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

Coming up on the program this evening...

Chinese President Xi Jinping taking time to laud front-line officers fighting China's war on drugs.

The Chinese government has issued a formal rebuke of the United States' annual Human Rights report.

South Korean lawmakers pass tough new legislation to try to prevent the spread of MERS.

Business.... mainland stocks see their biggest one-day sell-off since the start of the global financial crisis.

In Sports.... China set to battle the United States in the quarter-finals of Women's World Cup tomorrow morning.

In Entertainment.... Taiwan's annual music awards set to take place tomorrow.

Top NewsWar on drugs in Yunnan and XinjiangAnchor:

Today marks the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

This year's Day comes amid the growing challenge authorities are having on the front-lines in China's border areas to stem the flow of drugs into this country.

CRI's Xie Cheng has more.

Reporter:

The southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan is on the front-line in the Chinese government's fight against drug trafficking.

It lies on the edge of the so-called Golden Triangle.

This is a mountainous and remote area covering parts of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, and is one of the two largest areas in Asia where opium is produced.

A report released this week by the Chinese government is describing the Golden Triangle as the overwhelming source for the heroin and methamphetamine which is currently sold in China.

Figures in the study from the State Council show the amount of drugs confiscated in Yunnan have risen 5-fold over the past year.

Zhang Genquan is with the local police in city of Tengchong, which lies along the border with Myanmar.

He says the situation there remains difficult.

"Although Myanmar has been trying to forbid opium planting, the business still widely exists."Border police also have to deal with logistical challenges in the region, as smugglers will use winding mountain paths to transport their goods across the border, making it extremely difficult to police.

It's believed upward of 90-percent of all the drugs which enter China do so through the Tengchong area.

This month alone, upward of 130-kilograms of illegal drugs have been seized in the region.

But the Golden Triangle isn't the only problem area in China.

Asia's 2nd largest heroine producing area is the so-called Golden Crescent, which covers parts of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Much of what is produced in that area makes its way into China via its northwest Xinjiang region.

But local authorities in Xinjiang say they've been noting a change recently, with more people becoming hooked on non-opiates, such as methamphetamine.

Yang Suqun is the deputy chief of the local anti-drug force in Xinjiang.

"So far in 2015, we have solved 351 cases involving synthetic drugs and seized 119 kilograms of crystal meth, which is a nearly 100 percent rise year on year, and far exceeds the amount of heroin we seized in the same period last year."Official figures show around one-in-five known drug users in Xinjiang are hooked on meth.

On Thursday, President Xi Jinping took part in a meeting in Beijing to honor those trying to fight the battle against drugs on the frontlines.

The President says the drug situation along the borders is a problem for the whole of China.

"The antidrug work concerns our nation's security, prosperity and people's well-being. We must fight the tough battle with a steadfast mind and solid work and there would be no rest until a sweeping victory."For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

Seized drugs burnt in Southeast AsiaAuthorities in Myanmar have torched a huge cache of seized narcotics in the outskirts of Yangon to mark anti-narcotics day.

Over 150-million U.S. dollars worth of illegal drugs have been torched.

It included opium, heroin and methamphetamines.

A recent report from the United Nations suggests the total area of land in Myanmar under cultivation for opium stabilized last year.

Myanmar's government has been taking steps to try to eradicate opium production, including introducing alternative cash crops for poppy farmers.

At the same time, 7 tonnes of confiscated drugs have also been incinerated in the outskirts of Bangkok in Thailand.

China criticizes US human rights record in annual reportAnchor:

The Chinese government has released a new report on the state of Human Rights in the United States.

The new study by the State Council is coinciding with the annual Human Rights report released by the US State Department.

CRI's Luo Bin has more.

Reporter:

China's report states the US side continues to make analysis of the human rights situations in numerous countries around the world, while showing no regret or intention to improve its own human rights record.

Chang Jian, Deputy Director of Nankai University's Human Rights Research Center, says that in releasing the report, the US government is using human rights as a tool to try to advance its own international political agenda.

"The report is always giving credit to courtiers that have consistent values with the United States, but then attacks others which do not have the same values. Generally, the report is negative when it comes to China's human rights. Although China has made improvements in its human rights record in recent years, the report just ignores them. The biggest problem here is that US is using human rights issues as a tool for its political ambitions. This is not a good thing for global human rights development."Liu Huawen with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences says what the US is doing is "behind the times" and "unwelcome", and should be abandoned.

"On the one hand, the US cannot face up to its long-standing problem with gun violence, police brutality and racial discrimination. Internationally, it delays the approval of the United Nations "International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights", as well as the "Convention on the Rights of the Child." The US always has a complicated attitude when it comes to the UN human rights mechanisms. On the other hand, each year it releases a report on the human rights situations of other countries, and views itself as a judge or vigilante, ignores thee achievements made in those countries and judges and criticize others, causing a lot of resentment."The Chinese report points out that US authorities executed a Mexican citizen in April of last year without granting him access to consular assistance.

The Chinese side notes this should be viewed as a violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

China's report also notes the US has been caught spying on several countries around the world.

It lists the interception of phone conversations of 35 world leaders, the stealing of encrypted information of government organs in other countries and the collection program of mobile phone messages across the globe.

For CRI, I'm Luo Bin.

China, Russia to boost media cooperationAnchor:

Chinese and Russian media outlets are promising an increase in cooperation, with a focus on the development of both new and traditional media.

The pledge has been made at a China-Russia Media Forum underway in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.

CRI's Qi Zhi reports.

Reporter:

The China-Russia Media Forum is focusing on how to improve international communication in the era of all media.

Participants will also discuss the media's role in promoting the integration of the two countries' development strategies and boosting new-media exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia.

Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is leading the Chinese delegation at the forum.

He has called for Chinese and Russian media to cooperate more closely to advance the two countries' relations.

"As China-Russia relations have been making great strides, media organizations of both sides should deepen exchanges and center their cooperation on the two countries' major strategic blueprints, initiatives and projects, so as to jointly boost the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and facilitate the integration of China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union framework."Also attending the forum is a CRI delegation led by Director General Wang Gengnian.

On the sidelines of the forum, Wang and Dmitry Kiselyov, President of Russia's international news agency Russia Today, have signed a supplement to the cooperation agreement between the two news organizations.

Under the new deal, CRI and Russia Today will deepen cooperation in such areas as program and information exchanges, joint reporting projects and new media development.

During President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia in May, the two countries decided to launch a "China-Russia Media Exchange Year" from 2016 to 2017.

As part of the program, CRI and Russia Today have agreed to launch a joint reporting project in areas covered by China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative.

Wang Gengnian says it's part of a broader project in China-Russia media cooperation.

"During the 'China-Russia Media Exchange Year', CRI will take the initiative in elevating the media cooperation between the two countries. Topping our agenda will be a round-table meeting of the Media Council, a Silk Road-themed joint reporting project and a new episode of our joint project 'Hello, China'. We hope to demonstrate the concrete results of the bilateral media cooperation through the multi-media platform."For the past 10 years, CRI has been striving to promote China-Russia cultural exchanges through media cooperation.

It has so far established cooperative partnerships with five state-level media outlets in Russia.

For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.

Billions Embezzled by China's Lottery Managers: AuditorsAnchorA new audit has revealed some 17 billion yuan, or nearly 3-billion US dollars, raised through China's lottery system has been embezzled or misused by lottery managers and retailers for close to 3-years until this past October.

CRI's Niu Honglin has the details.

ReporterAccording to the report published by the National Audit Office, the "problematic" money constituted more than a quarter of the lottery funds reviewed in the audit.

Authorities say irregularities included embezzlement, fraud, illegal subsidies for staff, and procurement of fancy offices.

Yu Lin, deputy head of the Department of Social Security Audit, details how the offenders mishandled the money.

"In order to get money from the lottery fund, some departments even came up with fake welfare investment projects, things such as orphanages, rehabilitation centers, or nursing homes. Some of the money ends up going unused, while some is embezzled, to purchase things like cars. "According to China's Regulations on Lottery Management, the money raised through lotteries is divided into three parts: the jackpot for lottery winners, lottery management expenses and fees paid to sales distributors, and funds handed over to the state for social welfare causes.

63 billion yuan worth of unauthorized online lottery sales spanning 17 provinces, where online distributors are paid 20 to 60 percent higher than regular ones by local departments, have been uncovered.

Yu Lin says such unauthorized online lottery selling doesn't follow regulations.

"Under the current managing system, the amount of lottery management expenses and social welfare funds a province or a region get is related to the total lottery sales amount. Online sales break the geographical limits, allowing distributors in one province sell tickets to buyers all around the country, as a result obtaining money that should have belonged to other provinces."Wang Xuehong with the Chinese Public Welfare Lottery Study Institution, Pecking University, says a lack of supervision is part of the reason why unauthorized online lottery sales' are so rampant.

"Lottery departments in as many as 17 provinces had been offering direct online channels to their customers, reflecting the country's saggy regulation and supervision on the issue. We should have restrained it from the very beginning, but we didn't. So this is part of the reasons for the problem."The audit covered a total of nearly 230 provincial and municipal-level lottery sales organizations, and nearly 5000 projects funded by lottery sales.

The NAO says 14.5 billion yuan of misused funds have been recovered, as of the end of May, while authorities are investigating 90 cases of suspected violations.

China's nationwide lottery sales in 2014 totaled 382 billion yuan, or nearly 62 billion US dollars.

For CRI, I'm Niu Honglin.

S. Korea passes new law to curb MERS outbreakSouth Korean authorities have announced tough new laws designed to try to curb the current MERS outbreak.

Under the new law, people infected with the virus who are found to have lied to investigators about how they came into contact with the virus can face fines of close to 20-thousand US dollars and a possible prison sentence of up to 2-years.

The new legislation also restricts the movement of infected people and allows for the closure of contaminated facilities.

Offenders who refuse to follow orders face similar punishments.

The legislation comes as South Korea's government faces criticism for failing to stop the MERS outbreak, which has now become the largest ever outside Saudi Arabia.

Two new fatalities have been reported this Friday, bringing the total number of dead to 31.

At the same time, a doctor at the Samsung Medical Center in Seoul has also been confirmed with the virus, bringing the total number of infections in South Korea to 181.

Around half of all infections in South Korea can be traced to the Samsung Facility, which is one of the country's premier medical centers.

At the same time, a South Korean man who was undergoing treatment at a Chinese hospital in Guangdong after being diagnosed with MERS late last month has now been released from hospital.

Defying the advice of doctors to stay at home, the 44-year-old flew to Hong Kong on May 26th, a day after his father was diagnosed with MERS in South Korea.

He then entered Huizhou City via Shenzhen and was tested positive for MERS on May 29.

He's the only confirmed MERS case in China.

Europe Agree to take in 60,000 asylum seekersThe European Council has come to an agreement to distribute the thousands of migrants that have landed in Italy and Greece this year evenly among member states.

An additional 20-thousand migrants currently living outside the European Union in places such as Turkey will also be allowed in.

But in making the decision, the European Council has decided it will not mandate the exact number of migrants each country will have to take.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says the slow pace of making the decision is a sign of concern for the EU.

"The fact we took hours to agree about the system to be set up obviously shows that Europe is not living up to the values it promotes in each and every occasion when it speaks abroad."In making the decision, Hungary and Bulgaria have been deemed as countries with a special status, meaning they will likely have to accept less migrants than other EU member countries.

The anti-immigration Hungarian government has been threatening to shut off its borders, while Bulgaria can't afford to accept an influx of migrants at this time.

A final decision on disbursement plans is due to be finalized by the end of next month.

In making the announcement, the European Union says around 40-thousand migrants currently in Italy and Greece are going to be relocated by the end of 2016.

But at the same time, the European Union is warning any migrants who don't qualify legally to stay in Europe will be repatriated back to their country of origin.

This comes amid the massive influx of refugees which have been landing on European shores this year.

Israel blasts Palestinian submissions to ICCThe Israeli government is blasting new Palestinian submissions to the International Criminal Court.

The Palestinian Authority has delivered a string of allegations of war crimes to the ICC, the first time since it was granted membership to the ICC earlier this year.

The allegations are connected to last year's conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Emmanuel Nahshon with Israel's Foreign Ministry says the move is merely a stunt by the Palestinian side in its attempt to gain recognition as a separate country.

"We believe that it's a manipulation, it's an attempt to politicise the work of the ICC by presenting documents which have absolutely nothing to do with the judicial work of the ICC and we are certain that the prosecutor will perfectly understand it and will not accept any of this Palestinian manipulation."At the same time, the Israeli side has accused the Palestinians of war crimes, including directing rocket fire into civilian territory.

However, Israel has not made submissions of its complaints, nor can the ICC compel evidence from the Israeli side, as the country is not a member of the International Criminal Court.

The Palestinian submission to the ICC appears to be drawing strong support from people living in Palestinian territories.

"We don't only need financial support, we need their full support. So, now that we've taken this step, we hope to continue to pursue it. And people [the Palestinians] also need to be ready to handle the results of this step. That's what we hope from everyone."50 days of fighting between Palestinian forces in the Gaza Strip and Israeli forces left more than 21-hundred Palestinians dead.

Over 70 Israelis, mostly soldiers, were also killed in last year's conflict, which lasted for 50-days.

Possible French beheading; hundreds of civilians killed in IS raidsAuthorities in France are reporting a possible terrorist attack in the country's southeast.

Details of the attack remain sketchy at this point.

Local reports are suggesting a suspect, who is said to be in custody, may have beheaded someone at a factory in southeastern France.

Initial reports are suggesting it may be an attack by an individual associated with the Islamic State.

Meanwhile, the Islamist militant group is being blamed for the deaths of around 150 civilians in the city of Kobane in northern Syria over the past 24 hours.

The group launched its attack on the border community with Turkey on Wednesday in an apparent retaliation for losses this past week at the hands of Kurdish forces.

Hollande condemns violent French protests against UberFrench President Francois Hollande is condemning the rioting which broke out during a taxi driver protest in Paris on Thursday.

Around 3-thousand taxi drivers blocked access to the city's two main airports, protesting Uber.

The protests turned violent, with Taxi drivers setting fire to vehicles and clashing with Uber drivers, blocking access to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, as well as preventing cars reaching train stations around the country.

Francois Hollande says the level of protest is unacceptable.

"There is unacceptable violence; unacceptable in a democracy, unacceptable in a country like France; unacceptable even though it's a matter - it is true - that can engender anger for those facing unfair competition, especially for taxis, this UberPop group that doesn't respect any rule."But at the same time, Hollande says he wants to see the use of Uber made illegal across Europe.

The service has been illegal in France since January.

However, the ban on Uber has been difficult to enforce, and the ride-sharing app continues to operate in France.

Taxi drivers claim Uber is unfair, as it matches passengers with private drivers at prices lower than those of traditional taxis.

French woman accused of suffocating 8 newborn babiesA French woman has gone on trial, accused of murdering 8 of her newborn children over the course of decades.

51-year old Dominique Cottrez claims she thought the children were products of a long, incestuous relationship with her father.

However, DNA testing later revealed the children were fathered by her husband, rather than her father.

Rodolphe Costantino, a lawyer for a French group which advocates on behalf of children, says this case is still presenting a unique challenge for prosecutors.

"I think there are two pitfalls in this case anyway because, instinctively these kind of cases brings two things. Either it is a compassionate act so she would be a victim; or on the contrary, an instinctive act so we would just have to take into consideration the horror of the crimes she has committed and which make her a monster. I think that between the two, there is a balanced measure to find. That's what we'll try to do during the trial."It's believed the defendant's obesity hid the fact she was pregnant from her husband and existing family.

The killing of the 8 children has been described as the worst case of infanticide in modern French history.

The corpses of the children were discovered in the family garden in 2010.

She faces life in prison if found guilty.

It's expected it may take a week for the courts to render a verdict in the case.

1st Commercially Available Personal Jetpack to Go on Sale in 2016Anchor:

In a page out of the world of "James Bond" books and films from the 1960's, the developer of the world's first personal jetpack says their product is poised to go on sale sometime next year.

CRI's Sophie Williams has more.

Reporter:

The Martin Jetpack is to priced at around 200-thousand US dollars.

It's been in development over the last 35-years by then-university student, New Zealander Glenn Martin.

Testing in New Zealand of the initial prototype in 2011 saw a manned jetpack successfully fly a thousand metres off the ground before landing with the help of a parachute.

The upgraded version, the P12, has been made public at this year's now-concluded Paris Airshow.

The Martin Aircraft can fly for more than 30-minutes at up to 74-kilometres per hour.

It can reach altitudes of up to a thousand metres.

It can carry weights of up to 120-kilograms.

Martin Aircraft chief executive Peter Coker is designed with protections to ensure the pilot remains safe in the event something goes wrong.

"This is built around safety from the start. Reliability is the most important element of it. We have safety built into the actual structure itself. Very similar to a Formula One racing car, and finally what we actually have is a new ballistic parachute that is the basis of recognising the way that we can be as safe as we possibly can. It opens at very low altitude and actually saves both the aircraft and the pilot in an emergency."Part of their promotion in Paris this past week included allowing people to use a simulator to experience the feeling of flying your own jetpack.

Coker says it was very popular.

"The idea of having a simulator on the show is really to allow people to experience what the jetpack can actually do. It actually flies the same as the jetpack, so it's an opportunity for members of the public to see what that experience is all about."Liu Ruopeng, who is the chair of Kuang-Chi Science, one of the companies helping develop the personal jetpack, says his company's investment is helping build -quote- "a dream".

"Jetpack is the machine that can really allow people to fly freely and allow people to really use the machine to rescue, search, and save people's lives, and it's very non-disruptive. It's not like helicopters, which is very bulky, and it's not like a car, which cannot fly."First deliveries of the first Martin Aircraft jetpack are scheduled for the second-half of next year.

For CRI, I'm Sophie Williams.

Chinese tourists make record high visits to Thailand in Jan-MayNew stats show Chinese tourists made a record 3.3 million visits to Thailand between January and May this year.

This is one-quarter of all foreign tourists entering the country through the period.

The rise in the number of Chinese tourists is also creating a rise in the number of travel complaints among Chinese tourists, as more and more of them are said to be being targeted by thieves and unscrupulous travel companies.

China's ambassador to Thailand, Ning Fukui, says they're hoping the Thai authorities will do more to try to prevent this.

"Thailand should be taking more active measures to prevent people from being cheated. At the same time, we'd like to see Thai authorities offer better package tours to ensure Chinese tourists can enjoy better services."Thai tourism authorities estimate around 6-million Chinese nationals will visit Thailand this year.

Chinese travel to Thailand has been on the rise in recent years, in part because of cheaper costs, as well as the popularity of the Chinese film "Lost in Thailand," which sparked renewed interest in the country.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast tonight with a low of 21 degrees, tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 31.

Shanghai will have moderate rain overnight with a low of 24, then turn to heavy rain with a high of 25.

Chongqing will be cloudy tonight with a low of 28, also cloudy tomorrow with a high of 40.

Lhasa will have slight rain tonight with a low of 14, tomorrow will also be rainy with a high of 25.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will be cloudy with a high of 39.

Kabul, cloudy, 31.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney will be clear with a high of 17.

Brisbane will see slight rain with a high of 20.

Perth, cloudy, 17.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will also be cloudy with a high of 15 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChina issues report on U.S. human rightsChina has published a report on human rights in the United States.

It was released today by the Information Office of the State Council.

In response to a recent US report which examines the human rights situation in many other countries, the Chinese report says Washington shows no regret for its own human rights record.

It says the United States, while claiming to be a human rights defender, saw no improvements in its own existing human rights issues, but reported numerous new problems.

The report also says the U.S. violated human rights in other countries in a brazen manner, and was given more "red cards" in the international human rights field.

China to exclude bribers from construction project bidsChinese prosecutors have announced new plans which will exclude those who have a history of bribery from bidding on construction projects.

Prosecutors, along with the National Development and Reform Commission, are also warning bidders in construction projects and their agents will be vetted before their tenders are accepted.

Those who do not pass scrutiny will see their bidding qualifications revoked.

In making the pronouncement, Chinese authorities say they will ensure the business secrets and personal privacy of every bidder for government tenders will be protected.

The move comes as the Chinese government moves to eliminate corruption within government procurement and project development applications.

Chinese vice premier in Cuba on enhancement of political cooperationChinese Vice Premier Wang Yang is pledging more political cooperation between China and Cuba.

Wang has made the pledge after arriving in Cuba on Thursday following meetings with US officials at this year's China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington.

His visit to Cuba also coincides with the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic between Cuba and China.

Wang Yang's time in Cuba will also include overseeing the signing of a number of business deals.

The vice-Premier is also due to visit Brazil after his time in Cuba.

Gobi Desert airport opens in NW ChinaA new civilian airport has opened in the Gobi Desert region of northwest China's province of Qinghai.

The airport is located in a remote area of the desert in the Prefecture of Haixi.

It's about 500-kilometers away from the nearest cities in the region.

It's expected to handle around 90-thousand passengers and 100 tonnes of goods annually in the next 5-years.

The area where the airport is located is home to abundant natural resources.

France accuses US for spying past three French presidentsFrench Prime Minister Manuel Valls is suggesting revelations by WikiLeaks the US has eavesdropped on the past three French Presidents is unacceptable.

Valls has made the comments while meeting with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

However, French President Francois Hollande, one of the alleged targets, says he has been assured by US President Barack Obama the US isn't targeting his communications.

Since the allegations have come forward, French authorities have been calling for an intelligence "code of conduct" among allies.

Biz ReportsStocksFirst a look at the numbers from across the Asian markets.

Mainland shares have seen their largest one-day drop since the 2008 financial crisis, with all the major benchmarks declining over 7-percent this Friday.

Communications, the Internet, medical care and transport sectors are the biggest losers, as concerns over market overvaluation mount.

The rapid influx of new IPO's this week is also being blamed, as traders have moved money from their existing portfolios into the new offerings.

Shares of Guotai Junnan Securities rose by the 44-percent daily limit on its first trading day in Shanghai.

The brokerage giant has raised 4.8-billion US dollars, making China's biggest IPO in some 5 years.

At close,The Shanghai Composite Index gave up 7.4 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index dropped 8.2 percent.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of emerging enterprises, has plunged by nearly 9 percent.

In Hong Kong, the Heng Seng also took a hit, but not nearly as bad, down 1.8 percent on the day.

Elsewhere in Asia, the markets are still being shadowed by the Greek debt crisis.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dropped 0.3 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI gained 0.3 percent.

Singapore's Straits Times Index fell 0.9 percent.

Finally, Australia's ASX 200 closed down 1.5 percent.

China sets to be world's biggest IPO market in the 1st half of 2015A new report suggests the Chinese market is going to come out as the world's most active IPO market for the first half of this year.

The report by Ernst & Young is suggesting the surge in the number of initial public offerings is being driven by a revival of fortunes on the Chinese markets themselves in recent months, as well as an improving regulatory environment.

Over 240 companies have been given green light to be listed in China so far this year, raising around 40 billion US dollars.

190 of them have listed in the Chinese A share market.

28 new IPOs have been approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission this week alone.

The recent surge in new IPOs has led to significant volatility on the A share market, as investors move funds from their existing portfolios into the new offerings.

A week ago, both the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges lost over 6-percent in value.

Both markets closed down yesterday around 3-percent.

China to speed up the dealing with private banks applicationsChina's banking regulator says it has begun speeding up work on dealing with the applications for private banks.

The head of the China Banking Regulatory Commission says the government will deal with all the outstanding applications from private banks within 4 months.

Over 40 private banks applications are waiting for potential approval.

Eurogroup Meeting Ends without reaching deal on Greek debt issueAnchor:

Another meeting of eurozone finance ministers has ended abruptly without a deal on Greece's bailout package.

The meeting, the fourth in a week, was attempting to strike a compromise deal for the resolution of the Greek debt crisis.

The Greek government has warned it doesn't have the money to pay the 1.6-billion euros in payments it owes the International Monetary Fund at the end of this month.

Greece is warning it will require an additional cash infusion from its lenders or it will default on the payment.

A default could trigger the eventual removal of Greece from the Eurozone.

For more on what's happening, we spoke earlier with Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.

Back anchor:

That was Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.

China 1-2 years ahead of Japan in Thai railway building: Thai officialThailand's deputy Prime Minister is being quoted saying China is 1 to 2-years ahead of Japan when it comes to helping the country's railway network construction.

The comments have been made to dismiss other media reports suggesting Japan is building the first high-speed railway in Thailand.

China and Thailand are working on a mid-speed railway line project between the Thai capital Bangkok and northeastern city of Nong Khai.

The two countries are also planning to hash out more details about the project later this month.

That line will be part of a link China is planning to build from Yunnan all the way down to the Malay Peninsula.

HSBC ends sponsorship tie-up with Markit for China PMIIt's being reported that HSBC is ending its 5-year collaboration with information firm Markit when it comes to publishing its Purchasing Managers Index in China.

The Hong Kong-based bank has not given any specific reasons for ending its agreement.

HSBC is also ending its deal with Markit in other emerging markets.

Observers are suggesting the move may be a result of sluggish growth within HSBC itself.

The bank has already announced its planning to slash 50-thousand jobs worldwide.

HSBC/Markit produces its own PMI data every month ahead of the official stats from the Chinese authorities.

Those figures are taken from a much smaller sample of company surveys than the official stats in China.

HK rejects Jetstar's application to operate locallyHong Kong authorities have rejected an application from budget airline Jetstar for an operating licence.

This comes nearly 2-years after the company applied for its licence.

Hong Kong regulators say Jetstar's bid doesn't comply with Hong Kong law, which stipulates airlines must have their primary place of business in the city.

Jetstar hasn't said yet whether it plans to appeal the decision.

Jetstar is a joint venture set up by Australia's Qantas Airways, China Eastern Airlines and Hong Kong investment company Shun Tak.

It is currently valued at around 7.7 million US dollars.

Word of this has sent China Eastern Airlines shares plunging the 10 percent daily limit today in Shanghai.

It is also being reported that local carriers in Hong Kong, including Cathay Pacific, have also objected to Jetstar's application.

SportsWWC: China vs. U.S., Germany vs. France PreviewIn upcoming Women's World Cup action:

Rivals China and the United States will hit the pitch tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., Beijing time.

The U.S. has never failed to make it into the semis of the tournament, but standing in their way are the Steel Roses of China, who get better with every game they played in this World Cup.

The U.S. is heavy favorites, but are missing two heavies in the midfield, with Megan Rapinoe and Lauren Holiday suspended over yellow cards from earlier in the tournament.

Meanwhile, China has had more rest and a tight defense, but are not as active on offense as the Americans.

In tomorrow's other match,European giants France and Germany will do battle.

The German's are the no. 1 team in the world, while France sit at no. 3, just behind the U.S.

Germany smashed no. 5 Sweden, while France have bounced back from their upset loss to Colombia to trounce Mexico and South Korea in lopsided shutouts.

Evergrande Asst. Coach Li Tie Resigns, CSL RecapIn football action from the Chinese Super League last night:

The best offense in the league, Guangzhou Evergrande, and the best defense in the CSL, Beijing Guoan, gridlocked to a 0-0 draw in last night's match.

With the scoreless tie, the two sides are even at 30 points after 15 games.

Guangzhou is on top of the leaderboard on goal differential halfway through the season.

In other CSL action from last night.

Underdog Shanghai Shenxin got its second victory this season by beating Hangzhou Greentown 2-0.

In off-pitch news:

Guangzhou Evergrande assistant coach Li Tie announced via Weibo that he has resigned from the club on Friday.

The reason for his departure has not been disclosed.

Li is leaving Evergrande after three years with the club, in which Guangzhou won the CSL three times, the Chinese FA Cup in 2012 and the AFC Champions league in 2013.

A veteran footballer that played both in China and England's Premiere League, Li is currently on the coaching staff of the Chinese national men's team.

Copa America: Peru Beats Bolivia 3-1In football action from the Copa America in Chile:

Peru striker Jose Paolo Guerrero notched a hat trick to send his team into the semi-finals of the tournament on Thursday with a 3-1 win over Bolivia.

Bolivia converted a penalty to avoid a shutout late in the second half, but it was too little too late, and Peru advanced.

They will next face hosts Chile in the semis.

Peru coach Ricardo Gareca on the upcoming clash:

"Chile is a team that you deserve maximum attention and focus during the 90 minutes. These are opponents that take you to that level. We will have time to analyse them. But, as I said, every game we have to improve."This is Peru's second-straight Copa America semi-final showing.

NBA Draft RecapIn hoops news:

The National Basketball Association 2015 draft has come to a close.

Former Guangdong Southern Tigers guard Emmanuel Mudiay was the seventh pick of the new class, being tapped by the Denver Nuggets.

When asked if his time in the Chinese Basketball Association helped with his game, Mudiay says this:

"Definitely. You're out there playing with grown men. You're out there playing with a shot clock and basically NBA rules. That's really what it is. The only thing is the three-second rule probably is the only thing that's different about the China League, CBA League.　But as far as playing with grown men, the physicality over there is ridiculous; it's like playoff basketball. So that's one thing that really helped me, and I feel like I do have an advantage coming in and playing a professional type of basketball thing already."Minnesota got the first pick and predictably chose center Karl-Anthony Towns, who helped Kentucky get to this year's final four on a 38-game win streak.

Point guard D'Angelo Russell followed Towns to the stage, as he was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Choosing third was the Philadelphia 76ers and they selected Jahlil Okafor, a 6-foot-11, 270-pound center from the national champion Duke Blue Devils.

The first European player picked in the draft came up next, as the New York Knicks selected Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis.

Croatia's Mario Hezonja rounded out the top five, as the forward was selected by the Orlando Magic.

Satnam Singh made history as the first Indian-born player to enter the NBA, after he was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks as the 52nd pick in the 2nd round of the draft.

Tennis: Djokovic Talks Ahead of Wimbledon, Tennis RecapIn tennis,World number one Novak Djokovic has defeated Richard Gasquet in an exhibition match at the Boodles tournament ahead of Wimbledon.

It was his first match on a grass court this season.

Djokovic, who was runner-up at the French Open earlier this month, is hoping to do better.

"Well, I do have always high expectations of myself... I've won it a couple of times already in my career, so... you know, I have to be honest and say yes, I'm going to Wimbledon with an intention and desire to win the title, but I'm not the only one. There are 128 players in the draw who are competing to win this most prestigious trophy we have in the sport."In other action,Sam Querrey knocked out second seed Gilles Simon to reach the semi-finals at the Aegon Open in Nottingham.

His next opponent is Alexandr Dolgopolov, who rallied to a win against Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun.

The other semi-final match up is between Denis Istomin and Marco Baghdatis.

On the women's side and in the Eastbourne Tournament,China's cross-straits pair Zheng Jie/Chan Yung-jan made it into the semi-finals after defeating Julia Goerges/Lucie Hradecka in women's doubles.

Caroline Wozniacki, Belinda Bencic, Sloane Stephens and Agnieszka Radwanska are into the semi-finals in women's singles.

Golf RecapIn golf:

Bubba Watson shot an eight-under-par 62 on Thursday, 15 June, to take the first round lead at the PGA Tour's Travelers Championship.

The two-time Masters champion - who missed the cut at last week's U.S. Open - just missed an eagle on the par-4 18th hole, hitting a 139-yard second shot that bounced into the flagstick and rolled a few inches past the cup.

On the European Tour at the BMW Open in Munich,Last year's runner-up, Rafa Cabrero-Bello of Spain, Denmark's Lasse Jensen and Daniel Gaunt of England all shot seven under par rounds of 65 to share the lead after round 1.

Entertainment26th Golden Melody Awards to Take PlaceThis year's Golden Melody Awards are set to take place tomorrow in Taipei.

Taiwan singer A Mei and Hong Kong singer Karen Mok are competing for the 'Best Mandarin Female Singer Award.'

At the same time, Karen Mok's latest album "Departures" has been nominated in seven categories, including 'Best Mandarin Album,' 'Best Composer' and 'Best Producer.'

Speaking ahead of tomorrow's Awards show, Mok says she's is confident she's going to walk away with many of the prizes.

"I'm confident in all of the categories. I love the album "Departures" very very much. It was complete in every aspect. That's why it could be nominated for so many different ways. It was a strong recognition to my team."Another popular Taiwan singer, Jolin Tsai's album "Play" has nominated in nine categories.

On the men's side, Hong Kong singers are dominating the nominations.

The 26th annual Golden Melody Awards will be handed out at Taiwan Arena tomorrow night.

Glastonbury Festival to Kick offRevellers are positioning themselves for a good view of the main stages for the start of this year's Glastonbury Festival in western England later on this Friday.

"Florence and The Machine" are headlining tonight's opening night at the festival.

It was supposed to be the Foo Fighters.

However, they had to cancel because of Dave Grohl's broken leg.

Saturday's headliner Kanye West, will hit the stage tomorrow with a bit of a controversy.

A petition has been making the rounds, with thousands demanding he be cancelled, as Glastonbury is traditionally a rock festival.

Ahead of this year's festival, an early screening of the documentary "Amy" has taken place to remember late British singer Amy Winehouse.

This year's festival is draw more than 170-thousand people.

James Horner's Death Officially Confirmed, Ruled An AccidentThe California examiner's office has officially confirmed that Oscar-winning composer James Horner is the pilot killed in a plane crash this week in Los Padres National Forest.

Horner was killed Monday when his private plane crashed and subsequently caught fire in the remote area in southern California.

The medical examiner has determined Horner died on impact.

He was 61.

Horner composed the music for more than 100 films, including "Titanic," "Avatar," "Braveheart," "A Beautiful Mind" and the two newest "Star Trek" movies.

Horner was nominated for 10 Oscars and won two for his work on "Titanic".

Celine Dion, who sang the Titanic theme song "My Heart Will Go On," has issued a statement on social media, saying she's deeply saddened by his death.

Taylor Swift Allows Apple to Stream "1989" AlbumUS pop singer Taylor Swift has reached an agreement with Apple to stream her hit album "1989" on its Apple Music service.

The deal is an exclusive coup for Apple, as "1989" remains one of the hottest albums on the charts.

Swift says she's made the deal with Apple after the company agreed to pay artists royalties, even during the 3-month trial period of the new Apple Music streaming service.

Swift pulled her entire back catalogue from Spotify last year.

Apple Music is expected to launch within days.

It will cost 10-US dollars per person, per month for subscribers in the US after its 3-month trial period is over.

"Hear Me" Opens in Chinese Mainland Six Years after PremiereTaiwan film "Hear Me" has opened in mainland theatres, 6-years after its premiere.

The film is the story of a delivery boy who falls in love with a deaf girl who is attempting to help her sister's Olympic dream.

The film stars Ivy Chen, Michelle Chen and Eddie Peng.

Filmed in 2009, the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film in 2011.

Ivy Chen also won the Best Actress Award for her performance in "Hear Me" at the Taipei Film Festival in 2011.

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

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

Chinese President Xi Jinping taking time to laud front-line officers fighting China's war on drugs.

The Chinese government has issued a formal rebuke of the United States' annual Human Rights report.

South Korean lawmakers pass tough new legislation to try to prevent the spread of MERS.

Business.... mainland stocks see their biggest one-day sell-off since the start of the global financial crisis.

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