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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Mark Griffiths with you this Friday, May 16th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on the programme this evening.
The Chinese government launches a formal protest against the recent violence against Chinese companies in Vietnam.
In the US, a senior Chinese military leader calls on Washington to hold an objective view on issues in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
In India, opposition candidate Narendra Modi is on course to become the next prime minister.
In Business, China is to allow mobile phone users to switch telecom operators without changing their mobile phone numbers.
In sport, top seed Rafael Nadal beats Mikhail Youzhny in the Italian Open.
And in entertainment, Glenn Close returns to Broadway for the first time in 20 years, opposite John Lithgow.
Weather
Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 15 degrees Celsius. Cloudy tomorrow with a high of 28 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will have showers tonight, with a low of 18, light rain tomorrow, with a high of 21.
Chongqing will have showers tonight, 17 degrees the low, overcast tomorrow with a high of 23.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, cloudy with a high of 34.
Kabul, cloudy, 20.
Over in Australia
Sydney, overcast, high of 23.
Canberra, overcast, 19.
Brisbane, overcast, high of 25.
And finally, Perth will be sunny with a high of 22.
Top News
China lodges solemn protest with Vietnam over deadly violence
The Chinese government has launched a formal protest against the recent violence in Vietnam against Chinese companies.
At least one Chinese national in Vietnam has been killed and more than 100 others injured amid the anti-China protests which have been taking place in several Vietnamese provinces this week.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
"The Vietnamese side has an inescapable responsibility for the beating, smashing, looting and burning targeted at China and other countries. We urge the Vietnamese side to immediately take all necessary and effective measures possible to protect the safety of foreign citizens and enterprises in Vietnam, including those from China, and provide a decent working environment for foreign enterprises doing normal business there."
The Chinese government has sent a working group to Vietnam to deal with the aftermath of the violence.
Vietnam's prime minister has been forced to order the police to protect foreign companies.
Companies from Singapore and South Korea have also been targeted in the unrest.
More than a thousand people have already been detained in the unrest.
The protests come amid rising tensions over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
The unrest began last week after Vietnamese ships attempted to disrupt a Chinese oil drill from entering the waters in around the Xisha Islands.
China cannot afford to lose an inch of its territory: general
Anchor: In the United States, a visiting senior Chinese military leader says China cannot afford to lose an inch of its territory and has called on Washington to hold an objective view on the South China Sea and East China Sea issues.
CRI's Xie Zhao has the details.
REPORTER:
Fang Fenghui, Chief of General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, says China should not be held responsible for the South China Sea dispute.
"It is a very normal behaviour for China to conduct this drilling activity within our own territorial water. And under that bare ground Vietnam sent, dispatched vessels and ships for disruption of that activity and that is something that we are not able to accept. What we are going to do is to make sure of the safety of the oil rig and ensure the operation keeps going on."
Fang Fenghui also urges Washington to be objective about the maritime territorial issues.
He adds China will protect those areas it views as its sovereign territory.
"The United States said that its re-balancing policy towards the Asia-Pacific region is not targeting China. However, some countries in the region see it as an opportunity to provoke China and want to gain something out of the provocation. China will never tolerate such provocative actions. We have a firm resolution on asserting our sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. We will keep our words, and never give up even one inch of land that we inherited from our ancestors."
When speaking of bilateral relations, Fang Fenghui notes the relationships between China the US and between the two militaries are very important for maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
For his part, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey considers his meeting with Fang very productive.
"We had a refreshingly frank and open discussion on our mutual concerns and differing opinions about the East China sea. As we discussed last year as a major regional power it's important for China to model great power by contributing to stability in the region and we committed to work with each other toward that end."
The two parties have agreed to set up a mechanism to inform each other about major maritime operations.
Personnel will soon be assigned to implement the agreements.
Fang Fenghui's visit is designed to implement the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama on building a new relationship based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Fang Fenghui's US visit lasts till the weekend.
For CRI, I'm Xie Zhao.
Modi wins India's election with a landslide: early results
Opposition candidate Narendra Modi is on course to become the next prime minister of India.
Early results show his BJP headed for a landslide victory in the five-week long general election.
Having been the top official in Gujarat state for a decade, Modi often contrasts his humble roots with the affluent background of his main rival, Rahul Gandhi, heir to India's most powerful political dynasty.
Analyst Sharad Pradhan says Modi's success comes down to his ability to connect with the common man.
"Twelve years after what has happened in Gujarat, with which you have no relationship, no kind of connection. You just don't want to talk about it, you say let's go look forward, go ahead, how long are we going to carry this baggage? That's the attitude and that's the reason people may not be ready to condone what he did but they want to forget about it."
Early indications suggest the BJP alliance is on course for an absolute majority.
The ruling Congress party has conceded defeat.
Final results are due later on Friday.
Protestors welcome EC's comment in Thailand
Thai anti-government protesters are welcoming an Election Commission comment that the July election is unlikely to be held due to the renewed unrest in Bangkok.
Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn
"According to the process of decree issuance, the decree must be issued on May 22. That is now only seven days away and we will not talk again this week. As we cannot finish our discussions we don't have time to propose a royal decree. So it's certainly likely that the election won't be held on July 20."
The protesters have been calling for reforms before an election is held.
"Based on everything we've seen so far, it is not possible to hold an election."
"People are very tried now. If they bring in the same administration, then the past six months does not mean anything."
In the meantime, the protesters are planning to march to the parliament where the senate held the special session to draft the road map of the crisis.
The group has called on the senate to select a neutral prime minister.
Gul visits scene of mining disaster, meets survivors in hospital
Turkish President Abdullah Gul has been heckled by the relatives of missing miners while visiting the site where over 280 people died in a mining explosion.
"Rescue operations continue. When we received news of this incident, we understood its gravity and we mobilised all units. Unfortunately, our loss is great. An investigation has been launched into this incident. And it will be conducted with accuracy."
In the meantime, clashes have broken out as part of a one-day strike in Turkey in protest against the worst mining disaster in the country.
Thousands have taken to the streets in cities across the country, demanding better working conditions.
A wave of resentment has been directed towards politicians, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for the handling of the disaster.
A maximum of 18 people are still in the coal mine, and more than 100 are still missing after an explosion and subsequent fire at the mine in western Turkey on Tuesday.
Russia urges Ukraine to conduct further dialogue to ease tensions
Russia says Kiev's use of UN-marked chopper in military operations in eastern parts of Ukraine is "inadmissible".
The comment comes after a video footage showed Ukrainian forces using a white-painted Mil Mi-24 strike helicopter with the UN's logo while covering operations in Donetsk.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich says Russia has submitted the matter to the UN Secretariat for investigation.
"We have stressed that it is unacceptable to use UN designated aircraft without the permission of the United Nations Security Council. This not only violates the requirements of the contract signed by the UN, UN Peacekeeping Forces and certain countries that dispatched peacekeeping equipment, but it has also caused irreversible damage to the authority and reputation of the organization."
The spokesman also says Ukraine's top priority should be conducting dialogue, rather than debating whether the country's Donetsk and Lugansk regions are self-governing republics.
In another development, central European leaders have agreed to create a plan to cooperate on gas supplies in case Russia cuts off deliveries through Ukraine.
It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that his country could stop sending gas through Ukraine next month because of Ukraine's high gas debts.
In the meantime, tensions rose in eastern Ukraine on Thursday as a deadline set by militants for Ukrainian forces to leave the Donetsk region expired.
Palestinians Mark Nakba Day with Rallies and Clashes
Anchor:
Rallies have been taking place in Palestinian territories to mark the Palestinian day of Nakba, otherwise known as the Day of the Catastrophe.
CRI's Alexander Aucott explains.
Reporter:
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, people gather in the city center, march in the street and lay wreaths at late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's compound to commemorate Nakba, demanding Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to their homes.
Nakba commemorates the day after the anniversary of Israel's independence in 1948.
This is when an estimated 700-thousand Palestinians fled their homes.
Today, their decendants number about 5 million.
Laila Jammal, President of the Palestinian Mothers and Children Care Society, has taken part in a rally in Ramallah, holding a poster writing "Stop the Occupation" in Arabic, English and Hebrew.
"I demand all the world population to speak up, say 'enough is enough' to the Israeli occupation, get out of here, enough is enough! End the occupation!"
With the latest Israeli-Palestinian peace talks ending without a breakthrough, many Palestinians admit they're not optimistic about the future of negotiations with the Israelis.
"Not as long as our lands are with them, and we are here living separated from each other, no, there won't be peace in this case. We have been calling for peace for 66 years, and we are gaining nothing, we are still in war right now, so I don't want peace no more, I just want my land back, and I am not ready to negotiate with anybody."
However, some at the rallies have been expressing hope.
The recent Palestinian reconciliation between the rival factions of Hamas and Fatah is bringing some new optimism.
Fatah and Hamas announced a national unity deal last month in an attempt to try to end 7-years of political division.
The deal includes the creation of a national unity government within the next five weeks.
New elections are also to be held within 6-months.
"I think that is a very good thing for the Palestinian case, because as a first step towards victory we need to come one hand. When we are so separated and everyone is seeking a part by his own, we won't be able to achieve anything."
While thousands of Palestinians rallied across the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem to mark Nakba, clashes have also been taking place.
At least two Palestinians have been killed amid clashes with Israeli security forces near Ramallah.
For CRI, I'm Alexander Aucott.
PIK ON DIGITAL ANIMATION
ANCHOR:
With digital technologies continually advancing, film industry insiders here in China are suggesting that there's room in the country for even more growth in the sector.
To find out more, CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King spoke with Mike Patterson, associate professor at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.
…
Mike Patterson, associate professor at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, speaking with CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King.
Death toll in China mine accident climbs to 10
The death toll in a coal mine accident in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has risen to 10 with three workers still missing.
Rescuers have retrieved three more bodies from a coal mine in Yulin city where a pipeline collapse trapped 11 workers Wednesday.
The mine was still under construction when the accident happened.
Thirty-seven workers were in the shaft when a major cement pipeline fell off.
3 sailors missing as freighter capsizes in south China
Three Chinese sailors are missing after a cargo ship capsized in waters off an island of south China's Guangxi region.
Over 30 crew were on board when the vessel capsized near the city of Beihai.
Rescue operation and an investigation are underway.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Asian stocks ended mixed on Friday following a selloff in global markets.
China's benchmark Shanghai Composite managed to end just above the flatline after hitting a one-week low earlier in the session.
The Shenzhen Component Index rose two thirds of a percent.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong shares snapped their five-day winning streak with the Hang Seng Index went lower slightly.
Japan's Nikkei trimmed 0.7 percent, Singapore's Straits Times Index, down a third of a percent, and Australia's ASX down half a percent.
But South Korea's KOSPI erased losses to close a fraction of a percent higher.
And finally in India, shares prices went up after early results indicated the business-friendly BJP would win the general election
The Sensex index jumped 6% to a record high before falling back.
Both foreign and local investors are buying in the hope that BJP reforms will revive the Indian economy.
China's FDI inflow up 3.4 pct in April
The Ministry of Commerce says foreign direct investment into the Chinese mainland went up more than 3 percent year on year to 8.7 billion U.S. dollars in April.
This comes after a year-on-year decline in March, the first drop in over a year.
In the first four months, China drew 40 billion U.S. dollars in FDI, an increase of five percent from a year earlier.
About 56 percent of FDI went into the service sector, while 36 percent went to the manufacturing sector, a drop of 11 percent.
Meanwhile, China's outbound direct investment by non-financial firms dropped 13 percent to 26 billion U.S. dollars in the first four months.
China to expand mobile carrier versatility
In another move to ease controls on its telecoms sector, China is to allow mobile phone users to switch telecom operators without changing their numbers.
The decision comes days after the authorities granted telecom carriers full pricing autonomy.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology says four provinces will implement the new plan later this year.
The industry regulator adds that subscribers in South China's Hainan province will be able to freely change carriers while retaining their phone numbers beginning on Saturday.
Jiangxi, Hubei and Yunnan provinces will roll out the new program during the third quarter.
Q&A on corporate news of the week
Anchor:
Time to check in with some of the action that's been taking place this week on the corporate front here in China.
It was this week that Tencent announced that it hopes its WeChat app can turn profitable soon, and the Bank of China has issued a batch of preferential shares.
Paul James spoke about these developments with Doug Young, an associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
…
Back Anchor:
Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief with Reuters.
taxi-hailing apps end subsidy programs
Taxi hailing apps Didi and Kuaidi have both announced the end of their subsidy programs, starting from tomorrow.
The two apps are backed by two of China's largest internet companies, Tencent and Alibaba.
Cancelling the subsidy is seen as the end of the heated battle between the two internet giants.
Since last December, the two apps have invested billions of yuan subsidizing taxi drivers and passengers using the apps and completing passenger transactions through e-payments.
Didi's total customer base has reached 100 million, and daily usage has exceed 5 million successful orders, with nearly 180 cities covered by the end of March.
Kuaidi did not disclose its total user numbers, but the app's daily usage has surpassed 6 million, covering some 260 cities.
Hainan Airlines launches 1.7 bln yuan "Lion City" Bond in Singapore
China's largest privately-owned carrier, Hainan Airlines, has issued 1.7 billion Yuan Renminbi denominated bonds with a maturity of three years in Singapore.
That's about 270 milion US dollars.
Singapore has seen six successful offshore "Lion City" bond issues by financial institutions totaling 7.5 billion yuan, around 1.2 billion U.S. dollars.
Xiaomi launches 1st tablet, targeting iPad
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has launched a new tablet.
The 7.9-inch Xiaomi Pad retails for around 15-hundred yuan for the 16-gig model.
The 64-gig Xiaomi Pad will cost around 17-hundred yuan, or $275.
The new tablet features an 8-megapixel camera and advanced graphics chip.
Xiaomi's chief executive says they hope to rival the iPad Mini, which costs over 2800 yuan, or $450 for a 16-gigabyte model.
In making the announcment, Xiaomi also says it plans to debut the second-generation of its Xiaomi TV here in Beijing before the end of the month.
That product will cost around 4000 yuan, about $640.
Jumei poised to raise US$400 million in American IPO
Chinese beauty and skincare products website Jumei International is set to raise 400 million US dollars in an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange later today.
Jumei, which sells cosmetics and skin care products, is among a number of Chinese e-commerce sites to list in the US, including Hangzhou-based Alibaba Group and Beijing-based JD.com.
China's biggest e-commerce company Alibaba Group, earlier this month filed what could become the largest IPO in the United States as it rides the booming online shopping trend.
China's second-biggest e-commerce site, JD.com, plans to raise up to 1.5 billion dollars in the US.
Train maker China CNR raises $1.2b in Hong Kong IPO
Chinese high-speed train maker China CNR Corp has raised more than one billion US dollars in an initial public offering in Hong Kong this Friday.
The state-owned locomotive manufacturer sold 1.8 billion shares at around five Hong Kong dollars each, at the lower end of its indicative price range.
CNR produces trains for China's super-fast rail network.
The listing of CNR is the latest in a pipeline of companies trying to debut in Hong Kong this year.
Headline News
China lodges solemn protest with Vietnam over deadly violence
China has lodged a solemn protest with Vietnam and voiced strong condemnation over the recent anti-China violence in the country.
At least one Chinese citizen has been killed and more than 100 others injured as rioters attacked hundreds of Chinese companies.
China demands Vietnam immediately take resolute and effective measures to ensure the safety of the lives and property of all Chinese nationals and companies.
The Vietnamese side says authorities have arrest more than 1,000 suspects and would severely punish the lawbreakers.
The riots erupted over tensions in the South China Sea.
Modi wins India's election with a landslide: early results
Opposition candidate Narendra Modi is on course to become the next prime minister of India.
Early results show his BJP headed for a landslide victory in the five-week long general election.
About 551 million votes from more than 1.8 million electronic voting machines are being tallied.
Early indications suggest the BJP alliance is on course for an absolute majority.
The ruling Congress party has conceded defeat.
Final results are due later on Friday.
UN sounds alarm on human rights in Ukraine's east
The United Nations has warned of an "alarming deterioration" in human rights in eastern Ukraine, where separatists are fighting government forces.
In its monthly report on the crisis, the UN reveals a growing lawlessness in eastern and southern Ukraine.
UN monitors have documented cases of targeted killings, torture and abduction, primarily carried out by anti-government forces in the east.
Deadly violence between separatists and pro-Ukrainian forces has left dozens dead in the east and south this month.
Turkey mine operator denies negligence
The operator of the Turkish mine that collapsed and killed at least 283 people has denied any negligence.
In a press conference, representatives from Soma Holding defended their response to the disaster and said their priority had been to save lives.
They said an unexplained build-up of heat in the mine appeared to have caused the blast and the subsequent fire.
Hopes are fading of pulling out any more alive of the 100 or so workers still thought to be trapped.
Another arrest sought in hunt for South Korean ferry operator owner
South Korean prosecutors say they are seeking a warrant for the arrest of Yoo Byung-un, the head of the family that owns the operator of a ferry that capsized last month.
Prosecutors are accusing Yoo of embezzling funds from the ferry operator, which they see as one of the factors that hampered its safety management.
The April 16 disaster has left more than 300 people dead or missing.
Prosecutors have indicted the vessel's captain and three senior crew members for homicide.
11 other surviving crew members of the ferry are facing negligence charges.
Russian space rocket crashes after launch
A Russian space rocket carrying a communications satellite has crashed shortly after liftoff from Kazakhstan.
Russia's space agency says engine problems caused the failure of the Proton-M rocket at the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan.
The rocket was about 160 km high into its ascent at the time and burned up in the atmosphere.
Newspaper Picks
China News Service
"Annual checks halted for cars owned less than 6 yrs "
The Ministry of Public Security and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine jointly issued a notice today which ends the compulsory inspection of non-commercial vehicles and small and mini cars that are less than six years old.
Under the new policy, from September 1, 2014, vehicle owners can get an inspection certificates from the traffic administrative department, but every other year they must submit insurance and tax documents, or tax exemptions.
Meanwhile, the notice prohibits governmental departments from conducting vehicle inspections and promises to enhance supervision and enforcement.
CTV News
"Having a purpose in life may help you live longer"
A new Canadian research suggests that feeling like you have a sense of purpose in life may help you live longer.
The new study focused on life expectancy and looked not just at older adults and seniors but at adults of all ages.
The study revealed that those who had died had reported a lower sense of purpose in life and fewer positive relationships than did survivors.
The researchers say they would now like to know whether having a purpose extends longevity because it leads people to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Japan Daily Press
"New eyeglasses monitor wearer's level of drowsiness and activity"
The latest invention in high-tech eyewear can now monitor the fatigue level of the wearer based on eye movements and other factors.
The glasses are equipped with technology that advises wearers if they are tired and concentration is becoming difficult.
The glasses make use of sensors which detect eye movements, placed in the nose pads and bridge of the glasses.
The results of the glasses' analysis are transferable via wireless technology and wearers can check it on their laptops, smartphones and tablets.
The glasses can also measure the level of drowsiness, which is very useful for drivers on the road to help them avoid falling asleep and causing accidents.
Special Reports
Regional Integration, A Way to Treat Urban Blights: Experts
Anchor:
A number of urban management experts have gathered here in Beijing to discuss ways to combat the problems which normally come with rapid urbanization.
They call such problems "urban blights."
CRI's He Fei has more.
Reporter:
Urban blights, which are usually caused by the rapid process of industrialization and population growth, include congestion, air pollution and rocketing real estate prices.
To date, China's capital, Beijing, is in a development dilemma because of these urban blights.
Wen Kui, former president of Capital University of Economics and Business.
He suggests that Beijing seek integrated development with neighboring Hebei Province and Tianjin municipality, to get out of trouble.
"Part of Beijing's city functions should be diverted. However it doesn't mean a simple transfer of local heavy polluting enterprises, which its neighbors would find unwelcome. A precondition to achieving regional integration and coordinated development between Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province is for each party to gain a good understanding of each other's needs, rather than considering chiefly its own interests."
Beijing's gridlocked roadways and resultant smog affect 100-million people living in the 216,000 square kilometers that comprise the three areas.
The plan involving two major municipalities directly under the central government and a huge province is intended to not only ease congestion in the nation's capital but also to upgrade the industrial structure.
Meanwhile it's expected to help treat the pollution in Hebei and develop the region into a new economic hub.
In a bid to upgrade the city's industrial structure, Wang Lianfeng, deputy director of Beijing's Urban Management Law Enforcement Bureau, believes moving low-end enterprises out of Beijing is necessary.
"Low-end businesses in Beijing should be relocated. However, low-end businesses do not merely mean heavy polluting enterprises. For instance, Dahongmen clothing wholesale market in Fengtai district, the massive wholesale market group which is located around Beijing Zoo in Xicheng district, and the Automobile Spare Parts Factory in Chaoyang district, we've consulted with different cities in Hebei and basically reached deals on the relocation of these projects."
Wang Lianfeng added that, although the integration initiative is a crucial approach to treating urban blights from Beijing, its effect is not likely to be immediately noticeable.
The experts' discussion is part of an annual science and technology innovation and urban management forum, which is often held along with the Beijing International High-tech Expo.
For CRI, I'm He Fei.
Sports
Oklahoma City Thunde and Indiana Pacers advanced to the finals
Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Clippers 104-98 on Thursday and advanced to the Western Conference finals.
At the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, the Clippers hosted Oklahoma City in Game 6 of their series.
The NBA's Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant scored 39 points and also seized 16 rebounds in the game.
And Westbrook overcame a slow start to finish with 19 points and 12 assists.
They led the team to victory together and won appraisal from head coach Scott Brooks.
"Well, we have good leadership Russell and Kevin have led us for a lot of years we've never talked about not being able to lead at a young age 'cause they've been leading this team for 5 or 6 years, they lead and our guys do a great job of of supporting them and helping them and putting them in positions to for all of us to have success."
Oklahoma City will face the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the West's last two championships. The series begins on Monday in San Antonio.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Wizards in a hard-fought Game 6 93-80 at the Verizon Center.
And with a 4-2 overall win in the series the Indiana Pacers will meet the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.
Updates of Italy Open in Rome 4
In tennis,
The third round action of the Italian Open continued late on Thursday.
In the men's event, top seed Rafael Nadal faced the experienced Russian Mikhail Youzhny winning 6-7, 6-2 6-1, securing victory after two hours and 44 minutes on court.
He will face Andy Murray for a place in the final four.
Fifth seed David Ferrer enjoyed a far more routine victory. He powered past Ernests Gulbis, winning their encounter 6-2 6-3 to reach the quarter finals.
And two times Rome Champion Novak Djokovic took on Philipp Kohlschreiber and won 4-6 6-2 6-1 to reach the quarter finals.
Sixth seed Tomas Berdych beat 12th seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-7 6-2 6-2 and won a place in the final eight.
In the women's event, China's No. 1 Li Na is competing with Sara Errani.
Her compatriot Zhang Shuai has achieved another victory by beating Edward McHale 6-2/4-6/6-2. After this, Zhang Shuai also made it into the top eight for the first time.
Top seed Venus Williams didn't need to expend much energy in beating her compatriot Varvara Lepchenko 6-1/6-2.
And eighth seed Maria Sharapova lost to Ana Ivanovic, who she's beaten the last 7 times they've met. This time the score was 6-1/6-4.
Michael Phelps says he's back swimming to have 'fun'
Michael Phelps has said he will come back for 'fun'.
During a press conference, Phelps showed his light-hearted side by constantly joking around with his long-time coach, Bob Bowman. And he said that he just wants to have fun this time around.
But many believe that Phelps 'comeback is with an eye towards adding to his legacy at the 2016 Rio Games.
Phelps confessed that he still has the burning desire to win.
"You think I was happy to lose in Mesa? Jeez I don't care if it was my first meet back or not, I didn't want to lose. I still have it I don't care what I'm competing in against anybody in the world, I don't want anybody to beat me. Nobody."
On Friday, Phelps will take part in the Charlotte, North Carolina Grand Prix in the 100-meter butterfly and 200 freestyle.
If he qualifies for the evening finals in both, Bowman will decide if he swims another double or cuts back to just one race.
Taylor Phinney wins stage 5 of Tour of California
The fifth stage of the Amgen Tour of California has seen riders racing from Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara.
American Taylor Phinney raced to a 12-second victory and Britain's Sir Bradley Wiggins retained the overall lead.
For the third straight day, the riders raced in unseasonably warm weather. The fifth stage of the match was held in 100-degree heat.
The route includes four climbs, including the most difficult of the race, and the final 1.2-mile ascent to the Mount High ski area.
The eight-day race runs over a total of 720 miles and will continue until Sunday in Thousand Oaks.
Peter Hanson leads in the PGA Byron Nelson 1
To the PGA Championships,
And the U.S. PGA Tour arrived at the TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas in Irving on Thursday for the opening of the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
Adam Scott is expected to take over the world No. 1 ranking from Tiger Woods this week, despite both being off.
The highest-ranked player in the field is No. 5 Matt Kuchar. The American shot a one-under 69.
Keegan Bradley, the 2011 winner of this tournament, missed the cut at the Players last week.
The American sank three birdies in a four-hole span but closed with an even-par 70 that put him five strokes off the lead.
And Sweden's Peter Hanson shot a five-under-par 65 to take the first round lead at the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
Yankees beat Mets 1-0
In Major League Baseball,
We've seen impressive Major League debuts from starters Chase Whitley and Jacob deGrom.
But it was a veteran outfielder who played the biggest role in the finale of the annual Subway Series.
Alfonso Soriano doubled in the game's only run in the seventh, while Dellin Betances struck out six of the seven hitters he faced in relief of Whitley.
Together they helped the New York Yankees secure a 1-zero win over the New York Mets on Thursday at Citi Field.
And Robertson retired the Mets in order in the ninth to nail down his seventh save of the season and complete a three-hit shutout.
Entertainment
Weekly TV Series Promotion by Tencent
Next is our weekly Friday TV series recommendation from Tencent Video.
Let's start off with "Only If I Love You"
It depicts a love triangle in a winery in Italy, where the owner's two sons both fall in love with an actress.
Though it's a Chinese production, and stars MingDow and Li Qin, all the shooting was done in Italy.
"Only If I Love You" is updated from Monday to Saturday at midnight on Tencent Video.
Our second choice today is "Accoucheur"
The series stars Jia Nailiang as an obstetrician and the show covers his career from his girlfriend's point of view. She is played by Li Xiaolu.
The couple are actually husband and wife in real life.
The last highlight is a Korean production "You're All Surrounded"
And our last recommendation is "You're All Surrounded", or "Ni men bei bao wei le" in Chinese.
This drama tells the story of four rookie detectives at a police station in Seoul's upscale Gangnam district.
You can watch these shows at v.qq.com under the 'Television Series' tab.
Chinese actor Huang Haibo Arrested, Engaged in Prostitution
It has been reported that Chinese actor Huang Haibo was recently detained by police after being caught engaged in prostitution.
Huang and a girl were taken away by police from a hotel in Beijing on Thursday night.
Huang allegedly admitted to the crime but his agent has responded by saying that they know nothing about the allegations leveled against Huang.
Huang's representative works include TV drama A Beautiful Daughter-in-law Era (Xifu de Meihao Shidai), and Let's Get Married (Women Jiehun Ba).
Chinese actress on her red carpet looks, movie 'Coming Home' and working in Hollywood
Chinese star Gong Li returns to the Cannes Film Festival this year with her new film, "Coming Home."
The movie "Coming Home" reunites the actress with long-time collaborator, Chinese director Zhang Yimou.
But it is showing out of competition at the festival.
Zhang has helped to build her career.
Together they made some of Zhang's most notable films like "Raise the Red Lantern," "The Story of Qiu Ju" and "To Live."
In "Coming Home," Gong plays an amnesia patient whose husband returns home after years of being away in prison.
Calling it a "mission impossible," Gong feels the film is one of her most challenging roles to date.
"I told the director that this is a challenging task. I hope I can complete this mission impossible. I also hope that after I finish this film, everyone likes it. If everyone can relate to this character, then I would have succeeded as an actress, but it was a very, very hard role to portray."
"Coming Home" receives its Cannes Film Festival premiere next Tuesday.
Once her work is done in Cannes, Gong is set to head up the jury at the 17th annual Shanghai Film Festival in mid-June.
Glenn Close returns to Broadway
Glenn Close is returning to Broadway for the first time in 20 years
Close will appear in a limited 18-week run of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, opposite John Lithgow.
The play sees Close and Lithgow as a married couple coping with the return of their 36-year-old daughter after her fourth marriage break-up, alongside a visit from Close's character's alcoholic sister and two family friends.
The Damages actress last appeared on Broadway in musical Sunset Boulevard in 1994 as ageing star Norma Desmond.
The portrayal won her a Tony.
The actress won two previous Tonys for her roles in 1992's Death and the Maiden and The Real Thing in 1984.
A Delicate Balance opens in November.
Statement from Beyonce, Jay Z and Solange on elevator incident
Beyonce, Jay Z and Solange say they are moving on since a video leaked this week of Solange attacking Jay Z in an elevator.
The three has released a joint statement, saying "At the end of the day families have problems and we're no different."
The website TMZ posted the three-minute video on Monday.
It was shot last week inside the Standard Hotel in New York City.
The video appears to show Beyonce's sister, Solange, attacking Jay Z in Beyonce's presence.
A security guard intervenes.
The footage shows the performers in the outfits they wore to the Met Gala last week.
There is no audio.
The hotel says it has fired the person who leaked the video.
A quick recap of the headlines before we go.
The Chinese government has launched a formal protest against the recent violence against Chinese companies in Vietnam.
In the US, a senior Chinese military leader has called for Washington to hold an objective view on issues in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
In India, opposition candidate Narendra Modi is on course to become the next prime minister.
China is to allow mobile phone users to switch telecom operators without changing their numbers.
In sport, top seed Rafael Nadal has beaten Mikhail Youzhny in the Italian Open in Rome.
And Glenn Close returns to Broadway for the first time in 20 years.
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