Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.

Coming up on the program this evening...

The Chinese president has arrived in Belarus, where he is expected to sign a treaty on friendship and cooperation...

Many Russian academics have praised the Chinese leader following his state visit, which included meeting war veterans in Moscow...

China's central bank has announced a new round of interest rate cuts...

In our Sci-Tech roundup, a new generation of nuclear power plant under construction in China...

In Sport: Updating the NBA playoffsIn Entertainment: a documentary on Deng Xiaoping's historic trip to Washington will open soon in mainland theatres...

All of that coming up in just a moment, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour, or email us directly at [email protected]. You can also visit english.cri.cn for the latest news and information from China Radio International. Top NewsChinese President Arrives in Belarus for State VisitChinese President Xi Jinping has arrived for a three-day state visit to Belarus.

This is the first state visit by a Chinese head of state in 14 years.

During his visit, Xi Jinping will hold talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and meet with Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov.

The two presidents are expected to sign a treaty of friendship and cooperation and issue a joint statement on deepening cooperation.

Xi Jinping will attend an economic and trade forum involving local governments of the two countries.

He will also visit the China-Belarus industrial park and the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

Government departments and enterprises will sign a stack of cooperation documents on economy and trade, customs, education and culture.

Belarus is the last stop of Xi Jinping's three-nation tour, which has already taken him to Kazakhstan and Russia.

President Xi's Remarks on China-Belarus Relationship Well Received in BelarusChinese President Xi Jinping's remarks on the China-Belarus relationship have been well received in Belarus.

"This shows that he intends to keep on building good relations with Belarus,""I think friendship is above all. We hope to see more industrial cooperation between the two countries and more goods produced,"In an article published Friday in Sovetskaya Belorussiya, the largest newspaper in Belarus, President Xi recalled the two nations' support for each other during the Second World War and the progresses made together in peacetime.

Currently, cooperation on many infrastructure, industrial and commercial projects is underway.

A direct flight from Beijing to Minsk also began this month.

Industrial Park Highlight of Sino-Belarusian Co-opAnchor:

Chinese President Xi Jinping is starting his visit to Belarus, the first by a Chinese head-of-state in 14 years.

High on his three-day agenda is a trip to the China-Belarus Industrial Park, the largest-ever cooperation project between the two countries.

Luo Wen has more.

Reporter:

Sitting 25 kilometers from Belarus' capital, the park is nearly 100 square kilometers, located next to Minsk International Airport.

Construction of the park broke ground last year and the project is planned to be finished in three stages within 30 years.

Liu Xuesong, Commercial Counselor at the Chinese Embassy to Minsk, is upbeat about the future of the park.

"Located in such an important gateway between Europe and Asia, the industrial park has an unmatched geographical advantage. Meanwhile, with a convenient road network and advantages in sci&tech and education, Belarus has been nicknamed the 'processing workshop' since the era of the Soviet Union. All of these ensure a bright prospect for the project."The park will focus on electronics, biomedicine, chemistry, engineering, and new materials, with the Commonwealth of Independent States and the European Union as its target markets.

It's expected to attract more than 200 high-tech and export-oriented enterprises from around the world and create about 120 thousand jobs.

The park's Deputy General Manager, Kirill Koroteev, says many favorable polices are awaiting the companies that are trying to register as "residents" of the tariff-free park.

"Many preferences have been established by a special Decree of the President. For example, in terms of taxation, companies will be exempt from all corporate taxes for 10 years from the date they register as a 'park resident,' and the effective tax rate will also be reduced by 50 percent for the next 10 years in the park."Koroteev added that the policies will also cover employees in the park as the rate of personal income tax for them is 30 percent lower than the country's average level. Also, foreign workers will be exempt from compulsory insurance contributions from their wages.

The park is scheduled to receive its first "residents" by the end of next year.

So far, enterprises from China, Russia, Czekh Republic and Germany have applied to enter the park.

ZTE Corporation, China's second largest maker of telecommunications equipment and mobile phones, is among the first companies filing an application.

The company's top representative in Belarus, Tang Luhao, says they are interested in the park's advantages and also its potential.

"The first reason we come here is China's Silk Road initiative that will financially benefit Belarus with preferential loans. It's a big opportunity for us to launch more cooperation with the Belarusian government. Meanwhile, the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan is a reason, too. Its favorable policies will make it easy to promote our products in the region, which has a population of over 200 million."Counselor Liu Xuesong reveals that more and more Chinese enterprises are showing interest in the Belarusian market as the two sides are working together to upgrade their cooperation.

"From the perspectives of politics, Belarus' industrial capacity, and its investment environment, the Sino-Belarusian cooperation will surely remain vigorous. The two sides have also agreed to upgrade the bilateral economic cooperation with the focus shifting from traditional trade to loans."Liu says he believes the park will also play an important role in boosting cooperation in service industries on both sides.

For CRI, I'm Luo WenChinese president meets Russian PMChinese President Xi Jinping has met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow.

They met after attending the Victory Day parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War.

Xi Jinping said the parade demonstrated Russian people's new achievements in building their country and also showed the world Russia's faith in safeguarding world peace.

The Chinese president also urged both sides to further tap the potential of bilateral cooperation, so as to bring more benefits to both peoples.

Medvedev, on his part, thanked Xi Jinping for attending the events.

Medvedev said the Russian side is willing to join hands with China to deepen cooperation in various fields.

Chinese President's attendance at Russia military parade 'significant': researchersAnchor:

Many Russian researchers have spoken highly of Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance at the military parade in Moscow.

CRI's Sophie Williams reports.

Reporter:

Vladimir Petrovsky, principal researcher at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, says President Xi's attendance is of great significance.

"Xi's trip to the parade in Russia has crucial symbolic and practical meanings. His arrival could remind people all over the world not to forget the important role China played during World War II. China and the former Soviet Union were allies in WWII, both countries had made great sacrifices and contributions for the victory of that war."He adds that celebrations for the victory of the Second World War could greatly help educate the youth of the two countries to learn from and remember history.

Sergey Lukanin, acting director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies, says the Victory Day Parade is not meant to be targeted at any other country.

"It's not some kind of 'muscle show', and it's not against any country. China and Russia want to show that they both have the ability to guard their national interests."The military parade is part of the commemoration events held in Russia for the victory of Russia's war against the Nazis during the World War Two.

After the parade, President Xi walked with other leaders to the nearby Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to lay red flowers in salute to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the war.

In the meantime, around 300 thousand people marched through central Moscow on Saturday, carrying portraits of relatives who fought in the Second World War.

The 'Immortal Regiment' march, held right after the military parade on Red Square.

For CRI, I'm Sophie Williams.

China cuts interest rates by 25 bpsChina's central bank has announced a new round of interest-rate cuts amid the increasing pressure from the country's economic slowdown.

The benchmark one-year lending rate has been cut by 25 basis points to 5.1 percent.

The deposit rate has been cut by 25 basis points to 2.25 percent.

The move aims to lower borrowing costs to bolster the real economy amid the ongoing economic restructuring.

Meanwhile, the central bank also adjusted the upper limit of the floating band of deposit rates from 1.3 times the benchmark to 1.5 times, in a bid to further liberalize interest rates.

Hong Kong Residents Gathered to Support Universal SuffrageAnchor:

Thousands of Hong Kong residents and organizations assembled on Saturday to support universal suffrage in the city in 2017. Our Tuyun has details.

Reporter:

A thousand residents and delegates from different civic groups gathered in Hong Kong's New Territories to support the election of the next chief executive.

They assembled to pray for universal suffrage based on the Basic Law and the Aug. 31 decision of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress.

"It's pretty good. I didn't expect so many people to attend the activity in such a hot weather. It shows that most of the Hong Kong people support the universal suffrage,""Hong Kong has been heavily affected by the Occupy Central movement last year. I feel obliged to contribute to and make people know about the package."Meanwhile, over 900 booths representing a thousand organizations have been set up across Hong Kong to collect signatures from the public, urging lawmakers to pass the government's constitutional development proposals.

Robert Chow Yung is spokesman for the Alliance for Peace and Democracy.

"Our signature campaign will last for nine days. We hope Hong Kong residents can stand up and let the members of the Legislative Council know how many people in Hong Kong are in favor of the constitutional development,"Zeng Zhiming is executive chairman of the Hong Kong Hakka Association.

"It has been 18 years since Hong Kong returned to the motherland. Hong Kong will definitely prosper if our country flourishes. Hong Kong will be better and better. As a Hong Kong resident, I don't think we will live well if we do not bear the concept of a country in mind or acknowledge our roots"On the same day, the Guangdong Association in Hong Kong held a ceremony echoing the sentiment of the Alliance for Peace and Democracy.

Hong Kong is due to have its next election in 2017.

The Basic Law serves as Hong Kong's constitutional document.

Last year's Aug. 31 decision refers to China's top legislature's approving an election in 2017 for Hong Kong's next chief executive.

For CRI, I'm Tu YunBeijing bans outdoor barbecue in defined areasAnchor:

To improve air quality in Beijing, the city government has for the first time defined areas where outdoor barbeques are banned.

Our reporter Yu Yang brings more details.

Reporter:

Along with the city's six urban districts, the Beijing government has also banned outdoor barbecues in the outlying suburb of Tongzhou, as well as parts of Shunyi, Miyun, Pinggu and Fangshan. Restaurants caught violating the ban will get a fine up to 20,000 RMB, or roughly 3,200 US dollars.

The government says the barbecues contribute to smog.

Customers have mixed reactions towards this regulation. Tattoo artist Li Wei doesn't think this is a good idea for controlling pollution.

"You can control the cars! You restrict the number of cars on the road based on their number plates or something. What is the point in doing this? It's just making us hungry. The car drivers get more exercise, walk more and not drive, then the problem would be fixed,"Others, like Ms. Guo, are more sympathetic to the ban.

"We can tolerate this because for me, as someone living long-term in Beijing, if improving the air quality means not eating this then it's ok."Some experts say outdoor barbecues do contribute to air pollution. Wang Lin is a researcher with Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Fudan University, Shanghai.

"During the grilling process, coals are burning, which bring particles that pollute the air. Meanwhile, the meat itself also produces organic compounds during the roasting. Based on the two points above, we can see outdoor barbecues are parts of the air pollution problem."Barbecues have already been banned within the city's fourth ring road. However, many restaurants choose to flout the bans and pay the fines instead.

This time, barbecue joint owner Zhang Ji says he will wait and see what the ban means for his business.

"We'll do whatever the government rules say. We can't make decisions on this. We'll have to do whatever the rules from above stipulate."Average levels of hazardous airborne particles, known as PM2.5, stood at 86 micrograms per cubic metres last year in Beijing, down four percent compared with the previous year.

However, it is still far higher than the national air quality standard of 35 micrograms.

Beijing plans to bring readings down to 60 by 2017.

For CRI, this is Yu Yang.

Nepal's health minister says quake death toll not to top 10,000Nepal's health minister says the number of people killed in the earthquake last month will not exceed 10-thousand, as some have predicted.

The minister is estimating between 8-thousand and 9-thousand deaths.

He says it is "fortunate" that the earthquake took place during daytime when "most of the people were in the fields or away from home."He also says if the quake occurred at night or on a work-day, it would have taken more lives.

The Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs says as of Sunday there are more than 7,900 people confirmed dead and more than 17,800 others injured.

Epidemic prevention and reconstruction in NepalAnchor:

Two weeks into the aftermath of the devastating earthquake which hit Nepal on April 25, epidemic prevention and control work has entered into a crucial period.

CRI's Min Rui has more.

Reporter:

Medical experts say up till now, no epidemic disease has been detected, but there is still a high possibility of epidemic outbreaks.

The Chinese medical team has conducted sample surveys in Kathmandu on food and drinks as well as risk assessment to prevent and control possible epidemic outbreaks.

Head of the Chinese medical team Lu Lin says drinking water is a major problem and more disinfection work is still needed.

"Drinking water is a major problem as its safety has not been guaranteed. According to our detection, more disinfection work is still needed in many respects to ensure that water is safe to drink."In a joint effort with Nepalese Health Ministry, Chinese medical workers have completed more than 130 water sample analyses, and conducted surveys in 33 key affected areas.

Nepalese people spoke highly of Chinese medical team as they have provided food and tents in addition to medical services to many displaced residents.

Some local Nepalese also volunteered to assist in the work of the Chinese medical team.

"We are volunteers here. We took the Chinese medical team to the most-affected and smelly area, where many bodies were found. Local residents appreciated the help provided by Chinese people and thanked the team for conducting epidemic prevention work there."As for what will happen next, head of the Chinese medical team Lu Lin introduces the three different phases of quake relief work.

"Quake relief work usually comes in three phases - the first phase is emergency medical rescue; the second phase is disease prevention and control; and the third one is restoration and reconstruction. Our work has entered into a crucial period to prevent epidemic outbreaks after the earthquake."On Friday, Nepal's Prime Minister Sushil Koirala vowed to restore and reconstruct all damages within two years.

He also said the government would provide soft loans up to 25 thousand U.S. dollars for the reconstruction of private homes.

For CRI, I'm Min Rui.

Saudi-led coalition carries out 130 air strikes in Northern Yemen in 24 hoursAnchor:

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has stepped up retaliatory air-strikes against Houthi rebels over the past 24 hours in the North of the country. The new wave of air-strikes is in response to the Houthi's shelling of the Saudi border earlier this week. But the UN has warned that the indiscriminate bombing of populated areas is against international law.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has the detailsReporter:

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the city of Saada in Northern Yemen, where thousands of Civilians are trapped, as missiles rain down, striking even schools and hospitals.

The Saudi-led coalition has carried out 130 air strikes on 100 targets within the last 24 hours, mainly in the densely populated cities of Saada and Maran, on Yemen's border near Saudi Arabia.

But Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, Spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, says they consider all of Saada to be a "military zone." On Friday, the coalition dropped leaflets warning residents to leave.

"The air force has targeted control and command centres, and the locations and offices of Houthi leaders, targeting more than 17 Houthi leaders and the organization related to them."But, according to the medical charity Doctors without Borders, thousands of civilians have been forced to flee on foot, as severe fuel shortages have crippled the region's transportation network. Some of Saada's residents have sought shelter in caves.

The UN representative in Yemen has criticized the Saudi-led coalition saying trapped civilians are being bombed.

But General Asseri says the Houthi rebels have stopped the civilians from leaving Saada and are using them as human shields.

"We have proven beyond doubt that the Houthi militias prevented Yemeni citizens from evacuating from Saada city through checkpoints and by controlling fuel stations to prevent them from leaving."Meanwhile, on Sunday morning, air strikes in the Sanaa targeted the home of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. But local media reports say that Saleh and his family were unharmed.

The Former President, who was ousted during the Arab spring, is supporting the Houthi rebels who seized control of the capital Sanaa last December.

The Saudi-led coalition, backed by the US and Britain, wants to restore the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has now fled to Riyadh.

The Air strikes have killed at least 1,400 people since mid-March. More than half of those killed are civilians, according to the UN.

Saudi Arabia has agreed to a five-day humanitarian ceasefire that will come into effect on Tuesday, May 12.

But Saudi Foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir warns that the ceasefire will hold only as long as the Houthi's stick to their side of the agreement.

"We have made a decision that the ceasefire will begin this Tuesday, May 12 at 11pm and will last for five days and is subject to renewal if it works out. I want to make sure that I make clear that the ceasefire will end should the Houthis or their allies not live up to the agreements contained in this issue."The rebels say they accept the terms of the ceasefire. It is hoped that this brief window of calm will allow aid agencies to reach civilians who are in desperate need of help.

For CRI I'm Poornima WeerasekaraViolence-related economic losses increase as deaths declineAnchor:

A report by the United Nations Development Program shows that conflict-related deaths have declined in the past five years globally, yet economic losses caused by violence have risen.

CRI's Guo Yan has more.

Reporter:

The report says over 500,000 people died from various forms of violence from 2007 to 2012. More than 7 out of every 100-thousand people died because of violence.

Anna Flatt, who led the investigation on small arms issues, says most of the conflict-related deaths occurred in Middle-east countries.

"So the good news is that in general we find this figure of 508,000 is lower than the one we estimated in 2011 which was 526,000. But inside the composition of the conflict and non-conflict change …. And we observed the spike upwards in the conflict-related violence which were mostly related to the middle-east. "The report also shows that a large proportion of violent deaths concentrated in only a small number of countries including Syria, Honduras, and Venezuela.

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region saw the highest death rate caused by weapons-related violence.

Flatt says economic losses caused by homicides are also rising, as the global economic output increases.

"as a result, what we have is the estimate that in the year 2010 we had 171 billion dollars costs for non-conflicted related deaths…"The report says reducing conflict-related deaths will help reduce huge economic losses and benefit related countries.

Neil Buner, an official of UNDP, says the report is very important for the organisation to make effective plans.

"So UNDP very much welcomes this report. We think it will help us in our work in 170 countries in the world we have programs to help those programs prevent development being undone, to help us work with governments and societies of those countries to measure progress on reducing violence."The report also says the average lifespan of people around the globe will expand once the number of conflict-related deaths is reduced.

For CRI I'm Guo Yan.

Poland votes in Presidential electionMillions in Poland are lining up to elect a new President.

Opinion polls have put incumbent Preseident Bronislaw Komorowski in the lead.

Komorowski took office five years ago after his predecessor, Lech Kaczynski, died in a plane crash.

The 62-year-old is an independent allied with the centre-right Civic Platform, which has been in government since 2007.

He is trying to push Poland to adopt the Euro, steering the country away from Russia's sphere of influence.

His main challenger is Andrzej Duda from the right-wing opposition Law and Justice party.

In Poland, Eastern Europe's biggest economy, a president has limited powers, but is head of the armed forces and can veto new laws.

The presidential vote comes ahead of parliamentary elections in Poland that are expected to take place this autumn.

If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, a second round of elections will be held on May 24.

Mexico Protests against Drug CartelHundreds of citizens have staged a protest in the Mexican city of Guadalajara against the recent wave of violence conducted by the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel.

Wearing white T-shirts and marching in silence, demonstrators in Mexico's second-largest city are demanding peace across the country.

The Jalisco New Generation drug cartel has become the main enemy in Mexico's fight with drug gangs.

Its members downed a military helicopter and shut down streets in a series of attacks against federal forces in the city last week.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 10, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 20.

Shanghai, a little bit rain tonight with a low of 17, the rain will grow heavier tomorrow, highs of 24.

Chongqing will see scattered thundershowers with a low of 19, tomorrow overcast and a high of 27.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia,Kathmandu will see scattered thundershowers with a high of 26,Islamabad, cloudy, 42,Kabul, rainy, 16.

Over in Australia,Sydney will be windy with a high of 21,Brisbane, sunny, 26,Finally Perth will be sunny with a high of 26 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChinese President Arrives in Belarus for State VisitChinese President Xi Jinping has arrived for a three-day state visit to Belarus.

This is the first state visit by a Chinese head of state in 14 years.

During his visit, Xi Jinping will hold talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and meet with Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov.

The two presidents are expected to sign a treaty of friendship and cooperation and issue a joint statement on deepening cooperation.

Xi Jinping will attend an economic and trade forum involving local governments of the two countries.

He will also visit the China-Belarus industrial park and the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

Government departments and enterprises will sign a stack of cooperation documents on economy and trade, customs, education and culture.

Belarus is the last stop of Xi Jinping's three-nation tour, which has already taken him to Kazakhstan and Russia.

Chinese president meets Russian PMChinese President Xi Jinping has met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow.

They met after attending the Victory Day parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War.

Xi Jinping said the parade demonstrated Russian people's new achievements in building their country and also showed the world Russia's faith in safeguarding world peace.

The Chinese president also urged both sides to further tap the potential of bilateral cooperation, so as to bring more benefits to both peoples.

Medvedev, on his part, thanked Xi Jinping for attending the events.

Medvedev said the Russian side is willing to join hands with China to deepen cooperation in various fields.

China Cuts Interest Rates by 25 bpsChina's central bank announced a new round of interest-rate cuts on Sunday.

The benchmark one-year lending rate has been cut by 25 basis points to 5.1 percent.

The deposit rate has been cut by 25 basis points to 2.25 percent.

Nepal's health minister says quake death toll not to top 10,000Nepal's health minister says the number of people killed in the earthquake last month will not exceed 10-thousand, as some have predicted.

The minister is estimating between 8-thousand and 9-thousand deaths.

He says it is "fortunate" that the earthquake took place during daytime when "most of the people were in the fields or away from home."He also says if the quake occurred at night or on a work-day, it would have taken more lives.

The Nepalese Ministry of Home Affairs says as of Sunday there are more than 7,900 people confirmed dead and more than 17,800 others injured.

Fire at nuclear power plant in New York stateA unit at the Indian Point nuclear plant in New York state has been shut down because of a fire.

The plant operator says the fire was caused by a transformer failure and the unit shut down automatically.

The company says the fire was later extinguished and the plant is "safe and stable," and there is no danger to the public or employees.

Sci&TechAnchor:

Turning now to the news and events in science and technology from the past week.

A new kind of nuclear power plant is under construction in southeast China. A group of Chinese and American scientists claim they may have found humanity's answer to the aging problem. And the United Arab Emirates is planning to send a probe to Mars.

Let's catch all the latest with CRI's Wenjie.

Reporter:

China has begun building a nuclear power station in Fujian province using a domestically-developed third-generation reactor design.

Xing Ji, general designer of Hualong One, says the project has new technologies to ensure the safety and efficiency of the plant.

"We've applied an airplane crash shell on the nuclear power unit, which will protect the unit from any malicious crash from large commercial planes. Meanwhile, we can secure a safe shutdown of the reactor and ensure its safety function after a plane crash since we've placed a nuclear safety system on each side of the reactor building."The nuclear project also features an advanced fuel management system to increase power generation by 5-10 percent.

Xing Ji said the homegrown facility will grant China more competitiveness in the global market for nuclear energy and technology.

"The technology has passed the nuclear safety assessment by the IAEA, which will improve our influence on the international nuclear market and the recognition from more potential users. Next, we will continue to enlarge our market internationally, and further exploit the market. We plan to introduce Hualong One technology to developed countries."Hualong One reactor technology has been jointly designed by two nuclear power giants, China General Nuclear Power Group and China National Nuclear Corporation.

Construction will be completed by the end of 2020.

Some exciting news from the life-science field.

A group of Chinese and US researchers may have found the answer to the aging process in human beings.

Scientists say the disorganization of heterochromatin, a tightly packed DNA type, is a key driving force of human stem cell aging.

The findings could lead to methods of preventing and treating age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.

Aging is mainly caused by damage to DNA, which is difficult to reverse.

However the new findings suggest reversing the damage is possible.

Scientists are now working to delve into a compound to interrupt the human aging process and reduce cases of geriatric diseases.

A group of Chinese and British researchers have developed a self-cleaning paint that can withstand contact with substances such as oil, even after being scratched or scuffed with sandpaper.

The new coating was made from titanium dioxide nanoparticles and can be applied to clothes, paper, glass and steel.

When combined with adhesives, its self-cleaning properties persist even after surface damage.

The coating was devised by University College London researcher Yao Lu and his supervisor Claire Carmalt.

Yao Lu said he got inspiration from the water-resistant properties of plants.

"I am quite interested in self-cleaning coatings in nature, such as those found in some plants species. We put water on superhydrophobic plants, and they don't get wet. Instead the water will form drops and then roll off or just bounce away and leave the surface dry and clean."The researchers say that having completely water-resilient surfaces allows water to roll over the surface, acting like miniature vacuum cleaners, picking up dirt, viruses and bacteria.

The biggest challenge for the widespread application of this new coating is to make it tough enough to withstand everyday damage.

The study also involved researchers from Dalian University of Technology in China and Imperial College London in the UK.

Engineers in central China's Hubei province are working to develop a 3D navigation system based on the country's Beidou Navigation Satellite System.

A number of vehicles have been travelling the streets of Wuhan to collect 3D data.

Xu Yefeng, an engineer with the programme, says the future of the application is very promising.

"Currently the cars are using two-dimensional navigation. But in the future it will move towards three-dimensional nav. The navigation will become real-view. When you use it, you feel like you are driving on the road. I think this is the most promising future of three-dimensional maps and mobile measuring tech applications."The engineers will process all the information including coordinates and images before putting them into mobile data terminals.

The terminals could also be designated to different groups according to their demands.

Chinese computer anti-virus firm Qihoo 360 is suggesting market differences are the main reason behind the firm being censured by three different testing organizations for allegedly cheating on some of its international evaluations.

Three separate labs in Austria, Germany and the UK have stripped Qihoo of all its international certifications and rankings for this year.

This comes after the labs discovered Qihoo sent them different software programs which aren't available to consumers.

Qihoo vice-President Qu Xiaodong says the company's antivirus software is based on multi-engine architecture, meaning it works differently in overseas markets compared to China.

"We use different engines for 360 security products in various markets. 360 is an antivirus software with multi- engines. In the Chinese market, we are using the QVM engine based on cloud technology which is more suitable given the market rules."In admonishing Qihoo, the three labs say they're also going to increase their scrutiny of the company in any future testing.

Qihoo 360 is a Beijing-based antivirus software producer.

It reported revenues of 1.4-billion U.S. dollars in 2014.

The United Arab Emirates is planning to send an unmanned probe to Mars in 2020 to study the atmosphere of the Red Planet.

Sheikh Mohammed, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, says the mission will provide inspiration to Arabic countries facing conflicts.

"This mission to Mars is really for the hope of the Arab world and sending them a message to say you can be better. You can improve your country. You can reach where you want."Sarah Amiri, lead engineer on the project, says the main scientific mission is to collect data on Mars' climate and atmosphere.

"Our project also aims towards sending a probe there. That is actually very significant to the science community. It provides the first holistic picture of the Martian atmosphere with all of the dynamics and all of the layers that happen over there. It also studies the rates of hydrogen and oxygen escape and the reasons for that into space. This is a significant contribution and this is the first time that such data is available to the wider science community and the wider Mars community."The probe is expected to arrive by 2021 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of UAE's foundation.

Nearly 100 scientists attended the event and will be working on the project.

But officials have not said how much it will cost.

And that brings us to the end of this week's Sci & Tech report, I'm Wenjie, thank you for listening, see you next week.

SportsWashington Wizards Beat Atlanta Hawks 103-101In the NBA Playoffs,The Washington Wizards narrowly bested the Atlanta Hawks 103-101 to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Saturday.

Washington played without All-star point guard John Wall for a second consecutive game because of a broken left hand.

But the Wizards still took a 21-point lead with less than 10 minutes left.

Paul Pierce had 13 points and banked-in the game-winner to help short-handed Washington with the win.

Pierce said he just wanted to stop Atlanta from stealing the win in the dying seconds of the game.

"I wanted to make sure I got the shot off with no time on the clock. You know, I've been in those situations many a times. And so we didn't want to, you know, if it went overtime or if I missed the shot, we didn't want them to have a chance to call timeout and advance the ball. So I just took my time, got to my spot and I was able to knock it down."Game 4 is Monday at Washington.

Beijing Guoan Beat Changchun Yatai 2-1In football,First, let's take a look at the Chinese Super League,Beijing Guoan cruised past Changchun Yatai 2-1 this afternoon.

Zhou Ting scored the first goal for Guoan in the 37th minute and Piao Cheng had the second in the 64th minute.

With the win, Guoan rises to 2nd with 18 points, only 3 points behind leaders Shanghai SIPG.

In other action,Shandong Luneng is battling Henan Jianye.

Jiangsu Sainty is playing Guangzhou R&F.

Guangzhou Evergrande is hosting Shanghai Shenxin.

Turning over to English Premier League,Machester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 on Saturday.

Manchester United Manager Louis van Gaal says the victory brings them closer to the team goal.

"So I'm very happy with this result. It brings us a big step closer to our goal and now we shall sit tomorrow with a fantastic glass of wine to see the match Chelsea against Liverpool."Manchester United stays at fourth in the league standings, two points back of Arsenal and Manchester City, and seven ahead of Liverpool.

In other action later tonight,Manchester City is on the road at the Queen Park Rangers.

And leaders Chelsea will take on Liverpool.

Andy Murray to Face Rafael Nadal in Madrid FinalIn tennis,Andy Murray booked himself a place in the final of the Madrid Open with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Japanese star Kei Nishikori on Saturday.

It took the second seed 1 hour and 37 minutes to win the game.

"I think today I was pretty aggressive. Tried to dictate a lot of the points, especially when he was serving and it worked well."Awaiting Murray in the final is Rafael Nadal, who overcame Tomas Berdych 7-6, 6-1 earlier in the day.

The 2008 champion says he will give all he's got to make it.

"I know if I need to win tomorrow, or if I want to win tomorrow I'm going to have to play extremely well and hit the ball as clean as I did today. Against Rafa on this surface it's tough because of the spin he puts on the ball."It is Nadal's seventh appearance in the final and he is chasing his third consecutive Madrid title.

Rory McIlroy Tied for 17th after Round 3 of the PlayersIn golf,World number one Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland shot a two-under 70 and is tied for 17th place after the third round of the Players Championship in Florida on Saturday.

The total leaves him 4 strokes out of the lead.

"I don't know, I played really good golf today. I think I hit 13 or 14 fairways, I hit a lot of greens, gave myself a lot of chances, and just being very frustrated on these greens and not seeing a lot of putts drop. So hopefully that will change a little, it can change tomorrow, but tee to green, it's right there and just need to get a few to fall."Chris Kirk shot a four-under 68 to take a one-shot lead.

Two-time Players Championship winner Tiger Woods posted a pair of double bogeys on par five holes on the way to a three-over 75, leaving him three-over for the tournament.

Jimmie Johnson Wins NASCAR's Spongebob Squarepants 400American Jimmie Johnson held off hard-charging Kevin Harvick to win the rain-delayed NASCAR SpongeBob SquarePants 400 on Saturday at Kansas Speedway.

This marks his third Sprint Cup victory of the season and the 73rd of his career.

Kevin Harvick finished in second place, Dale Earnhardt jr. took third, and defending champion Jeff Gordon came in fourth.

Pele Released from Hospital after SurgeryBrazilian football legend Pele was discharged from Albert Einstein Hospital on Saturday after prostate surgery earlier in the week.

Media reports say the 74-year-old was released early in the morning local time.

Doctors say no tumors were found.

This is the second time that Pele has been hospitalized in six months.

He was treated at the same facility last year for a severe urinary tract infection.

Pele is the only player to win three World Cup titles.

With more than 1,280 career goals, Pele is widely considered the greatest football player of all-time.

Undefeated Chinese Girls Defend Title at 4th Go Chess WorldsDefending champions China beat Chinese Taipei 3-0 at the 4th World Women's Team Go Chess Championship in Taizhou city on Sunday.

Yu Zhiying lost to South Korean Choi Jeong on Saturday, but made a comeback today and beat Chinese Taipei number one player Joanne Missingham.

In other matches,South Korea got the runner-up position after overcoming Japan 3-0. Japan and Chinese Taipei finished third and fourth respectively.

Elsewhere in Japan,China's Huang Yunsong beat Na Hyun from South Korea to claim the title at the Second Globis Cup World Go Championship on Sunday.

Another Chinese player Li Qincheng took bronze.

Japanese players failed to defend the title as none of them reached the semi-finals.

EntertainmentNew documentary about Deng Xiaoping's US visit set for release"Mr. Deng goes to Washington", a documentary film about late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's official visit to the United States in 1979, will hit Chinese theaters on May 15.

The film details the then vice premier's visit from late January to early February, including receptions, meetings with American politicians, TV interviews and other events.

The historic visit took place in the weeks immediately after the United States established diplomatic relations with China.

Director Fu Hongxing said the film is in honor of Deng's contribution to China as well as his influence on generations of Chinese people.

In addition to archived information, the film interviews personnel involved in Deng's visit, including former US president Jimmy Carter, Carter's national security advisor, Deng's bodyguards, and secret service from the White House.

During Deng's visit, he demonstrated China's resolve to open to the world and learn from developed countries in science and technology, education and culture.

Sodagreen stages concert at Beijing Workers StadiumTaiwan indie rock band Sodagreen has kicked off its world tour with a show at Beijing's Workers Stadium.

The world tour is staged to mark the start of the band's second decade after last year's milestone tour for their 10th anniversary.

The concert opened with the tour's theme song, "Meet again".

The band belted out more than twenty songs last night, including hits like "Frequency" and "It's my sea".

The gig also featured the debut of their new English song "Everyone".

Sodagreen was formed in 2001 and rose to fame after receiving the Grand Jury Award in the Hohaiyan Gongliau Rock Festival in 2004.

The band is well known for its main vocalist and songwriter Wu Tsing-Fong, who is prominent for his poetic lyrics, unique performing style and wide vocal range.

Charlize Theron Teaming with John Wick Directors for Spy Thriller Coldest CityCharlize Theron is set to star in "The Coldest City." Production planning is to get underway this October in Germany.

Based on the Antony Johnston graphic novel of the same name, the thriller revolves around a super spy (Theron) who is spurred into action when an underground MI6 officer is killed just before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Theron will also produce the project, which boasts a screenplay by Kurt Johnstad and will be released in North America by Focus Features.

Theron is currently getting ready to reprise her role as Ravenna in the currently filming Snow White and the Huntsman "spinoff".

'Three Stooges' Sequel in the WorksThe Three Stooges are returning to the screen with a new film that is being assembled by C3 Entertainment, Grand Peaks Entertainment, and The Exchange.

Sean Hayes (Larry), Chris Diamantopoulos (Moe) and Will Sasso (Curly) will reprise their roles as the wacky brothers who last hit the big screen in a 2012 film directed by the Farrelly Brothers.

The film earned $55 million worldwide.

Cameron Fay, who wrote the upcoming Paramount film Brother in Laws, will pen the script, which is being envisioned as an action-comedy rather than a straight comedy.

The producers are looking to add a major action star to the cast.

A release date has not been set.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 10, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 20.

Shanghai, a little bit rain tonight with a low of 17, the rain will grow heavier tomorrow, highs of 24.

Chongqing will see scattered thundershowers with a low of 19, tomorrow overcast and a high of 27.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia,Kathmandu will see scattered thundershowers with a high of 26,Islamabad, cloudy, 42,Kabul, rainy, 16.

Over in Australia,Sydney will be windy with a high of 21,Brisbane, sunny, 26,Finally Perth will be sunny with a high of 26 degrees Celsius.

That’s it for this weekend edition of the Beijing Hour.

A quick look at the headlines before we go...

The Chinese president has arrived in Belarus, where he is expected to sign a treaty on friendship and cooperation...

Many Russian academics have praised the Chinese leader following his state visit, which included meeting war veterans in Moscow...

China's central bank has cut interest rates once again...

In our Sci-Tech roundup, a new generation of nuclear power plant under construction in China...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour, and open a window to the world together.