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

Coming up on our program this morning...

Crews are working to repair one of the main highways in Tibet following a major aftershock in neighboring Nepal on Tuesday.

High-speed rail is expected to be one of the highlights of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's impending trip here to China.

The Chinese government is expressing "serious concerns" about reported US plans to send naval ships into the South China Sea.

In Business.... Chinese telecom providers are being told to speed up their broadband services.

In Sports.... Juventus advances to the European Champions League final.

In entertainment... new stats show "Fast and Furious 7" continues to dominate at the Chinese box office.

All of that coming up in the next hour.

A reminder as always there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

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You can also visit english.cri.cn for the latest news and information from China Radio International.

Top NewsNepal needs urgent aid following latest quakeAnchorThe death toll from Tuesday's 7.3-magnitude aftershock in Nepal has climbed to at least 91, with another 2-thousand injured.

The quake, which hit just 10-kilometers from the Chinese border, is said to be an aftershock from last month's deadly quake which has left well over 8-thousand dead.

CRI's Qi Zhi has more.

ReporterFearful of another quake, many in Kathmandu are sleeping out in the open amid fears of more collapsing buildings.

While temporary housing is a major concern, so is medical treatment for the new batch of injured.

Over 2-thousand people were hurt during Tuesdays' quake.

This is on top of the nearly 18-thousand who sustained injuries in the first quake on April 25th.

Local hospitals in Dhulikhel, some 30 km southeast of the capital, are overwhelmed with victims.

A Chinese field hospital operating in the area has already treated around 700 people.

Liu Kejia, who heads the Chinese team at the field hospital, says they are making preparations for more patients.

"Because of the earthquake, six patients came to our hospital. Our Chinese medical team immediately gave them emergency treatment. Last night after 8:30, we received about 11 patients transferred from Dhulikhel Hospital. We predict there will be more patients today. So, we made space for those new patients in advance. In other words, as long as they have a requirement, we're ready to receive more patients today."Chinese medical teams have treated more than 18-hundred people since the initial quake struck last month.

Medical personnel from other countries are also being flown into Nepal by helicopter to set up makeshift camps.

British doctor Phil Llewelwyn is among them.

"Now the second one's here, there's a lot of angst amongst the people of: will there be another one? When will it come? What's going to happen to us? So there's a lot of psychological trauma amongst these people. You can see they're very, very frightened, very worried, unsure and uncertain about their safety and also their financial futures really."Xu Zhicheng, a member of China's Blue Sky rescue team, says relief goods are urgently needed, as the annual monsoon season in Nepal is imminent.

"Now we are mainly focusing on making tents for the displaced people, as temperature changes sharply from day to night and there are a lot of mosquitos at night."The Chinese Foreign Ministry says China is preparing to send its third batch of aid to Nepal.

Most of the known fatalities from Tuesday's aftershock are in villages and towns east of Kathmandu, which had only just begun to pick up the pieces from the previous quake.

For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.

Crews working to repair roads following 2nd major earthquake in NepalCrews are working to clear roads in southern Tibet following another major earthquake which hit neighboring Nepal.

The quake, measured at a magnitude 7.3, hit on Tuesday just 10-kilometers from the Chinese border.

On top of leaving one dead and three others hurt in Gyirong County, the quake has also cut off the road linking Nyalam County and the border crossing in Zham.

The damaged road is the only highway linking Tibet and neighboring Sichuan.

Zhang Jinmei with the Chinese Armed Police Force says rebuilding operations are underway.

"We have already dispatched 120 officers with 34 giant vehicles for the operation since this morning. We have been divided into several teams, clearing the road at different points simultaneously. So far, the rebuild operation has been underway."At the same time, crews are still working on the ground in the affected areas in the region.

Song Shuli with the National Health and Family Planning Commission says their main task is epidemic prevention.

"Up to yesterday, May 12, we had dispatched a total of 150 medical workers in 13 groups to the quake-stricken areas and they have been visiting patients at various local medical centers. So far there is no outbreak of major public health emergencies or epidemics in the disaster areas within Tibet."Tuesday's 7.3-magnitude quake is believed to be an aftershock from the 7.8-magnitude quake which rattled Nepal last month, leaving well over 8-thousand people dead.

Preview on Indian PM's Visit: Trade and Commerce will Continue to Top the AgendaAnchorIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive today in China to begin his 3-day visit.

CRI's correspondent in India, Sun Yang, has more.

ReporterThis would be Modi's first visit to China as Prime Minister. During his three-day tour in China, he is scheduled to meet with Chinese leaders and participate in a series of cultural and business events.

The first stop of Modi's visit will be the ancient city of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. It is also the home city of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Modi will also visit Beijing and Shanghai.

PB. R Deepak, a professor of Chinese Studies at the Center of Chinese and Southeast Asian Studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University, says the arrangement has historic symbolism.

"I think first, President Xi would like to reciprocate (you know) the kind of hospitality he got from Modi in his hometown Gujarat. Modi has told President Xi that scholar monk Xuanzang has been to his hometown. It was from Xi'an, Xuanzang started off. So I think it is a connection between the two. Another symbolism is the 'Belt and Road' initiative. The Silk Road Economic Belt in fact starts from there."Modi's trip to China follows a visit by President Xi Jinping to India last September, where the two leaders emphasized cooperation and business deals, including the building of industrial parks and funding for railways.

Doctor Deepak says eight months after the two leaders last met, India and China are working on how to move forward with economic cooperation, and trade and investment will continue to top the agenda during the latest meeting between the two leaders.

"The investment parks which were signed during President Xi are going on. India and China are exploring the investment opportunities in high speed railway, and modernization of India's railway stations. The Chinese team has already conducted feasible studies of the line between Delhi and Channai. Maybe during PM Modi's China visit, we will see more agreements, especially on trade and commerce, economic cooperation. I think that will going to be the primary agenda of PM Modi's China visit."Doctor Deepak added that the issues related to people to people contact, security cooperation, as well as the boundary question would also be put on the board.

On regional economic cooperation, the professor said the BCIM Economic Corridor and the "Belt and Road" initiative are expected to be discussed in Modi's meetings in China.

"As a matter of fact, India is on board as far as Silk Economic Belt and Road concerned. The BCIM corridor is an important corridor from Indian point of view and also from the Chinese point of view. The Silk Road Economic Belt as well as the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road are extremely import for India's security as well as economic development. So I hope sooner or later, or during this visit, we may hear something positive about Belt and Road initiative."For CRI. This is Sun Yang in New Delhi.

China seeks to cash in on Modi's vision to modernize India's rail networkAnchorHigh-speed rail is expected to be one of the main topics of discussion as part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's time here in China this week.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has more.

ReporterTwo issues are expected to dominate the discussion during Narendra Modi's first visit to Beijing.

The long-drawn border dispute between the two countries will feature at the top of the agenda along with ways to boost economic cooperation between the two countries.

Many experts say that the Asian giants are putting economic ties ahead of regional rivalries.

Deals worth $10 billion US dollars are expected to be signed during Modi's three-day visit.

But Professor Jiang Jingkui, director of the center for South Asian Studies at Peking University, says cooperation in High-speed rail projects will benefit most.

"China has a very strong competitive edge when it comes to developing high-speed rail networks. Although Japan's capabilities in this sector cannot be ignored, they are behind when it comes to price competitiveness when compared to China. China also has the world's largest and fastest high-speed rail network."India is seeking investment of up to 137 billion US dollars over the next five years to revamp its ailing rail-network.

Beijing is keen to accelerate work on a multi-billion dollar railway line running across the length of India, connecting New Delhi to the southern city of Chennai.

China is currently conducting a feasibility study for this $36 billion rail project.

The two sides have also agreed to speed up implementation of a shorter high-speed rail corridor connecting Chennai with India's Technology capital, Bangalore.

But Chinese companies are facing tough competition from Japan and France, as both eye investments in the world's fourth largest railway system.

Modi's upcoming visit to Beijing is expected to help smoothen out some of the obstacles that Chinese companies face when bidding for large rail sector projects in India.

But Professor Jiang points out that Modi's visit is not only about resolving tough business and political issues. He is also on a charm-offensive to win the hearts of ordinary Chinese citizens.

"Prime Minister Modi has joined China's main microblogging service Weibo and is hoping to create greater understanding of India especially among Chinese youth. He is not only trying to express his friendship but also project himself as someone who wants to listen and explain India to the Chinese people. This will help enhance India's soft power in China.

The social-media savvy Indian Prime minister managed to attract more than 20,000 curious followers in the first five hours after opening his Weibo account.

As China eyes a greater share of India's 2 trillion dollar economy, such direct, candid communication becomes more important for both sides.

For Cri I'm Poornima WeerasekaraPremier Li's Visit to Give Momentum to Sino- S. American TiesAnchorChinese Premier Li Keqiang is poised to begin his first trip to Latin America as Premier.

CRI's Xiao Yi has more.

ReporterPremier Li Keqiang will travel to Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Chile during a nearly two week-long trip starting from May 17.

Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao says the visit will inject new momentum into China's ties with the region.

"The Premier's visit will be of great significance to improving mutual trust, boosting all-round cooperation and partnership and enhancing cultural exchange."The visit comes at a time when speculations rise over China's effort to boost its influence in a region long dominated by the United States.

In response, the Vice Minister says China is willing to see the US build up ties with countries in the region based on mutual respect.

Assistant Commerce Minister Tong Daochi expects the Premier's visit to further promote trade cooperation.

"All of the four countries are China's key trade partners. During Premier's visit, we will mainly discuss important issues like industrial cooperation, infrastructure, free trade zones, economic and technical cooperation, training and financial support."Tong adds that China is willing to work with Latin American countries to upgrade and diversify economic cooperation, and import more value-added products from the continent instead of just raw materials.

"Latin American countries abound in natural resources and produce various agricultural products, both of which China lacks. We also want to import more value-added products from the continent. We hope that Latin American countries, particularly these four, can develop the Chinese market more, and export more products which suit Chinese consumers."Trade between China and Latin American countries exceeded 260 billion US dollars in 2014.

As the world's second largest economy, China has invested a total of more than 100 billion US dollars in the region by the end of last year, with oil, copper and soybeans its major imports from there.

Meanwhile, Peru and Chile also both have free trade deals with China.

During the first China-CELAC ministerial forum in January, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $250 billion in investment in Latin America over the next 10 years.

Tong Daochi says China expects that through further deepening cooperation, China and Latin America will join hands to promote global prosperity and recovery.

For CRI, I'm XYee.

China "seriously concerned" about U.S. military move in South China SeaThe Chinese government is raising "serious concerns" over suggestions the US military is planning to send aircraft and ships into the South China Sea.

This comes amid reports the Pentagon is working on plans to send ships into the South China Sea to "assert freedom of navigation" around Chinese-made artificial islands.

Chines Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying says any such move will be viewed as a provocation.

"China has always advocated freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. But freedom of navigation does not give one country's military aircraft and ships free access to another country's territorial waters and airspace. China will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty. We urge the U.S. side not to take any risks or make any provocations so as to maintain regional peace and stability."High-level US officials have not said whether plans to put ships into the South China Sea will go ahead.

Situation in Yemen 'catastrophic', warns UN food agencyThe UN's food agency is warning of a "catastrophic" situation in Yemen.

The warning comes as aid agencies rush to take advantage of a temporary ceasefire announced by the Saudi-led coalition which has been bombing Houthi rebel targets since March.

The UN says nearly 7-weeks of fighting has caused severe shortages of water, fuel and medical aid, crippling a country dependent on food imports.

Dominique Burgeon with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says Yemen is quickly running out of food.

"When I say that there are 14 or 15 million people who don't have food security, it must be known that it's out of a population of 24 million, of which 16 million are in need of humanitarian aid. This is a disastrous situation we're witnessing at the moment in Yemen."A 5-day humanitarian pause began on Tuesday night.

Around 15-hundred people have been killed since the campaign began.

At least 43 Killed in Terror Attack in Karachi43 people are dead following a sectarian attack in Pakistan.

Gunmen on motorcycles boarded a bus in the city of Karachi, systematically gunning down those inside.

Those murdered are all from Ismaili community.

This a minority Shi'ite Muslim sect in Sunni-dominated Pakistan.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says he's shocked by the attack on the Ismaili community.

"This is surely a deplorable attempt to spread chaos in Pakistan and a condemnable attempt to make people fight with each other. Those communities are being involved (in such incidents) that had never been controversial."Militant group Jundullah, which has attacked Muslim minorities before, has claimed responsibility.

The group has links with the Pakistani Taliban.

It pledged its allegiance to Islamic State in November.

East African leaders condemn Burundi coup attemptEast African leaders are condemning the coup which has taken place in Burundi.

One of the country's leading Generals says he has deposed President Pierre Nkurunziza.

Nkurunziza was out of the country at the time.

This comes following weeks of violent protests against Nkurunzia's attempt to run for a 3rd term in office.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who chairs a regional grouping of east African leaders, says his overthrow is not the right move.

"The summit condemns in the strongest terms possible the coup in Burundi and summit is of the view that it does not solve the problems of Burundi. We all agreed that conditions at the moment are not conducive for elections to be held as scheduled by the national Electoral commission. So we call upon authorities in Burundi to postpone the elections to a period not beyond the mandate of the current government."Nkurunziza himself is said to be heading back to Burundi.

Critics say a third term for Nkurunziza runs counter to both the constitution and the policial accords that ended the country's 12-year civil war in 2005.

Over 20 people have been killed since the mass protests began last month.

Dozens feared dead in slipper factory fire in PhilippinesDozens are feared dead following a fire at a rubber slipper factory in the Philippine capital, Manila.

Close to 30 bodies have so far been recovered.

As many as 65 others are said to be missing.

Ariel Barayuga, director of the Philippine Bureau of Fire Protection, says they're still in the process of counting the dead.

"We have only accounted for 28 (bodies) on the fire scene, these are the exposed bodies that our district director saw."Initial indications are the fire was caused by sparks from a welding torch which triggered an explosion involving the chemicals used to make the slippers.

More Casualty Expected in US DerailmentCrews are continuing to pour through the wreckage of a train derailment in the US city of Philadelphia.

At least 7 people are dead and over 200 others hurt.

Authorities say a number of passengers remain unaccounted for.

Walter Sumwalt with the US National Transportation Safety Board says they're beginning their probe into exactly what happened.

"We've brought a multi-disciplinary team in here that will be covering a number of issues. We're looking at the track, the train signals, the operation of the train, the mechanical condition of the train, human performance. We're setting up a multi-disciplinary investigation to try and understand the factors that led to this accident."The train was enroute from Washington to New York when it jumped tracks on Tuesday night.

So far there's no indication at this point as to what may have led to the derailment.

Plastics in oceans cause an environmental disaster: Danish scientistsAnchorA group of Danish activists have released a new study, warning of an environmental 'disaster' brought on by plastics in the oceans.

CRI's Yu Yang has more.

ReporterActivist group 'Plastic Change' says its been collecting data on the plastic litter found in ocean gyres.

Gyres are regions of spinning currents which are found in the northern and southern hemispheres of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as the Indian Ocean.

The organization hopes to raise public awareness and provide an evidence base for scientists to investigate further.

Henrik Pedersen, founder of Plastic Change, says the volume of plastic in the world's oceans may soon reach "horrifying" levels.

"Plastics in the oceans today represent an environmental disaster. In only three generations we have been able to pollute the ocean with big masses of plastic. We know now, that in only 10 years, we will have one ton of plastic for every three tonnes of fish, and I think that's really horrifying regarding the future."The group says most of the plastics found in the oceans are simple items, ranging from garbage bags to tooth brushes.

'Plastic Change' says these items are poised to start killing marine life.

The group claims fragments of plastic have been found lodged in the throats and digestive tracts of marine animals.

Kristian Syberg, Assistant Professor in Environment Risk at the University of Roskilde, says this is potentially damaging to humans if it enters the food chain.

"When fish eat these plastics they will most likely accumulate the chemicals that are bound to the plastic. And then it will concentrate in their flesh - and if other fish eat them, or if we eat that fish, then the chemicals will be transported to the predator. And if we are the predator, it will be transported to us".

The group estimates 92-percent of the plastic in the sea is in the form of microplastic.

Microplastic is a term used to describe plastic items which have been degraded through time.

'Plastic Change' founder Henrick Pedersen says action on all fronts has to be taken.

"Of course we all need to take action and take care, that when we use plastic, it doesn't end up in the ocean. What we really need is industry people and we need politicians to take responsibility of this mass pollution of the oceans - this environmental disaster."'Plastic Change' says its going to publish its findings with a US-based organization which has been studying the ocean's gyres.

For CRI, this is Yu Yang.

Panda poaching case busted in southwest ChinaPolice in Yunnan have announced the arrest of 10 people in connection with the poaching of a PandaThe animal, one of the most endangered in the world, was shot and killed in early December.

Shi Qin, Yunnan's head of police forensics, says they uncovered the incident while testing meat seized from the suspect's home.

"We asked for DNA tests. We realized this was a serious case when test results came back saying panda. To be cautious we asked them to run the tests again, and it was confirmed, this was panda."Li Guoyou with Yunnan's forestry policing service says the brothers claim they were only trying to trap an animal which had killed one of their sheep.

"He therefore set up a trap, the type of trap we see used for wild animals. The next day he found the trap was broken off by some escaped wild animal. He thought it was something big. "A total of 10 people have been detained for selling parts of the panda after-the-fact.

Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species.

It's believed there are only around 18-hundred left in the wild.

It's being suggested this may have been one of the only wild pandas ever to enter into Yunnan, as the animals natural habitat is in northern Sichuan and parts of neighboring Shaanxi.

China-built port to facilitate Djibouti's maritime goalThe Chinese company behind a major maritime engineering project in Djibouti says it believes its port project is going to be finished by 2017.

The new Doraleh port, a 420-million-US-dollar project, is being developed by a pair of Chinese construction firms.

Project manager Niu Zengxiang with the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation says the project will help create jobs and spur Djibouti's economic development.

"The new port will have a throughput capacity of up to two times that of the old port. It will greatly enhance its position as a key logistics center for the imports and exports of not only Ethiopia but also other countries in the region, thus contributing significantly to employment and the country's economy."An 11-kilometer rail line is also under construction, linking the port with the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, which locals say will provide a lot of opportunities for Djibouti.

"This project is very important for our country, very important for the East Africa economic integration. We have full confidence that the two projects will change differently the economic situation."Djibouti is a key refueling station for ships sailing north to the Suez Canal.

It's also the main stop on ships heading south to the Indian Ocean through the Red Sea.

WeatherBeijing will be cloudy today with a high of 28 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 15.

Shanghai will see thundershowers with a high of 28 and a low of 20.

In Chongqing, it will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 31 and lows of 22.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Kathmandu, cloudy, 31.

Islamabad will see Isolated Thunderstorms with a high of 31.

Kabul will be sunny with a high of 27.

Over to North America,New York will be sunny with a high of 23 degrees.

Washington, sunny with a high of 24 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 28.

Toronto will be cloudy with a high of 18 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 24.

And Rio de Janeiro will be cloudy with a high of 26 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChina sets up three nuclear emergency response teamsThree separate nuclear emergency response teams have been established here in China to handle possible nuclear accidents.

One team is based in the city of Yantai in Shandong.

The other two are at two of China's earliest nuclear power plants, in Daya Bay and Qinshan.

This follows a decision by the Chinese government to re-start the construction of new nuclear reactors in March.

Construction of the plants had been on hold since the Fukushima nuclear melt-down in Japan in 2011.

There are currently 27 nuclear power plants under construction in China.

China offers veterans greater chances to graduate schoolA new program has been launched by the Ministry of Education to offer more education opportunities for veterans of the Chinese military.

Authorities say around 5-thousand PLA veterans who study in college will be admitted to graduate schools each year under the program.

Officials say the move is designed to try to attract more college students into military service.

Chinese Ebola Treatment Unit decommissioned in LiberiaChina's Ebola Treatment Unit has been decommissioned in Liberia's capital Monrovia.

This comes on the heels of the country being declared Ebola-free on Saturday.

The Chinese unit was established in November.

More than 350 paramedics with the People Liberation Army staffed the 100-bed facility, which was located at a sports complex outside Monrovia.

Of the ten confirmed Ebola cases which entered the facility, six survived.

Search continues in Nepal for missing US chopperA rescue mission is underway to find a US Marine Corps helicopter that went missing after Tuesday's earthquake in Nepal.

The chopper was delivering aid in Dolakha, one of the districts hardest hit by both quakes.

Hundreds of Nepalese troops and helicopters have joined the search for the six Marines and two Nepalese solders who were on board.

Nepalese officials say they believe the helicopter may have come down in one of the rivers that snakes through valleys in Dolakha, which lies east of the capital, Kathmandu.

Philadelphia derailed train going twice as fast as limit allows: NTSB spokesmanInvestigators have determined the passenger train which derailed in the US city of Philadelphia on Tuesday night was travelling at double the speed allowed.

The National Transportation Safety Board says the Amtrak train was travelling at 106 miles per hour when it jumped the tracks.

The speed limit for the curve it derailed on is 50-miles per hour.

Black box recorders from the train are being analyzed.

The crash has left at least 7-dead, though more are still listed as missing.

200 others on the train were hurt.

The train itself was traveling from Washington, D.C. to New York.

It's unclear at this point what caused the derailment.

Biz reportsAnchorFirst, a quick check on the closing numbers across North America and Europe.

Our reporter Niu HonglinReporterU.S. stocks ended flat on Wednesday, as early gains faded by the end of the session.

The U.S. Commerce Department has announced the country's retail sales for April have come in virtually unchanged from the previous month, missing market expectations.

Expectations had been for an increase in retail sale figures, mostly because of cheaper gasoline prices.

This had investors speculating the Fed may delay its anticipated interest rate increase this year due to sluggish economic growth.

However, any gains were shaved by the end of the session.

On the corporate front, US Department-store chain Macy's is reporting weaker-than-expected sales and profits in the first quarter.

Macy's share lost 2.5-percent on Wednesday.

At the close,The Dow Jones and the S&P ended virtually unchangedThe Nasdaq added 0.1 percent.

Over in Europe, European stocks ended lower as the economic growth missed market consensus.

This is the second straight session of declines.

This is partly due to the euro surging against the US dollar.

At close,The UK's FTSE 100 gained 0.2 percent.

Germany's DAX dropped 1 percent.

and France's CAC 40 fell 0.3 percent.

China vows faster broadband and lower Internet pricesChina's Cabinet is demanding this country's Telecom operators create better broadband services.

The State Council has issued a directive, telling the country's state-run telecommunication sector the average broadband speed has to be increased by some 40-percent.

At the same time, telecom companies are also being told to cut their mobile data charges and offer free upgrades to existing customers.

However, Premier Li Keqiang says any move by the companies involved should be a market decision, rather than what the government says.

Chinese internet speeds currently rank 80th in the world.

April Stats Show China Economy Stays WeakAnchorThe latest statistics released by the Chinese government shows economic growth is still sluggish.

New stats show fixed asset investment is up 12-percent through the first 4-months.

This is down from the 13.5-percent growth registered in the first quarter.

Property sector investment is up 6-percent year-on-year, down from the 8.5-percent increase seen in Q1.

Industrial output has improved slightly in April.

Retail sales figures have stayed virtually flat on a month-on-month basis.

For more on the status of the Chinese economy, we're joined on the line by CRI's financial commentator Cao Can.

Talking points:

Q1: Does the slight improvement in industrial output reflect that recent easing measures have started to work?

Q2: In the meantime, the numbers show investment and retails sales are still sluggish. What do they say about the current status of the Chinese economy?

Q3: Do you think the easing measures will be extended through the second quarter to help prop up the economy? Are you optimistic about the outlook in the second quarter?

Back anchor:

Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.

China Railway Giant Unveils E-commerce ServiceThe China Railway Corporation has launched an e-commerce website.

95306.cn became active yesterday.

The website provides freight logistics, bulk commodity trading and small-scale shopping.

It's also linked to the CRC's train ticket site, 12306.cn.

The Chinese government approved the establishment of the China Railway Corporation to perform the business functions of the defunct Ministry of Railways as part of the country's cabinet restructuring plan in March, 2013.

Tencent Q1 revenue up 22 pct, higher than expectationsTencent is reporting a 22-percent year-on-year increase in revenues through the first quarter.

The Chinese internet firm’s revenues hit 3.6 billion US dollars through the first 3-months.

Tencent's net profits are up 8-percent year on year.

This is above market expectations.

Tencent's valued-added mobile service revenues are up nearly 30-percent year on year.

Online games have generated some 13-billion yuan for the company through the first 3-months of the year.

At the same time, Tencent's online advertising have increased a whopping 131-percent in the first 3 months.

Walmart partners with Alibaba in mobile paymentWalmart is teaming up with e-commerce giant Alibaba to allow customers to make purchases through mobile payment in Shenzhen.

The retail giant says shoppers can now check out through the Alipay Wallet App in 25 stores across Shenzhen.

SportsJuventies Knocks Real Madrid Out of Champions League with 1-1 TieOver in Football:

Juventus knocked La Liga giants and defending champions Real Madrid out of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, aftering evening things out in the second leg 1-1 to put the Serie A club up 3-2 on aggregate.

Madrid looked optimistic in the 23rd minute, when Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty and opened up scoring.

But in the 57th minute, former Madrid Alvaro Morata smashed in an equalizer and ended his old squad's hopes of a second-straight UEFA title.

Juventus advance and will meet La Liga's current giants, Barcelona, in the Champions League final.

Real Madrid Denies Reports of Training Chinese U-14 Players in SpainIn off-pitch football news:

Real Madrid are denying earlier reports by Spanish media that the club has agreed to train more than 200 Chinese youths and has already begun work with 24 under-14's in the Spanish capital.

Spanish newspaper, Diario AS, reported earlier that Real Madrid signed a contract with Chinese Super League club Guangzhou Evergrande and Chinese company Soxna, which describes itself on the company website that it is "appointed by Real Madrid for the development of the football schools of the Real Madrid FOundation in China."However, Wednesday afternoon saw Real Madrid issue a communique in which the club stated: "Any football schools that Soxna and Evergrande have in Spain were created without the activities of Real Madrid."The club added that bringing non-resident young Chinese players to Spain to link them to Real is a violation of FIFA rules.

NBA PlayoffsIn hoops action from the National Basketball Association:

Tipping off at 8 a.m., Beijing time--The Atlanta Hawks face the Washington Wizards--The Hawks tied things up to 2-2 with their win in game 4--a return to form after the Eastern champs were down 2-1 heading into their last meeting with the Wizards.

But Washington star point-guard John Wall will likely be on the court for game 5. The Wizards are 5-0 in the post-season with Wall and 1-2 without him.

And later this morning--Golden State takes on Memphis for game 5 and the tie-break of their 2-2 series:

Memphis's defence held the best team in the league to under 100 points in three meetings, until game 4, where the Warriors won 101-84.

Federer, Nadal, Murray Advance, Azarenka Ousts Wozniacki from Italian OpenTaking a look at tennis from the Italian Open:

In men's action--Swiss maestro Roger Federer defeated Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 7-6, 6-4.　　Federer, who has never won the competition, was pushed hard by Cuevas, but the victory never looked in doubt as Federer played a range of sublime shots and didn't need to face a single break point.

Andy Murray is now 10-0 on clay after beating France's Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-3.

Putting the disappointment of his defeat in Madrid behind him, Rafael Nadal enjoyed a straight-set defeat over Turkey's Marsel Ilhan.

He will next face John Isner, who ousted Argentina's Leonardo Mayer 7-6, 6-4.

And Kei Nishikori survived a tough test against Jiri Vesely, edging the Czech 7-6, 7-5.

Over in women's action--Fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out of the Italian Open, beaten in straight sets by unseeded Belarussian Victoria Azarenka.

No. 2 Romanian Simona Halep handily beat American Alison Riske 6-3, 6-0.

Petra Kvitova vs. Karin KnappCanada's Eugenie Bouchard beat Zarina Diyas 6-3, 6-4.

Venus Williams advanced after beating Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in straight sets.

And Russian Daria Gavrilova earned a tough 5-7, 7-6, 7-6 win over no. 7 Ana Ivanovic.

Sudirman Cup QF Sees Rematches with China vs. Germany, S. Korea vs. MalaysiaIn upcoming badminton action down at the Sudirman Cup in Dongguan, China:

The first matches of the quarter-finals kick off today:

And it's a rematch between nine-time champs China and Germany. The two met at the beginning of the tournament, where China swept the Germans 5-0 and have not dropped one match since. Germany rebounded from the loss to finish second in their group and make into the knockouts.

The day's other quarter-finals match-up is a rematch as well, with South Korea and Malaysia poised to clash on the courts.

South Korea suffered an upset defeat at the rackets of the Malays and are out for revenge. But Malaysia are thought to have the edge on their opponents in the Men's Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles matches.

Both quarter-finals matches start at 7 p.m., Beijing time.

NHL PlayoffsOver in the National Hockey League playoffs:

Just getting underway--The Washington Capitals are hitting the ice for game 7 against the New York Rangers.

Entertainment"Furious 7" continues to dominate China's Box OfficeStreet-racing thriller "Furious 7" continued to dominate China's box office this week taking an added $17.7million in ticket sales.

The blockbuster's total box office sales have reached just over $390 million since its release on April 12.

Surpassing "Transformers 4" to become the most successful movie in Chinese cinemas.

"Transformers" grossed around $306 million in a single month in China last summer.

Domestic romance "You Are My Sunshine" came in at a respectable number two during the week. Its total ticket sales hit just over $53 million this week after opening on April 30.

Third place went to domestic action-thriller "Helios."Action-fantasy "Chappie" landed in fourth place, and rounding out the top five was domestic romance "The Left Ear."Indian movie "PK" coming to ChinaIndia's highest-grossing film ever "PK" is set for a China release at the end of this month.

Director Rajkumar Hirani, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and lead actor Aamir Khan were in Beijing this week to promote the movie.

When asked about his hopes for box office takings in China Chopra said he certainly hoped for a good result, but he added that "bringing Chinese and Indian people together and closer" is more important than hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

The film, released in India and other countries in 2014, has become the highest-grossing Indian film of all time, grossing $101 million worldwide so far.

"PK," is a science fiction comedy that tells the story of an alien who comes to Earth on a research mission, where he befriends a television journalist and questions religious dogmas and superstitions.

The movie will be released in China on May 22.

Cannes Film Festival officially opensThe highly anticipated Cannes Film Festival kick off in France last night, with socially-minded French drama "Standing Tall.""Standing Tall," a film about a juvenile delinquent co-starring Catherine Deneuve, premiered as the festival got underway.

Joel and Ethan Coen, co-presidents of the Cannes jury this year, presented their fellow jury members on the opening night, including Jake Gyllenhaal, and Sienna Miller who will decide Cannes' prestigious Palme d'Or top prize.

Julianne Moore, the best actress winner at last year's festival for her performance in David Cronenberg's "Maps to the Stars," declared the festival officially open.

"Standing Tall" received a lukewarm response from critics, but director Emmanuelle Bercot received a standing ovation at the opening ceremony. She is only the second woman director to open the Cannes Film Festival.

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" to end after 15 yearsCBS's hit crime-solving TV show CSI is coming to end after 15 years.

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" will end with a two-hour finale towards the end of this year.

Original cast members William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger will return for the final episode.

CSI started the in 2000 on September 27, and soon became one of television’s most popular shows.

Ted Danson, one of the longest running cast members will be sticking around, with his character joining the spin-off "CSI: Cyber" when it returns for its second season with star Patricia Arquette.

The finale will air on CBS on September 27.

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

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

Crews are working to repair one of the main highways in Tibet following a major aftershock in neighboring Nepal on Tuesday.

High-speed rail is expected to be one of the highlights of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's impending trip here to China.

The Chinese government is expressing "serious concerns" about reported US plans to send naval ships into the South China Sea.

In Business.... Chinese telecom providers are being told to speed up their broadband services.

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.