The Beijing Hour
Morning Edition
Shane Bigham with you on this Thursday, June 05th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
The Ukraine crisis is to be discussed at the G7 meeting getting underway in Belgium, but Russia has not been invited to the discussion...
Ukraine's new leader says he has a plan for ending the crisis, but details will have to wait until after his inauguration on Saturday...
And Syria's embattled president has won a third term in office...
In Business...China and Russia are said to be close to signing a second major gas contract...
In sports...a major clash at the French Open semifinals..
In entertainment...the Glamour Awards in London...
Weather
Beijing will be sunny today with a high of 34 degree Celsius.
Overnight it will see thundershowers and temperatures should drop down to around 23.
Shanghai will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 27.
Overnight, it will still be cloudy with a low of 20.
In Chongqing, it will see some rain with a high of 24.
Overnight showers and lows are expected to be around 23.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,
Islamabad will be sunny with a high of 40.
Kabul will be rainy with a high of 26.
Over to North America,
New York will have moderate rain today with a high of 20 degrees.
Washington will have some rain with a high of 30 degrees.
Honolulu, cloudy, 28.
Toronto, Canada, will be cloudy with a high of 18 degrees.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 14.
And Rio de Janeiro will also be cloudy with a high of 26 degrees Celsius.
Top News
World leaders start G7 meeting
Anchor:
Leaders of the world's major economies are gathering in Brussels for the Group of Seven summit without Russia.
The situation in Ukraine is topping their agenda.
CRI's Alexander Aucott has more.
Reporter:
When German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived at the G7 summit in Belgium, she confirmed that the Ukraine crisis would be among the main topics on the agenda.
"The G7 group has stuck together very well in the past few weeks around the theme that tonight is about, namely the question of Ukraine and Russia. We will discuss this subject and other political topics with each other today, and we will also consider, after the presidential election, how we can now support Ukraine as much as possible."
The German chancellor said the G7 group will follow its three-stage approach: to support Ukraine, to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis through talks with Russia, and finally, further sanctions against Russia would be possible if the situation in Ukraine gets worse.
Before leaders of the G7 member states started their summit, US President Barak Obama met with the newly elected Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, in Warsaw, Poland.
Speaking to Poroshenko, Obama said the US was committed to standing behind Ukraine.
"The Ukrainian people made a wise selection in somebody who has the ability to lead them through this difficult period, and the United States is absolutely committed to standing behind the Ukrainian people and their aspirations. Not just in the coming days and weeks, but in the coming years."
He also called on the international community to support Poroshenko.
The US announced on Wednesday that it would send Kiev an additional 5 million US dollars in equipment.
The meeting was initially set to be held in the Russian city of Sochi, but was relocated because of the Ukraine crisis.
Russia's foreign minister said on Wednesday that Moscow's relations with the West will never be the same.
Sergey Lavrov blames the West for sparking the crisis.
He criticized western leaders for ignoring Russia's interests and refusing to treat it as an equal partner.
But Lavrov also dismissed fears of a new Cold War.
Meanwhile Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an televised interview that Moscow was not seeking to destabilize the country.
"Yes, we recognize Ukraine's sovereignty. Moreover, we'd like Ukraine to act as a sovereign state. Joining any military bloc or any other rigid integration alliance amounts to a partial loss of sovereignty. But if a country opts for this and wants to cede part of its sovereignty, it's free to do so. Regarding Ukraine and military blocs, this is what worries us, because if Ukraine joins, say, NATO, NATO's infrastructure will move directly towards the Russian border, which cannot leave us indifferent."
Putin also says that it was up to U.S. President Barack Obama, who will also attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of the World War Two seaborne invasion in northern France, whether they met there.
For CRI, I'm Alexander Aucott.
Ukraine leader says to unveil peace plan soon
Ukrainian President-elect Petro Poroshenko says he will unveil a plan for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in his country after he takes office on Saturday.
He didn't elaborate.
The comment comes amid intense government operation in the eastern part of the country.
Ukrainian troops have launched an offensive against rebels in the eastern city of Slovyansk and advanced through the city's outskirts.
More than 300 rebels are reportedly killed during the operation.
Bashar al-Assad wins presidential election
Bashar al-Assad has won 88.7-percent of the vote in Syria's presidential election.
Parliamentry speaker Mohammad al-Laham announced the results.
"I declare the victory of Dr Bashar Hafez al-Assad as president of the Syrian Arab Republic with an absolute majority of the votes cast in the election."
The results have secured Bashar al-Assad a third term in office.
Tuesday's general election had been scheduled for 12 hours but was extended for another five hours, ending at midnight on Wednesday.
It is the first multi-candidate presidential election in Syria's modern history, but it didn't include the exiled opposition.
Meanwhile, China has released another statement on the Syria crises, calling for a ceasefire.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.
"The Syrian crisis has been fermenting for over 3 years. It's brought grave sufferings to the country and the people. All parties including the Syrian government should realize a ceasefire and halt the violence as soon as possible."
China is also urging all sides to proceed with the Geneva negotiations and a political settlement to the crisis.
The conflict has killed 160-thousand people, driven nearly 3 million abroad as refugees and displaced many more inside Syria.
Libyan PM's office hit by grenade
The office of Libya's new Prime Minister, Ahmed Maitiq, has been hit by a rocket propelled grenade.
An assistant to the prime minister says the grenade hit the government building in the early hours on Wednesday.
The prime minister was not in the building when the incident happened.
No one has claimed responsibility yet for the hit.
Hamas, Fatah set to form reconciliation committee
Discussions are underway between the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement and Fatah party to form a follow-up committee that will implement the landmark national reconciliation deal.
The two former rivals agreed in April to end their political differences and formed a unity government earlier this week.
The new committee will work to solve any problems that the reconciliation deal may face.
Those include integrating the government institutions and security apparatuses as well as the return of the employees who stopped working since 2007.
China faces "serious" environmental challenges
Anchor:
China has released an official report highlighting the challenges that it is facing in protecting its water, air and soil.
The report comes out ahead of World Environmental Protection Day today.
CRI's Cao Yuwei has more.
Reporter:
According to the report that reviews environmental data from last year, China's environment has improved in general, but conditions remain grim.
Li Ganjie, vice minister of environmental protection, quotes the report as saying that air quality issues in major cities are "serious".
"According to the newly released National Ambient Air Quality Standards, among 74 cities applying the standard, only 4.1% have met it. And acid rain, which mainly affected the areas along the Yangtze River, especially the southern side of the middle and lower reaches, polluted around 10.6 percent of the nation's land."
Water quality across China is less than ideal.
According to the report, in 2013, among China's top 10 river valleys, about 9 percent of water sections were classified as the worst level.
And the quality of groundwater assessed in over 60 percent of monitoring sites was rated between poor and extremely poor.
Another alarming condition is the deteriorating quality of land.
Besides pollution and degradation, the report finds that almost one third of the country's land area is threatened by soil erosion.
Against that backdrop, authorities have called for improvements to the legal system, a more environmentally friendly development outlook, and better institutions to protect the worsening environment.
Li Ganjie, vice minister of environmental protection, says to tackle the pollution issue, sources of the problem need to be identified and dealt with.
"First, we should maintain good quality in areas that enjoy good quality. As for severely polluted waters, especially in areas where the public is most affected, we need to control, eliminate, or wipe out issues affecting water quality."
In April, the top legislature approved a revised law on environmental protection, stipulating that environmental protection is a basic policy of the country, prioritizing protection over economic development.
As for air quality in cities, a five-year action plan in 2013 stipulated cuts in coal use and the density of inhalable particulate matter, as well as the closure of polluting enterprises.
According to a recent UN report, China is ranking as the number-one nation in terms of investment in renewable energy.
For CRI,this is Cao Yuwei.
Q&A on China's effort and challenges on the issues of environmental protection
With more on environmental protection issues here in China, CRI's Zheng Chenguang spoke earlier with Professor Zhang Shiqiu, Director at the Institute of Environment and Economy at Peking University in Beijing.
Back Anchor:
That is Professor Zhang Shiqiu, Director at the Institute of Environment and Economy at Peking University in Beijing, speaking with CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
Bonus point items reduced in Gaokao system
Anchor:
As China's national college entrance examination, or GaoKao, approaches, the country's education ministry has announced a new policy to narrow the number of extra-curricular activities which can garner extra points for students' scores. CRI's Li Dong has the details.
Reporter:
For years, China has adhered to a policy of awarding extra gaokao points to students who are winners of major sports events or math or science competitions, children of returned overseas Chinese, and ethnic minorities among other groups.
Du Li, deputy director in charge of China Youth Daily's education and technology section says the bonus point’s policy exists for a reason.
"What is fair? It's a line which can efficiently distinguish students with different qualities. The gaokao is one of the lines by which students who demonstrate better memorizing and answering skills can stand out. And there are other lines as well, like recruiting standards by different universities. Because they want to recruit students with specialties they need. The arguments in balancing the two lines have never stopped in China's Gaokao reform."
The Ministry of Education has listed 14 items that qualify for gaokao bonus points.
But according to an estimate by Yang Dongping, a Beijing Institute of Technology professor, the actual number of items for which points are awarded across various provinces, municipalities, and regions may exceed 190.
Du Li says in recent years with more items listed in universities' independent recruitment plans and local educational bureau's bonus point policies, the fairness of the gaokao is being challenged.
"In terms of universities' independent recruiting, more corruption is found in the recruitment process, like trading the enrollment quota with money and other interest relations. The same situation happens in bonus point systems as well, for instance, in Hangzhou, there are cases that students whose parents can afford to buy expensive aviation and marine models can get the bonus points."
This year, in a bid to create a fairer competition environment for students, education authorities in multiple provinces and regions are making big moves to cut the number of bonus point items, as well as the points themselves.
South China's Guangdong province stipulates that, in this year's Gaokao, only first prize winners in the national level Olympiads can qualify for bonus points. Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces have also halted awarding bonus points in fields like aviation and marine model making, as well as radio direction finding. West China's Sichuan province hasw also scrapped 29 bonus points items.
But Du Li adds that putting too much expectation on establishing an absolutely fair Gaokao recruiting system is not realistic.
"China is a country with a big population. Using a system with multiple evaluation standards to assess a student's academic and capability is a more ideal option, but that means we need more high quality teachers to evaluate the students and more resources to cover the cost of complicated multi-layer evaluation. Right now, in China that's impossible. Meanwhile, taking Gaokao as the sole standard in this big country is also not fair for those students with great potential in other fields rather than just reciting. So the reform of the gaokao system is going to be a long process."
In China, gaokao results are the major assessment standard for a student's application for a place at college. The exam saw some 9 million test takers in 2013.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
Biz Reports
U.S. stocks rose Wednesday, with the S&P 500 hitting new all-time intraday and closing highs, as stronger-than-expected U.S. non-manufacturing activity in May stood out from a mixed batch of economic data.
The S&P 500 is up 0.2 percent, the Dow added 0.1 percent and the Nasdaq gained 0.4 percent.
Over in Europe, most markets dropped as the latest data stirred fears over deflation.
France's CAC 40 dropped 0.1 percent, London's FTSE 100 is down 0.3 percent and Germany's DAX edged up 0.1 percent.
And all eyes are on the upcoming ECB meeting now, and analysts figure that the ECB may cut interest rates further or introduce some sort of stimulus package to fight deflation in Europe.
Russia, China inch toward another gas contract
Russia and China may be on the verge of signing a second major energy-related contract, following the landmark 30-year gas deal that was agreed to last month in Shanghai.
The new deal is for a gas pipeline construction project.
A Russian official says the contract could be inked "in the very near future."
The long-awaited gas deal in Shanghai ended a decade of natural gas supply talks between the two neighbors.
China 'strongly dissatisfied' with US tariffs on solar panel imports
China has expressed strong dissatisfaction with new US duties on Chinese solar panel imports.
The decision came after the US Department of Commerce ruled that Chinese companies including Trina Solar and Wuxi Suntech Power have benefited unfairly from Chinese government policies.
The preliminary duties range from around 18 percent to around 35 percent.
The Ministry of Commerce said in a statement, that the US ignored facts and applied contradictory "country of origin" trade rules.
And is says the US abused trade measures to protect its own industry, adding the US actions will inflame trade tensions in the solar industry.
Just recently, similar anti-dumping duties on steel wire from China were issued by the US government.
WIPO chief economist highlights increased patent filings abroad by China
The chief economist of the World Intellectual Property Organization says increased overseas patent filings from Chinese applicants are a positive sign for China's economy.
Carsten Fink says a changing picture has been observed as patent filings abroad from Chinese interests have been growing rapidly.
A new study by the Organization states that Chinese patent filings abroad increased significantly after the year 2000, with a five-year average annual growth rate of more than 20 percent.
It also says China's patent office became the largest intellectual property office in the world in 2012.
New monetary policy to be released in the upcoming ECB meeting.
Anchor:
At its monetary policy meeting on Thursday, the European Central Bank's (ECB) President is widely expected to give the Euro zone's sluggish economy a boost in order to stave-off concerns over deflation.
Because growth has been sluggish and inflation has been low, market watchers will be looking for two major things from the ECB: a cut in interest rates and an asset purchase program.
Reuters reported that the ECB is preparing a package of policy options that includes cuts in all its interest rates.
For more on the upcoming ECB meeting, we are joined on the line by Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.
Back Anchor:
Cao Can, CRI's Financial Commentator. An announcement from the ECB regarding its policy is expected at 7:45 this evening Beijing time.
Survey shows U.S. private sector adds fewest jobs in four months
For the month of May, the private sector in the US added the fewest number of new jobs in four months.
The National Employment Report states that 180,000 new jobs were created last month. That's down from 215,000 April.
May's total is the least since January.
Economists had been expecting an increase of 210,000 private jobs in May.
However, other data released earlier showed a rise in imports and growth in factory activity in May, which showed a rather solid foundation for the economy.
And the Labor Department will release its jobs report for May on Friday.
S&P upgrades ratings on several Spanish banks/xinhua
Standar & Poor's has upgraded credit ratings for several Spanish banks.
This follows the credit agency's decision late last month to raise the country's sovereign debt rating from triple-B-negative to triple-B, with a stable outlook.
Major banks with improved credit ratings include the Eurozone's leading bank, Santander, rising to triple-B-plus from triple-B.
Similar improvements have been recorded by BBVA and Cecabank.
Headline News
World leaders start G7 meeting
Leaders of the world's major economies are gathering in Brussels for the Group of Seven summit, but without Russia.
Moscow has been excluded by western leaders because of the Kremlin's role in the Ukraine crisis.
Ahead of the meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the group will follow its three-stage approach: to support Ukraine, to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis through talks with Russia, and finally, further sanctions against Russia would be possible if the situation in Ukraine gets worse.
Moscow has reacted, blaming the West for sparking the crisis.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized western leaders for ignoring Russia's interests and refusing to treat it as an equal partner.
Bashar al-Assad wins presidential election
Syria is going to miss the June 30th deadline to completely destroy its chemical weapons, but such remaining munitions are said to be "out of harms way."
That statement is from the UN agency overseeing the elimination of the country's chemical stockpile.
It comes after the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has secured a third term in office after winning over 88 percent of the vote in the presidential election.
The ongoing civil war in Syria has been blamed for an estimated 160-thousand deaths. Millions have been forced from their homes.
China has released another statement on the Syria crises, calling for a ceasefire.
China is also urging all sides to proceed with the Geneva negotiations and a political settlement to the crisis.
China faces "serious" environmental challenges
China has released an official report highlighting the challenges that it is facing in protecting its water, air and soil.
The report comes out ahead of World Environmental Protection Day today.
According to the report, in 2013, among China's top 10 river valleys, about 9 percent of water sections were classified as the worst level.
It also says that according to the newly released air quality standards, among 74 major cities, only 4.1% have met it.
Besides pollution and degradation, the report finds that almost one third of the country's land area is threatened by soil erosion.
Against that backdrop, authorities have called for improvements to the legal system, a more environmentally friendly development outlook, and better institutions to protect the worsening environment.
Russia, China inch toward another gas contract
Russia and China may be on the verge of signing a second major energy-related contract, following the landmark 30-year gas deal that was agreed to last month in Shanghai.
The new deal is for a gas pipeline construction project.
A Russian official says the contract could be inked "in the very near future."
The long-awaited gas deal in Shanghai ended a decade of natural gas supply talks between the two neighbors.
Newspaper Picks
GLOBAL TIMES
Headline
China's supreme court mulls crackdown on terror videos
Summary
China's Supreme People's Court issued a statement to consider ways to halt the spread of violent terror videos and audio recordings.
The SPC urged courts at all levels to intensify the crackdown on terrorists and separatists.
The statement says subordinate courts in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, hit by series of bloody terrorist attacks, will get special instructions on dealing with terror cases in a "harsh and quick" manner.
XINHUA
Headline
Religious figures condemn Xinjiang terrorism
Summary
A group of 54 senior religious figures in China's far-western Xinjiang have called for unity among ethnic groups to fight terrorism and religious extremism.
Mullah Jarulla Qurban, a senior member of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Islamic Association said at a meeting held on Wednesday in Urumqi that religious extremism is prohibited in Islam and terrorists will not go to heaven.
A deadly terrorist attack in Urumqi on May 22nd left 39 innocent people dead and 94 others injured.
THE BEIJING TIMES
Headline
Xinjiang anticipates first high-speed train
Summary
The trial run for the first high-speed railway in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region started on Tuesday, marking a countdown to formal operations by the end of the year and a confidence boost to the region.
Experts say the trial run included tests on dynamic response, rails, communications and aerodynamics, and all results were within safety limits.
THE BEIJING NEWS
Headline
Rich Chinese join lawsuit over Canada's millionaire migrant scheme
Summary
More than 1,300 rich mainland Chinese have joined a lawsuit against Canada's immigration authorities in an attempt to overturn Ottawa's decision to shut down its millionaire migrant scheme and terminate tens of thousands of applications.
Tim Leahy, the Toronto lawyer behind the Federal Court case is seeking C$5million in compensation for each applicant unless the government agrees to assess their cases.
The scheme's cancellation was announced in the Canadian federal budget on February 11.
BEIJING YOUTH DAILY
Headline
Government officials required to report their assets to get promotion
Summary
Shangxi province issued the announcement about the asset requirement.
It says officials should declare their family assets within twos days after they receive notification from the investigative group.
As a part of anti-corruption campaign, this announcement will be strictly implemented.
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
Cracks beneath high-speed rail 'not a concern'
Summary
Rail officials said on Wednesday cracks beneath an elevated section of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway line in Minhang District are not a safety concern.
Nearby residents were alarmed by the appearance of cracks around supports holding up the bullet train link to the capital.
However, the authorities say there is no safety issue as the cracks have developed in waste concrete that was spread on the road surface.
Special Reports
China Caravan Expo Held in Beijing
Anchor:
Hundreds of camping enthusiasts from across China and beyond are descending on a site in suburban Beijing for the country's first-ever international camping and motorhome rally.
CRI's Xie Zhao reports.
Reporter:
The 80th International F.I.C.C. Rally is bringing together both those who are already a part of China's emerging motorhome world and those keen to join it.
As one of the rally participants, Gu Yuxin, bought his first Recreational Vehicle, or RV, in 2011 and has already upgraded to a new one since then.
He says it lets him link with a larger community of like-minded travelers by joining online camping and caravanning interest groups in China.
"Me and other travellers chat in online chat groups every day. We stay in touch and go travelling together when time permits. Our community allows us to travel more and spend more time together. And lots of RV companies organize trips for customers."
These online interest groups in China have attracted tens of thousands of participants.
Li Sixin, deputy general manager for RV International Trade and Marketing says they have a strong faith in China's market.
"Our sales figures grow by 30 to 50 percent every year. We sold 160 RVs last year, and we're aiming for 300 this year. This year, we've already sold 150 in less than six months."
Despite this, not everyone in China can afford an RV or camping trailer, which could cost tens of thousands of yuan.
Therefore, retailers like LEHERO have scrambled to fill the niche in China's market.
They carry a full line of camping products targeted at China's burgeoning group of SUV owners, which can give them the chance to join in the camping adventure by converting their car roof into a temporary, portable camping space.
Wang Han, LEHERO's general manager, is confident that products like this will be a hit with Chinese consumers.
"Consumers are becoming interested in exploring the wilderness and to enjoy their lives. Also, they are able to afford entertainment. And the total amount of automobiles in China ranks high in the world. These reasons make a booming market in China possible."
The 80th F.I.C.C. Rally is on until this Sunday in Yanqing County, near the Great Wall, northwest Beijing.
Organizers and retailers are hoping more people in China will soon be joining these participants on the open road.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
Sports
Murray, Nadal reach French Open semi-finals
We'll start off with the latest news from the French Open Championship,
Following a lengthy rain delay, the quarter-finals continued on Wednesday.
7th seed Andy Murray secured a spot in the semis after seeing off Frenchman Gael Monfils in five sets 6-4, 6-1, 4-6, 1-6, 6-0.
Meantime, defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the semis after surviving his clash with compatriot David Ferrer with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 win.
Nadal is on course for his ninth French Open title and a fifth in succession.
He is next up against Murray in the semi-final on Friday.
----
On the women's side,
4th seed Simona Halep sealed a place in her first Grand Slam semi-final after overcoming Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-2.
Also reaching the last four at the tournament for the first time is Andrea Petkovic of Germany who downed Italian Sara Errani in straight sets 6-2, 6-2.
Petkovic will next play Halep for a place in the final.
----
In other tennis news,
The draw for the 2015 Fed Cup took place at Roland Garros on Wednesday.
In World Group I,
The top seeds, the Czech Republic, will meet Canada.
Reigning champions Italy will host France, while Poland will play host to Russia.
2014 finalists Germany face a re-match on home soil against Australia.
In World Group II, Slovakia will travel to the Netherlands, Romania is at home to Spain, Switzerland visit Sweden and Argentina plays hosts to the USA.
Durant, LeBron headline All-NBA Teams
The NBA has announced its 2013-14 All-NBA teams.
The Oklahoma City Thunder's MVP Kevin Durant is the sole unanimous selection for the first team.
Miami Heat star LeBron James was also voted to the first team.
Joining Durant and James on the first team are Houston's James Harden, Chicago's Joakim Noah and the L.A. Clippers' Chris Paul.
San Antonio's Tim Duncan and the L.A. Lakers' Kobe Bryant were not selected to the first team this year.
The All-NBA second team features Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Spurs guard Tony Parker, Clippers forward Blake Griffin, Timberwolves forward Kevin Love and Rockets center Dwight Howard.
The All-NBA third team is headlined by Pacers forward Paul George, Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Bobcats center Al Jefferson, Suns guard Goran Dragic and Blazers guard Damian Lillard.
The All-NBA teams were selected by a panel of 125 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.
Spain players talk about their World Cup warm-up game against El Salvador
In soccer,
Spain will face El Salvador in a final warm-up game on Saturday before opening defense of their World Cup title later next week.
Some are tipping Spain to retain their crown, but defender Gerard Pique believes there are many favorites.
"I don't know whether we are favorites. I think you could call various teams favorites. We're in the group of those. Anything can happen in the World Cup, but there is not a clear favorite. Brazil won the Confederations Cup, but teams like Germany, Argentina, and others can win the title."
Spain's head coach made his final selection last weekend, including Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa, who has been receiving treatment on an injured right hamstring for the last week.
It has been announced that Costa has passed a medical at Chelsea ahead of a proposed 32-million pounds transfer from Atletico Madrid.
Bjorn and Stern pull out off U.S. Open due to injuries
In golf,
Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and South African Richard Sterne have withdrawn from next week's U.S. Open due to injuries.
15-times European Tour winner Bjorn pulled out of the the season's second major because of neck and shoulder injuries.
He will be replaced at Pinehurst by American amateur Andrew Dorn.
Sterne, who is still recovering from an undisclosed injury, will be repalced by American Scott Langley.
The U.S. Open will be played from June 12 to June 15 at Pinehurst, North Carolina.
----
In other news,
Zimbabwe's Nick Price and American Jay Haas have been named as team captains for the 2015 President's Cup to be played in South Korea.
Haas has been an assistant captain on the past three triumphant US squads.
Price will guide the International line-up of non-European stars for the second year in a row.
Entertainment
Godzilla director greets fans in China ahead of Chinese release
The latest version of the classic monster movie Godzilla is out in China next Friday and the film’s director Gareth Edwards has made a special message for fans here on the mainland.
(Godzilla clip)
The film stars "Breaking Bad" actor Bryan Cranston, English actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Japanese actor Ken Watanabe, and American actress Elizabeth Olsen.
Second Justin Bieber Racist Video released
Justin Bieber is in trouble again…
(Bieber Lonely girl clip)
Another video of the Canadian singer using racist language has surfaced. The video, posted by tabloid TMZ, shows a 14-year-old Bieber singing a parody of his song "One Less Lonely Girl" but swapping out the last word for the N-word.
(Racist Version clip)
Bieber and his reps reportedly told TMZ they wanted the video released because the singer wants to own his actions.
Apologising for a previous video released a few days ago showing him make a racist joke with the same word, the now 20-year-old said: "As a kid, I didn't understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt."
It's been a hard year for Bieber. Amongst other things he was last month accused for attempted robbery for allegedly trying to steal a woman's phone.
He's also due to stand trial in Miami on charges of driving under the influence, resisting arrest and using an expired license.
And in February, he was charged with assaulting a limousine driver in Toronto.
John Lennon auction in NY exceeds estimates
(Lennon clip)
Handwritten letters, notes and poems by the late John Lennon have exceeded their estimates at a New York auction.
A nonsensical poem called "the Fat Budgie" went for 143,000 US dollars at Sotheby's having been valued at 35,000 and a corrected transcript called "Neville Club" went for 100,000 having previously been valued at 12,000.
The 89 lot sale comes from Lennon's books "In His Own Write" and "A Spaniard in the Works."
Women Honored at Glamour Awards in London
The Glamour Women of the Year Awards have been honoring starlets from around the world in London.
Among those receiving prizes was Oscar-winning actress Dame Helen Mirren who was presented with the Glamour Icon award by Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.
Supermodel and "The Face" mentor Naomi Campbell was named best TV Personality and the singer Taylor Swift, accepted her International Solo Artist prize via video message.
The UK solo artist prize, meanwhile, went to Paloma Faith just a couple of years after a friend of hers claimed the prize while she was still unknown.
"I wanted just to remind myself that I came here once in 2009 and I knew Adele very well back then when she was a little kit girl and I was sat somewhere near the fire exit and she won this award – and that was 2009 – and she went up and said (imitating Adele) 'there's a girl in the corner who's a mate of mine called Paloma and one day you're all gonna know who she is so.. yeah.. she's over there'. And I just went (waves), so I'm really grateful with that in mind to be up here accepting my own one thank you."
While the evening was all about celebrating women there were many famous gents on hand to give their congratulations and hand out the awards.
Those include Samuel L Jackson and Steve Coogan there is one prize that goes to a member of the opposite sex and the English actor Sam Claflin collected the prize for Man of the Year.
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The Ukraine crisis is to be discussed at the G7 meeting getting underway in Belgium, but Russia has not been invited to the discussion...
Ukraine's new leader says he has a plan for ending the crisis, but details will have to wait until after his inauguration on Saturday...
And Syria's embattled president has won a third term in office...
In Business...China and Russia are said to be close to signing a second major gas contract...
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together. |