The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Paul James with you this Wednesday, April 23, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
Ukrainian authorities have announced the resumption of their anti-terror measures in eastern Ukraine after a local politician was found tortured to death.
Hamas and Fatah have come to a new agreement to form a unity government meant to end years of political separation.
Officials in Hong Kong have announced they've come to an agreement to settle their long-running dispute with the Philippines over the Manila hostage crisis.
In business, the value of the renminbi has fallen to its lowest level in some 16-months.
In sports, the semi-finals of this year's Champions League playoffs are underway.
In entertainment, a new film from Chinese director Ning Hao is due to hit screens in September.
Weather
Strong cold front hitting north China
Forecasters are warning a strong cold front is now rolling over northern China.
The front, which is situated over Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Shaanxi, is bringing down temperatures by as much as 12-degrees below normal.
The system is also expected to whip up sandstorms over the next 3-days.
At the same time, areas south of the Yangtze river are expected to see heavy rains over the coming days.
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 16 degrees Celsius. Sunny tomorrow with a high of 26 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 14, overcast tomorrow, with a high of 22.
Chongqing will be rainy, 18 degrees the low, also rainy tomorrow with a high of 22.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 32.
Kabul, sunny, 22.
Over in Australia
Sydney, overcast, high of 28.
Canberra, overcast, 21.
Brisbane, sunny, 29.
And finally, Perth will be overcast with a high of 26.
Top News
Ukrainian government meets, announcing resumption of security operation in eastern-Ukraine
Ukrainian authorities have announced the resumption of their anti-terror measures in eastern Ukraine.
Interim Prime Minister Arseny Yaseniuk has made the announcement today.
At the same time, he's also appealing for help from the International Monetary Fund.
"I hope that the IMF will consider our application and will take the necessary decisions by the end of the current month"
The resumption of the anti-terror measures comes after the body of a local politician was found near the city of Slaviansk.
It appears the victim was tortured.
Despite the resumption of the anti-terror program, pro-Russian protesters don't seem too concerned.
"Everything is in order. The city hall is operating as usual. The mayor just left work for home. There is no damage, no noise. It's very peaceful".
"The city government should be holding a meeting now in order to pass a resolution. The meeting has been suspended. Why? Because no one can hold a meeting in such a place. As you can see, there are weapons here today. I wouldn't want to go inside, or think and make decisions in there".
Pro-Russian protesters have been occupying a number of addtional government buildings in the city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region since Monday.
The United States, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union signed an agreement last week in Geneva which calls on all sides to refrain from violence, intimidation or provocative actions.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is currently in Ukraine to oversee the implementation of the deal.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have spoken over phone for the second time in two days in a bid to try to ease tensions in Ukraine.
Kerry has voiced "deep concern" with Lavrov over what he calls a "lack of positive Russian steps."
The US side contends there is "mounting evidence" that pro-Russia separatists are continuing to increase the number of buildings under occupation, and at the same time, and take journalists and other civilians hostage.
For his part, Lavrov contends it should be Ukrainian authorities that should be taking action as soon as possible to implement the Geneva deal and revoke the order to use military forces against civilians.
He is also calling on Kiev to disarm, what he describes as, "extreme nationalistic militants."
Hamas, PLO agree on government formation, elections: Official
Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah have agreed to the creation of a transitional unity government.
The two sides have agreed to form the new government before the end of May.
Elections are also to be held within 6-months.
Fatah negotiator Azzam al-Ahmad.
"We must end this hateful chapter called division and implement together what we have agreed upon with all the Palestinian factions."
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
"We need to end this division and start Palestinian reconciliation so that we'll have one government, one political system, one leadership and one Palestinian national program that is agreed upon."
The deal marks the first reconciliation between the Palestinian factions since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.
Fatah is the internationally-recognized Palestinian authority, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas has found itself politically isolated in recent months after the fall of Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi.
His administration had been one of the key supporters of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza's main lifeline had been the Egyptian border in the Sinai, given that Israel has been maintaining a naval blockade of the Palestinian enclave since Hamas took control.
The current administration in Egypt has accused Hamas of being part of a plot to destabilize Egypt.
HK, Philippines compromise over tourist deaths
Anchor:
The Hong Kong government says it’s a long-running dispute with the Philippines over a deadly hostage crisis nearly 4-years ago has come to an end.
CRI's Li Jing has the story from Hong Kong.
Report:
Authorities from Hong Kong and the Philippines have reached a compromise over the demand for an apology connected to the deaths of eight tourists during a hostage-taking in Manila in August of 2010.
In a statement, Hong Kong authorities say that -quote- "the Philippine government expresses its most sorrowful regret and profound sympathy, and extends its most sincere condolences for the pain and suffering of the victims and their families."
It goes on to say the victims and their families' four demands for an apology, compensation, sanctions against responsible officials and individuals, and tourist safety measures, will be settled.
However, the statement does NOT say that a formal "apology" has been issued.
The government of the Philippines has been refusing to offer a formal apology for the incident.
President Benino Aquino III contends that issuing a formal apology would be an admission of culpability by the government of the Philippines, and could leave the country open to lawsuits.
Despite this, as part of the new agreement, Hong Kong sanctions against Philippine government officials have been lifted.
In February, the Hong Kong government canceled visa-free travel for Philippine officials and diplomats.
The new agreement comes after Manila mayor Joseph Estrada, a former president of the Philippines, arrived in Hong Kong this week in an attempt to bring the nearly 4-year dispute to an end.
The two sides have been at odds ever since a disgruntled former police officer took control of a tour bus in downtown Manila on August 23rd, 2010.
The 10-hour standoff broke down after police arrested the hostage-taker's brother, prompting him to open fire on the hostages.
The attack, carried live on television around the world, ended after Special Forces shot and killed Rolando Mendoza, but not before he was able to begin gunning down the hostages.
The attack left 8 tourists from Hong Kong dead and seven others wounded.
For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.
U.S. calls on DPRK to refrain from "provocation" as Obama starts Asia tour
US President Barack Obama is beginning a tour here in Asia.
Obama has arrived in Japan to begin the trip, which will also take him to South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Speaking to reporters on Air Force 1, a spokesperson for the White House says they are closely monitoring North Korea for any possible "provocations."
The statement comes on word from South Korean authorities that they may have intelligence suggesting North Korea could be planning another nuclear test to coincide with Obama's trip to Asia.
South Korea's Defense Ministry this week says it’s been seeing increased activity at the DPRK's underground nuclear test facility, suggesting the North may be planning a "surprise" nuclear test.
North Korean authorities have not made any specific comments about a possible nuclear test.
However, following a UN Security Council censure for test firing its ballistic missiles last month, North Korea warned that it will not rule out a "new form" of nuclear test.
North Korea has conducted three separate nuclear tests since 2006, including one in February of last year.
Obama is scheduled to arrive in South Korea on Friday after spending time in Japan.
China committed to nuclear-free Korean Peninsula: Xi
Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his South Korean counterpart that China is firmly committed to realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
He has made the comments in a telephone conversation with President Park Geun-hye.
For her part, Park says South Korea appreciates China's constructive role.
She also says Seoul is willing to keep lines of communication open with Beijing.
The two leaders have also touched on bilateral ties, as well as the ferry disaster in South Korea.
Death toll rises to 150 in sunken S.Korean ferry disaster
The grim work of recovering the bodies from the submerged South Korea ferry is well into its 8th day.
150 victims have now been pulled from the sunken vessel.
Around 150 others are still trapped below the surface.
Koh Myung-seok with the South Korean Coast Guard says the work is becoming more difficult, as divers are being forced to rip through cabin walls to get to the victims.
"We are going to make use of any equipment or means possible that can help the recovery operation."
The waters off Jindo Island, where the ferry capsized, have some of the fastest currents on the Korean Peninsula.
The currents are forecast to slow down for a few days starting tomorrow.
It remains unclear as to what caused the ferry to capsize.
However, the 174 survivors say the vessel turned sharply before beginning to list.
The captain of the ferry and a number of his crew are facing charges after they allegedly advised passengers on the ferry to stay in their cabins, even after the ship began sinking.
Planned air search suspended again due to poor weather: JACC
The aerial search for any debris connected to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been suspended once-again today.
A tropical cyclone in the region is making an air search too dangerous.
Three planes did take off this morning before search leaders decided to suspend the air reconnaissance mission.
The planes have safely returned to Perth.
Still, the underwater search for clues to the missing flight is continuing today.
The Bluefin-21, the submersible which has been scowering the ocean floor, is nearing the end of its first grid search.
It began its underwater reconnaissance last week, but has not turned up any evidence of the missing flight.
Despite this, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says they remain resolved.
"We haven't finished the search. We haven't found anything yet in the area that we're searching. But the point I make is that Australia will not rest until we've done everything we humanly can to get to the bottom of this mystery."
Abbott does say the search strategy may have to change if the underwater searches continue to come up with nothing.
Meanwhile, authorities are now looking at photographs of materials which washed up on the shore recently near a town in southwestern Australia.
Investigators are now reviewing the photos to determine whether they need to physically inspect the debris to determine whether it has any connection to the missing flight.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8th while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239-passangers and crew onboard.
Naval symposium closes Chinese official says no compromise on sovereignty or security
A two-day international naval gathering has come to an end here in China, with a pledge by a leading Chinese military official promising resolve in defending this country's territorial integrity.
Fan Changlong is the vice-Chair of the Central Military Commission.
"China will unwaveringly protect its sovereign rights, national security and development interests, and no country should expect China to swallow the bitter pill of its sovereign rights, national security and development interests being compromised."
The Western Pacific Naval Symposium in Qingdao has seen two-dozen Asia-Pacific nations adopt an agreement aimed at reducing the possibility of conflict between China and its neighbors.
The Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea is also designed to increase naval communication.
Harry Harris is the Commander of the US Pacific Fleet.
"The CUES itself, while very important, and we all should take credit for it, is only the beginning of a journey of improving relationships on the high seas and managing attentions."
The meeting of naval officials in Qingdao this year comes as territorial disputes continue to linger in both the East and South China Seas.
The Western Pacific Naval Symposium was first established in 1987.
This is the first time China has hosted it.
China holds multi-country maritime exercises
Coinciding with the naval symposium, China is playing host to a multi-country maritime exercise off the coast of Qingdao.
Nineteen ships, seven helicopters and marine corps from eight countries have taken part in the drill, which has been focused on search and rescue.
This is the first time the Chinese navy has organized a multilateral maritime exercise.
The exercise is also meant to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese navy.
Shakespeare's 450th Birthday
Anchor:
Today marks 450th anniversary of the birth of British bard William Shakespeare.
To commemorate the anniversary, the National Center for Performing Arts here in Beijing will be hosting an array of Shakespearean plays to honor the English playwright.
CRI's Sam Duckett has more.
Report:
This year, to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, The Grand National Theatre of Performing Arts in Beijing will be hosting a production of Dunsinane, a contemporary play that tells the tale of events just after the original Macbeth story, with a couple of twists thrown in.
Dunsinane is a co-production of the Royal Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company. The play is set just after the death of Macbeth. An English army has swept through the landscape, killed the tyrant and taken the seat of power. Attempting to restore peace and put in place a new ruler, Siward, the commanding officer, is beset by a brutal guerrilla uprising. Increasingly isolated from his own men and Scottish allies alike, his efforts to restore order appear futile as the situation spins out of control.
Professional Chinese actor Yu Entai is the official promoter for the production.
"Hello Everyone I am Yu Entai, I am very happy to be promoting the 450th Shakespeare birthday celebration performances. TV and Movies sometimes leave me feeling distance from the theatre stage, but I think every actor has a passion for live theater. My understanding of the stage comes from Shakespeare. The style of this performance is totally original. Shakespeare represents eternal spirit and I hope everyone has a chance to come down and check out the performance."
Project director of the China Grand National Theatre of Performing Arts, Wen Tianyi talked with me about the production that will be taking place on Shakespeare's birthday.
Shakespeare's birthday has been an annual celebration in his home town of Stratford-upon-Avon since the 1650s. To celebrate Shakespeare's 450th birthday there will be a full weekend of entertainment, in his home city, which is sure to be unforgettable.
China also enjoys paying tribute to the classic Elizabethan writer during his birthday. The Grand National Theatre of Performing Arts has a profound respect for Shakespeare and has celebrated his birthday without fail for the past six years.
Wen Tianyi discussed with me some of the past birthday celebrations thrown in William Shakespeare's honor.
"During the 6 year history of the Grand National theatre we have host special productions every year for Shakespeare. During 2011, Oscar winning actor Kevin Spacey led an all English production of Richard IIIX. During 2012 we also had an English production of Henry the XV and the winter story. The name of the troupe that performed these two pieces was called propeller, they were an all-male performance troupe. They gave a completely new perspective on both of these plays that left a strong impression on the audience. "
Shakespeare has had a huge impact on China, his works has allowed for foreign performance troupes from all over the world to travel to China and perform. His plays have also not only been performed by domestic Chinese troupes in mandarin, certain performing arts companies have also performed his work in Ethnic dialects.
Back Anchor:
That is CRI's Sam Duckett reporting
Biz Reports
China's yuan hits 16-month low
The yuan has fallen to its lowest level in 16-months, despite signs of a slight improvement in the manufacturing sector.
The yuan has dipped as low as 6.2465 to the U.S. dollar shortly after trading began today, down from 6.2375 on Tuesday.
The weakness in the renminbi is at levels not seen since December of 2012.
So far the yuan has lost 3.1-percent of its value this year, more than offsetting last year's gain of 2.9-percent.
The renminbi is Asia's worst-performing currency so far this year.
Chinese factory data show mild rebound
HSBC is reporting its preliminary Purchasing Managers' Index for April has risen slightly to 48.3 from last month's 48.
The figure is still below the 50 mark which divides expansion from contraction.
The increase in the flash PMI does halted a string of declines from October.
HSBC's sub-indexes for both output and new orders have slowed their rate of decline.
However, new export orders are now in decline.
The employment index has fallen at a faster pace than in March.
HSBC's chief China economist says the analysis shows domestic demand is showing mild improvement, and deflationary pressures have eased.
However, Qu Hongbin says the downside risks to growth are still evident, as both new export orders and employment have contracted.
China to Further Promote NFC Mobile Payment
The central bank here in China is planning to establish a national-level system for the promotion of mobile payment technologies.
An official with the PBOC says they're planning to promote near field communication, or NFC mobile payments, based on the electronic platforms of commercial banks, telecom operators, and China UnionPay.
The PBOC will also be encouraging mobile payments through third-party payment platforms.
T China Banking Regulatory Commission and the PBOC are already working to try to streamline cooperation between commercial banks and third-party payment firms.
Transactions here in China through third-party payment firms came in at 1.2-trillion yuan last year.
That represents growth of more than 700-percent year on year.
Around 93 percent of the transactions came from website and app payments.
NFC payments only accounted for 0.8-percent of the total market share.
Xiaomi simplifies its Web domain to Mi.com to appeal to an international audience
Anchor:
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has simplified its website domain to Mi.com as part of the tech firm's attempt to gradually expand its business beyond Asia.
The company is also trying to highlight the "Mi" brand, which stands for Mobile Internet.
All visits to the old web address will be redirected automatically to the new domain.
Xiaomi has spent 3.6 million yuan to purchase the web domain.
Online transactions account for about 70-percent of Xiaomi's total sales.
Xiaomi sold 11-million handsets through the first quarter.
The company is hoping to ship 60-million handsets by end of this year.
For more on Xiaomi's latest move, CRI's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Benjamin Cavender with China Market Research in Shanghai.
…
Ben Cavender with China Market Research in Shanghai, speaking with CRI's Shane Bigham.
WH Group IPO to seek $1.34 bln to $1.88 bln
Chinese pork producer WH Group is going to delay its Hong Kong IPO to May 8th.
WH Group, the former Shuanghui International Holdings, has reduced the size of its planned IPO by more than half.
WH Group is now hoping to raise 1.3 to 1.9-billion US dollars in the listing.
This is well below the 3.8 to 5.3 billion US dollar range originally planned.
At the same time, the company is also reducing the number of shares to be offered to 1.3 billion from the 3.7 billion previously planned.
The price range of 8 to 11.25-Hong Kong dollars remains unchanged.
Shuanghui bought US meat producer Smithfield Foods for 4.7-billion US dollars last year, the largest takeover of a U.S. company by a Chinese buyer.
McDonald's first quarter profit hit by drop in US sales
McDonald's is reporting a dip in profits through the first three months amid an unexpected deline in US sales through Q1.
Overall, McDonald's sales are up 0.5-percent globally.
However, sales in its key US market are down 1.7-percent.
The company is blaming the downturn on bad winter weather.
Analysts had forecast a 1.4-percent drop in US sales.
McDonald's net income through the first quarter has come in at 1.2-billion US dollars.
This is down from the 1.3 billion earned a year earlier.
McDonalds European sales are up 1.4-percent in the first quarter, with a positive performance in the UK, France and Russia.
However, sales in Germany, Japan and Australia have come in weaker.
McDonald's has been working on plans to try to strengthen its appeal to higher-end customers by putting products on its menu which may appeal to customers willing to spend more.
KFC owner Yum Brands' profit boosted by China recovery
Yum Brands, the owner KFC and Pizza Hut, is reporting an 18-percent jump in first quarter profits, helped by a rebound in sales here in China.
Yum pulled in nearly 400-million US dollars through the first 3 months, up from 337-million a year ago.
Sales in China are up 9-percent from a year ago.
KFC sales are up 11-percent.
Yum chief executive David Novak says the company expects to open at least 700 new outlets in China this year.
He says Yum expects to see its profits rise by 20-percent this year.
BoE Voted 9-0 To Maintain Interest Rate At 0.50%
Policymakers with the Bank of England have unanimously decided to maintain interest rates at their historic low of 0.5 percent.
BoE officials have also decided to maintain the stimulus package at 630 billion US dollars.
The minutes of the latest policy meeting show the Committee is keeping its policy guidance in place, despite unemployment dipping below the 7-percent threshold.
The minutes also suggest that Bank of England policy makers feel inflation is likely to pick up somewhat in the coming months.
RBS fined ?460,000 over illegal emerging market trades
Royal Bank of Scotland has been fined 700-thousand US dollars by Hong Kong regulators after it failed to detect a series of unauthorized transactions by one of its traders.
The fine follows the conviction of former RBS trader, Shirlina Tsang, for fraud last year.
She is serving a 50-month sentence after being caught falsifying records of emerging markets trades.
Headline News
Ukrainian government meets, announcing resumption of security operation in eastern-Ukraine
Ukrainian authorities have announced the resumption of their anti-terror measures in eastern Ukraine.
The resumption of the anti-terror measures comes after the body of a local politician was found near the city of Slaviansk.
It appears the victim was tortured.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have spoken over phone for the second time in two days in a bid to try to ease tensions in Ukraine.
Kerry has voiced "deep concern" with Lavrov over what he calls a "lack of positive Russian steps."
For his part, Lavrov contends it should be Ukrainian authorities that should be taking action as soon as possible to implement the Geneva deal and revoke the order to use military forces against civilians.
Hamas and Fatah reach deal to form unity government
Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah have agreed to the creation of a transitional unity government.
The two sides have agreed to form the new government before the end of May.
Elections are also to be held within 6-months.
The deal marks the first reconciliation between the Palestinian factions since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.
Egyptian police brigadier general killed in car blast
A brigadier-general with the Egyptian police has been killed in a car bombing.
Ahmed Zaki has been killed outside his home in the suburbs of Cairo.
Zaki becomes the second leading police official to be killed in the Nile Delta region this month.
On April 2, the head of Giza's security headquarters was killed and five others injured in a pair of bombings outside Cairo University.
Hong Kong, Philippines reach deal on Manila hostage crisis
Authorities from Hong Kong and the Philippines have reached a compromise connected to the deaths of eight tourists during a hostage-taking in Manila in August of 2010.
In a statement, Hong Kong authorities say that -quote- "the Philippine government expresses its most sorrowful regret and profound sympathy, and extends its most sincere condolences for the pain and suffering of the victims and their families."
However, the statement does NOT say that a formal "apology" has been issued.
The government of the Philippines has been refusing to offer a formal apology for the incident.
President Benino Aquino III contends that issuing a formal apology would be an admission of culpability by the government of the Philippines, and could leave the country open to lawsuits.
Former Hubei vice governor under criminal investigation
Another leading Chinese official has been placed under criminal investigation.
Guo Youming, former vice governor of Hubei, is accused of taking bribes.
It's being reported the 56-year old is being probed in connection with his activities when he was the Party Secretary in the city of Yichang.
The exact nature of the criminal investigation has not been revealed.
The criminal probe makes Guo Youming the 13th CPC official at a vice-ministerial level or above to be officially investigated since Chinese President Xi Jinping took power last year.
Newspaper Picks
China News Service
"Water quality levels falling"
Chinese authorities say the water quality at about 60 percent of groundwater monitoring stations nationwide was bad in 2013.
According to the Ministry of Land and Resources, there are nearly 4,800 monitoring stations in 203 prefecture-level administrative regions across the country.
The water quality at 44 percent of the total was "poor", while the quality at 15 percent of the stations was "extremely poor .
Components that exceeded the limits included iron, manganese and sulfates.
Some stations reported excessive levels of heavy metals, such as lead.
In 2011, about 45 percent of monitoring stations reported good groundwater quality, but the proportion fell to 43 percent and 40 percent in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
The proportion of monitoring stations reporting bad groundwater quality rose from 55 percent in 2011 to 57 percent in 2012.
Mirror Evening News
"Printing graduate papers costs 70,000 trees a year in China"
Excessive printing of each graduate's thesis paper during the matriculation season is putting enormous pressure on the country's forest resources.
The newspaper said a student has to print seven copies of their thesis on average.
Altogether 7.3 million students will graduate this year, which means their final documents will use up 4,000 tons of paper. More than 70,000 20-year-old trees will be chopped to satisfy the demand.
Printing shops near universities are crowded with students, and one shop owner boasted the paper used in his shop is all made from the pulp of good wood.
A professor at the University of International Business and Economics defended the practice, explaining that hard copies are necessary for academic use since reviewers can more easily write their comments, compared with electronic versions.
Yahoo News
"Risk of asteroid hitting Earth higher than thought, study shows"
The chance of a city-killing asteroid striking Earth is higher than scientists previously believed, according to one non-profit group bthat is uilding an asteroid-hunting telescope.
A global network that listens for nuclear weapons detonations detected 26 asteroids that exploded in Earth's atmosphere from 2000 to 2013.
The explosions include the February 15, 2013, impact over Chelyabinsk, Russia, which left more than 1,000 people injured by flying glass and debris.
"There is a popular misconception that asteroid impacts are extraordinarily rare ... that's incorrect," said one former astronaut, who now heads the California-based B612 Foundation.
City-killer asteroids are forecast to strike about once every 100 years, but the prediction is not based on hard evidence.
CTV News
"Middle class richer in Canada than U.S."
A report published in the New York Times on Tuesday reveals Canadians – not Americans – now boast the richest middle class.
The report says that after-tax, the middle-class incomes in Canada now appear to be higher than those in the United States.
That's a big turnaround since 2000, when Canadian middle-class incomes were substantially behind their neighbors.
Canadian middle-class earnings have gone up nearly 20 per cent, while American earnings have remained virtually the same since 2000.
The New York Times has been gathering income data for the last 35 years.
Insiders say the economic recession that began in 2000 has essentially paralyzed middle-class earnings in the U.S. And the hit to the U.S. construction and manufacturing industries was particularly damaging to the American middle class.
Special Reports
Rent An Electric Car to Fall in Love with One-BMW Brilliance
Anchor:
Electric vehicles have been dominating the automotive landscape here in China this week, with Tesla delivering its first fully-electric cars to its first customers, and numerous other vehicle makers displaying their new electric models at this year's Beijing Auto Show.
CRI's Liu Min has more.
Reporter:
At the 2014 Beijing Auto Show, many car brands have released their new models of all kinds of new energy cars. For example, Porsche's Panamera S E-Hybrid, Volkswagen's up! and Golf Electric cars are some of the highlights at the event.
At the same time, some car manufacturers have taken the initiative to nurture potential customers who may fall in love with driving an electric car in China. BMW Brilliance launched Zinoro 1E at the end of last year. 1E will only be available to private and institutional customers through a leasing arrangement from two initial stores in Shanghai and Beijing.
Vice President of Public Relations Division for BMW Brilliance Sun Wei says customers just need to drive the car and experience it.
"Every electric car to rent has a plate number, and we provide maintenance and service on a regular basis. We can also help install the recharging stations for customers. The rental service can ensure customers to use the car without worrying about anything. This is a step that BMW has taken ahead of many other car brands in China."
According to BMW Brilliance, the daily rental fee for a 1E electric car is 400 yuan, and 7400 yuan per month for a three year contract. The rental time can be as long as three years to one year or for a shorter period of time. They also provide emergency roadside assistance and maintenance services.
Currently, electric cars in China are still not widely used. This is for a variety of reasons. Beijing carried out the first lucky draw for electric car purchase in February this year. But until now, only one buyer has successfully established a recharging station beside his parking space. The inconvenience has driven many people away from the idea of purchasing an electric car.
Vice President of Public Relations Division for BMW Brilliance Sun Wei says BMW Brilliance totally understands the current situation of the market, but the company still believes that electric cars will become a trend in the future. Now BMW Brilliance is trying to nurture customers into the habit of driving electric cars, by having a test drive in one.
"We know that the consumers are not familiar with the electric car technology, the market also needs time to grow, and the country is also trying hard to improve the infrastructure to establish the service network for electric cars. But as a car manufacturer, we can't wait for the market to be mature, but need to take actions now. The rental service now can provide opportunities for more consumers to touch the car and fall in love with it."
According to BMW Brilliance, so far more than one thousand customers have applied for a test drive in their 1E electric car.
For CRI, and China.com, I'm Liu Min.
Sports
Chelsea and Atletico draw 0-0 in first leg of CL semifinals
Chelsea and Atletico Madrid ended with a scoreless draw in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal.
Jose Mourinho's squad laid on a heavy defensive strategy, which frustrated the Spanish side's strikers. Atletico almost broke through in the final 15 minutes, but the headers from Raul Garcia and Arda Turan were both wide.
Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta said his side didn't consider the scoreless outcome to be a failure.
"I think that we didn't score the goal away that always helps you in the return, but as well we didn't concede. So I think it's a really open result for the return. This is the truth, the best two defensive teams. I think that always we try to not concede a lot of goals and we could see it today."
Chelsea will go straight into Premier League play without goalkeeper Petr Cech and captain John Terry, who were both injured in yesterday's game.
Later, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will go head to head in the first leg of the other Champions League semifinal.
And in Asian football action,
South China of Hong Kong demolished Malaysian side Kelantan 4-0 in the AFC Cup yesterday.
South China is sitting in third, but is looking at a possible lift up to second and the knockout stage if the AFC decides to disqualify second place Vietnamese club XM Vissai Ninh Binh after its players confessed to match-fixing.
Nishikori, Robredo and Thiem advance to round 3 at Barcelona Open
In tennis, second round action continued at the Barcelona Open today.
Japan's Kei Nishikori won his first match since March to advance to the third round after beating Spain's Roberto Bautista-Agut 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Fifth seed Tommy Robredo beat Marinko Matosevic in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.
Austrian qualifier Dominic Thiem rallied from a set down to beat 14th seed Marcel Granollers 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The 20-year old is fairly new to the ATP, having just turned professional back in 2012, but he's already managed to knock out former world number 8 Radek Stepanek in the first round.
And in women’s tennis, the Porsche Grand Prix is underway in Germany.
Defending champion Maria Sharapova survived the first round after beating unseeded Czech player Lucie Safarova. But it was no picnic, taking the Russian player a grueling three and a half hours to win 7-6, 6-7, 7-6.
Sara Errani, Jelena Jankovic, and Kaia Kanepi are also through to round 2.
Elsewhere,
China's Peng Shuai advanced to the second round at the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Morocco, after a win over Tunisia's Ons Jabeur.
Klitschko and Leapai look ahead to weekend heavyweight championship
This weekend, Ukraine's Vladimir Klitschko and Australia's Alex "Lionheart" Leapai will contend for the heavyweight world championship.
Klitschko is the reigning WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion. He heads into the fight with a 61-3 win loss record, and 51 knockouts. Not to mention, his last defeat was a decade ago.
34 year old Samoan born Leapai has the kind of punch that many say could break Klitschko's famous "glass jaw", but the lionheart said the best fighter has to throw more than one good punch.
"Look, we're not here to, everyone says it's that one punch that we're looking for. No, we're here to work hard for twelve rounds and we're looking at a twelve round fight. You know, if it comes, it comes. But that one lucky punch? No, we're not looking at that."
The excitement level at the press conference was taken up a notch when former WBO heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs abruptly stood up, ripped off his t-shirt and threw it at Klitscko's head. The 42 year old started shouting for everyone to look at the "real heavyweight champion" meaning himself. He was removed from the press conference.
Wins for Indiana, Toronto, and Washington
In NBA playoff action,
The Indiana Pacers tied up their series with Atlanta 1-1 after winning 101-85 in game 2.
Indiana's Paul George racked up 27 points, and George Hill decided to score all 15 of his points in the second half. Luis Scala played for 19 minutes and had 20 points and 7 boards.
"The approach we have for the game, the way we played, the energy we play, it changed dramatically verses game one and it's all about that. When you play hard, play with energy everything works and everything is better, the shots fall, the loose balls go to your side, the calls go to your side, so it's all about that."
The Toronto Raptors bested the Brooklyn Nets in game 2 100-95 to level the series at a game a piece. DeMar DeRozan had 30 points for Toronto, and Joe Johnson was top scorer for the Nets with 18. Games 3 and 4 will move over to Brooklyn's territory.
And the Washington Wizards narrowly defeated Chicago in overtime 101-99 to take a 2-0 series lead.
Elsewhere,
Chicago's Joakim Noah has been awarded the NBA defensive player of the year.
The Bulls center said the award is really a team award, but also redirected the spotlight to his basketball mentor and father figure Tyrone Green, who recently passed away.
Noah won the most votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, coming in just ahead of Indiana's Roy Hibbert and Clippers' DeAndre Jordan.
Montreal Canadiens through to semifinal round in SCP
In hockey, Stanley Cup playoff action continued today.
In the east,
The Montreal Canadiens are through to the semifinal round after beating Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 for a four game sweep.
The two teams were tied with 3 goals a piece at the end of the final period with Tampa Bay fighting for their lives. But with Tampa's Cedric Paquette in the penalty box, Montreal's Max Pacioretty slid the puck into the net with just 43 seconds left for the win.
Elsewhere, the New York Rangers crushed the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 in game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead in their opening round.
The Rangers four goals came from Derek Stepan, Martin St. Louis, Dan Girardi and Dan Carcillo.
The Boston Bruins took a 2-1 series lead over the Detroit Red Wings after a 3-0 shutout in game 3. Tuukka Rask finished with 23 saves for Boston.
And over in the west,
The San Jose Sharks are a win away from the semifinals after a 4-3 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings in game 3. The Sharks lead the series 3-0, which means that stats are weighing against a King's recovery.
Only three teams have ever rallied to win a best-of-seven NHL playoff series after being down 0-3.
Entertainment
Ning Hao's New Film Set to Hit Screens in September
Chinese film director Ning Hao's new film "Xin Hua Lu Fang" comes to theaters September 30 of this year.
The road-trip movie stars actors Xu Zheng and Huang Bo and actress Yuan Quan. It tells story of two friends spurned by love who assuage their broken hearts by embarking on a road trip from the organized chaos of Beijing to the serene surroundings of Dali in southwest China's Yunnan province.
Ning, together with actor and director Xu Zheng, attended a press conference for the film in Beijing on Wednesday.
The director said part of reasons why he chose to make this movie was to make up for some personal regrets he had after shooting his film "No Man's Land."
Jon Hamm stars in new baseball film 'Million Dollar Arm'
Baseball drama "Million Dollar Arm", starring "Mad Men" lead Jon Hamm, is set to hit U.S. theaters next month.
Hamm plays real-life sports agent J.B. Bernstein in the film.
The film follows Bernstein's quest to find the next great baseball stars in India, while filming the process for a reality show competition.
A baseball fan since childhood, Hamm, a Saint Louis native, says making the film is a dream come true.
"When I grew up in the 70s, the Cardinals were a really good baseball team in the 60s, a terrible baseball team in the 70s, and an amazing baseball team in the 80s. So I grew up you know the first 10 years of my life watching terrible baseball and supporting it and loving it and still wanting to go every day to the game. So that's how you do it in St. Louis. It's just part of us."
Hamm traveled to India to shoot the film and fell in love with the bustling country.
"India is incredible. Getting off the plane it's like you were assaulted with noise and heat and smells and sights and language is completely indecipherable and yet everybody is incredibly friendly, incredibly welcoming."
"Million Dollar Arm" also stars Lake Bell, Alan Arkin, Bill Paxton and "Life of Pi" actor Suraj Sharma.
It opens in U.S. theaters May 16.
Stephen Colbert visits David Letterman on "The Late Show"
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the very talented, the always entertaining Stephen Colbert."
Stephen Colbert made a guest appearance on David Letterman's "The Late Show" on Tuesday (April 22).
It is Colbert's first visit to the show since being named Letterman's replacement to host the late night talk show.
Colbert made his mark satirizing political conservatives on his Comedy Central weeknight cable show, "The Colbert Report".
Details of how the format of the "Late Show" will change under Colbert's stewardship, or whether it will remain based in New York City, are yet to be revealed.
Discovery to chronicle Everest avalanche
Discovery announced Tuesday (22 April) that it will make a documentary about the deadly avalanche on Mount Qomolangma, aka Mount Everest, on April 18.
Discovery hopes to air the documentary within the next few weeks.
The network had previously cancelled a daredevil's attempt to jump off Mount Everest following the tragic event that killed more than a dozen mountain guides.
Several of the Sherpas killed were helping prepare for American Joby Ogwyn's planned jump from the summit in a wingsuit.
Discovery planned to broadcast the stunt on television worldwide on May 11.
The network will encourage viewers to donate to a relief fund for families of the Sherpas killed in the disaster.
2014 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees announced
Ronnie Milsap, Mac Wiseman and the late Hank Cochran will become the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The 2014 induction class was announced by Kix Brooks during a news conference Tuesday (22 APRIL) at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
Wiseman was an executive with the influential Nashville independent label Dot Records and a founding board member of the Country Music Association.
Milsap, inducted in the modern era category, is a multiple Grammy and Country Music Award winner.
Cochran is inducted posthumously in the songwriter category.
His wife, Suzi, was thrilled to accept the honor:
"Although I always believed that Hank would get into the Country Music Hall of Fame, I never dreamt it would be me not Hank standing here. I am so proud of Hank and I am so thrilled for him and our family."
The trio will be officially inducted later this year.
Ellen DeGeneres signs on for furniture design competition TV series
Ellen DeGeneres is making a furniture design competition series for the HGTV network.
HGTV said Tuesday that "Ellen's Design Challenge" is expected to air sometime next year.
It will feature six competitors who sketch, design and build furniture within 24 hours.
The competition will play out over six episodes.
DeGeneres is helping to produce the series, but the network isn't saying whether or not she will actually appear on an episode.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Ukrainian authorities have announced the resumption of their anti-terror measures in eastern Ukraine after a local politician was found tortured to death.
Hamas and Fatah have come to a new agreement to form a unity government meant to end years of political separation.
Officials in Hong Kong have announced they've come to an agreement to settle their long-running dispute with the Philippines over the Manilia hostage crisis.
In business, the value of the renminbi has fallen to its lowest level in some 16-months.
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