with winds of around 100-kilometers per hour.
The heavy rains associated with the storm have already spawned flood warnings in southeast and central China.
More than 30 thousand fishing vessels have returned to safety in Fujian.
Matmo comes on the heels of Typhoon Rammasun, which plowed its way through southern China over the weekend, leaving at least 46 people dead, on top of billions of yuan in damage.
 
 
China releases anti-terror handbook
 
Anchor:
Chinese authorities have released a new anti-terrorism guidebook designed to try to help people protect themselves in the face of terrorism.
CRI's Tu Yun has more.
Reporter
As the country's first anti-terrorism handbook designed for the public, the manual offers individuals advices on how to protect themselves during a terrorist attack.
It also includes instructions on how to identify possible terrorists.
An Weixing is the director of the anti-terrorism department of the Ministry of Public Security.
"Anti-terrorism efforts should combine the work of professional forces with that of the public. The manual could enhance people's awareness of terrorism and provide basic knowledge about what to do when facing terrorism."
The manual has been handed out to the general public in Beijing, Guangdong and Xinjiang, among other provinces and regions.
It comes amid a nationwide campaign to promote anti-terrorism efforts across the country.
Li Wei, an anti-terror expert, says such a move is important, given the increasing number of terror-attacks reported in the country.
"There are two types of terrorism that can result in mass-casualties. One involves cold weapons, like knives. This type includes the attack in Kunming railway station. Authorities were able to launch an emergency response within one minute in that case. The other kind of mass-casualty attack will involve inflammables and explosives, like arsons on buses. It is very difficult for authorities to respondly quickly in such a case, so help from the public can really aid the authorities in dealing with this kind of terrorism."
29 people were killed and 143 injured in a terrorist attack at Kunming Railway Station in March.
A market explosion in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, killed 39 people and injured 94 others in May.
Since then, Chinese police started a year-long nationwide anti-terror operation in May.
Police have stepped up armed patrols and security controls at crowded public places and tightened up management of explosives.
For CRI, I'm Tu Yun.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Anchor
First off, a check on the closing numbers in the U.S and Europe.
Joining me on the desk, CRI's Su Yi.
Reporter
U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday, as upbeat earnings and positive economic data has pointed to a market that still has room to rise.
The U.S. Consumer Price Index has increased through June, and the overall trend is now pointing to a slow buildup of inflationary pressure.
This is allaying concerns about deflation in the US.
At the same time, close to a quarter of all the companies listed on the S&P 500 have reported their results, with over two thirds posting earnings that topped expectations.
We'll have more on some of the names that helped move the market in just a moment.
At the close, the S&P 500 gained half a percent.
The Dow Jones rose a third of a percent, while the Nasdaq added around three-quarters of a percent.
European shares also bounced back on Tuesday on strong earnings reports and relaxed concerns about the situation in Gaza and Ukraine.
Germany's DAX gained almost 1.3 percent.
France's CAC 40 climbed 1.5 percent, while the FTSE in London closed 1 percent higher.
 
 
Q2 reports: Apple earnings boosted by strong iPhone sales
 
Apple is reporting quarterly profits of some 7.7-billion US dollars, an increase of 12-percent from the same period last year.
The company has sold over 35 million iPhones through the 2nd quarter, an increase of 13-percent from the same time last year.
Despite this, Apple has posted a smaller-than-expected 6-percent rise in quarterly revenues.
Investors will be watching to see whether Apple's new iPhone6, which is scheduled for release later on this year, will impress consumers.
The release of the iPhone5S failed to generate much enthusiasm amongst Apple product users.
 
 
Q2 reports: Microsoft revenue rises, profit falls as Nokia absorbed
 
Microsoft is reporting a 7-percent drop in profits through the second quarter.
The company says its Nokia division, which it acquired in April, has lost almost 700-million dollars.
Despite the overall drop in profits, Microsoft's revenues are up 17-percent through Q2, beating Wall Street's expectations.
Microsoft has already announced plans to cut 18-thousand jobs across all its divisions.
Most of those cuts are going to come from its Nokia division.
 
 
Q2 reports: McDonald's profit falls on weak U.S., European sales
 
McDonald's is reporting its latest quarterly profits have fallen more than expected, after its U.S. division turned in a third straight quarterly sales decline.
McDonald's results from Europe have also declined.
McDonald's gets about 30 percent of its revenue from the US, where sales at its restaurants open at least 13 months have fallen 1.5-percent in the second quarter.
Profits in its Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa divisions are up just over 1-percent.
McDonald's quarterly results have been given a boost from China, even though the company is now embroiled in a new food safety scandal connected to a supplier's meat handling methods.
 
 
2/3 consumers no longer trust Western fast-food companies after scandal: survey
 
A new online poll is suggesting over two-thirds of all Chinese consumers no longer trust Western fast-food companies.
This comes on the heels of a new scandal connected to rotten meat reportedly being sold to a number of fast-food chains, including McDonalds and KFC.
The survey by Sina.com shows 77 percent of the respondents say they feel the restaurant brands affected by the tainted-meat were aware of their sourcing company's faulty practices.
69 percent of those who submitted a response to the online poll say they will no longer dine at the restaurants run by the companies.
"Their credibility reduced among the public,"
"I believe that the government will solve this problem, only after that will I eat their food again,"
China's food safety watchdog has announced a nationwide investigation into processing factories and meat suppliers used by Shanghai Husi Foods.
The firm is being accused of selling expired beef and chicken to McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks and Pizza Hut.
For more on this, we are joined on the line by Benjamin Cavender, Principal of China Market Research Group.
talking points
1. Why do alarming food scandals keep happening?
2. How big will the impact be for the western fast-food brands? How long will it take to restore confidence among consumers?
3. Could anything be done stop this from happening again?
Benjamin Cavender, Principal of China Market Research in Shanghai.
 
 
RMB swap deal to bring more cooperation between China, Switzerland: BNS chairman
 
The head of Switzerland's central bank says the country's currency swap arrangement with China is going to further cement financial ties between the two countries.
Thomas Jordan, chair of the Swiss National Bank, says the new deal will pave ways for Chinese banks to open branch offices in Switzerland.
"Well, there is a big interest both on the Swiss side, but also on the Chinese side, to open up a branch or subsidiary of China's banks in Switzerland. I cannot comment here on any specific negotiation, but I hope that now the signing of the swap agreement will speed up this process."
The People's Bank of China, China's central bank, has finalized a currency swap agreement with the Swiss National Bank worth 150 billion yuan, or some 24 billion US dollars.
The deal also gives the Swiss bank investment rights worth 15-billion yuan in China's interbank bond market.
 
 
U.S. housing turning the corner, inflation creeping up
 
The latest government figures are suggesting a surge in gasoline prices have pushed up inflation in the US this past month.
The US Consumer Price Index has increased 0.3 percent through June on the heels of a 0.4 percent rise in May, with gasoline accounting for two-thirds of the inflationary gain.
In the 12 months through June, the US CPI is up around 2 percent, the same as in May.
The rise is a welcome development for Federal Reserve officials, who have been worried price pressures are too low.
Latest stats also show US home resale have hit an eight month-high last month, suggesting the housing market is gradually regaining momentum.
Existing home sales are up 2.6 percent this past month, with the median home prices hitting their highest levels since 2007.
The housing market in the US stumbled in the second half of last year, raising concerns it could undermine the economy's recovery.
 
 
Q2 reports: Credit Suisse reports 2mf quarter loss
 
Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse is reporting its biggest quarterly loss in half a year on the heels of its settlement with US authorities over tax evasion charges.
The bank has recorded a net loss of 780-million US dollars for the three months ending in June.
Credit Suisse took a hit of nearly 1.8-billion US dollars as part of its settlement with US regulators.
Despite the quarterly losses, the bank's chief executive says Credit Suisse's private banking and wealth management business is seeing strong growth in the Asia Pacific, which has helped to offset weakness in the bank's western European markets.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Israel continues Gaza Operation in defiance of global mediation
 
Israeli continues military operation in Gaza Strip, despite intensified international mediation to broker a ceasefire.
A rocket fired from Gaza hit just a mile away from Ben Gurion International airport outside Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will continue to do what it needs to defend its people.
As fighting intensifies, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has visited Tel Aviv and Ramallah in an attempt to broker a ceasefire.
He urged both sides to stop fighting and start talking.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a ban on all flights of US airlines into Israel for the next 24-hours. Several European airlines have also followed suit.
More than 100-thousand in Gaza have fled their homes since Israel began its offensive over 2-weeks ago.
 
 
MH17: bodies to arrive in the Netherlands
 
The first bodies of victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH 17 are due to arrive in the Netherlands later today.
Around 200 bodies have now been moved by train to the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv from the rebel-controlled crash site.
Nearly 200 of the victims were Dutch nationals. The country has declared Wednesday a national day of mourning.
 
 
Joko Widodo wins Indonesia presidential election
 
Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo has been declared the winner of Indonesia's hotly contested presidential election.
The election commission says Widodo won 53 percent of the vote on July 9, beating his rival, ex-general Prabowo Subianto.
Earlier, Subianto alleged widespread electoral fraud and vowed to challenge the result.
He has three days to file an appeal with Indonesia's constitutional court. The court has till August 22 to make a ruling on the results.
 
 
Over 100 candidates to compete for Iraqi presidency
 
Iraqi lawmakers say more than one hundred people have submitted their resumes to become Iraq's next President.
Under the current political consensus in Iraq, the next president should be from the Kurdish minority.
Kurdish leaders have not officially endorsed a candidate for the presidency.
But there are two likely candidates being considered for the position.
Under the current power-sharing arrangement in Iraq, the country's president is to be chosen from the Kurdish minority.
The parliamentary speaker, newly-elected Salim al-Jubouri, is from the Sunni minority.
The prime minister's position, which has yet to be filled, should be held by the Shi'ite majority.
Current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has put himself up for re-election within the Iraqi parliament.
despite wide-spread opposition to his internal policies,
 
 
Norway marks 3rd anniversary of mass murder
 
Norway has marked the 3rd anniversary of the deadly mass murder of dozens of young people by a neo-facist.
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg delivered a speech in front of the still-shrouded parliament building, warning against hatred and radicalization.
Three years ago, Anders Breivik set off a car bomb in front of the parliament building.
At the same time, he was on his way to a small island where a group of young students gathered for a get-away sponsored by one of Norway's political parties.
There he gunned down the young men and women with an assault rifle.
In the end, 77 people were killed in the systematic attacks.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Beijing Morning Post
Headline
Expired meat ordered from senior levels
Summary
An official with Shanghai Husi foods has told investigators the company's decision to repackage expired meat and sell it to fast-food outlets has come from the top levels of the company.
The same official reportedly claims this has been long-term policy of the company.
Global Times
Headline
Flight delays
Summary
Aviation authorities are warning passangers to expect considerable flight delays in Eastern and Central China due to "air traffic control" issues.
The delays are going to be the result of live-fire drills being conducted by the PLA.
Beijing Business Today
Headline
Time to adjust property prices
Summary
The article is suggesting the government may need to interject in the housing market to squeeze out potential bubbles which may occur as local governments ease their property purchase restrictions.
The suggestion comes amid a broader downturn in the property market sector.
Xinhua
Headline
Phone APP crackdown
Summary
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has launched a new campaign to clamp down on pornography circulated via Smart Phone APPs.
Regulators are going to monitor telecom providers, app creators and online app stores to create a blacklist of applications connected to porn.
Beijing Times
Headline
Property checking system
Summary
A new system is set to be launched this week to ensure people who recieve subsistance allowances aren't cheating the system.
Checks are going to be done to ensure recipients don't have luxuries such as vehicles.
South China Metropolitan Daily
Headline
"haunted house" data base
Summary
A real estate agency here in Beijing has set up a "haunted house" data base.
There are around 900 "haunted houses" in Beijing.
By haunted houses, the management company means homes which have been involved in suicides, murders or abnormal deaths.
Shanghai Daily
Headline
Online goods refunds
Summary
A no-questions-asked refund policy issued earlier this year for online goods in Shanghai is being retooled.
The move comes amid complaints that returned goods are not coming back in the same condition they were sent out in.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
The voice of the Soil
 
Anchor
A four-member acapella group from South Africa has been putting on performances at the National Center for the Performing Arts here in Beijing to help commemorate the year of South Africa in China.
CRI's Zeng Liang has more.
Reporter
The music you are listening now is sung by the South African acapella singing group—The Soil. Without any electric and instrumental sound, The soil strives to fuse their voices to deliver melodic and harmonious messages that are aimed at uplifting and healing souls all around the world.
Ntsika Fana Ngxanga, one of the members of the Soil explained that the name of their group comes from the story they want to tell to the world.
"The name of the Soil is related to the music we do. The soil, as a matter, is very raw and basic. And our music is also basic and raw. And with the stories we tell in the music, we want to perform on all world stages, tell our stories and spread all across the world. When you look at the soil, it is everywhere in the world. "
Their beautiful songs got both Chinese and South African audiences dancing at the concert. Li Yuetong, a primary school student said she wants to go to South Africa in the future to listen to more music and stories in that beautiful country.
"The Soil gave a sparkling performance tonight. Their interaction with audiences makes me very happy. And through their performance, I had a certain understanding of South Africans' language and character."
This concert is one of the many cultural activities conducted by South Africa and China for the Year of South Africa. According to Zhao Haisheng, an official in charge of China's Ministry of Culture liaisons, the Year of South Africa introduces South African culture to China through broadcasting, film, TV and seminars. He believes the wide range of events will help Chinese people to understand South African Culture comprehensively.
"Culture is really about people. It is about their heart, communication. Through the art, we'd really know how people live the inner worlds. And through the cultural exchange, both sides can have a better understanding of each other. In the broad sense, it could help to further consolidate the already good overall relationship between China and South Africa."
Apart from this concert in Beijing, more than 50 events about South Africa including trade seminars, art programs and educational projects will be held in China during the year.
BACK ANCHOR
CRI's Zeng Liang reporting.
 
 
Sports
 
James Rodriguez Signs 6-year Deal with Real Madrid
 
In European football news,
Real Madrid has made it official, signing Colombian international James Rodriguez to a new six-year deal.
It's being reported Real has paid around 80 million euros in transfer fees to his former French club, Monaco.
The transfer makes Rodriguez the third most expensive signing in the club's history after Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Rodriguez is also Real's second major signing in the transfer window, after picking up German midfielder Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich.
Rodriguez won the Golden Boot at the just-concluded World Cup as the top scorer with six goals.
Real Madrid is also reportedly close to signing Levante goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Navas' arrival at Real Madrid would open the door for either Diego Lopez or Spanish international Iker Casillas to find a new club before the end of the transfer window in August.
 
 
Dunga Succeeds Scolari as Brazil Manager
 
Brazil's National Football Association is bringing back former head coach Dunga to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari as the new national team manager.
Dunga's re-appointment comes on the heels of Brazil being hammered 7-1 by Germany in the World Cup semi-finals.
Dunga says his main focus is now on rebuilding the team.
(bjh/soundbite 0723 Dunga)
"I think that is soccer. This is what we want now, with this new job, suggestions like yours. That the Brazilian national team has a time of privacy to be able to work on some plays and different kinds of training. So, I think this is great and needs to be done."
This is the 2nd time the former Brazilian capitan has taken helm of the national team.
After taking over as an untested manager in 2006, Dunga was later sacked after Brazil lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
 
 
2-time Champion Bellucci Wins 1st Match at Swiss Open
 
In tennis,
Two-time champion Thomaz Bellucci has won his first-round match at the Swiss Open, downing Gerald Melzer of Austria 6-3, 6-4.
Bellucci will be next up against fifth-seeded Federico Delbonis of Argentina.
Last year's runner-up, Robin Haase of the Netherlands, has also advanced to the second round with a 3-set victory over Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhstan.
Defending champion Mikhail Youzhny of Russia is also through after downing Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-3, 7-6.
Sixth-seeded Gilles Simon was forced to retire from his first-round match against Spain's Pablo Andujar due to a back injury.
----
At ATP's Croatia Open,
Fifth-seeded Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic rallied to beat Diego Sebastian Schwartzman 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 in the first round.
Albert Montanes of Spain cruised to a 6-4, 6-4 victory over teenager Alexander Zverev.
Eighth-seeded Carlos Berlocq of Argentina beat Slovakia's Andrej Martin 7-6, 6-3.
Sixth-seeded Andreas Seppi also advanced after beating fellow Italian Marco Cecchinato 6-2, 6-7, 6-1.
 
 
Rogers Wins Tour de France Stage 16; Nibali Retains Yellow Jersey
 
In cycling,
Australian rider Michael Rogers has taken stage-16 of the Tour de France, the longest stage of the race.
It is Rogers' first ever Tour stage victory and his Tinkoff-Saxo team's second stage win this year.
"I think there's a fair bit of joyness came out there from the years, really. I've tried so hard to win a stage of the Tour and this year's just been, you know, I think I've changed mentally and when it rains it pours doesn't it."
Despite finishing over eight minutes back, Italian rider Vincenzo Nibali has safely held onto his yellow jersey ahead of Spain's Alejandro Valverde.
France's Thibaut Pinot has moved up to third.
World champion Rui Costa of Portugal has withdrawn from the Tour after coming down with pneumonia.
Stage 17 will take place later on this Wednesday.
 
 
Cleveland Cavaliers to Sign Andrew Wiggins to Contract
 
In off-season NBA news,
Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly set to sign their latest first-overall draft-pick, Andrew Wiggins, this week.
But It's still not clear if the Canadian will play for them.
Wiggins has been linked to a possible trade with Minnesota for All-Star forward Kevin Love.
The Cavs and Timberwolves have had ongoing discussions about a trade for Love even before Cleveland selected Wiggins first overall in May.
The Cavs have been negotiating for Love in an attempt to try to team him up with LeBron James, who recently signed a two-year deal to return to Cleveland.
With Love, James and All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, Cleveland would have a "Big 3" comparable to what Miami had in James and All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
 
 
CEO: Rivers to Quit Clippers if Sterling Stays
 
In other NBA news,
Los Angeles Clippers interim CEO Richard Parsons says head coach Doc Rivers has told him he'll quit if Donald Sterling remains owner of the team.
Parsons has made the statement while testifying Tuesday in a trial to determine whether Sterling's wife Shelly can sell the team for $2 billion dollars to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
 
 
Scottish First Minister Expresses Confidence on Inspiration of Commonwealth Games
 
This year's Commonwealth Games are getting underway later on this Wednesday in Glasgow, Scotland.
On the eve of the opening, Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has expressed his confidence that this year's Commonwealth Games will be "an inspiration" to cities in Scotland.
He has also hailed the Commonwealth Games organizing committee for helping regenerate local communities and creating jobs for thousands of young people.
The Commonwealth Games, which includes athletes from countries and regions which used to fall under the British crown, will run until August 3rd.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
"Tiny Times 3" Topples "Transformers 4" to Top China's Box Office
 
Domestic twenty-something drama "Tiny Times 3" does what no other movie has done in three weeks; and that is unseat "Transformers: Age of Extinction" to take the top spot at China's box office.
("Tiny Times 3" Trailer)
Data recently released from Beijing-based media research firm Entgroup shows that "Tiny Times 3" beat out "Age of Extinction" to take in just over 50 million U.S. dollars in its opening four days.
The third installment of the series beat out the total 47-million-U.S.-dollar gross of "Tiny Times 2," which opened in August last year.
Based on the book series of the same name penned by the film's director, Guo Jingming, "Tiny Times 3" continues the story of four females in their twenties obsessed with love, success, and living lavishly.
"Transformers 4" is still standing strong, however.
Holding second place at the Chinese box office, the robot blockbuster just surpassed the 300-million-U.S.-dollar mark in the Middle Kingdome in just 24 days after opening.
 
 
Toronto unveils 3 Chinese films in first slate of TIFF 2014
 
The Chinese film presence will be ramped up at this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), according to organizers who announced a portion of their line-up on Tuesday.
Unveiled during a press conference at downtown Toronto, three Chinese films were amongst the 59 galas and special presentations, a small portion of the estimated 300-film line-up in this September.
Director Ning Hao's latest film, "Breakup Buddies," is set to make its world premiere at the festival, while both Zhang Yimou's "Coming Home" and Wang Xiaoshuai's "Red Amnesia" will be making their respective North American premieres.
Information is still limited at this point, but organizers are expected to unveil more of the event's lineup in the next few weeks for the 39th festival, which runs from September 4th to the 14th.
 
 
Chinese Cartoon "The Magical Brush" Premieres in Beijing
 
Chinese animated feature, "The Magical Brush," premiered in Beijing last night.
(Final trailer of the film)
Many were in attendance, including famed teenage singer Lin Miaoke, who sang the Chinese national anthem at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She said that she enjoyed watching the leading character, named Ma Liang.
Also making an appearance at the premiere was Huayi Brothers Group CEO Wang Zhonglei, along with his son, William.
The family-friendly film tells the story of a boy named Ma Liang, who finds a brush that makes whatever he paints become real.
Hong Kong singer and actor Jacky Cheung sang the film's theme song, "Innocent Age."
"The Magical Brush" hits Chinese screens this Friday.
 
 
U.S Environmental Protection Agency MistakenlyTweets about Kim Kardashian Game
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's fight to clean up water pollution has got a splash of pop culture.
The verified Twitter account for the EPA's Office of Water mistakenly published a message Monday about the mobile game, "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood," in which players walk red carpets, attend photo shoots and get dolled up "like a Kardashian."
An EPA agency spokeswoman says the off-topic tweet was posted by an intern.
The government's tweet was removed within hours from the (at)EPAwater account, but not before a tweet from the account of 88-year-old Michigan democratic House member John Dingell, who co-authored America's Clean Water Act, poked fun by asking what a Kardashian is.
On Tuesday, the EPA account thanked Kardashian for its 15 minutes of fame, tweeting that the "upside" to the mistake is that the Office of Water got more attention.
Since launching in June the mobile video game "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood" has risen to the top of Apple's Mobile App Store.
 
 
 
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
IIsraeli forces are expanding their operations in Gaza, despite growing international pressure for a ceasefire.
China's new envoy for Afghanistan is calling for a speedy resolution to the political crisis in the country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sat down for a meeting with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
In Business.... a pair of tech giants are reporting a mixed set of profits.
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.