The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Paul James with you this Thursday, May 29, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening...
The Chinese Defense Ministry has responded to this past weekend's intrusion into the ADIZ by a pair of Japanese planes.
The United Nations is expressing "deep concern" over an increase in fighting in eastern Ukraine.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is calling on NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to "come home" following his TV interview this week.
In Business, Hangzhou joining a growing list of cities putting caps on property price discounts.
In sports, an upset-free day so-far at the French Open.
And in entertainment, organizers of the Shanghai Film Festival have outlined how this year's event is going to look.
First, a check on what's happening on the weather front....
Weather
A record-high temperature here in Beijing today, with the thermometer hitting 38 degrees.
This is the first time temperatures have been this high since 1968.
A Yellow Alert for high temperatures has been issued.
Temperatures here in the capital, as well as in Tianjin, Hebei and Shandong, could hit 40 before the week is out.
As for tonight,
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 23. Hot and sunny tomorrow with a high of 37.
Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 23. The clouds will blow off tomorrow in Shanghai, leaving a sunny day and highs toward 32.
Rain for Chongqing tonight with a low of 21. The clouds will stay on tomorrow, with a high of 28.
Around the region,
Pakistan's capital Islamabad is in for a hot day tomorrow as well, with highs pushing 39 degrees.
Temperatures will be significantly cooler in neighboring Afghanistan. Kabul will see highs of 26.
Down in Australia, fall temperatures are starting to set in.
Sydney will be overcast, highs of 20.
The capital, Canberra, will be sunny, but with highs only to 16.
Brisbane, overcast, highs of 26.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 20.
Top News
China criticizes Japanese intrusion in E. China Sea
The Chinese Defense Ministry has issued a formal response to this past weekend's incursion into this country's Air Defense Identification Zone.
The Defense Ministry says the fly-over by a pair of Japanese planes is dangerous and provocative.
The deputy head of the PLA has described the move as the equivilant of the Japanese government's decision to "purchase" the Diaoyu Islands.
On Saturday, a pair of Japanese planes entered into the Chinese Air Defense Identification Zone to reportedly monitor the now-concluded joint naval exercises between China and Russia.
UN concerned over "dramatic increase" in deadly fighting in E. Ukraine
The United Nations is expressing concern about what it describes as a "dramatic increase" in deadly fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Jeffrey Feltman is the UN's under-secretary-general for political affairs.
"The Secretary-General remains committed to help find a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, and to assist the country in prevailing over the many difficult challenges which lie ahead. In this vein, he appeals to the international community to use the outcome of the elections as an opportunity to unite in support of a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and united Ukraine."
At the same time, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been meeting with leaders from Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to discuss disappearance of 4 observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
"We are worried at this present hour about the OSCE observers, but we will do everything possible from here, to get these observers released."
The four OSCE observers disappeared earlier this week while on an observation mission in eastern Ukraine.
It's believed they've been kidnapped by pro-Russia militias.
MH370 plane search ends in "ping" zone
Australian searchers have determined the location they thought missing flight MH370's black-box locaters may have come to rest are not in the area they first thought.
The area being searched was considered the most likely location of the missing plane.
Searchers had located so-called "pings" from the area, which could have been from the missing jetliners flight-data recorders.
A US Naval official has suggested the audio pings may have come from a man-made source other than the aircraft.
The Malaysia Airlines flight, with 239 passengers and crew on board, disappeared on March 8th while on a course to Beijing.
Two-thirds of the passangers on the missing plane are Chinese.
Indian PM to bring deep reform of government in top agenda
India's new Prime Minister has released a new 10-point agenda to reform the government.
Among the list of "to do" items for Narendra Modi is to streamline the bureaucracy.
India's government has long been plagued by inefficiency and, what's been described as 'strategic inaction.'
Government officials in India have long been accused of failing to innovate over fears they may upset their political masters.
Modi took over as Prime Minister this week after heading the government in the state of Gujarat, where he has been seen as an innovator for allowing his subordonates to work without restrictions.
Early count shows Egypt's Sisi to sweep presidential poll
Initial poll count shows Egypt's former military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would get a landslide victory in the just-ended presidential election.
His campaign team say Sisi won about 95 percent of the ballots collected from nearly half of the polling stations.
Voter turnout was around 46 percent, lower than the nearly 52 percent of the mid-2012 presidential race won by Mohamed Morsi.
The original two-day voting was extended for one day to increase voter turnout.
Expatriate Syrians vote in presidential elections at Syrian embassy
Syrians living outside the country's borders have been lining up to take part in the Syrian presidential election.
"I hope Syria will go back to how it was before. I hope peace and stability will return so we can all live together like we used to."
"We are here for the elections. We hope more reforms will be conducted and we will elect a president that will be a good pattern for the country."
The advanced voting comes ahead of the domestic vote in Syria on June 3rd.
The vote is widely expected to give 49-year-old President Bashar al-Assad a new mandate in office.
He has two challengers.
The Syrian opposition-in-exile has condemned the vote as a 'fraud.'
Obama aruges for restraint from military intervention in global crises
Anchor:
US President Barack Obama has delivered a speech to the US Military Academy at West Point, suggesting the country needs to be cautious about taking part in any more military action overseas.
CRI's Ding Lulu has more.
Reporter:
During the speech, Obama promised that the US will not create more enemies than what it removes from the battlefield.
"I would betray my duty to you, and to the country we love, if I ever sent you into harm's way simply because I saw a problem somewhere in the world that needed to be fixed, or because I was worried about critics who think military intervention is the only way for America to avoid looking weak."
The U.S president defends his decision not to intervene militarily in Syria, saying he thinks it is the right decision not to put American troops into the middle of an increasingly sectarian civil war.
Meanwhile, he expresses a willingness to expand assistance to Syrian opposition groups.
"And in helping those who fight for the right of all Syrians to choose their own future, we are also pushing back against the growing number of extremists who find safe-haven in the chaos. So, with the additional resources I'm announcing today, we will step up our efforts to support Syria's neighbours - Jordan and Lebanon; Turkey and Iraq. "
He also hails the strategy of relying on diplomacy over military intervention in resolving global crises such as Ukraine and Iran.
In terms of anti-terrorism, rather than launching large-scale military efforts, Obama calls for partnering with countries where militant networks seek a foothold.
"Today, as part of this effort, I am calling on Congress to support a new Counter-Terrorism Partnerships Fund of up to 5 billion dollars, which will allow us to train, build capacity, and facilitate partner countries on the front lines. These resources will give us flexibility to fulfill different missions, including training security forces in Yemen who have gone on the offensive against al Qaida; supporting a multinational force to keep the peace in Somalia; working with European allies to train a functioning security force and border patrol in Libya."
But he also says that the administration will continue to take direct action, including drone strikes, when necessary to protect US interests.
Earlier, Obama announced plans to wind down America's lengthy war in Afghanistan by the end of 2016.
For CRI, I am Ding Lulu.
John Kerry Urges Edward Snowden to Return to the US
US Secretary of State John Kerry has issued a call for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to -quote- "man up and come back to the United States."
Kerry's comments come on the heels of an hour-long interview aired on US national television on Wednesday.
'You know he should man up and return to the US. Come back here and stand in the justice. And the fact is he's damaged in the country'.
Snowden is living in Russia after being granted temporary asylum last August.
In the interview with NBC, Snowden says he stands by his actions, saying he was trying to serve his country in exposing the surveillance programs of the NSA.
In the interview, Snowden also expressed a desire to return home, if possible.
Snowden also claims he was a well trained spy, rather than the "low-level" employee the US government has made him out to be.
"I was trained as a spy in sort of the traditional sense of the word in that I lived and worked undercover overseas -- pretending to work in a job that I'm not -- and even being assigned a name that was not mine. What I do is I put systems to work for the United States. And I've done that at all levels from -- from the bottom on the ground all the way to the top."
Snowden fled to Russia after disclosing thousands of files connected to the US National Security Agency's spying program abroad.
WW1 exhibition opens in Berlin
Anchor:
A new exhibition about World War I has opened in Berlin, just a few weeks ahead of the 100th anniversary of the start of the war.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Report:
Almost 100 years ago, millions of lives were lost as nations from around the world fought in the fields of Europe during World War I.
The new exhibition at the German Historical Museum details the events leading up to the war, the war itself and the aftermath.
Around 500 objects are on display, including paintings of soldiers, Europe's royalty at the time and anti-war demonstrations.
Weapons and historical documents are available for viewing.
Alexander Koch heads the museum.
"We want to show people how this war changed the world and how the effects of the war can still be felt today. This war has something to tell every one of us and that is why it is so important to put it in relation to what we have here and today."
Koch warns that while the museum is meant to explain history, its visitors will be exposed to images of unimaginable suffering.
"In the centre of this exhibition is the tremendous violence that made this war the original catastrophe of the 20th century. And we can feel the effects still today."
The exhibition will include a number of speakers, debates and discussions, where the issue of responsibility for the war will be fully explored.
The First World War is still a sensitive subject in Germany.
Koch says the war is still a major part of the collective German consciousness, something that has shaped the German society of today.
"Many families have their own stories about the war from a family member or from a friend, stories about different fronts or about what the war was like from the homefront. So this war has still today the unmovable place in the collective mind. And that is what we have to show here with this exhibition. "
World War I began on June 28th, 1914 following the assassination of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand of Austro-Hungary.
The "Great War," as it was known at the time, left 9-million dead.
It also created the impetus for Germany to re-arm after the conflict, leading to World War II.
For CRI, This is Xie Zhao.
Israel celebrates 47th anniversary of Jerusalem's "reunification"
More than 20-thousand people have taken to the streets of Jerusalem to celebrate the anniversary of Jerusalem Day.
The day marks the 47th anniversary of Israel taking control of the formerly Arab-controlled eastern portion of the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Forty-seven years ago Jerusalem was unified and it will never be divided again. Since that day, Jerusalem has been developing, it is prosperous and flourishing."
An open-air concert and fireworks displays have been staged to mark the occassion.
Israelis have also marched through the city.
In 1980, Israel officially annexed Arab East Jerusalem.
The move has not been recognized by most of the international community.
The status of East Jerusalem has been one of the main sticking points in the Middle East negotiations.
China is stepping up integration plan of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei
Anchor:
China's central government is providing more details of its plans for the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and the surrounding province of Hebei.
CRI's Cao Yuwei has more.
Reporter:
Authorities say the plans are designed to try to solve the current problems facing Beijing, such as the massive population, environmental pollution and traffic congestion.
Fan Hengshan is the Deputy Secretary of the National Development and Reform Commission, or NDRC.
He says integrating Beijing, Tianjian and Hebei is going to come with a lot of challenges.
"For instance, Beijing is a multifunctional city with the population increasing at a rapid speed. And at the same time, there is still a significant development gap among the three regions. What's more, the entire area has too many individual cities, which is putting a lot of pressure on resources, such as water. The region also has a major problem with air pollution. Solving these issues is extremely urgent."
Fan Hengshan says the NDRC has already completed a research report as part of their plans.
He says the research is suggesting one of their key areas of focus is to ensure Beijing remains a functional capital.
"The focus is to ease pressure on areas that aren't critical to Beijing being the Chinese capital. We also want to ensure the region is better interconnected in both transportation and infrastructure. To do this, we need to be innovative when it comes to coordinating social functions and public services. We also have to think 'green' when it comes to construction and our use of environmental resources and energy."
Wang Kai, vice-president of the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, suggests certian functions be transferred out of Beijing.
"For example, when it comes to the manufacturing industry, we can do research in Beijing while doing the physical manufacturing outside the capital city. There are a number of other functions, including education and medical services, that can also be transferred out of Beijing. This will be a win-win situation, as it will ease the burden on Beijing and increase economic development in Hebei and Tianjin."
Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, covering over 200-thousand square kilometers, has a total population of over 100 million.
The three areas are closely connected historically, geographically and economically.
The central government says it feels these advantages haven't been made full use of.
For CRI, this is Cao Yuwei.
Security training accident at kindergarten injures five
Five people have suffered minor injuries after a police officers weapon discharged in Henan's capital, Zhengzhou.
The officer was demonstrating his firearm to a group of kindergarten children when it went off.
No one was shot.
The injuries consist of bruises and scrapes from the debris brought up after the bullet hit the ground.
Biz Reports
Asian Stocks
Asian markets ended mostly lower this Thursday.
Chinese markets closed down, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index and Shenzhen Component Index both dropping half a percent.
Hong Kong shares started out in the green, as Chinese insurers shares gained grown.
However, the Hang Seng ended in the red, dragged down by declining tech stocks and casinos.
The Hang Seng finished the day with a 0.3-percent loss.
Tokyo shares rose slightly, extending the Nikkei's positive streak to six sessions, up 0.1-percent.
South Korea's KOSPI lost a quarter of a percent.
Singapore's Straits Times gained just under 1-percent.
Australia's ASX settled virtually flat.
Govt measures to restructure economy taking effect
GDP growth in 12 of China's 31 provincial-level regions has fallen behind the national average of 7.4 percent through the first quarter.
Heilongjiang's GDP has only increased by just over 4-percent, the slowest of all.
Economic growth in seven other regions has also missed the full-year target of 7.5-percent by more than 3-percent.
Provincial-level governments are being asked to focus more on generating quality growth, rather than on simply accelerating the GDP figures.
Preference shares issuance expected in Q3
A pair of state-run companies have become the first to lay out plans to issue so-called "preference shares" here in China.
Agricultural Bank of China and China State Construction are the two to take the initiative.
'Preference' shareholders have more say when it comes to dividends and the allocation of company assets.
The 'preference' shares are also subject to bond-rating agencies.
78 companies delisted since 2001
The China Securities Regulatory Commission has announced that its going to allow around 100 companies delist through the 2nd half of this year.
The pronouncement comes on the heels of new changes to the regulations which are making it easier for publically-traded companies to go private.
Since 2001, only 78 companies have been delisted here in China.
For more on the delisting plans, The Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with CRI's Financial Commentator Cao Can.
That was Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator speaking to The Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham.
Local govts limit discounts on property prices
With property sales on the decline here in China, local authorities are moving to try to stem the decrease in property prices.
Authorities in Hangzhou has joined municipal leaders in Shenzhen and Dongguan in capping property sale discounts at 15-percent under the original asking price.
The move comes as property developers continue to try to cut prices to move their existing properties off the market.
Sydney to need 600,000 new homes by 2031
Authorities in Australia's largest city of Sydney say the city will need more than 600-thousand extra homes for an additional 1.6 million people by 2031.
The city's aging population and demand for smaller homes is the major concern.
The number of people over the age of 65 is expected to triple in Sydney over the 20 years starting 2011.
Demand for single-family homes are expected to increase by more than 40 percent in the area during the period.
Japan retail sales fall after tax increase
Retail sales in Japan have declined by 4.4-percent on an annualized basis through April.
Observers attribute this to a rush on buying ahead of the sales tax increase on April 1st.
Japan's government raised its sales tax from 5-percent to 8-percent in April.
Retail sales in Japan increased 11-percent through March.
Argentina reaches deal with Paris Club to clear $9.7 billion in debt
The Argentinian government has worked out a new agreement to repay nearly 10-billion US dollars in back-loans it has outstanding with its international creditors.
The deal with the so-called 'Paris Club' will be paid over 5-years.
The first installment of the debt repayment, worth a little over 1-billion, is due in one year's time.
The debt is the legacy of Argentina's default on roughly 100 billion dollars worth of debt in late 2001 which it owes to 19 different countries.
The default left Argentina largely cut off from the international capital markets.
Tesco and China Resources Enterprise reach retail deal
China Resources Enterprise has finalized a deal with British retailer Tesco to create the largest food retailer in China.
The joint venture will combine CRE's almost 3-thousand Vanguard stores with Tesco's 131 outlets here in China.
CRE will control an 80-percent stake in the new firm.
Tesco will control the rest.
Annualized food and grocery sales here in China exceed one trillion US dollars.
This is forecast to grow by 50-percent over the next three years.
Tesco is the biggest supermarket chain in the UK.
It has been operating in China since 2004.
China fines eyeglass makers for price manipulation
Seven eyeglass and contact lens manufacturers in China have been fined more than 19 million yuan, or over 3 million US dollars, for price manipulation.
The companies include Essilor, Nikon, Zeiss and Hoya, as well as Bausch+Lomb, Johnson & Johnson, and Weicon.
The manufacturers have been fined for violations of this country's anti-monopoly laws by exerting price control on distributors and retailers.
Apple agrees to buy headphone maker Beats for $3bn
Apple has confirmed it is buying headphone maker and music-streaming service Beats Electronics.
The 3 billion US dollars deal is Apple's biggest acquisition.
Apple CEO Tim Cook says the deal will allow the firm to "continue to create the most innovative music products and services in the world".
Beats was co-founded by American rapper Dr. Dre.
GM engineer said he forgot change to switch in recalled cars
A suspended General Motors engineer claims he forgot to order a change to defective ignition switch, which is at the heart of a massive recall of the 2003 Saturn Ion and other models.
Ray DeGiorgio has previously denied that he knew the changes needed to be made.
The faulty switch was redesigned in 2006 without changes.
This later confused investigators looking into accidents involving the now-recalled cars.
GM has linked 13 deaths connected to the faulty switch.
Headline News
China criticizes Japanese intrusion in E. China Sea
The Chinese Defense Ministry has issued a formal response to this past weekend's incursion into this country's Air Defense Identification Zone.
The Defense Ministry says the fly-over by a pair of Japanese planes is dangerous and provocative.
The deputy head of the PLA has described the move as the equivilant of the Japanese government's decision to "purchase" the Diaoyu Islands.
On Saturday, a pair of Japanese planes entered into the Chinese Air Defense Identification Zone to reportedly monitor the now-concluded joint naval exercises between China and Russia.
S. Korea denies reported deployment of U.S. missile shield
The South Korean Defense Ministry is refuting reports its planning to deploy a US-produced missile defense system.
Instead, the South Korean side says its working on creating its own missle defense perimeter.
The comments come following reports the South Korean government was preparing to deploy a missile defense system designed by Lockheed Martin.
Reports of this prompted concern from the Chinese government.
Ukraine rebel leader says his men holding OSCE monitors
An insurgent leader in eastern Ukraine says his fighters are holding four observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The self-proclaimed mayor of Slovyansk says the four monitors are safe.
He's also promising they will be freed soon.
He has not set any conditions for their release.
The OSCE monitors were taken hostage on Monday.
Afghan police officer killed in Kandahar twin blast
Twin blasts in the Afghan city of Kandahar have killed one police officer and injured 2 others.
Security officials say an improvised bomb was detonated near a police checkpoint.
The second blast occurred after rescuers arrived on the scene.
No group has claimed responsibility.
The Taliban is often blamed for the attacks.
Lebanon ambassador to S. Korea killed in car accident
Lebanon's ambassador to South Korea has been killed in a car accident in Seoul.
The car of ambassador Jad Saeed El-Hassan crashed into the back of another vehicle in Seoul earlier today.
He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Fire department and police are investigating the exact cause.
Medics travel to eastern Sierra Leone to deal with Ebola outbreak
International medical aid teams are heading to eastern Sierra Leone to deal with an outbreak of the deadly and highly contagious Ebola virus.
The experts are from the World Health Organisation and the Doctors Without Borders charity.
This comes after six suspected Ebola patients were taken out of hospitals by their families, defying doctors.
A local health official says one of the patients later died amid fears that the virus could spread.
Nearly 200 people have died of Ebola in West Africa since an outbreak was first reported in Guinea in March.
Newspaper Picks
Global Times
"Chinese hospitals to add beds for birth boom "
Chinese hospitals will be required to add more beds to cope with an expected baby boom as a result of the country's loosened one-child policy.
The shortage of beds has become universal, vice minister of the NHFPC Wang Guoqiang said on Thursday, citing the findings of his tour in grassroots communities.
The National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) will promulgate a set of measures to boost the capacity of health institutions to cope with the annual increase of 2 million babies, said an official of the NHFPC, at a press conference on Thursday.
Other measures include strict control of Caesarean delivery rates, increased advocacy for breastfeeding and the prevention and treatment of birth defects, she said.
China loosened its decades-long one-child population policy, allowing couples to have two children if one of them is an only child in November 2013.
China News Service
"China to tighten check on online sales of food, drugs"
Checks on online sales of food and drugs will be tightened, China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) said Wednesday.
Online sellers should be licensed to sell food and drugs, according to a draft regulation by the CFDA to solicit public opinion.
Manufacturers are required to obtain permits to sell food, health food, cosmetics, and medical apparatus and instruments online while drug producers and wholesalers are forbidden to sell products to online consumers.
The CFDA will also crack down on false advertising. And information about certain drugs is not allowed to be published online, including stupefacient, psychotropic substances and radiopharmaceuticals.
According to the draft regulation, trading platforms are asked to check qualifications of food and drug sellers.
Channel News Asia
"Obesity weighs heavily on global health"
Nearly a third of adults and a quarter of children today are overweight, according to a report on Thursday that said no country has turned the tide of obesity since 1980.
The study, based on data from 188 countries, said the prevalence of obese and overweight adults grew by 28 per cent worldwide, and by nearly 50 per cent for children.
"Obesity is an issue affecting people of all ages and incomes, everywhere," said Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, who helped collate the data for the period 1980 to 2013.
Overweight people are more prone to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis and kidney disease, and the soaring numbers are placing a heavy burden on health care systems, said the study.
Excess body weight is estimated to have caused 3.4 million deaths in 2010, and previous research has warned that an unabated rise in obesity could start eating away at life expectancy.
The Telegraph
"Women with husky voices less likely to be hired, study finds"
Women with husky voices are less likely to be hired by employers as research finds they are perceived as less competent and trustworthy.
Researchers recorded seven women aged 19-27 and seven men aged 20-30 talking in their normal voice and talking with a deliberately croaky voice.
Then 800 people were asked to pose as recruiters and listen to each recording and choose whether the "normal" voice was from a more educated, competent, trustworthy or attractive person. They were also asked which people they would hire based on their voices.
It was revealed that people with croaky voices were only hired 20 per cent of the time over the normal sounding voices. And the recruiters assumed people speaking in croaky voices were less likely to be educated, competent, trustworthy or attractive.
Prof Casey Klofstad, from the University of Miami said:"Given this context, our findings suggest that young women would be best advised to avoid using vocal fry when trying to secure employment."
Special Reports
Lakatos and His Friends Cheer Up Parkview Green
Anchor:
The National Center for the Performing Arts has invited world-renowned Gypsy violinist Roby Lakatos to peform at the finale of this year's "My Music Festival."
CRI's Chi Huiguang has more.
Reporter:
By bringing music closer to the public, the NCPA has provided more than 20 chances for the public to cultivate an appreciation for music during this year's May Music Festival charity events.
And finally, it's time for jazz to take center stage. The NCPA invites Hungarian Gypsy violinist Roby Lakatos to perform with his band at the Parkview Green Shopping Center, one of the hottest and the most fashionable malls in the capital.
Roby Lakatos has a wide repertoire.
"In this music, we have everything, so we play everything, jazz, we play Gypsy music. I mean, all kinds of Gypsy music, not only Hungarian, Russian baroque style, French Gypsy music, jazz music and bebop jazz; so, very big, big, big different repertoire. I think we don't have any problem for what to play for the public, because everybody likes some style."
Lakatos is not only a scorching virtuoso, but a musician of extraordinary stylistic versatility. Equally comfortable performing classical music as he is playing jazz and his own takes on Hungarian folk music; Lakatos is a rare musician that defies definition. He has been referred to as the "devil's fiddler," a classical virtuoso, a jazz improviser, a composer and arranger, and a 19th-century throwback--he is actually all of these things at the same time.
(End of Ambience 2 with applause)
The fascinating music attracts a huge amount of people standing around the stage in every floor of the mall to enjoy and even dance or jump with the rhythm.
"My name is Guo Xin. I like the performance. And I think this kind of show should be held more often so that more people can enjoy the music."
Bruce Chen is the project coordinator of the Parkview Green Shopping Center. He says he liked the show very much.
"I believe that the best art is suited for both refined and popular tastes. I looked up videos of Lakatos and his bands' performance beforehand and I feel that the show fits the style of our mall very well."
Jemo Lisztes is a member of Lakatos's band. He considers what the NCPA is doing as a great way to spread the arts, as well.
(Soundbite 6: Jemo Lisztes good way to promote)
"We don't play usually like this. We mostly play concerts in theaters on big stages. I think it's good because, if the people walking in the shopping area hear the music, maybe they will come and see what's happening. It might be new for them--it's so open and I like it."
At the end of the bouncy notes on the fervently-played violin, together with the piano, Erhu and the band's backing, the charity public performances of the May Music Festival 2014 by NCPA drops the curtain.
BACK ANCHOR: CRI's Chi Huiguang reporting.
Sports
Serena shocked at French Open, Djokovic and Federer cruise
In tennis,
Second-round singles play at the French Open is wrapping up today.
Spain's David Ferrer and Italian Simone Bolelli are now in action.
On the women's side, 7th seeded Maria Sharpova has moved into the 3rd round following a 7-5, 6-2 victory this afternoon over Tsvetana Pironkova.
Still to come on Day 5 .
Eight-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal will take on Austria's Dominic Thiem.
Andy Murray will meet Australian "Mad Dog" Marinko Matosevic.
Former French Open women's champion Ana Ivanovic is up against Ukrainian teenager Elina Svitolina.
China's best shot at a plate from Roland Garros is on the court.
The top-seeded doubles duo of Peng Shuai and Hseih Suwei do have a tough challenge ahead of them in their opening match.
They're up against Russia's Svetlana Kutnetzova and Australian Sam Stosur.
Taiwan's Chan Yung-Jan and Chan Haoching are up against Japan's Kumuri Nara and Slovakian Anna Schmiedlova.
Nara is coming off a singles loss this afternoon to 6th seeded Jelena Jankovic 7-5, 6-love.
Schmiedlova has already earned her claim-to-fame after dumping 2nd seed Li Na in the first round of the singles tournament.
Li Na, of course, followed out in the 2nd round by top seed Serena Williams.
Tiger Woods withdraws from US Open
In golf,
Three-time champion Tiger Woods has ruled himself out of next month's U.S. Open as he recovers from back surgery.
It will be the second U.S. Open and sixth major missed by Woods due to injury.
Woods hasn't set a timetable for his return, suggesting he might also miss the year's third major, the British Open in July.
While Woods won't be at the U.S Open, his niece, Cheyenne Woods, will be there for the U.S. Women's Open the following week.
She earned a spot Wednesday in qualifying in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The Men's US Open gets underway on June 12th at Pinehurst, North Carolina.
This week, the Memorial is set to open later on this Thursday in Dublin, Ohio.
Speaking ahead the tournament, World Number-6 Rory McIlroy says he hopes to use the tournament as another springboard to a U.S. Open victory.
"It's good to be here, obviously coming off the back of a win last week. My game feels in really good shape. And it was really nice to get that win at the weekend and gives me some confidence coming into here and obviously the U.S. Open in a couple of weeks' time."
McIlroy comes into the Memorial off the back of a victory at the BWM PGA European Championships in England this past weekend.
Pacers stay alive with 93-90 win over Heat
In the NBA playoffs,
The Indiana Pacers have staved off elimination with a 93-90 victory over the Miami Heat this morning.
The Pacers' Paul George knocked down 37 points and 6 assists in the victory.
Chris Bosh led Miami with a double-double in the loss, hitting 20 and collecting 10 rebounds.
The Pacers still trail the Eastern Conference Finals 3-2.
The series shifts back to Miami for Game 6 Saturday morning, Beijing time.
In off-court news,
It's being reported that Shelly Sterling is reviewing bids from five groups interested in buying the Los Angeles Clippers.
It's been said that the bids are are more than one-billion US dollars.
Attorney for her ex-husband, Donald Sterling, contends there won't be a sale without his involvement.
Sterling is being threatened with being forced to sell the club after racist comments of his came to light.
Blackhawks beat Kings 5-4 in 2OT
In the NHL playoffs,
The Chicago Blackhawks have avoided elimination, getting past the LA Kings 5-4 in overtime this afternoon to stay alive in their Western Conference final playoff series.
Michal Handzus scored just over 2-minutes into the second OT.
The win puts a hault on the Blackhawks' three-game losing steak.
Patrick Kane had a 4 point night, while Brandon Saad had a goal and 2 assists.
Corey Crawford made 40 saves in the victory.
The Blackhawks are still down 3-games-2 in the series.
Game six moves back to Los Angeles on Saturday morning.
Tomorrow morning, the New York Rangers will look to book their ticket into the Stanley Cup Finals when they play host to the Montreal Canadiens.
The Rangers come into the game off a 7-4 loss in Montreal yesterday morning.
Puck drop for Game-6 tomorrow comes at 8am Beijing time.
The Rangers will be without defenseman John Moore.
Moore has been suspended two games for an illegal hit to the head to Montreal's Dale Weise in Game 5.
At the same time, Montreal tough-guy Brandon Prust will be returning to the line-up following his 2-game suspension for breaking Derek Stepan's jaw in Game 3.
Man U and NFL team owner Malcolm Glazer dies at 85
Malcolm Glazer, owner of Manchester United and the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has died.
He was 85.
Glazer suffered a series of strokes in recent years.
His sons have been in-charge of both teams management in recent years.
Glazer's takeover of Manchester United in 2005 was widely opposed by many of the club's fans.
He did manage to transform the Bucs into Super Bowl champions in 2002.
Entertainment
Shanghai International Film Festival to launch on June 14 in 35 cinemas
The details of this year's Shanghai International Film Festival have been released.
The annual event is set to get underway on June 14th.
Around 300 Chinese and foreign films will be screened in 35 cinemas during the eight-day event.
The International Film Panorama, a major festival event, will showcase films from Italy's Roberto Rossellini, French director Alain Renais, as well as Chinese directors Jiang Wen and Wu Tianming.
Old domestic movies starring actress Ruan Lingyu - "Love and Obligation" and "Goddess" - have been restored.
These films date to the 1930's in Shanghai.
11-hundred films have been submitted for this year's coveted Golden Goblet award.
Actress Gong Li will chair the international jury panel.
Brad Pitt attacked on world premiere of "Maleficent"
A 25-year old Ukranian prankster and TV host is being held on 20-thousand US dollars bail after allegedly assaulting actor Brad Pitt.
Pitt was hit in the face while he and his wife, Angelina Jolie, were signing autographs on the red carpet for the premier of Jolie's new film "Maleficent."
Police say Pitt was hit in the face by a man who leapt over a fence to reach the actor.
He wasn't seriously hurt.
Authorities quickly subdued the man.
25-year-old Sediuk is a Ukrainian television star who has attempted to prank celebrities at red carpet events in the past.
As for the film itself, "Maleficent" is Disney's modern reboot of the animated fairytale "Sleeping Beauty".
Jolie stars as the film's villain, a role she says she enjoyed very much.
"Everyday the focus was the audience and my children, and would they find this funny and would they think this is cool and would they think the voice is something they would like or not like. Or is this hat something they like or don't like. It was just the best part of being an actor to just, my job is to entertain and I will do my best and if I fall on my face and make a fool of myself to hope that I can do that for people of all ages and especially children."
Jolie's co-star is Elle Fanning, who plays the 16-year old "sleeping beauty."
"I was very nervous going into that, I mean you hear that name Angelina Jolie, I mean it is so huge. You think she is going to be so intense and scary. Then you meet her and your nerves went away and you realize that she is just a lady. It's crazy to think about that, she is warm and playful and she is very funny."
"Maleficent" opens tomorrow.
Industry observers are expecting the film to earn over 60-millino US dollars this weekend.
Lady Gaga forced to cancel shows due to sickness
Lady Gaga has been forced to cancel two of her tour dates due to illness.
She was unable to perform in Seattle last night and will reportedly be off sick for her Vancouver performance as well because of bronchitis.
Gaga has compared her ailment to Disney's "The Little Mermaid," joking that "Ursula" has taken her voice.
The shows in both Seattle and Vancouver will be rescheduled.
Lady Gaga has also added 4 additional shows to her tour schedule in the UK.
Lee Pace on his new TV drama about the start of the personal computer boom
AMC's new drama "Halt and Catch Fire" is set to premier this Sunday.
It stars Lee Pace as Joe MacMillan.
MacMillian is a former IBM executive who joins a rival and enlists a team to create a cheaper, more popular machine.
"It's a show about computers in 1983 in Dallas, Texas, and some people who are trying to make an awesome computer and there's no certain idea of what that is. So we're trying to figure it out. I don't know. It's hard - it's actually very simple. We're just trying to make a cool computer, but it's going to be much, much more complicated than that."
The new drama is said to be much darker than HBO's "Silicon Valley."
Pace says his character can be a very dark person.
"I think about Joe like a machine. He will complete the program put before him. He will be fully compatible. He will operate on all systems. He will remove obstacles. He will problem solve. He will add value. But there are bugs in that machine. There're flaws in the program and that's where I find him most interesting because he's not a computer. He's a person who needs to work well with others and Joe - he can be a bastard."
The series has been picked up for 10 weeks on AMC.
A quick recap of the headlines before we go.
The Chinese Defense Ministry has responded to this past weekend's intrusion into the ADIZ by a pair of Japanese planes.
The United Nations is expressing "deep concern" over an increase in fighting in eastern Ukraine.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is calling on NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to "come home" following his TV interview this week.
In Business, Hangzhou joining a growing list of cities putting caps on property price discounts.
This is Paul James in Beijing, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window on the world together. |