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

Coming up on the program this evening...

A strategic dialogue between China and the UK, on a range of domestic and global issues, begins in Beijing tomorrow...

The Chinese currency fell for a second day following reforms affecting the exchange rate to the US dollar...

And the former Japanese prime minister who issued an historic apology over the country's war crimes comes out of retirement to fight the current government's proposed security bills...

In Business...the IMF welcomes moves by China to create a more market-oriented exchange rate for the yuan...

In Sports...lots of action in the Chinese Super League possibly affecting the top of the standings...

And in Entertainment...a China-France animated co-production releases its first theatrical trailer...

All of that coming up in the next hour, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour.

WeChat: search "beijinghour"Email us directly at [email protected].

Visit crienglish.com for the latest news and information from China Radio International.

Top NewsChina, Britain to hold strategic dialogue in BeijingChina and Britain will hold a strategic dialogue in Beijing tomorrow.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will co-chair the event.

The dialogue focuses on diplomatic relations and significant regional and global issues.

Topics on the table this year are also said to be including preparations for President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the UK.

For more on this, we spoke earlier with Jin Ling, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.

That is Jin Ling, researcher at the China Institute of International StudiesRMB continues to depreciateThe Chinese currency continued to fall on Wednesday after the exchange rate formation system was reformed to better reflect the market.

The central parity rate of the renminbi dropped 1.6 percent, to 6.3 against the U.S. dollar.

Huang Yiping, a professor from the National School of Development at Peking University, said two-way fluctuations will become normal for the yuan in the future.

"I think whether the renminbi will further depreciate depends on the market. To put it simply, in the short-term devaluation is possible, but in the long run a big devaluation is impossible as PBOC's basic policy would continue endorsing two-way fluctuations and a general stability of the currency."In a statement released on Wednesday, the PBoC said the rate changes are normal, as it shows a more market-based system.

Zhang Yuzhong, Deputy Director of the Commerce Ministry's China Investment Promotion Agency, says he believes the devaluation will help shore up the country's weakening exports.

"My personal feeling is that, as in the past, the adjustment of the Renminbi, especially downward adjustments will have a stimulating effect on exports."And we will have more analysis on the impact of China's export sector later on in the biz segment.

Xi Asks Quick Rescue after NW China landslideChinese President Xi Jinping is urging an all-out effort to rescue the victims of a landslide that buried the living quarters of a mining company in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The landslide occurred early Wednesday at the Wuzhou mining company in Shanyang County.

CRIs reporter Wen Chao is now at the rescue site.

"According to the county authorities, the incident happened early Wednesday morning, with 40 people inside. 15 dorms and 3 houses were buried by an estimated 1.5 million cubic meters of earth. At present large-scale digging machines have entered the site. However since the geological condition here is complicated and the mountain is still in an unstable condition, the rescue operation is extremely difficult. "Rescuers have dug out four survivors and rushed them to hospital for treatment.

Each of them is now in stable condition.

The local government has admitted that a previous minor landslide at the mining site occurred just four days ago, hitting a garage where explosives were stored, but there were no casualties.

The cause of the slides is still under investigation.

A work team of the State Council has been sent to the site to oversee the search and rescue efforts.

Former senior tourism official expelled from CPC, officeHuo Ke, former deputy director of the China National Tourism Administration, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from public office for graft and leaking Party and state secrets.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced in January that Huo Ke was under investigation for suspected "serious discipline and law violations."Huo, 54, was named tourism deputy head in December, only to be removed from that post two months later.

Former Japanese PM calls on Abe to drop security bills.

Anchor:

Japan's Former prime minister Tomiichi Murayama has come out of retirement to be the face of mounting opposition to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's security bills.

The former PM, well-known for his landmark apology to Asian nations over Japan's wartime past, is urging Abe to admit Japan's wartime wrongdoing in his forthcoming statement later this week.

CRI's Xyee has more.

Reporter:

Tomiichi Murayama was head of a coalition with the conservative-leaning Liberal Democratic Party in 1995 when he made the "heartfelt apology" for the wartime damage and suffering caused by Japan - known now as the "Murayama statement".

"I regard, in the spirit of humility, these irrefutable facts of history, and express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology."At 91 years old, the former prime minister has not let his age prevent him from joining protests that have been sparked by the controversial bills.

The security bills, if adopted, will allow Japan to expand its military abilities abroad, such as fighting for or defending a friendly country like the United States.

Abe's agenda also includes adopting a less apologetic tone towards the past and revising the post-war, pacifist constitution which Murayama said would lead Japan back to war.

"People are saying they don't know what's going to happen next. But if we keep flexing our muscles, a war will eventually break out. History has taught us that. We need to prevent this from happening."According to the latest opinion polls by NHK, 64 percent of those polled were either against the bills or did not think highly of them.

The same polls also found Abe's popularity ratings have dropped to 37%.

The older generation in Japan, especially those who have experienced the war, generally have a harder time accepting the bills.

"I think most people my age who have experienced war aren't supportive of the bill, because it will bring us one step closer to war.""I feel that Japan will begin to lose the integrity it has built up so far and end up becoming isolated as a nation."Abe, who is expected to give a statement this week to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, has said he will uphold past statements about the war, including Murayama's 1995 landmark "heartfelt apology" for Japan's aggression and colonialism.

But his previous remarks and stated desire to look to the future have raised concerns he wants to water down those apologies.

The statement is closely watched by the international community, especially Asian countries that were invaded by Japan during World War II.

South Korea's top diplomat says Abe's statement will be a touchstone for future relations between Seoul and Tokyo, adding that the Japanese prime minister must completely and clearly inherit the perception of history shown in previous statements issued by former Japanese leaders.

China has frequently issued similar demands to the Japanese government as prerequisite of mending ties between the two countries.

For CRI, this is Xyee.

S. Korean man sets fire to himself in front of Japan's embassy in SeoulAn elderly South Korean man set himself on fire on Wednesday at a protest in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul.

The 81-year-old man has been taken to hospital to be treated for burn injuries.

The self-immolation came during a regular demonstration calling for Japan to apologize for forcing Korean women to work as sex slaves in military brothels during World War II.

The rally is hosted by the Korean Council for Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan every Wednesday.

The group has been doing this since the 1990s.

Three out of the 47 known surviving Korean sex slaves also attended Wednesday's demonstration.

89 year old Kim Bok-dong is one of them.

"We want our government to be proactive and clarify past affairs. It is not that we're protesting because we're hungry. Why is it wrong when we are trying to make them (Japanese) admit their wrongdoings when they've actually done them but are denying it."The incident comes days before the August 15th anniversary marking 70 years since the end of Japan's colonial occupation of the Korean peninsula.

With the anniversary looming, the protest was larger than usual, with about 2,000 demonstrators.

South Korea's ties with Japan have long been strained by what Seoul sees as Japanese leaders' reluctance to adequately atone for the country's wartime past, including a full recognition of its role in forcing Korean women to work in military brothels.

Japanese Citizens Urge Government to Take Responsible Stance on "Comfort Women"Anchor:

Inside Japan, many citizens are urging their government to adopt a historically correct and responsible stance on the issue.

CRI's Victor Ning has more.

Reporter:

For the past decade, the Women's Active Museum on War and Peace in Tokyo has striven to educate the Japanese people about the truth of forced sexual slavery of women and girls by the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII.

The museum holds much evidence of wartime crimes against women, including testimonies from former comfort women, court records, and archive films.

Eriko Ikeda, the museum's curator, says she hopes to keep the memories and stories of these women and girls alive.

"I want to tell people what kind of experiences those women suffered, of the sexual violence at the hands of the Japanese army in different places in the world, what kind of responsibilities Japan should take, and how those women struggled to survive despite the harsh reality they were facing. I think there should be a place to tell those things."Ikeda says her museum receives only about 3,000 visitors a year. Since the museum opened 10 years ago, it has been frequently attacked by members of right-wing political factions within Japan. As those factions have enjoyed increasing influence over Japanese politics, the museum has also been largely ignored by domestic media.

Despite the challenges, Ikeda says she is committed to uphold historical truths.

"Since World War II, there has always been a force in Japanese society that has been trying to forget or cover up the comfort women issue. Although the victims have been bravely fighting for their rights, the denial movements remain strong. The fact that this severe violation of human rights has not only been ignored, but also covered up is something that cannot be allowed."Kazu Nagai, a professor at Kyoto University, also urges the Japanese government to stop distorting historical facts and apologize for the use of "comfort women" during WWII. Professor Nagai says Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seems to care more about the attitude of the US on this issue than historical facts.

"Actually, Abe personally rejects the Kono statement. He believes the Japanese government takes no responsibility towards the comfort women issue. But what Abe cares about most is the U.S. attitude, and Americans believe that it will do no good to U.S. interests if Japan denies the statement. So Abe had to admit that Japan will inherit the spirits of the Kono statement even though he didn't say it from his heart."Japanese researchers have estimated that the Japanese military used upward of 200,000 women from all over Asia as comfort women during WWII; however, Chinese researchers have put the estimate at upward of more than 400,000.

For CRI, this is Victor Ning.

China pushes for better international co-operation ahead of Global Climate Change Talks in ParisAnchor:

Today we're bringing you our final report in our series on what's being done in China to try to combat global climate change.

In this edition, we'll hear about China's calls for more international cooperation ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris later this year.

CRI's Luo Laiming reports.

Reporter:

China predicts that its carbon emissions will peak by 2030 or earlier in a set of national emissions pledges submitted to the United Nations in June.

China has promised to cut the nation's energy consumption per unit of economic output by 60 to 65 percent from its 2005 baseline.

The pledge has been eagerly awaited as the country is the world's largest carbon emitter.

Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, Professor Du Xiangwan says the goals set by China to tackle climate change have been influenced by the country's national priorities.

"We should make it clear that energy conservation and emission reduction is what China needs in terms of China's economic development pattern and the environmental problems that China has faced in recent years. It will not restrict China's economic development. Instead, it will make it possible for China to pursue a model of sustainable development."Professor Du reiterates that China's efforts in dealing with climate change do not necessarily mean an economic slowdown. According to him, China can maintain its economic growth while developing a cost-effective, low-carbon economy.

Also, China is sticking to its consistent stance that the outcomes of the talks on a new climate change agreement should follow the principles of "common but differentiated responsibilities".

Du Xiangwan says this principle is determined by many factors and is widely acknowledged in the world.

"There is no doubt that developed countries are major emitters of carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide emission per capita of developed countries is much higher than that of developing countries, both historically and in modern times. However, to achieve sustainable development worldwide, every country should make its contribution according to its capabilities and national conditions. "Meanwhile, China is also pushing for greater international cooperation in tackling global environmental problems.

For example, China is deepening its cooperation with the United States and the European Union.

China also offers both financial and technological assistance to other developing countries to help them deal with climate change.

He Jingjing, an assistant researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences says bilateral and multilateral cooperation will definitely boost the United Nations climate change talks.

"China's collaboration with other countries, like the US send a very important signal to the world that developed countries and developing countries can work together. So I'm sure that China's cooperation with other countries will be very beneficial to the climate change negotiation."China's action on climate change is expected to boost international efforts to reach a new, universally binding climate pact in Paris later in December.

The new pact aims to set a long-term goal of limiting the maximum global average temperature increase to no more than 2 Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

For CRI, I'm Luo Laiming.

48-hour truce between Syrian army, rebels in 2 flashpoints enters into effectThe Syrian army and armed militants have begun a 2-day truce in two flashpoints in Syria.

The ceasefire was reached on Tuesday and began at 6.00 am local time Wednesday.

The truce is being observed in the city of Zabadani, northwest of Damascus, and in two besieged Shiite towns in the countries northwest, Kafraya and Foa.

Rebel militants are requiring the government to secure buses for them to remove their fighters from Zabadani, and in return the rebels in the northwest will allow entry of food and aid convoys into the besieged Shiite towns.

The four-year-old Syrian conflict has taken a sectarian turn with increasing Sunni jihadists joining the insurgency against President Bashar al-Assad's government.

UN Proposes Unified Libyan Government, PM May ResignThe UN is proposing a unified government among Libya's warring factions, bringing hope for stability to the war-torn country.

Bernardino Leon, the US special envoy to Libya, said the proposal could see the formation of a new Libyan government as soon as the end of the month, with a vote in September.

"We are proposing the parties to work on the coming three weeks and to try to have agreement on these important two points - on the annexes and the unity government - by the end of August."Leon commented during talks in Geneva, adding that all political factions in Libya were represented at the negotiations.

Libya is divided under two rival governments. A group of local militias under the banner of Libyan Dawn drove an internationally recognized government out of the capital Tripoli one year ago.

The UN is calling for a one-year united government with a council of ministers led by a prime minister and two deputies.

The talks coincide with comments made by the internationally recognized Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani that he would resign. al-Thani made the comments after being confronted with criticisms of his government as ineffective.

China attends World's biggest trade skills competition openning ceremonyAnchor:

More than 1,000 competitors from 60 countries are taking part in this year's WorldSkills competition in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The WorldSkills Competition occurs every two years and is the biggest vocational education and skills excellence event in the world.

CRI's Yu Yang has more:

Reporter:

The Competitors represent the best of their peers and are selected from WorldSkills' Member countries and regions.

They will demonstrate technical abilities both individually and collectively to execute specific tasks for which they study and will perform in the future.

China formally joined the organization in 2010.

Zhang Lixin, who heads of the Chinese team, says the WorldSkills competition has great significance.

"The skills involved in this competition relate to both secondary and tertiary industries, especially manufacturing. So the competition may directly improve the ability of manufacturing related personnel and the quality of vocational education. Many countries, including China, have realized the positive role the competition plays in improving a country's manufacturing level."China has sent 32 young competitors to attend 29 competitions. WorldSkill demands the competitors have to be under the age of 25.

Simon Bartley, President of WorldSkills, says youth is the focus of the competition.

"Young people are more than capable of improving our world with the power of skills. That message should be heard louder and clearer than ever before."Chen Siliang, from a Senior Technical School in Chongqin, says he is fully prepared for the competition.

"When I was trained at the base station, I memorized all of the vital components of cars and I am very familiar with vehicle maintenance and repair. I am pretty confident I will have a good performance during the competition. "During the next five days, competitors have to demonstrate individual and collective technical skills and simulate real work challenges according to international industry standards.

Zhang Lixin also claims that China aims to attract more attention in terms of vocational education and skills, as the competition is about more than just winning gold medals.

"WorldSkills can be compared to an Olympic Games in the field of skills. We hope society attaches great significance to the skilled talents at the event and they are seen as role models for young people. And it will help to lay a better foundation for the manufacturing industry in terms of skilled personnel."This is the third time China has attended the WorldSkills competition.

WorldSkills Sao Paulo is open to the public from August 12th to 15th and approximately 200,000 visitors are expected to attend.

For CRI, I'm Yu Yang.

WeatherBeijing will be clear tonight with a low of 24, tomorrow will be overcast with a high of 35.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 25, tomorrow will still be cloudy, high of 32.

Chongqing will be overcast tonight with a low of 25, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 34.

Lhasa will have shower tonight with a low of 13, overcast tomorrow with a high of 24.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will have slight rain tomorrow with a high of 35.

Kabul, cloudy, 31.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, sunny, high of 16,Brisbane, sunny,19,Perth will have slight rain, high of 18.

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

Headline newsChina, Britain to hold strategic dialogue in BeijingChina and Britain will hold a strategic dialogue in Beijing tomorrow.

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will co-chair the event.

The dialogue focuses on diplomatic relations and significant regional and global issues.

Topics on the table this year are also said to be including preparations for President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the UK.

Xi asks quick rescue after NW China landslideA landslide occuring in northwest China has burried 40 people.

The landslide occurred early Wednesday at a mining site in Shaanxi Province.

Rescuers have dug out 4 people and rushed them to the hospital for treatment. They are now in stable condition.

Top Chinese leaders, including Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, have urged an all-out effort to rescue the victims.

Beijing to close roads, metro stations for parade rehearsalBeijing will shut down roads and close metro stations for night rehearsals of the Sept. 3 parade to mark the 70th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

The rehearsals will be held on Aug.13 and Aug.15 .

Streets surrounding Tian'anmen Square and Chang'an Street will be closed during the rehearsal.

Vehicles can enter only with permit.

U.S. military helicopter crashes off OkinawaA US military helicopter has crashed into the sea near Okinawa, Japan, leaving seven crew members injured.

Local media say the incident occurred between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. local time about 30 km east of the U.S. air base on the island.

There were 17 people on board the U.S. Army chopper, and all of them have been rescued.

Indonesian president reshuffles cabinetIndonesian President Joko Widodo has reshuffled his cabinet as Southeast Asia's largest economy aims to speed up subdued economic growth.

Five ministerial posts, including the security chief and economic chief ministers, were replaced on Wednesday.

The reshuffle is made amid pressure to boost the economic growth which has been the slowest in six years at the first and second quarters.

Hillary Clinton to hand over private email server to authorities: mediaIt's being reported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is going to hand over her private email server and a thumb drive containing all her work-related emails to the US Justice Department.

The move is designed to quell the controversy revolving around Clinton's use of a personal email account and server while working as US Secretary of State.

It's being suggested the Clinton campaign is becoming increasingly concerned the issue could further hurt her trustworthiness.

Her favorability rating has dipped recently, with the latest polling showing 57-percent of voters regard Clinton as not honest and not trustworthy.

Biz Reports StocksFirst a look at the numbers from across the Asian markets to close out this Tuesday evening.

Asian shares closed lower on Wednesday following China's devaluation of the yuan for the second straight day.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 1.1 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index edged down 1.6 percent.

The ChiNext Index, tracking China's Nasdaq-style board of growth enterprises, lost 2.8 percent.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed 2.4 pct lower.

Japan's Nikkei fell 1.6 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI dropped 0.6 percent.

Singapore's Straits Times Index lost 2.9 percent.

IMF welcomes China's move to improve forex formation systemThe International Monetary Fund has welcomed China's move to improve its foreign exchange formation system.

An IMF spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday that a more market-oriented exchange rate will facilitate the Special Drawing Right operation if the RMB is included in the SDR basket.

The IMF also said China has the ability to achieve an effectively floating exchange rate system within two or three years.

China's central bank on Tuesday announced the decision to improve its central parity system to better reflect market development in the exchange rate between the Chinese yuan against the U.S. dollar.

RMB continues to depreciateThe Chinese currency continued to fall on Wednesday, dropping 1.6 percent.

This comes after Tuesday's record 1.9 percent devaluation.

The central bank says the falling of yuan doesn't mean the start of a sustained depreciation.

Meanwhile some experts also suggest that the devaluation will help shore up the country's weakening exports.

China's exports in July dropped 8.3 percent.

For more on the RMB's depreciation and China's exports, we're joined on line with Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator.

That's Cao Can, CRI' s financial commentator.

China offers a more competitive solution for Jakarta-Bandung Railway.

China has offered a more competitive solution for Indonesia's first high-speed railway linking Jakarta and Bandung.

A press release from the Chinese delegation for this project says China will grant a loan repayment term of 40 years, with a grace period of 10 years. The exact amount of the loan is yet to be revealed.

Indonesia announced last month it would hold an open bid for the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway.

The new rail line is expected to cut the travel time between the two cities from the current three hours to less than 40 minutes.

Both Japan and China have handed in proposals.

If China is to build the railway, construction could start as early as next month and be finished in three years' time, which is 5 years earlier than Japan's completion date.

China also pledges to enhance local procurement for the project.

This is expected to create approximately 40,000 job opportunities for Indonesia each year.

China will also establish a joint venture with Indonesia to operate the railway and share risks and interests, while providing technical transfer and personnel training for Indonesia.

Indonesia says it will study the Chinese proposal and appoint an independent consultant this week to help make a decision.

Jakarta is reportedly to announced the final result by the end of this month.

China's industrial output up 6 pct in JulyChina's value-added industrial output expanded 6 percent year on year in July, down from 6.8 percent for June.

The National Bureau of Statistics attributed the drop mainly to flagging external demand, a weak property sector, and less production from some consumer goods sectors, including automobiles and cigarettes.

Year-on-year growth in the first seven months stood at 6.3 percent, the same level as the growth for the first half of the year.

China uses value-added industrial output to measure the final value of industrial production.

The NBS data only tracks the output of large Chinese companies with annual primary business revenues of more than 20 million yuan.

China's July retail sales grew 10.5 percent, Fixed -asset investment grew 11 percent in first 7 monthsRetail sales in China grew 10.5 percent year on year last month, reaching 380 billion U.S. dollars, down slightly from the growth rate recorded in June.

The National Bureau of Statistics says growth in rural areas continues to outpace growth in cities.

It also says online sales have increased 37 percent year on year through the first seven months of the year.

Meanwhile, China's fixed-asset investment grew 11 percent year on year in the first 7 months.

The rate is much lower than the 17 percent recorded in the same time period of last year.

The calculation does not include fixed-asset investment by farmers. It includes projects with investment of at least 5 million yuan, as well as all property development projects.

SportsCSL previewStarting things off with football...

The top four teams in the Chinese Super League are all playing tonight, with the potential of reshuffling the standings after a two-week lull.

Beijing Guo'an hosts Shandong Luneng in a battle for the top spot in the league.

Luneng needs a victory for the chance of closing the 2-point gap with league leader Shanghai SIPG. Luneng's confidence and morale is still high after defeating Guo'an in their first clash this season.

Guo'an is only five points adrift of the top of the table, so a win is crucial if the team is to stay in contention for the championship.

Meanwhile, front-runner Shanghai SIPG takes on Henan Jianye,Second-placed Guangzhou Evergrande meets Jiansu Shuntian,And Tianjin Teda plays Shijiazhuang Everbright.

Barcelona defeates Sevilla in extra-time to win Super CupElsewhere,Barcelona has defeated Sevilla 5-4 in extra time to lift the UEFA Super Cup.

Lionel Messi scored twice and assisted the extra time winner by Pedro.

Pedro had expressed his wishes to leave Camp Nou earlier in the week, but Messi said the team still has hopes in him.

"To be honest, I am very happy that Pedro was the one who scored the goal that gave us the trophy. Personally, I think Pedro will decide what's best for him. We will always be with him, no matter what his decision is, we wish him always the best for everything he has done and still does to the club. He deserves the best. I tell you that I don't know what his decision will be but he has our support, no matter what he decides."The Super Cup is Barcelona's fourth title in a calendar year after winning a triple crown last season.

Badminton world championships resultsIn badminton,World number one Chen Long has sailed into the last 16 at the world championships in Indonesia.

Chen sent off his Estonian competitor with a straight-sets victory.

China's Lin Dan had earlier made it through, also in straight sets.

In women's action,Wang Yihan is into the last 16 after downing Vietnam's Vu Thi Trang.

Wang struggled through the first two sets and wasted seven set points but eventually came through in three sets.

In men's doubles,The Fu Haifeng/Zhang Nan pairing and the Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan pairing both progressed.

Yu Yang/Wang Xiaoli made it through in women's doubles.

Retirement ceremony for Bateer in BeijingIn off-court basketball news,A retirement ceremony for Mengke Bateer has been held at the Master Card center in Beijing.

Bateer, an ethnic Mongolian, expressed his deep love and gratitude to Beijing, a city where he has spent the most part of his career.

"The city is my second home. I played my beloved basketball here for 30 years. Basketball has given me everything, so Beijing is an indispensable part of my career, it is invaluable to me. Your understanding, support, and love sustained me through these 30 long years. They have made me who I am today. I am saying goodbye to the court, but I will always remain a part of basketball."Bateer started his CBA journey with Beijing and played on-and-off for the team, with short spells at Xinjiang and the NBA in between.

39-year-old Bateer is the first Chinese player to have been on a NBA championship-winning roster.

He was with the San Antonio Spurs when they won the NBA championship in 2003.

He was also MVP of the regular season at the CBA for three straight years.

Rory McIlroy fit to defend PGA Championship titleIn golf,World number one Rory McIlroy has claimed he is totally fit and ready to defend his US PGA championship title.

McIlroy made a speedy recovery after an ankle injury forced him out of two major events this season.

The field has missed the participation of McIlroy, and Open Championship winner Zach Johnson welcomes his return.

"I'm really excited that Rory's back. We all want him back because he's a great kid and I obviously don't need to describe his talent and more than that he's just a great ambassador for the game. I 'm glad he's back. I'm excited for just to go out Thursday and Friday and see what my game does."McIlroy will tee off alongside Zach Johnson and Jordan Spieth at Whistling Straits on Friday Beijing time.

Tennis: Rogers Cup recapIn tennis,World number one Novak Djokovic has made a winning start to his hard-court season at the Rogers Cup.

Djokovic kicked off his bid for a forth title in Canada with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Thomaz Bellucci.

Djokovic said he held it together to win the decisive tie-break.

"I managed to stay cool and mentally tough in the right moments. So, that's what I take out of this match, you know, the ability to play my best and stay calm in the right moments and overcome this touch challenge: it's first hardcourt match for me since Miami earlier this year in March. It's been a long time playing hardcourt, an official match. So, it takes a little bit of time to get into the rhythm, get into the groove."In other action,Jo-Wilfried Tsonga opened his title defense with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Borna Coric from Croatia;And second seed Andy Murray wass held at 4-4 before the first set was interrupted by rain.

On the women's side,Top-ranked Serena Williams rebounded to beat Flavia Penneta in three sets.

Victoria Azarenka reached the second round after a straight sets win over Elina Svitolina.

IAAF finds 32 adverse doping resultsIn athletics,The World's athletics governing body, the IAAF, has found 32 adverse doping results involving 28 athletes.

The IAAF conducted retests using new technologies, looking for previously undetected substances. The samples are from the 2005 and 2007 world championships.

All 15 hometeams win in a single day - first time in MLB history)All 30 Major League Baseball teams played on Tuesday in North America --- and for the first time in MLB history, all 15 home teams won on the same day.

That includes a walk-off victory by the Cleveland Indians over the New York Yankees in the bottom of the 16th inning. The Yankees had actually taken a two-run lead in the top of the 10th, the first extra frame, and looked to be on their way to victory before Cleveland fought back.

The Marlins and Mariners also scored walk-off victories in extra innings.

There were four shut-outs on the day.

The previous record for home teams winning on a single day is more than a century old --- 12 teams, May 23rd, 1914.

EntertainmentChina Widens Ban on Immoral SongsChina's Ministry of Culture has vowed to tighten supervision on entertainment venues and cafes.

The move comes on the heels of a two-week notice to website administrators to remove morally incorrect songs.

On Monday, the ministry published a list of 120 songs banned from online distribution for "trumpeting obscenity, violence, crime or harming social morality".

The banned songs include hits like "Beijing Hooligans", "Don't Want to Go to School" and "Suicide Diary".

As of today, the ministry says the ban is also effective for entertainment venues, live performances, and audio-visual publications.

The ministry set Aug. 25 as the deadline for the removal of the banned songs, with unspecified "severe punishment" for those failing to comply.

"The Prince and the 108 Demons" Releases TrailerThe first animation co-produced by China and France -"The Prince and the 108 Demons" has released a trailer on its main characters.

In the trailer, heroes such as Gao Yunfei and Mao Tiechui debut and show their skills and talents.

The 3D animation revolves around a falling prince who regains his power and restores his kingdom with the help of a league of legends.

The legends in the movie are developed from the 108 heroes in the classical Chinese novel-Water Margin.

Creator of Downton Abbey Suggests a Downton MovieDownton Abbey has been given a special award by the British Film and Television Academy for its global success.

The honoring ceremony is a chance for the ensemble cast who finished shooting this week and have already said their goodbyes to get together.

Elizabeth McGovern, who plays The Countess of Grantham says she wasn't as stoic as she thought she'd be.

"It was sad. I decided I wouldn't cry but I did. I shed a few tears."Like McGovern, the show creator Julian Fellowes doesn't seem to be able to let it go so easily.

The British writer has not even wrapped shooting the last scene for the sixth and final season, but he is already gunning for a movie.

"I doubt it would be a prequel. I mean if the movie happens it would be a continuous one with the same people. But it's not set. I'd like a movie I think it'd be fun."The sixth season of "Downton Abbey" will start airing in September 2015 in the UK and in 2016 in the US.

The Notebook is Becoming a TV SeriesHollywood hit "The Notebook" is the latest film to become a TV series.

The CW Television Network is currently working on adapting the Nicholas Sparks's novel-turned-movie into a continuing episodic drama for next season.

The series will follow the romantic journey of the two beloved central characters Noah and Allie, at the outset of their blossoming relationship.

They build their lives and their future together against the backdrop of the racial politics, economic inequalities, and social mores of the late 1940s North Carolina.

Noah and Allie were famously played by Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in the 2004 film version of Sparks's 1996 book.

An increasing number of Hollywood films are adapted into TV series this year in the US.

CBS has shows based on "Limitless" and "Rush Hour" in the works, while ABC has "Uncle Buck" and Fox is debuting "Minority Report" this fall.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's cremated remains to be permanently exhibitedThe cremated remains of Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez are making a return journey home to Colombia.

Starting in December, his ashes will be held in the Caribbean city of Cartagena where he began his writing career.

Garcia Marquez arrived in Cartagena in 1948 and immediately landed a job as a journalist at the local newspaper El Universal while continuing his law studies.

He set several of his works in the city, including Love in the Time of Cholera.

He also established a foundation there to train Latin American journalists.

His family made the decision to bring his remains to Cartagena.

The celebrated author of One Hundred Years of Solitude died in Mexico in April 2014, where he lived for many years with his familyWeatherBeijing will be clear tonight with a low of 24, tomorrow will be overcast with a high of 35.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 25, tomorrow will still be cloudy, high of 32.

Chongqing will be overcast tonight with a low of 25, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 34.

Lhasa will have shower tonight with a low of 13, overcast tomorrow with a high of 24.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will have slight rain tomorrow with a high of 35.

Kabul, cloudy, 31.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, sunny, high of 16,Brisbane, sunny,19,Perth will have slight rain, high of 18.

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

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

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

A strategic dialogue between China and the UK, on a range of domestic and global issues, begins in Beijing tomorrow...

The Chinese currency fell for a second day following reforms affecting the exchange rate to the US dollar...

And the former Japanese prime minister who issued an historic apology over the country's war crimes comes out of retirement to fight the current government's proposed security bills...

In Business...the IMF welcomes moves by China to create a more market-oriented exchange rate for the yuan...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, I'm 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...