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

Coming up on our program this morning...

A top Chinese official opening up the China-US young makers expo in the US city of Pittsburgh...

Activities being held across China to mark the Dragon Boat Festival...

And US Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pushing for gun control in the wake of a massacre at a historic black church in the city of Charleston...

In our weekly sci-tech feature.... Deep-sea drilling taking place in the South China Sea...

In Sports... team China take on Cameroon in the Women's World Cup....

In Entertainment...a star of the show "Empire" being honored at the Black Aids Institute gala in Los Angeles...

Top NewsVice Premier Liu Yandong Launches the 2nd China-US Young Maker Competition in PittsburghAnchor:

A top Chinese official is now in the US city of Pittsburgh to promote inter-personal exchanges ahead of next week's China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

CRI's He Fei reports from Pennsylvania.

Reporter:

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong, the Chinese government's point-person on people-to-people exchanges between China and the US, has made a stop in Pittsburgh to help launch this year's China-US Young Maker Competition.

The competition, the 2nd of its kind, tasks young people to come up with concepts to promote community development, education and environmental protection which can benefit both the United States and China.

"Today, innovation is an unstoppable trend. It is the driving force for the world's development. Regardless if you're from China or the US, originality and entrepreneurship are key for young people. Both China and US agree that there is great potential for cooperation when it comes to originality and development."Johnathan Kenneson is one of those taking part in this year's Young Maker's Competition.

The University of Pittsburgh sophomore says he's fascinated by the prospect of working with people from China.

"I think we need further the connection between the two countries. Being able to see from a different point of view than your own, especially from half way across the world, it's quite an amazing thing."The Young Maker Competition has been established as a way to help narrow the cultural gap between China and the United States.

However, it has also developed into a forum where those already versed in one-another’s cultures can come together to share ideas.

Frank Dolce is an MBA student at the University of Pittsburgh.

Already fluent in Mandarin, Dolce is among a growing number of people in the United States who are advocating for more social connections between the two sides.

"We need more exchange programs. So the more Chinese people that come to America, and the more Americans that go to China the better. I mean that's the bottom line and there is not enough."The launch of this year's China-US Maker Competition is a prelude to the forthcoming China-US Consultations on People-to-People Exchanges.

Chinese vice-Premier Liu Yandong will co-host the sessions in Washington, which are part of the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue between the two sides.

Ahead of her time in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, Liu Yandong is also making a stop-over in Houston, Texas.

For CRI, I'm He Fei in Pittsburgh.

Various Folk Activities Held to Celebrate Dragon Boat Festival in ChinaAnchor:

Various folk activities have been held across China to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, which fell on Saturday this year.

CRI's Wang Wei reports.

Reporter:

Racing of traditional longboats is the centerpiece celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival across the country.

Hou Shaoqiang, a spectator in a local dragon boat racing in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, says the atmosphere is good.

"I was absorbed in the race, and the atmosphere makes me want to join the game myself."Dragon Boat festival commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a poet and minister from the Warring States period who committed suicide in a river in central China.

The boat racing tradition originates from the fishermen who raced to save the fallen statesman.

With the wide popularity of the traditional cultural activity in modern times, even more and more foreigners are fascinated with it.

Lobo, a young man from Bulgaria, attended a dragon boat race in Shanghai.

"We are here for a second time, the last year was again the game from this event. And we are like this event of dragon boat, because the dragon boat is a very new discipline in our country. "In Hong Kong, a grand dragon boat race was held, with about 4-thousand competitors of over four hundred teams from all over the world.

Eating zongzi, a sticky rice delicacy wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, is also an indispensable part of the festival.

In a community in northeast China's Liaoning Province, volunteers taught younger community workers how to make zongzi.

A resident shared her ideas about the experience.

"We joined in this activity to learn making zongzi from the elders. Before, we didn't know how to make zongzi, and usually bought and ate the ready-made ones. Through this activity today, we have learned the skills of making zongzi, and will pass this great Chinese cultural tradition to next generations."Also in Liaoning, children in a kindergarten have learned about the art of making zongzi from a group of skilled residents.

The children also wore five-color threads, also known as long-life thread, on their wrists to mark the festival.

In east China's Jiangxi Province, people are celebrating the holiday with another form of activity, Caijie, which literally means walking on streets.

But it also means more than that.

Over one-thousand people paraded in over 30 formations, holding various folk goods.

Meanwhile, activities like dragon worshiping, evil spirit dispelling and swimmers scrambling to catch a duck were also held as parts of the festivity.

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most important traditional holidays here in China, falling on the fifth day in the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

For CRI, I'm Wang Wei.

Chinese E-Sellers into RussiaAnchor:

As online shopping quickly grows around the world, leading Chinese online retailers are taking a stride into the Russian market.

CRI's Yu Yang has the story.

Reporter:

In his speech to this year's St. Petersberg International Economic Forum, Alibaba's President Jack Ma highlighted the role of the internet in changing people's life and encouraged young Russians to start their own business online.

"15 years ago, nobody had heard of Google, iPhone, Facebook, Yandex and alibaba. But today, it seems so many people cannot live if there is no such a company existing there. What's the magic behind it? I think it's because of the internet. If I were a Russian young people, use internet, create something and sell something online, the future is going to be good. And I and Alibaba will do anything to support young people and small businesses."It's widely believed that Ma's speech is also a promotion for his firm's expansion in Russia.

Since entering Russia three years ago, Alibaba's global retail platform Aliexpress has seen robust development in the country and soaring popularity among young locals.

Mark Zavadskiy is Chief Business Development Officer of Aliexpress' Russian branch.

"Despite the current economic difficulty in Russia, Alibaba is confident about the role of the Russian market in Europe. Over the past three years, Aliexpress has grown rapidly. Now, we have become the most popular online shopping platform in Russia and ranked 9th among all websites in the country that also include Yandex and Facebook."About a month ago, as its latest step to tap into local market, Alibaba opened its representative office in Russia in a bid to facilitate goods purchase and delivery and the payment system integration.

Ali is not the only Chinese online seller eyeing the potential of the Russian market.

Recently, cross-border trade platform Osell opened an exhibition hall in Moscow and began to regularly hold promotional activities for its Russian and Chinese users.

Vice president of Osell, Su Mingpu.

"Experience activities will be held at least twice a month under different themes to set up a bridge between buyers and sellers of consumer goods and industrial products. In China's emerging export destinations like Russia, Brazil, India and Dubai, establishing a display platform or a local partnership is helpful for a Chinese enterprise to explore the local market."Facing the fast rise of Chinese firms, Boris Titov, chairman of the Russian part of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development, suggests there be more native competitors.

"Giant companies like Alibaba have dominated the e-commerce market. It's foreseeable that great changes will happen to the market system and most trade in the future will be completed through internet-based enterprises. It's the direction of trade development. Russia also needs to foster Alibaba-like companies to compete with Chinese traders."Currently, internet service covers about 70 percent of the Russian population, while online shopping accounts for less than 3 percent of the country's retail sector, which many believe leaves huge room for the growth of Chinese companies.

For CRI, I'm Yu Yang.

Clinton Calls for Gun ControlUS Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has made a plea for stronger background checks for gun buyers in the wake of the deadly church shooting in South Carolina earlier this week.

In an address to the annual meeting of the US Conference of Mayors in San Francisco, Clinton called for bipartisan action to tighten gun controls.

"It makes no sense that bipartisan legislation to require universal background checks would fail in congress despite overwhelming public support. It makes no sense that we couldn't come together to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers or people suffering from mental illnesses. Even people on the terrorist watch list. That doesn't make sense and it is a rebuke to this nation we love and care about."Clinton's plea comes on the heels of President Barack Obama's renewed push for gun control.

Also addressing the meeting, Obama urged tighter gun-control legislation despite a reluctance among federal lawmakers.

A series of mass shootings, including a school shooting three years ago in which 20 young children died, have put a spotlight on the laxity of US gun laws.

Efforts to tighten legislation in recent years have faltered due to opposition mainly from Republican lawmakers.

Dylann Roof, a 21-year old white man, was arrested on Thursday and charged with the murders of nine African-Americans at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston.

Roof could be sentenced to death if he is convicted, and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has urged prosecutors to seek capital punishment.

Lavrov Blasts Belgium for Asset FreezeRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said the seizure of Russian state property in Belgium and other European countries was a "gross violation of all Vienna Conventions on diplomatic relations.""Surely, there will be reciprocity, and as in any situation pertaining to international affairs, reciprocity can be positive when others do good for you and you respond in the same way, yet in this case the reciprocity will be negative."Lavrov was speaking in St. Petersburg on Saturday, a day after the Russian Economic Forum.

Russian accounts in France and Belgium were frozen on Thursday as part of an effort to enforce a 50 billion US dollar judgment to compensate shareholders of the now-defunct Yukos oil company.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to downplay the freeze and said that Russia will contest it.

Putin argued that the arbitration court in The Hague, Netherlands, which issued the ruling last year, does not have jurisdiction over Russia.

Demo in Europe in Support of GreeceRallies have been staged in major cities of Europe just two days ahead of a critical summit of eurozone leaders over the Greek Debt crisis.

In Paris, Far-left activists and supporters of the French Communist Party called the march in support of the debt-ridden Greek people.

Pierre Laurent, Head of French Communist party, on the rally.

"It's about knowing whether a vote, the democratic choice of the people - the Greeks today but maybe another one in the future -　is the guiding law or if it's the rule of austerity of the financial markets that governs the people."In Berlin, thousands of protesters marched on the streets, carrying banners reading "United against austerity: For a social Europe" and "Debt slaves no more".

"I would like for Greece, for this government, to be allowed to do what they were elected to do, namely to restructure the economy and improve its infrastructure. They will need time and help, just like Germany did after World War Two."Greece's new radical leftist government is in a stand-off with international creditors to reach a loan deal to avoid defaulting on debt payments at the end of the month.

Without the bailout, Greece could be headed for bankruptcy or an exit from the 19-nation eurozone.

But many experts agree that a default is inevitable in the long run and that the current policy only helps prolong interest payments to debt holders.

Anti-austerity Protest in LondonThousands of protesters gathered to march through central London on Saturday to demonstrate against the newly re-elected government's plans for public spending cuts.

Protesters argue the public is being punished for a crisis it did not cause.

Labour Party leadership contender, Jeremy Corbyn, says a fall in living standards in the past five years needs to be addressed.

"The government has got to collect the taxes properly, it has to collect the corporate taxation levels properly and it has to tax the very wealthiest fairly and also ensure that employers make a fair contribution by paying proper levels of wages, we've gone through five years of falling wages and five years of falling living standards, it's not right, not necessary, not fair."Britain's Conservatives unexpectedly won an outright parliamentary majority in a national election last month.

Since winning the election, finance minister George Osborne has said he wants government departments to make extra cuts this year and to commit future governments to run budget surpluses during normal economic times.

Britain's debt ballooned after the nation rescued banks during the 2008 financial crisis, under a Labor government.

French foreign minister in Egypt trying restart Israel-Palestine peace talksFrench Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is meeting with Arab and Egyptian officials in Cairo in an effort to reignite the Israel-Palestine peace talks.

This comes after the collapse of the U.S.-led efforts to broker peace for a two-state solution in 2014 and a worsening situation in the region.

In meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Fabius said it's important to get the parties involved start the peace talks.

"We have to do everything we can so that the parties involved start the negotiations again. In the past, this aspect has been misunderstood, it's not about making peace without the parties, it's about inciting the parties involved to make peace. This isn't the same thing."For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri believes more work needs to be done in meeting new challenges.

"The challenges that the region is witnessing require both Egypt and France to exert more coordination and cooperation to overcome these challenges that face us both. In this context, we are worried about the peace process situation."Fabius also met with an Arab ministerial committee formed last March during the Arab League summit and tasked with ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Paris hopes to persuade the international community to pressure both sides to make compromises that neither wants to make alone.

France has so far focused with the Arab states on a possible U.N. Security Council resolution that would set negotiating parameters and establish a time period to complete talks.

Washington has made clear it will not discuss the Middle East process until the Iran situation is clear, which could delay French moves beyond September.

World Refugee Day takes places against backdrop of worsening global crisisAnchor:

A new report by the UN High Commission for Refugees says that last year, an average of 42-thousand 5-hundered people became refugees, asylum-seekers or were internally displaced each day.

As it marked the World Refugee day on Saturday, the United Nations says the world must collectively shoulder the burden of helping this victims of war.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara reports.

Reporter:

Stark warnings over the inability of the international community to cope with record numbers of refugees forced to flee war zones provided the grim backdrop to events marking World Refugee Day on Saturday.

According to the UN High Commission for Refugees almost 60 million have been displaced by conflict and persecution around the world. More than half of them are children.

This makes every 1 in 122 people in the world a refugee, an internally displaced person or an asylum seeker.

Angelina Jolie, the UN Special Envoy for refugees says the current international refugee crisis is caused by a breakdown in global security and governance.

"Our world has never been richer or healthier or more advanced yet never before had so many people been dispossessed and stripped of their basic human rights. We should call this what it is. This is not just a refugee crisis, but a crisis of global security and governance that is manifesting itself in a world refugee crisis that is the worst ever recorded. This is a time, we are living at a time of mass displacement."Jolie visited a Refugee camp in Midyat near Turkey's border with Syria that has seen a massive influx of people fleeing persecution by the Islamic State, to mark World Refugee day on Saturday.

Last year, Turkey overtook Pakistan as the biggest refugee-hosting nation in the world, largely as a result of conflict in Iraq and Syria, where the war has entered its 5th year.

Turkey now hosts more than 2 million refugees and spends more than US$6 billion on helping Syrians alone.

Ahmad Lubbadah, a Syrian Refugee at the camp says he is dreaming of the day when he can return home.

"Today, we have lost our country. Our houses have been demolished and our children have been killed. We hope that we will be back home soon and that the situation will become stable. This is what I want."With nearly four million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, a heavy toll has been placed on the local population. Basic infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and water supplies, has been placed under enormous strain.

It is less wealthy developing countries that host 86 per cent of the world's refugees.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres warned that the scale of the current crisis was overwhelming international humanitarian organizations, and was threatening to destabilize the poorer host nations.

But some countries that have the capacity to help are instead shutting their gates to people seeking asylum.

More people have been forced to flee their homes last year than at any time since the United Nations started keeping records, and they predict the situation was likely to worsen still further.

For CRI, I'm Poornima Weerasekara.

International Yoga Day InauguratedAnchor:

The health benefits of yoga have been recognized by the United Nations and are to be celebrated with an annual International Day of Yoga across the world that falls today.

CRI's Guo Yan reports.

Reporter:

People across India have been practicing their sun salutations, mudras and breathing techniques ahead of the inaugural International Yoga Day.

Every morning, many groups of elderly residents gather across Mumbai to breathe in unison and stretch their arms and legs to achieve a sense of wellbeing and peace.

Ram Bhavnani, a yoga enthusiast.

"It's a very good thing because in the whole world they have been celebrating Mother's Day, then Daughter's Day… many other occasions are there, and to celebrate this yoga I think it will put India on the world map."Yoga has been practiced in India for centuries, many of the names of the asanas, or poses, come from the ancient language of Sanskrit.

Prabha Garg says her daily yoga practice helps to keep her youthful.

"I am devoted to yoga. I do yoga every day. Would you believe I am now 75 years old and by the grace of God I have no disease."Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a day dedicated to yoga during his speech to the United Nations' annual assembly of world leaders last September.

The resolution was co-sponsored by a record 177 countries and adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 11, 2014.

Professional practitioners say modern yoga practice, with synchronized breathing and body movements, has the ability to improve physical fitness and mental wellbeing.

Physical trainer and professional body builder Karuna Waghmare runs a fitness studio.

She says that contrary to popular perception, yoga is the "most difficult" form of exercise.

"You need lot of focus, you need lot of concentration, and this is the only form of exercise where you connect your mind, body, soul - all three together."Since yoga techniques trace their origins to ancient Hindu scriptures, some Muslim groups say the practice is against Islam.

But many other Muslims disagree and say that the physical discipline of yoga transcends religious identities and makes you calmer and healthier.

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj says participation in Yoga Day events will be voluntary, but she hopes a large number of people will come out and demonstrate their yoga skills.

"It should be with one's own willingness and intent that people come and participate, and this is our primary message."For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

China's updated shipbuilding guidelines allows for military use of civilian vesselsThe Chinese government has drafted a new set of technical guidelines to help shipbuilders conform to the new rules connected to boat building in the country.

Under new policy requirements released by the government earlier this month, all new ships built in China have to be designed so they can be easily converted for military use if needed.

WeatherBeijing, a mix of sun and cloud today with a high of 32 degrees Celsius; tonight clear with a low of 19.

Shanghai is wet today with a high of 26 and, tonight cloudy with a low of 22 degrees Celsius.

Chongqing, overcast with a high of 29; tonight will see showers a low of 23 degrees Celsius.

Lhasa will have showers with a high of 24 and a low of 10 degrees Celsius.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad, rainy, 34.

Kabul, cloudy, 28.

Over in North America,New York will see slight rain with a high of 32 degrees Celsius.

Washington, also wet, 34.

Honolulu, wet, 27.

Toronto, also wet, 25.

In South America,Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 15.

And Rio de Janeiro, also cloudy, with a high of 23.

Headline newsVice Premier Liu Yandong Launches the 2nd China-US Young Maker Competition in PittsburghChinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong has made a stop in Pittsburgh to help launch this year's China-US Young Maker Competition.

The competition, the 2nd of its kind, tasks young people to come up with concepts to promote community development, education and environmental protection which can benefit both the United States and China.

The launch of this year's China-US Maker Competition is a prelude to the forthcoming China-US Consultations on People-to-People Exchanges.

Chinese vice-Premier Liu Yandong will co-host the sessions in Washington, which are part of the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue between the two sides.

Chinese vice premier wraps up Russia trip with big investment projectsChinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli has concluded his trip to Russia after the two countries reached deals on a number of large-scale investment projects.

The two sides have witnessed the signing of a contract between Chinese and Russian companies to design a high-speed railway link between Moscow and the southeastern Russian city of Kazan.

The vice premier has also stressed that China and Russia should launch and broaden cooperation on currency swaps as well as local currency settlement, investment and financing.

Russia was the first leg of Zhang's four-nation trip, which will also take him to Lithuania, Serbia and Kazakhstan.

33 killed by fake bootleg liquor in Mumbai33 people are dead and numerous others are in the hospital after drinking bootleg liquor in India.

The exact number of people sickened by the poisonous brew hasn't been confirmed.

The fake alcohol was sold out of a slum in the Indian financial hub, Mumbai.

Local authorities are launching a full investigation.

So far 3 people are under arrest in connection with the incident.

Doctors are treating around 20 people said to be in critical condition for Methanol poisoning.

Russia and Greece Sign Joint Energy DealRussia and Greece have signed a deal to build an extension of a prospective gas pipeline that would carry Russian gas to Europe through Turkey.

Russia promised Greece hundreds of millions of dollars in transit payments yearly if it agreed to build the pipeline.

Construction of the pipeline is expected to start next year and be completed before 2020.

Asia GDP growth at 6 pct: ADBThe Asian Development Bank estimates the overall GDP growth of Asian countries for 2015 will be around 6 percent, making it once again the fastest-growing continent in the world.

Wei Shangjin, chief economist of the ADB, says the growth speed in the northeast and mid-west of the continent is dropping, but the southwest is seeing better growth prospects.

Wei has attributed the slowdown in Chinese economy to demographic structural changes, rising labor costs and the impact of international economic cycles.

Sci&TechThis week-Deep-sea drilling is taking place in the South China Sea.

Low-emission Helicopters and Electric Planes highlight the Paris Air Show.

And a new study suggests a novel imaging technique could help doctors remove brain tumors more effectively.

Lets catch all the latest with CRI's Wenjie.

China's first home-grown submersible deep-sea driller has completed its first trial run last weekend.

The driller, called "Sea Bull", drilled 60 meters into the seabed 3-thousand meters underwater in the South China Sea.

The six-meter tall Sea Bull weighs eight tons and has a circumference of 10 meters.

It went through rigorous compression tests before Sunday's trial.

Luo Bowen is the associate professor of Marine Resources Exploring Equipment Laboratory of Hunan University of Science and Technology.

"In the high pressure chamber of our lab, all these items will go through a test of 50 Mpa. Then they can withstand water pressure under 5,000 meters."The Sea Bull has 24 drill rods as its weapons, each measuring 2.5 meters long.

Huang Xiaojun is the professor of Marine Resources Exploring Equipment Laboratory of Hunan University of Science and Technology.

"We have designed three kinds of drill rods. One is for hard rocks, the other for soft rocks mainly consisting of sediments. The last one is for drilling without taking any samples."It took the Sea Bull 10 hours to drill 60 meters into the seabed to collect samples.

Zhou Yangrui, leader of the Sea Bull inspection team, says the success will significantly boost Chinese deep sea technology.

"The successful experiment means that we have independently collect samples in deep water. This technological application will significantly promote our technologies in deep sea marine geological science and geotechnical engineering."China is now the fourth country in the world to have the technology.

Chinese space authorities have announced plans to develop an electronic propulsion system for its satellites.

The Chinese Academy of Space Technology says it expects to launch its first satellite with the new technology in the next 5-years.

Electronic propulsion involves using electricity to stimulate the particles of a satellite's propellant, normally Xenon gas, to generate thrust.

The advantage is that it can make the satellites much lighter than using conventional propellant technology.

It can also extend the life of a satellite for many more years.

The one drawback in the technology is that electronically-induced propulsion technology is slower than conventional methods, meaning it will take longer to move the satellites into different orbits.

The second Chinese Robotics Conference has recently been held in Tianjin.

One of the key highlights of the event is the household robot by a research unit promoted by the National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone in the city.

When the robot was unveiled, a representative of the team gave the following explanation of its features.

"You can use the remote control access and take control of the robot. It communicates with members of the household and the information from the conversation can be used to help family leader monitor the elderly and infants. These functions help it give your home added safety."This cute miniature robot assistant is able to participate in educational dialogue with children, set reminders, take pictures and be remotely controlled by the user despite them not being home, offering them surveillance pictures of their home.

Ben Proctor is a British Computer Science Major at Brunel University in London.

"Robotic's is a fascinating part of computer science right now, after i read about the news in Tianjin. I was really interested to see how robotics is advancing in China, and I firmly believe that robots will eventually change the way we manage our households."Besides, this cute, mini house keeping robot can be integrated with other technology.

This robotic device is controllable via a third party software, such as a smartphone or tablet device.

British Computer Science major Ben Proctor also believes in significance of integrating robot technology.

"The integration of technology is also incredible, the fact that new third party hardware can now easily be controlled by an ipad or a smartphone, means when these products hits the market they will be easily accessible to the user."Other products shown off at the products exhibition included robots that are able to do household chores such as hovering, cleaning windows and wiping tables.

The National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone in Tianjin is looking to build 10 more intelligent manufacturing sites, promote intelligent manufacturing equipment.

They also hope to start 50 new technology start-up enterprises. The investment being put into this field will allow for rapid advancement in international robotics.

A U.S. study shows that a new imaging technology can help surgeons take out as much brain tumor as possible.

The technology, called quantitative optical coherence tomography, or OCT, is expected to improve survival time for brain cancer patients.

Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa is the clinical leader of the research team at the Johns Hopkins University.

He says that if a neurosurgeon takes out too little of a brain tumor, the cancer could come back; too much, and the patient can be permanently disabled.

He also points out that OCT can provide surgeons with a color-coded map of a patient's brain showing which areas are and are not cancer.

The OCT was first developed in the early 1990s for imaging the retina.

It operates on the same echolocation principle used by bats and ultrasound scanners.

But it uses light rather than sound waves and generates a higher-resolution image than ultrasound does.

The 51st Paris Air Show has opened at the Le Bourget airfield out Paris this week.

Low emission helicopters and electric planes displayed at the show provide a glimpse of greener and cleaner future for aviation.

Airbus is displaying its E-Fan electric plane, which the company claims has zero carbon dioxide emissions.

Didier Esteyne is an E-Fan test pilot.

"Starting from now, from 2015 and in the following years we will be capable to make and fly purely electrical planes, without CO2 exhaust and with an extremely reduced noise impact, and that is a very important environmental challenge".

Airbus is currently developing two-seat and four-seat versions of the plane, aiming to release the two-seat pilot trainer in 2017 as the first electric plane to meet international certification standards.

The company intends on marketing the small planes for entry-level pilot training, which Esteyne maintains will be more efficient with regards to costs.

But Jean Botti, the Chief Technical Officer of Airbus, says the company has even greater ambitions for the future.

"Our objective here is to make a hybrid - electric hundred seater for the future, it will be original aircraft, and this electric power aircraft could be (available) within fifteen years; we are hoping to make a prototype that will be visible and functional."Also on show in Paris is Airbus' H160 helicopter, a prototype expected to go on the market in 2018.

It will go on offshore oil-and-gas missions, search-and-rescue missions, and be used for first class travel.

Airbus anticipates the new helicopter will burn 15 to 20 percent less fuel than its competitor, the Agusta Westland AW139.

Airbus aims to begin taking orders for the new helicopter next year.

The event will display 150 airplanes from over 40 countries and run until 21st this month.

And that concludes this week's sci&tech report, I'm Wenjie, see you next week!

SportsChina Face Cameroon in Women's World Cup (update)In the Football Women's World Cup,China is now on the pitch against Cameroon for a place in the last 8. (Scores live)China is playing without coach Haowei, who is suspended from this match for interfering their final Group A encounter against New Zealand on Tuesday.

But Chinese captain, Wu Haiyan says with the gameplan already laid out, Hao's absence won't impede team China:

"We have a coaching team and every coach is working together with us for every match, not just our head coach. Nevertheless, our head coach has delivered his game strategy in training, so we can carry out his game plan in the competition, if not necessarily with his presence by the field."Cameroon made history in qualifying for round 16 after beating Ecuador and Sweden.

Captain Christine Nanie says if they stick to the gameplan, Cameroon will continue their impressive run:

"We have to stay focus and we have to keep together.　If we follow the coach's advice, it can work and it's what happened.　What we achieved here is history and we are making history. We are happy to be here and we can dream about quarter final, why not?"This is their first meeting in history.

Chinese Super League RecapIn the Chinese Super League,Guangzhou Evergrande defeated Shandong Lunenga 2-1 in Jinan on Saturday.

Zou Zheng and Zheng Long each netted a goal for Guangzhou.

This marks their first win under new coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Shandong played without head coach Cuca, who is serving his 7-month ban.

With the victory, Guangzhou Evergrande climbed to top of the league standings with 29 points.

In other action,Beijing Guo'an beat regional rivals Tianjin Teda 3-nil.

Hangzhou Greentown beat Jiangsu Sainty 2-1.

Chongqing Lifan beat Guangzhou 2-1.

Shanghai Shenhua beat Liaoning Whowin 3-1.

Henan Jianye blanked Shanghai Shenxin 5-nil.

And on tap for tonight,Guizhou take on Shijiazhuang.

Liverpool Sign England U-19 Defender Gomez from CharltonIn off-pitch football news from the English Premier League,Liverpool announced the signing of England U-19 defender Joe Gomez from Charlton Athletic on a five-year deal on Saturday.

It's reported that Liverpool had paid 4.9 million euros for the central defender.

The 18-year-old Gomez made 24 appearances for second-tier Charlton last season.

Gomez becomes Liverpool's fourth signing of the close season following midfielder James Milner, striker Danny Ings and goalkeeper Adam Bogdan.

Federer and Seppi Advance to Final of Halle OpenIn tennis,In Germany at the Halle Open,Top-seed Roger Federer advanced to the final of the Halle Open with a 7-6, 7-6 win over Ivo Karlovic on Saturday.

Roger Federer offered these thoughts on reaching the final.

"I will really be able to enjoy it. This is my tenth final here in Halle which is incredible. I am so happy about that. I got a chance to defend my title which I am obviously pleased about. And here in Halle when you make it to the final, there is a sense of a big occasion on matchday and on the final day which I think is always very sweet."Next off for Federer is Andreas Seppi, who went through when opponent Kei Nishikori retired injured in the first set.

Federer is now seeking his 15th title on grass.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner's only losses in the final at Halle came against Lleyton Hewitt in 2010 and Tommy Haas in 2012.

At the Aegon Championships,Kevin Anderson edged past Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 to reach the final.

This is Anderson's first final on grass.

The world's number 17 will face either top seed Andy Murray or Serbia's Viktor Troicki in the final.

The game between Murray and Troicki was suspended due to bad weather.

In women's action from the Aegon Championships,Angelique Kerber made it to the final by beating fellow German and 2011 champion Sabine Lisicki in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.

Awaiting her in the final is sixth-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova.

Serbia beat Australia 3-0 in the Volleyball World LeagueIn volleyball,Serbia defeated Australia 3-nil in the second of their Volleyball World League matches in Belgrade on Saturday.　Kovacevic and Sasa Starovic had 11 each for Serbia.

Serbia improve to 4-4 in Pool A and remain at home for next week's two-match series against Italy.

In other action,Greece beat Slovakia 3-2.

And Poland beat Russia 3-2.

Katarzyna Niewiadoma Takes Silver in BakuPoland's Katarzyna Niewiadoma took silver for road race in cycling on Saturday at the European Games in Baku.

The 20-year-old Niewiadoma offered these thoughts after the race.

"When you think that you can be here and fight for the medals and be one of the best in the world, then it makes you want to keep going, so I all the time I was thinking that 'you need to drink a lot, eat a lot, because it is so essential, especially in these conditions."Belarussian Alena Amialiusik claimed the title and Dutchwoman Anna van der Breggen was third.

In shooting,Serbia's Damir Mikec clinched his second gold medal by winning the men's 50-meter pistol final.

Switzerland's Heidi Gerber Diethelm took the gold in the women's 25-meter pistol.

In artistic gymnastics,Aliya Mustafina of Russia won the women's individual all-around gold.

And the men's individual all-around gold went to Oleg Verniaiev of Ukraine.

China's Song Andong Is About to Make HistoryIn off-ice NHL news,China's Song Andong is to make history by entering the 2015 NHL draft.

He would become the first ever Chinese player to be selected by NHL in its nearly one hundred years of history should he make it.

It's reported that the New York Islanders have shown great interest in him.

The 18-year-old once led Beijing team to victory in the Bell Capital Cup in 2006.

He also helped Beijing win The Chinese National Hockey League Championship this year.

And he played as captain of team China in this year's Ice Hockey U18 World Championship.

China Central Television will air live coverage of the NHL draft on June 27th at 10 p.m., Beijing time.

EntertainmentMonkey King 2 to be released next FebAs one of the most populous fictional icons inspiring at least 100 movies and TV series over nearly 90 years, the Monkey King will see its latest film adaptation drop during next year's Spring Festival season.

It has been announced that the upcoming fantasy Monkey King 2 or Monkey King: White Skeleton Demon will be released next year on Feb 8Adapted from one of the most famed episodes of Journey to the West, the movie revolves on Monkey King's fights against a shrewd, seductive enchantress, Baigujing (or white skeleton demon), who tries to eat the flesh and blood of the monkey's Buddhist master, in order to pursue an immortal life.

It's planned to be the second installment of a seven-title franchise with a total budget as high as 350 million yuan, some 56 million US dollars. One sequel is set to be released every two years.

Its first installment, The Monkey King, or Monkey King: The Legend Begins, was the top earner during last year's hot Spring Festival season, raking in 1.05 billion yuan.

Hong Kong veteran actor-singer Aaron Kwok, will take on the protagonist role of Monkey King, alongside top mainland stars Gong Li, Feng Shaofeng and Xiao Shenyang.

Edinburgh fest opens with 'The Legend of Barney Thomson'

Robert Carlyle stars in and makes his directorial debut with "The Legend of Barney Thomson" - this year's opening film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Based on the book by Douglas Lindsay, The Legend of Barney Thomson is a darkly-humorous, Glasgow-set thriller that tells the story of awkward barber Barney, who inadvertently stumbles into serial murder.

The film stars director Carlyle as Barney Thomson, alongside a remarkably transformed Emma Thompson as his mother, Cemolina, and Ray Winstone as Inspector Holdall.

The Legend of Barney Thomson will be released nationwide on July 24.

The 12-day Edinburgh International Film Festival will host 24 world premieres in the Scottish capital.

It will close with Scott Graham's drama, IONA.

US court revives copyright suit against Bieber, UsherAn appeals court has reinstated a 10 million US dollars lawsuit claiming singers Justin Bieber and Usher copied parts of a song written by two Virginia songwriters.

In a unanimous ruling Thursday, a three-judge panel said a jury should decide whether the song "Somebody to Love" - performed by the two stars - is intrinsically similar to a song of the same name copyrighted by Devin Copeland and Maerio Overton.

The lawsuit filed in 2013 claimed that the song performed by Bieber and Usher contains numerous lyrical and stylistic similarities to their copyrighted song.

A judge in Norfolk dismissed the complaint last year, saying the two versions differed significantly in tone and lyrical content.

Iron Maiden Announces Latest Album, 'The Book Of Souls'

Metal legends Iron Maiden have announced the release of their new album, The Book of Souls, for later this fall.

The album will set a couple of milestones for the group: It will be the band's first-ever double studio LP and also feature the band's longest-ever song.

The 92-minute album will be released on September 4th, a date predicated on frontman Bruce Dickinson getting time to recover from his recent bout with tongue cancer. He got the "all clear" last month.

The band recorded the album late last year in Paris with producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, who has co-produced the group's records since 2000's Brave New World. Maiden recorded "finishing touches" on the album earlier this year.

The group is planning on hitting the road to support the album next year assuming that Dickinson remains healthy.

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

A recap of your headlines:

A top Chinese official opening up the China-US young makers expo in the US city of Pittsburgh...

Activities being held across China to mark the Dragon Boat Festival...

And US Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pushing for gun control in the wake of a massacre at a historic black church in the city of Charleston...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, 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.