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

Coming up on the program this evening...

The Chinese president has met with India's Prime Minister in Xi'an...

The need for aid in Nepal is urgent, where the number of confirmed dead following the latest earthquake continues to rise...

And the Chinese ambassador to the United States tells media in Washington that America has no right to intervene in China's legitimate activities in the South China Sea...

Business: more weakness in the latest numbers regarding the Chinese economy...

In Sports: Real Madrid is knocked out of competition for the Champions League title...

In Entertainment: posters for the Chinese film Monster Hunt have been released at the Cannes Film Festival...

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, find us on WeChat by searching "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.

TopChinese president Xi meets Indian PMChinese President Xi Jinping has met with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Xi'an, capital city of Shaanxi Province.

President Xi recalled the consensus reached by the two countries during his September visit to India on promoting the bilateral strategic partnership of cooperation.

He said China and India have maintained frequent high-level contact, and relations between the two neighbours have broad prospects.

Xi'an is the first leg of Modi's 3-day visit, which will also take him to Beijing and Shanghai.

Ambassador: Modi's Visit to Enrich Sino-Indian PartnershipIndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in the northwestern city of Xi'an to begin his 3-day visit to China.

Just ahead of Modi's departure, Chinese Ambassador in New Delhi Le Yucheng told China Radio International that the visit will enrich the Sino-Indian partnership and help set direction for future bilateral ties.

"Both China and India are developing countries with large populations. Both of them are striving for a renaissance of the nation and pursuing similar development goals and strategies. The two countries can find more common ground on a series of regional and international issues such as global economy, climate change, anti-terrorism and peacekeeping."The envoy says as co-founders of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, China and India can also seek deeper cooperation in pushing forward with a new world order.

Besides trade and economy, Le said culture can also bring the countries closer, and the ancient city of Xi'an is suitable for this role.

"Xi'an was where scholar monk Xuanzang started and finished his journey to India, while the Great Wild Goose Pagoda was where he translated the fetched Buddhist books. The city is a witness to the development of the bilateral cultural exchange and Modi is to enhance the cooperation in this regard this time."Le revealed that during Modi's visit, the two sides are also expected to sign agreements aiming to boost cooperation between local governments.

Indian woman meets long-lost Chinese half-sister first time in BeijingAnchor:

With the help of China Radio International, an Indian woman has found her Chinese half-sister, who was left behind by her Chinese father in Shanghai during the Chinese people’s war against Japanese agression more than 70 years ago. The two sisters Jennifer An and An Luoxi had an emotional reunion Thursday in Beijing.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has moreReporter:

When 62-year-old Jennifer An and her husband Balaji from the South Indian city of Chennai arrived in Beijing last Friday, armed with a few old letters from Jennifer's Chinese father, they never imagined they would succeed in locating Jennifer's long-lost Chinese half sister, the only child of her father's first marriage.

Jennifer's Chinese father An Chi Pong had always carried a black-and-white photo of his only daughter An Luoxi from his first marriage in Shanghai. But he never made it back to China, after his merchantile ship was stranded in the Indian port of Mumbai in the early 40's.

After 33 years since her father's death, Jennifer An says she decided to take a leap of faith and come to China to fulfill her father's dying wish – which was to see his Chinese daughter one last time.

"We actually thought that we were going to meet her in Shanghai, because the last address my father had for her Remit road Shanghai, 10, Remit road. So were all prepared for Shanghai and we had little days to spend here. So everything is taking a topsy-turvy turn. We never expected to find her in Beijing."Although Jennifer had no definite plan, on how to find her sister amidst the 1.3 billion people in China, a stroke of luck, helped her to fulfill her mission in just four days.

According to Zhao Jiang, Director of the Tamil Service of China Radio International, who helped Jennifer find her sister, the national government database only had two people with the relevant name. One was an 8-year-old and the other the 80-year-old An Luoxi, who turned out to be Jennifer's sister.

"Many people had seen the news about this Indian lady looking for her half-sister in China, and they sent us many useful information. Someone in Jiangsu province found evidence that the father had served in the Navy during the anti-Japanese war. Someone who had seen the news on social media helped us find An Luoxi's address. "But to An Luoxi,the sudden discovery of a half-sister, whom she had never heard of, came as a shock.

Her father had divorced her mother when she was a baby and she was raised by her grandmother in Shanghai.

She says that the pain of being abandoned by her father when she was just 6 years old had shadowed her all through her life.

"Everyone in my Shanghai neighborhood knew my story and they used to say look your father would never come back. My father was the most educated from his family. He had studies abroad and became a ship captain. Loosing such an excellent man left a hole in my life that could never be filled."An Louxi had received just one letter from her father via the Chinese embassy. It was written when he was seriously ill. Jennifer says that after the end of World War II her father An Chi Pong had tried to find information about her lost daughter. He had had finally received a letter in 1982 from the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi with some possible clues as to his daughter's whereabouts. An Chi Pong had immediately applied for his daughter to come to India, but as fate had it, he passed away just 20 days after receiving the letter.

But it was this letter that helped Jennifer track her sister almost 3 decades later. After the tearful meeting, the two sisters exchanged information about their families. Jennifer said their father loved to play Mahjong. And he had also served the Chinese community in Chennai and had even got a separate cemetery for the flourishing Chinese community there.

This fateful meeting coincides with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to Beijing and will serve as a modern day example of the warm people-to-people relations that have existed for thousands of years between the people of China and India.

For CRI I'm Poornima WeerasekaraNepal needs urgent aid following latest quakeAnchor:

There are now at least 96 confirmed deaths following Sunday's earthquake in Nepal, with another two thousand injured.

The 7.3-magnitude quake, which hit just 10-kilometers from the Chinese border, is described as an aftershock of last month's quake which has killed over 8-thousand people.

CRI's Qi Zhi has more.

Reporter:

Fearful 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.

U.S. has no right to intervene in China's legitimate activities in S. China Sea: ambassadorAnchor:

The Chinese Ambassador to the United States has reiterated Beijing's position that Washington has no right to intervene in China's legitimate activities conducted in the South China Sea. The ambassador stresses the need for diplomatic talks in resolving such issues.

Our reporter Xyee brings more details.

Reporter:

In an interview with Washington-based media outlets, Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai criticized reports that the U.S. plans to send military planes and ships into the South China Sea.

"Our foreign ministry has asked the US to clarify the remarks. I think what we are doing is completely within our sovereign rights. No one has a right whatsoever to intervene. Can so many things in the world now be solved through a show of force? The Cold-War mentality, which is prone to the use of force to resolve disputes, is outdated."A US official earlier said that the Pentagon is considering sending U.S. military aircraft and ships to "assert freedom of navigation" around Chinese-made artificial islands in the South China Sea.

Cui says China has consistently opposed the high-intensity close-in reconnaissance activities conducted by the U.S. military along China's coastal waters, and such activities are not allowed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Commenting on the plan by the Philippines to open more of its military bases to the U.S. in an attempt to deter China, Cui stressed that territorial disputes in Asia-Pacific cannot be resolved through the use of military force. China is willing to settle the problem via diplomatic negotiations.

"China has a good record of constructively seeking to resolve territorial disputes through diplomatic talks, which can be demonstrated by the deals China has reached with 12 neighboring countries with common borders on land. We hope countries involved in water disputes with China can also solve problems in this way."On the upcoming visit to China by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry this weekend, Cui says there will be many issues on the agenda of the talks, including the South China Sea.

He says he believes that China and the United States can cooperate on most of the issues, despite some disagreements.

For CRI, I'm Xyee.

Police officer cleared in fatal train station shootingAnchor:

A police officer in the northeastern city of Harbin has been cleared of excessive use of force in the fatal shooting of a passenger at a local train station earlier this month.

Tu Yun has more.

Reporter:

The local railway police department released the results of an internal investigation earlier today.

It shows that the shooting at Qing'an County Railway Station on May 2 was done out of duty and the officer, Li Lebin, did not violate protocol.

The statement says Xu Chunhe assaulted the officer and continued to throw punches at Li despite multiple warnings before he was shot.

Jin Haitao is deputy director of Harbin Railway Police Bureau.

"We have completed all investigation work. All of evidence clearly show that the officer followed the rules on the use of firearms."China Central Television has also released a video clip of the incident, showing 45-year-old Xu Chunhe grabbing police baton to attack officer Li and knocking off Li's cap before Li fired a round.

The video also showed that Xu barred other passengers from checking into the station before the clash erupted and that the officer had tried to stop him from doing so.

Professor Li He from the National Police University of China defends Li's use of his gun.

"In this case, the officer had to use the firearm as he was facing a serious situation, where his warnings had failed while the attacker was endangering the safety of the officer and the passengers nearby."Chinese laws allow police officers to use guns when they are resisted or hampered by force from conducting duties and their warnings are ignored.

The professor notes that Xu was suspected of attacking police and the officer's life was at risk.

"A failure to use the gun at that time might have led to unimaginable consequences. Xu was very likely to endanger the public safety."The incident has caused a stir in Chinese cyberspace, with many netizens questioning why the officer didn't fire a warning shot or at least aim with the intent to wound Xu.

In response, Li says an oral warning was better than a warning shot as there were crowds of people in the lounge and that the officer could hardly aim precisely as his wrist had been hurt.

Meanwhile, a probe conducted by local prosecutors also proved officer Li Lebin was innocent.

Xu Chunhe was traveling with his 81-year-old mother and three children when the incident took place.

Earlier reports said he had congenital heart disease, nephritis and pneumonia while his wife had mental problems.

China Central Television quoted his neighbors as saying that the man often idled about.

Xu was cremated on May 5. His mother has been sent to a nursing home, his wife to hospital and the children to a children's welfare center.

On May 5, local railway police offered compensation of 200,000 yuan to Xu's family.

For CRI, I'm Tu Yun.

Police say all kidnap suspects arrested, but ransom still missingAnchor:

Police in Hong Kong and the mainland have caught all suspects in a kidnapping case involving millions in ransom, but most of the money has not been found.

CRI's Hong Kong correspondent Li Jing has the story.

Report:

Police in Guangdong province have announced the arrest of two more suspects in connection with the kidnapping of the heiress of the Bossini clothing chain last month.

Eight suspects have been apprehended in Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou in Guangdong, as well as in Guizhou province, while one was arrested in Hong Kong earlier this month.

Li Ping is the captain of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau.

"Seven suspects were directly involved in the case, one organized the group and smuggled them into Hong Kong, and the other one took the ransom on the mainland."Police have only recovered one tenth of the 28 million HK dollars ransom, as well as watches and jewelry. But the location of the rest of the ransom remains unknown.

This has led Hong Kong police to believe that more suspects are still at large. Senior superintendent Anthony Tsang, head of the Kowloon East regional crime unit.

"At the moment, we believe the case is cleared up, but we are still pursuing the ransom and people in connection with the case. One alleged mastermind has been arrested in the mainland, but I am not in the position to comment on whether he possesses the ransom. "Both mainland and Hong Kong police have characterized the crime as a premeditated heist. The suspects are believed to have started plotting the crime in early April in Shenzhen.

Guo Shaobo, deputy director-general of Guangdong's department of public security, says police on both sides will work together to crack down on crime.

"police in Guangdong do not tolerate criminals taking advantage of different legal systems in the mainland and in Hong Kong and Macau. The mainland is not a safe haven for cross-border criminals."Authorities have not decided where the eight people arrested on the mainland will stand trial, while the one arrested in Hong Kong will be tried in the city.

The kidnapping took place late last month, when a gang of six people broke into Queenie Law's home in Hong Kong, stealing $2 million HK dollars in cash and valuables from the home.

Law was held for three days at a secluded cave before release when the kidnappers received the ransom.

Law is the granddaughter of late Bossini founder and her family has been running the clothing business for decades.

For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.

Experts in China call for relaxation on "One Child Policy"Anchor:

As China's family planning authority highlights dramatic changes in the country's demographics, experts are increasing calls to further loosen the country's "one child policy" as soon as possible.

A new report shows that single people and couples without children are accounting for an increasing proportion of households across China.

Our reporter Guo Yan has the details.

Reporter:

The report on China's family development outlook is the first of its kind conducted by the country's government. It shows that there is a huge income gap between the richest and poorest families in China.

Wan Haidong, an executive from the commission, says households that adopted the "one-child" policy are generally better off than those that didn't.

"The survey shows that family size become increasingly smaller and households of two or three members become mainstream while single person households and childless households are commonly seen. There is an obvious income gap between different households. The wealth owned by the 20 percent richest families is 19 times larger than the 20 percent poorest families. Generally speaking, households that have adopted "family planning policy" fare better that those that haven't, especially in terms of economy, health management and inter-generation communications."Zhuang Yaer, a researcher at China's Population and Development Research Center, participated in writing the report.

She is expressing concern over a series of problems facing the elderly who live alone after their only child leaves the nest, often for a job on a major city.

"Population mobility has weakened the family unit, in terms of child rearing and of grown children supporting elderly members. There is less interaction between family members and empty nesters are faced with a lot of family burdens. Over half of them are engaged in agricultural production. And most of them have chronic diseases. They get very limited support from other family members. "China's legislators put forward a "Second Child Policy" in 2013, in which couples with either side being an only child are eligible to have two children. As the public expects a full opening of the "two child policy", the family planning authority has reiterated that it will stick to the basic state policy, yet will modify and improve the rules.

Lu Jiehua, a sociology professor at Peking University, says the pilot scheme of "two child policy" has not met expectations.

"As to fully implementing the "two child policy", I think we should start earlier. And the limitation on age and region should also be loosened. Judging from the implementation of the "two child policy", the effect is not very ideal and it didn't boost births. Fertility desire is influenced by a lot of factors."The country's social services and welfare system face huge challenges brought by an aging population. And the public expect more improvements in family policies.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

Japan Cabinet Approves Draft Security BillsThe Cabinet of Japan on Thursday approved a legislative package on national security.

The package will allow Self-Defense Forces to fight abroad, marking a major change to Japan's post-war exclusively defense-oriented security policy.

Hundreds of citizens rallied outside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's office on Thursday, calling the bills "war legislation" that turn the country toward militarism.

Taeko Otaki is one of the protesters,"I join this protest filled with anger. I was born right after the war, but during this time (since the war) Japan was able to gain prosperity and trust from the world because of our pacifist constitution, because that gained trust from the international community, and we all worked so hard to get here, with the peace constitution as our pride."Earlier, China called on Japan to "learn the lessons of history" before Tokyo approves the bills.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chenying,"We have said many times before that due to historical reasons, Asian countries neighbouring Japan, and the international community, pay a high level of attention to any changes in Japan's security policy. We hope that Japan can earnestly learn the lessons of history, uphold the path of peaceful development, and play a bigger constructive role in the Asian region in which we coexist for peace, stability and joint development."After its defeat in World War II, Japan renounced war under the US-drafted pacifist constitution that bans the use of force as a means of settling international disputes.

Former South Korean Prime Minister Questioned over Alleged BriberyA former South Korean Prime Minister was summoned to the High Prosecutor's Office on Thursday morning, being questioned over allegations of bribery.

Lee Wan-koo has apologised to the people of South Korea for "having the nation worried" and says he is looking forward to resolving the matter.

"There is nothing that outweighs the truth. Today I will share my stance in detail with prosecutors so that they can hear my words. I am looking forward to the problem being resolved."Businessman Sung Wan-jong claimed he gave 30 million won, or nearly 28,000 US dollars to Lee as the politician was running for a seat in parliament two years ago.

The sum exceeds the legal limit for contributions to politicians in South Korea.

Lee resigned in April, only two months after being appointed as Prime Minister.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 15, same skies tomorrow with a high of 25.

Shanghai, rain with a low of 20, then scattered rain with a high of 24.

Chongqing will be overcast with a low of 21. Friday has showers and a high of 27.

Elsewhere in Asia,Kathmandu will be overcast with a high of 29,Islamabad, sunny, 44,Kabul, sunny, 30.

In Australia,Sydney will be cloudy with a high of 20,Brisbane, cloudy, 25,Perth will be cloudy with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsChinese president Xi meets Indian PMChinese President Xi Jinping has met with visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Xi'an, capital city of Shaanxi Province.

President Xi recalled the consensus reached by the two countries during his September visit to India on promoting the bilateral strategic partnership of cooperation.

He said China and India have maintained frequent high-level contact, and relations between the two neighbours have broad prospects.

Xi'an is the first leg of Modi's 3-day visit, which will also take him to Beijing and Shanghai.

Indian Woman Meets Long-lost Half-sister in BeijingJennifer An, from the south Indian city of Chennai, met her long-lost half sister Roesai An for the first time in over 60 years in Beijing on Thursday.

Jennifer found her sister from her father's first marriage on Tuesday, after China Radio International exposed her story.

62-year-old Jennifer and her husband spoke to CRI Monday night in Beijing, trying to locate the elder sister.

Jennifer's husband Balaji says it was his father in law's wish to reunite with Roesai An, now 81 years old and retired in Beijing.

Roesai An is the only surviving family member of her father's first marriage, which was broken up by the Japanese invasion of China.

As it was during the height of the war, An Chi Pong ended up settling in India, eventually moving to the city of Madras, now Chennai, and married a local.

But due to the travel restrictions at the time, it was virtually impossible for An Chi Pong and his family to return back to China, though Jennifer says this was always one of her father's desires.

U.S. has no right to intervene in China's legitimate activities in S. China Sea: AmbassadorChinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai has deplored a plan by Washington to send military planes and ships around China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

Criticizing the US for adopting double standards on land reclamation activities in the region, Cui said Washington has no right to intervene in China's legitimate activities within its own territory.

He also urged related parties to resolve the disputes through diplomatic talks.

On the upcoming visit to China by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry this weekend, Cui says he believes there will be many issues on the agenda, including the South China Sea.

China partners with ASEAN in tackling cross-border diseasesChina and ASEAN countries aim to build a timely and accurate information channel regarding infectious diseases.

China's quality watchdog says joint epidemic prevention and control can help protect the health of nearly 2-billion people living in the region.

Experts and government officials from ASEAN countries have shared their experiences in coping with public health emergencies.

Ebola, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, and the H7N9 strain of bird flu are included in the discussions.

Biz ReportsAnchor:

Turning now to our business news, starting with a look at the numbers from the Asian markets on this Thursday evening.

Joining me on the desk is CRI's Luo Wen.

Reporter:

Chinese shares closed mixed with a major index tracking growth enterprises continuing a losing streak.

The ChiNext Index shed about 1.6 percent due to accumulating concerns on bubbles in small-cap stocks after an unexpectedly strong rising trend last week and at the start of this week.

Sectors including rare earth and nuclear power were robust.

China Minmetals Rare Earth Corporation, a major rare earth producer, surged by the 10 percent daily limit.

China's stock market experienced major fluctuation this week due to mixed factors including interest rate cuts and lackluster economic indicators for April.

Analysts say coming initial public offerings, especially the flotation of some super large cap stocks, also add to the volatility.

At close,The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index ended up slightly.

The Shenzhen Component Index slipped nearly one percent.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index ticked up a fraction of a percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,The Japanese Nikkei sank nearly one percent.

South Korea's Kospi climed 0.3 percent.

Singapore's Straits Times Index went down slightly.

And finally, Australia's ASX 200 trimmed 0.3 percent.

April Stats Show China Economy Stays WeakAnchor:

The latest statistics released by the Chinese government show economic growth is still sluggish.

The numbers 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 in Q1.

Industrial output 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, CRI's Paul James earlier spoke with Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.

China to Improve Internet Speed, Cut FeesChina's cabinet has pledged to provide faster broadband and lower prices for Internet services.

The State Council has issued a statement which asks telecom companies to publish detailed plans to increase speeds by over 40 percent.

They have also been told to reduce prices and offer free upgrades to existing customers.

The cabinet also says construction of a high-speed network with lower charges should be accelerated to support "Internet Plus" and foster new growth impetus.

"Internet Plus" is the integration of the Internet and traditional industries through online platforms and technology.

Wen Ku, director of the Department of Communications Development under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), says introducing private capital into the telecom market can also help to cut Internet fees.

"We started to issue licenses for mobile virtual network operators in 2013 to introduce private capital into China's telecom market. This year, we are going to launch pilot programs to allow private firms to invest in and operate broadband networks in dozens of cities. This will add more competition in the telecom market. So far, serveral hundred companies have applied to join the program."China's broadband is only ranked 80th in the world, leaving a huge space for improvement.

According to a guideline issued by MIIT, more than 40 million households will have access to fiber-optic broadband Internet by the end of this year.

And over 200 million mobile phone holders will become 4G network users.

AliCloud to Set up Database Centre in DubaiAlibaba's cloud computing service AliCloud is going to set up a database centre in Dubai.

The Chinese e-commerce giant will team up with Dubai's Milas to form a new technology company.

The company will provide cloud computing services for enterprises and government agencies in the Middle East and North Africa.

Wang Ziling, a communications officer with AliCloud, explains further on the new company.

"AliCloud will provide cloud computing products and technologies. Our cooperation will focus on integration and service based on the demands of our customers. We will make some key breakthroughs in big data analysis and cloud computing. The new company will serve Dubai in six pillar areas, including transportation, communication, infrastructure, economic services and city planning."Dubai is an important intersection along the "One Belt, One Road" trade route.

Alibaba's move could provide designated cloud computing services for Chinese companies that want to expand in Middle East and African markets.

The Dubai database facility will be AliCloud's seventh centre around the world.

AliCloud is also planning to set up database centres in Japan, Singapore and Germany.

China Securities Authority Approves IPO of Nuclear GiantChina's securities regulator has given the nod to an initial public offering (IPO) from China National Nuclear Power Corporation, the country's leading nuclear power developer.

The nuclear giant is planning to issue a maximum of 3.89 billion shares to raise more than 16.25 billion yuan or more than 2.6 billion U.S. dollars through its IPO.

Nearly half of the funds raised will be used to replenish working capital.

The rest will be invested in nuclear power projects in Fujian, Zhejiang and Hainan provinces.

It is expected to be the biggest IPO in China's A-share market in the past four years.

The company filed its first IPO application in 2012.

However, it was suspended due to government concerns about large-cap stock flotation.

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 by drawing 1-1 in the second leg 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 the scoring.

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

Juventus' coach Massimiliano Allegri said he was proud of his side for fighting on, after going behind on Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty.

"We deserved this final because these kids have given everything. In the first half they stayed focused and balanced despite the disadvantage (of being behind). They knew that everything was still open and that it was important to think that mentally."Juventus advance and will meet La Liga's current giants, Barcelona, in the Champions League final in Berlin on June 6.

Golden State Beat Memphis 98-78 to Take 3-2 Series LeadIn the NBA Playoffs,Klay Thompson scored 21 points and the Golden State Warriors rolled past the Memphis Grizzlies 98-78 on Wednesday in Oakland, to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference Semifinal series.

With the win, the Warriors avoided losing consecutive home games for the first time this season.

Stephen Curry scored 18 points on six three-pointers for Golden State.

The 27-year-old became the fastest player to make 100 3-pointers in the playoffs, reaching the milestone in 28 games.

Speaking of the team's three-point efficiency and run in the first quarter, Warriors Guard Curry says everybody is 'aggressive' in the game.

"Two of them (three-pointers) were just off of ball movement. Everybody's aggressive, looking to score, looking to get in the paint and if you draw a couple of defenders, you're able to move it on and that's when you get really easy looks. And you have confidence and knock those down. And it was a cool moment."Memphis played without defensive ace Tony Allen, who is out with a hamstring injury.

Marc Gasol had 18 points and 12 rebounds for a Grizzlies team suddenly on the brink of elimination.

It was Memphis' lowest point total in these playoffs.

Game 6 is at Memphis on Friday.

In other basketball news, from the Chinese University basketball Association,Central South University beat Southwestern University of Finance and Economics 116-60 in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Peng Jiaxin from Central South University scored 62 points in the game, breaking the record of 57-points in a single match set by Li Jun of Shandong University of Science and Technology on April 16.

Sudirman Cup QF Sees Rematches with China vs. Germany, S. Korea vs. MalaysiaIn badminton action down at the Sudirman Cup in Dongguan, China,Nine-time champions China are now on the court against Germany in a rematch for a place in the semi-finals.

The two met at the beginning of the tournament, where China swept the Germans 5-0 and have not dropped one match since.

But Germany rebounded from the loss to finish second in the group and make it into the knockout stage.

The day's other quarter-finals match-up is a rematch as well, with South Korea against Malaysia.

South Korea suffered an upset defeat at the rackets of the Malays and are out for revenge.

But Malaysia is thought to have the edge on in the Men's Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles matches.

In off-court badminton news,BWF president Poul-Erik Hoyer is in Dongguan to attend the Annual General Meeting of the world badminton governing body, which will take place on Saturday.

The priority topics for the meeting will be the discussions of various issues for the sport in regards to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Hoyer says one of BWF's urgent tasks now is promoting the sport in Brazil in order to attract more audiences to the badminton venue.

"You know Rio and Brazil is not a badminton country. So we really need to create some kind of interests in our sport in order to make it at Rio as one of the sports that people like attending. I want to have audience in Rio, watching the game."Hoyer also adds that he wants to make the sport more fair and competitive so as to make badminton one of the ten top sports in the world in the near future.

Kvitova Beats Knapp in Three SetsIn tennis,Fourth seed Petra Kvitova has booked her place in the third round of the Italian Open.

Just four days after winning the Madrid Open, Kvitova on Wednesday overpowered Italian wildcard Karin Knapp 6-3, 4-6, 7-6.

It took the 25-year-old more than two hours to win the game.

Kvitova will next play Jelena Jankovic in the third round.

A number of favorites weren't so lucky as No. 5 seed Caroline Wozniacki fall to Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 7-6.

No. 7 seed Ana Ivanovic also crashed out with a 5-7, 7-6, 7-6 loss to Russian qualifier Daria Gavrilova.

And No. 9 seed Angelique Kerber has been eliminated from the competition by Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-3.

Over in men's action,Roger Federer began his bid for a first title in Rome with a 7-6, 6-4 win over the world No. 24 Pablo Cuevas in a rematch of their Istanbul final.

The second seed will face No. 15 seed Kevin Anderson in the third round.

Rangers Reach Eastern Conference Final after Overtime Win over CapitalsIn the NHL Playoffs,The New York Rangers are through to the Eastern Conference final following a 2-1 overtime win over the Washington Capitals in New York on Wednesday.

The Rangers had trailed three-games-to-one in this series before making an improbable comeback to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals opened the scoring in the first period to put the visitors in front in the 13th minute.

New York will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the eastern final.

The West series features Anaheim and Chicago.

Entertainment"Monster hunt" releases Cannes postersHong Kong director Raman Hui's fairy tale adventure, "Monster Hunt" released two posters at the Cannes film festival.

"Monster Hunt", a fantasy film featuring a cute monster called Hu Ba and was reportedly inspired by a white carrot.

Raman Hui previously co-directed DreamWorks' "Shrek the Third", and the studio's other short animated films including "Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Furious Five" and "Scared Shrekless".

The director said he hopes "Monster Hunt"will become China's own "Shrek".

Bai Baihe and Jing Boran star in the film. Yao Chen and Tang Wei also have roles.

The film is currently in pro-production.

It will hit Chinese cinema on July 16.

Chinese director Xuzheng is to direct "Lost in India"Chinese director Xuzheng is to direct "Lost in India", after the success of his serial comedy film "Lost in Thailand" and "Lost in Hongkong".

"Lost in India" is adapted from Chinese writer Liu Zhenyun's novel, "A sentence in time saves a thousand" which is being called the Chinese version of "One hundred years of solitude".

The novel centers on lives of some normal people such as bean curd seller, donkey dealer, haircutter, and butcher. It focuses on their solitude and discusses the significance of lifeThe "Lost" series is actor Xu Zheng's directorial debut, in which he costars with Wang Baoqiang and Huang Bo.

With a budget of 30 million yuan, "Lost in Thailand" has been the most bankable Chinese film of all time.

The newest film, "Lost in India" will be filmed this November.

Oscar-winning French film-score composer named 2015 Icon by music-rights group BMIOscar-winning French film composer Alexandre Desplat has been named a BMI icon.

He's already won the Golden Globe, the BAFTA, the Grammy and the Oscar this year.

Desplat, the French film composer whose credits include films such as "The Queen," "The King's Speech" and the Academy Award-winning music for "The Grand Budapest Hotel," took home the top honor Wednesday at the 2015 Film and TV Awards hosted by Broadcast Music, Inc(BMI).

Desplat says there have been so many fantastic composers before him.

"It　(the award) only means something if you look at the previous recipients, at the composers who are part of the BMI. I was watching on the BMI archives, so you know that John Williams was a recipient of this award."The fifty-three year old received eight Academy Award nominations before winning an Oscar for "Hotel."　His upcoming works include scores for the period dramas "The Danish Girl" and "Suffragette," and "Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One," due next year.

'Crimson Peak' gets a new trailer"Pacific Rim"'s director Guillermo del Toro's forthcoming thriller "Crimson Peak" has released a new trailer.

The film is a gothic horror tale set in Cumbria, in a crumbling mansion in a largely rural and mountainous region of northern England in the 19th century. Young author Edith Cushing discovers that her charming new husband Sir Thomas Sharpe is not who he appears to be.

The film sees del Toro's return to his familiar territory of horror genre.

The director remains a master at blending genres and delivering eye-popping visuals using practical and computer-generated effects.

It will be produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Universal Pictures.

The film stars Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver.

It is scheduled to be released on October 16, 2015.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 15, same skies tomorrow with a high of 25.

Shanghai, rain with a low of 20, then scattered rain with a high of 24.

Chongqing will be overcast with a low of 21. Friday has showers and a high of 27.

Elsewhere in Asia,Kathmandu will be overcast with a high of 29,Islamabad, sunny, 44,Kabul, sunny, 30.

In Australia,Sydney will be cloudy with a high of 20,Brisbane, cloudy, 25,Perth will be cloudy with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

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

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

The Chinese president has met with India's Prime Minister in Xi'an...

The need for aid in Nepal is urgent, where the number of confirmed dead following the latest earthquake continues to rise...

And the Chinese ambassador to the United States tells media in Washington that America has no right to intervene in China's legitimate activities in the South China Sea...

Business: more weakness in the latest numbers regarding the Chinese economy...

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