The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Paul James with you this Thursday, April 3, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening.
Philippine and Malaysian authorities are now coordinating after a Chinese woman was abducted by suspected Filipino gunmen last night in eastern Malaysia.
Malaysia's Prime Minister has arrived in Perth to get a first-hand look at how the search for missing flight MH370 is progressing.
The northern coast of Chile has been rattled by another major quake, just a day after being slammed by the original.
In business，the State Council has announced new measures to try to stimulate the economy.
In sports，Sri Lanka and the West Indies in a heated battle in the T20 cricket tournament's semi-finals in Bangladesh.
In entertainment，a popular South Korean actor is set to begin a tour of Asia tomorrow in Guangzhou.
Weather
Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 7 degrees Celsius. Sunny tomorrow with a high of 24 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 9, sunny tomorrow, with a high of 18.
Chongqing will be overcast, 15 degrees the low, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 21.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, overcast with a high of 27.
Kabul, rainy, 17.
Over in Australia
Sydney, rainy, highs of 23.
Canberra, thundershowers, 12.
Brisbane, overcast, 28.
And finally, Perth will be overcast with a high of 28.
Top News
Chinese woman abducted in Malaysia
A massive search is underway in eastern Malaysia for a group of armed men who abducted a Chinese tourist and a Filipino resort worker.
The Filipino military has put its naval vessels in the southern Philippines on high-alert following last night's kidnapping.
Liu Dongyuan, China's deputy Consul-General in Kuching, says the abduction took palce at the Singamata Reef Resort in Malaysia's eastern state of Sabah.
"We haven't received confirmation who the abductors are. People who called us said they appeared to be armed Filipinos. But the Malaysian police hasn't confirmed with us yet. We are waiting for their investigation result."
Malaysian and Philippine authorities are now coordinating their search efforts.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is suggesting the abduction of the Chinese national could be an attempt by a group to drive a further wedge between China and Malaysia, given the tensions already there connected to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has also activated a response to the abduction.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei.
"The Foreign Ministry and the Chinese consulate in Kuching pay great attention to the incident. The consult has initiated an emergency response, sent officials to the area and requested the local police to start its investigation and rescue as soon as possible and guarantee the safety of the abductee as well as other Chinese tourists in the area."
Initial indications are the two women were taken captive by at least 7-suspects who arrived by boat.
The two women were snatched at the resort's jetty.
Sabah has become a popular tourist destination for Chinese tourists in recent years.
However, the region has also faced security problems due to its proximity to the restive southern Philippines.
In February of last year, more than 100 armed Filipinos landed by boat and launched attacks on Malaysian security forces, sparking a major security crisis in the area close to the Singamata resort.
Malaysian and Australian PMs meet, Razak says search will not stop until answers are found
Malaysia's Prime Minister has arrived in Australia to see for himself how the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is progressing.
Speaking at a joint news conference with his Australian counterpart in Perth, Najib Razak is promising not to give up, despite the difficulties in the search.
"I know that until we find the plane many families cannot start to grieve. I cannot imagine what they must be going through but I can promise them that we will not give up."
Razak and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott have met at the air force base in Perth which is serving as the hub for the multinational effort.
"We cannot be certain of ultimate success in the search for MH370 but we can be certain that we will spare no effort, that we will not rest until we have done everything we humanly can."
No confirmed trace of the Boeing 777 has been found, nearly a month after it vanished in the early morning hours of March 8th on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.
The search for the missing jetliner remains focused on the southern Indian Ocean, where it's believed the plane crashed into the water.
Malaysian authorities are now treating the disappearance as a criminal matter, suggesting the focus of their investigation is now being directed at the 12 crew members aboard the flight.
7.8 aftershock rattles earthquake zone; renewed evacuations
Chile's far northern coast has been hit by a second powerful earthquake, a 7.8 magnitude aftershock.
The aftershock hit just over 24 hours after an 8.2 tremor killed six people.
The new quake has led to mass evacuations, including Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who had been on an inspection tour of the region following the earthquake.
Ahead of her evacuation, Bachelet announced emergency funds are going to be made available.
"I've signed a disaster zone decree for Tarapaca, Arica and Parinacota and this is a very important decree because it allows much easier access to the "two percent constitutional" (emergency funds) for disaster situations and to be able to count on resources and on the other hand it expedites a set of procedures, so the disaster zone (decree) will continue for as long as necessary."
A tsunami alert for Chile and Peru was issued shortly after the latest quake, but was later lifted after waves of 0.7 meters hit coastal areas.
The quake is the strongest of several aftershocks which have hit the region following Tuesday's initial quake.
There have been no immediate reports of new damage or injuries from the latest tremor.
40-cm tsunami waves hit Iwate, Japan following Chile earthquake
A small tsunami has hit the shore in Japan following the earthquakes off the coast of Chile.
Local media say the tsunami was only around 40-centimeters high.
It hit Japan's northeast.
8 Philippine coast guard members formally charged with homicide
Eight members of the Philippine Coast Guard are facing formal criminal charges in connection with last year's fatal shooting of a fisherman from Taiwan.
All 8 are now facing homicide and obstruction of justice charges.
In filing the criminal charges, the Philippine Department of Justice has dismissed the group's claim they were forced to fire on the fishing vessel after it tried to ram their boat north of the Philippines.
The panel tasked with determining whether charges should be laid has also dismissed the argument the 8 can't be tried criminally because they were performing their lawful duties.
Instead, the panel has determined the group acted "in unison" in firing on the fishing boat from Taiwan.
65-year old Hung Shih-Cheng, one of four crew members on the boat, was shot and killed in May of last year after a Philippine Coast Guard boat opened fire.
The incident sent relations between the authorities on Taiwan and the Philippine government to new lows.
4 dead in shooting on Fort Hood army base; Obama comment
There's been another mass shooting at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas.
A soldier has opened fire, killing three of his colleagues and injuring 16 others before turning the gun on himself.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel.
"Fort Hood is still in lockdown, we are still getting facts. It is a terrible tragedy, we know that. We know that there are casualties, both people killed and injured. We don't have all the facts yet we will get those it's still under investigation."
It's being reported the gunman is Ivan Lopez, a soldier who arrived at the post in February from another military base in Texas.
Officials say the gunman served in Iraq and had mental health problems.
He had reportedly been taking medication and receiving psychiatric help for depression and anxiety, and was undergoing a process to determine whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder.
US President Barack Obama says he is "heartbroken."
"I want to just assure all of us that we're going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened. Any shooting is troubling. Obviously this re-opens the pain of what happened at Fort Hood five years ago."
A rampage at the same base in 2009 left 13 soldiers dead and 32 wounded, in what was the deadliest attack on a domestic military installation in US history.
Major Nidal Hasan has been sentenced to death for that attack, which was religiously-motivated.
Number of new Ebola cases rises in Guinea
Four new cases of the deadly Ebola virus have been confirmed in Guinea.
This brings the total number of cases of the disease to 134 in the West African country.
84 of those infected have already died.
The recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in Guinea is threatening to spread into the heavily-populated capital, Conakry, where 4 people have already died of the disease.
Ebola is a virulent virus which can spread through various means, including human-to-human contact and eating infected meat, among other things.
In certain cases, the Ebola virus can have a fatality rate as high as 90-percent.
The outbreak in Guinea has prompted its neighboring countries to begin shutting down their borders in an effort to try to contain the spread of the virus.
Moscow wants NATO to explain military build-up in Europe
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russian forces at the Ukrainian border are going to return to their permanent bases after completing military exercises in the area.
And at the same time, Lavrov is also asking explanations from NATO about its activities in eastern Europe.
"As for the plans for the increase of NATO presence on the territories of the members of this alliance in Eastern European states, our stand is that Russian-NATO relations are also regulated by certain rules, including the Rome declaration, and the basic agreement of the NATO-Russia Council, according to which, there must be no additional constant military presence on Eastern European territory."
NATO foreign ministers at a meeting this week have ordered military commanders to draw up plans to beef up their defences for its eastern members.
It's being reported this may include sending NATO soldiers and equipment to its allies in eastern Europe, holding more exercises and reviewing NATO's broader military plans.
Online organ donation
Anchor:
A commemorative event has taken place to honor and remember organ donors here in China.
The event also marks the official launch of an online organ donation website.
CRI's Xiong Siqi has more.
Reporter:
A commemorative event was held on the morning of April 2nd in the academic hall of Peking Union Medical College Hospital to honor and remember the nation's organ donors. The event was organized by the Red Cross Society of China and China's National Health and Family Planning Commission. He Xianhang is the father of He Yue, a young girl who voluntarily donated her organs.
"When she knew that she was running out of time, she told me her decision. Her words touched me. Now I am a devoted organ donor."
An online organ donation registry website, organized by the society's China Organ Donation Administrative Centre, was also launched on the day of the commemorative event.
The registry, register.rcsccod.org.cn, was set up in order to improve public access to organ donations for life-saving transplants and to raise awareness among the general public.
Hong Junling is an officer with the China Organ Donation Administrative Centre.
"After entering our website, you can fill in a spreadsheet online and register quickly. You can also fill out paper application forms. All the data will be collected in our database."
Anyone aged 18 and above can sign up to become an organ donor by following the simple instructions on the website. Personal information required includes a donor's name, gender, nationality, ID details and contact numbers. Donors can modify or withdraw their registration via the website and the registry is also open to foreigners.
Previously, people usually had to go to their local Red Cross branches in order to sign up to become donors; an inconvenient process compared to signing up online.
China has the world's second-largest demand for organ transplants.
The supply and demand ratio is 1 to 30, while in western countries; the ratio is about 1 to 3.
However, questions related to the transparency of the country's organ donation system are the main reason as to why some people hesitate when it comes to donating organs.
On this issue, Huang Jiefu, chairman of China Organ Donation and Transplant Committee, said that China is seeking to build a transparent donor system.
"If we want people to trust us, we must set up an honest and fair system. Now we have established an organ donation and transplant committee, which has five work systems, including an organ donation system, organ capture and distribution system, organ transplant system, a registration system, and an organ donation supervision system. Only if the five systems work together can we guarantee that our entire system is fair, honest and transparent."
The online registry system collates the information of donors who intend to donate their organs after they've passed away.
For CRI, this is Xiong Siqi.
Tomb Sweeping Proxy emerges
Anchor:
With the Qingming Festival approaching, the issue of 'tomb-sweeping' proxies is once-again up for discussion here in China.
CRI's Li Dong has more.
Reporter:
Traditionally, tomb sweeping is considered to be a ceremony only for the family members of the dead.
But the distance as well as congestion of people and vehicles at cemeteries has made it a painful experience for some during the brief period. As a result, tomb sweeping by proxy has emerged.
On Taobao.com, China's biggest online shopping portal, there are more than 20 online stores offering Tomb-Sweeping service ranging from 100 to 3000 yuan.
Mr. Wang is one of the tomb sweeping service agents. He explains the service on offer.
"When we get there, we will sweep the tomb first and make the surroundings clean and tidy. Then we will hold a mini ceremony, including mourning, reading the words you want us to read, pouring liquor, burning paper sacrifices, and donating flowers. If you want to burn a tailored sacrifice like a paper car, you need to pay additional money. On average, it will cost you around 1,000 yuan. Everything will be recorded, and we accept online transactions."
Yang Xuan, a girl who has been working in a city far away from her hometown, welcomes such service.
"If the tomb is close to where you live, and you can afford the time; that's good. But nowadays, working and studying in another city or overseas is common. Distance is definitely a barrier. If you really can't make it back, and you want to pay respects to your family members who have passed on, tomb sweeping service is a viable choice."
But Yang also says people should not rely on such service. If you can make it back, you should go back. Nonetheless, this event only takes place once a year. Jing Xiaowei is a young girl in Beijing who shares the same thought.
"For me, tomb sweeping should be a serious ceremony for mourning those family members who have passed away. If you have strangers do that for you, like the tomb sweeping agent, it will not be honest. It has nothing to do with your actual emotions. So, if people choose this service, what is the Tomb Sweeping Festival for?"
The idea of tomb-sweeping by proxy has also raised concerns about the commercialization of the festival.
Professor Yu Jianrong from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences says it is acceptable to ask others to help in tomb-sweeping. However, as for people making a profit from the festival, the commercialization of the festival is completely out of place. The nature of tomb-sweeping is to pay respects to the dead. This meaning will get totally lost when people start pursuing profit instead.
So far, most of tomb-sweeping service offered by on-line stores has attracted few customers.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Asian markets ended mostly higher this Thursday, extending a global advance fueled by new stimulus measures here in China and evidence of stronger U.S. hiring.
Despite the new Chinese stimulus plans, which we'll discuss in just a moment, Chinese shares closed lower, ending a two-day rally, as new data from the non-manufacturing sector dampened investor confidence.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.7 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index dropped 0.5 percent.
Bank and real estate shares led the decline.
Down in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng advanced 0.3 percent today.
Hong Kong shares have risen on news the central authorities have new stimulus plans to try to help shore up slowing growth, drawing investors to railway and construction-related shares.
Elsewhere here in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei advanced 0.8 percent on further hopes for the health of the U.S. economy
South Korea's KOSPI shed 0.2 percent, despite Samsung 2.4 percent rise on news its planning to release a mini version of its Galaxy S5 smartphone in June.
Singapore's Strait Times Index increased 0.9 percent.
And finally, Australia's ASX200 ended Thursday's trading up 0.1 percent.
China moves to stabilize faltering economy
The central authorities here in China have announced a new set of supportive policies to try to stimulate broader economic growth.
The new measures include cutting taxes for micro and small-sized businesses, facilitating shanty-town renovations and speeding up railway construction.
The State Council decision comes amid growing hopes for a broad-based stimulus program to be unveiled following a string of economic indicators which have been suggesting first quarter growth here in China may have slipped below the annual target.
This year's growth target has been set at 7.5-percent.
The National Bureau of Statistics is due to release the GDP data for the first quarter on April 16th.
China's non-manufacturing PMI drops
New data shows the purchasing managers' index for China's non-manufacturing sector dropped 0.5 points in March from a month earlier to 54.5 percent.
The non-manufacturing PMI tracks activity in a number of sectors, including construction, software, aviation, railway transport and real estate.
Any PMI reading above 50 percent indicates expansion, while below 50 percent reflects contraction.
The decline in the March PMI follows a rebound in February, when the index came up from its lowest level in more than a year in January.
The sub-index for new export orders has surged by 3.4 points to 51.7 last month.
The index for the broader business outlook has risen 1.6 points to 61.5, which is being viewed as a sign of strengthening corporate confidence.
The employment index has risen 0.5 points to 51.4.
Non-performing loans worry China's banking sector
Anchor:
Full-year results released recently from China's major state-run banks have sparked a new round of concern about non-performing loans.
China's five largest banks, including the Agricultural Bank of China, the Bank of China, the Bank of Communications, the China Construction Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, currently have some 370 billion yuan worth of NPL's on their books.
That is nearly 47 billion yuan more than a year ago.
Smaller banks, such as China CITIC Bank and China Everbright Bank, are facing an even more troubling situation.
CITIC has seen its NPL ratio surge over 60-percent this past year.
Everbright's bad loans have jumped more than 30-percent.
For more on the situation, CRI's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Cao Can,CRI's Financial Commentator.
…
That was Cao Can, CRI's Financial Commentator, speaking with The Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham.
Trial opens for trader against securities watchdog
The civil trial against China's securities watchdog has begun.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission is being sued by a former executive of Chinese brokerage firm Everbright Securities.
Yang Jianbo, former head of the strategic transaction department of Everbright Securities, is suing the CSRC after it fined and banned him for life from the securities and futures markets for insider trading last year.
He is petitioning the courts to overturn the CSRC's previous ruling against him.
An abnormal trading on August 16th of last year caused a nearly 6-percent gain in the Shanghai Composite Index in just 3-minutes.
This, after a large number of purchase orders were issued from Everbright Securities' own account.
The abnormal spike triggered a series of automatic trades, which then lost value after the Everbright purchase orders were rescinded.
Yang and the company both contend a computer error was to blame.
Despite this, securities regulators slapped the company with penalties totaling 523 million yuan for legal and regulatory violations.
Regional price differentiation is business norm: China Mobile
China Mobile is moving to defend its pricing structure, saying its normal for global companies to charge different prices in different regions.
The comments are in response to complaints that China Mobile's service in Hong Kong is much cheaper than on the mainland.
Headline News
Chinese woman abducted in Malaysia
A massive search is underway in eastern Malaysia for a group of armed men who abducted a Chinese tourist and a Filipino resort worker.
The abduction took place last night in Malaysia's eastern state of Sabah.
Malaysian and Philippine authorities are now coordinating their search efforts.
The Chinese consulate in the region has also initiated an emergency response.
So far there's been no claim of responsibility or any motive offered for the abduction.
7.8 aftershock rattles earthquake zone; renewed evacuations
Chile's far northern coast has been hit by a second powerful earthquake, a 7.8 magnitude aftershock, one day after an 8.2 tremor killed six people.
The new quake has led to mass evacuations, including Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who had been on an inspection tour of the region following the earthquake.
There have been no immediate reports of new damage or injuries from the latest tremor.
Obama "heartbroken" over Fort Hood shooting
US President Barack Obama is describing himself as "heartbroken" following another mass shooting at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas.
A soldier opened fire on Wednesday, killing three of his colleagues and injuring 16 others before turning the gun on himself.
Officials say the gunman served in Iraq and had mental health problems.
A rampage at the same base in 2009 left 13 soldiers dead and 32 others wounded, in what remains the deadliest attack on a domestic military installation in US history.
Blast occurs on Musharraf's route: Pakistani police
Pakistani police say a bomb appears to have targeted the convoy of former President Pervez Musharraf.
The bomb went off just minutes after Musharraf's convoy passed by while being transferred from a military hospital to his home in Rawalpindi.
No one was hurt in the explosion.
The bombing comes on the heels of the Pakistani courts rejecting Musharraf's application on Monday to have treatment overseas.
Seoul: drone from N. Korea flew over presidential palace
South Korean authorities now say a drone found last week which crashed near the border with the North apparently flew over the presidential palace in Seoul.
The South Korean Defense Ministry says nearly 200 aerial photographs have been recovered from a camera carried by the drone, including some taken directly above the presidential Blue House.
South Korean authorities say they believe the drone was launched by the North for surveillance purposes.
China moves to stabilize faltering economy
The central authorities here in China have announced a new set of supportive policies to try to stimulate broader economic growth.
The new measures include cutting taxes for micro and small-sized businesses, facilitating shanty-town renovations and speeding up railway construction.
The State Council decision comes amid growing hopes for a broad-based stimulus program to be unveiled following a string of economic indicators which have been suggesting first quarter growth here in China may have slipped below the annual target of 7.5-percent GDP growth.
Newspaper Picks
Xinhua News Agency
"Old hutong area to debut in Venice"
Dashilar, one of the oldest hutong areas in Beijing, will be showcased at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale, one of the world's most important architectural exhibitions.
During the event, Dashilar, a famous commercial street with a history of more than 800 years, will be highlighted in the Chinese City Pavilion launched by Beijing Design Week and DONTSTOP, an Italian architectural design company.
The Dashilar project, the capital city's debut in the Chinese City Pavilion, will demonstrate the city's urban development and changes. The theme of the project is "Pass Through Beijing."
The biennale will be held from June 7 to November 23.
The telegraph
"How early morning light can help you lose weight"
Scientists have discovered that getting a good dose of early morning
sunshine can improve health by lowering body fat.
It is thought that early morning light triggers certain genes which are linked to the internal body clock and which can kick-start the metabolism.
The study looked at 54 people who averaged 30 years of age. They wore a wrist monitor that measured their light exposure, sleep parameters, and caloric intake for one week.
The researchers found that those who were regularly exposed to more morning light had roughly a 20 per cent lower BMI, or body mass index, than the others.
The conclusion is that exposure to sunlight is part of a healthy lifestyle.
Sky News
"Moon dated at 4.470 billion years"
A new study from the journal Nature said that the Moon was formed about 95 million years after the birth of our solar system, in a collision that also settled the structure of Earth.
The crash between an early, proto-Earth and a Mars-sized object that dislodged what would become the Moon, happened some 4.470 billion years ago - give or take 32 million years
Previous estimates had ranged from an 'early' impact about 30 million years after the start of the solar system, to a later one as much as 200 million years after.
For the new study, scientists created a computer model of how dust and rock accumulated to form tiny planets called planetesimals.
These grew into 'planetary embryos' that ended up as the rocky planets through a succession of giant impacts.
Apart from creating our satellite, the event is also believed to have marked the final phase of Earth's core formation from molten metals sinking to the centre.
Shanghai Daily
"Shanghai to adopt China V emission standard"
SHANGHAI will become the second city in the country after Beijing to introduce the China V emission standard for new vehicles starting from April 30.
Vehicles failing to meet the strict new standard cannot be registered.
The new standard aims to curb the number of old vehicles on the road and enforce a higher emission level for new vehicles in the city.
Vehicles meeting China V standard will have lower nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emission.
According to Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau, under the new emission standard vehicles will cut nitrogen oxide by 25 to 43 percent compared to the previous standard.
Petrol stations around the city have been selling gasoline and diesel that meet the China V emission since November. The bureau said it will reduce emission by 8 percent.
Owners who dump their polluting cars now receive 6,000 yuan as compensation from the city government.
Special Reports
China to expand aviation coop. with Latin America
Anchor:
Chinese exhibitors at the now-concluded Chile International Air and Space Fair are suggesting there is a lot of room for growth when it comes to aerospace cooperation between the two countries.
CRI's Chi Huiguang has more.
Reporter:
The 18th International Air and Space Fair, or FIDAE, concluded last Sunday in Santiago, capital of Chile.
This year's fair is reportedly the largest since the FIDAE was established in 1980, with about 580 aerospace and defense technology companies from 43 countries and regions displaying their latest products.
Among the activities staged during the event, aerobatics probably impressed visitors the most.
This year, sky-writers from Argentina drew an "arrow through the heart" with smoke trails coming out of their aircrafts. The world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, also made an appearance at the fair, showing visitors its unusually large size.
Edu is a big fan of the fair. He said:
"I've been coming to the fair since its first edition in 1980. Aerobatics of combat aircraft are rare to behold. They are not something we can see everyday, so it's important to enjoy the special week once every two years."
At the fair, state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, or CETC, displayed the latest achievements of China in aviation and aerospace technologies.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Chinese ambassador Yang Wanming and Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping visited the booth of the corporation.
Zhao Ming, president of CETC, said that Chinese aviation and aerospace firms have their own advantages.
"We have our own advantages with regard to product performance, prices and after-sale services. Thus, many of China's technologies and products are increasingly gaining recognition among Latin American customers."
Chile has reportedly become China's second largest partner in Latin America within the aviation and aerospace sector. As China's technologies continue to develop, Zhao says Chinese companies like his own are eying further cooperation with their Latin American counterparts.
"We are not merely a product supplier. We can also cooperate in a wide range of fields, including development and manufacturing."
Established in 1980, the International Air and Space Fair is the largest event of its kind in Latin America and is held every two years in Chile.
For CRI, Im Chi Huiguang
Sports
Quarterfinal draws fill up at China Open
In Snooker,
The field is narrowing down during round 3 today of the China Open here in Beijing.
Graeme Dott was the first player to advance to the quarterfinals after defeating Belgium's Luca Brecel 5-2.
Results:
China's Yu De Lu vs. World number one Neil Robertson
Shaun Murphy vs. Ricky Walden
Allister Carter v. Peter Ebdon
China's highest ranked player Ding Junhui vs. John Higgins
Mark King v. Jamie O'Neill
Craig Steadman v. Mike dunn
Jimmy White v. World number two Mark Selby
Barcelona slapped with 14-month transfer ban by FIFA for international signing violations
In football,
La Liga club Barcelona has been slapped with a 14-month transfer ban by FIFA for violating rules regarding about underage signings.
The FIFA rule is that an international transfer has to be over the age of 18, unless the player meets certain criteria.
After an investigation, FIFA uncovered that Barca had violated this rule between the years 2009 and 2013 as regards ten different players.
The sanction will mean that Barca cannot buy players for the next two transfer windows.
Yesterday in Champions League play,
A late strike by Javier Pastore lifted Paris St-Germain over Chelsea in their Champions League clash yesterday.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was not in a good mood after watching his side squander an early lead to lose 3-1.
"The game was under control. We had a two-one to score in the end of the first half, which should be a fantastic result obviously. For the second half, we didn't score. After that we score in our own goal and after that the third goal?. is a joke. It is not a goal, it is a joke "
Also yesterday, Real Madrid killed Dortmund 3-nil in the first leg of their quarterfinal clash.
Later today there are four matches about to get underway in the Europa League,
Benfica will take on AZ Alkmaar, Basel will face Valencia CF, it's FC Porto and Sevilla, and Lyon vs. Juventus.
Sri Lanka and West Indies engaged in semifinal clash at T20 World
In cricket,
Sri Lanka and the West Indies meeting for their semifinal clash today at the World T20 tournament in Bangladesh.
Dinesh Chandimal will be back to captain his team after missing the last match for an ICC suspension.
The world number one Sri Lankan squad haven't disappointed so far during this tournament, and many consider them the favorites after winning the Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka lost to the West Indies in the 2012 final, but head coach Paul Fabrace said that piece of history won't have any bearing on this upcoming match.
"T20 is about whoever turns up on that particular day, form goes out of the window as well when it comes to T20 and as we have seen through out the competition, three or four overs from one particular player with bat or ball can change a win a game. So it's very much about making sure we are ready, we are focused and play our very best game we possibly can. As they say form goes out of the window and what happened two years ago won't be even talked about, I can assure you. "
Sri Lanka has consistently made it through to the final four over the past years at this competition, but haven't won the title since 1996.
The defending champions West Indies are also looking strong, and many say are peaking at the perfect time as their play as continued to improve throughout the tournament.
Captain Darren Sammy says he's confident his squad has the ability to defend their title this year.
It's something that no team has done before and we very confident that we could do it. Once we play the brand of cricket that we played last three games there is every possibility that we can, but we know it is a game of cricket and twenty20 being the shortest format, its all about momentum and seizing the right opportunity. And so far we have been able to do that and hopefully we can do that again with Sri Lanka, we have a fair idea of what they bring to the table and we just have to play our cards right."
The second semifinal between India and South Africa is coming up tomorrow.
Players react to Tiger Woods pull out from Masters
In golf,
Tiger Woods rocked the golf community yesterday when he announced his absence from the upcoming Masters tournament as he's recovering from back surgery.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy said that Tiger's absence will definitely affect not just the Masters tournament, but the sport in general.
I think golf is always better when Tiger Woods is in the conversation. And even though he's not playing, he's still in the conversation, I guess, but it draws more people to the game when he plays, when he's in contention, when he's winning. So, you know, we all have, you know, Tiger to thank for where the game is now, because, you know, he's brought TV ratings up, prize money up hugely from where it was before and he came on the scene.
American golfer Hunter Mahan agreed, saying that a Tiger Woods-less Masters will have an impact on the tournament, but will also open the door for lesser known contenders.
" He's one of the most recognizable athletes in the world and have him in the game of golf is very important. But it's an opportunity for a lot of guys to step up and there's a lot of names that are stepping up this year and the last couple of years. But I think we wish him the best. I know he's not done with his career and the things he wants to do. So I know he'll be back."
The Masters tournament will get underway next week in Augusta, Georgia.
Norway still holds lead at mens world curling championship
In curling,
The ice is heating up at mens world curling championship here in Beijing.
Team Norway is still out in the lead after getting their ninth win with a victory over the Americans 6-4.
Canada is in second place, after steamrolling over Germany 11 to 5. Japan shares second with 7 wins and three losses, after getting crushed by Sweden 11-4. And the tournament's bottom-dwellers Russia and Denmark battled earlier, with the Russians just edging out the Danes 6-5.
Tomorrow play will get underway with an afternoon matchup between Scotland and Canada. Pack leaders Norway will take on Switzerland, China will play Japan, and the Czech Republic will face Denmark.
Washington Wizards into playoffs for first time since 2008
Next for some highlights from today's NBA action,
The Washington Wizards have made the playoffs for the first time since 2008, after they beat the Boston Celtics 118-92 to secure their spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Miami Heat defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 97-77 to keep their top spot in the Eastern Conference intact.
And the San Antonio Spurs extended their franchise-record winning streak to 19 games after a big win over the Golden State Warriors.
Tony Parker had 18 points and 8 assists to help his team onto a 111-90 victory.
The LA Clippers beat Phoenix 112-108. Sacramento had a five point win over the Lakers 107-102. And it was a big win for the New York Knicks over Brooklyn 110 to 81.
Entertainment
Kim Soo-Hyun to start Asian Tour in Guangzhou
Popular South Korean actor Kim Soo-Hyun kicks off the China arm of his Asian Tour in Guangzhou on April 4th.
The fan-meeting tour hits Beijing on Sunday.
The actor starred in the popular Korean soap opera, "You Who Came From The Stars", which also attracted a huge, frenzied fan-base here in China.
It is reported that the broadcasting rights of the TV drama are the most expensive ever for a Korean drama in China.
Kim has also been chosen as Coca-Cola China's latest ambassador and will appear in a commercial for the soft drink company later this year.
Besides his Coca Cola China deal, the actor's camp is also in talks for a possible Chinese movie debut.
Kim Soo-Hyun and his team have organized many visits to China over the past month.
A premium ticket to his Shanghai tour last week reportedly sold for 25-thousand yuan, about 4-thousand US dollars.
Actors on saying goodbye after eight years of 'Mad Men'
The cast of "Mad Men" gathered in Los Angeles for the premiere of the show's final season after seven years on air.
This season's first seven episodes will begin airing next week. The last set of seven episodes will air next year.
Show creator Matthew Weiner doesn't give any hits at what comes to light in the final season.
"It's two halves of the season. So the first half is really about the material world, and the things that we -- that meet our basic needs: food, shelter, money. And the way those things get expressed through ambition, desire. And then there's another question when those needs are met. So we're going to deal with that in the second seven."
At the same time, Christina Hendricks, who plays Joan Harris on the show, reflects on all the life changes among the cast.
"I mean, so many things have changed in our lives. We've gotten married and bought homes and had children, and gotten puppies. The things that happen in your 30s through eight years of someone's life. So I feel like my life has completely changed."
"Mad Men" has one very high-profile supporter: President Barack Obama, who referred to the show in his January State of the Union address when talking about equal pay for women.
Orlando Bloom got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Orlando Bloom has accepted his star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday.
His son, three-year-old Flynn, even helped unveil the 2,521st star outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
Bloom says he is excited to get a star on the Walk of Fame.
"It's wonderful, a little surreal to be receiving a star on Hollywood Boulevard. I still feel like I'm at the beginning of my career and I've got so much to look forward to. When I was a child, growing up in England, I dreamed of being an actor. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I'd be standing here receiving this star on this mythical Walk of Fame."
Bloom, known for his roles in "The Lord of the Rings" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchises, was joined by "Pirates" producer Jerry Bruckheimer and his "Zulu" co-star, Forest Whitaker, at the ceremony.
New Michael Jackson album 'Xscape' will be released next month
A new posthumous album of previously unreleased Michael Jackson songs will be released on May 13.
Epic Records and the late pop singer's estate will release "Xscape," an album of eight unreleased tracks that have been updated musically by producers including Timberland and Rodney Jerkins.
Executive producer L.A. Reid is tasked with "contemporizing" the new release. A deluxe version of the album will include Jackson's original recordings of the tracks.
Few details were shared, but Reid did say the album is named after a track produced by Jackson and Jerkins, which was later updated by Jerkins.
Jackson died in June 2009 at the age of 50 from a lethal dose of an anesthetic.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Philippine and Malaysian authorities are now coordinating after a Chinese woman was abducted by suspected Filipino gunmen last night in eastern Malaysia.
Malaysia's Prime Minister has arrived in Perth to get a first-hand look at how the search for missing flight MH370 is progressing.
The northern coast of Chile has been rattled by another major quake, just a day after being slammed by the original.
In business, the State Council has unveiled new plans to try to stimulate the economy.
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