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

Coming up on our program this morning...

High level talks between China and Japan are underway and ongoing in Beijing, discussing bilateral ties and many issues of mutual concern...

Police in Yunnan say 550 stowaways have been found and four terrorists shot dead during crackdowns on illegal border crossings since 2014...

Four US Marines and a gunman have been killed at two military facilities in the US state of Tennessee...

In Business...a securities IT firm under investigation in China cuts access to several features of one of its popular programs...

In Sports...Rubinho is now officially a member of Guangzhou Evergrande...

In entertainment...this year's primetime Emmy nominations have been announced in Los Angeles...

Top NewsChina, Japan Hold High-level Political DialogueAnchorChina and Japan have held a high-level political dialogue in Beijing, the first such interaction since bilateral ties plunged to a low point over the Diaoyu Islands dispute.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi co-chaired the dialogue with the visiting head of Japan's National Security Council Shotaro Yachi.

CRI's Niu Honglin has more.

ReporterState Councilor Yang Jiechi opened the dialogue by stressing the important question of where the relationship between the two countries is heading.

"China and Japan are two important countries in the world. Their bilateral relationship not only concerns the well-being of their people but also has an important impact on Asia and the whole world. Holding a high-level political dialogue to have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern is a significant move to strengthen our strategic communication."Gao Hong, deputy director with the Institute for Japanese Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says the high-level talks are of even greater significance this time, as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

He explains that the China-Japan relationship has taken steps to improve, after four political documents signed by the two countries in November last year. However, the generally stable relationship is still kind of vulnerable.

"There are things that may affect people with sensitive nerves, such as the fact that Abe may publish a talk about the war in August, as well as China's large celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascists War. In this particularly sensitive moment, the high-level direct dialogue between two senior leaders is very necessary. "Yang Jiechi says China insisted on advancing bilateral links on basis of a four-point consensus reached during the last time meeting of the two officials.

He urged further effort from the Japanese side.

We hope that Japan will work with China towards the same direction, properly handle the sensitive issues concerning history, maritime issues, the military, security, and so on. We also hope both countries can continue to deepen exchanges in various fields and make efforts to promote continuous improvement and development of bilateral relations."During the talk, Yang Jiechi has also voiced concerns over the passage of security bills that will expand the role of Japan's Self-Defense Forces.

Yang made clear China's stance on the issue and urged the Japanese side to earnestly draw lessons from history, stick to the route of peaceful development, respect the major security concerns of its neighbors and not do anything detrimental to regional peace and stability.

The dialogue runs until Saturday.

For CRI, I'm Niu Honglin.

Security bills passing angers Japanese people and neighborsAnchorThe passing of new security bills in Japan's lower house of parliament has triggered protests at home and abroad.

We hear more from CRI's Yu Yang.

Protestors continued their rally on Thursday outside the parliament building.

Organizers say 10 thousand people showed up on late Wednesday night, demanding the ruling bloc drop the bills.

"The passing of the bills made it a reality that we young people from now have to go to wars. It's no longer someone else's trouble but our own. So I joined this rally thinking I need to do something to change the course."Polls show over half of the Japanese population is against the bill.

The bills next go to the upper house, where opposition parties can delay a vote although the ruling bloc has a majority. If a no vote is held within 60 days, the bills return to the lower house, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's coalition can enact them with a two-thirds majority.

If enacted, Japanese defense forces would be allowed to be deployed overseas, even if the country itself is not under attack.

Jun Okumura, a political analyst with the Meiji Institute for Global Affairs, says the security bills go against Japan's pacifist constitution.

"Most of Japan's constitutional scholars strongly believe that the interpretations are unconstitutional and it has caused more general, broader fear among the Japanese public. It is not a constitutional interpretation in the whole. It is a complex of legislation and could somehow drive Japan into a war."The passing of the bills has aroused concerns from the country's neighbors.

On Thursday, Yoo Chang-ho with South Korea's Foreign Ministry said his country will not accept Japan's new security bills if they negatively affect South Korea's national interests.

"The South Korean government's position on Japan's defence policy is that Japan should adhere to the spirit of peaceful constitution and discuss the issue in a transparent way that contributes to maintaining peace and stability. Particularly, we are in a firm, consistent position that does not accept any policy terms (negatively) affecting our state interests."North Korea also issued a statement on Thursday warning that Japan is making a dangerous step toward militarism.

In China, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying called on Japan to respect the major security concerns of its neighboring countries and not do anything that could damage China's security interests.

Hua also notes that people are justified to question whether Japan will give up its defense posture, or change from the peaceful development path it has followed since the end of World War II.

Hua urges Japan to draw lessons from history and stick to the path of peaceful development.

For CRI, Im Yu Yang4 terrorists shot dead in Yunnan stowaway crackdown since 2014Police in southwest China's Yunnan Province have caught more than 550 stowaways and shot dead four terrorists in crackdowns on illegal border crossings since 2014.

35 suspects have also been arrested for allegedly organizing the illegal crossings.

Police say many of the stowaways were influenced by religious extremism and were ready to participate in "jihad" abroad.

Yunnan, which has a 4,000-km border with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, is regarded as a "shortcut" by stowaways to steal into another country.

Firefighters combate to extinguish east China petrochemical plant fireNearly 800 firefighters are combating a huge blaze at a petrochemical plant in eastern China.

Fire brigades from 7 cities in Shandong province have been sent to help to put out the fire.

The fire started at around 7:40 a.m. on Thursday as tanks containing liquefied hydrocarbon leaked at the plant in the city of Rizhao.

The leakage then triggered blast.

A local resident describes the scene.

"I heard a sound at first and I did not pay attention to it. Then, the authorities informed us to leave the scene. A few minutes later, the fire broke out and we heard a huge sound of explosion. The force of the explosion was so big that some windows were shattered."The tank has exploded three times since 9 o'clock in the morning yesterday.

The flames are now under control. 3 firefighters have suffered minor injuries and are currently in hospital.

No deaths have been reported.

According to the city's environmental protection bureau, excessive hydrocarbon levels have been found near the plant, but the density of the pollutant is dropping.

Further investigation is underway.

Beijing to Move City Admin to Reduce "Urban Ills"AnchorAuthorities in Beijing have announced that many non-government industries and functions are to be phased out in the capital.

The announcement follows word that construction of an administrative center is to be accelerated, as authorities look to integrate Beijing with neighboring Tianjin and the province of Hebei.

It's part of the ongoing effort to ease the city's "urban ills" and make the city more liveable.

CRI's Huang Shan has more.

According to the city's development and reform commission, functions to be removed from the capital include manufacturing, logistics, wholesale markets and partial functions of the public service.

These sectors combined have drawn many people to the Chinese capital.

The latest plan follows the decision to build a subsidiary administrative center in Tongzhou district, which is about 40 minute's drive from the city center.

Professor Li Yongping form Peking University hails the plan.

"I think it is also beneficial for the municipal government as Tongzhou enjoys plenty of resources. And if some government units move to there, it will greatly release the pressure in downtown city. It is also a common phenomenon in many other developed countries."Beijing has already seen 120 wholesale markets move out of the city since 2014, with some manufacturing industries also planning to move into neighboring Tianjin and Hebei.

Ma Qingbin is a researcher from the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.

He says with a larger regional development plan involving Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, Tongzhou district is be a necessary choice in terms of its location.

"Beijing's development will head east and south to dock with Tianjin in the near future. From this point, Tongzhou is a good choice to facilitating the implementation of the regional development plan. It can bring more space for Beijing and Tianjin's cooperation, and thus solve the capital's problems."Observers believe the development of Tongzhou would also relieve transportation pressure for many commuters who live in Hebei but work in the capital.

The number is currently estimated at 200,000.

Several intercity rails linking Beijing and neighboring areas are already under construction.

For CRI, I'm Huang Shan.

Self-proclaimed qigong master investigated for murderPolice in east China's Jiangxi Province have detained a well-known self-proclaimed qigong master over alleged kidnapping and murder.

Wang Lin is being investigated over the death of a company president who was kidnapped and killed earlier this month.

Wang, who claims to be a master of qigong, a traditional martial art combined with meditation, came to public attention in 2013 when images of his supposed "supernatural powers" were posted on the Internet.

The public have questioned Wang's authenticity, with some media accusing him of amassing a large fortune through claims of curing the sick.

Teenagers' Music Dreams Come True in MISAAnchorA Chinese girl wrote a quartet as a middle school graduation project.

A Kenyan girl created a symphony after observing New Yorkers.

Both of their works have been selected by the New York Philharmonic's Young People's Concert, part of the Music In the Summer Air music festival in Shanghai.

Our reporter Chi Huiguang has the story.

ReporterLiao Shuwen is a 13-year-old student of Affiliated Middle School to Shanghai Conservatory of Music, who spent her childhood in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

This time, she got the chance to show off her compositions "Shadow of Wolf". She says she jumped when was told the good news.

"I am very happy. I think it's a good opportunity. I just take music as a tool to adequately express my feelings."She says she wanted to illustrate the scene of wolves chasing each other under the moonlight.

"I went to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia last year and experienced the enthusiasm of the people there. All my life I have loved wolves so much that I really wanted to showcase their savagery, intellegence and wisdom through my music."The orchestra also played "New York: In Town and Out" written by Hawa Sakho from Kenya, who is also 13 year-old, and started composing when she was in 4th grade.

"My music was inspired by New York in general, like seeing all the people and all the different culture. So I came up with the idea that one day, maybe I should just bring that all into a piece. And have played in the New York Philharmonic."From the whole work, we can decipher many music elements from Africa,"I want to express how two different cultures are coming to meet. There's a section in my piece where two different cultures come and collide, and they talk to each other."Theodore Wiprud, Vice President in Education Department of New York Philharmonic explains, even though the two teenagers' works are not mature, they were selected based on their originality and potential. And their communication turns out to be very important in the development of music.

"Here we see the next generation of music, young women from both countries, exchanging, listening to each other's music, talking to each other through music. And institutions like Shanghai Symphony and New York Philharmonic providing a stage for that. That's been very important for these young people to understand each other and to be inspired to work harder in music because of that friendship."Besides the four annual residencies at Music In the Summer Air music festival, the cooperation between the Philharmonic and Shanghai Orchestra Academy also included the creation of the Shanghai Orchestra Academy, launched in last Autumn.

The concert also featured Leonard Bernstein's "Lonely Town" and Karen LeFrak's "A Bite of the Apple".

For CRI, I am Chi Huiguang.

4 US Marines killed in military attacks in TennesseeFive people, including the lone gunman, have been killed in shootings at two military facilities in the US state of Tennessee.

Local police say the incidents at a Naval Reserve Center and a nearby military recruiting center in the city of Chattanooga lasted about 30 minutes combined, starting at around 11 o'clock in the morning local time on Thursday.

Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke says it's a nightmare for the city.

"We do know that we have four individuals who were killed, who are victims. We know that the shooter was killed at the scene as well. Also, one Chattanooga police officer was shot in the ankle and is being treated very well at Erlanger, as well as there were some other individuals who were shot and have also been treated."The local district lawyer says the shootings are being investigated as an "act of domestic terrorism" but other officials have expressed caution at jumping to conclusions.

President Barack Obama calls the marines' killing "heartbreaking".

"At this point, a full investigation is taking place. The FBI will be in the lead working closely with local law enforcement. We've also been in contact with the Department of Defense to make sure that all our defense facilities are properly attentive and vigilant as we sort through exactly what happened."US media say the gunman has been identified as 24-year-old Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, who is believed to have been born in Kuwait.

He was shot dead after a gunfight at the Navy reserve center.

His motive remains unclear.

EU grants short-term bridging loan to GreeceThe EU has granted a short-term bridging loan to Greece to allow the country to pay off arrears it owes to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The group earlier approved a three-year grant for Greece from the European Stability Mechanism following the approval of austerity measures by the Greek parliament.

The short-term loan is expected to get the IMF to rejoin negotiations on a third bailout for Greece.

Jeroen Dijsselbloem, chair of the Eurogroup, stresses that more work needs to be done, especially by Greece itself.

"Who pays that, the Greek society. With pre-financing from the European emergency loans. But the Greek society will have to be further reformed. There will have to be more done to get the economy back on track."The loan to Greece will be effective until mid-August.

The exact number that Greece will receive was not revealed.

Dijsselbloem says with the loan in place Greece will be able to pay back arrears it owes the IMF by Monday at the latest.

Greece has been in arrears to the IMF since June 30 when it failed to make a loan repayment.

Meanwhile, all Greek banks will reopen next Monday after a three-week bank holiday. The 60 euro daily limit in cash withdrawals will remain.

MH17 downing anniversary to be markedPreparations are underway at the site where a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was downed over war-ravaged eastern Ukraine for the anniversary of the tragedy.

Local villagers and community leaders have attended the newly built monument for the 298 people who died in the crash.

Vladimir Berezhnoy is head of the community.

"This memorial is set in the memory of victims of the plane crash on 17th of July 2014. It was built on volunteers' money, sponsors from Donetsk region. Tomorrow will be the opening of the memorial and requiem for the victims of this crash."Flight MH17 was downed while en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. 196 of the victims were Dutch nationals.

The Netherlands is leading the investigation into the disaster and is being assisted by Belgium, Australia and Ukraine.

A preliminary report published last September indicated that the plane was hit by a missile. A final report is scheduled to be released in October.

Earlier this week, CNN cited sources who had seen the draft report saying that evidence points to Ukrainian rebels as being responsible for shooting down the plane with a Russian-made Buk missile.

This is against a previous conclusion from Russia, which cited a source from the Ukrainian military saying the missile was shot by the government forces.

Ukraine, the rebels, and Russia have all denied involvement in the downing of the civilian flight.

Ahead of the anniversary, the countries involved in the investigation have called for setting up a special United Nations tribunal for the prosecution of those responsible for the crash of flight MH17.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte discussed the issue on Thursday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who rejected the proposal as "premature and counter-productive."Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also stressed that only after the investigation is completed can "the matter of responsibility of culprits" be discussed.

"Our position is based on the belief that it is unnecessary to put the cart before the horse. That's the one thing - the investigation is not yet completed."Lavrov added that the idea of a UN tribunal was aimed at serving the needs of the United States.

He was responding to recent remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Tefft who said the U.S. knows who shot down the Malaysian Flight.

IS affiliate claims responsibility for attacking Egyptian navy vessel with rocketsThe Islamic State's affiliate in Egypt's Sinai says it has destroyed an Egyptian navy vessel off the Mediterranean coast, hitting the vessel with a rocket.

The claim of responsibility by the group was made in a brief statement posted on Twitter accounts known to be linked to the group.

The authenticity of the statement could not be immediately verified, but it was accompanied by photos purporting to show what appears to be a rocket flying toward the vessel, and setting it ablaze on impact.

Egypt's military spokesman said in a statement earlier that the vessel caught fire in an exchange of gunshots on Thursday with "terrorists" on the shore.

Egypt has been battling an increasingly brazen Islamist insurgency in the Sinai that lies between Israel, the Gaza Strip and the Suez Canal.

On July 1, 100 militants and at least 17 members of the security forces were killed in a single day of clashes and attacks in Sinai Province.

Iraq closes main border crossing with Jordan for security reasonsIraqi authorities have closed the main border crossing with Jordan.

An Iraqi government spokesman says the move has been made for security reasons.

The goal is to deprive Islamic State militants of the funds collected from truck drivers who are forced by the extremist group to pay a tax on each truckload of cargo crossing from Jordan into Iraq.

The border closure comes a day after government security forces and allied militias launched a major offensive to free key cities seized by IS in Anbar province.

The Popular "Face-kini" Now Updated With Peking Opera ThemesAnchorThe "face-kini", a trendy product among Chinese female beach-goers in recent years, is now available with designs of Beijing Opera face paintings.

CRI's Victor Ning has more.

ReporterThe facial swimwear mask, first born in 2004, has become widely popular in a culture where females value pale skin as delicate and feminine. Zhang Shifan, a former accountant from Qingdao City in China's eastern Shandong province and the product's inventor, came up with the idea based on customers' requests for a full-body swim mask that would protect them from the sun and jellyfish.

Zhang says despite the product's remarkable success, it also scared small children and other visitors at the beach. To fix the problem, Zhang thought of incorporating the widely popular face paintings from traditional Pekin Opera for the product's latest and fifth version.

"In the past I really wanted to do everything I could to avoid scaring people. If I was to make a face-kini, I wouldn't make a black one, I wouldn't make a white one, nor dark colours, nor brown, nor even grey... But scaring people still couldn't be avoided. So I thought--why don't I draw on some of these Peking opera designs that Chinese people like? So little children might not be so scared when they see these designs."At only 5 or 6 dollars a pair, Zhang's creation has attracted a loyal following across China as well as many counterfeits.

64-year-old Wang Baoyu, a loyal customer of the "face-kini" for nearly a decade, expresses her love for the authentic product.

"I'm afraid of getting stung by jellyfish, so I buy face-kinis. Face-kinis also prevent you from getting tanned. This store is authentic and I rode a bus for more than an hour just to come here. I wouldn't dare buy other face-kinis from street vendors as I'm afraid of buying counterfeit ones."Liu Keliang, Zhang's husband, says he and his wife are committed to continually improving their products.

"Within just 10 years, the scope of uses for the face-kini has expanded. The face-kini doesn't just have to be used when showering, or swimming in the ocean, but it can also prevent one from tanning when hiking outside, or outside when in the forest for an outdoor excursion. This is a new technology that reflects our modern lifestyle."The "face-kini" sold around 30,000 units last year. As China enters its summer season, Zhang plans to begin sales of the updated version in early August.

For CRI, I am Victor Ning.

WeatherBeijing will see thundershowers with a high of 28 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 21.

Shanghai will have slight rain with a high of 28 and a low of 24.

In Chongqing, it will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 35 and lows of 24.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Kathmandu, moderate rain, 26.

Islamabad will see slight rain with a high of 33.

Kabul will be overcast with a high of 34.

Over to North America,New York will be overcast with a high of 29 degrees.

Washington, overcast with a high of 31 degrees.

Honolulu, slight rain, 28.

Toronto will have slight rain with a high of 24 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be sunny with a high of 16.

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

Headline newsChina voices stern concern over Japan's security billsChinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi has voiced stern concern over the passage of security bills that will expand the role of Japan's Self-Defense Forces.

He was speaking as he co-chaired the first China-Japan high-level political dialogue in Beijing with Shotaro Yachi, head of Japan's National Security Council.

Yang Jiechi said Japan's move runs against the general trend of the world by accelerating the build-up of its military muscles and significantly changing its military security policy.

He urged Japan to stick to the route of peaceful development and not to do anything detrimental to regional peace and stabilityThe passing of the bills by the lower house of Japan's parliament has drawn opposition from inside Japan.

Local opinion polls have shown more than half of Japanese people are against the bills.

China's State Council removes senior sports official after graft probeThe State Council, China's cabinet, has formally removed a senior sports official from his post.

Xiao Tian, former deputy director of China's General Administration of Sport, was put under investigation last month for serious breaches of discipline and law.

His replacement has not been announced yet.

The central government says the probe will not reduce Beijing's confidence in bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Five killed, including lone shooter in shootings at Tennessee military facilitiesFive people, including the lone gunman, have been killed in shootings at two military facilities in the US.

Local police say the incidents in Tennessee at a Naval Reserve Center and a nearby military recruiting center lasted for about 30 minutes combined, starting at around 11 o'clock in the morning local time on Thursday.

President Barack Obama calls the marines' killing "heartbreaking".

The FBI has launched an investigation.

Local officials have already labelled the incident "an act of domestic terrorism."US media say the gunman has been identified as 24-year-old Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, who is believed to have been born in Kuwait.

Greek banks to reopen on MondayBanks in Greece will reopen Monday after the European Central Bank raised its emergency funding to Athens.

The 60-euro daily limit in cash withdrawals will remain.

Earlier the EU has granted a short-term bridging loan to Greece to allow the country to pay off arrears it owes to the International Monetary Fund.

Greece has debts of 320 billion euros and is seeking its third international bailout.

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

Here is our reporter Min Rui.

ReporterU.S. stocks ticked up amid upbeat earnings Thursday, with the Nasdaq eclipsing its previous closing record, as Wall Street cheered over the Greek parliament's approval of a third bailout plan.

The Dow Jones rose 0.4 percent.

The S&P 500 was gained 0.8 percent.

The Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 1.3 percent.

Chinese wealth management company Jupai went public on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the total gross proceeds from the offering estimated at 44 million U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, a batch of notable companies reported quarterly results Thursday. Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Intel, and Netflix all reported second quarter net income.

Over in Europe, the European Central Bank announced to increase emergency funding for Greek banks by 900 million euros to help remove the ongoing capital controls.

Major indices rose on news of the liquidity assistance.

The British FTSE 100 increased 0.6 percent.

Both France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX gained 1.5 percent.

Hundsun Tech. to close account opening function of HOMS serviceAnother market story here in China,Hundsun Technologies on Thursday announced that its subsidiary Hundsun Network would shut down the account-opening function of its HMOS service.

This, after the securities regulator's requirements for clearing and rectifying illegal businesses.

HMOS is an IT service that connects accounts to access points offered by securities brokerage firms.

It has been criticized on social media in China for channeling massive margin lenders into speculative trades on the domestic stock market and contributing to the sharp fall in stock prices in recent weeks.

Apart from shutting down the account-opening function, the company says it will also close all functions for accounts without any assets in the HMOS system and inform all the clients not to put additional capital into the accounts any more.

Chinese Premier meets World Bank presidentChina is ready to enhance partnership with the World Bank to jointly withstand the downward pressure on the global economy.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang made this comment on Thursday when meeting the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim in Beijing.

Speaking of China's current situation, Li saying the economy is stable and improving, and major economic indicators have rebounded in recent months.

Li Keqiang says China will continue to stimulate the vitality of the market by deepening reform and promoting mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

The two sides also signed an agreement to set up a 50 million U.S. dollar trust fund to help reduce poverty.

The fund is expected to start later this year and it will finance investment projects, operations, knowledge development and human-resource cooperation at both global and regional levels.

China outbound direct investment surges in H1China's outbound direct investment increased sharply in the first half of this year, thanks to less government restriction.

Statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce shows China's non-financial ODI grew 29 percent in the first half to 56 billion U.S. dollars.

The ministry says China is likely to accomplish or probably outperform the annual target of 10 percent ODI growth.

China revised an ODI regulation last October, streamlining procedures and making it easier for enterprises to explore overseas markets.

Since then, China became a net capital exporter for the first time when ODI outnumbered foreign direct investment.

Corporate News of the WeekAnchorLet's check out some of the main events taking place on the corporate front in China this week.

Joining me on the line now is Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.

==McCain raises concerns about possible China bid for Micron TechRepublican U.S. Senator John McCain raised concerns about the potential national security implications of a proposed bid by China's Tsinghua Unigroup to acquire U.S. chip maker Micron Technology.

He also called for a thorough review by the US Congress, the Department of Defense, and other U.S. government agencies.

Media reports say the State-backed Chinese private equity firm Tsinghua Unigroup offered 23 billion U.S. dollars to buy Micron.

Talking points:

1, Judging from previous cases where Bain and Huawei tried in vain to buy 3Com, insiders say the merger is unlikely to pass the national security reviews. What is your take on that?

2, If this happens, will the business move really compromise the U.S. national security?

==Yum's Sales Miss Projections after Slump Persists in ChinaAlthough Yum! Brands's second quarter earnings beat analyst expectations, the company's China branch is still in pain over the food scandal aftermath and sluggish sales.

Although the company has undertaken initiatives such as marketing and menu innovation in China, the overshadowing negative perception stands still.

Talking points:

1, Is it possible for Yum! brands to overcome last year's scandal? (Poor management/business decision…and maybe customer's preference change)2, As KFC and McDonald's make efforts to go digital to lure customers, can this really work to reverse the declining sales? (Clearly this is only a short-term boost, and is it enough to help them restore growth?)Didi Kuaidi Launches Shuttle Bus Service in Beijing and ShenzhenChina's taxi-hailing app Didi Kuaidi has launched a shuttle service in Beijing and Shenzhen.

The new service offers an alternative to the existing public transportation methods such as bus and subway.

The new shuttle service now covers 33 routes in Beijing and 10 in Shenzhen.

Riders can easily sign up through their Wechat account and the service is charged on a pay-as-you-go basis.

All of Didi Kuaidi's buses are rented from tourism agencies and car rental firms.

The company plans to increase shuttle routes in the two cities to 100 by the end of this month, and later expand to other cities.

China Railway Corp Launches Tenders for 351 TrainsChina Railway Corp has launched an open tender for 350 high-speed trains, the biggest move of its kind this year.

The tender covers procurement of some 230 trains capable of reaching 350 km/h.

The other 120 trains will be able to run at 250 km/h.

Total value of the acquisition could be worth 60 billion yuan, or roughly 9.6 billion U.S. dollars.

Meanwhile, China's Banking Regulatory Commission vows to give more loans for the railway development.

The regulator plans to give out 100 billion yuan, or 16 billion U.S. dollars through its policy lender, China Development Bank, to support the real economy and boost urbanization and infrastructure development.

SportsRobinho joins Guangzhou EvergrandeBrazil's Robinho has finally decided to join Guangzhou Evergrande.

The 31-year-old has signed a 6-month contract with the Chinese Super League club.

Robinho will arrive in Guangzhou and meet the team early next week after passing a physical.

Meanwhile, Beijing Guo'an has announced the signing of Brazilian midfielder Kleber Laude Pinheiro.

CSL recapBeijing Guo'an hopes Kleber's arrival can provide some much-needed help, after the team conceded the top of the leader board to Shanghai SIPG.

Shanghai took over the top spot after a 2-1 win over Tianjin Teda last night.

It now has 41 points after 19 games, leading Beijing by 2 points.

In the other game last night, Guizhou Renhe and Guangzhou R&F drew 2-2.

Blatter to attend World Cup qualifying drawFIFA president Sepp Blatter will attend the qualifying draw for the 2018 Russia World Cup, after missing the final of the Women's World Cup earlier this month.

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko says Blatter has confirmed his attendance.

"He once again confirmed to me that he is coming. He will be there. And he asked to prepare the programme of his visit, he asked for a meeting with President Vladimir Putin. We discussed with him all details of his visit and his participation. So Blatter will be there."The draw will determine the grouping for the World Cup. It will be held in St. Petersburg next Saturday.

China beats Thailand 3-0 at FIVB World Grand Prix in Hong KongIn women's volleyball,China has claimed a 3-0 win against Thailand at the FIVB World Grand Prix in Hong Kong.

It was China's 7th consecutive victory in the series, after taking previous matches in Ningbo in China and Saitama in Japan.

In other action,The United States defeated Japan 3-0.

Dustin Johnson leading Jordan Spieth by 2 shots at OpenIn golf,Dustin Johnson is leading the field after round one of the Open Championship.

Johnson overturned an early lead by grand-slam chasing Jordan Spieth and finished the round at seven-under 65.

Spieth is two strokes behind.

The Masters and US Open champion says Johnson is hard to beat but he still has a chance.

"I am yeah, very pleased with the start. I saw a 65 in our group and if DJ keeps driving it the way he is then I'm going to have to play my best golf to have a chance. It's hard to argue with someone who's splitting bunkers at 380 yards, putting for birdie on five or six of the holes when there's only two par fives. I don't have that in the bag so I've got to make up for it with ball striking."Tiger Woods' couldn't seem to recover from his poor form, as he carded a four-over 76.

The only Chinese player in the tournament Liang Wenchong finished the round at 8-over 80.

Rodriguiz wins stage, Armstrong back at Tour routeIn cycling,Joaquim Rodriguiz from Katusha has won stage 12 of the Tour de France.

The veteran climber ditched his fellow riders on the sodden final climb to finish first atop Plateau de Beille.

Chris Froome weathered a series of attacks from his GC rivals and retained the yellow jersey.

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has returned to the fringes of the Tour de France on a fund-raising ride.

The former seven-time winner, stripped of all of those victories because of a doping scandal, previewed the 13th stage one day ahead of the race's schedule.

He set out for the charity ride alongside former footballer Geoff Thomas to raise money for the fight against leukemia.

Armstrong is happy to be back.

"I'm glad to be here. This is a place that I have enjoyed riding my bike for a long time. Geoff (Thomas) has asked me to come and I think he's doing a great thing. And I think it's a great cause. I'm excited to be here."Armstrong is a survivor of testicular cancer and has set up Livestrong to help fight cancer.

Elsewhere,Mattia Gavazzi made it two in two days by winning stage 11 of the Tour of Qinghai Lake.

F1 having talks about changes: EcclestoneFormula One boss Bernie Ecclestone says the sport is having talks about making changes to increase the audience's interest next season.

There has been a further drop in viewership this year with Mercedes dominating the field.

The numbers have been on the decline in the last three years.

Ecclestone says no decisions have been made.

The Mercedes team, led by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, has won seven of the eight races so far this season, with five one-two finishes.

The drivers are the top two in the individual standing.

The 2016 season is set to feature a record 21 races, with the inaugural Azerbaijan Grand Prix being added to the calendar, and the return of the German Grand Prix.

EntertainmentEmmy Nominations AnnouncedThis year's Primetime Emmy nominations have been announced in Los Angeles.

Fantasy saga "Game of Thrones" is leading the nominees with 24 Emmy Awards nominations.

The series is a contender again for top drama honors, an award that has eluded it since it debuted in 2011.

Best actress nods have been given Taraji P. Henson for "Empire" and Viola Davis for "How to Get Away with Murder.""Mad Men" star Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey of "House of Cards" and newcomer Bob Odenkirk for "Better Call Saul,"-the prequel to the now-concluded "Breaking Bad", will bid for the best actor prize.

David Letterman, who retired from "The Late Show," and Stephen Colbert, who left "The Colbert Report" to succeed Letterman this fall, both received variety talk show nominations for their former shows.

This year's awards will be handed out on September 20 at a ceremony hosted by Andy Samberg.

"Monster Hunt" Grosses over 100 million yuan on its opening dayChinese fantasy movie-"Monster Hunt" has grossed over 170 million yuan on its first day of screening.

This makes it the highest-grossing Chinese film on opening day, breaking the record set by the 2014 film-"The Monkey King".

The movie was well-received among movie-goers and is rated 7.1 out of 10 at mtime.com, an IMDB-like site in China.

It tells a story of a young man who conceived a little monster king by mistake. He went through all kinds of difficulties to protect the little monster from evil hands.

Director Xu Chengyi also co-directed many "DreamWorks" animations, including "Shrek the Third".

He plans to shoot sequels for "Monster Hunt".

"Irrational Man" actors on Working with Woody AllenDirector Woody Allen's latest movie-"Irrational Man" has just held a screening.

Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone, the movie is about a tortured philosophy professor who finds a purpose in life when he decides to do something drastic.

Actress Parker Posey says she cried when she got a role in Allen's newest movie"I was feeling kind of lost in the culture of independent cinema. It's very risky to be an actor and especially an actress you have to rely on things just coming out of the blue and directors like Woody Allen having a part that's right for you in a movie to kind of rescue you and bring you back into the spotlight so I was relieved."Allen believes the reason that actors flock to him is because he takes "the work seriously.""They can work in all those blockbuster pictures but they're serious actors, they're artists and they want to do something serious. I'm not saying my film is good necessarily. It may be a terrible film but at least I'm trying to do something substantial and they appreciate that. "The seventy-nine-year-old is known for casting ensembles made up of rising stars and A-list actors.

"Irrational Man" opens tomorrow in the US.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

High level talks between China and Japan are underway and ongoing in Beijing, discussing bilateral ties and many issues of mutual concern...

Police in Yunnan say 550 stowaways have been found and four terrorists shot dead during crackdowns on illegal border crossings since 2014...

Four US Marines and a gunman have been killed at two military facilities in the US state of Tennessee...

In Business...a securities IT firm under investigation in China cuts access to several features of one of its popular programs...

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