The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Paul James with you this Wednesday, April 2, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening,
Chinese President Xi Jinping is back in China following his 4-nation tour of Europe.
Malaysian authorities are now classifying the disappearance of flight MH370 as a criminal matter.
Doctors in West Africa are sounding the alarm bells about a significant outbreak of the Ebola virus.
In business, new stats show trade among the mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao has been slipping so far this year.
In sports, an up and down day for Chinese competitors at the China Open Snooker tournament.
In entertainment, a Disney animation is set to headline the forthcoming Beijing International Film Festival.
Weather
Beijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 10 degree Celsius. Sunny tomorrow with a high of 20 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be rainy tonight, with a low of 13, also rainy tomorrow, with a high of 18.
Chongqing will be overcast, 14 degrees the low, overcast tomorrow with a high of 22.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, rainy with a high of 12.
Kabul, sunny, 6.
Over in Australia
Sydney, overcast, highs of 19.
Canberra, overcast, 13.
Brisbane, sunny, 18.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 14.
Top News
Call in on the significance of President Xi's European tour
Chinese president Xi Jinping has returned back to China following an extensive state visit to Europe.
Xi Jinping's time in Europe took him to the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium.
Economic cooperation is being viewed as the major driving force behind the Chinese President's visit, with a number of high-level economic agreements signed during his time there.
For more on Xi Jinping's time in Europe, CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King spoke earlier with Doctor Angela Stanzel, policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations based in Belgium.
…
Doctor Angela Stanzel, policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, speaking with CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King.
Missing plane search classified as criminal investigation
Anchor:
Malaysian authorities are now classifying the disappearance of missing flight MH370 as a criminal investigation.
CRI's Qizhi has more.
Reporter:
In making the pronouncement, the country's Inspector General says they're basing their decision to classify the case as a criminal matter on four main factors.
They include possible personal or psychological problems, sabotage or hijacking.
Malaysian authorities also admit they do have some clues as to what may have happened to the missing airliner.
However, they're refusing to divulge that information, saying there are things they still can't share.
Malaysian authorities DO SAY all 227-passangers onboard the flight have been cleared.
This suggests the focus is now on the 12 members of the flight crew.
The reclassification of the lost flight as a criminal matter follows interviews and statements recorded from 170 people connected to both the passengers and crew of flight MH370.
Indications are someone on the plane may have deliberately shut down the plane's radar and communications systems shortly after takeoff, then directed the airliner toward the southern Indian Ocean.
This is where the search for any evidence of the plane's disappearance remains focused, though search crews have yet to find any debris which can be directly connected to the jet itself.
Malay authorities in Kuala Lumpur have updated the Chinese families of those missing about the latest information.
Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman is the Director-General of Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation.
"We had a meeting with the next of kin just now, the next of kin from China. There are numbers, there are 29 of them from 18 families. It is a close-door meeting. We had a very good meeting with them. We answered all their questions. And I cannot give you the specifics of the meeting because it is a close-door meeting."
On the ground in Australia where the search is being directed, Prime Minister Toby Abbott says the search will last as long as it takes.
"There are a lot of very concerned people right around the world and Australia is leading the search and recovery effort as is right given that it all happened in our search and rescue zone. We owe it to the world, we owe it to those families to do whatever we reasonably can to get to the bottom of this."
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, with 239 passengers and crew onboard, disappeared shortly after takeoff on March 8th while headed from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
154 of those onboard the flight are Chinese.
For CRI, I'm Qizhi.
Five confirmed dead in 8.2-magnitude quake in Chile amid tsunami fears
At least 5 people are dead after a powerful earthquake rocked northern Chile Tuesday evening local time.
The quake, measuring 8.2 on the Richter Scale, hit in the ocean about 100-kilometers northwest of the city of Iquique in northern Chile.
The earthquake also created a tsunami which has forced the evacuation of around 10-thousand people from the Chilean coastline.
The tsunami center in Hawaii is also warning of a tidal surge brought on by the earthquake.
However, the waves generated by the tsunami are not expected to cause any major damage.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet says the tsunami warnings will be in-place until nearly dawn.
"The tsunami alert was issued promptly, we have seen an ordered evacuation of people who have worked with us from the start. "
Bachelet has already declared northern Chile a disaster zone.
Several communities in more remote regions have also been cut-off because of damage to roads.
Chinese officials in the region say there have been no reports of Chinese casualties so far.
The area in northern Chile where the quake struck has been experiencing significant seismic activity for the past few weeks.
Chilean officials are warning of more strong aftershocks to come, with at least one measuring over magnitude-6 already striking the region.
One killed, 3 injured in blasts outside Cairo University
An explosion outside Cairo University in Egypt has left at least one person dead and three others hurt.
It's being reported the Brigadier-General of the Egyptian Police Forces is the person who has been killed.
However, these reports have yet to be confirmed.
So far there have been no claims of responsibility for the bombing.
The suspected attack comes as candidates begin the nomination process to run in May's Presidental election in Egypt to officially replace ousted President Mohammed Morsi.
Former Egyptian Army chief Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, who led the military movement to remove Morsi last year, is considered the front-runner heading into the vote next month.
Death toll in Guinea's Ebola epidemic hits 84
The death toll from an Ebola outbreak in the West African country of Guinea has reached 84.
While most of the 129 cases of the deadly virus are being reported in the country's sparsely-populated north, the virulent virus has also made its way into the densely-populated capital, Conakry.
Four people have died from the Ebola outbreak in Guinea's capital.
The recent outbreak of Ebola has prompted Doctors Without Borders to lash out at the United Nations for not doing enough to help.
The director of Doctors Without Borders has slammed the World Health Organization for downplaying the significance of the Ebola outbreak.
A WHO official on Tuesday suggested the Ebola outbreak in Guinea is relatively small compared to similar outbreaks of the virus in the DR Congo and Uganda in recent years.
Despite this, medical officials in Guinea are warning of a possible mass outbreak of Ebola if the virus begins spreading rapidly through the capital.
Conakry has a population density of 10-thousand people per square-kilometers.
Other countries in the region, which are also being affected by the outbreak, have begun closing off their borders in an attempt to try to contain the outbreak.
Ebola, which can have a fatality rate as high as 90-percent in certain cases, is spread through various means, including tainted bush meat, which is a dietary staple for many in West Africa.
U.S. House passes Ukraine aid bill
US lawmakers have finally approved a new economic assistance bill for Ukraine.
The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to provide one-billion US dollars in loan guarantees to Ukraine, on top of 150-million US dollars in direct aide to Ukraine and its surrounding countries.
The legislation has to be signed off by US President Barack Obama before the money can begin to flow.
The White House says it welcomes the passage of the bill, which has passed after provisions connnected to the IMF were taken out.
But at the same time, the White House is calling on House Republicans to stop blocking legisiation required to reform the International Monetary Fund.
Republican lawmakers have been holding up passing legislation which would give the IMF more access to funds.
While the IMF is a global fund, the United States funds the largest portion.
Republicans, concerned about US government debt, have been unwilling to pass provisions to allow for more US funds to flow into the IMF.
DPRK believed to fly drone to S. Korea for surveillance
South Korean authorities are suggesting they're gathering more evidence that North Korea has adopted drone technology into its military apparatus.
This follows the discovery of a drone which crashed on one of the border islands where the two sides exchanged live fire this week.
South Korean Unification Ministry spokesperson Park Soo-jin.
"The relevant departments of the South Korean government have confirmed that North Korea is responsible for it ."
In making the pronouncement, South Korean authorities say they're going to have to take countermeasures to combat spying on its territory.
Reports are suggesting this may include the overseas purchase of advanced radar equipment.
The latest drone-find follows the discovery of a similar drone just over a week ago about 50-kilometers north of Seoul.
The drones themselves are relatively small compared to the size of US drones, measuring just under 2-meters in length and around 2.5-meters wide.
The unmanned aerial vehicle discovered near Seoul is said to have been outfitted with a high-resolution camera.
Hundreds of flights are cancelled as Lufthansa pilots go on three-day strike
Germany's Lufthansa has been forced to cancel around 900 flights on the first day of a three-day strike by the airline's pilots' union.
Luftansa expects to cancel about 38-hundred flights altogether, affecting more than 425-thousand passengers.
Airline spokesperson Barbara Schaedler says they're doing what they can to try to find alternative travel arrangements for their customers.
"The strike itself does not solve problems we have to start talking again. We want to talk and we are ready. I am sorry for our passengers, who for the third time in the last six weeks, are being affected by this strike action."
The pilots' union plans to strike from this Wednesday through Friday to back up their demands for better pay.
The union is accusing Lufthansa of putting company profits ahead of its pilots' social benefits.
Scheduled re-entry to U.S. nuke dump delayed
A lack of available equipment has forced a delay by US nuclear officials into a nuclear waste dump which was evacuated in mid-February because of a radiation leak.
Officials were hoping to re-enter the site in New Mexico on Tuesday.
However, the necessary equipment has yet to arrive.
The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southeastern New Mexico was cleared on February 14th after 17 workers tested positive for radiation exposure.
None of the exposures are considered life threatening.
The facility in New Mexico is where the US stores leftover nuclear materials from its weapons research and testing.
It remains unclear at this point what caused the radiation leak.
Beijing gets tough on big polluters
Municipal authorities here in Beijing are moving to highlight their fight against smog in the city.
The local environment agency is reporting its slapped fines worth some 7-million yuan on the owners of some 260 coal-fired boilers in the 5-months from November to March.
The fines are more than double what Beijing authorities hit similar polluters with during the previous winter.
At the same time, Beijing's environment watchdog says heavily-polluting construction sites and transport companies have also been hit with fines worth 1.1-million yuan over the same period.
Autism app launched to mark the world Autism Day.
Anchor:
Today marks World Autism Awareness Day.
As CRI's Li Dong reports, an app has been launched at Peking University to help autistic children better communicate with outside world.
Reporter:
Yuan Cong is the CEO of a mobile app developer in China. His team, together with some other researchers and volunteers, has developed an app tailored for autistic children. The name of the app is Xiaoyudi, or little rain drop. The design is very sleek and kid-friendly.
"Many autistic children have cognitive abilities, but they lack communication skills. Xiao Yudi has more than 400 basic pictures to help autistic children communicate. The app can also serve as a teaching tool."
It's easy to make people feel that autism may be a psychological disorder, rather than a physical one, but that's not true. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability. It is characterized by impairments in social interaction, problems with verbal and non-verbal communication and restricted, repetitive behavior, interests and activities.
Stars and Rain is the first NGO in China that has been committed to helping families with autistic children.
Sun Zhongkai, director of Stars and Rain, says the NGO has done a lot of substantial work, but he hopes that a long-term mechanism can be built.
"Autism is a lifelong disorder. I wonder if we can build a mechanism which can help them with education, employment and even elderly care in the future. As an NGO, we will advocate the idea and fulfill our part to promote awareness regarding autism. Our core mission is to focus on professional training for parents and teachers. I hope more social welfare policies can be made to help these children."
Sun Zhongkai adds, in America, about one in 88 children are autistic. Currently, there is not an accurate number in China due to the fact that the condition is often misdiagnosed, but according to a ratio widely accepted by the international community, it's estimated that there are 5.8 million autistic children in the country.
There is currently no cure for autism. The only way to help these children is to recognize a proper diagnosis and get them adequate education and treatment.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Asian markets added to their recent rally this Wednesday.
And the Chinese markets also closed up today, led by property shares.
The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index increased 0.7 percent.
Property shares performed strongly following media reports that certian Chinese cities may soon ease housing purchase restrictions amid the current economic slowdown.
Eight property developers saw their shares rise the maximum 10 percent today.
Cement producers and alcohol makers also helped bolster the markets.
Down in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng advanced 0.3 percent today.
HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting on the Hang Seng, rose 0.5 percent in value.
China Mobile gained 0.5 percent, while China Unicom shed 1.4 percent.
As for energy stocks, Sinopec closed down 0.6 percent. PetroChina dropped 0.1 percent.
Elsewhere here in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei advanced 1 percent on upbeat U.S. data on factory activity and a weaker yen.
South Korea's KOSPI increased 0.3 percent.
However, the rise was limited as investors are still waiting for the closely-watched U.S. non-farm payroll report for March to be released Friday.
Singapore's Strait Times Index shed 0.2 percent.
And finally, Australia's ASX200 ended Wednesday's trading up 0.3 percent.
Cross-Straits trade fell
New stats show trade between the mainland and Taiwan hit 26.7-billion U.S. dollars through the first two months of this year.
This is down 8.3-percent from the same period last year.
The Ministry of Commerce says mainland exports to Taiwan have climbed 5.2-percent year on year to around 5.6-billion U.S. dollars through January and February.
However, imports from Taiwan have come in at just over 21-billion U.S. dollars, down over 11-percent year on year.
The ministry is also reporting mainland trade with Hong Kong is down nearly 21.5-percent to just under 47-billion US dollars through the first two months.
Mainland trade with Macao is also down 16.5-percent.
JD.com merges Tencent's e-commerce business
New reports are suggesting Tencent is preparing to take a 15-percent stake in this country's second-largest online retailer, JD.com.
The revelation has come from a leaked merger document.
As part of the proposed agreement, JD.com will acquire certain online shopping platforms from Tencent, including wanggou.com, paipai.com and yixun.com.
An internal email which has been made public is suggesting JD.com will prompt retailers to transfer from wanggou.com to JD's platform.
The same email also suggests paipai.com is set to adjust its current business model and adopt a new business strategy.
Tencent and JD.com established a strategic partnership in early March.
For more on this, CRI's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Benjamin Cavender, Associate Principal with China Market Research in Shanghai.
…
Benjamin Cavender, Associate Principal with China Market Research in Shanghai, speaking with CRI's Shane Bigham.
GM hires expert for possible compensation in recalled cars
BMW China has announced a major recall of some of its vehicles.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine has announced over 230-thousand BMW's are going to be recalled because of engine problems.
The specifics of the problem have not been outlined.
The recall is set to begin on June 18th.
Meanwhile, General Motors has hired an expert to deal with potential compensation for victims of accidents connected to recalls.
The move to employ Kenneth Feinberg is being viewed as the first hint General Motors may be preparing to establish a victim's compensation fund.
This is a move been demanded by both consumer groups and Democrats in Congress.
General Motors is already involved in an internal investigation following revelations the company took years to deal with certian problems with some of its vehicles, even though the manufacturer knew of the defects.
Philip Morris to suspend cigarette manufacturing in Australia
Philip Morris International has announced plans to suspend its cigarette manufacturing in Australia by the end of the year.
The American tobacco conglomorate is going to move its Australian operations to South Korea.
The shift will leave around 180-people in Melbourne out of work.
The factory in Australia was the first Philip Morris established outside the United States 60-years ago.
BP to close Australian refinery
Oil giant BP has announced plans to end production at its Bulwer Island refinery in Brisbane, Australia, by next year.
BP says the growth of large refineries in Asia has created the need for a structural change.
The shutdown will lead to 350 layoffs.
Australia's refining sector has been hit hard recently by rising Asian competition and a stronger Australian dollar, which has hurt profitability.
Earlier this year, Royal Dutch Shell also announced it is exiting Australia's refining industry.
Caltex Australia also has plans to turn its Sydney refinery to an import terminal.
Texas leads U.S. in crude oil production
New figures show the U.S. state of Texas produced almost 35-percent of the country's crude oil this past year.
The figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show the Lone Star state pumped three-times more oil than any other state last year.
PPI of eurozone, EU drops in February
New stats out of Brussels show producer prices in both the eurozone and the whole of the European Union have dropped through February.
The EU's stats office says producer prices in the eurozone are down 1.7-percent in February, while prices in the broader EU are down 1.6-percent.
Lower energy prices are being cited as the major driver for the downturn of industrial prices.
British regional house price gap at highest ever level
New data is suggesting the regional gap in housing prices in Britain reached a record high last year, despite a recent steadying tread.
The UK's Office for National Statistics is reporting the regional disparity in average home prices has increased to over 68-percent this past year.
This is up from the 57-percent gap in prices first recorded when price disparity was first analyzed in the UK in 1986.
Headline News
Xi Jinping concludes trip to Europe
Chinese president Xi Jinping has returned back to China following an extensive state visit to Europe.
Xi Jinping's time in Europe took him to the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Belgium.
Economic cooperation is being viewed as the major driving force behind the Chinese President's visit, with a number of high-level economic agreements signed during his time there.
He also met with the leaders of the various countries to discuss both bilateral and international issues of common concern.
Missing plane search classified as criminal investigation
Malaysian authorities are now classifying the disappearance of missing flight MH370 as a criminal investigation.
In making the pronouncement, authorities in Malaysia say all 229 passengers have been cleared of any suspicion.
This suggests the focus of the investigation is now on the 12 members of the crew aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.
Malaysian authorities admit they do have some clues as to what they suspect may have happened to the missing airliner.
However, they're refusing to divulge that information, saying there are things they still can't share.
Five confirmed dead in 8.2-magnitude quake in Chile amid tsunami fears
At least 5 people are dead after a powerful earthquake rocked northern Chile Tuesday evening local time.
The quake, measuring 8.2 on the Richter Scale, hit in the ocean about 100-kilometers northwest of the city of Iquique in northern Chile.
The earthquake also created a tsunami which has forced the evacuation of around 10-thousand people from the Chilean coastline.
Chinese officials in the region say there have been no reports of Chinese casualties so far.
Death toll rises to 15 in Guangdong
The death toll from the massive storms which have been pounding the province of Guangdong since the weekend has now risen to 15.
Four others remain unaccounted for.
The increase in the death toll comes after the discovery of four more bodies from an overturned boat off the coast of Shenzhen.
Massive rain and hail storms which began pounding the Pearl River Delta on Saturday have toppled dozens of homes and have forced the relocation of close to 4-thousand people.
The storms are expected to continue through Friday.
Cross-Straits trade fell
New stats show trade between the mainland and Taiwan is down over 8-percent through the first two months of this years.
The Ministry of Commerce says mainland exports to Taiwan have climbed 5.2-percent year on year to around 5.6-billion U.S. dollars through January and February.
However, imports from Taiwan have come in at just over 21-billion U.S. dollars, down over 11-percent year on year.
The ministry is also reporting mainland trade with Hong Kong is down nearly 21.5-percent to just under 47-billion US dollars through the first two months.
Mainland trade with Macao is also down 16.5-percent.
Newspaper Picks
Shanghai Daily
"Guide dogs can get access to public facilities in Shanghai"
The city government issued a new regulation yesterday that allows blind people to take their guide dogs on public transport and inside public buildings.
The move is designed to make the city more accessible to people with visual impairments.
While this specific law is new, the basic content has been around for three years.
Back in 2011, the Shanghai adopted a policy that gave guide dogs access on buses and inside all public venues, such as cinemas, hospitals, Metro stations and restaurants.
However, the law has not been widely embraced by the public, and blind people with dogs have complained of being refused access to certain places.
An employee of a local bus company in Shanghai said on buses, drivers generally allow guide dogs on board but are sometimes overruled by other passengers.
West China Metropolis Daily
"China plans to build world's largest 'smog lab'"
The Chinese Academy of Sciences is planning to spend 500 million yuan to build what they're calling the world's largest "smog lab".
The purpose of the lab would be to help provide solutions to the smog that's been blanketing Chinese cities. The artificial "smog chamber" would simulate the country's atmospheric environment.
He Hong the lead scientist on this project said the chamber will give researchers a chance to study the chemical reactions of different mixtures of pollutants and hopefully come up with some solutions.
The lab would feature six major systems, including an atmospheric aerosol simulation vessel, an atmospheric photochemistry simulation vessel, a numerical simulation system, an observation station, a testing station, and pre-simulation and supporting facilities.
No construction is underway yet, as the plan still needs approval from policymakers.
Live Science
"Popularity's Downside: Increased Risk of Bullying"
Everyone knows that the school misfit or social outcast can be an easy target for bullies. But this article poses that being near the top of the social hierarchy is no picnic either.
New research coming out of the University of California finds that as kids become more popular, they face a greater risk of getting bullied — at least until they reach the very pinnacle of their school's social ladder, at which point they escape the fray.
Victims of bullying are often targeted for stereotypical reasons, but researchers are more interested in a secondary type of bullying which they're terming, "instrumental targeting."
This type of interaction is when someone uses bullying as an instrument or tool to gain social status.
The new study examines victimization and popularity, and finds that not only does popularity increase the chance of targeting, but any given bullying incident also hurts more, emotionally, for a popular kid than an unpopular one.
Medical Daily
"Best Times To Eat: Why Breakfast Just After 7 AM Is Your Best Option For Losing Weight"
The time of the day when you eat each meal could make the biggest difference in overall weight loss.
A recent survey conducted by Forza Supplements has identified the most advantageous times for eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner down to the minute.
Researchers from the UK based dieting company asked 1,000 dieters when they thought the best times to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner were throughout the day.
Around two-thirds of the participants insisted on eating breakfast around 7 a.m. with 7:11 ranking as the most favorable time to consume the greatest amount of calories.
Findings revealed that eating lunch between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. is a dieter's best option, especially at 12:38 p.m.
Consuming a large portion of our daily caloric intake between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. can have a detrimental effect on any weight-loss goal.
For people who are less active in the evening, eating dinner between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. was recommended by two-thirds of survey participants, with 6:14 p.m. positioned as the optimal suppertime.
Special Reports
GM foods label
Anchor:
With the genetically modified food market continuing to expand in China, the risks and rewards of GM foods are being widely discussed in this country.
CRI's Doris Wang has more on what other countries are doing when it comes to labeling GM foods.
Report:
Australia has one of the strictest regulations.
University of Melbourne professor Richard Roush says by requiring labels on products that use as little as one percent GM material, the Australian government may have deluded the public's opinion on GM foods.
"It has definitely increased concerns among consumers that if the government was required to label this, it implies that there is something to be concerned about. It implies that there's something dangerous or there's some special reason the GM foods are labeled. And many consumers interpreted in that way. It tends to attack the credibility of GM crops."
Despite the interest in the technology, the GM production of China's stable food, rice, is still strictly prohibited.
Roush says that passing the GM labeling regulation in China might have the same effect on consumers as it did in Australia.
He suggests that in addition to labeling genetically-modified products, government officials should also look at other foods that he believes are truly harmful to humans.
"There are artificial foods in our food supply that have been demonstrated to be unsafe for human health, yet, relatively little attention have been paid to them. It's transfats. We know that they're associated with heart disease. And in most areas, they get far less labeling attention than GM crops do which is quite striking how we've been misled about real human safety risks."
Philip McMaster is the founder of the World Sustainability Organization.
He believes that the labeling will allow people to make a more informed choice on what they are eating.
"I think labeling is extremely important because it's about informing people that here's a selection of products, this one and this one do not have GMO, this one does, you chose."
At China People's Political Consultative Conference in March, vice-minister of agriculture Niu Dun announced that China is working on an evaluation system for genetically modified food in order to assess its impact on the environment and human health. And because of public doubts about GM safety, Niu says strict labeling policies will also be implemented.
The Chinese government has yet to announce when the GM logos will be implemented. The industry is still in its infancy in China and only time will tell whether it will succeed in a nation of 1.3 billion consumers.
BACK ANCHOR:
That is CRI's Doris Wang reporting.
Sports
West Indies and South Africa complete Final Four at T20 Worlds in Bangladesh
In cricket,
The West Indies booked its place in the semifinals at the T20 Worlds after defeating Sri Lanka by 84 runs yesterday.
The West Indies pulled 82 runs off the final six overs, to post a hefty total of 166.
West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo saw his squad play some magnificent cricket in those final six innings.
"They have some of the best bowlers in world cricket but at the same time, history shows that is those situations the best of them all (bowlers) go for runs at that time (towards the end of an innings). We had nothing to lose. We were under pressure so I said to Sammy that as long as we stay still, don't worry about picking Ajmal or trying to rotate or anything like that. Just stay still, keep our eyes on the ball, be powerful enough if we get close to the ball to hit it over the ropes."
For Pakistan the trouble started from the get go when both opening batsmen failed to score and they were left standing in a hole at 13-4.
Pakistani captain Mohammad Hafeez couldn't mask his disappointment at losing a chance to advance onto the semis.
"I think in the last four overs we gave 70 or 71 runs in the last four overs and I think that (was where) the West Indies played good cricket and they took the game away from us. And then I think when our batting started, we didn't get the best momentum. We were playing some shots which were not there. So not the best display by Pakistan so this is disappointing."
Also yesterday,
Australia defeated hosts Bangladesh by seven wickets, but neither team will be advancing on to the final four. The South Africans earned that spot and head into the semifinals to face India.
Australian batsman Aaron Finch described the tournament as "very disappointing" since his side had aspired to take home the trophy.
I mean, I think we've let ourselves down in all three disciplines over the first couple of games and in such a short format as this, that really comes back to haunt you quickly. When you have games back to back like this, I think momentum is absolutely crucial and we probably let that slip in the West Indies game and then when we got to the India game, we were out of the tournament. So it's very disappointing. We came here with hopes to win the competition and we're going home with nothing."
Perhaps the bitterest disappointment was swallowed by the hosts, the Bangladeshi squad, who lost all four of their games in front of a crowd of home supporters.
That first semifinal between Sri Lanka and the West Indies is coming up tomorrow.
Chelsea face Paris Saint-Germain in UEFA CL quarterfinals
In UEFA Champions League action,
Chelsea are on the road at Paris Saint-Germain for their quarterfinal clash. PSG are on the verge of their first champions league semifinal appearance in 19 years. It's a lot to play for, and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is calling his French rivals the favorites in case of a draw.
"They have a team full of fantastic attacking players, not to speak about the others. I could start speaking about Thiago (Motta) and go on and on. But it's a team full of fantastic strikers and goal scorers and that is what really makes the difference in this level."
Today's second Champions League matchup is between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
In the Asian Champions League,
Al-Ahli and Sepahan played out a scoreless draw in group D.
And Chinese Super League side Guizhou Renhe defeated 2012 AFC Champions League winners Ulsan Hyundai 3-1 yesterday. Few were expecting the win from Renhe, and it was a home game for them, which made victory all the sweeter.
Brooklyn secures spot in playoffs after win over Houston Rockets
In NBA action,
The Brooklyn Nets are into the playoffs after defeating Houston 105 to 96. That was actually the first time the Nets have beat the Rockets in eight years.
It came down to the final second of overtime between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas. One of Golden State's Splash brothers Stephen Curry hit a jumper with a second left on the clock to avoid a second overtime and end the game, 122 to 120.
Klay Thompson had a team high 27 points, and Curry added 23 points and 10 boards.
And Portland beat the LA Lakers 124 to 112. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge had big scoring nights with 34 and 31 respectively. Nick Young had a game high 40 points for the Lakers.
Boston Red Sox meet President Obama at White House
And in MLB news,
The 2013 World Series champions the Boston Red Sox traveled to the White House to meet President Barack Obama, as the tradition goes for national champion teams.
David Ortiz presented the president with a Red Sox jersey emblazoned with Obama and the number 44 on the back. Then Big Papi made sure he got a selfie with the president.
"It looks like it might fit him better than me though! Alright come on, let's get a good picture here."
David Ortiz "Actually do you mind if I take my own?"
Barack Obama "Oh he wants to do a selfie!"
David Ortiz "Yes sir, yes sir!"
Barack Obama "it's the 'Big Papi' selfie! Come on."
And by the way, President Obama is a loyal Chicago White Sox fan, so I'll give him credit for good sportsmanship during that ceremony.
China's Yu De Lu advances, but defeats for Xiao Guodong and TianPengfei at China Open
In snooker,
Round two is in progress at the China Open here in Beijing.
Earlier,
Shanxi's Yu De Lu advanced to round three after defeating Thailand's James Wattana 5-1.
But two other Chinese players were knocked out in round two. Chongqing's Xiao Guodong lost to Ricky Walden 3-5, and Tian Pengfei was defeated by England's Mike Dunn 3-5.
Luca Brecel, a teenage player from Belgium, advanced to round three after beating England's Dominic Dale 5 to 1. And Hungary's Peter Ebdon upset fourth ranked Judd Trump, 5-4.
Still to come,
China's top-ranked player Ding Junhui will go up against Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
Hong Kong's Marco Fu will battle England's Mark King.
Top ranked Neil Robertson will play Mark Williams, and world number two Mark Selby will take on Nigel Bond.
Norway holds onto lead at mens world curling championship
The other big sport tournament taking place right now in Beijing is the mens world curling championships.
Earlier during this morning's session,
China defeated Denmark 6-4. Japan beat the Czech Republic 7-5. N
Norway top the standings with 7 wins and one loss after beating Scotland 6-4. And Canada is holding onto joint second with Japan after beating Switzerland 8-4.
Afternoon Results:
SUI vs. SWE/SCO vs. RUS/GER vs. GCZE/CHN vs. USA
Tonight,
Japan is playing Germany, Denmark is up against the USA, Sweden will face Canada, and Norway will take on Russia.
Entertainment
WALL·E' Headlines Beijing Film Festival Screening List
Oscar-winning animated film "WALL·E" will be shown at the Beijing International Film Festival this month.
"WALL·E" tells the story of a robot designed to clean up a waste-blanketed future Earth.
It won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film in 2009.
It hasn't been officially released in the Chinese mainland.
Co-produced by Walt Disney and Pixar, the film is among the 66 others to be featured on the festival's screening list.
Elsewhere on the screening list, "Finding Mr. Right", "Man of Tai Chi" and "Apart Together" are among the Chinese headliners.
More films will be announced soon.
The 4th annual Beijing International Film Festival will run from April 16 to 24.
An international jury led by Chinese filmmaker John Woo will decide winners for the Tiantan Awards.
Here the name of the award Tiantan, or the Temple of Heaven,is one of Beijing's historical landmarks.
Rio 2 to open in theaters on 4th
The annimated movie "Rio 2″ will hit the big screen soon.
The wilds of the Amazon is the backdrop for rare blue birds Blu, Jewel and their three kids.
They are catapulted from Rio to the jungle where they face many perils.
The movie is inspired by the 2011 original, which grossed nearly 500 million US dollars worldwide.
A host of celebrities lend their voices to the animation, from Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, will.i.am, Jamie Foxx, Andy Garcia, Bruno Mars, George Lopez and many more.
Hathaway says she did her best to keep director Carlos Saldanha's spirits up during her recording sessions.
She even tried to match her outfit to her character.
"I do have a shirt that has blue birds on it and I tried to wear it as much as possible. Just because our director Carlos Saldanha, I mean he, what he had to do to get this film done and great. The first film, he had three years, this one he only had two. So anything I could do to bring his energy up or make him happy or make him smile, I tried to do."
"Rio 2" opens in the U.K. on 4 April.
Wolf Totem to be distributed in Europe
Chinese-language period drama, "Wolf Totem," is going to Europe.
The deal has been signed for the film's distribution in the European market, which guarantees an 8-million-US-dollar income for the movie's Chinese producers.
"Wolf Totem" is adapted from the 2004 Chinese semi-autobiographical novel of the same title by Lu Jiamin.
It tells the story of a young student from Beijing sent to the Inner Mongolia countryside in the 1960s.
The film is directed by Frenchmen Jean-Jacques Annaud and stars Feng Shaofeng and Shawn Dou.
The Band Perry to open Academy of Country Music Awards
The 49th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will open from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this Sunday.
The Band Perry will open this year's telecast with an action-packed performance of their new single, "Chainsaw."
They are nominated for vocal group and video of the year.
Member of the Band Reid Perry says the show is special to them.
"Well, the ACMs was actually the very first award show where we won an award for new artist, so it does hold a special place in our heart. But specifically when it comes to videos, whenever we write songs and record songs, we are constantly thinking visually.
Darius Rucker rides his hit single, "Wagon Wheel," into the ACMs with three nominations including a big category of vocal event of the year.
"It feels amazing. It's so cool that I had this little song that everybody here in Nashville and every college student in the South at least knew."
At the same time, fresh off the release of her self-titled album, Shakira will team up with Blake Shelton on the stage, who is her fellow on a popular reality-show "The Voice."
Shelton himself is up for five nominations including Entertainer of the Year.
The show will also feature a slate of special performances by Luke Bryan, Hunter Hayes, Miranda Lambert, George Strait and Florida Georgia Line.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is back in China following his 4-nation tour of Europe.
Malaysian authorities are now classifying the disappearance of flight MH370 as a criminal matter.
Doctors in West Africa are sounding the alarm bells about a significant outbreak of the Ebola virus.
In business, new stats show trade among the mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao has been slipping so far this year.
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