The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Friday, September 13, 2013.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this evening.
13th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization opens in Kyrgyzstan.
Syrian President agrees to signing up to a Chemical Weapons Convention.
Indian court sentences four men to death for the fatal gang rape of a young woman in New Delhi.
Business, Trade between Chinese Mainland and Chinese Taiwan surges
Sports, in football, England have slip to 17th in Fifa's world rankings.
Entertainments, Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi premieres "My Lucky Star" in Macau.
Plus Special reports takes a look at Sweden’s Green Building Conference in Stockholm.
Weather
Beijing will have thundershowers tonight with a low of 18 degrees Celsius. Tomorrow sunny with a high temperature of 31. Cloudy on Sunday with a high of 27.
Meanwhile Shanghai will have thundershowers tonight, with a low of 25, showers tomorrow, with a high of 30.
Lhasa will be cloudy tonight, 9 degrees the low, also cloudy tomorrow with a high of 22.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, thundershowers, with a high of 32.
Kabul, sunny, 30.
Over in Australia
Sydney, rainy, highs of 23.
Canberra, rainy, 18.
Brisbane, overcast, 28.
And finally, Perth will have rain with a high of 16.
Top News
SCO summit opens in Bishkek
The 13th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has opened in the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his counterparts from other members will discuss key global and regional affairs and coordinate their policies.
Xi Jinping delivered a speech on China's policies, his first at the summit since taking over the Chinese presidency in March.
The Chinese President said that Beijing supports Russia's proposal that Syria surrender its chemical weapons to international control for their eventual destruction.
The meeting is also aimed at further strengthening good-neighborly relations and practical cooperation among the group's six members.
Leaders are expected to sign a joint declaration, ratify a series of documents, issue a press release and witness the signing of a technology cooperation agreement.
UN envoy says Assad has signed decree on joining chemical treaty
Syria's U.N. ambassador Bashar Ja'afari says that Syrian President Bashar Assad has agreed to sign up to the Chemical Weapons Convention.
It means Syria will become a full member of the treaty banning the use of chemical weapons.
"With this, the chapter of the so-called chemical weapons should be ended and, legally speaking, Syria has become, starting today, a full member of the convention."
Assad has publicly agreed to the Russian plan to secure and destroy his chemical weapons stockpiles.
But he says the proposal would only work if the U.S halted threats of military action.
Speaking at a news conference in Geneva with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thurday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said U.S military force may still be necessary if diplomacy fails.
"We have come here to define a potential path forward that we can share with our international partners. And together we will test the Assad regime's commitment to follow through on its promises."
Meanwhile, Lavrov is urging for a "peaceful" resolution to the conflict.
"We think that the development of the events gives us an additional opportunity for Geneva-2, in order to move this situation from the stage of military confrontation and to prevent any terrorist threats which is expanding in Syria and in the region."
The United States and Russia are set to continue high-stake talks on Moscow's plan for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons.
4 rapists sentenced to death in Delhi gang rape
An Indian court has sentenced four men to death for fatally gang raping a young woman on a bus in New Delhi.
The verdict says the men were found guilty of rape, murder and destruction of evidence.
They will be hung to death.
The judge, who convicted the men of the "cold-blooded" murder earlier this week, rejected their lawyers' plea for a lighter sentence.
Indian television is reporting that the sentences were given out in the "rarest of rare" cases, given the gravity of the crime and inhuman torture suffered by the victim.
The family of the victim, a 23-year-old medical student, have expressed their satisfaction with the sentencing and thanked the court, police and lawyers.
"I thank every one for their support. Justice has been given. Our fight is not over. We will always stand with the people in their fight against crimes against women".
5 men and a young offender gang-raped the medical student in a moving bus, then dumped her on the side of the road.
She died of her injuries two weeks later in hospital.
The gang group leader committed suicide in prison soon after being put into custody.
ADMM-Plus concludes anti-terrorism drill in Indonesia
The first-ever anti-terrorism drill of ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus has ended in Indonesia.
The five-day drill was jointly hosted by the U.S. and Indonesia with other 18 member states, including China.
William Wechsler, is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism of the US.
He says that the countries involved must work closely together to combat the terrorism network.
"The adversaries that we face are not nations, with the uniformed militaries. But they are the networks of the regulars. They are individuals. They are groups. They are associations that come together across national boarders, across ethnic and religious groups, to target innocence with violence. In order to fight such network, we too must be a network."
Wechsler added that the meeting was significant for official communication and cooperation regarding defence in the Asia-Pacific region.
"The way for a network to work fundamentally is through trust. Thrust from one nation to another. Trust from one operator to another. And it's organizations like this, it's opportunities like this that build the trust required for our network to defeat their network."
Purnomo Yusgiantoro, head of the Defense Ministry of Indonesia, also says that the drill enlarges the scale of anti-terrorism cooperation and promotes peace in the region.
Indonesia and the U.S. are due to handover their 3-year hosting responsibilities for the drills to Singapore and Australia.
20 Years after Oslo, Is Peace Possible Now?
Anchor:
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of The Oslo Accords, which set the framework for any potential peace deal between the Israeli and Palestinians.
Two decades later, and despite the renewed negotiations now underway, opinions remain divided about the peace process.
CRI's Marc Cavigli has more.
Reporter:
On September 13, 1993, the then Israeli and Palestinian leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat officially signed The Oslo Accords in Washington.
"We are today giving peace a chance. Let us pray that a day will come when we all will say, 'Farewell to the arms.'"
Twenty years has passed , however, the Palestinian and Israeli people are still struggling to reach peace.
Hilik Bar, Deputy Speaker of the Israeli parliament, says The Oslo Accords have both good and bad effects.
"We almost had peace and then it all sank down. So The Oslo contributed to the mistrust between the sides and to the ideas that peace cannot happen and will never happen. In other regard, it made us all here to understand that the leaderships of both countries can talk and solve it. Since Oslo, we are trying to make this thing happen and to have two-state solution. So in this regard of course that Oslo was a very important start."
Bar says there is a chance for peace as the current Israeli parliament has a very clear majority for two-state solution.
He also praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as, although not perfect, but a better partner for his insisting on resolving the conflict non-violently.
Israeli Deputy Transport Minister Tzipi Hotovely, on the other hand, doesn't believe the two-state solution can solve the conflict. She thinks the ongoing negotiations will not succeed either.
"At the moment, the Israeli experience has proved that all the good wills are going to fail. Abu Mazen (Abbas) hasn't changed from the Abu Mazen who was sitting with Ehud Olmert, and I don't believe that Benjamin Netanyahu can offer more than what Ehud Olmert offered. We've been there, we tried that, it failed. Now it's time for us to rethink."
For the Palestinian side, the change of attitudes of the international community has brought more confidence.
Ashram Khatib is a negotiation advisor of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
"We maintain optimistic. Israel cannot be working against the international law. The European guideline against settlement is a very good evident, and the rest of the world have changed their position against what Israel has been doing for the past 20 years."
The Israelis and Palestinians has opened their first formal peace talks in the region in nearly five years in August.
However to achieve comprehensive peace, they still need more determination and courage to overcome a series disputes.
For CRI, I'm Marc Cavigli.
Expert Urges to Improve Life of Children with HIV in China
Anchor:
Although the lives of children affected by HIV and AIDS here in China has improved in recent years, they still need a tremendous amount of support.
Experts at the sixth Beijing Forum on Human Rights are calling for new laws to protect these children and move towards eliminating social prejudices.
CRI's Xu Fei has more.
Reporter:
Social services designed to help children affected by HIV/AIDS do exist here in China, but providing full access to such services remain a major challenge.
Liu Huawen, is Vice Director from the Center for Human Rights Studies affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
He believes that government should accelerate the implementation of a new law that protects children in disadvantaged situations.
"In a strict sense, there is no such a law in place in China for the protection of children with HIV. The present laws also fail to address ensuring the rights of those children who suffer from other disadvantaged situations. So we urge relevant authorities to speed up the law-building process to protect children's well-being."
Children living with HIV/AIDS also face discrimination in their communities.
They often drop out of school and shy away from seeking the social support they need.
Zhou Qingan, is a famous commentator and columnist. He thinks discrimination is one of the biggest challenges these children face.
"Social prejudice remains a big obstacle and trouble in China's work of AIDS control. The loneliness, which comes from discrimination, confines the children infected by HIV/AIDS to an environment without a future and sunshine."
Since 2004 when China brought in child patient treatments, workers devoted to AIDS control have constantly highlighted the importance of other services such as mental and emotional therapy.
However, such comprehensive services were not currently available.
Liu Huawen explains the additional support other than law needed to ensure the healthy development of children living with HIV.
"The changes wouldn't take place immediately if a law on the protection of the rights and interests of children with HIV was made. Change of concept in people's mind and the building of social services are also keys for a thorough solution."
Statistics from the National Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Control and Prevention show 8-thousand children are living with HIV/AIDS across the Chinese mainland.
Most of them contracted the virus from their mothers.
For CRI, I'm Xu Fei.
Beijing Consensus promises better services for tourists
World Tourism Cities Federation or WTCF has held its 2013 Summit here in Beijing.
The Summit hosted the release of the Beijing consensus, which pledges to increase protection of tourists' rights, improve services and facilitate free tourism.
Member cities note that they will co-operate on establishing policies to achieve said goals.
Unified standards for services and simplified entry and exit procedures are also part of the agenda.
Wang Anshun, the Chairman of the Committee of WTCF and the Mayor of Beijing, says that tourism is now a key area of social development.
"The tourism industry has become an important force for the recovery of world economy. For a better future, we will hold a core concept of 'tourism makes the city better', respect differences of other countries and regions, encourage communication and cooperation and push an all-win development for tourism in cities, countries, regions and the world."
Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, the Chairman of Pacific Asia Travel Association or PATA, says that PATA looks forward to working with WTCF and jointly boosting the tourism economy.
"PATA believes that the travel industry is a force for economic growth, job creation and cultural unbolting and understanding across boarders. PATA would like to cooperate with WTCF and take advantage of the technology, culture and management to strengthen the interactions of cities and companies and jointly improve the development of society and economy. We are committed to breaking down obstacles and creating connections and possibilities across the travel world where none used to see before."
Chinese vice-premier Wang Yang, who was in attendance, says that the Chinese people's growing demand for consumption have enhanced their desires to travel.
China's tourism market is expected to reach 2 thousand billion US dollars in 5 years and the number of outbound traveling will exceed 400 million person-times.
Luxurious mooncakes casualty of anti-corruption campaign
The demand for mooncake in China is reportedly decreasing as the market hits its usual peak ahead of the festival.
The mooncake - a seasonal pastry here in China, is commonly given as a gift around the time of the Mid-Autumn festival.
Varieties of mooncake have multiplied in recent years and retailers used to offer increasingly luxurious versions.
Critics say this presents new opportunities to offer bribes to officials.
Hu Xingdou, an economics professor from the Beijing Institute of Technology, says gift-presenting has degenerated into a kind of bribery.
"Gift-presenting as a traditional social communication method during festivals has degenerated into a dirty means of bribery. Xi Jinping's administration has gone further that his predecessor's in fighting corruption and waste."
Chinese authorities have singled out the tradition in its austerity drive and are banning the use of public money to buy the pastries and associated gifts.
The average price for regular mooncakes filled with sweet beans, eggs, and fruits now ranges between 20 to 50 US dollars at supermarkets in China's capital.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Stocks here in Asia closed largely in negative trading territory following the recent rally.
Stocks here in China dropped due to a fall in shares in the shipping sector as yesterday's slump in metal prices prompted declines for raw-material producers.
The Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.9-percent, falling for the first time in six days with the biggest drop since mid August.
The Shenzhen Component Index lost 0.3-percent
Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 0.2-percent
Elsewhere here in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei gained 0.12-percent as new data pushed up July's Industrial Output figures
South Korea's KOSPI lost 0.5-percent
Singapore's Straits Times Index ended flat
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose by 0.4-percent as the Australian dollar fell for the first time in a week.
Morning Call-In with Doug
Anchor:
This week saw Apple hold its first ever launch in Beijing, with the unveiling of the iPhone 5S and the cheaper 5C.
Elsewhere, data released this week shows that profits for 14 of the biggest baijiu makers dropping almost a quarter for the first half of this year.
What is the future for Apple? Will the government's crack down on extravagance snub out luxury baijiu brands for good?
For analysis of the key events on the corporate front in China this week, CRI's Paul James caught up with Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
…
That was Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.
Domestic made phone sales grows 50% year on year
Chinese mobile phone brands are reported to be out performing the iPhone in the domestic market.
Sales of China-made mobile phones for the first seven months of this year took a 50% surge year-on-year, making up over 80% of the domestic market.
While the mobile phone industry here in China begun at the low-end of the market, makers are fast moving into producing innovative smartphones.
With the imminent arrival of 4G technology, domestic brands could now have a wider window to further penetrate the market and sharpen their competitive edge on the international playing field.
China to raise fuel prices
China's top economic planner says that retail prices of gasoline and diesel will be raised by 90 yuan and 85 yuan per tonne, respectively, starting from Saturday.
It will be the third hike in two months after China implemented a more flexible fuel pricing mechanism in March this year.
China Treasury Bond Futures edge up after initial dip
China's treasury bond futures rose on Friday, after dipping since trading begun a week ago.
The contract for settlement in December 2013, the most actively traded bond future, closed at 93.7 yuan, a rise of 0.012 yuan.
Bond futures ending in March 2014 gained 0.024 yuan to 93.8 yuan, while the contract for settlement in June 2014 edged up 0.022 yuan to 93.9 yuan.
The treasury bond futures, which began trading a week ago were launched at the Shanghai-based China Financial Futures Exchange.
Trade between Chinese Mainland and Chinese Taiwan surge
Trade between Chinese mainland and Chinese Taiwan hit 133 billion U.S dollars in the first eight months of this year.
This is a 27-percent surge compared to the same period last year.
From January to August, mainland companies invested 1 billion U.S. dollars in 175 projects on the island.
From January to July, the mainland approved over 1-thousand Taiwanese investment projects, worth a total of 1.4 billion U.S dollars.
Taiwan authorities say that cross-Strait economic cooperation has been bolstered by the implementation of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement.
The magnitude of savings due to preferntial tariff policies for Taiwan enterprises surged by a quarter year on year.
India downgrades growth forecast from 6.4% to 5.3%
India has lowered its growth forecast today to 5.3-percent for this fiscal year, down from the previous projection of 6.4-percent.
The drastic downgrade, released by the Economic Advisory Council, reflects India's floundering prospects in the face of tapering U.S stimulus.
As the US economy recovers and India becomes a relatively less attractive investment destination, more and more investors are pulling out of the country.
The outflow of investment has put downward pressure on the rupee, endangering the country's already high current account deficit and hurting domestic consumers.
Japan revises July Industrial Output
Japan has revised its industrial output for July up to 3.4-percent.
The adjustment is based on preliminary results released at the end of August, before the data for textile, food and tobacco products came in.
The index of industrial shipments was up 2.0 percent, revised up from the 1.3 percent gain in the preliminary report.
Headline News
SCO summit opens in Bishkek
The 13th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has opened in the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his counterparts from other members will discuss key global and regional affairs and coordinate their policies.
Xi Jinping delivered a speech on China's policies, his first at the summit since taking over the Chinese presidency in March.
The Chinese President said that Beijing supports Russia's proposal that Syria surrender its chemical weapons to international control for their eventual destruction.
Mainland urges early establishment of cross-Strait offices
Yang Yi, a spokesman for the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, says both sides of the Taiwan Strait should create the conditions necessary for the early establishment of offices at each side.
Yang says that during the recent discussions, the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and its Taiwan counterpart, the Straits Exchange Foundation, exchanged views on the content of the agreement, establishing a code of conduct and ensuring convenience for both sides.
Founded in 1990 and 1991 respectively, the two organs are authorized by Taiwan and the mainland to handle cross-Strait affairs.
4 rapists sentenced to death in Delhi gang rape
An Indian court has sentenced four men to death for fatally gang raping a young woman on a bus in New Delhi.
The verdict says the men were found guilty of rape, murder and destruction of evidence.
They will be hung to death.
5 men and a young offender gang-raped the medical student in a moving bus, then dumped her on the side of the road.
She died of her injuries two weeks later in hospital.
The gang group leader committed suicide in prision soon after being put into custody.
Car bombs, firing hit U.S. consulate in Afghanistan
U.S and Afghan forces have fought off an attack by the Taliban on the US consulate in Herat city, in the western Afghan province of Heart.
At least five people were killed and 23-others injured in the attack.
Two car bomb attacks and ensuing gunfire hit the U.S consulate early Friday morning.
U.S consulate said its staff are safe.
The blast also damaged the compound and several house nearby.
Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ruling parties of Australia re-elect leaders
The Liberal Party and the National Party in Australia have elected their party leaders.
Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop have been re-elected as leader and deputy leader of the Liberal Party.
It's coalition, the Nationals, re-elected Warren Truss to lead.
Abbott says they must now deliver on their promises to stop the boats, scrap carbon tax, build roads and get the budget back into the black.
Newspaper Picks
Xinhua
"China to improve elder-care service industry"
A government plan unveiled on Friday shows China will complete a network for the care of its elderly people by 2020.
By then, the country will have an improved service system covering daily tendance, medical care, psychological counseling and emergency aid.
The industry will provide more than 10 million jobs and be governed by a sound legal system, industry standards and a supervision mechanism.
China's population of people above the age of 60 had reached 194 million by the end of last year. The figure is expected to exceed 300 million by 2025.
The plan vowed that the government will improve facilities for the elderly in urban areas and service in rural areas.
It will also develop the network of home-based services and promote the construction of related agencies.
China Daily
"Traffic about-face seeks to ease congestion in Beijing"
Beijing's first reversible lane went into trial operation on Chaoyang Road on Thursday night, greatly reducing traffic jams for drivers leaving the downtown area.
A reversible lane allows vehicles to travel in either direction to improve traffic flow during rush hours. The lane has overhead traffic lights and signs to tell drivers whether it is open or closed for driving or turning.
The introduction of the reversible lane is part of the capital's efforts to ease congestion during peak hours.
Authorities have urged drivers to pay attention to the new traffic signs to ensure they are traveling in the right direction.
The traffic bureau said police will not punish drivers who breach the rules during the first few days of the trial period.
Many other cities in the country, such as Urumqi in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Shijiazhuang in Hebei province, have opened reversible lanes, which have eased traffic flow.
Japan Daily Press
"Japanese farmer grows first heart-shaped watermelon in the world"
A Japanese farmer Hiroichi Kimura from Kumamoto Prefecture has grown the world's first watermelon in the shape of a heart.
Kimura says his research causing him many late nights reading books on growing techniques and developing his heart-shaped watermelon mold.
He looked at cultivation methods, soil conditions, atmospheric temperature, and moisture levels as well.
Kimura's heart watermelons are a product of years and years of research.
They do not only have that unique shape, Kimura's heart watermelons also taste good. His customers say the heart watermelons have a crunchy consistency that gives way to pleasantly sweet juices. Upon eating of the melon's red flesh, one is left with a mellow sweet aftertaste that lingers on the palate.
When asked what his motivation was for his dedicated work, Kimura's answer is as simple as it is heartwarming. "I want my customers to eat something delicious."
AFP
"Australian completes round-the-world run"
An Australian man completed a run that looped the world on Friday.
He has done the equivalent of a marathon a day for more than 20 months.
Tom Denniss, 52, began his endurance test on December 31, 2011 at the Sydney Opera House.
Since then has travelled more than 26,000 kilometres (16,200 miles) on foot, crossing deserts and mountains over five continents.
The runner said he put himself up for the arduous journey for the adventure and "just to see the world in a very different way to most people".
Denniss was sponsored by a digital commerce group. His run, has raised some Aus$53,000 (US$49,000) for the charity Oxfam.
He said he always believed he could finish, but admitted there were some tough times, including the sapping heat of the Australian Outback and perilous roads in the Andes in South America.
Special Reports
Sweden Green Building Conference closes in Stockholm
Anchor: The two day long Sweden Green Building Conference 2013 has been held in Stockholm with participants not only from Sweden, but also from Norway, Denmark and other countries. CRI's Chen Xuefei has attended the conference and filed this report.
Ann: Bengt Wanggren, Chairman of Swedish Green Building Council said that the purpose of the conference was to bring people together and discuss sustainable buildings and take actions when they go back.
"For a long time, Sweden has been building very good buildings, sustainable and energy efficient buildings with good indoor qualities and so forth, but in the later, let's say five or ten years, or even three or four years, with the new certification schemes, that we use here, industries are competing with making as good building as possible, so there are international investors, good customers here in Sweden that really want to buy those kind of buildings and pay higher price for them."
Wanggren said that Sweden is aiming at building more and more sustainable and green buildings which has low environmental impact. That means low energy consumption, good indoor air quality, and no hazardous substances. In addition, there should be green transporation where if you can walk, ride a bike or take a bus or train, you will not drive a car because car emisison can be a problem.
Paul King, President of World Green Building Council's European Network said to reduce emission through buildings has great potential.
"CO2 mitigation potential of buildings is twice as any other sector of global economy, and that is why building is such an important place to save energy and carbon dioxide in a cost effective way."
During the conference, there were a lot of companies exhibiting their products relating to buildings such as low carbon dioxide concrete, co2 absorbing roof cover, green roof, good ventilation, use of heat exchanger and sustainable city planning as well as information exchanges in the process of building new cities or rebuilding the old cities.
For CRI, this is Chen Xuefei reporting from Stockholm.
Sports
England slump to 12 year low in world rankings
In football, England have slipped to 17th in Fifa's world rankings, their lowest position for 12 years.
China have dropped four places, but just about stay in the top 100, they're now down in 99th.
World Cup and Euro winners Spain remain top of the list, while Argentina have jumped two places to go second, pushing Germany into third.
Elsewhere, the USA have jumped six places higher to 13th following their recent 2-0 win against Mexico. Jurgen Klinsman another step closer to getting his side into the top 10.
But even with the USA, so far ahead there is some consolidation for the English as they are ahead of.... the French... who now sit way down in 25th position.
Qatar defends 2022 World Cup preparations
Meanwhile, the organizers of the Qatar World Cup in 2022 have dismissed calls to move the tournament to another venue due to the soaring temperatures in the Middle Eastern country.
Hassan al-Thawadi, who's in charge of organizing the event, said they are delivering on all promises they have made and there is "no reason" why Qatar should not host the tournament as planned.
Fifa President Sepp Blatter admitted earlier this week that the governing body may have made a mistake in awarding the World Cup to Qatar in the summer, where temperatures can reach a scorching 50 degrees Centigrade, or 122 Fahrenheit.
Blatter is now determined to move the event to the winter, which would severly disrupt many of football's biggest domestic leagues. And Greg Dkye Chairman of the English Football Association has said the venue should be moved if a time to play cannot be agreed.
Golf - Brandt Snedeker leading after Day 1 BMW championships
In Golf, Rory McIlroy is 66th after the first round of the BMW championships.
The defending champion, who needs to be in the top eight to qualify for next weeks Tour Championship, shot a round of 78.
The 24-year-old from Ncorthern Ireland is without a win since the world tour championship in November last year.
Last year's Fed Ex champion Brandt Snedeker had a cracking day however. He shot seven birdies in a row and ended the first day top of the leaderboard on eight under.
Zach Johnson is currently second on seven-under, while Tiger Woods, Kevin Streelman, Charl Shwartzel and Steve Stricker all claim a share of third on Five-under-par.
After the first day, Stricker marveled at Brandt Snedeker's skills on the green.
"It's unbelievable. I mean, he's the best putter I've ever seen, I mean, he either makes it or it looks like it's going to go in. I mean, you can't get any better than that. And he expects to make them, that's the other thing. So a good putter expects to make putts and he definitely expects to make them and they look like they're all going to go in too."
Lance Armstrong hands back Olympic medal
Disgraced US Cyclist Lance Armstrong has finally handed back his Olympic Medal.
The 41-year-old, who has admitted doping offences, was stripped of his SEVEN tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life in October last year.
In January, the IOC requested the return of the Bronze Medal he won in the time-trial at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, but earlier this week it was still in his possession.
Under fresh media pressure, Armstrong has now handed the medal over to US Olympic officials, who will pass it onto the International Olympic Committee.
Tennis Andy Murray beats Borna Coric
Now to tennis where Great Britain's Andy Murray has just been playing Borna Coric of Croatia.
This is Murray's first performance at the Davis Cup for two years... though without him in April his team mates secured a shock victory against Russia.
Coric just 16-year-old took on a man 10 years his senior who is in peak condition.
Though as Andy Murray failed to reclaim his US Open title last week, Coric won the 2013 boys title at Flushing Meadows.
The young player has also won three senior titles on the Futures circuit, but this has been his first five-set-match.
And in the end, it is all too much for the young player, Murray takes the match 6-3 6-0 ......
Entertainment
ZHANG ZIYI AND LEEHOM WANG BRING 'MY LUCKY STAR' TO MACAU
Chinese Superstar Zhang Ziyi premiered her new romantic-comedy "My Lucky Star" in Macau yesterday.
The Chinese-American movie collaboration was produced by Zhang, and helmed by American director Dennie Gordon.
'My lucky star' is a prequel to Zhang's 2009 movie 'Sophie's Revenge'.
The film is about Sophie's adventure in Singapore.
She finds herself caught up in a spy mission to retrieve a stolen diamond.
Her lover turns out to be a secret agent.
Pop singer Leehom Wang plays Zhang's love interest.
Both said they were flattered when Big Brother Jackie Chan paid them a visit on set.
"He thought we were filming a romance-comedy, but when he came onto our set he asked, 'What are you guys filming? An action movie?' He stood at the side and watched for a while with wrinkled eyebrows. 'No, not like this,' he said. He stayed until four in the morning and he turned our choreography around completely. "
Zhang shot to Hollywood fame in Ang Lee's wuxia epics "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and recently starred in the Ip Man biopic "The Grandmaster".
The former dancer says she hopes to work on a thriller in the future
"I want to shoot that kind of thriller movie, a movie that makes you connect all the links in a movie. A movie with a twist. Not horror movies, but the really intellectual kind, the ones that make you gasp in the end and say, 'So this is how it ends!' A bit like that movie with Nicole Kidman in it. And also Leonardo Dicaprio's movie."
"My Lucky Star" is scheduled to be released in Hong Kong and Macau in October.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson at 'Don Jon' premiere
American actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt premiered his directorial debut, "Don Jon" yesterday in New York.
The film tells the story of a libertine learning lessons about life and love through relationships with two very different women.
Gordon-Levitt also wrote and stars in the film along with Scarlett Johansson.
But the 32-year-old actor doesn't see it as wearing different hats.
"I try not to compartmentalize them. I try to think of them as a movie and think about how all the elements come together, whether it's the words on the page or the performance of it or what the camera is doing or what the editing is doing or what the music is doing. It's got to all work together."
Scarlett Johansson stars as Don Jon's beloved Barbara Sugarman.
Gordon-Levitt says the film works because of Johansson.
"Scarlett was - the project would have been impossible without Scarlett's parctipation. She was one of the first people to ever read the script. Her support made all the difference in the world. She brought so much to the role. I think she's fantastic. I think she's funny and charming. I'm delighted that she's in the movie."
Johansson also says she saw a lot of potential in the first-time director.
"I think the most exciting thing about working with Joe was just his enthusiasm, it was really contagious. That's something that was noticeable from the beginning. He had a lot of conviction and real gusto. That's something I look for in every director I work with."
"Don Jon" also stars Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, and Brie Larson. It opens in U.S. theaters on 27th September.
JK Rowling to Pen New Script for Film Based on Wizard World
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has signed on with Warner Brothers studio to pen a screenplay for a fantasy film based on elements from the Harry Potter series.
The new film will take the title of and be based on the textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which Harry, Ron, and Hermione read during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
This will be the first time Rowling tries her hand at a screenplay.
She has revealed the film will feature creatures and even certain characters who have appeared throughout the Harry Potter series.
Newt Scamander, the author of the fictitious textbook, will be a major player in the new film.
Rowling has said the film is neither a sequel nor a prequel to the Harry Potter films, but rather an extension of the wizarding world.
She is also currently developing a television adaptation of her novel The Casual Vacancy with Warner Brothers Studios.
Colin Firth to voice
British actor Colin Firth is to be the voice of Paddington Bear in a new film.
The Oscar-winning actor said he would play the bear with "a slight Peruvian flavour".
Paddington Bear is a fictional character in children's literature.
It was created in the original books by Michael Bond.
The marmalade-loving bear from Peru was named after the London station, where he was found by the Brown family.
Firth said he will lend his facial expressions to the computer-animated bear.
Hugh Bonneville will star as Mr Brown, with Nicole Kidman playing a villain.
The film will be made by Harry Potter producer David Heyman and director Paul King.
It is expected to be released around Christmas 2014.
That's it for this edition of the BJH
A quick recap of the headlines BEFORE WE GO...
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Indian court sentences four men to death for the fatal gang rape of a young woman in New Delhi.
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