The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
Shane Bigham with you on this Monday, March 24th, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this evening.
Chinese and Australian search planes have each spotted separate debris that may be from the Malaysian flight that disappeared over two weeks ago..
World leaders have gathered at the Hague in the Netherlands for the latest Nuclear Security Summit, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
And Ukraine has ordered its military forces to withdraw from Crimea.
In business, A Chinese official says overcapacity has become a great challenge for the Chinese economy.
In sports, Chinese tennis star Li Na is off to round 4 at the Sony Open.
In entertainment, highlights from the Power of Film gala in Hong Kong
Weather
Beijing will be hazy tonight with a low of 8 degrees Celsius. Sunny with haze tomorrow with a high of 24 degrees.
Meanwhile Shanghai will be rainy tonight, with a low of 14, also rainy tomorrow, with a high of 19.
Chongqing will be cloudy, 11 degrees the low, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 18.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, rainy with a high of 21.
Kabul, sunny, 11.
Over in Australia
Sydney, rainy, highs of 25.
Canberra, rainy, 22.
Brisbane, rainy, 27.
And finally, Perth will be cloudy with a high of 28.
Top News
MH370 Search continues as Chinese planes spot big floating objects
Australian planes have spotted two objects in hunt for the missing Malaysian plane.
The objects are reportedly found some 2500 km southwest to Perth.
Australian naval vessels are searching the areas now.
They are expected to find one of the subjects as early as tomorrow.
Meanwhile the Chinese Foreign Ministry says the objects spotted by a Chinese military aircraft earlier today has not been confirmed as being connected with the missing jet.
A Chinese plane earlier today spotted two "relatively big" floating objects with many white smaller ones scattered within a radius of several kilometers.
The Ministry spokesperson, Hong Lei:
"When two of our IL-76 planes were searching the area, one of the planes photographed white, square floating objects. At present we are unable to confirm whether the floating objects are related to the missing passenger jet. China is currently rushing to analyze the aerial photographic material together with the relevant parties."
The two Chinese planes have since returned to Perth airport to refuel.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says it has been informed of the discovery and will try to locate the objects.
The airborne searchers also relayed the information to Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, sending it toward the location where the debris was spotted.
The icebreaker left the port of Perth on Friday to aid the search mission.
Meanwhile, Australian authorities say new data from a French satellite showing possible debris is in a completely different local to the images released by Australia and China.
Earlier, Australian and Chinese satellite images identified suspicious debris in the south Indian Ocean.
However Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, Warren Truss, says the French sighting is far from the current search area.
"That's about 850 kilometers north of our current search area. So, we need to check that out as well. That's not in the area that had been identified as the most likely place where the aircraft may have entered the sea. But having said all that we've got to check out all the options."
Australian authorities say 10 aircraft are expected to join Monday's search.
U.S Pacific Command also says it is moving a black box locator to the region in case a debris field is located.
Australian officials warn that weather conditions in the search area are expected to deteriorate, with a tropical cyclone north of the search area likely hampering the search effort.
For the latest information, we earlier spoke with Nadiah Abdul Aziz, a journalist based in Kuala Lumpur.
…
Back Anchor:
That was Nadiah Abdul Aziz, a journalist based in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia Airlines flight diverted to HK due to generator problem
A Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Incheon, South Korea, had to be diverted to Hong Kong this morning.
The aircraft was experiencing a generator problem and landed at about 3 in the morning.
An official with the airline says the generator stopped working, but the plane continued to have electricity thanks to its auxiliary power unit.
Malaysia Airlines is in the international spotlight following the disappearance more than two weeks ago of flight MH370 with 239 people on board.
No trace of the plane has been found.
Nuclear Security Summit explore international commitment
Anchor:
World leaders have gathered at the Hague in the Netherlands for the latest Nuclear Security Summit.
The two-day forum has attracted heads of state and experts from around the world, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to discuss nuclear-related risks and resolutions.
President Xi is scheduled to deliver a speech to the opening session.
CRI's Ding Lulu has more on the summit.
Reporter:
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says the two-day summit will identify ways of preventing nuclear terrorism around the world.
"We need to do everything we can to prevent nuclear terrorism and we have gathered here with that clear aim. I endorse this view that nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats to international security. All the more so, since there are relatively few binding international agreements in this area. The one to gain the least from this comes to nuclear security, we can definitely do better."
Themes of the summit are limiting the amount of dangerous nuclear material in the world, improving the security of all nuclear material and radioactive sources that already exist and stepping up international cooperation in these areas.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the summit. It will be his first appearance at the NSS, demonstrating China's diplomatic efforts in the nuclear security arena and introducing China's measures to strengthen nuclear security and progress.
Chen Xu is the Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands.
"China has been actively advocating fruitful international cooperation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear material and jointly combat nuclear terrorism.
President Xi Jinping is looking to play an active and pragmatic role in the Nuclear Security Summit. China will continue to play a bigger role within international cooperation on nuclear security, actively and constructively, and based on present achievements."
Leaders from a total of 53 countries and four international organizations will be taking part in the summit this year.
The first Nuclear Security Summit was held in Washington, D.C. in 2010. The second summit was held in Seoul during 2012.
The 2014 summit will chart the accomplishments of the past two years, identifying which of the objectives set out in the Washington Work Plan and the Seoul Communiqué have not been met and proposing ways to achieve them.
Netherlands Ambassador Piet De Klerk is the lead coordinator and chief negotiator of the Dutch Nuclear Security Summit.
"In the Hague, a communiqué will be the outcome in which we raise the bar of the commitment of the different countries, I think the political commitment of all the leaders coming to the Hague is very important, and I'll assume that the commitments are significant and will lead to important changes in the years to come."
Over the past decade, the amount of fissile material in the world has grown rapidly, particularly in countries like Pakistan and India. There have also been a number of nuclear material thefts, mostly in the former Soviet Union.
In 2013, 146 incidents involving nuclear and radioactive material were reported to the IAEA; most of these related to nuclear material that has temporarily gone missing.
For CRI, I'm Ding Lulu.
Dutch: China's second largest trading partner in the EU
Anchor:
Chinese President Xi Jinping is paying an official visit to Europe, with the Netherlands being his first stop.
During his stay in the Netherlands, the two countries have decided to build an open and pragmatic partnership for comprehensive cooperation.
The Netherlands is also China's second-largest trade partner in the European Union.
CRI's Cao Yuwei has more.
Reporter:
This is the first time a Chinese leader has visited the Netherlands since the two sides established bilateral relations over 40 years ago.
Xi Jinping is also the first head of state that has paid a state visit to the Netherlands since Willem-Alexander was sworn in as the Dutch king last year.
At the China-Netherlands Trade and Economic Forum on Sunday, President Xi is emphasizing the importance of the advantages the Netherlands enjoys as the gateway to Europe.
"At present, the Netherlands is still the European Union's trading and investment center. There is much more we can do to push forward Sino-Dutch economic and trade cooperation. By promoting a pragmatic partnership we can not only boost development of the two countries, but also help in the steady recovery of the global economy."
President Xi is also encouraging more strong Chinese companies to invest in the Netherlands and is welcoming more Dutch companies to invest in China.
The Netherlands has been China's second-largest trading partner in the European Union, or EU, for 11 consecutive years.
Aart Jacobi, the Dutch ambassador to China, says that though the Netherlands is a small country, it is also the logistics center of the European Union.
He says bilateral trade between the two countries is about 40 billion euros per year, second only to the trade that China has with Germany.
"We have the biggest harbor and very good transport facilities to the rest of Europe. So quite a lot of that 40 billion euros is not only for the Netherlands, but there are also goods that we transport all over the European Union."
Meantime Jacobi believes that Xi Jinping's visit can accelerate cooperation in many fields, including energy, culture, and education.
But the Dutch ambassador is most confident in the country's agriculture sector.
He says the Netherlands is the world's second-largest exporter of agricultural products, after the United States.
"We export 80 billion US dollars per year in agricultural goods. We import 55 billion, by the way, per year. And one of the secrets is technology and control of the entire chain. This is extremely difficult."
He adds that the Netherlands is willing to share its experience in agricultural development with other countries.
For CRI, I'm Cao Yuwei.
Ukrainian forces ordered to withdraw from Crimea
U.S.Secretary of State John Kerry, attending the summit at The Hague, earlier said that he hoped the Crimea situation would not impact cooperation with Russia on international efforts to destroy Syria's chemical weapons.
"All I can say is I hope the same motivations that drove Russia to be a partner in this effort will still exist, this is bigger than either of our countries, this is a global challenge and I hope Russia will stay part to the task."
Kerry made the comment ahead of a G7 meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the nuclear summit.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is representing Russia at the summit, is expected to hold talks with John Kerry over the issue in Crimea.
In Kiev, the interim President Oleksander Turchinov said Ukraine is pulling its forces out of Crimea.
Turchinov spoke in parliament after Russian troops entered a key Ukrainian marine base.
The base is home to Ukraine's top military unit and one of the last military facilities in Crimea that is still under Ukrainian control.
Meanwhile, the Russian ruble has reportedly begun official circulation in Crimea as of today.
Egypt court sentences 529 Morsi supporters to death
A court in Egypt has handed death sentences to 529 supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.
They were convicted on charges including murdering a policeman and attacking police.
The group, members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, are part of a larger trial involving more than 1,200 Morsi supporters.
Egyptian authorities have cracked down harshly on Islamists since Morsi was removed from power in July.
Yemen attack on military checkpoint kills 20 soldiers: report
Reports from Yemen say 20 soldiers have been killed in an attack on a military checkpoint in the country's east.
Security sources earlier said eight had died and six were wounded in an attack that one source attributed to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
The Yemeni military has been tackling a powerful al-Qaeda insurgency in recent years.
Quarter of Saudi fighters in Syria return by order
A Saudi newspaper is reporting that about 25 percent of Saudi fighters in Syria and other countries have returned home, following an order from the country's king.
King Abdullah gave the order on March 7th, telling Saudi nationals fighting abroad to return within 15 days or face legal punishments.
However, a military official says the exact number of returned fighters is still unknown.
Punishments for ignoring the king's order, or involvement in any kind of terror organization, ranges from 3 to 20 years in prison.
Six dead after massive fire engulfs fishing vessel
Six people have died after a fishing vessel caught fire near South Korea's Jeju Island in the East China Sea.
Five of the victims are Indonesians.
There were nine crew members on board the fishing boat, including four South Koreans.
The captain of the vessel survived the fire and another Korean is still missing.
The cause of the fire is still unclear.
Biz Reports
Stocks
Asian shares advanced moderately on Monday, choosing to embrace last week's firm performance by global equity markets.
Chinese shares closed higher on Monday.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.9 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index gained 0.4 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 1.9 percent.
China Mobile, China's dominant mobile carrier, surged 4.2 percent, while telecom giant China Unicom rose 4.3 percent.
ICBC, the world's largest bank by market value, climbed 2.9 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei surged 1.8 percent.
South Korea's Kospi added 0.6 percent.
Singapore's Strait Times Index rose 1.3 percent.
Finally, Australia's ASX200 climbed 0.2 percent.
China allows market to deal with overcapacity
A Chinese official says overcapacity has become a great challenge for the Chinese economy.
Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology, Su Bo says the country needs to let the market play a bigger role in addressing the problem.
He was speaking at the ongoing China Development Forum in Beijing.
The official notes that reducing production capacity will also help Chinese companies to climb the value chain, and provide opportunities for cooperation between foreign and Chinese companies.
"China welcomes foreign companies to participate in addressing the issue and we will further loosen our control in the market, to encourage foreign companies to establish R&D centers in China and collaborate with domestic companies to upgrade industrial production."
Initiated in 2000, the China Development Forum is seen as a platform for the international business and academic communities to interact with Chinese decision makers and economic planners.
China's preliminary manufacturing PMI sinks
HSBC's preliminary purchasing managers' index, or PMI, says China's manufacturing activity contracted for the third month in a row in March, hitting an eight-month low.
Data company Markit say the HSBC/Markit China flash manufacturing PMI for March dipped to 48.1 from a final reading of 48.5 in February.
PMI above 50 indicates expansion and below 50, contraction.
January saw HSBC China manufacturing PMI dipping to 49.5 from 50.5 in December, the first deterioration of operating conditions in China's manufacturing sector since July 2013.
HSBC's chief China economist, Qu Hongbin, said March's flash reading is suggesting China's growth momentum is continuing to slow down, and weakness is broadly-based with domestic demand softening further.
China tries out preferred shares
Anchor:
Chinese regulators have unveiled new rules for a trial program allowing companies to sell preferred shares.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission says three kinds of companies will be allowed to do so.
These include firms listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange 50 A-Share Index, companies using preferred shares as a way to fund mergers and acquisitions, and companies seeking equity to finance a common stock buyback.
Holders of preferred shares have priority over common shares in saying how corporate earnings are used and in asset distribution during liquidation.
The SSE 50 A-Share Index surged by more than 4 percent on Friday.
It includes 10 of China's largest banks, which are seeking to raise funds to meet the country's tougher capital requirements.
For more on this, CRI's Paul James spoke earlier with Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor of China's University of Economics and Business.
…
That was Mike Bastin, Visiting Professor of China's University of Economics and Business.
Singapore's CPI inflation continues to fall in Feb.
Singapore's consumer price index, or CPI, rose by 0.4 percent in February year-on-year. That's the slowest pace since 2010, after headline inflation hit a record low of 1.4 in January.
The city-state's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Monetary of Authority of Singapore (MAS), which is the central bank, said the decline had been anticipated in the January inflation report and largely reflected the higher base in February last year.
The joint statement by the MTI and the MAS says food inflation was 2.3 percent last month, down from 3.0 percent in January "due to the correction in non-cooked food prices after the Chinese New Year as well as the high base last year."
Core inflation is expected to rise over the next few quarters.
Full year core inflation is expected to be around 2 percent to 3 percent this year, with a similar percentage expected for headline inflation.
S.Korea beats Japan to become world No.2 in chip industry
The trade ministry says South Korea has overtaken Japan as the world's second largest manufacturer in the global semiconductor industry.
Data from IHS Technology, the chip market information provider, shows global market share of South Korean chipmakers reached 16.2 percent in 2013, ranking second behind the 52.4 percent share of the United States.
Japan is followed by Europe with an 8.7 percent market share and China's Taiwan with 6.5 percent.
The upbeat figure has been attributed to higher market share in the memory chip sector.
The market share of system chips stood merely at 5.8 percent last year, following the United States with 67.6 percent, Japan with 8.6 percent, Europe with 8.5 percent and China's Taiwan with 6.7 percent.
Headline News
MH370 Search continues as Chinese planes spot big floating objects
Australian planes have spotted two objects in hunt for the missing Malaysian plane.
The objects are reportedly found some 2500 kms southwest to Perth.
Australian naval vessels are searching the areas now.
Meanwhile the Chinese Foreign Ministry says the objects spotted by a Chinese military aircraft earlier today has not been confirmed as being connected with the missing jet.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority says it has been informed of the discovery and will try to locate the objects.
Meanwhile the Malaysian transport authorities said on Monday that there have been no signs of battles on the plane ahead of its missing.
Police authorities are still investigating passengers and staffers onboard the plane.
Nuclear Security Summit explore international commitment
World leaders have gathered at the Hague in the Netherlands for the latest Nuclear Security Summit.
The two-day forum has attracted heads of state and experts from around the world, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, to discuss nuclear-related risks and resolutions.
Preventing nuclear terrorism will be one of the leading topics during the forum.
President Xi is scheduled to deliver a speech to the opening session.
Ukrainian forces ordered to withdraw from Crimea
The interim President Oleksander Turchinov said Ukraine is pulling its forces out of Crimea.
Turchinov spoke in parliament after Russian troops entered a key Ukrainian marine base at Feodosia.
The base is home to Ukraine's top military unit and one of the last military facilities in Crimea that is still under Ukrainian control.
Meanwhile, the Russian ruble has reportedly begun official circulation in Crimea as of today.
The G7 countries are to consider collective measures over the issue in Crimea during a meeting in the Hague.
Six dead after massive fire engulfs fishing vessel
Six people have died after a fishing vessel caught fire near South Korea's Jeju Island in the East China Sea.
Five of the victims are Indonesians.
There were nine crew members on board the fishing boat, including four South Koreans.
The captain of the vessel survived the fire and another Korean is still missing.
The cause of the fire is still unclear.
Leaked oil removed from Galveston Bay
US Coast Guard officials say that all of the remaining oil has been taken out of a damaged barge in Galveston Bay near Texas.
The barge collided with a ship on Saturday and a 168-thousand gallon tank began leaking.
Six people were injured in the collision.
The Houston Ship Channel has been closed since the spill, blocking over 60 vessels including three cruise ships.
It is still not clear when the ship channel will be reopen.
Newspaper Picks
China Daily
"E-cards will track Shanghai students' after-class activities"
Primary and middle school students in Shanghai will be given electronic student ID cards in the upcoming spring semester, through which their after-school activities and social practices will be tracked to build personal growth records.
The e-cards are part of the city education authorities' efforts to push education reform, and to establish a more comprehensive evaluation system for students with the emphasis shifted from exam scores to comprehensive performance.
The city's nearly 1.4 million primary and middle school students will start to use the e-cards next month. By scanning their e-cards on a reader, the data will be transmitted to the basic education information management system.
The city has carried out a pilot program in Minhang district, which has produced promising results.
China Daily
Homecare services in demand, but suitable employees lacking
A new report shows companies providing homecare services are experiencing a shortfall in suitable applicants.
According to the Beijing Cultural Development Center for Rural Women, this shortage has occurred despite a rise in demand for such services such as looking after the elderly and young children.
The survey also highlighted a generation gap in applicants, with those aged over 40 far outnumbering younger applicants.
Over half of respondents said they only wanted to work in the sector for a brief period.
The companies said they were facing increasing difficulties in hiring "young, capable and hardworking" employees. Furthermore, mobility within the sector means workers change jobs frequently, sometimes within weeks.
The survey suggests homemaking companies may face difficulties hiring employees in the future if they fail to launch training programs.
CTV News
"Does where you live have an impact on your body shape?"
Where you live can have an effect on your weight and overall health, according to a new study out of the Geneva University Hospitals.
Researchers found choice of location has an effect on body mass index (BMI), which is used to classify people's weight. This effect is believed to "go beyond income levels."
The study utilized data acquired over a 10-year period in the canton of Geneva, including health indicators from thousands of adults and children in the area.
Evaluation of the data found adults' and children's BMI values are "not distributed randomly" on a map of the canton. Rather, the map was divided into regions with predominantly high or low BMI, and a larger region where "neither trend prevailed."
The study was published in the journal Nature Nutrition and Diabetes.
The telegraph
"Older fathers have less attractive children"
A new study has found that the children of older fathers are likely to be less attractive than those of younger parents because of an increased risk of genetic mutations.
As men age, they are also exposed to numerous environmental toxins which have been shown to cause DNA mutations in sperm.
Molecular genetic studies have shown that the sperm of older men have far more mutations than those of younger men.
And a close relationship between paternal age and peoples’ facial attractiveness has been suggested by the researchers in anthropology at the University of Vienna.
The researchers analyzed more than 8,000 volunteers, and found that people with older fathers were rated less attractive than those with younger fathers, regardless of the age of mothers.
And the researchers estimated that someone born to a father of 22 is already 5 to 10 per cent more attractive than those with a 40-year-old father and the difference grows with the age gap.
Special Reports
2014, an Icebreaking Year for New Energy Automobiles
Anchor:
Continuous haze in China has prompted more people to seek healthy, eco-friendly modes of transportation.
New energy automobiles, which have been under development in China for more than a decade, have recently come to the center of public attention since being proposed by members of the CPPC in March.
CRI's XYee has the story.
Reporter:
The Chinese government has scaled up its subsidies for new energy vehicles. Beijing and Shanghai are also taking measures to abolish local protectionism. As a result, the new energy automobile market witnessed a sharp increase of more than 30% in 2013.
As one of the seven car models included in Beijing's New Energy Vehicle Catalogue, BMW's newly-developed all-electric sedan, the Zinoro 1E, made its debut in Sanlitun Soho in Beijing in mid-February.
Wu Haifeng, the manager of Zinoro's Beijing showroom explained that the Zinoro is offering an innovative rent-only mode of operation, ranging from one-day rent to three-year rent.
"Many potential buyers continue to take a 'wait-and-see' attitude towards the emerging sector. Rental cars can offset their concerns, and they can rent for just one day to experience and decide whether the electric car meets their needs."
To save consumers' time and energy, Zinoro also offers an all-inclusive service, namely a one-off rental fee covering license plates, insurance, and after-sales services including maintenance and repair.
"From next week, five Zinoro 1e will be dispatched for test runs. Up to now, several hundred clients have come for consultations and to make reservations for test runs."
Addressing the central concern of buyers over the battery endurance of new energy cars, another car model included in the Beijing New Energy Vehicle Catalogue, the BYD e6 carries an absolute advantage.
Ma Linbo, a sales manager at the Xin Min Heng BYD dealership, said that the e6 is an all-electric crossover vehicle which combines the properties of an SUV, Sports Utility Vehicle, with those of an MPV, Multi-Purpose Vehicle.
"The driving range of the e6 reaches over 300 kilometers, exceeding that of other self-developed car brands by 50%."
However, the e6 and 1e, as all-electric vehicles pitched at high-end markets, are not competitive enough in terms of price.
Therefore, BYD has moved its strategic focus from the all-electric to the hybrid field, releasing a brand-new hybrid vehicle "Qin" last December which refers to the Qin Dynasty in Chinese history.
As a cost-effective hybrid vehicle, the Qin ranked first in new energy vehicle sales in China in January.
To continue its success with the "Qin", BYD is planning to release a follow-up "Dynasty Series" of hybrid models in the future, including an SUV hybrid of "Tang", "Yuan", "Ming" and "Qing". BYD is also planning to produce a sports car, named e9, targeted at private high-end users.
Besides BYD's strategy to sharpen its target market, other auto makers are looking for complementary resources overseas.
For example, Geely Automobile, which completed the takeover of Volvo in 2010, announced its plan to set foot in the new energy vehicle field. Geely also acquired British electric car maker, Emerald, in February.
Additionally, the German car-maker Daimler Benz and BYD have established a joint venture in Shenzhen, and will unveil their first cooperative model, Denza next Month.
Lin Mi, vice CEO of sales and marketing at Shenzhen BYD-Daimler New Technology, says Denza has effectively combined Daimler's century-long auto-making experience with BYD's advantage in battery and electronic control.
"We have introduced to the world a leading power and automation technology group, ABB's technology in battery. In the following six years, ABB will exclusively provide direct current quick-charging household equipment for our automobiles."
Lin Mi further points out that from an industrial perspective, electro vehicles face two major difficulties, the construction of infrastructures and gaining the confidence of consumers.
For CRI, I'm XYee.
Sports
Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Li Na score victories at Sony Open
Defending champion Andy Murray and 17-times grand slam winner Roger Federer have both sped through into the fourth round of the Sony Open with convincing straight sets victories.
Federer, a two time winner on the Miami hardcourts, needed just 62 minutes on a sweltering centre court to dispatch Dutch qualifier Thiemo De Bakker 6-3 6-3 while Murray appeared to be adjusting just fine to life without coach Ivan Lendl, easing past Spain's Feliciano Lopez 6-4 6-1.
In other third round action, Frenchmen Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga advanced in contrasting fashion.
The ninth seeded Gasquet had easy passage beating 17th seeded South African Kevin Anderson 6-3 6-4 while 11th seeded Tsonga rallied for a 4-6 7-6(6) 7-5 win over Cypriot wildcard Marcos Baghdatis.
Spaniard Tommy Robredo, the 16th seed, advanced with a 6-3 6-4 win over another Frenchman Julien Benneteau.
In night action it was fourth seeded Spaniard David Ferrer advancing with a 6-3 6-2 win over 31st seeded Italian Andres Seppi and Japanese 20th seed Kei Nishikori getting past 15th seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 7-6
Looking at the women's event..
China's Li Na scored a third-round win over American Madison Keys, 7-6, 6-3 during her debut in Miami.
Meanwhile Serena Williams made it through to the fourth round after defeating Caroline Garcia of France 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
And Ana Ivanovic advanced after baeting Flavia Pennetta of Italy 6-4, 6-3.
Matt Every claims dramatic first PGA victory
Matt Every clinched his first PGA Tour victory in dramatic fashion when he surged past a faltering Adam Scott to claim the $6.2 million Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke in Florida.
As he was speaking to reporters the victory was still sinking in:
You really don't think about this, you just think about, I finally won, because golf, it's totally different than any other sport, I mean you're used to losing out here, I mean you lose every week, pretty much, and sometimes you forget what it feels like to win and it was just, it's nice to have that feeling again."
Australian Scott, who had matched the course record on the first day with an impressive 10-under par round of 62- eventually finished third.
Every, started the final round four strokes behind him, but surged ahead with four birdies in a sizzling five-hole stretch around the turn.
With this he managed to just get the edge on fellow American Keegan Bradley who missed a 30-foot birdie putt that would have forced a play off.
Adam Scott finished two shots behind after shooting 76 on the last day. Nobody in the top 25 shot a worse final round. He was left ruing his inability to close the deal in his final start before defending his Masters title April 10-13.
He also struggled at the previous competition in Australia:
"Yeah I really think the putting has let me down on both of those occasions, I actually played quite nicely in Australia when I held the lead but today was a bit shaky but this course was asking a lot of everyone today I think, and my short game just wasn't there so that needs to be tightened up and probably shows that I need to do a bit more work on it to hold up under the most pressure."
With his poor performance on the last day the world number two missed his chance of taking the top spot from Tiger Woods who did not compete due to a back injury.
Chelsea secure Premier League top spot as Arsenal slide down
A Glance at football and Chelsea secured their place at the top of the English top division after destroying Arsenal 6-0. Arsen Wenger's side, who were down to 10 men for most of the game now slide down to fourth place in the premiership while Chelsea go four points clear of second placed Liverpool, who have played one less game.
Liverpool also scored six goals in their match against Cardiff City. It was the Welsh side who scored first after just nine-minutes, but the teams then began trading one for one.
An eventual flurry by Liverpool and a 90th minute closer by Luis Suarez saw that match closing out 6-3.
Elsewhere Manchester City creeps up to third in the table following their 5-0 victory over bottom of the league Fulham.
Football Barcelona rekindle La Liga hopes with 4-3 Clasico victory
Over in Spain, Barcelona have crept to within one point of the top sport behind Atletico and Real Madrid.
A Lionel Messi hat-trick helped fire them to victory in the thrilling el Clasico match up in the Spanish capital.
Andres Iniesta was first to score for Barcelona after just seven minutes. But two goals mid-way through the first half by Karim Benzema gave the lead back to the home side.
Just before the break Lionel Messi restored parity but then early in the second half Christiano Ronaldo restored Madrid's lead from the penalty spot.
Real Madrid was then taken down to 10 men after Sergio Ramos was sent off in the 63rd minute and Messi went on to score two subsequent penalties to close the game 3-4 for the visitors.
With his second hat-trick in a row Messi becomes the second highest-scorer in La Liga history as well as the top scorer in Clasicos.
Beijing Guoan play Shanghai Greenland Shenhua for Super League top spot
Here in China Beijing Guoan have just kicked off against Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.
After Guangzhou Evergrand lost 3-1 to Changchun Yatai at the weekend victory here for Beijing will see them jump to the top of the Superleague.
Entertainment
Power of Film Gala in Hong Kong features Donnie Yen as guest of honor
Celebrity A-listers, including Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, Kung Fu star Donnie Yen and Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton, attended the star studded Power of Film Gala in Hong Kong on Saturday.
The event, in its 3rd year, is co-organized by FilmAid, a non-profit organization that uses film and media to empower the less fortunate. Proceeds from the event are used to support FilmAid's program that provides training in filmmaking on issues pertinent to Asia, such as landmines and human trafficking.
Donnie Yen, a co-chair of the event, was a guest of honor on Saturday night. His latest film, "The Monkey King," was a huge box office success in China during the Chinese lunar New Year holiday.
Yen is optimistic about the Chinese film industry.
"I think it's fine. Right now the Chinese film industry is booming. It will allow a lot of films to do very well at the same time. I hope that Mandarin language films continue to do well."
Other guests at the gala included British actor Jamie Campbell Bower and Hong Kong actress Miriam Yeung.
Johnny Depp visits Beijing to promote "Transcendence"
American film star Johnny Depp will visit Beijing to promote the science fiction thriller film "Transcendence" at the end of this month.
Depp stars in the film as an artificial intelligence researcher who wants to create a machine which possesses both sentiment and intelligence.
In addition to attending the premiere of the film in Beijing, Depp will also experience Chinese rock and roll music and vanguard painting. He will visit the city's hutongs and learn how to make some local Beijing dishes.
The film is set to hit Chinese cinemas, including IMAX theatres, on April 18th.
"Black Coal, Thin Ice" earns 27 million yuan in two days, sets record
Chinese crime thriller "Black Coal, Thin Ice" has earned more than 27 million yuan within two days of its release. This is a new record for a Chinese art-house film.
"Black Coal, Thin Ice" won the prestigious Golden Bear for best picture at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. Its lead actor Liao Fan received the award for best actor.
It hit theaters across China on Friday, March 21st.
Veteran actor James Rebhorn dies
Beloved and hugely prolific Hollywood actor James Rebhorn has passed away at the age of 65 after a long battle with skin cancer.
Rebhorn is known for his roles in classics such as the Oscar winning "Scent of a Woman" opposite Al Pacino, "Independence Day" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley".
In more recent years, Rebhorn has been making waves in television with roles in a clutch of shows, including "Homeland," "Law and Order" and "The Good Wife."
The actor died at his home in New Jersey on Friday.
The Rolling Stones postpone Australia and New Zealand tour dates
The Rolling Stones have canceled their gigs in Australia and New Zealand following the suicide of fashion designer L'Wren Scott, who was dating Mick Jagger prior to her death. Their Australian and New Zealand 14 On Fire tour dates are to be rescheduled for later in the year, possibly October and November.
Fans have been told that if any new dates are not suitable, a full refund will be offered.
Jagger says he fails to understand how his lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way. He has reportedly traveled to the US ahead of Scott's funeral.
Guitarist Ronnie Wood says that the band is one big family and will come together to support Jagger.
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Chinese and Australian search planes have each spotted separate debris that may be from the Malaysian flight that disappeared over two weeks ago.
World leaders have gathered at the Hague in the Netherlands for the latest Nuclear Security Summit, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
And Ukraine has ordered its military forces to withdraw from Crimea.
In business, A Chinese official says overcapacity has become a great challenge for the Chinese economy.
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