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

Coming up on our program this morning...

Chinese authorities condemn the bombing in Somalia that killed a security guard at the country's embassy...

Days ahead of the decision on the 2022 Winter Games, Beijing's Olympic Bid Committee gives another briefing...

Turkey and the US are working together to create a zone in northern Syria that is free of Islamic State militants...

In Business...Chinese stock markets plunged on Monday, snapping a six-day rally...

In Sports...a surprise win for China a the Swimming World Championships...

In entertainment...Madame Tussaud in Hong Kong honours a Malaysian actress...

Top NewsChina condemns Somalia hotel bombingAnchorChina has strongly condemned a terrorist attack in Somalia in which a security guard at the Chinese embassy was killed and three embassy staff wounded.

CRI's Qi Zhi has the details.

ReporterSunday's suicide car bombing targeting Mogadishu's luxury Jazeera Palace hotel has left at least 15 people dead and more than 40 others injured.

A security guard at the Chinese Embassy housed in the hotel died of his wounds and three embassy staff were wounded.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang calls the attack "shocking".

"China was greatly shocked by this terrorist attack and we strongly condemn it. The Chinese government feels deep grief for the death of the security guard, and has expressed deep condolences to the Chinese victims and their families."The six-story hotel also housed several other foreign diplomatic missions.

The Al Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab has said it carried out the attack in retaliation against the recent operations by African Union and Somali forces in southern Somalia.

The hotel was targeted because Al-Shabaab says it houses "Western" embassies coordinating the offensive.

There's no indication the Chinese mission was specifically targeted.

Lu Kang says Chinese embassy staff have been moved to a safer location following the bombing and the wounded are being treated.

"China has lodged representation in Mogadishu and Beijing. The Somali side says it will take all necessary measures to treat the wounded and ensure the safety of Chinese organizations and people in Somalia."Sunday's bombing has also drawn strong condemnation from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who has vowed that it will not deter the United Nations from helping Somalia realize a peaceful future.

The UN Security Council also says it condemns the bombing "in the strongest terms".

Somalia had been in chaos since a civil war broke out in 1991. It wasn't until 2012 that a unity government was put in place.

China restored its diplomatic mission in Mogadishu last October, despite the volatile security situation there characterized by regular attacks launched by Al-Shabaab.

China's special envoy on African affairs, ambassador Liu Guijin has told CRI that there are actual needs for China to continue its diplomatic mission in Somalia.

"Somalia is in great need of reconstruction following more than 20 years of conflict. China used to have a sound relationship with the country. The Somali government has expressed hope that China can resume those Chinese-aided projects launched before the war, when conditions are right. There are always risks, but in terms of the development of bilateral ties, the needs for us to stay are real."The Chinese Foreign Ministry says it will pay close attention to the situation in Somalia following the suicide bombing and step up security.

Measures are also being worked out to protect the safety and interests of Chinese organizations and people in Somalia.

For CRI, I'm Qi Zhi.

Chinese student detained in Iraq freed, to return home soonA Chinese college student detained in northern Iraq is now free.

The Chinese embassy says Liu Tuo, a student majoring in archaeology at Peking University, has been freed by Iraqi police and is in good health.

He is now in the capital Baghdad and will soon return home.

Liu was detained earlier this month by Iraqi police as reports said he was suspected to have links to the Islamic State militant group.

Reports say he had gone to Iraq to visit historical sites, and was mistakenly thought to be a terrorist.

Beijing Looking Forward to Win the 2022 BidAnchorWith only days to go before the IOC selects the city that will host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Beijing's bid committee has briefed the media in Kuala Lumpur, where the selection will be made, telling them the scarcity of natural snow and the hosting of events at different locations is not a weakness that hinders the city's ability to host a successful Games.

CRI's Huang Shan has more.

ReporterChinese organizers have reiterated the country aims to host "sustainable" and "economical" games that can leave a "powerful legacy" for China and East Asia by improving the winter sports market.

To reduce costs, Beijing has already announced that several 2008 Olympic Games venues will be re-used for the indoor events of the winter games, including figure-skating, curling and hockey.

However, the sliding and skiing events will be held at two mountain sites in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, 70 and 180 kilometers away from Beijing respectively.

Speaking at the briefing in Kuala Lumpur, Beijing bid committee spokesperson Wang Hui said to host the games in three locations is not a weakness.

"The question is, is this a disadvantage or advantage to have three different venues? Many people think this is the weakness of Beijing, which is wrong, because we need to consider about the sustainability of the venues. We don't think having all venues in one location will bring benefit after the games."In terms of the scarcity of snow, the spokesperson indicates the city's organizational ability will be a very important factor for running the games.

"You can't have a successful winter Olympic just by having deep snow, because the winter Olympics needs the ability to receive the guests, to organize the games, support by the people working on ticketing, volunteers, and security. Beijing has showed it can do it through the 2008 Olympic."China is also expected to be counting on snow-making machines in order to guarantee sufficient snow.

Beijing is now looking forward to being the first city to have hosted both the summer and winter Olympic Games.

A committee member with Beijing's bid team, Wei Zhizhong, says if Beijing wins the bid, the development of winter sports in the country could be profoundly enhanced.

"If eventually we succeed to become the chosen city for the 2022 Winter Games, this will create a tremendous boost towards developing winter sports in our country. Besides having improvements in the infrastructure of winter sports, we are also looking to capitalize on the increased popular participation of the sports among the public."As Beijing and Almaty, Kazakhstan are the only two competitors remaining in the race, the final result will be decided on Friday following a final presentation.

For CRI, I'm Huang Shan.

"Man-eating" escalators spark safety concernsWork Safety officials in Hubei province have released a responsibility recognition report following the death of a woman who fell into a hole that opened suddenly at the top of an escalator at a shopping center.

The report says staff at the shopping center discovered that a panel at the top of the escalator was loose a mere five minutes before the accident, but did not take measures to stop the escalator for checks and repairs.

Security camera video, which went viral online, shows the 31-year-old briefly clinging to the edge of the gap while holding up her young son to be rescued by a mall staff member. The child escaped unharmed, but the mother was later found dead under the escalator.

The accident has prompted fresh worries about the safety of the country's elevators and escalators.

Liu Wei, deputy chief of public security and fire control troops in the southern city of Chongqing, says the gaps are safety hazards.

Firstly, people should pay attention to the gap between the handrail and the non-moving rail. That is the part that may easily clamp hands. Secondly, people should watch out for the gap between the moving escalator and the non-moving rail side. If one's clothes get caught in the trap, it's most likely to drag his feet in. Finally, pay attention to the end of the escalator, where gaps also exist.

Experts also remind people that the red emergency stop buttons on both ends of the escalator can be used to save lives, since they should stop the escalator's movement within two seconds.

Road Rage Driver Stands TrialA man who beat up a female driver, an assault that stunned the public, has been charged with intentional injury.

His trial started on Monday morning in Chengdu, the capital city of southwest China's Sichuan province.

The driver surnamed Zhang was detained by police for punching and kicking a female driver in the face repeatedly because her dangerous driving scared his wife and child.

The assault took place on May 3 and stunned the public after video clips were uploaded to the Internet. While public anger initially focused on the male driver, public opinion turned against the female driver when additional video footage showed her dangerous lane changing.

The court is yet to hand down a sentence. It is expected the attacker will be faced with penalties as the woman suffered broken ribs, a concussion, and severe bruising.

China's Ministry of Public Security soon launched a campaign against dangerous driving as a way to rein in the country's growing road rage cases.

Statistics show that police handled 156 million dangerous driving cases between January 2012 and June 2015.

Claim for Compensation Filed Four Years after Penglai 19-3 Oil SpillA Chinese Court has accepted a case against ConocoPhillips China and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, following an oil spill in Bohai Bay four years ago.

This is the first case brought by a social organization over maritime pollution since the change of China's Environmental Protection law.

Under the new provisions, registered non-government organizations coping with environmental affairs are allowed to bring charge to heavy polluters.

According to the court, the organization urges the defendants to restore Bohai Bay's ecosystem and repair the damage.

The Penglai 19-3 oilfield in the Bohai Sea suffered a severe oil leak in mid 2011 and polluted over 6,200 square km of sea water.

Harbin offers 72-hour visa-free entryThe city of Harbin in northeast China will offer a 72-hour visa-free entry for international transit passengers staring next month in a move to boost tourism and business.

The policy covers travelers from 51 countries and regions, including the United States, Russia, Britain, France and Japan.

They can enjoy a 72-hour stay in the city upon entry via the Harbin Taiping International Airport, providing they have third country visas and onward tickets to leave for a third country or region within 72 hours.

Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, becomes the 11th Chinese city to offer the visa-free policy, in addition to other major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

Accusations against Abbot Groundless: Shaolin TempleChina's Shaolin Temple has called on the police to punish someone it says is spreading rumors about Venerable Abbot Shi Yongxin.

Earlier, an informant, who claims to be a former disciple of Shaolin Temple with a religious name of "Shi Zhengyi", released a post online accusing the head of Shaolin Temple of violating the law.

He claims the leader has embezzled property from Shaolin Temple, tarnished the temple's reputation, and leads an indecent personal life.

The informant says he's delivered evidence to the authorities and the case is under investigationAt the same time, the man is threatening to disclose more materials about alleged unlawful acts by Abbot Shi Yongxin.

Turkish President to Visit ChinaAnchorTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to visit China on Wednesday and Thursday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

CRI's Luo Wen has more.

ReporterThis is the first visit to China for Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the Turkish President and the third as the leader of ruling Justice and Development Party.

China's special envoy on Middle East affairs Gong Xiaosheng says Erdogan's visit will help boost mutual understanding between the two sides.

"Both sides have attached great importance to Erdogan's visit to China. Substantial talks will be held on various areas like trade, culture and tourism during this visit. Special attention will be paid to economic and trade cooperation. China and Turkey may try to explore ways deepen cooperations on transportation, energy and telecommunications, which is conducive to the common interest of both sides."The trade volume between China and Turkey has been over 20 billion dollars since 2012, and China has become the second economic partner for Turkey.

Morover, cultural exchanges between China and Turkey have also been growing quickly in recent years.

"China and Turkey jointly celebrated the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The Year of China in Turkey was held in 2012 and the Year of Turkey in China was held in 2013. Chinese tourists can be seen almost everywhere in Turkey. At the same time, a great number of Turkish people are doing business in China."Speaking of international and regional affairs, Gong Xiaosheng says China and Turkey share the same ideas on many issues.

"Turkey plays an important role in many international and regional problems, especially on the Middle East issue. It will do good to the situation in the Middle East when more countries get involved in promoting the Middle East peace process. We hope more and more countries will play its constructive role in improving the situation in the Middle East. We will actively strengthen our cooperation with Turkey in the hope of creating more favorable conditions to tackle regional issus."Gong Xiaosheng also believes that China and Turkey should have closer cooperation in the global struggle against terrorism.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

Scotland's First Minister Visits ChinaScotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is now in China, the first visit paid by a Scottish First Minister.

Her visit is aimed at promoting Scotland as a destination for Chinese investment.

She made the remarks while attending a signing ceremony on Monday when Scottish and Chinese businesses signed deals worth of around ?35 million.

"China is one of the world's biggest economies. Now what that means for Scotland as for other countries is a huge export market, and we've had significant success in growing the value of Scottish exports to China. But China is also a source of potential investment into Scotland, we've got a number of very successful Chinese companies already investing in Scotland and we want to see more Chinese companies investing into Scotland."Sturgeon will make stops in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

British Politician Walks for Peace in ChinaAnchorA senior politician from the United Kingdom, Michael Walton Bates, has embarked on a 1,500 kilometer walk in China to mark the UK-China Year of Cultural Exchange and the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII.

The walk is also aimed at raising funds for the Red Cross Society of China.

CRI's Niu Honglin reports.

ReporterMichael Walton Bates, a Member of the UK House of Lords and Government Minister in the Home Office, kicked off the walk at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on Monday.

It will take Bates 64 days to cover a distance of 1,500 kilometers from Beijing to Hangzhou, the capital city of east China's Zhejiang province.

Hangzhou is also the hometown of Bates' wife Xuelin, Chairman of a charity called The Walk for Peace Foundation.

Bates plans to visit historical sites of the War of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII.

"For the past four years, I have been doing walks in different parts of the world. And I have walked through 18 countries so far. So Walking is the way I express my desire to build a peaceful and better world. "Between 2011 and 2012, Bates embarked on a 'Walk for Truce' from Olympia in Greece to London to raise awareness of the Olympic truce. He walked through 15 European countries, covering a distance of 4,800 kilometers.

In 2013, Bates walked 830 kilometers from London to Derry, Northern Ireland to raise funds for children in Syria.

Last year he completed a 1,000 kilometer walk between the United Kingdom and Germany to mark the 100th anniversary of WWI.

During his two-month walk in China, Bates will also participate in cultural events marking the first China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange.

Pu Tong, an official with China's ministry of culture says both sides have displayed creativity in organizing those events.

"It is interesting that both sides simultaneously set creativity as the highlight of their own season of cultural activities. Both China and the UK have rich cultural heritages. In addition to retaining their cultures and traditions, the two countries have their own ways to innovate and promote cultures. "As the season of Chinese cultural activities will begin in Britain next month, China's top artists and troupes, such as young pianist Lang Lang, National Theatre of China, and China National Peking Opera Company, will stage their performances from August to December.

For CRI, I am Niu HonglinTurkey, U.S. aim for safe zone cleared of Islamic State in northern SyriaTurkish Prime Minster Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday announced plans to rout the Islamic State group from a strip of Syrian territory along the Turkish border.

The US and Turkey are to work together to create an "Islamic State-free zone" in parts of northern Syria.

Long a reluctant member of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, Turkey made a dramatic turnaround this week, granting the alliance access to air bases and launching air raids against both the jihadist movement and the PKK following a bombing by IS militants in Turkey near the Syrian border.

The PKK has been involved in attacks against the Islamic State in northern Syria and along the Turkey-Iraq border.

US State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that Turkey has the right to defend itself against attacks by the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

"We are grateful for Turkey's cooperation against ISIL to include now use of some of their bases for coalition aircraft to go against targets, ISIL targets, particularly in Syria. So, we're grateful for that support. So separate and sync from that, Turkey has continued to come under attack by PKK terrorists, and we recognise their right to defend themselves against those attacks. And, it was in retaliation for recent attacks by the PKK that Turkey conducted these most recent strikes."There is no further information on whether there will be more attacks against the PKK by Turkey.

In a reflection of the complexities involved, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday refused to draw a distinction between the Islamic State group and the PKK.

In a series of cross border strikes since Friday, Turkey has not only targeted the IS group but also Kurdish fighters affiliated with forces battling the extremists in Syria and Iraq.

Greek PM meets Syriza party ahead of bailout talksGreek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is appealing for unity as division over bailout measures deepens within his ruling Syriza party.

He made the call at a meeting with the political committee of his radical left Syriza party on Monday, just one day before the bailout talks begin.

The technical discussions are designed to clear the path for high-level talks between Greek ministers and senior European Union and International Monetary Fund officials later this week.

In a separate event on Monday, Panagiotis Lafazanis, who heads the party's Left Platform, vowed to continue fighting the austerity measures in the bailout programme.

"We continue the fight until this 'no' is victorious. For a Greece without a bailout, without austerity, without guardians. Greece is democratic, progressive, and at the end of the day, Socialist."Other media reports say that some of its party members wanted to raid central bank reserves and hack taxpayer accounts to prepare a return to the drachma.

Under such pressure, Tsipras is likely to call early elections once the bailout discussions are completed.

Early Prevention A Key in China's Fight Against HepatitisAnchorThe World Health Organization (WHO) is marking the fifth annual World Hepatitis Day, Today, with the theme "Prevent Hepatitis. Act Now". Events in China and around the world will raise awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis. CRI's Victor Ning has more.

ReporterIn China, an estimated 90 million people carry the Hepatitis B virus, while 28 million of them suffer from the disease chronically. Most patients were infected with the virus during childhood. In line with the theme of this year's World Hepatitis Day, Lei Zhenglong, Deputy Director of China's Center for Disease Control, says early prevention and vaccinations are priorities in the country's fight against the disease.

"We believe Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccinations are the most economic and effective ways to prevent the diseases. We need to maintain a high vaccination coverage rate to ensure a strong public immunity barrier."China expanded its immunization programs to include Hepatitis B vaccinations in 2002, providing free shots for all new-born babies. Since then, about 200 million children have received the vaccinations, bringing the coverage rate to 95%. Statistics show that the infection rate of the disease among Chinese children has dropped significantly since the measure took effect.

Many newborns in China are infected by their mothers who carry the Hepatitis B virus. China began addressing the issue in 2010 by offering these babies injections of hepatitis B immune globulin, in addition to the regular vaccinations. This added measure has been shown to prevent 97% of babies born to infected mothers from contracting the virus.

In recent years, severe side effects and even deaths brought on by Hepatitus B vaccinations in China have caused some worries about the safety of the preventative measure. Addressing these concerns, Wang Huaqing, Deputy Director of the National Immunization Program at China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, says the public needs not to worry about the safety of the vaccinations.

"We have been monitoring the side effects of the Hepatitis B vaccinations since 2005. Most negative effects were due to hypersensitivity in individual cases. Occurrences of anaphylactic shocks are extremely low, less than the rate of one in a million. Both global and our national monitoring results show that Hepatitis B vaccination is among the safest of all available vaccinations."The upcoming World Hepatitis Day will be marked in China with free seminars, testing clinics and other events hosted by health institutions across the country. According to the World Hepatitis Alliance, co-coordinator of the World Hepatitis Day with the WHO, 157 countries participated in the event in 2014. The date of 28 July was chosen to honor the birthday of Nobel Laureate Professor Baruch Samuel Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus.

For CRI, I am Victor Ning.

WeatherBeijing will see thundershowers with a high of 30 degrees Celsius.

Overnight temperatures should drop down to 22.

Shanghai will be sunny with a high of 37 and a low of 29.

In Chongqing, it will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 36 and lows of 26.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Kathmandu, slight rain, 30.

Islamabad will see slight rain with a high of 33.

Kabul will see slight rain with a high of 23.

Over to North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 32 degrees.

Washington, cloudy with a high of 32 degrees.

Honolulu, slight rain, 28.

Toronto will see slight rain with a high of 32 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be overcast with a high of 21.

And Rio de Janeiro will be overcast with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChina condemns Somalia hotel bombingChina has strongly condemned a terrorist attack in Somalia in which a security guard at the Chinese embassy was killed and three embassy staff wounded.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry calls the bombing a shocking terrorist attack.

The Somali government has pledged to take all necessary measures to treat the wounded and protect the safety of Chinese organizations and people in Somalia.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council have also condemned the suicide bombing.

The Al Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab has said it carried out the attack in retaliation against the recent operations by African Union and Somali forces in southern Somalia.

There's no indication the Chinese mission was specifically targeted.

Obama praises Ethiopia over fight against al-ShababUS President Barack Obama has praised Ethiopia as an "outstanding partner" in the fight against militant Islamists.

Speaking in Addis Ababa, Obama says Ethiopian troops have played a key role in weakening the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab in Somalia.

However, he also says Sunday's suicide bombing on a hotel in Mogadishu is a reminder that more efforts are needed to battle the group.

Obama was speaking after talks with Ethiopia's prime minister during the first ever visit by a US president to the East African state.

Chinese student detained in Iraq freed, to return home soonA Chinese college student detained in northern Iraq is now free.

The Chinese embassy says Liu Tuo, a student majoring in archaeology at Peking University, has been freed by Iraqi police and is in good health.

He is now in the capital Baghdad and will soon return home.

Liu was detained earlier this month by Iraqi police as reports said he was suspected to have links to the Islamic State militant group.

Reports say he had gone to Iraq to visit historical sites, and was mistakenly thought to be a terrorist.

Turkey, U.S. aim for safe zone cleared of Islamic State in northern SyriaTurkey has announced plans to rout the Islamic State group from a strip of Syrian territory along the Turkish border.

Ankara says it will work with the United States to create an "Islamic State-free zone" in parts of northern Syria.

The move comes following a major shift in Turkey's approach to the extremist group in recent days.

Ankara has granted the US-led anti-IS alliance access to air bases and is launching air raids against both the jihadist movement and the Kurdish rebels following a suicide bombing by IS militants in a Turkish town near the Syrian border.

Major earthquake hits IndonesiaA powerful earthquake of magnitude 7 has struck Indonesia's eastern province of Papua.

But tsunami monitors say there's no threat of dangerous waves.

The US Geological Survey says the quake hit early this morning, almost 250 kilometres west of the provincial capital Jayapura at a depth of 52 km.

There are no immediate reports on any casualties or damage.

Biz reportsClosing numbers of the North American and European marketAnchorMoving into the North American and European market.

Our reporter Min Rui.

ReporterU.S. stocks fell for the fifth straight session on Monday as a broad-based sell-off in overseas stock markets weighed on Wall Street sentiment.

The Dow Jones fell 0.7 percent.

The S&P 500 dropped 0.6 percent.

The Nasdaq shed nearly one percent.

On the economic front, new orders for manufactured durable goods in June increased 7.7 billion U.S. dollars, up 3.4 percent, beating market consensus.

Investors were also keeping a close eye on the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day meeting scheduled to begin on Tuesday, which is the last one before September.

On the commodity front, gold futures are up ahead of the Fed meeting, while oil prices drop amid ample supplies.

Over in Europe, equities also suffered big losses.

British FTSE 100 dropped by over one percent.

French benchmark CAC 40 and Germany's DAX both tumbled 2.6 percent.

Recap on the stocks' performance here in China, shares nosedived on Monday with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index plunging 8.5 percent, its worst single-day loss in eight years.

The smaller Shenzhen Component Index tumbled 7.6 percent.

Nearly 2-thousand shares fell by the 10-percent daily limit.

China stocks in sharpest drop since 2007The stock-market plunge on Monday ended a six-day rally that followed government efforts to arrest the freefall that wiped nearly a third off the value of the market since mid-June.

Shortly after the closing bell, China's securities regulator urged its financial arm, China Securities Finance Corporation, to continue to buy stocks and stabilize the market.

Analysts struggled to explain the severity of the sell-off, which accelerated sharply in the afternoon session, long after investors had had time to digest the latest economic releases.

However, the 35-year-old investor Tan Minghui, who has experienced the recent market turmoil, is one of those who remains optimistic about the markets.

"The market dropped a lot not too long ago, so now I have an immunity and am not especially anxious. I think the markets have reached their lows; there is not much space for further decrease, that's my personal opinion. I think it would rebound back after dropping."Also on Monday, China's securities regulator said it has ordered investigations into another two companies for clues on margin lending activities through unofficial channels.

Following leads from the previous probe on Hangzhou-based financial software company Hundsun Technologies, the regulator has sent investigators to Shanghai Ming Chuang Techonology and Hithink RoyalFlush Information Network.

In early June, the Shanghai composite had risen by 152 percent compared to the previous July and nearly 60 percent since the beginning of the year.

But market conditions turned and, along with tightened regulation on margin trading, triggered a massive sell-off that saw the index plunge over 30 percent from its peak.

Although the government has stepped in with a string of stabilizing policies, market confidence seems hard to restore.

For more on the stock performance, we are joined on the line by Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.

Talking pointsQ1: What caused Monday's stock plunge in the Chinese market?

Q2: The Chinese government has recently unveiled a series of measures to prop up the market, including reducing the number of new shares to avoid a shares glut, a police crackdown on short-selling and a six-month ban on big shareholders selling stocks. These measures did not help maintain market rally for long. Why is that?

Q3: What impact do you think the recent market turbulence have on the real economy?

Back Anchor:

Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.

China's H1 tax revenue up 6.3 pctChina collected nearly 6 trillion yuan, nearly a trillion U.S. dollars, in taxes in the first half of this year.

The number is up 6.3 percent year on year, and the growth pace is in line with overall economic growth.

The State Administration of Taxation attributed the growth to China's economic recovery, which posted better-than-expected growth of 7 percent in the first half.

The government's continued pro-growth policies and reform measures are being credited.

Tax collected from the tertiary industry grew by 6 percent, with its tax revenue accounting for 56 percent of the total in the first half of the year, while tax from the secondary industry rose 3 percent.

In the same period, tax collected from the financial sector posted strong growth of 31 percent, the main driving force for the overall tax revenue growth.

Chinese small firms save about 49 bln yuan in taxes in H1New statistics show preferential tax policies have helped Chinese small and micro firms save around 50 billion yuan or 8 billion U.S. dollars in the first half.

More than 2 million small and micro enterprises in China enjoyed preferential policies on corporate income taxMore than 27 million small and micro firms, including privately-owned businesses, enjoyed value added tax and business tax cuts.

Meanwhile, about 5 million enterprises have saved around 110 billion yuan due to the replacement of business taxes with value added taxes.

China has expanded preferential tax policies for small companies and reduced their tax burden to boost economic growth and employment, as nearly 80 percent of urban jobs are provided by small companies.

China expected to invest 1.6 trln yuan in Belt and Road areas in 10 yrsA new report says China is expected to invest 1.6 trillion yuan in countries and regions along the Belt and Road in the next 10 years.

The report released by Shanghai University of Finance and Economics also noted that the investment in the Belt and Road areas currently accounts for about 13 percent of China's total outward investment.

The report predicts this number could increase to 30 percent in the next 10 years, while China's overall outward investment is likely to grow by 40 percent annually.

It also expects the Belt and Road countries and regions to account for one third of China's exports within 10 years.

China's exports to the Belt and Road areas have increased to 16 percent of its total, compared to 10 percent in 2005.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road cover areas with GDP about one third of the world's total.

SportsXie Siyi wins men's 1m springboardWe start off with the latest action from the Swimming World Championships in Kezan.

China's Xie Siyi has won the men's one-meter springboard event.

Xie won by a large margin of more than 36 points after five dives.

It was an unexpected win for the nineteen-year-old, who used to be a platform diver and is competing in his first world championships.

Manager of China's diving team Zhou Jihong sees great potential in Xie.

"It is a very gratifying experience for him, having won the one-meter springboard. It set up a good record for future springboard events. We hope he can achieve something too on the three-meter sprindboard."The other Chinese diver He Chao finished seventh.

China has wrapped up all four gold medals in diving.

In other action,Defending champions Chen Ruolin/Liu Huixia retained their title in women's synchronized 10-meter platform.

China remains on top of the medal tally after three days with four golds, one silver and one bronze.

Real Madrid beat Inter Milan 3-0 in GuangzhouTurning to football,Real Madrid downed Inter Milan 3-0 at the International Championships Cup in Guangzhou.

Real coach Rafael Benitez is happy about the result but says his team isn't playing a complete game just yet.

"It's obvious that the team can get better. Our attack is very good but from there we have to work. Not giving opportunities to the opponent and scoring goals all the while is the satisfaction you get when the work comes off."It was the third straight loss in China for Inter Milan, after losing against Bayern Munich and AC Milan.

Real Madrid will round off the Championships Cup with a game against AC Milan in Shanghai on Thursday.

CSL resultsVery quickly in the Chinese Super League,Shanghai Shenhua defeated Henan Jianye 1-0 to wrap up the 21st round of play.

Tim Cahill scored the winner for the home team. The Australian striker has had four goals in his last four games.

China beats Iran 68-64 at International Basketball ChallengeIn basketball,China's men's Olympic team opened the International Basketball Challenge with a 68-64 victory over Iran.

Guo Ailun had a team high of 16 points. Three other Chinese players also scored double digits.

Eight teams are competing in the International Basketball Challenge in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou. China will take on Slovakia tonight.

Hamburg Open recap, Nadal scheduled to play todayIn tennis,Albert Ramos-Vinolas is into the second round of the Hamburg Open after defeating his Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 7-6.

Florian Mayer from Germany is also through with a three-set win.

And Poland's Jerzy Janowicz cruised past Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 6-4, 6-3 in 75 minutes.

Rafael Nadal is the top seeded player at the tournament. This is his first match since he was knocked out of the Wimbledon in the second round.

Nadal says he feels fit for competition and is working on his mental game.

"I go day by day, I know I am not having the best season possible, but that's part of the sport and I am working hard to try to be great for the things that are coming later, and just wait for my moment."Nadal was the winner of the Hamburg Open in 2008. He begins his quest to repeat the success later today against Fernando Verdasco.

Men turn themselves in to police for hit-and-run in ParisTwo men have turned themselves in to the police in France, claiming they are behind the hit-and-run incident in Paris ahead of the finish of the Tour de France yesterday.

The police have them in custody and are investigating the case.

Police opened fire on a car that crashed through the barricades near the Place de la Concorde hours before the Tour de France peloton arrived in Paris.

The two men escaped unscathed but a female occupant in the car was shot in the chest. She has undergone surgery and is in stable condition.

A car full of bullet holes was abandoned near the Place de la Concorde after the incident. Witnesses saw four people bolting from the car.

Police have no reason to believe it was an act of terrorism and said it was a minor incident.

Maccabi Games to be held in Germany at Nazi Olympic venueEurope's largest Jewish sporting event, the Maccabi Games, is to be held in Germany for the first time.

More than 2,000 athletes from around the world will compete at a venue constructed by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympics.

Organizer of the event Alon Meyer says the decision to host the 14th edition of the games in Germany was a difficult but important one.

"Reconciliation is there, it has been received, and the Jews living here in Germany well know that. With the games, we have the possibility of conveying this message also outside Germany, beyond the borders of Germany, and this is important to us."Margot Friedlander, a 93-year-old holocaust survivor, will address a memorial ceremony ahead of the opening of the games later today.

EntertainmentMichelle Yeoh honoured at Madame Tussauds in Hong KongMalaysian actress Michelle Yeoh had one of her most famous characters honoured at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong on Monday.

The actress' martial arts character Yu Shu Lien from the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon film has been honoured by the waxwork museum. Yeoh worked alongside Madame Tussauds in London to ensure the waxwork was a good likeness.

The new figure will stand alongside other martial arts experts including Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

Yeoh says it's an honour to be part of the martial arts world.

" Yu Shu Lien is particularly a much loved character of my career and it represents a lot of things. And I think it's especially a great honor to be part of the martial arts world from Hong Kong that is so loved worldwide."A sequel of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is set for release next year with the actress set to reprise her role.

Hong Kong comic expocloses todayComic fans have flocked to this year's Animation Comic and Games Expo in Hong Kong.

There are over 600 exhibitors taking part this year.

One of the highlights of the events is the Star Wars booth where visitors can see a giant model of the Millennium Falcon which weighs a tonne.

A big part of the convention is Cosplay, where fans dress as their favourite characters. There are contests for the best costume.

Other events on offer are comic artists' meet and greet and a comic illustration competition.

The Animation Comic and Games Expo comes to a close today.

Minions crosses $500 million at in box officeMinions has crossed the $500 million mark at the international box office.

The animated comedy opened in first place in 55 territories, setting the record in 29 markets for the biggest opening weekend of all time for an animated movie.

Combined with its domestic total of $260 million, the movie has worldwide takings of around $760 million. With the film still set for release in China, Japan and Korea within the next two months, industry insiders are predicting that the film will cross the billion dollar mark.

Minions is a spinoff of hit film Despicable Me and follows the lovable minions as they set out to serve the most despicable masters through time. The film stars Sandra Bullock, John Hamm and Steve Coogan.

Minions is released in China on September 13.

Mariah Carey is to receive star on Hollywood Walk of FameMariah Carey is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next week.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced on Monday that the singer will be the next addition to the Walk of Fame.

Mariah Carey will get the 2,556th star on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The singer has had 18 number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, sold millions of albums and won a number of awards including five Grammy awards.

Earlier this week she launched a residency in Las Vegas.

Game of Thrones creator says he's tired of Marvel villainsGame of Thrones creator George RR Martin has revealed he is tired of Marvel villains.

Martin who is a self-confessed Marvel geek shared his views on the Marvel franchise on his website.

He praised Ant-Man for its balance of humor, story and action and said it was the second best movie after the Spiderman 2.

However Martin said that super hero movies have become boring because the hero and the villain have the same powers and the action scenes had become uninteresting. He said that Marvel should make the hero and the villain's powers vastly different in the future.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

Chinese authorities condemn the bombing in Somalia that killed a security guard at the country's embassy...

Days ahead of the decision on the 2022 Winter Games, Beijing's Olympic Bid Committee gives another briefing...

Turkey and the US are working together to create a zone in northern Syria that is free of Islamic State militants...

In Business...Chinese stock markets plunged on Monday, snapping a six-day rally...

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.