The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Shane Bigham with you this Tuesday, June 24th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening,
Internet authorities in China explain how terrorists are using the web to recruit and train, calling their practices "a cancer"
The Chinese government has reacted angrily to Tokyo's review of Japan's Kono Statement, where the country admitted to crimes involving sexual slavery.
And Chinese prosecutors are urging regular citizens to report evidence of corrupt officials.
In business, a taxation agreement between Hong Kong and the US is now in effect.
In sports, a look at matches coming up in a few hours at the World Cup.
In entertainment, Transformers 4 premiers in Beijing.
Weather
Beijing will have thundershowers tonight with a low of 22 degrees Celsius. Thundershowers tomorrow with a high of 29 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 21, showers tomorrow, with a high of 24.
Chongqing will have heavy rain, 22 degrees the low,the rain will continue tomorrow with a high of 25.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 39.
Kabul, sunny, 33.
Over in Australia
Sydney, sunny, high of 17.
Canberra, showers, 9.
Brisbane, sunny, 23.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 20.
Top News
Terrorist groups using Internet to recruit, plan attacks: Office
China's Internet Information Office says terrorist groups are using the Internet to recruit people, raise funds and plan attacks in China.
A spokesman for the office also says terrorist groups have sought to spread terrorism and violent beliefs and teach terrorist skills online.
He described audio and video materials that promote terrorism as a"cancer" of the Internet.
On Friday, China launched a campaign to rid the Internet of audio and video materials that promote terrorism and violence.
Kono Statement review mirrors Japan's attempt to deny crime of aggression
The Chinese government is blasting the Japanese government's so-called "review" of its 1993 apology for sexual slavery during World War II.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
"Forcing women to be sexual slaves during World War II was a serious crime against people in victimized countries in Asia. The evidence against Japan is iron-clad and irrefutable. Japan's so-called review further exposes its unwillingness to face up to history, and its real intention to downplay or even deny war-crimes committed by the Japanese imperial army."
The review of the Kono Statement by Japanese cabinet ministers came to the conclusion that the Kono apology was influenced by politicians in Seoul.
The review of the statement has also angered citizens and leaders in South Korea, with Japan's ambassador in Seoul being summoned to answer for the review.
Vice foreign minister Cho Tae-yong.
"The more Shinzo Abe's government tries to undermine the Kono Statement, it needs to know that there will be damage on the credibility of Abe's government and its international reputation."
The South Korean government has continued to demand the Japanese government issue a formal apology to the surviving comfort women, and is continuing to demand reparations for them.
The Kono Statement, issued by then Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993, is Japan's official acknowledgement that its military forced some 200-thousand women into sexual slavery during World War II.
Sino-Asean relations
Anchor:
China and Southeast Asian nations are holding a joint group meeting on Bali island in the Philippines to discuss how to better implement the Declaration on the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea reached in 2002.
There has been the growing consensus between the sides to turn the South China Sea into a region of peace and cooperation.
How can China cope with recent incidents in the South China Sea? How can China and ASEAN members advance their relations and keep them free from potential interruptions?
For more on these questions, CRI's Zheng Chenguang talked to Zhang ZhenJiang, vice-dean of the School of International Studies at Jinan University in Guangzhou.
…
BACK ANCHOR: Zhang ZhenJiang, vice-dean of the School of International Studies at Jinan University in Guangzhou, talking to CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
Ukraine insurgents agree to cease-fire plan
Insurgents in eastern Ukraine have promised to honor a cease-fire declared by the Ukrainian president.
The announcement comes after multilateral talks between Ukrainian officials, insurgents, the Russian ambassador, and European officials.
Alexander Borodai is one of the rebel leaders who took part in Monday's talks in Donetsk.
"As a response to the unilateral ceasefire set by Kiev, we commit to stop firing and we will refrain from any military action from our side. The ceasefire will be observed until the deadline set by Kiev, which is until 10AM on Friday, the 27th of June."
The insurgents also promise to release the observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe whom they have held hostage.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko put forward a week-long unilateral cease-fire plan starting from last Friday, giving amnesty to disarmed insurgents.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has welcomed the Kiev ceasefire, urging the two sides to negotiate.
The insurgents have previously demanded the Ukrainian military withdraw its troops from the east as a condition for any talks.
Meanwhile, members of the Ukrainian voluntary battalion also swore an oath of allegiance in Kiev on Monday before heading to assist the military in its fight against insurgents.
Over 400 members of the battalion, set up by the Interior Ministry, have already been deployed in eastern Ukraine.
At least 356 people have been killed and 34,000 have fled their homes since May.
Security officer killed in Lebanon suicide car bombing
A security officer has been killed and at least 20 people injured after a suicide car bombing in a neighborhood south of Lebanon's capital Beirut.
The blast took place outside a café near a Lebanese Army checkpoint in a predominantly Shiite neighborhood.
Many people had gathered at the café to watch World Cup matches.
Jihad Alaaeddine is a witness.
"I was coming here to drink a cup of coffee. When I arrived I heard a car coming in the opposite direction to the traffic, and suddenly the explosion took place. I left my motorbike and ran away, ambulances came and a fire was growing."
Security officials say the suicide bomber drove an old red Mercedes the wrong way down the street before blowing up the vehicle.
It comes as the second explosion in Lebanon in a week.
Last week a policeman was killed and 30 people injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car full of explosives in eastern Lebanon.
The attacks come amid mounting regional tensions over events in nearby Iraq, where the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have seized large chunks of territory in the country's north and west.
Kerry in Iraq's Kurdistan for talks with Kurdish leaders
US Secretary of State John Kerry is now talking with leaders in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
The top US diplomat is scheduled to discuss the uprising that has seen large swaths of territory in Iraq's north fall into the hands of Sunni insurgents.
Earlier Kerry met with leaders in Baghdad, where he urged the largely Shiite-controlled government to reach out to Kurdish and Sunni communities.
Kerry also confirmed that US support for the Iraqi government "will be intense and sustained."
The Secretary of State is on a tour of the Middle East to meet with US allies and unite support against the insurgency.
OPCW says Syria hands over last of declared chemical weapons
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says the last bulk shipment of Syria's chemical weapons has been moved out of the country.
Sigrid Kaag, the head of the joint UN-OPCW mission in Syria, says despite this, the chemicals won't be destroyed before the June 30th target originally set out.
"So that big destruction effort is still to start. What was destroyed as a material in country, was isopropanol, which is actually one of critical ingredients to produce very harmful chemical weapons agents."
The final eight percent of the 1,300-ton stockpile is now loaded on Danish and Norwegian ships.
The US navy is ultimately responsible for destroying the weapons.
Syria's government agreed to surrender its chemical weapons arsenal in the fall, following a chemical attack on a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.
More than a thousand people are believed to have been killed in that attack.
S.Korea, DPRK to hold talks on inter-Korean factory park this week
South Korea and North Korea have set a date to hold talks on their inter-Korean factory park in the border town of Kaesong.
This will be the first communication about the park between the two countries in six months.
Delegations from both sides will hold the fifth round of the joint management committee meeting on Thursday.
The committee will discuss how to jointly run the industrial zone on a quarterly basis.
The industrial park was shuttered for nearly five months beginning in April of last year after Pyongyang withdrew its workers from the complex.
Australia protests over Cairo court's rule on journalists
Australia has summoned the Egyptian charge d'affaires in Canberra to make an official objection to the sentencing of an Australian journalist.
Earlier, a Cairo court sentenced three Al-Jazeera journalists including Australian Peter Greste to at least seven years in prison.
Charges against them stemmed from an interview with the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott says his government is shocked and dismayed by the decision.
"We understand, and indeed support, the Egyptian government's crackdown on extremist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, but we fail to see how this is helped by a very harsh sentence that has been directed to people who were reporting on the Brotherhood, not supporting it."
This follows a decision on Saturday to hand death sentences to 183 Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters.
The United Nations also voiced "deep concern" over the sentencing.
The verdict has brought international calls for newly elected President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to intervene.
Opponents of Thai military regime launch campaign for democracy
Opponents of Thailand's military rulers have launched a campaign to restore democracy, the first sign of organized resistance to the army since it seized power last month.
The campaign was led by Jarupong Ruangsuwan, chairman of the Puea Thai Party that led the government ousted by the military.
In an open letter, he said the military council had no legitimacy and cast doubt on its promise to transfer power back to civilian authorities at some point.
It's unclear how Jarupong's movement, the Organization of Free Thais for Human Rights and Democracy, would oppose the junta and his letter did not reveal where it is based.
Chinese prosecutors encourage public tip-off on corruption
Chinese prosecutors are encouraging the public to report corruption and abuse of power by officials.
The call is part of a week-long campaign asking for reports on job-related crimes.
Li Xinsheng is the deputy chief procurator of Beijing Municipal People's Procuratorate.
"Reporting crimes is an important way for the public to fight corruption and abuse of power. The Constitution protects people's rights on the matter. But at the same time, the law also stipulates that the whistleblower should not make up or distort the facts. The criminal law specifies the liabilities of people who lodge a false accusation."
Li adds when reporting a crime, the public needs to make sure the details are genuine and can be backed up by evidence.
The Beijing Procuratorate offered a reward up to 27,000 yuan, or nearly 4,500 US dollars, for a tip-off last year.
Beijing authorities received over 4,900 reports in 2013.
Some 800 of them have been verified as credible tips and half of them have been submitted for further investigation.
China to boost vocational education
Chinese authorities have pledged to boost vocational education to ease employment pressure on college graduates.
The State Council has released a new plan, aiming to set up a vocational education system by 2020.
The changes come as college graduates have been experiencing increasing difficulty in finding a job, while employers are complaining about a shortage of skilled workers.
Zhuang Congsheng is the deputy chief of the China Federation of Industry and Commerce.
"Now it is easy to recruit an IT graduate by offering 3000 yuan per month. But when the company is offering 5000 yuan per month for a welder or plumber, it is hard to find any eligible candidate. It shows we are short of skilled workers. "
The framework of the new system is expected to be completed next year, giving students larger autonomy in selecting and changing majors.
Under the plan, by 2020, vocational schools across the country will take in over 23 million students in total.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Most Asian stocks closed higher on Tuesday as upbeat manufacturing data from the United States and China boosted market sentiment.
China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up half a percent. The Shenzhen Component Index increased 0.7 percent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained a third of a percent.
Elsewhere in the region,
Japan's Nikkei ended slightly higher.
South Korean's KOSPI rose around one percent.
Singapore's Straits Times Index gained a quarter of a percent.
And Australia's ASX down a third of a percent.
Hong Kong, U.S. tax info pact takes effect
An agreement between Hong Kong and the United States for the exchange of information relating to taxes has come into force.
The Hong Kong government says the agreement was signed in March and came into force on June 20, after ratification procedures were completed in Hong Kong.
The law is effective for requests regarding information dated on or after June 20th.
China's reverse mortgage policy to be officially launched
The Beijing Hour is taking a deeper look at the reverse mortgage plan announced by the central government.
The plan was unveiled yesterday. Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou will commence a pilot program that aims to help the country's rapidly aging population meet its elder care needs by providing more access to financing.
Citizens older than 60 years old with complete independent ownership of a house can join the program. But at the same time, officials from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission have indicated their concern that insurance companies are reluctant to join the reverse mortgage program, as the concept of a reverse mortgage is relatively new and carries some potential risks.
An initial scheme put forward a few months ago here in Beijing has been a bust. Not one senior citizen has applied for it.
This is raising serious questions about the viability of a nation-wide reverse mortgage program.
CRI's Paul James has spoken with Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures, about the reverse-mortgage issues.
…
Back Anchor:
Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.
Cambodia attracts 1.9 mln foreign tourists in 5 months, up 6 pct
Cambodia has received some 1.9 million foreign visitors through the first five months of the year, a 6 percent increase over the same period last year.
Cambodia's Tourism Ministry says Vietnam, China and South Korea are the largest sources of tourists to Cambodia.
During the January-May period this year, Cambodia drew some 240,000 Chinese tourists, up 19 percent, thanks to more direct flight connections between the two countries and Cambodia's attractive tourism sites.
In addition, close ties between the two governments have encouraged more Chinese investors and businessmen to come to Cambodia for business opportunities.
Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting the Cambodian economy. The country is projected to greet 4.7 million tourists this year, 12 percent more than last year.
Singapore tries to reverse dip in number of Chinese tourists
Singapore is carrying out an 800,000 U.S. dollar campaign to woo back Chinese tourists. Numbers have dipped in recent months.
Changi Airport Group says it has joined hands with the Singapore Tourism Board, two casino resorts and other travel partners in a five-month marketing drive that runs through October.
Road shows will be held in major Chinese cities to sell Singapore and its attractions, with goodie bags given to those who buy travel packages.
The monthly number of tourist arrivals from China at Singapore' s Changi Airport jumped by 14.5 percent year on year in January, but has seen declines in the following months.
Between January and May, Changi handled 1.9 million passengers flying to and from China, down 1.7 percent year on year.
Tourism experts say the slowdown has been on the back of political instability in Thailand as well as the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which was carrying mainly Chinese travellers.
Singapore has been hit, because Chinese tourists who visit Southeast Asia typically cover all three countries.
China Plans Research Center for Creation of Asian Credit Rating System
Plans to set up a research center to establish and promote an Asian-based credit-rating system are underway and shoule be approved by the end of this month.
The research center will be responsible for deciding how to build the Asian-based credit rating system.
Guan Jianzhong, chairman of Universal Credit Rating Group and Dagong Global Credit Rating Company, says that an "Asian credit rating system can drive the development of the Asian economy" and help "realize adequate cross-border capital flows."
According to Guan, the challenge ahead lies in achieving "consensus" on how to execute a credit-rating system.
World Cup boosts Chinese sports lottery sales
China's sports lottery sales have been boosted by the FIFA World Cup.
Daily sales were less than 100 million yuan before the World Cup, but more than 400 million, or some 65 million US dollars, since the event started.
The China Sports Lottery Administration Center adds leading online lottery agent 500.com is making more lottery sales every day, roughly three to five times the daily average before the World Cup.
Headline News
Terrorist groups using Internet to recruit, plan attacks: Office
China's Internet Information Office says terrorist groups are using the Internet to recruit people, raise funds and plan attacks in China.
A spokesman for the office also says terrorist groups have sought to spread ideology and teach terrorist skills online.
The official described audio and video materials that promote terrorism as a "cancer" of the Internet.
On Friday, China launched a campaign to rid the Internet of audio and video materials that promote terrorism and violence.
Iraqi key oil refinery falls: ISIS
Sunni rebels in Iraq say they have fully captured the country's main oil refinery at Baiji, north of Baghdad.
The refinery had been under siege for 10 days with the militant offensive being repulsed several times.
The complex supplies a third of Iraq's refined fuel and the battle has already led to petrol rationing.
A rebel spokesman says the Baiji refinery would now be handed over to local tribes to administer.
Earlier, US Secretary of State John Kerry vowed "intense and sustained support" for Iraq after meeting key politicians in the capital, Baghdad.
He called the rebel attack a threat to Iraq's existence, and said the next days and weeks would be critical.
Israel says Assad forces behind Golan attack that killed boy
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman says forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were responsible for an attack on Sunday that killed an Israeli boy on the occupied Golan Heights.
The boy's death drew Israeli tank fire and air strikes on Syrian army positions, which a monitoring group said had killed 10 Syrian soldiers.
Israel had earlier described the incident as intentional and the most serious on the frontier since the start of the three-year-old Syrian conflict.
Suicide car bomber wounds 19 in south Beirut
A suicide bomber has blown up his car in southern Beirut near an army checkpoint, killing himself and wounding several people watching the football World Cup in a nearby cafe.
Lebanese officials say 19 people were wounded in the blast.
The bombing came just three days after a failed attempt to kill one of the top security officials in Lebanon.
At least 5 killed in fresh attack on coastal Kenya
At least five people have been killed and dozens injured in an attack on the Kenyan coast.
Unidentified gunmen attacked villagers in the coastal town of Witu – just 40 kilometers from Mpeketoni, where more than 60 people were killed last week.
The attack was suspected to have been carried out by Al-Shabab members, who also claimed responsibility for last weeks violence.
But Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has blamed the killings on local political networks.
The latest attacks also come after the African Union mission in Somalia launched air strikes in southern Somalia, killing more than 80 Al-Shabaab militants.
Tsunami warning downgraded after quake in Alaska
A tsunami warning has been downgraded to a tsunami advisory after an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center says tsunami waves were less than 18 cm high.
The Aleutian Islands are known to be sparsely populated, and there are no reports of casualties.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake struck near Little Sitkin Island at a depth of 114 km Monday afternoon.
Newspaper Picks
CNTV
"Shanghai offers theater discounts to university students"
Those students can now get ticket discounts at 12 major theaters as part of a government effort to promote the arts.
Students will get a 40-yuan discount on tickets that generally sell for between 60 and 180 yuan.
Cultural and education officials announced the program on the sidelines of the Shanghai International Film Festival.
They say the discounts will cover major venues such as the Shanghai Grand Theater and Oriental Arts Center.
More than 600,000 university students in Shanghai could benefit from the policy.
Channel News Asia
"Want to think better on your feet? Play puzzle games"
Playing games such as Cut the Rope may be considered by some to be a waste of time, but a Nanyang Technological University study released on Tuesday said such puzzle games improve adults' executive function.
In a statement, the university said adults who play the physics-based puzzle game regularly, for as little as an hour a day, had improved executive function.
It added these functions in one's brain are important for making decisions in everyday life when having to deal with sudden changes in the environment.
The study tested four different mobile games -Modern Combat, Fruit Ninja, StarFront Collision, and Cut the Rope.
Following this exercise, the study showed players of Cut the Rope could switch between tasks 33 per cent faster, were 30 per cent faster in adapting to new situations, and 60 per cent better in blocking out distractions and focusing on the tasks at hand than before training.
AFP
"Change in farming could lower Europe's temperature, study finds"
If Europe adopted a style of farming that abstains from plowing after a harvest, local temperatures could drop as much as two degrees Celsius.
Researchers say the reason lies in the color of the soil: untilled land is lighter and reflects sunlight, making the area cooler than it is when dark surfaces are present.
Researchers found that the unplowed stubble of wheat fields helped reflect 30 percent of incoming sunlight, compared to just 20 percent in plowed fields.
Fields that are plowed also dry out faster. In contrast, untilled land allows moisture to evaporate more slowly and can contribute to cooling.
Special Reports
Ausfilm Chinese co-production
Anchor:
As the movie market in China expands, more and more domestic and foreign investors are looking for projects to invest in.
Australia is one of the many countries interested in finding partners in China's booming film industry.
CRI's Doris Wang takes a look at what the country Down Under has to offer.
Reporter:
At the just concluded 17th Shanghai International Film Festival, the Australian delegation had a record-breaking attendance.
Six Australian films have been selected to screen in the festival, two of which were in the competition for the Golden Goblet Award. The two films include Canopy, which is about the friendship between an Australian fighter pilot and a Chinese soldier during the Second World War as they make their way through a jungle in Thailand, and Predestination, a time-traveling thriller.
Kristy Officer, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Ausfilm, shares her excitement.
"We've got six Australian films in the Shanghai International Film Festival this year, which is fantastic. I think that there's a growing interest for Australian filmmakers in the China region, especially in Shanghai due to a lot of collaborations between the SIFF and Screen Australia and Ausfilm to enhance opportunities for filmmakers in the region."
Ausfilm is a partnership organization, whose aim is to attract international film and television production and post-production to Australia.
According to Officer, even though the Co-Production treaty between China and Australia has just been signed in 2007, both countries have been working together on films long before that.
And it's that cultural understanding that led Adam Scott to looking for partners in China nearly 20 years ago. Scott is a post-production specialist and general manager of Spectrum Films.
"It's really about working with like minded people. I think if you find the right production company and like minded people, you'll instantly get on. "
There are a lot of reasons that Chinese directors and producers should consider partnerships with Australian filmmakers. According to Ausfilm's representative Kristy Officer, those who qualify for the Co-Production Treaty can get access to three high levels of incentives.
"One is the location incentive, which is for if you come to shoot your film in various areas of Australia. One is a post-production incentive. So if you use Australian post-production services or visual effect services, there's a 30% incentive for the cost of your expenditure in Australia. And then the highest incentive that we have is for co-production. That's a 40% incentive available to those filmmakers from China on the cost and expenditure of that production in Australia."
Post-production company executive Adam Scott says that China also has a lot of offer to Australia.
"There's a lot of crew up here, a lot of very good crew, very good operators. What we are looking for is a similar company up here in China to collaborate on projects together. Maybe we could help with the post-production. If they need to shoot in Australia, we can look after that part of it."
According to Kristy Officer, there's a lot more work that both countries can do together and there are still some very interesting story that can be told through collaboration between China and Australia.
BACK ANCHOR:CRI's Doris Wang reporting.
Sports
Preview of four World Cup group stage fixtures on Wednesday
Starting with the World Cup, group D:
Uruguay is set to face a must-win match against Italy on Wednesday at midnight Beijing time, if they are to continue in the tournament.
Four-times World Cup winners Italy need only a draw to join Costa Rica in the round of 16.
But coach Cesare Prandelli says his team will be aiming for a victory.
"We are convinced that to reach a positive result we need to have a mentality to win, to get the victory. I can't even think about a draw. If we get a draw it will be because we were good at keeping equilibrium but I wouldn't like to see the team suffering and if we have to suffer we need to be good at attacking back quickly."
Uruguay will be looking to their striker Luis Suarez to provide the goals they need to beat Italy.
In a dazzling display of marksmanship, Suarez scored both goals in the team's 2-0 victory over England.
He says his knee is in "perfect condition" ahead of the must-win World Cup clash.
"I was at the limit of my physical condition because my last match had been May 13, I believe, in Liverpool and I ended the match very tired and cramping, but the rhythm you have in this kind of championship allows you to arrive to the next match in the best conditions, that's why we took these days of rest and recuperation, to be fit for the match against Italy."
Still in Group D,
Frank Lampard has been named as captain for England's final group game against Costa Rica in a much-changed England line-up, with regular skipper Steven Gerrard starting on the bench.
England suffered an early exit after losing its first two games to Italy and Uruguay to record the team's worst World Cup showing since 1958.
The 36-year-old Lampard he has not yet decided if he will retire from international soccer after the match.
"I've not made a decision on my future. I'm pleased to be involved in a match tomorrow, take part in my third World Cup," Lampard said. "It's a very big game for us, for me personally and for us as a team it might mean nothing in terms of qualification but in terms of pride for every player, for every English player in the squad and the staff we want to perform well. After that I'll make a decision on my future."
Costa Rica just requires a point from the game to secure top spot in Group D.
In Group C,
Colombia will take on Japan at 4 am Beijing time.
Colombia is at the top of group C, after beating Greece and Cote d'Ivoire, and a draw will suffice to make them top of the group.
In order to qualify for the round of 16, Japan needs to beat Colombia and look for Cote d'Ivoire to help their cause.
If the Africans get a draw, Japan may qualify on goal differential.
Cote d'Ivoire will face Greece at 4 am.
Brazil to meet Chile, Netherlands face Mexico in World Cup last 16
Brazil has set up a showdown in the last 16 with Chile after beating Cameroon 4-1 to top Group A.
Neymar scored twice in the first half for Brazil to become man of the match.
Mexico has defeated Croatia 3-1 to finish second to book a clash with Group B leaders the Netherlands.
The Dutch have topped Group B with a 2-0 win over Chile.
In the other Group B match, having only honor to fight for, defending champions Spain defeated Australia 3-0 to end the Socceroos trip in Brazil.
The Australians finished their first pointless World Cup, but the performances of the veteran duo Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano were impressive.
Li Na progresses to the second round of Wimbledon
Chinese Ace Li Na has gotten off to a winning start at Wimbledon.
The world number-2 has dispatched Poland's Paula Kania 7-5, 6-2 in the first round of play.
After the match, the Chinese star admitted Wimbledon isn't her strongest event.
"I never think I can play well on the grass court. Because for me, it's tough. I think it is tough for everyone because for the whole year you can only play on the grass court for a short period of time. Also we can not do training on the grass. It is pretty close to the French Open, only two weeks apart. To change the surface in such a short time is very tough for me."
Li Na is now set to take on Austrian veteran and world number-38 Yvonne Meusberger in the next round.
Rising Chinese star Peng Shuai is also through to round 2.
On the men's side,
Opening the Men's Singles event, the UK's Andy Murray has taken his first step in defending his title, ousting Belgium's David Goffin 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.
Novak Djokovic has lived up to his top billing at Wimbledon, reaching the second round in a 6-0 6-1 6-4 destruction of Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev.
Djokovic has booked a second-round match with Czech campaigner Radek Stepanek.
Anthony becomes a free agent
It is being reported that Carmelo Anthony has opted out of the final year of his contract with the New York Knicks.
He is set to test free agency this offseason.
The high-scoring forward's agent has confirmed Anthony's widely expected decision to forego the 23.5 million U.S dollar contract with the Knicks, in a bid to explore his options.
But the move by Anthony does not guarantee his exit from New York, as team president Phil Jackson could offer him more than anyone else to keep him on the club.
But the pursuit of an NBA championship could motivate Anthony to leave the Knicks.
Teams that have been mentioned as possible suitors for Anthony include the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.
Anthony, 30, averaged 27.4 points and a career-high 8.1 rebounds for the Knicks last season.
Entertainment
"Transformers 4" premieres in Beijing
"Transformers: Age of Extinction" continues its tour of Asia in Beijing.
Director Michael Bay, stars Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor and Li Bingbing showed up at the fan-filled premiere.
In the fourth installment of the Transformers franchise, Wahlberg stars as Cade Yeager, a mechanic who inadvertently teams up with the Autobots to fight the evil Deceptions.
Chinese actress Li Bingbing plays the CEO of a high-tech company that produces the material used by Transformers.
She hopes the movie will be a success in her home country.
"It makes Chinese fans very happy that 'Transformers 4' was shot partially in China. I believe that many Chinese fans will be going to cinemas to watch this movie."
Sections of the movie were filmed in Beijing's Pangu Plaza. The outline of the building resembles a dragon.
Earlier this week, Pangu Investment Co. had a row with Paramount Pictures, and demanded China's film regulator not screen the movie.
But just hours before the premiere, the two sides held a press conference and announced that they had resolved their differences.
The blockbuster has premiered in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
It will open in nation-wide this Friday.
'Wish I Was Here' premieres in LA
Director Zach Braff's new movie "Wish I Was Here" has premiered in Los Angeles.
He has thanked crowdsourcing website Kickstarter for making the project come true.
He planned to raise 2 million dollars in a month, but managed it within 48 hours.
The movie follows the story of a struggling actor played by Braff and his life burden.
It stars Kate Hudson, Ashley Greene, James Avery, and Jim Parsons.
It was Avery's last film project.
He died in January following complications from open heart surgery.
He was 68.
"Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons says juggling his hit TV show with the movie was invigorating.
"Well you know what's funny, to do a movie and a TV show a lot of times it's mostly a struggle for everybody else behind the scenes of both projects. For me it was really fun. I got to go from one to the other, one to the other and it was not exhausting. It was invigorating."
"Wish I Was Here" will hit US screens on July 18.
"Maleficent" becomes Angelina Jolie's best-selling film ever
"Maleficent" has become Angelina Jolie's best grossing film, raking in over 500 million U.S. dollars worldwide so far.
It has more than 300 million dollars internationally, with particularly big audiences here in China, Mexico and Russia.
Jolie's previously highest-grossing film was 2005's "Mr. and Mrs Smith" in which she co-starred with her now-husband Brad Pitt.
The star is now in Japan to promote the movie, debuting on screens there on July 5.
It is estimated the Japanese market could add another 200 million dollars to the film's global take.
"American Idol" set for 14th season
"American Idol" is set to begin its 14th season.
The show will bring back its current trio of judges, Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban.
Ryan Seacrest will continue his position as host.
Television network Fox has said the upcoming audition circuit will include stops in the judges' hometowns.
The singing competition has seen a steep drop in ratings in recent years.
The new season will likely look different in many ways, including its hours on air.
Before his departure from the network, then Fox chief Keven Reilly noted that the show will be cut down to 37 hours.
The previous seasons aired around 50 hours of content.
Auditions for the coming season are underway with the show visiting New Orleans, Long Island, Nashville and San Francisco this summer.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour - a quick recap of headlines before we go:
Internet authorities in China explain how terrorists are using the web to recruit and train, calling their practices "a cancer".
The Chinese government has reacted angrily to Tokyo's review of Japan's Kono Statement, where the country admitted to crimes involving sexual slavery.
And Chinese prosectors are urging regular citizens to report evidence of corrupt officials.
In business, a taxation agreement between Hong Kong and the US is now in effect.
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