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

Coming up on our program this morning...

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressing people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan...

China and Peru agreeing to conduct a feasibility study on a transcontinental railroad...

And Ireland becoming the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote...

In our weekly sci-tech feature.... A Russian phone maker appears on the Chinese market...

In Sports... the two Guangzhou teams tie up in their city derby over in the Chinese super league...

In Entertainment...Jackie Chan opening his own academy in Wuhan...

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]. Find us on WeChat by searching "thebeijinghour." You can also visit english.cri.cn for the latest news and information from China Radio International.

Top NewsChinese President Stresses People-to-People Exchanges between China and JapanAnchor:

Chinese President Xi Jinping has highlighted the role of people-to-people exchanges in promoting China-Japan relations while attending a gathering of over 3-thousand Japanese visitors in Beijing.

CRI's Sophie Williams reports.

Reporter:

While meeting with the Japanese delegation in the Great Hall of the People, President Xi Jinping encouraged more people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan.

"The China-Japan friendship is rooted in the people, and the future of the bilateral relationship is in the hand of the people of the two countries. The more obstacles we face in bilateral relations, the more we need to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, creating conditions to improve the bilateral relationship. The Chinese government supports these exchanges and hopes people from all walks of life, especially young people, can commit themselves to bilateral friendship."Recalling the long history of interaction between the two neighbors, President Xi said peace and friendship factor strongly in the collective mind of the two peoples.

He said the China and Japan should take history as a lesson and develop a mutual friendship:

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to ties with Japan. Despite the twists and turns in the bilateral relationship, we stand ready to work with the Japanese side to advance the neighborly friendship and cooperation between the two countries on the basis of the four political documents."The four documents refer to a set of agreements reached by China and Japan since 1972 that aim to advance bilateral relations.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary in the victory of Chinese People's Resistance War against Japanese Aggression, President Xi also stressed that any distortion of history is not acceptable.

"The aggression conducted by Japanese militarists has brought huge suffering to the Chinese people and cast a shadow over bilateral relations. Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future. I believe, not only people from China and other Asian countries invaded by Japan, but also the Japanese people with a sense of justice and conscience, will not allow any attempt to distort or beautify the history of invasion conducted by Japanese militarists."Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party's General Council who leads the delegation, offered a commitment to cement the China-Japan friendship.

"I hope our Chinese friends, led by President Xi Jinping, can help us to open a new chapter in the bilateral relationship. It's our mission to maintain peace and friendship between our countries. Japan is ready to join hands with China to make relentless efforts to promote bilateral relations."Japanese government officials, businessmen representing many sectors, and members of social organizations are in the 3-thousand strong delegation.

The Chinese and Japanese participants at the gathering have also issued a joint proposal to enhance people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in pursuit of the China-Japan friendship from generation to generation.

For CRI, I'm Sophie Williams.

Part of 3,000-Member Japanese Delegation Tours BeijingMeanwhile, a group of about 30 people from the Japanese delegation have toured Beijing's old residential areas on Saturday.

They saw traditional courtyards in downtown Beijing and traveled through the old alleyways on rickshaws.

One of the visitors says he was glad to see the ancient architecture being preserved for hundreds of years.

"Many Japanese are interested in Chinese classical novels. Many like to read the ones depicting society in the Qing Dynasty. I think modernization is important for China's development, but to preserve the hundreds-year-old buildings which embody the country's history and culture is also very important."Some of the delegates also expressed that the tour helped them to know more about China.

"We have rented our flats to many Chinese students in Japan. I communicate a lot with them and feel interested in their life. I came and see China in person this time, trying to find more about the country."The delegation arrived in China on Friday and divides into 80 groups to visit different parts of China.

They will be also visiting Tianjin, Hebei and Liaoning provinces.

China, Brazil, Peru Eye Transcontinental Railway MegaprojectAnchor:

During Premier Li Keqiang's visit in Lima, China and Peru have agreed to study the feasibility of a transcontinental railroad that will connect Peru's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coast.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara reports.

Reporter:

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang signed a raft of agreements in Peru on Friday, covering investment, education and hydropower. He was in Lima on the third leg of his Latin American tour.

But the most ambitious project on the agenda focused on building a transcontinental railroad between Brazil and Peru that could make it faster and cheaper to transport commodities from Latin America to China.

Premier Li has already signed an agreement with both Peru and Brazil to conduct a feasibility study on the project.

Li Keqiang says the rail-link is win-win for all sides.

"I hope this agreement will continue to bear fruit. We have maintained a conversation on a cross-continental railroad and we witnessed the signing of a memorandum for this project. During my tour in Brazil, I also signed a memorandum of this kind, for the construction of a bi-oceanic rail link that will further expand South America's connectivity, especially between the countries bordering the Pacific with Asia, strengthening trade contacts between the two sides."The proposed rail link, known as the "Twin Ocean Railroad", would connect Porto do A?u, a Brazilian Atlantic port, with Peru's Puerto Ilo on the Pacific Ocean along 3,300 miles of rail.

The project has an estimated cost of 10 billion US dollars and would take six years to complete.

Peruvian President Ollanta Humala says the project could be a major boost to Latin America's sluggish economies.

"This project consolidates Peru's political position as a natural gateway to the South American region (for China). This is an ambitious project that we're moving forward with and we're moving forward in a responsible way. Furthermore, we're taking concrete steps towards this project which is long-term and a multi-million dollar project that could consolidate and develop the local economies of Brazil, China and Peru."China is a major trading partner for both Brazil and Peru. Brazil is a top exporter of iron ore and soybeans to China, while the biggest share of Peruvian exports - primarily minerals like gold and copper - also go to the Chinese market.

In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $250 billion in investment in Latin America over the next 10 years as part of a drive to boost China's influence in a region long dominated by the United States.

Li will next head to Chile on the final leg of his Latin America tour.

For CRI I'm Poornima WeerasekaraEconomic exchanges booming between China and PeruAnchor:

Economic exchanges have been booming between China and Peru in recent years, with more and more Chinese companies eying the Latin American country, which has a Free Trade Agreement with China.

CRI's Min Rui reports.

Reporter:

The bilateral free trade pact between China and Peru took effect in 2010.

In the space of four years, China has become Peru's largest source of imports, exports and its largest trading partner, attracting more Chinese investors to the country.

Chinese Ambassador to Peru Huang Minhui attributes the fast growing trade to the close economic ties between the two countries.

"Peru is a country with open economic policies and [it] also has signed the FTA (free trade agreement) with China. Though it is the second Latin American country to sign the FTA with China, it is the first one to reach a free-trade pact package with China."More Peruvians have obtained access to Chinese products as more Chinese enterprises have entered the Peruvian market.

"I know some Chinese brands of electronic products which I'm interested in a lot, such as Lenovo, Xiaomi and Huawei."At present, over 100 Chinese-invested enterprises, in the sectors of mining, forestry, fishery and infrastructure, operate in Peru.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has set up a branch in Peru, becoming the first Asian bank in the country.

Xie Haichang, the president of Peru Bank under ICBC, says the free trade agreement has brought huge market potential for Chinese business operating in Peru.

"The economic and trade cooperation between China and Peru has developed rapidly. The trade volume has reached over 15 billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2014, and China's direct investment in Peru has reached 18 billion U.S. dollars in recent years. It has brought a lot of opportunities for our Chinese enterprises."During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Peru, the two governments also pledged to further cooperate in industrial capacity and equipment manufacturing.

The premier also called for closer financial cooperation between the two sides to explore suitable financing methods, trade settlement in local currencies, and a currency swap scheme.

For CRI, I'm Min Rui.

Young professionals study at Confucius school in PeruAnchor:

During his visit to Peru, the Chinese Premier has also visited the country' archeological museum with his Peruvian counterpart Pedro Cateriano.

The premier said that agricultural civilizations of Peru and China contributed to the development of human kind, and he pledged more cultural exchanges between the two countries.

As CRI's Guo Yan reports, the two countries are now enjoying increasing cultural exchanges, with more and more Peruvian people becoming interested in learning Chinese.

CRI's Guo Yan reports.

Reporter:

"I'm very interested in Chinese culture and l like studying Chinese very much."'I'm hugely interested in your culture . And I want to travel to China maybe I will go to see the Great Wall ''

"I want to go to work in China.""I want to study in China and I want to travel there."Ricardo Palma University is located in Lima, the capital of Peru, and is famous for its modern language studies.

It is the first university in South America to make Chinese-Spanish translation a major on its curriculum.

Rosa Flipchuk is the head of the Confucius school at the university.

With the support of the Confucius Institute, in 2011, a Chinese and Western Translation program was launched jointly by the Confucius Institute and the School of Modern Language at Universidad Ricardo Palma. In a 5 year term, students can get a comprehensive education of the study of interpretation and translation based on the two languages."The first group of students majoring in Chinese-Spanish translation are going to graduate next year.

Pan bingxin is a professor teaching Chinese at the school and says he is proud of his students.

"This is the ninth semester. The first students are due to graduate next fall as they will complete ten semesters. Their translation skills are generally acceptable. They have been studying in China for one year, so they have improved a lot in speaking and listening. The translation level of these students should be at level five of the HSK test, and some can reach level six."Rosa says China and Peru keep close contact in trade and the students could find positions in Chinese companies in Peru.

The trade relationship between China and Peru is very close, with more than a hundred more Chinese companies already running businesses in the Peruvian market. Students who are studying Chinese-Spanish translation can be employed in these Chinese companies after their graduation. As for these students, this means they can have a bright future. This works well for both China and Peru.

Also, these young translators are expected to help improve the bilateral relationship between the countries.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

Cross-Straits affairs chiefs meet in KinmenThe Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, Zhang Zhijun, is in Taiwan's Kinmen County for a two-day visit.

The county is two kilometers from the southern Fujian province on the mainland.

He has met with Taiwan's mainland affairs chief Andrew Hsia and called for efforts to avoid U-turns and self-inflicted setbacks to cross-Straits ties.

For his part, Hsia said the two sides should promote steady development of cross-Straits relations on the basis of the 1992 consensus.

The two also talked about Taiwan's joining of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and agreed to keep in touch to seek a way for the island to join the bank under a proper name.

They also pledged to facilitate the inking of a water supply contract, which enables Kinmen to receive water from Fujian province.

The two sides are in discussions regarding the water price and construction details.

Zhang Zhijun is scheduled to meet with Kinmen's county head and speak to people from all walks of life to learn about their opinions on cross-Straits exchanges.

Ireland Voteers say 'Yes' to Same-sex MarriageAnchor:

Ireland has become the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote.

CRI's London correspondent Duan Xuelian has more.

Reporter:

The result was announced in Dublin on Saturday.

62% of Irish came out in favor of legalising same-sex marriage, with 38% of voters against the proposal.

More than 60% of registered voters took part in this historic vote.

The Irish Prime Minister joined celebrations in Dublin after the result was announced to cheering crowds.

Enda Kenny said Ireland is sending a big message for equality around the world.

"With today's vote we have disclosed who we are. A generous, compassionate bold and joyful people. Yes to inclusion, yes to love, yes to equal marriage."LGBT rights have come a long way in Ireland.

Homosexuality was only decriminalized in 1993 and civil partnerships for same-sex couples were recognized in 2010.

Now, with the referendum passed, same-sex couples will be entitled to full constitutional protection.

Frances Fitzgerald, Minister for Justice and Equality from the Fine Gael Party said this is a success for LGBT people both legally and socially as they fight for equal rights around the world.

"A very strong yes vote, and a great burden off the shoulders of the LGBT community in Ireland. No more secrecy, no more hiding, a resounding yes to equality for same sex marriage. It's a proud day for Ireland."All major political parties in Ireland supported the constitutional amendment and the government plans to present draft legislation to lawmakers in the next few days.

For CRI, I'm Duan Xuelian in LondonIraqi Forces Recapture IS-held Town in Anbar ProvinceIraqi security forces and allied militias are moving toward the city of Ramadi after retaking control a small town in the east of the city from the Islamic militants.

The Ramadi city, capital of the largest Iraqi province of Anbar, fell in the hands of IS militants after deadly clashes last week.

The city is only some 110 km west of Baghdad.

The IS group has seized most of Anbar province and tried to advance toward Baghdad during the past few months, but several counter attacks by security forces and Shiite militias have pushed them back.

Syrian Antiquities Chief: IS Enters Palmyra MuseumThe Syrian antiquities chief on Saturday said Islamic State group fighters have entered the museum in the ancient city of Palmyra.

Mamoun Abdulkarim has also confirmed that the militants have raised their flag over the ancient citadel that overlooks some of the spectacular Greco-Roman ruins in the city.

Speaking at a press conference in Damascus, Abdulkarim said some modern plaster statues in the museum had been destroyed.

"They entered the museum, opened its doors, and destroyed some modern sculptures that were being used to represent life in prehistoric eras for educational purposes. Then they closed the doors behind them and placed their guards at the museum's entrance."Abdulkarim did not report any damage to antiquities in the building.

Both the citadel and the ruins are on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and before the war some 150,000 tourists a year visited Palmyra.

The Islamic State group has destroyed heritage sites in areas under its control in neighboring Iraq.

UN Calls for More Efforts to Support Iraqi and Syrian RefugeesThe United Nations is calling for a stronger international response to support Iraqi and Syrian refugees.

Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said altogether some 15 million people have been displaced by the conflicts in Iraq and Syria.

Guterres added that the impact of the refugees' crisis is putting neighbouring countries under enormous pressure.

"We cannot put only pressure on Lebanon and Jordan. We need to ask the international community to assume its responsibilities and to express its solidarity with these countries that are in the first line of impact of this dramatic situation."Guterres urged European countries to open their borders to refugees and create "more legal avenues" for people to reach Europe.

Cleveland officer Michael Brelo found not guilty in fatal shooting of two peopleA Cleveland police officer was found not guilty on Saturday of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of a man and a woman who led police on a 25-minute high-speed chase in 2012.

Judge John O'Donnell announced the verdict in the case of Officer Michael Brelo.

Brelo was also found not guilty of aggravated assault in the case.

"I find by a preponderance of the evidence that (Michael) Brelo's decision to use deadly force against (Timothy) Russell and (Malissa) Williams was based on probable cause to believe that they threatened imminent serious bodily harm to him and the other officers, not to mention the public. I therefore find that his initial decision to use force was constitutionally reasonable."The fatal shooting of the two unarmed African-American suspects, Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell, has increased a nationwide focus on the killings of unarmed black men by white police officers in various states across the country.

If convicted, Brelo would have faced three to 11 years in prison.

Man charged with espionage on state secrets in east ChinaLocal authorities in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, have recently charged a man suspected of spying on state secrets.

The man was charged of helping an overseas spy agency to collect information about one local army unit stationed in Suzhou.

The 24-year-old suspect, surnamed Gu says he was not aware that his act was in violation of the law.

"I didn't know it would cause such a serious impact. If I knew what it could do to me, to my country and to my family and friends, I wouldn't have done it."Gu posted a part-time job application online in 2013, which has caught the attention of one overseas spy agency, who hired him later to take pictures of some Chinese military facilities and offered him high payouts for this illegal activity.

Later the agency assigned more complicated missions to him and offered himmore money.

Early investigation shows Gu has provided 93 pictures, 33 marked maps, 25 satellite maps, and 29 interview reports with Chinese military secrets to the agency, earning more than 34,000 yuan for espionage.

The follow-up investigation is underway.

World's first bio engineered corneas put into mass productionThe world's first biological engineered corneas have been approved to be put into production, which is expected to help millions of people suffering from corneal blindness to see again.

The Acornea is a bio-engineered product developed in China through decades of research.

It was accredited with due qualification by the China Food and Drug Administration in late April.

Xie Lixin with Chinese Academy of Engineering says the biological corneas can work in people with eye-related diseases.

"We use animal's organs, such as pig's, since they are close to human being's. The second, the new cornea is bio-engineered, with cells and albumen being eliminated and only the scaffold is kept."He says the new biological corneas will reduce the demand for donor corneas, which are always in a critical shortage in China.

"There are 41 eye banks in China, but nothing can be found in most of them. Only 5,000 patients in the country can get corneal transplantation surgery every year. Why? Because the donor corneas are in acute shortage."In China, there are about three million patients queuing for corneal transplant surgeries in hospitals, with an increase of 100-thousand patients each year.

The new technology has reportedly been applied to 115 operations since 2010.

China sets up largest gold fundA gold sector fund was set up this weekend in northwest China's Xi'an City, during an ongoing forum on investment and trade.

The fund, led by Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE), is expected to raise an estimated 100 billion yuan or some 16 billion U.S. Dollars in three phases.

The fund will invest in gold mining in countries along the Silk Road, which will increase exploration in countries such as Afghanistan and Kazakhstan.

About 60 countries have invested in the fund, which will in turn facilitate gold purchase for the central banks of member states to increase their holdings of the precious metal.

WeatherBeijing will be sunny today with a high of 34 degrees Celsius.

Overnight it will be cloudy and temperatures will drop to 21.

Shanghai will be cloudy with a high of 26 and cloudy tonight with a low of 18.

In Chongqing it will be cloudy in the daytime with a high of 26 and overnight it will be overcast with the lowest temperature of 20.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will be sunny today with a high of 29.

Kabul will be sunny with a high of 20.

Over to North America,New York will be sunny with a high of 19 degrees.

Washington, also sunny, high of 23.

Honolulu, overcast, 27.

Toronto, Canada, will be sunny with a high of 22 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be rainy with a high of 18.

And Rio de Janeiro will be overcast with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChinese President Stresses People-to-People Exchanges between China and JapanChinese President Xi Jinping has highlighted the role of people-to-people exchanges in promoting China-Japan relations while attending a gathering of over 3-thousand Japanese visitors in Beijing.

Recalling the long history of interaction between the two neighbors, President Xi said peace and friendship factor strongly in the collective mind of the two peoples.

Toshihiro Nikai, chairman of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party's General Council who leads the delegation, offered a commitment to cement the China-Japan friendship.

Japanese government officials, businessmen representing many sectors, and members of social organizations are in the 3-thousand strong delegation.

Chinese premier says feasibility study to begin on South America's transcontinental railwayChina, Brazil and Peru have decided to conduct a feasibility study on a proposed transcontinental rail line connecting Peru's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coast.

The agreement was made during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's latin Americanvisit in Peru, where he had met with Peruvian President Ollanta Humala.

The two have also pledged to deepen bilateral cooepration based on existing free trade arrangements, and to advance cooperation in industrial capacity and equipment manufacturing.

Peru is the third leg of the premier's four-nation tour to Latin America after Brazil and Colombia. His final stop is in Chile.

Cross-Straits affairs chiefs meet in KinmenThe Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, Zhang Zhijun, is in Taiwan's Kinmen County for a two-day visit.

He has met with Taiwan's mainland affairs chief Andrew Hsia and called for efforts to avoid U-turns and self-inflicted setbacks to cross-Straits ties.

For his part, Hsia said the two sides should promote steady development of cross-Straits relations on the basis of the 1992 consensus.

The two also talked about Taiwan's joining of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and agreed to keep in touch to seek a way for the island to join the bank under a proper name.

Iraqi Forces Recapture IS-held Town in Anbar ProvinceIraqi security forces and allied militias are moving toward the city of Ramadi after retaking control a small town in the east of the city from the Islamic militants.

The Ramadi city, capital of the largest Iraqi province of Anbar, fell in the hands of IS militants after deadly clashes last week.

The city is only some 110 km west of Baghdad.

The IS group has seized most of Anbar province and tried to advance toward Baghdad during the past few months.

Ireland Voters say 'Yes' to Same-sex MarriageIreland has become the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote.

62% of Irish came out in favor of legalising same-sex marriage.

The Irish Prime Minister joined celebrations in Dublin after the result was announced to cheering crowds.

Enda Kenny said Ireland is sending a big message for equality around the world.

The government plans to present draft legislation to lawmakers in the next few days.

Sci&Tech (Sunday)Anchor:

It's time now for this week's science and technology feature.

The Russian-based YotaPhone has made its appearance on the Chinese market after Russian President Vladimir Putin gave one as a gift to President Xi Jinping at the APEC meeting in Beijing in November. A group of Chinese scientists have submitted a new Lupus drug to clinical trials. And some developers in Japan have invented the world's first eye-tracking virtual reality headset.

Let's catch all of that and more with CRI's Wenjie.

Reporter:

Russian-based YotaPhone has launched the newest edition of its smartphone series in Beijing.

CEO Vlad Martynov says the YotaPhone 2 is the only smartphone in the world to use a secondary E-ink screen.

The design is a standard smartphone on one side, and the other side is similar to an e-reader, such as a Kindle.

"We started three years ago with the idea that the interaction with smartphones could be much better than at this time. We was disrupted by a few things; first, if you read a lot from a smartphone, your eyes die quite fast, it is not easy on your eyes."The Android-based phone allows users to run apps on the e-reader screen as well, with a battery life up to five days.

The phone has already made waves in China after Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the first Yotaphone to President Xi Jinping as a gift at the APEC meeting in November in Beijing.

It's yet to be seen how it compares head-to-head against the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi.

YotaPhone 2 is relatively expensive, starting at the equivalent of about 800 US dollars.

Chinese tech giant Lenovo is teaming up with Alibaba group to sell televisions online.

It is Lenovo's latest attempt to catch up with market leaders like Xiaomi and LeTV.

Lenovo introduced a 55-inch TV that can play ultra-high definition and three-dimensional video contents.

The product is just under 3-thousand yuan, or around 480 US dollars, which is about 1-thousand yuan cheaper than Xiaomi's flagship TV.

Lenovo's TV will run on Alibaba's YunOS operating system, a four-year-old system seen only in a small number of devices.

Alibaba will also provide video and an online retail platform for the TV.

Lenovo will also partner with search engine giant Baidu and Shanghai-based BesTV to provide users more than 800-thousand hours of content.

A group of Chinese researchers have developed a new drug to treat Lupus.

The China Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug for clinical trials.

Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that can damage the joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain and blood.

Millions of people suffer from Lupus in China.

However, current clinical treatments rely heavily on the use of hormones, which can cause a series of side effects.

Zuo Jianping, a professor with the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, and his colleagues have spent 15 years working on the new drug from Chinese herbs.

"Our group is trying to develop a new drug from the traditional Chinese medicine herb or the natural products. So our new development of the new drug is from the artemisinin analogue. The drug candidate is water-soluble artemisinin."However, Zuo said it could take ten year or more the complete the clinical trials.

Should clinical tests prove successful, the new drug could be the first viable chemical drug against Lupus to enter the market since 1955.

Biorobotics researchers in France have created an aerial robot which could navigate autonomously by visual sights, just like the flying insects.

Inspired by research on honeybees, researchers at Aix-Marseille University's Institute of Movement Science created the BeeRotor.

BeeRotor is a tandem rotorcraft which stabilises itself by using an electronic eye similar to that of an insect.

Franck Ruffier is the co-head of the Biorobotics Research Group.

"So, the whole idea comes from this question that is a bit crazy which is; 'What does the insect do to stabilise (itself) without information on the orientation of the centre of the earth that is used by all mini drones, by all micro aircrafts up to the Ariane rocket?'"Unlike current drones, BeeRotor can adjust its speed and avoid obstacles without having to measure gravity, speed or altitude.

Current aircrafts use a complex system of sensors and estimators to measure all acceleration, including gravity, to help pilots plot their course.

Instead, BeeRotor uses 24 pixels to scan 24 different directions of space, which allow it to constantly realign its gaze and keep parallel to the nearest surface.

BeeRotor's eye works like an autopilot function in relation to the environment around it.

Experts found the eye-based reorientation system improved the performance of the aerial robot and its ability to avoid obstacles in unstable environments.

Even without an airspeed sensor, the rotorcraft showed it was able to adjust its pitch and speed, navigate autonomously and land safely.

BeeRotor measures 47 centimetres in length, weighs 80 grams and was built to mimic the body frame of an insect.

By using the BeeRotor, experts can create insect-scale aerial robots, thus access previously untouchable smaller areas.

Developers in Japan have invented world's first eye-tracking virtual reality headset, allowing users to interact with the environment just by looking at it.

The headset, called FOVE, uses eye-tracking technology to giver wearer an immersive and completely hands-free experience.

Lochlainn Wilson, FOVE's co-developer and chief technology officer, say their technology is very unique.

"Eye tracking is game-changing in VR. It allows for much more complex and subtle interaction than has been possible previously. By knowing exactly where the user is looking, characters in virtual reality can react to your gaze and return it naturally or avoid it or respond or question. But what really sets us apart is eye tracking, of course. So, with eye tracking we enable a whole new world of interaction in VR. We enable really sensitive emotional experiences that could only otherwise be experienced in real life."FOVE's eye-tracking technology uses two in-built cameras in the head mount to recognize the users' eye movement.

The next version of the device will use iris recognition to load user profiles.

The Tokyo-based start-up was founded by Wilson alongside CEO Yuka Kojima.

The makers of FOVE say the technology presents an opportunity to re-imagine various tasks and social interactions in areas like medicine and education.

Wilson says the technology could also benefit people with certain disabilities.

"There's a lot of people who could benefit from this technology; people who, for example, have limited freedom with their hands and cannot use computers very well. This can completely change that by giving them a private space that they can completely control themselves. And it might be use, like we've done it for playing musical instruments, also accessibility robots that are completely controlled by the users' eyes. So for profoundly disabled people suffering from advanced stages of ALS, for example, they can be given a window to see their family that they can manipulate, activate gestures and even type to speak using their eyes."The expected price point for a FOVE headset would be about 400 US dollars.

The company is now launching a crowd-funding campaign to perfect the product and start manufacturing its headsets.

Fast-food giant KFC has come up with a solution to keep its customers: a Bluetooth-powered tray mat with a built-in keyboard.

The keyboard, called the "Tray Typer", is only 4 millimetres thick, which is so light that it can be folded over.

The water-proof keyboard replaces the usual paper mats and can be recharged via a USB port.

Costumers only have to sync their devices with the keyboard using Bluetooth, which then allows you to reply messages without touching your phone during meals.

However, the keyboard was only available in several new restaurants in Germany.

And that brings us to the end of this week's science and technology report.

Thank you for listening and hope you enjoy the show.

I'm Wenjie. See you next week.

SportsChinese Super League recapIn the Chinese Super League last night,Guangzhou Evergrande and Guangzhou R&F tied their city derby at two goals apiece.

Miguel Herrero comfortably lobbed the ball into the net to give R&F a 1-0 lead at the 38th minute.

Gao Lin and Ricardo Goulart overturned the score 2-1 for Evergrande with their penalty kick and header.

Miguel Herrero scored the equalizer with another penalty kick just before time.

With the draw Guangzhou Evergrande have not had a victory in three games both at home and at the AFC Champions League.

But it didn't stop them from taking the lead in the League standing on goal difference.

Evergrande's former coach Marcello Lippi was in the audience to cheer on his boys.

In other action,Shangdong Luneng took out Shanghai Shenhua 2-0,Jiangsu Shuntian tied with Beijing Guo'an in a goaless game.

After eleven games Guangzhou Evergrande, Shandong Luneng, Shanghai SIPG and Beijing Guo'an are top four in the league with 22 points.

Bayern Munich celebrates Bundesliga titleSome more football action,Bayern Munich lifted their 25th Bundesliga trophy after a 2-0 win over Mainz.

Bayern secured the title early with four games left but were hoping to finish the season on a high note.

Robert Lewandowski and Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the two goals for the champions.

Bayern, initially hoping for triple crowns this season, lost the German Cup final and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals by Barcelona.

They also suffered three recent losses in the domestic campaign.

They will go on a summer tour in China and visit Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in July.

They will be playing Valencia, Inter Milan and Guangzhou Evergrande.

Lewis Hamilton wins pole at Monaco Grand PrixIn Formula One,Lewis Hamilton took his first pole position in Monaco as his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg blew his chance of a qualifying hat-trick.

Hamilton last won in Monaco seven years ago from third place with McLaren.

He couldn't hold back his joy at taking the pole after such a long time.

"I can't express to you just how happy I am. It wasn't the easiest session. I had a lot of things that kind of easily throw you off your rhythm. Which it did. I didn't have the rhythm until the last two laps. So I was really, really happy with it and coming across the line just hoping for once that you've got it. So this is incredibly special for me and for my guys who have worked so hard this weekend, so I'm very, very happy."Rosberg, winner of pole position for the last two Grand Prix, locked up the front wheels in the final quick lap and will start second.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel is third.

Monaco's narrow street circuit with tight bends provides little chance for overtaking. The race has been won from pole for the last six years.

Dongfeng Race Team leading transatlantic leg in Volvo Ocean RaceIn sailing,Chinese challengers Dongfeng Race Team are leading the fleet through the mid-Atlantic towards leg seven destination Lisbon in the Volvo Ocean Race.

The six boats were packed closely together for most of the time since departing from Newport, Rhode Island.

They swapped places and five of the six teams were leading at some point.

Dongfeng's Martin Stromberg was triumphant on Friday after passing Team Alvimedica and chasing after the leaders.

"The last day and a half we have been fighting with Alvimedica and just before I went down there yesterday we just managed to pass Alvimedica, and it has really been hard to pass. We have been fighting really hard to just pass through the wind shadow and in the end we made it and now we put some miles on them finally. It's good."Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, skippered by Briton Ian Walker, had a six-point lead in the overall standing with three legs left of the round-the-world offshore sailing marathon.

The fleet will have a short stop in Lisbon for boat maintenance before heading to France and Sweden for the final two legs.

The Volvo Ocean Race is scheduled to finish in Goethenberg in June.

NBA preview: Warriors-Rockets Game 3In the NBA playoffs,The Golden State Warriors take on the Houston Rockets for Game 3 of their Western Conference finals.

The warriors won the first two games at home and will play the next two in Houston.

They were not happy with the way they played in Game 2, where they let the rockets cut their 17-point lead with a big run.

While Golden State hold a firm 2-game cushion, it is a must-win for Houston, as point guard Jason Terry is already feeling the sense of urgency.

With MVP and 3-pointer record holder Stephen Curry on the court, along with some of the best shooters, a lot of long-range shooting can be expected from the game.

Vasil Kiryienka wins Giro stage 14, Alberto Contador back in pinkIn cycling,Team Sky's Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus won stage 14 at the Giro d'Italia as race favorite Alberto Contador reclaimed the overall lead.

Kiryienka set out early for the individual time trial in favorable conditions and owe his victory to tailwinds in part.

Rain also made Kiryienka's time of one hour, 17 minutes, 52 seconds unbeatable.

EntertainmentJackie Chan opens his own Academy in WuhanKung Fu star Jackie Chan is to serve as dean of his college, the Film and Television Academy in Wuhan.

The Jackie Chan Film and Television Academy of the Wuhan Institute of Design and Sciences was officially launched on May 20.

The actor said at the launch ceremony that he hoped to use his own experience in film and television to teach the next generation. It is also hoped that the teaching method will be more hands on rather than classroom based.

Zhang Guoli, Li Bingbing and director FengXiaogang have been recruited as visiting lecturers at the school.

The institute currently offers undergraduate courses in animation, performances and digital media.

Eurovision song contest held in ViennaThe Eurovision Song Contest has just drawn to a close in the Austrian capital Vienna with Sweden taking the crown.

After all of the performances had drawn to a close, Sweden were hotly tipped to win closely followed by Italy and Russia.

Sweden’s entry was an electro song sung by Mans Zelmerlow accompanied by on stage animation.

The annual musical extravaganza was watched by more than 195 million people in 40 countriesTo mark 60 years since the first Eurovision in 1955, Australia had been given a wild card entry. Eurovision is extremely popular in Australia with 3 million people tuning in last year to watch the performances.

Melissa Watson, travelled from Melbourne to Vienna with a group of friends to cheer on the Australian entry.

Yeah, we've come from Melbourne Australia to support Guy, it's really, really big time for us 'cause we are finally in Eurovision, we've been invited, we are guests so it's really cool. It's taken us ages, I mean it's a big trip but it's really exciting to be here.”

Sweden’s win means that the country will hold next year’s competition.

Bon Jovi awarded honorary degreeRock star Jon Bon Jovi has been awarded an honorary degree from Rutgers University for his philanthropic work.

The musician founded his Soul Foundation and Soul kitchen which houses and feeds the homeless in 2006.

In his speech to fellow graduates he told them that it's okay not to have a plan after graduation.

"Life is a long, bumpy road, but that makes for an exciting ride. Choose a direction and if the road turns, turn. If there's a fork in the road, take it. It's OK to map out you future, but do it in pencil."Following his speech he performed a song he wrote for the ceremony called reunion.

This isn't Bon Jovi's first honorary degree. In 2001 he was awarded one from New Jersey's Monmoth University.

Former X Factor Contestant Sueing the show's production companiesA former contestant of US talent show 'The X Factor' is suing the production companies of the programme as she says her audition was altered.

Sally Hessnice auditioned for the show in front of a live audience two years ago and claims that producers of the series changed the recording of her performance to depict her in a bad light.

The former contestant says her voice was altered to sound unprofessional, footage of the audience reaction was changed from positive to footage of a disinterested audience and the judges' comments were re-filmed to show a negative response.

Hessnice who is a professional singer by day, says her reputation has been tarnished and is requesting a payout of $2 million in damages and an injunction against the use of the footage.

Tomorrowland outperformed by Pitch Perfect 2 at US Box OfficeDisney's latest film Tomorrowland is being outperformed at the US box office this Memorial Day holiday by Pitch Perfect 2.

Tomorrowland was expected to open with around $45 million but now looks likely to bring in less than $40 million giving the Pitch Perfect sequel a narrow edge with $41 million.

George Clooney's latest film has received mixed reviews with an average score of 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is partly based on Walt Disney's philosophy of innovation and a section of Disneyland.

Pitch Perfect 2 has done well at the US Box Office earning more in its opening weekend than the first film took in its entire North American run.

Meanwhile Disney Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron is still doing well and is about to hit a North American total of $410 million.

WeatherBeijing will be sunny today with a high of 34 degrees Celsius.

Overnight it will be cloudy and temperatures will drop to 21.

Shanghai will be cloudy with a high of 26 and cloudy tonight with a low of 18.

In Chongqing it will be cloudy in the daytime with a high of 26 and overnight it will be overcast with the lowest temperature of 20.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will be sunny today with a high of 29.

Kabul will be sunny with a high of 20.

Over to North America,New York will be sunny with a high of 19 degrees.

Washington, also sunny, high of 23.

Honolulu, overcast, 27.

Toronto, Canada, will be sunny with a high of 22 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be rainy with a high of 18.

And Rio de Janeiro will be overcast with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

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

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressing people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan...

China and Peru agreeing to conduct a feasibility study on a transcontinental railroad...

And Ireland becoming the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote...

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