The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Shane Bigham with you this Thursday, June 12th 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening.
The Chinese government says it will continue to ensure peace and stability in the region, including in the South China Sea.
The Chinese military reacts to a US report on China's military transparency and development.
And Australia is urging countries in the Asia Pacific region not to rely on the US for security.
In business, Chinese authorities announce several new measures to boost economic growth.
In sports, the first World Cup match is just a few hours away.
In entertainment, honours for Cate Blanchette and Kerry Washington.
Weather
Beijing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 21 degrees Celsius. Cloudy tomorrow with a high of 32 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be clear tonight, with a low of 21, cloudy tomorrow, with a high of 32.
Chongqing will be overcast, 20 degrees the low, also overcast tomorrow with a high of 24.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 42.
Kabul, mostly sunny, 34.
Over in Australia
Sydney, partly cloudy, high of 20.
Canberra, showers, 12.
Brisbane, showers, 23.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 19.
Top News
China will continue maintain peace: Chinese FM
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China will continue to maintain maritime peace and stability in the region including in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Foreign Minister made the comment while meeting up with his Singaporean counterpart here in Beijing.
"We will continue to consolidate the friendly relationship between us. In the meantime we will continue to maintain the peace and stability of the region, including the South China Sea. We are full of confidence and capability to do so. We hope and believe that Singapore will continue to play a positive role in this regard."
For his part, Singaporean foreign minister K. Shanmugam says the two have reached a "broad consensus" on how they should be viewing regional issues.
China is Singapore's largest trade partner among the ASEAN countries.
China's military strongly dissatisfied with U.S. accusations
Anchor:
China's military is expressing firm opposition to U.S. accusations regarding transparency and China's growing military clout.
The comment follows the release of an annual US report on China's military development and security.
CRI's Xie Zhao has more.
Reporter:
Geng Yansheng, Ministry of National Defense spokesperson, calls the U.S. accusations a cliché.
He also blames the US for sending the wrong signals in territorial disputes in the Asia-Pacific region.
"As a matter of fact, the U.S has been pushing for rebalancing in Asia in recent years. The U.S. has underlined its military and security agenda, beefed up military presence in the region, and has frequently conducted joint military drills targeting specific countries. It has been sending the wrong signals in territorial disputes, stirring up troubles in the region."
In terms of China's military development, Geng Yansheng says the U.S. is using a double standard as American military spending is severl times greater than China's.
The Chinese spokesperson says the U.S has been developing state-of-the-art weaponry, aggressively engaging in cyber attacks, and has been seeking to deploy a global network of its anti-missile system.
Military expert Yin Zhuo says the U.S should be seeking peaceful cooperation.
"The U.S. should get rid of the cold war mentality and put aside such military report. It should be seeking partnerships and cooperation. For example, China is going to join this year's Rim of the Pacific drill, setting a very good precedent. But on issues including arms sales to Taiwan, we need to sit down at the table and negotiate. Such an unauthentic report on China's military development will only damage ties between the two countries' militaries. "
The U.S. has previously pledged to increase dialogue and cooperation with the Chinese military.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
Australia urges countries not to rely on US for security
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is urging countries in Asia-Pacific not to be complacent or rely on the United States for security.
This comes after Japan and Australia's decision to jointly develop stealth submarine technology.
"The United States has many calls on its resources in many parts of the world and while we welcome and encourage the United States rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, the countries in our region should not be complacent about how their continued growth and prosperity depends on United States regional engagement."
Bishop is also calling for greater cooperation among countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
She has also voiced her support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to loosen constraints set out in Japan's pacifist constitution that have kept the military out of overseas conflicts for nearly 70 years.
Analysts say the two countries' cooperation may not necessarily lead to the sale of Japanese submarines to Australia, but it does widen the possibility of Japan supplying military technology overseas.
Families of MH370 passengers receive advanced payment
Malaysian authorities say the families of seven passengers on missing flight MH370 have received advanced payments from the airline's insurance.
The seven claimants include one Chinese and six Malaysian nationals.
Each claimant has received 50,000 U.S. dollars.
Hamzah Zainudin is Malaysia's Deputy Foreign Minister.
"Six already received advance payment, some already appointed their own lawyers and we are dealing with the lawyers."
Zainudin says the officials are now in the process of finalizing the payout for another 40 claimants in China.
He says the full payments will be paid after the MH370 issue is declared to be over.
So far, no trace of the missing flight has been found.
The jetliner, carrying 239 people, disappeared in March shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, bound for Beijing.
154 of the passengers are Chinese nationals.
ISIL seized Saddam hometown of Tikrit
Anchor: The hometown of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Tikrit, has essentially been overrun by al-Qaeda militants. It comes after the militants took control of much of the city, Mosul, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.
CRI's Qizhi has more.
REPORTER:
There are reports that government security forces have retreated from Tikrit, and that militants have freed some 300 prisoners in the city.
Government forces are also reported to be abandoning their posts in the neighboring city of Kirkuk.
The seizure of Tikrit comes after fighters form the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant took control of much of the country's second-largest city, Mosul, on Tuesday.
An estimated half million residents have fled Mosul as tens of thousands try to get to the northern Kurdish city of Irbil.
Waad Ali is one of them.
"The situation there is hopeless. They destroyed and burned a police station. I will do my best to save my family and protect my children."
The militants to create an Islamic emirate spanning both sides of the Iraq/Syria border.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned the violent upsurge in Iraq, calling for full respect of international humanitarian law.
Earlier, 80 Turkish nationals including 49 from the Turkish consulate were taken hostage in Mosul.
The United States has promised to provide assistance to the Iraqi government.
"We join Turkey and the international community in calling for the immediate release of Turkey's kidnapped personnel. The security reiterated the United States' commitment to working with the Iraqi government and leaders across Iraq to support a unified approach against ISIL's continued aggression. We are in touch with the government's of Turkey and Iraq and stand ready to provide any appropriate assistance."
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has vowed to fight back against the insurgents and says troops who offer little resistance and flee will be punished.
For CRI, I'm Qizhi.
Pakistani court conditionally lifts Musharraf's travel ban
A court in Pakistan has lifted the government-imposed travel ban on former president Pervez Musharraf.
It has also given officials 15 days to appeal the decision before it comes into effect.
Musharraf was banned from traveling abroad after he was charged with high treason and other offenses.
The former leader says he wants to seek medical treatment abroad, and he wants to be able to care for his ailing mother in the United Arab Emirates.
Tensions high for upcoming Afghan presidential runoff election
Tension is running high in Afghanistan, with another round of voting in the presidential runoff election coming up on Saturday.
Some locals and nongovernmental groups have complained about irregularities in the first round of the runoff vote yesterday.
But the Independent Election Commission says it is working hard to avoid mistakes and is trying to ensure the vote is fair.
This is echoed by Naeem Ayubzada, head of the Transparency Election Foundation of Afghanistan.
"We got some positive answers and responses, but there are still fundamental issues that need to be focused and considered for the second round. But due to the lack of time, I accept that it is not easy to bring much changes in the process. But we're willing at least to have an election that can be accepted by the citizens and that can be accepted by the candidates."
Meanwhile, attacks launched by the Taliban have become increasingly rampant in recent days.
Some voters have been hesitant to cast ballots because of safety concerns.
Business Talks Warm up to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's UK Visit
Anchor:
In the leadup to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's impending visit to the UK, business leaders from both sides are engaged in talks about investment and cooperation.
CRI's London Correspondent Duan Xuelian has more.
Reporter:
Among the series of discussions have included a gathering of Chinese and UK CEO's. Lord James Sassoon, Chair of the China-Britain Business Council, says he hopes Li Keqiang's trip to the UK will help open up business opportunties for a larger part of Britain.
"Although probably the Premier won't have much chance to go outside of southeast of England, I don't know what his programme will be, but what was great about David Cameron's visit was that he didn't just go to Beijing and Shanghai but he also went to the center and west of China, to Chengdu. It's a reminder of just what the opportunities are right across China and not just in the most obvious east or coastal cities. "
When it comes to British investment in China, Lord Sassoon says he believes there is a vast market that has yet to be explored.
"In particular what Premier Li talked about as a new objective which he called 'three hundred millions'. This is the plan in which he stated that a hundred million additional rural dwellers will be relocated to urban areas, a hundred million rural houses will be rebuild and a hundred million people will be encouraged to move to cities around the center and west of China. I think it does underline the continuing signs of the opportunity there is for British as well as Chinese business."
There has been a rush of private-sector Chinese money flowing into the UK this year, with Chinese companies already committing 4.5-billion US dollars through the first 4-months of this year.
Ron Dennis, chair of the First UK-China Business Leaders Summit held in London in early June, attributes the flourish of Chinese business interest in the UK to the complementary economic structures of the two countries.
"Of all countries in the world, the UK is best placed to deliver what for the current stage of its development. The UK is a world leader in innovation and emerging technologies ranging from pharmaceuticals to clean energy, we have world class know-how which could make a real difference in China."
Stephen Perry, chair of the so-called "48 Group Club," led the forum discussions at the meetings.
Perry's "48 Group Club" is the name given to a group of British businessmen who travelled to the newly-founded People's Republic of China some 60-years ago to try to establish business ties.
For CRI, I'm Duan Xuelian reporting from London.
Proposed canal between Beijing and Tianjin arouses discussion
Anchor:
A top government think tank has suggested that a canal flowing from Beijing to Tianjin would help improve the capital city's environment and ease its water shortage. But some experts doubt this plan can live up to expectations.
Li Dong has the details.
Reporter:
The plan has been formulated by the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences in a bluebook released on June 9th. It elaborates on a wealth of benefits the canal would bring, from environmental improvements to opportunities for economic development.
The proposed canal starts from Beijing's Tongzhou district and flows through neighboring Hebei province to Tianjin's Binhai New Area, with an estimated length of 160 kilometers.
The bluebook says the project would bring seawater from Bohai to Beijing, where it can be used after desalination to help ease the capital's water shortage. It also says the canal will create a microclimate conducive to reducing PM2.5, since the canal's moisture can serve as a dust deterrent.
But Wang Jianhua, a scientist with the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, says there are potential problems with introducing seawater to Beijing via the canal.
"Introducing seawater to the area will definitely affect the quality of the underground water. The leakage of the salty water may ruin the freshwater, which is already scarce."
As for whether a proposed canal from Beijing to Tianjin would reduce the capital's smog, Wangjianhua says:
"A river can only contribute just a little to the nearby eco-environment. The assumption that this canal can change the climate of an area as large as Beijing, and lowering its PM 2.5 figure—I don't think it's practical, unless Beijing suddenly becomes a seaside city."
The Beijing Youth Daily says the canal will be navigable for a 30-thousand-ton-class cargo ship, opening up a new line of waterway transport for Beijing and neighboring areas.
As for whether this proposed canal can boost the economy in the area, Yi Peng, Director of the Urbanization Research Center under the International Finance Forum doubts it:
"More resources will be allocated to Beijing if the canal is built. It's not good for the economic integration of the area as a whole. Also, the canal will require use of a large stretch of land, which is also a scare resource. Plus, the cost of such a big construction project may put huge financial burdens on local governments. I don't think it's a good idea."
The cost of household water in Beijing rose in May. According to the Beijing Water Authority, the capital's annual water consumption has reached 3.6 billion cubic meters, which has made a significant and negative impact on the environment.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
3,033 captured in China's prostitution crackdown
An operation to crack down on prostitution in south China's Guangdong Province has resulted in more than 3000 arrests.
Authorities say more than 200 gangs have been busted as well.
The initiative was launched hours after the release of a media expose in February detailing sex services offered at hotels in the city of Dongguan, which is notorious for its illegal sex trade.
Police raided nightclubs, saunas, and other entertainment venues and hotels during the investigation.
Well over 250 venues have been shut down.
More than a million social media accounts on QQ, YY, and WeChat with links to the sex trade have been closed, while 12-hundred websites have been taken down.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Anchor:
First, let's have a quick look at all the business numbers from Asia.
Joining me in the studio for that, is Ding Lulu.
Reporter:
Asian shares slipped on Thursday after a retreat on Wall Street and escalating violence in Irap kept oil prices near three-month highs.
In China, Shanghai stocks declined, dragged by property developers and building materials suppliers.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was down 0.2 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index declined 0.6 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng slipped 0.4 percent.
Tokyo's Nikkei lost 0.6 percent.
South Korea's KOSPI gave up 0.2 lower.
Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index was up 0.1 percent.
Australia's ASX trimmed 0.2 percent.
China takes new steps to boost growth
China has announced new measures aimed at bolstering economic growth.
These include plans to build railways, roads and airports along the Yangtze River - which connects China's less developed inland provinces to Shanghai.
Meanwhile, China's central bank says it will encourage banks to lend more to exporters to boost shipments.
The moves is the latest in a series of steps taken in recent weeks.
China's economy expanded by 7.4% in the January-to-March period, from a year ago, down from 7.7% growth in the final quarter of last year.
China's forex reserves rise to $4 trln
China's foreign exchange reserves have risen to around 4 trillion U.S. dollars.
The figure is more than triple the amount for Japan, the world's second largest holder of forex reserves.
China's forex reserves grew by 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars from 2001 to 2013, while the country's current account surplus and capital inflow through direct investment together totaled 3.8 trillion U.S. dollars.
This indicates that China's forex reserve surge is mainly a result of real economic activities instead of hot capital inflows.
MSCI not add China A shares to emerging index
Anchor:
New York-based equity index provider MSCI has announced it will not add China's mainland-based A shares to its benchmark emerging markets index for the time being.
But, at the same time, MSCI says mainland shares will remain on review for a possible move next year.
China's current share of the index is composed of shares listed in Hong Kong, or listed on the mainland and denominated in U.S. or Hong Kong dollars.
China's A-shares are the renminbi-denominated shares of companies incorporated on China's mainland and traded on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges.
For more on this, Paul James spoke earlier with Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.
…
Back anchor: Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator
China's Alibaba debuts U.S. e-commerce site 11Main.com
China's largest e-commerce company Alibaba is debuting its first U.S. online venture, 11Main.com, an invite-only online marketplace that showcases small business retailers.
Alibaba has plans to list in the U.S., but is just beginning its foray into U.S. e-commerce.
Some analysts believes Alibaba won't find it easy to break into the crowded online shopping industry dominated by Amazon and eBay.
11Main.com, based in San Mateo, California, will feature "hundreds of thousands" of products from 1,000 to 2,000 upscale specialty shops and boutiques around the country.
Analysts say Alibaba's initial public offering — planned for later this year — could raise up to 20 billion dollars.
Alibaba invests in 21st Century Media Group
Along with its overseas plans and dealings, Alibaba is involved in a 500-million yuan, or some 80-million-US-dollar plan to buy a stake in Guangdong-based 21st Century Media Group.
Three other Chinese companies are also involved in the purchase.
The deal means Alibaba now owns 20 percent of 21st Century Media Group.
Alibaba has also inked a deal to strengthen the logistics capabilities of China Post.
The two will collaborate in a number of areas including finance and information security.
They'll also share each other's dispatch and warehouse networks to cut delivery costs for e-commerce vendors and online shoppers.
China Construction Bank to get yuan clearing role in London -FT
China Construction Bank, China's second-largest lender, has reportedly been selected to become the first clearing service for renminbi trading in London.
The Financial Times cited people close to the decision saying Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is expected to announce the deal when he visits London for an annual summit next week.
The paper says the clearing bank will help secure London's position as a global centre for foreign exchange trading.
Britain and China signed an agreement last month to set the service up, days after Germany clinched a similar deal.
Hong Kong is by far the largest centre for offshore yuan deposits, according to consultancy PwC.
Belgium gas talk failed again
The EU, Russian and Ukraine have failed again to solve a gas price dispute.
But they say they will keep talking ahead of a new deadline on Monday when Gazprom, Russia's biggest gas producer, is threatening to cut off Ukraine's supplies.
European Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger.
"I will invite both sides to hold discussions as soon as possible, in the next 48 hours, to set another round of talks and not waste time."
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak also expressed openness to further negotiations:
Kiev paid 786 million US dollars at the start of last week but has since said it will only pay more when an overall deal is struck.
Gazprom extended the deadline for Kiev to agree to prepay for gas to next Monday, or face the cutting of the gas supply from Russia.
Headline News
China will continue maintain peace: Chinese FM
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China will continue to maintain maritime peace and stability in the region including in the South China Sea.
Wang Yi made the comment while meeting up with his Singaporean counterpart here in Beijing.
Wang says he hopes Singapore will continue to play a productive role on this issue as well.
The Singaporean minister says the two sides have reached a "broad consensus" on how they should be viewing regional issues.
Seven freed Bangladeshi hostages return home
Seven Bangladeshi sailors kidnapped four years ago by Somali pirates have been freed.
The men had been held in dire conditions, beaten and tortured, and appeared sombre.
Four other hostages, hailing from India, Iran, and Sri Lanka, were freed last week.
The 11 men were part of the crew on a cargo vessel that was hijacked 15-hundred kilometres off the coast of Somalia in late 2010.
They were travelling from United Arab Emirates to Kenya.
An official says no ransom was paid.
Iraqi Kurds control Kirkuk as army flees: spokesman
Iraqi Kurdish forces say they have taken full control of the northern oil city of Kirkuk as the army flees before an Islamist offensive nearby.
Kurdish fighters are seen as a bulwark against Sunni Muslim insurgents who seized towns in the region this week.
Rebels from an al Qaeda splinter group, the ISIL, have overrun the cities of Mosul and Tikrit and are closing in on Baiji, where the country's biggest oil refinery is located.
Libyan army checkpoint targeted by blast in Benghazi
A big explosion has hit an army checkpoint outside the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, wounding six people.
Army officials say the only fatality is the driver of the car bomb.
The same checkpoint was targeted in an attack that killed 13 troops last year.
Benghazi, like most of Libya, has been plagued with violence and instability since Muammar Gaddafi was forced from power in 2011.
Chinese police target drink driving during World Cup
Chinese police will be on the streets in numbers to crack down on drunk driving during the World Cup.
Football fans have been alerted to the risks of drinking and driving, and fatigue following matches that will be held in the overnight hours Beijing time.
The tournament is being held in Brazil.
During the 2010 South Africa World Cup, there were more than 33 thousand cases of drunk driving with 91 fatalities.
180 thousand security personnel deployed for World Cup
The Brazilian government says joint security systems have been set up in 15 host and training cities across the country during the World Cup.
A total of 180,000 security personnel will serve during the tournament.
The government says it will invest 850 million US dollars in security during the month-long football tournament.
Newspaper Picks
Xinhua
"Chinese police target drink driving during World Cup"
Chinese police will be on the streets to crack down on drunk driving during the Brazil World Cup, which will start on June 13.
The traffic control bureau of the Ministry of Public Security has alerted soccer fans to the risks of drunk driving and driving while tired after matches.
About over 30 thousand cases of drunk driving occurred during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with 225 accidents, leaving 91 dead and 247 injured.
Most of this year's matches take place after midnight or in the early hours because of the 11 hour time difference between Brazil and China.
China Daily
"Hebei resident tours the world on foot and bike"
A 57-year-old Chinese man has toured 138 countries alone.
Li Yuezhong, a resident of Tangshan, Hebei province, arrived in Los Angeles recently.
Li said he will finish his tour in two to three years, and then record his adventure in a travel book.
A childhood dream to travel motivated Li, who walked 3,000 kilometers from his hometown to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in 1979, then cycled 21 provinces in China within 14 months.
After his China journey, Li aimed higher and started to travel overseas since 1997, starting in Bulgaria, carrying necessities such as his passport, a camera and a tent.
He said that during the 17-year journey, he was robbed four times, witnessed a gunfight in Africa and had six bikes stolen.
CBS News
"Marriage boosts men's health. Living together? Not so much"
US officials say a guy with a loving spouse may save his life. But living with a significant other doesn't appear to confer the same health benefits as marriage.
According to a new U.S. National Center for Health Statistics study, single and married men are more likely to see a doctor regularly than those living with a partner out of wedlock.
And compared to husbands or other single men, cohabiting men are also the least likely to report having undergone preventive screenings.
The findings held true for younger and older males.
Plenty of research shows that people with spouses or committed partners -- especially men -- take better care of their health and have healthier lifestyles.
Researchers say spouses look out for each other not just because of mutual affection but also because they're important to each other's futures.
CTV News
"Good sleep routine can keep the whole family healthy"
A new study conducted at the University of Illinois says children who are raised by families that prioritize sleep are less likely to be obese.
The study examined the sleep routines of 337 U.S. preschool children and their families.
Researchers considered four routines protective against childhood obesity including: limited TV time; not having a bedroom TV; quality family meal time; and adequate sleep.
Children who slept 10 hours per day or more were less likely to suffer obesity than those who did not, regardless of the other protective routines.
Given the importance of sleep, the most likely factor in a child's risk for obesity was the parental sleep routine.
In a chain reaction, parents who slept inadequately had children who did the same and were therefore more likely to be overweight.
Special Reports
Tang Shi signed by Brazilian football Club Botafogo
Anchor:
In the leadup to the World Cup, a Chinese football player from east China's Shandong province has been offered a long-term contract with Brazilian football club Botafogo.
CRI's Chi Huiguang has the story.
Reporter:
The 17-year-old Tang Shi caught the eye of Botafogo talent scouts during the Rio de Janeiro club's under-19 team Asian tour last year, which is known as the "Luneng Weifang" Cup International Youth Football Tournament in China.
When asked the reason why he was chosen by the well-known club, Tang replies:
"I was representing Luneng Football School when I played against the Botafogo Team last year. In the semifinals, we tied 2:2 and my team got the victory on penalties. I think maybe the way I played in the game impressed them."
Mauricio Souza is a coach of the Botafogo club's youth team. He says:
"Tang is a player with excellent skills and energy. He is good in the midfield and sides. He will be able to improve the overall speed of our team and he can create a lot of pressure in the backfield of the opposing team. He is really fast with the ball."
Botafogo is one of the four best-known football clubs in Rio, with a long history of nearly 120 years. It is also the home-town club of Elkeson, the foreign aid of Guangzhou Evergrande club in China. It holds the record of sending the most players to the Brazilian national team, but this is the first time the club has signed a player from Asia.
According to Tang Shi, everyone at the club has been taking care of him and he has been training in accordance with a specially designed program.
"First of all, I am a foreigner to them and that makes them curious. And second, they recognized my skills on the field, which is another reason why they have been taking good care of me. The third, I think football helps us communicate. It's the same everywhere around the world."
The future presents many opportunities for Tang Shi, but he says he also faces challenges such as understanding Portuguese and trying to adapt to the new environment and training program.
After a month's training in Brazil, Tang has figured out some differences between the two countries.
"Brazil is a place training talented players. Many football stars have come out from Campeonato Brasileiro, so Brazil is a good platform. The physical demand and overall level here is higher. Coaches and players communicate in a different way. Requirements are not the same on the pitch. I think I should also work harder to have a foothold here. I need to improve my physical abilities and to broaden my views on the whole sport."
Tang Shi says he is willing to learn; he hopes to meet with his fellow teammates and start playing matches as soon as he can.
BACK ANCHOR: CRI'S Chi Huiguang reporting.
Sports
Underdogs Croatia look to surprise the hosts
It's now just hours away from the World Cup's opening match between hosts Brazil and Croatia.
With billions of viewers, pressure is mounting on the two sides.
Niko Kovac, Croatia's head coach, says he suspects the tournament favorites are losing sleep at the moment.
"There are so many good players on the Brazilian side but I would like to say that little Croatia also boasts excellent World Cup players. I think that Brazil is thinking about us. I personally think that Mr. Scolari may be losing sleep when thinking about playing Croatia."
Kovac adds that though he thinks Brazil's Neymar will be a big psychological weight on his players, his captain Dario Srna has prepared an answer to Neymar.
The tournament opener will take place at Sao Paulo's iconic Arena Corinthians.
Kickoff for the match is at 4am tomorrow Beijing time.
Workers at Rio's two airports declare a 24-hour strike on eve of the tournament
It seems football fans who want to fly to Rio to watch the World Cup may have some trouble.
Workers at the city's two airports have begun a 24-hour strike.
The work stoppage will affect the city's Galeao international airport as well as the Santos Dumont airport that connects Rio to other destinations within.
Galeao international airport is expected to be one of the busiest during the month-long tournament.
Unions representing check-in counter clerks, baggage handlers and janitorial staff have been demanding a pay raise for the last several months but to no avail.
It is reported that a government official is now in talks with the union representatives to solve the walkout.
Guangzhou Evergrande opens academy in Europe
Asian football news,
Guangzhou Evergrande is opening a youth training academy in Spain in a bid to lift the level of Chinese football.
The Asian champions say the school will open in September in cooperation with the European champion Real Madrid.
It says 25 young players selected by Spanish coaches will be sent to the school each year for a three year term.
Evergrande already operates a training academy in conjunction with Real near its home base in southern Guangdong Province with 2,000 students.
New York Rangers beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 to stay alive in the Cup finals
In hockey's Stanley Cup Finals,
Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves and Benoit Pouliot and Martin St. Louis each scored as the Rangers managed to keep alive in the series with a 2-1 victory over the LA Kings in Game Four.
The Kings hoped to become the first team since 1998 to complete a sweep in the finals.
Now the Rangers will try to become the second team to erase a 3-0 hole in the finals and go on to win the Cup.
Lundqvist, the Rangers goaltender, says his teammates didn't want to see the Kings celebrate with the Stanley Cup on New York's home ice.
"We didn't want to see the Cup coming out on our home ice tonight that was yeah just the thought of it makes me feel sick but obviously the goal is to see it for Game 7, but there's so much work to be done here we're just looking at the next game as a great challenge for us."
Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final is Friday night local time in Los Angeles. On Beijing time, the puck drops at 8 Saturday morning.
Li Xuerui survives first round scare while Lin Dan breezes through
In badminton's Japan Open,
Olympic champion Li Xuerui survived a scare in the first round, battling back to beat world junior champion Akane Yamaguchi 2-1.
The women's world number one shuttler needed 65 minutes to tame Yamaguchi, a high school girl who won last year's women's title.
Li next faces either Eriko Hirose or Ayumi Mine, both of Japan.
Meanwhile, Another Chinese star, second-seeded Wang Yihan, whipped Canada's Michelle Li in two straight sets 21-11, 21-17.
Wang, the 2011 world champion and the runner-up to Li at the London Games, will take on Japan's Sayaka Takahashi in her next match.
On the men's side, two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan made a solid start, beating compatriot Xue Song 21-15, 21-18, in his first round match.
30-year-old Lin was unseeded. He has been ranked 35th in the world after coming back from a seven-month sabbatical last year.
The five-time world champion has staged a strong comeback this year, having won the Asian championship and the China Masters in April.
Nadal aims for perfect start of grass court season at Gerry Weber Open
In tennis,
French Open Champion Rafael Nadal is hoping to make a perfect start to the grass court season when he takes on local player Dustin Brown at the Gerry Weber Open.
Nadal is on the brink of his 700th career victory on the ATP World Tour – something only 10 other players have achieved before him.
Earlier in the day, 3rd seeded Canadian Milos Raonic crashed out of the tournament after losing to German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk 6-4 6-4.
Kei Nishikori of Japan has downed Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the quarter finals.
Also through to the quarter-finals is South American Alejandro Falla who edged Dutchman Robin Haase 7-6, 6-4.
Over in London,
Defending champion Andy Murray has rolled past France's Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club.
Entertainment
Cate Blanchett, Kerry Washington honored at the Crystal + Lucy Awards
The annual Crystal + Lucy Awards praising women's power in Hollywood have been handed out.
First presented in 1977 by the 'Women in Film' organization, the awards are set to honour women in communications and media.
Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett won the Crystal Award for Excellence in Film.
Blanchett says there are still many efforts to be made on the path to gender equality in Hollywood.
"Well when you look at the statistics I think of all those so-called blockbusters, which are mainstream filmmaking, it's between five and nine percent of those are being directed by women and that's not a big percentage when you think about it and when you think about the talent pool out there. There's a lot of doors that still need to be opened, not because women don't have the ability but simply because there's a lack of imagination you know."
Meantime, new mom Kerry Washington brought home the Lucy Award for Excellence in Television.
Actress and producer Eva Longoria was honored for her charity work.
The 'Desperate Housewives' star says her humanitarian efforts are the most challenging and most rewarding part of her life.
"The most challenging would be my philanthropy. I mean there's just so many problems that we need to solve in the world and so much inequality that to go about tackling it in a new way, and interesting way, in a sustainable way, is hard. But it's the work that brings me the most joy and it's definitely the most rewarding of anything that I do."
During the ceremony, late author and poet Maya Angelou was remembered.
Angelou died last month at the age of 86.
She was best known as a literary pioneer and civil rights champion.
Last night's show also serves as a fundraiser for Women in Film.
Miranda Lambert album scores first No. 1 on Billboard 200
Country singer Miranda Lambert has topped the Billboard 200 album chart for the first time.
Lambert's fifth album, 'Platinum', sold 180,000 copies in its first week.
She has beaten Disney's juggernaut film soundtrack "Frozen" and a new album from rapper 50 Cent.
"Frozen" has stayed on the chart for 28 weeks.
It is now ranked No. 2.
The soundtrack, which features the Oscar-winning song "Let It Go," has sold 2.9 million copies in the United States since its November release.
Country singer Brantley Gilbert's "Just As I Am" dropped one spot to No. 3 this week, while 50 Cent's "Animal Ambition: An Untamed Desire to Win" opened at No. 4.
Coldplay's "Ghost Stories" dropped to No. 5 from last week's first place.
Billboard says for the week ending June 8, overall album sales totaled 4.5 million units, which is 7 percent down from the comparable week last year.
World's Largest, Longest 3D Street Painting Debuts in Nanjing
The world's largest and longest 3D street painting is now open to public in east China's Nanjing city.
Titled "Rhythms of Youth", the painting stretches 365 meters in length and covers an are over 2,600 square metres.
It has set two new Guinness World Records.
Yang Yongchun, the lead artist, says the creation is a gift to the upcoming 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games in the city.
Apart from the Olympic elements, the painting also features the city's landscapes.
Yang says the project took his team more than 20 days to finish.
The street painting is set at a college campus affiliated to Communications University of China and will be open to the public 'til the opening of the Youth Games.
'Heatstroke' releases first trailer
Starring Maisie Williams and Peter Stormare, the movie 'Heatstroke,' a thriller, has released its very first trailer.
It is Williams' first film work.
She is famous for her role as Arya in HBO's epic drama 'Game of Thrones'.
'Heatstroke' tells the story of a scientist traveling with family in Africa.
The family witnesses crimes by a group of poachers and they are hunted down by the crooks.
Williams plays the role of the scientist's daughter.
She suffers heatstroke and accidentally walks into the poachers' campsite.
The release date of the film hasn't been announced.
Jennifer Lawrence to star in David O. Russell's new film 'Joy'
Jennifer Lawrence is going to team up with director David O. Russell again.
The Oscar-winning actress will play in Russell's new film 'Joy'.
Lawrence says Russell texted her at four in the morning asking her if she wants to join the movie about the woman who invented the Miracle Mop.
And she replied with a simple "Yeah".
'Joy' is adapted from the real life story of American entrepreneur Joy Mangano.
The movie will centre around Mangano's journey as she worked three jobs in order to see her invention become a reality.
Mangano has earned millions of dollars from her invention.
Lawrence has teamed up with Russell in two massively acclaimed and award-winning movies - 'Silver Linings Playbook' and 'American Hustle'.
Twentieth Century Fox has given the movie a release date of Christmas Day 2015.
But for the moment, no other casting details have been announced.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour - a quick recap of headlines before we go:
The Chinese government says it will continue to ensure peace and stability in the region, including in the South China Sea.
The Chinese military reacts to a US report on China's military transparency and development.
And Australia is urging countries in the Asia Pacific region not to rely on the US for security.
In business, Chinese authorities announce several new measures to boost economic growth.
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