The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Shane Bigham with you on this Tuesday, March 18th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this evening，
Chinese authorities say there is no evidence that any Chinese passengers on a missing Malaysian jet are responsible for the plane's disappearance.
Russia's president has supported a draft agreement paving the way for Crimea to become a part of the Russian federation.
and the Thai government has lifted the emergency decree in and around Bangkok, though a less-stringent Internal Security Act is now in effect.
In business, downward pressure on the yuan is being described as a product of market forces.
In sports, a St. Patrick's Day victory for Ireland.
In entertainment, a Chinese singer who rose to fame from the Voice of China TV show has been arrested for drugs.
Weather
Beijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 6 degree Celsius. Also overcast tomorrow with a high of 10 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be rainy tonight, with a low of 10, also rainy tomorrow, with a high of 15.
Chongqing will be cloudy, 17 degrees the low, also cloudy tomorrow with a high of 25.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 26.
Kabul, overcast, 17.
Over in Australia
Sydney, sunny, highs of 27.
Canberra, sunny, 25.
Brisbane, sunny, 29.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 32.
Top News
No Chinese passenger on MH370 involved in hijack or terror attack
Chinese authorities say there is no evidence that Chinese passengers could have been involved in a hijacking or terror attack on missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370.
Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Huang Huikang says background checks have ruled out any Chinese passengers' involvement in any acts than would jeopardize the fight.
"China has conducted a thorough investigation on the background of the Chinese passengers aboard. So far, China has not found any evidence of actions that jeopardized Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. So we can rule out the possibilities of Chinese passengers being involved in any kind of terrorism or activities that would jeopardize the aircraft."
No trace of the flight has been found since it disappeared after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing over a week ago.
Among the 239 people on board, 154 are Chinese nationals.
Malaysian authorities say that someone on board the flight switched off two vital pieces of communication equipment, allowing the plane to fly almost undetected.
Satellite data shows it may have ended up somewhere in a giant arc stretching from Central Asia to the southern reaches of the Indian Ocean.
China is sending its largest rescue vessel to join the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The Haixun 01 is expected to search the waters near the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra.
China has also started searching its territory along the northern corridor, one of the two possible flight paths of the plane.
That area stretches from the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to northern Thailand.
Meanwhile, Australian, American, and Indonesian planes and ships are searching waters to the south of Indonesia's Sumatra Island all the way down to the southern reaches of the Indian Ocean.
So far 26 countries are involved in the search for the missing plane, one of the largest searches in aviation history.
Malaysian police say they are now looking into the possibility of hijacking, sabotage, terrorism or issues related to the mental health of the pilots or anyone else on board.
Malaysia Airline plane search press conference
For more latest information, we spoke earlier with Nadiah Abdul Aziz, a jounalist based in Kuala Lumpur.
…
BACK ANCHOR:
That is Nadiah Abdul Aziz, a journalist based in Kuala Lumpur.
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Putin backs agreement on Crimea's accession into Russia
President Vladimir Putin has supported the approval of a draft agreement between Russia and Crimea to make the latter part of Russia.
In accordance with the Russian constitution, Putin has formally informed both chambers of the Russian parliament and the government about the proposals made by Crimea's State Council and Sevastopol's City Assembly.
Putin is due to address the Russian Federal Assembly on the issue at this hour.
The state council and city assembly applied on Monday to join Russia.
Putin signed later in the day an executive order on recognition of Crimea as an independent state.
The order followed the Sunday referendum where residents of Crimea, a Ukrainian autonomous republic once belonged to Russia, voted for joining Russia by landslide majority.
Ukrainian authorities in Kiev have dismissed the Crimean referendum as "illegal," saying it violates Ukraine's constitution.
Kiev has since recalled its ambassador to Moscow.
Meantime, US President Barack Obama has announced sanctions against 7-Russian and 4-Ukrainian officials, including ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.
The European Union has brought down sanctions against 21-individuals.
China on Tuesday has reiterated its call for political dialogue to address the Crimea crisis.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei .
"China hopes for the Crimea issue to be appropriately solved through political talks as soon as possible, on the basis of respecting the reasonable concerns and legitimate interests of all sides."
Thailand lifts state of emergency
Thailand has lifted the state of emergency in Bangkok, as tensions ease following four months of anti-government protests.
The emergency decree will be replaced by a less stringent Internal Security Act starting today, continuing to the end of April.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra:
"Many have urged the government to lift the State of Emergency so as to rebuild confidence in the economy and in tourism. The cabinet has agreed to impose the Internal Security Act instead."
The ISA will be used to maintain order during senatorial elections at the end of this month and reruns of the general election slated for next month.
The decision comes amid easing political tension on the street.
Protesters, who demand Yingluck resign, have accused the government of being run by exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck's brother.
Key road junctions in Bangkok and government ministries have been blocked during the protests.
The protests left 23 people dead and hundreds others wounded.
The State of Emergency was first introduced in the run-up to a general election held in February, called by Yingluck in an unsuccessful attempt to calm the crisis.
S. Korea fails to pass nuclear security bill ahead of summit in The Hague
South Korea's government has failed to pass a bill on nuclear security, adopted at the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in 2012, just ahead of the next NSS meeting this month in the Netherlands.
Global leaders from 70 countries agreed in 2012 to ratify the bill on preventing nuclear terrorism through their respective parliaments by the end of 2014.
South Korea, which chaired the second NSS meeting in Seoul, has yet to revise the act on protecting nuclear facilities and preventing nuclear accidents. Political wrangling between opposition and government leaders is being blamed.
The third round of NSS meetings happens at The Hague on March 24th and 25th.
Obama urges Abbas to quicken steps in US-brokered Palestine-Israel peace deal
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has sat down for talks with US President Barack Obama at the White House.
Obama has told Abbas it will require "tough" political decisions and risks to achieve peace, in what he has described as "challenging" Israeli-Palestinian talks.
"As I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu when he was here just a couple of weeks ago, I believe now is the time for, not just the leaders of both sides, but also the peoples of both sides to embrace this opportunity, but, we are going to have a lot of details that we are going to have to discuss. It's very hard, it's very challenging, we are going to have to take some tough political decisions and risks if we are able to move it forward."
For his part, Abbas has told Obama the Palestinian side is working for a solution "based on international legitimacy."
But while not specifically mentioning the Israeli demand for the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Abbas notes his side has recognized "the state of Israel" for over 20-years.
The Obama administration has been pressing both sides to enter into framework agreement which would eventually pave the way for a permanent peace deal.
However, little headway has been made in the US-brokered negotiations, which were renewed last summer after a 3-year break.
The current mandate for this round of negotiations is due to expire in April.
Most Palestinian factions, including Abbas' PLO, have called on the Palestinian leadership to let the window close, saying the proposals being put forward are still too slanted toward Israeli demands.
15 killed in Afghan suicide bomb attack
Fifteen people have been killed and 20 others injured in a suicide bomb attack in Maimana, a provincial capital in northern Afghanistan.
The attack comes as the country is preparing for next month's presidential election.
Local officials say the attacker detonated the explosives while approaching a checkpoint where cars were being searched on a road leading to the governor's compound.
Most of the victims including women and children were vendors at a busy roadside market in the area.
Government troops cordoned off the area after the blast.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
But the Taliban have staged numerous attacks in the province since 2012.
7 migrants drown in Aegean Sea off Greece, 2 missing
The bodies of seven undocumented migrants have been discovered in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Greece.
The Greek shipping ministry says seven other migrants in the same area have been rescued and two others remain missing.
The nationalities of the victims and survivors is not yet known.
Sea tragedies occur quite often in the Aegean Sea, as thousands of migrants attempt to enter Greece illegally from its neighboring countries each year.
Achievements and challenges for China's wildlife protection effort
Anchor:
As part of the recently-concluded "two sessions," members of the CPPCC, including former basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan have issued calls for the better protection of wildlife both here in China and beyond.
For the past few years, more and more celebrity advocates have been coming forward to try to further the cause of wildlife protection here in China.
For more on the achievements being made, CRI's Catherine Xu spoke earlier with Andrew Wetzler, Director of the Endangered Species Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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Back anchor:
That was Andrew Wetzler, Director of the Endangered Species Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council, speaking with CRI's Catherine Xu.
Biz Reports
Stock
Asian shares rose on Tuesday as the threat of military conflict in Ukraine receded, though caution ahead of this week's U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting kept gains in check.
But Chinese shares were mixed on Tuesday.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.1 percent, while the Shenzhen Component Index shed 0.9 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.5 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei ended up 0.9 percent, recovering from a six-week closing low hit on Monday.
South Korea's Kospi was up 0.7 percent.
Singapore's Strait Times Index rose 0.1 percent.
Finally, Australia's ASX200 gained 0.5 percent.
Do not hype yuan fluctuation: MOC
China's commerce ministry has responded that the recent moves of the yuan are more a result of the market impact.
The remarks come as the value of China's currency has been recently in the spotlight.
The yuan's exchange rate against the U.S. dollar has declined 0.4 percent in the first two months this year, a period in which the country also saw a shrinking trade surplus.
Shen Danyang, the spokesman at the Ministry of Commerce.
"We will cooperate with relevant departments to improve exchange rate formation mechanisms, aiming to keep the Renminbi's exchange rate stabile and at a reasonable and balanced level. In the meantime, we will expand the Renminbi's use in the economic and trade fields and step up its international competitiveness, in order to help enterprises fend off exchange rate risks."
Shen says China's outbound direct investment by non-financial firms has decreased 37.2 percent year on year in the first two months of 2014, standing at about 11.5 billion U.S. dollars.
"Compared to outbound direct investment in 2012, the number surged significantly in 2013 because there was a huge project in Feburary of last year, when China National Offshore Oil Corporation invested 14.8 billion dollars to acquire Canada's Nexen Company. That's the main reason why outbound direct investment in the first two months this year shows negative growth."
In the meantime, Shen Danyang says overseas investors set up over 2,700 new enterprises on the mainland in January and February, down 5.2 percent year on year.
Shen also says that economic and trade cooperation between China and Ukraine has been normal despite the current situation in the country.
China is now the second-largest trading parter for Ukraine.
The spokesman also talks about the Chinese investment in frustructure construction in Thailand.
Thailand has recently ruled a 2.2 trillion Baht program as unconstitutional.
A high-speed rail project between China and Thailand is part of the program.
Shen says that the project is legal, and China supports domestic enterprises to participate in the railway construction in Thailand.
China positive on investment treaty negotiations with U.S.
China's Ministry of Commerce remains positive regarding negotiations with the US over a new bilateral investment treaty.
Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang says his office is hoping for an agreement at an early date.
The treaty has been characterized by the Ministry of Commerce as being one of China's most important negotiations regarding the economy and trade, given that the discussions are between the world's two largest economies.
According to the spokesman, the talks will also offer a good opportunity to improve the country's foreign investment management system and for better protection of its overseas interests.
Talks over the treaty were initiated in 2008. The two sides held the 12th round of talks in Washington between March 4 and 8.
The cost of the National New-Type Urbanization Plan
New questions about cost are being raised following the release of the Chinese government's new urbanization strategy this week.
Under the so-called National New-Type Urbanization Plan, the authorities hope to see the urban population increase from its current level of 53.7-percent to 60-percent by 2020.
The plan also calls for the construction of green cities, using ecological advancements in urban development to create both green production and consumption.
The new broad-based outline has not detailed any costs.
However, most observers expect the goals will require hundreds of billions of yuan in investment to achieve the government's overall vision.
For more on the new urbanization initiative, CRI's Paul James spoke earlier with Gao Shang, analyst with Guangtong Futures.
…
That was Gao Shang, analyst with Guangtong Futures.
China's home price growth slows
Official data shows home price in major Chinese cities grew at a slower pace in February, with fewer cities seeing month-on-month price increases.
Last month, new home prices in 70 major cities monitored by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) rose by an average of 11.1 percent year on year, slowing by 1.3 percentage points from January.
The NBS says prices for existing homes rose 6.4 percent year on year, compared with an average growth of 7.4 percent in January.
On a month-on-month basis, 57 out of the major 70 cities saw rises in new home prices, fewer than 62 cities in January.
Prices dropped in four cities and stayed unchanged from a month ago in the other nine cities.
For existing homes, prices increased in 46 cities month on month, down from 48 cities in the previous month.
Prices dropped in 15 cities and stayed flat in nine cities.
China lottery sales surge 18.7 pct
Lottery sales in China surged 18.7 percent year on year in February to over 20 billion yuan, or about 3.3 billion US dollars.
The Ministry of Finance says sales of welfare lottery tickets have risen 18.9 percent to 11.8 billion yuan, while sports lottery sales rose 18.3 percent year on year to 8.25 billion yuan.
For the first two months of the year, total lottery sales stood at 47.2 billion yuan, up 13 percent from a year earlier.
According to China's lottery management rules, money raised through lotteries is used for the jackpot, management fees and welfare of the public.
Headline News
No Chinese passenger on MH370 involved in hijack or terror attack
Chinese authorities say there is no evidence that Chinese passengers could have been involved in a hijacking or terror attack on missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370.
No trace of the flight has been found since it disappeared after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing over a week ago.
Satellite data shows it may have ended up somewhere in a giant arc stretching from Central Asia to the southern reaches of the Indian Ocean.
China is sending its largest rescue vessel to join the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The Haixun 01 is expected to search the waters near the Sunda Strait between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra.
So far 26 countries are involved in the search for the missing plane, one of the largest searches in aviation history.
China reiterates call for Crimea political dialogue
China has again called for political dialogue to address the Crimea crisis after a referendum was held on the region's future status.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman also says the reasonable concerns and legitimate rights of all sides involved should be respected.
The Crimean parliament declared independence from Ukraine on Monday, after official results showed 96.6 percent of Crimean voters chose to join Russia in Sunday's referendum.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is adressing both houses of the Russian parliament .
Putin says the result of the referendum held in Crimea was "extremely convincing."
Putin has signed an order recognizing Crimea as a sovereign state.
The EU and US have declared the vote illegal and imposed sanctions.
Thailand lifts emergency decree in Bangkok, surrounding provinces
The emergency decree imposed on Bangkok and provinces around the Thai capital has been revoked.
The decision was made on Tuesday by the country's caretaker government. The decree has been replaced with a less stringent Internal Security Act.
The ISA will be enforced starting Wednesday, expiring on April 30th.
The Act will be used to maintain law and order during senatorial elections on March 30th, and reruns of the general election slated for April.
The emergency decree was invoked on January 22nd after months of unrest, demonstrations, and street conflict.
Opposition groups are still demanding the current government step down, making way for an unelected body that would introduce electoral reform ahead of a new general election.
China launches direct trading between yuan, New Zealand Dollar
China's central bank has approved direct trading between China's currency, the yuan, and the New Zealand Dollar.
The People's Bank of China said in a statement that the move is aimed to boost the use of the two currencies in bilateral trade and investment and be conducive to enhancing bilateral financial cooperation.
According to the China Foreign Exchange Trading System, upon authorization from the central bank, direct trading between the yuan and NZD will be launched on the inter-bank foreign exchange market starting on Wednesday.
Newspaper Picks
China Daily
"China making it easier for expats to settle down"
China is simplifying procedures to make it easier for top foreign talents to be granted permanent residency.
Zhang Jianguo, head of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, says that China plans to court more high-level foreign talents to speed up its economic and social development, including those with expertise in environmental protection and pollution treatment.
However, current procedures for foreign experts to obtain permanent residency in China are complicated. To address this issue, Zhang says the government is to provide more swift and convenient service for foreign high-end talents to settle down permanently in China for career and investment.
Last year, China added an R visa for foreign experts whose skills are urgently needed in China. Now the administration is working with related departments to formulate new rules for the R visa "to guarantee a green passage" for foreign specialists. For the foreign specialists who are already living in China, the country also aims to make their work and lives more convenient.
China News Service
"Beijing court applies technology to save time"
A court in Beijing is applying digital technology, including quick response codes, to trial records, in order to save judicial resources and the time of litigants.
In the past, litigants had to copy the documents by hand, which was a waste of time and paper. Now residents with lawsuits filed with the court in Beijing's Yanqing district can view their charge documents after scanning a quick response code on a smartphone.
The court designed the quick response codes and put them on its official website late last year.
It is the first time Beijing courts have used quick response codes to improve judicial transparency. The court will extend the codes to include case hearings and verdict implementation.
Medical news today
"TV, computer, video game use 'linked to poorer child well-being"
A study published recently in the journal JAMA Pediatrics shows TV, computer and video game use may harm the well-being of young children, damaging familial relationships and causing emotional problems.
Trina Hinkley, the lead researcher of Deakin University, says the use of electronic media can be sedentary behavior and may have adverse health consequences, particularly if it is adopted from a young age.
Researchers used data from the European study to assess the use of electronic media and its impact on the well-being of 3,604 children ages 2 to 6 between September 2007 and June 2008. All children were followed for 2 years.
It was found that children who had high levels of television viewing at the baseline of the study were at increased risk for poor family functioning, and every additional hour of weekday television viewing makes it worse.
A lack of familial support was suggested in the families who watch more television."This lack of support may result from a lack of appropriate relationships within the family or a failure to develop them," the researchers add.
Furthermore, the study results revealed that girls with high levels of video game and computer use at baseline were at increased risk for emotional problems.
Channel News Asia
"Heart attacks misdiagnosed as anxiety in women"
A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows women are more likely to die of heart attacks because their symptoms are often misdiagnosed as anxiety so they do not receive immediately vital treatment.
Researchers at McGill University in Montreal found differences between men and women with acute coronary syndrome. They asked 1,123 patients aged 18 to 55 to fill out a survey after being admitted to hospitals.
The researchers noted that on average it took 15 minutes and 28 minutes, respectively, for men to be given ECGs or fibrinolysis ,while it took 21 minutes and 36 minutes for women.
Prompt for a heart attack can prevent or limit damage to the heart muscle, saving the person's life.
Women tend to have substantially higher levels of anxiety and depression than men, which was seen as the primary reason for the discrepancy.
For this reason hospital personnel might initially dismiss a cardiac event among young women as anxiety, which would result in a longer door-to-ECG interval.
Special Reports
Growing thirst for craft beer in Hong Kong
Anchor:
At the just concluded "Beertopia" event in Hong Kong, hundreds of breweries from home and abroad showed off their fine products, with each looking to expand market share in a region with a growing appetite for craft beer.
CRI's Wang Wei has more.
Reporter:
The third "Beertopia" festival in Hong Kon featured 400 different brands - including local breweries and guest companies from Japan, Beijing and Denmark.
Young Master Ales is one local brewery that has been making a name for itself since winning the Hong Kong "Homebrew Competition" last year.
Founder Rohit Dugara says innovation is the key to making a good craft beer.
Inspired by taste and smell combinations from Asian cuisine, he came up with the Cha Cha Soba Ale, made with buckwheat and matcha green tea powder.
"Our goal is to always do some conventional classic beer styles and execute well on it, and at the same time, do a few innovative styles. The way we think about it innovation is that we like to take inspiration from somewhere outside the beer world."
But the local brewery may face tougher competition this year, as more international brands are trying to lure the locals with their own ingredients.
Shiro Yamada is the CEO of Nippon Craft Beer.
Shiro's brewery is located in Belgium, but the ingredients are all from Japan.
"We use special ingredients from Japan, like sansho and yuzu. Sansho is more like a green pepper, like Sichuan pepper, and yuzu is like orange."
With growing enthusiasm for craft beer in the Hong Kong market, the Hong Kong Craft Beer Association was created.
Tony Cooper is the Chairperson.
"As much as there's craft beer from the States, the Europeans have been doing it for hundreds of years as well. So this new wave that's coming through is all very exciting. I mean, just look at Australia and New Zealand as well and their kind of, four, five, six years in to a great craft beer wave as well, so I think, you look at there and you can see what's going to happen in Hong Kong."
Hong Kong's market still lags far behind that of the US, with only four micro-breweries in operation.
That compares to more than two thousand in America.
But that also means huge market potential for breweries.
Moreover, they believe that Hong Kong could serve as a gateway for introducing craft beer to the Chinese mainland.
Rohit Dugara from Young Master Ales.
"I think Hong Kong can play a pivotal role in expanding craft beer in the region. It's a great place, it's a cosmopolitan city, there are people from all over the world, different walks of life, so it can really be a centre from where we also serve China and be sort of a leading place and be in the world, be on the map and building a reputation for top-notch quality."
For CRI, this is Wang Wei
Sports
St. Patricks Day victory for Ireland against Zimbabwe in Twenty20 opener
In Cricket, Ireland clinched a dramatic last ball victory on St. Patrick's Day in their Twenty20 opener against Zimbabwe.
The African side posted 163-5 from their 20 overs at the competition in Bangladesh.
Following this Paul Stirling put Ireland in a commanding position hitting 60 from 34 balls.
Ireland just needed four runs to win but then lost two wickets.
Stuart Thompson came to the rescue however hitting a single off the final ball to give his side a three wicket victory.
This is the second time Ireland have upset a test nation on their national day. They defeated Pakistan on March 17th at the 2007 World Cup.
Chelsea face Galatasaray in Champions League clash
Fresh from a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend Chelsea must reboot and prepare for tonight's Champions League clash against Galatasaray.
At a press conference the Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, refused to speak about the events on Sunday in which two of his players were sent off, and he was sent to the stands. He said he didn't want to 'bring the game into disrepute.'
Last time Chelsea and Galatasaray met in Turkey it ended with a one-all draw.
The Turkish side benefit from the impact of Didier Drogba, the former Chelsea player who was once voted the best players Chelsea has ever had, by fans.
As Drogba prepares to compete against his former side at Stamford Bridge Mourinho said the 36-year-old is such an important part of Chelsea's history that he expects him to return to the club at some point.
"I think it has to happen one day. When I don't know. As a player, as a coach, as an ambassador. Next year, in four or five years, in 10 years I don't know. But when a person represents so much to a club, and when a club represents so much to a person, and that is the case, then I think he has to be back one day,"
Drogba himself admitted that it will be emotional playing at the Chelsea ground again, but said he'll keep a cool head and do all he can to make Galatasaray qualify.
"Now I belong to Galatasaray and I need to be professional and of course there will be emotions like the first leg, to see my ex team-mates and also the Chelsea fans in the stadium was special but then there was the game, and the game as you could see was tough, was good, with our intensity, I think it is going to be the same tomorrow."
The match is set to kick off at 19:45 local time in England, that's 3:45am here in Beijing.
Schalke face impossible task against Real Madrid in Champions League clash
Another Champion's league clash at the same time is t Schalke vs Real Madrid.
The German side face a near impossible task as they must overturn a 6-1 deficit away from their previous encounter.
Two goals each from Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale put one of the tournament favourites on the brink of the quarter-finals last month, leaving tonight's game as little more than a formality for the Spaniards.
Despite the long odds Schalke boss Jens Keller says they're not going to lay down without a fight:
"Fear is not a good word in football. As I have mentioned, it is a learning process for the youngsters to play here. It is moving forward, it is learning. We will try to make the most of it, and we'll see what happens, but we are going to give it our best and try to make sure we don't suffer the same result we did in the first leg."
Real Madrid are expected to be resting many players ahead of their La Liga clash against great rivals Barcelona on Sunday.
LA Dodgers arrive in Australia ahead of MLB overseas opening day
The Los Angeles Dodgers arrived in Australia this morning to begin preparation for Major League Baseball's latest overseas opening day.
The Dodgers will face National West rivals the Arizona Diamondbacks in a pair of games this weekend at Sydney Cricket Ground.
The last time the historic venue hosted major league baseball was in 1914 when the Chicago White Sox beat the New York Giants 5-4 in an exhibition game before 10,000 fans.
The Dodgers and Diamondbacks will warm up with midweek exhibition games against Team Australia.
The trip to Australia is the first time Major League Baseball has opened the season in Australia.
British wife carrying championships victors crowned
And finally the seventh annual Wife-Carrying Championships has just taken place in the UK.
The quirky event took place on a sunny spring morning in the town of Dorking in Surrey.
The event has its origins in Scanidinavia where raiders needed to be swift on their feet to escape when stealing womenfolk from neighbouring villages.
This year's victors were Richard and Anna Blake Smith who trained hard to beat some stiff competition:
"We put in a whole weeks work in, running around the athletics track near where we live and its paid off hasn't it, it's been a good race, pushed quite closely by the Lithuanian and I could feel the 'burn' in the quads, I don't know about your legs, how are you feeling?"
ANNA: "Oh, I'm fine, I just held on."
As well as being crowned "British Wife Carrying Champion" and "Champion Wife" the couple were also awarded the top prize of a particularly coveted barrel of ale.
Entertainment
Designer L'Wren Scott dies in New York
The fashion industry was devastated on Monday when it had to say good bye to L'Wren Scott, a widely celebrated designer. Scott, in her late forties, was found hanging from a scarf in her upscale New York apartment in what appears to be a suicide.
The designer, celebrity stylist and former model styled many of Hollywood's leading ladies for the red carpet and went on to create her own high-end clothing line that's been a favorite of big names including Nicole Kidman and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Scott first arrived in Los Angeles in the 1990s and became the first-ever style director for the Academy Awards. Her clothing collection, launched in 2006, was sold at Barneys New York, Maxfield and other high-end stores. Later, she brought her fiercely feminine aesthetic to the masses with a collection for Banana Republic.
The notoriously tall fashion giant was romantically involved with Rolling Stones rock star Mick Jagger. Following her death, many in the fashion world and beyond have been outraged at the characterization of Scott by news outlets only as Jagger's girlfriend. Those mourning the heartbreaking loss of Scott's talent and towering presence in the fashion world stress that she should first and foremost be celebrated for her triumphant success as a designer.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Scott's boyfriend and Rolling Stones singer says Jagger is completely shocked and devastated by the news. The Rolling Stones has canceled the first date of their Australian tour in Perth scheduled for Wednesday. An Australian fan who identifies himself as Malcolm says he sympathizes with the decision to cancel the concert in light of the recent tragedy.
"Obviously, I mean, it's easy for us on the outside to look in and go, 'What a shame, that the concert might not go ahead tomorrow.' But then again on a personal level Mick Jagger has got something that's very personal and, yeah, he's so far away from home that you'd actually want to get back, wouldn't you?"
Scott's untimely passing has left the entertainment industry all around the world in mourning.
Director Ning Ying ready to accept consequences for challenging traditional perspectives
Chinese film director Ning Ying says she was prepared to accept all the consequences of the risks she took in the making of her new film, "Police Diary."
Ning said on Tuesday at the film's premiere in Beijing that some people believe heroes are necessary as role models while others believe there are no true heroes at all. In her new film, she challenged these two contradicting perspectives and attempted to overthrow both opinions.
"This is a great challenge for me. It is already hard to fulfill one of the two perspectives, let alone balance both of them. The film may either be successful or a complete failure. Since I have chosen to overthrow traditional schools of thought, I am ready to accept the consequences."
The film stars Wang Jingchun, who plays a policeman in northern China's Inner Mongolia. Wang received the best actor award at last year's Tokyo International Film Festival for his portrayal of the honest, kind and hard-working policeman.
The screenplay for the film was written by Ning's older sister, Ning Dai. It is adapted from a deceased policeman's diaries and notes on an unsolved case about a family who was murdered at a wedding.
The film will hit Chinese theaters this Friday, March 21st.
Li Daimo arrested for taking drugs
Chinese singer Li Daimo, who rose to fame after he appeared on the smash singing talent show "Voice of China," has been arrested in Beijing for taking drugs.
The municipal police department published a notice on their official Sina Weibo confirming that Li was caught using drugs in the capitol city's downtown area.
Li first attracted widespread attention for his performance of "Wo De Gesheng Li," or, "You Exist In My Song" on "Voice of China."
Chris Brown to stay in jail for possible probation violation
Controversial singer Chris Brown has been ordered to spend another month in jail after he was discharged from his rehabilitation center, thus violating the terms of his probation. Los Angeles Judge James R. Brandlin says Brown was kicked out of rehab after he made some troubling comments.
"I'm particularly troubled that there was a statement that was allegedly made by the defendant during the quote 'morning reflections,' where when reading the card, Mr. Brown chose to add his own words to the card stating that -- quote -- 'I am good at using guns and knives' -- unquote."
Brown was dismissed on Friday from the Malibu rehabilitation facility where he was receiving treatment for anger management, substance abuse and issues related to bipolar disorder.
The Grammy-winning artist has been under court supervision since pleading guilty to the felony assault of his then-girlfriend Rihanna in an attack hours before the 2009 Grammy Awards.
Judge Brandlin has not indicated any potential penalties he is considering if Brown is indeed found to have violated his probation. His next hearing will be on April 23rd.
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Chinese authorities say there is no evidence that any Chinese passengers on a missing Malaysian jet are responsible for the plane's disappearance...
Russia's president has supported a draft agreement paving the way for Crimea to become a part of the Russian federation...
and the Thai government has lifted the emergency decree in and around Bangkok, though a less-stringent Internal Security Act is now in effect...
In business, downward pressure on the yuan is being described as a product of market forces...
On behalf of the staff, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open the window to the world together.
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