The Beijing Hour
Morning Edition
Paul James with you on this Tuesday, June 24, 2014.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
Authorities in Xinjiang say they've already broken up over 30 terrorist cells since the launch of a nation-wide anti-terror campaign a month ago.
The Chinese government is blasting the Japanese government's review of its previous statements connected to comfort women.
Rebels in eastern Ukraine have now agreed to a ceasefire.
In Business... Guangdong has become the first local government in China to issue its own debt.
In sports... Hosts Brazil is through to the knockout stages of the World Cup.
In entertainment... the new Transformers film has premiered here in Beijing.
Weather
Beijing will be sunny today with a high of 31 degrees Celsius.
Overnight it will see thundershowers and temperatures should drop down to around 22.
Shanghai will be cloudy during the daytime with a high of 28.
It will be cloudy tonight with a low of 21.
In Chongqing, it will be rainy with a high of 25.
Overnight moderate rain and lows are expected to be around 21.
Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,
Islamabad will be cloudy with a high of 41.
Kabul will be sunny with a high of 29.
Over to North America,
New York will see some rain today with a high of 27 degrees.
Washington will be cloudy with a high of 32 degrees.
Honolulu, slight rain, 30.
Toronto, Canada, will see slight rain with a high of 25 degrees.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 14.
And Rio de Janeiro will be sunny with a high of 25 degrees Celsius.
Top News
32 terror groups busted in Xinjiang
Anchor
It's been a month since a massive police crackdown on terrorism began in Xinjiang.
CRI's Cao Yuwei has more on the results of the operations so far.
Reporter:
Wang Qianrong is the deputy head of the regional public security department.
"Since we launched the anti-terror campaign on May 23, Xinjiang public security departments have broken 32 terror gangs and apprehended over 380 suspects and 65 terrorism-related fugitives. We've also seized 264 explosive devices, 3.15 tons of explosive material and 357 illegal knives."
The campaign was launched after a bombing on May 22nd in the regional capital Urumqi which left 39 people dead.
Wang Qianrong says police have also confiscated computers, as well as books on terrorism and religious extremism, as part of raids on illegal preaching sites and training camps.
Li Wei, an anti-terror expert from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, says the materials being circulated in Xinjiang are playing an increasingly dominant role generating terror attacks in China.
"These terrorists usually disguise their violent plans under the cloak of religion, or the Jihad. But they are promoting a wrong concept of Jihad. Often the calls for violent jihad are contained in videos that encourage people to participate in terror attacks."
Li notes these ideas are extremely dangerous, especially to young people who don't have a clear understanding of their religion.
In response, a mass campaign is being carried out in Xinjiang, promoting government policies on religion and ethnicity both in Mandarin and Uygur.
Meanwhile, the central government has also decided to provide free high school education in southern Xinjiang starting from next year.
Li Wei with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations says education is one of the keys to eliminating terrorism.
"Education helps people in southern Xinjiang, especially the younger generation, to broaden their minds. It can strengthen their ability in differentiate extremism from religious teachings, which is key to combating extremism."
Meanwhile, local authorities in Xinjiang have also tightened the supervision of the sale of second-handed mobile phones, vehicles and computers, which are considered key tools in the promotion of extremism from outside China's borders.
For CRI, this is Cao Yuwei.
Former deputy planning chief charged with bribery
A former deputy head of China's top planning agency has been officially charged with taking bribes.
Prosecutors in Hebei allege Liu Tienan abused his position and received "an extremely large amount" of financial incentives.
Liu was sacked over a year ago for involvement in "serious disciplinary violations."
At the same time, party officials have dismissed two vice provincial-level officials in Shanxi for suspected discipline and legal violations.
They include the vice-chair of the provincial advisory body, Ling Zhengche and the provincial vice-governor, Du Shanxue.
Kono Statement review mirrors Japan's attempt to deny crime of aggression
The Chinese government is blasting the Japanese government's so-called "review" of its previous apology for sexual slavery during World War II.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
"Forcing women to be sexual slavery committed by Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II was a serious anti-human crime against people in victimized countries in Asia. The ironclad evidence is irrefutable. Japan's so-called review further exposes its unwillingness to face up to history, and even its real intention to downplay or deny the crime of aggression."
The statement follows a review of the so-called Kono Statement by the Japanese cabinet of Shinzo Abe, which has determined the Kono apology was influenced by politicians in South Korea.
The Kono Statement, issued by then Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993, is Japan's official acknowledgement that its military enslaved some 200-thousand women during the war as sex slaves.
The review of the statement has also created anger in South Korea, with Japan's ambassador in Seoul being summoned to answer for the review.
Vice foreign minister Cho Tae-yong.
"The more Abe's government tries to scratch the Kono Statement, it needs to know that there will be damage on the credibility of Abe's government and its international reputation."
The South Korean government has continued to demand the Japanese Government Issue a formal apology to the surviving comfort women, and is continuing to demand reparations for them.
Ukrainian government and rebels agree ceasefire in Donetsk
Rebels in eastern Ukraine are promising to honor a cease-fire declared by the Ukrainian president and engage in more talks with the government.
The announcement comes on the first day of multilateral negotiations held in Donetsk.
The talks have included Russia's ambassador to Ukraine and an envoy from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
A rebel leader from the city of Lugansk is also promising to release observers they've been holding from the OSCE.
The negotiations have been launched as part of President Petro Poroshenko's peace plan, which began last week with him declaring a week-long unilateral cease-fire on Friday.
Kerry says U.S. to provide "intense" support to Iraq
US Secretary of State John Kerry now says the US is going to provide "intense and sustained" support for Iraqi security forces to combat the Islamist insurgency in the country.
"The support will be intense and sustained and if Iraq's leaders take the necessary steps to bring the country together, it will be effective. It will allow Iraqi security forces to confront ISIL more effectively and in a way that respects Iraq's sovereignty while also respecting America's and the region's vital interests."
Kerry has made the pledge following a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad.
For his part, Maliki says he remains committed to forming a new government by next month.
US President Barack Obama last week announced he's sending 300 American advisers to help coordinate the fight against the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
However, Obama has so far turned down Maliki's request for air strikes.
OPCW says Syria hands over last of declared chemical weapons
The Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says the last bulk of chemical weapons in Syria have been moved out of the country.
Sigrid Kaag, the head of the joint UN-OPCW mission in Syria, says despite this, the chemicals won't be destroyed before the June 30th target originally set out.
"So that big destruction effort is still to start. What was destroyed as a material in country, was isopropanol, which is actually one of critical ingredients to produce very harmful chemical weapons agents."
The final eight percent of the 1,300-ton stockpile is now loaded on Danish and Norwegian ships.
The US navy is ultimately responsible for destroying the weapons.
Syria's government agreed to surrender its chemical weapons arsenal in the fall, following a chemical attack on a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.
More than a thousand people are believed to have been killed in that attack.
UN chief "deeply concerned" by Egyptian court decisions
High level U.N. officials are condemning the Egyptian courts for the sentencing of three Al-Jazeera journalists to lengthy prison sentences.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is said to be deeply concerned.
Stephane Dujarric is a spokesperson for the UN chief.
"Proceedings that clearly appear not to meet the basic fair trial standards particularly those resulting in the position of the death penalty are likely to undermine prospects for long-term stability."
The UN is also calling on the Egyptian government to review the laws on which the trials were based.
An Egyptian court has sentenced three Al Jazeera journalists from seven to ten years in prison for aiding the currently blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood.
This follows on the heels of 183 Muslim Brotherhood members and supporters being sentenced to death on Saturday.
Afghan election commission official resigns amid rigging allegation
A top official with Afghanistan's election commission has resigned in the wake of allegations made by presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah.
The candidate has accused Zia-uul-hak Omarkhil of fraud and vote rigging, saying the official was trying to help rival candidate Ashraf Ahmadzai win the election.
Abdullah took 45 percent of the pupular vote in the first round of the election in April, while Ahmadzai garnered support from just under 32 percent.
Abdullah says the fraudulent behavior happened in the first runoff election earlier this month and he has audio recordings that support his fraud claims against the official.
Extension of South China Karst listed as World Heritage Site
The UN's World Heritage Committee has inscribed an extension of South China Karst into UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Li Rusheng is the vice director of scenic spot management office of with the Chinese Ministry of Urban-Rural Development.
"The evaluation report from UN affirms the value of the Second Phase of South China Karst, and certifies its natural beauty and evolution. The certification also enhances local people and the local governments' knowledge of Karst."
The first section of Karst in South China was enshrined as a heritage site in 2007.
The newly enlisted parts include Jinfo Mountain in Chongqing, Shibing County in Guizhou as well as Guilin and Huanjiang in Guangxi.
UNESCO's annual meetings taking place this year in Doha have already included the "Silk Road" and "Grand Canal" on the World Heritage List.
China to amend food safety law
Anchor:
Chinese lawmakers have begun revising this country's food safety law, promising tougher rules for safety, supervision, and sanctions.
This is the first revision to the law since it was first enacted in 2009.
CRI's Tu Yun has more.
Reporter:
The draft revision to the food safety law is expected to be the strictest ever regulation on food safety.
Zhang Yong, Director of the China Food and Drug Administration, says the country will impose the harshest penalties on offenders and supervisors.
"The law will set up the strictest legal liability system. For offenders who add poisonous and deleterious substances in the food, the authorities can remove their licenses and impose fines up to 30 times of the value of their products. For officials who are dismissed for issuing fake evaluation reports, they could be banned from food safety supervision posts for life."
Under the current law, offenders can face fines up to 10 times of the value of their products.
Meanwhile, the amendment also singles out food and drug administrations as the sole supervision body for food production, transportation, and catering.
Zhu Yi, an associate professor from China Agricultural University, says the change will provide legal basis for more effective supervision.
"Previously, if a tomato is sold on the vegetable market, it falls under the jurisdiction of the agricultural department. When it is sold in the supermarket, it is under the industry and commerce department. When the tomato is processed into tomato sauce, it falls under the supervision of the quality inspection department. When it is served in the restaurant, the food and drug administration will be responsible for supervision. Now, under the amendment, the food and drug administration will be responsible for all processes. It can help to plug loopholes in the supervision system. "
Apart from specifying the supervision body, the revision makes food manufacturers the primary sector responsible for food safety when it comes to establishing liability for a problem.
The amendment also includes regulations on food products sold over the internet.
The current food safety law was put into effect sine 2009 after melamine was found in infant formula.
The draft revision has been submitted to the bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, which runs through this Friday.
For CRI, I'm Tu Yun.
Summit on Construction of Asian Credit System Held in Beijing
Anchor:
A summit has opened here in Beijing designed to help create a new credit system for Asia.
CRI's Luo Yu has more.
Report:
An advisory council of Universal Credit Rating Group, or UCRG, has been founded during the Summit Forum on Construction of Asian Credit System .
Dominique de Villepin, Former Prime Minister of France, has been elected as Chair of the Advisory Council.
Hed says the construction of a new international rating order and reform of the current rating system is vital to inject vigor and vitality into regional economic growth.
'Asia is already the first economic region in the world. It's the fastest growth region in the world with 7.9% a year in 2012. Asia is also the creditor of the world. It's a region with the highest currency reserves. With country like China, we saw almost $4,000 billion in reserves. And Asia has a widely different economic environment that needs to be taken into account.'
In order to counter the influence of the Big Three global credit agencies, UCRG will, in the near future, be launching a team of over 2,000 credit scholars to set up the framework of a credit knowledge system.
Meanwhile, a dual rating regime will be implemented in over 30 jurisdictions.
Guan Jianzhong, is chairman of UCRG and Dagong Global Credit Rating Co., Ltd.
"UCRG is co-sponsored by China, USA and Russia and it represents agencies from every jurisdiction and embodies the common interest of humanity. It is aimed at promoting an alternative rating of credit relations that differs from the current one – the one with sovereign-owned characteristics. So a new rating architecture featuring co-existence, openness, inclusiveness, complementarity, and counter-balancing will be created."
Rating agencies were given a large amount of the blame for the US mortgage crisis that kicked off the latest round of financial crisis.
Also, the Big Three have been accused by the Europeans of showing preferential treatment to the United States.
Here is advisory council member Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia.
"As of today 2014, I do not believe the major credit rating agencies have learned the lesson. It is for that reason that I believe that we need analyze and systematically respond to the credit rating system.'
The Summit is organized by Beijing-based Dagong Global Credit Rating and supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China Center for International Economic Exchanges.
For CRI, I'm Luo Yu.
Biz Reports
First off, a check on the closing numbers in North America and Europe.
Joining me on the desk, CRI's Min Rui.
Reporter:
U.S. stocks closed little changed Monday.
The Dow edged down nearly 0.1 percent, the S&P 500 lost less than 0.1 percent while the Nasdaq increased less than 0.1 percent.
Financial data firm Markit shows U.S. manufacturing sector is showing a robust and accelerated improvement this month.
On the commodities front, U.S. oil prices pulled back Monday after closing at a nine-month high on Friday, as investors continued to ponder the latest developments in Iraq.
Meanwhile, China's top economic planner is increasing the retail price of gasoline as of today.
The U.S. dollar also extended losses against other major currencies despite positive U.S. economic data.
Over to Europe, where the markets closed down on weak PMI data.
London's FTSE 100 closed down 0.4 percent.
Germany DAX dropped by 0.6 percent
And France's CAC 40 down 0.5 percent.
Guangdong bond sale
Provincial authorities in Guangdong have sold 14.8 billion yuan worth of local government bonds, representing the first batch issued and to be repaid by local authorities nationwide.
Until now, the Ministry of Finance has been responsible for issuing and repaying all local government debt.
However, last month, the State Council authorities 10 regions to directly float and repay local government bonds.
Guangdong has auctioned five-year, seven-year and 10-year local government bonds at 3.84-percent, 3.97-percent and 4.05-percent yields.
The bonds were 1.85 times oversubscribed.
Tudou found guilty of violating CCTV copyright
Chinese video-sharing website Tudou has been ordered to compensate China Central Television for copyright infringement in making a popular food documentary available for viewing without the TV station's authorization.
China's Supreme People's Court has ruled Tudou hsa to pay China Central Television 248-thousand yuan for offering downloads of the station's hit documentary "A Bite of China."
Tudou argued the copies of the documentary were uploaded by Internet users.
However, the courts have ruled Tudou should be held responsible because the website is required to monitor what is being uploaded on its site.
The Supreme Court, in issuing the ruling, says the decision should also be a warning for other online contend providers.
China's reverse mortgage policy to be officially launched
Chinese insurance authorities have announced a new reverse mortgage plan is going to take effect next month.
However, the initial scheme put forward a few months ago here in Beijing has been a bust.
Not one senior citizen has applied for a reverse mortgage here in Beijing since the program was launched 4-months ago.
This is raising serious questions about the viability of a nation-wide reverse mortgage program.
For more on reverse mortgages, we are now joined on the line with Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.
Back Anchor:
Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.
Beijing offers affordable flats to buyers
Municipal authorities here in Beijing have made over 18-hundred affordable apartments available to buyers.
The price per square meter for the apartments has been set at 22-thousand yuan, which is almost 50 percent less than in neighboring apartment blocks.
The government and homebuyers will retain joint ownership of the properties, which means if they are to be sold again, the sellers will have to hand over 30 percent any profits made on the sale to the government.
Around 120-thousand people have applied to draw one of the lots.
Chen Yuqian, sales and marketing manager with Gem Real Estate, says each suite is priced under two million yuan.
"The whole project includes 1882 suites, including 302 one-bedroom homes, 1,430 two-bedroom homes and 150 three-bedroom homes. The sizes of each type are 56-66, 81-89 and 89 square meters of floor space respectively."
The government is hoping to sell 50-thousand of these types of homes this year.
So far 11 of these types of projects have been unveiled.
China Southern launches new China-Germany flight
China Southern Airlines has launched a new flight from Guangzhou, via Changsha, to Frankfurt, Germany.
The new service now brings to 8 the number of cities on the mainland that have air links to Germany.
Air China, China Eastern and Lufthansa also offer flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Qingdao, Shenyang and Nanjing to Frankfurt, Munich and Dusseldorf.
The new China Southern flight will go every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Return flights from Frankfurt will run ever Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Fosun invests in U.S. Studio 8
Shanghai conglomerate Fosun International has agreed to invest in U.S. film producer Studio 8.
Studio 8 was founded by Jeff Robinov, the former president of Warner Bros.
Fosun hasn't said how much its investing in Studio 8.
This follows on the heels of the Chinese acquisition of AMC Entertainment and Digital Domain.
Headline News
32 terror groups busted in Xinjiang
Authorities in Xinjiang say they've now managed to bust 32 terror groups as part of the massive police crackdown launched a month ago in the region.
380 suspects have been detained as part of the crackdown.
Chinese authorities launched a year-long campaign against terrorism, with Xinjiang in the center, after a terrorist attack on May 22nd in an open-air market in the regional capital Urumqi.
The attack, the deadliest in recent years in the region, killed 39 and left close to 100 others injured.
Former deputy planning chief charged with bribery
A former deputy head of China's top planning agency has been officially charged with taking bribes.
Prosecutors in Hebei allege Liu Tienan abused his position and recieved "an extremely large amount" of financial incentives.
Liu was sacked over a year ago for involvement in "serious disciplinary violations."
At the same time, party officials have dismissed two vice provincial-level officials in Shanxi for suspected discipline and legal violations.
They include the vice-chair of the provincial advisory body, Ling Zhengche and the provincial vice-governor, Du Shanxue.
Ukrainian government and rebels agree ceasefire in Donetsk
Rebels in eastern Ukraine are promising to honor a cease-fire declared by the Ukrainian president and engage in more talks with the government.
The announcement comes on the first day of multilateral negotiations held in Donetsk.
The talks have included Russia's ambassador to Ukraine and an envoy from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
A rebel leader from the city of Lugansk is also promising to release observers they've been holding from the OSCE.
The negotiations have been launched as part of President Petro Poroshenko's peace plan, which began last week with him declaring a week-long unilateral cease-fire on Friday.
Kerry says U.S. to provide "intense" support to Iraq
US Secretary of State John Kerry now says the US is going to provide "intense and sustained" support for Iraqi security forces to combat the Islamist insurgency in the country.
Kerry has made the pledge following a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad.
For his part, Maliki says he remains committed to forming a new government by next month.
US President Barack Obama last week announced he's sending 300 American advisers to help coordinate the fight against the al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
However, Obama has so far turned down Maliki's request for air strikes.
OPCW says Syria hands over last of declared chemical weapons
The Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says the last bulk of chemical weapons in Syria has been moved out of the country.
Sigrid Kaag, the head of the joint UN-OPCW mission in Syria, says despite this, the chemicals won't be destroyed before the June 30th target originally set out.
The final eight percent of the 1,300-ton stockpile is now loaded on Danish and Norwegian ships.
The US navy is ultimately responsible for destroying the weapons.
Syria's government agreed to surrender its chemical weapons arsenal in the fall, following a chemical attack on a rebel-held suburb of Damascus.
More than a thousand people are believed to have been killed in that attack.
Newspaper Picks
BEIJING YOUTH DAILY
Headline
Fast trials to break logjam
Summary
China's top legislature has begun deliberating new legislation to fast track trials for minor criminal offenses.
Cases could be put on the fast track when the facts are clear and the law is not contested, the defendant pleads guilty and the sentence will be no more than one year or a fine.
THE BEIJING TIMES
Headline
Top gov't officials dismissed
Summary
The CPC Central Committee has sacked two vice provincial-level officials for suspected discipline and law violations.
Their dismissal from the posts in Shanxi comes just four days after the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced that they were under investigation.
CHINA DAILY
Headline
Police officers prosecuted for sex crimes
Summary
Two former heads of police sub-bureaus are being prosecuted for using their power to shield prostitution rings in the city of Dongguan.
The government launched a clean up campaign after a media expose of the sex trade in hotels in the city in February.
GLOBAL TIMES
Headline
News app under IPR probe
Summary
National copyright authorities say the popular news application "today's headlines" is under investigation for alleged intellectual property right infringement,
The copyright administration has received numerous complaints from traditional media outlets which claimed that the website had illegally reproduced or reposted their stories.
THE BEIJING NEWS
Headline
Panda dies
Summary
A giant panda in Macao has died.
The panda named Xinxin appears to have died of kidney failure, which experts say is unusual.
The exact cause of death hasn't been fully determined.
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
Bomb hoaxer held in Taiwan
Summary
A woman who joked with check-in staff at an airport on Taiwan that she was carrying a bomb in her luggage has been detained by local police.
The woman is potentially facing up to 3-years behind bars for the joke.
Special Reports
College graduate startup fund hard to reach
Anchor:
Despite a growing number of college grads choosing to start their own businesses, many say they're finding it difficult to secure start-up funds.
CRI's Li Dong has more.
Reporter:
Xiao Li is a new graduate. She wants to open a milk tea pub.
For every 20 square meters of pub space, Xiao says the investment should be around 100-thousand yuan, covering rent, water, electricity, and labor costs. She says the expense is too much for new grads like her.
"College graduates like us don't have much money. The investment doesn't sound like that much, but we really can't afford it. I tried to borrow money. But once they heard I am just a new graduate, nobody is willing to lend money to me."
Xiao Li knows there is a fund called the "college graduate startup fund". But after many attempts to apply for aid, she gave up.
"'The college graduate start up fund'? I know it. I spent half a year applying for it. I went to many departments, hoping to get it done, but I failed. So I gave up at last."
To enjoy benefits like the startup fund, students need to follow a set of procedures. First, they need to secure a certificate called the 'business startup certificate.'
To obtain that document, students need to apply online. After getting approval from the college from which the student graduated, their application is then forwarded to the provincial educational administration for another round of assessment.
After all that, if all goes well, the student gets their 'business startup certificate' --- but that doesn't mean the process is over.
The student still needs to apply for another certificate, which is called the "employment/unemployment registration certificate." Obtaining that involves another set of procedures.
In May, the central government released a string of measures supporting student entrepreneurs and startups, to help new grads who are facing another tough job market this year.
As part of a plan to support startup businesses from 2014 to 2017, the State Council issued a notice requiring colleges to open courses that prepare their graduates to start businesses. Financial institutions should also provide banking services that fit the graduates' needs.
Yin Weimin is the Minister of Human Resources and Social Security.
"For students who are planning to start their own businesses, the related departments should provide policy consulting as well as guidance support. Departments have the responsibility to succeed in starting up businesses and lowering their costs."
According to the 2014 Chinese College Graduates' Employment Annual Report, released by an education consulting and research institute in Beijing, of the college students who graduated in 2013, 2.3 percent started their own business, slightly higher than the figure for 2012 and 2011, which is 2 percent and 1.6 percent respectively.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
Sports
FIFA World Cup: Netherland vs. Chile 2-0; Spainvs. Australia 3-0:Brazile.Cameron 4-1;Mexico .Croatia 3-1
From the World Cup this morning,
Host Brazil is through to the last-16 at the top of Group A following a 4-1 hammering of Cameron this morning.
Neymar with a pair of goals to help lead the hosts to victory.
This will put Brazil up against Chile in the first of the knockout matches.
Mexico is also through in Group A after dumping Croatia 3-1.
The Netherlands remains undefeated in this world cup, after blanking Chile 2-nil in their Group B encounter this morning.
Despite the loss, Chile is already through.
And in the consolation match in Group B, it was Spain saving some face, cruising past Australia 3-nil.
There are four matches lined up for tomorrow:
In Group D,
Italy is up against Uruguay in a match which will decide who will move on to the knockout stages.
England will be taking on Costa Rica.
Columbia will battle Japan. The Columbians are already through, while Japan needs a victory and a loss by Cote d'Ivoire against Greece to advance.
All Eyes on Wimbledon as Home Champion Andy Murray Starts Title Defense
Anchor:
This year's Wimbledon is underway in London.
CRI's London correspondent Duan Xuelian has more.
Reporter:
Opening the Men's Singles event, the UK's Andy Murray took his first step in defending his title, ousting Belgium's David Goffin 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.
Wimbledon is Murray's first event since picking up former women's world number one Amelie Mauresmo as his new coach.
Following his first-round victory, Murray spoke to the media about how Mauresmo helped him relax coming into the match.
"One of the things she said was that she tried to take in the atmosphere and the experience of walking out on the court as defending champion, you never know if you will get the chance to do that again. She has quite clear memories doing that herself, so this is one of the things she told me to try and do."
Following on the heels of Murray's victory, Chinese world number-2 Li Na opened her tournament against Poland's Paula Kania, currently ranked as world's number 183.
Despite the pressure of qualifying for her first major, and playing on center court, the 22-year old Kania showed poise, jumping out to an early lead and breaking Li Na's serve.
However, the veteran Li turned her game around, eventually downing Kania 7-5, 6-2.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Li Na admits Wimbledon isn't her strongest event.
"I never think I can play well on the grass court. Because for me, it's tough. I think it is tough for everyone because for the whole year you can only play on the grass court for a short period of time. Also we can not do training on the grass. It is pretty close to the French Open, only two weeks apart. To change the surface in such a short time is very tough for me."
Li Na is now set to take on Austrian veteran and world number-38 Yvonne Meusberger in Round-2.
Rising Chinese star Peng Shuai is also through to round 2 after getting past a British qualifier in 3-sets.
Also opening his tournament on center court was men's world number-2 Novak Djokovic, who has cruised into the 2nd round with a decisive 6-love, 6-1, 6-4 thrashing of Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev.
But while most of the big names did make it through the first day, there were a few seeds who fell on both the men's and women's draws on day one, including American Sloane Stephens, Australian Sam Stosur, Spain's Fernando Verdasco and Italy's Andreas Seppi.
For CRI, I'm Duan Xuelian, reporting from Wimbledon
Important games of the Second day of the Wimbledon Champions
Also in action later today at Wimbledon,
China's Zheng Jie will be up against Germany's Annika Beck.
Rising Chinese star Zhang Shuai will have a tough test, as she'll be up against 15th seeded Carla Suarez-Navarro.
Other notables in action include Maria Sharapova and defending women's champion Serena Williams.
On the men's side, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are also in action.
All eyes on Tiger's possible return to British Open
In Golf,
Tiger Woods appears poised for a possible return to golf ahead of the British Open next month.
Woods has been practicing in South Florida, and has announced he plans to return to the professional ranks at this week's Quicken Loan's National at Congressional.
Woods has been sidelined since March after having back surgery.
He says if he feels in-form at Congressional, he's likely to take part in the British Open, which opens on July 17th.
Woods has already missed both the Masters and the US Open as he tries to recover.
Entertainment
"Transformers" Premieres in Beijing
"Transformers: Age of Extinction" has premiered here in Beijing.
Stars Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor and Li Bingbing were joined by director Michael Bay at the premiere in central Beijing.
Li Bingbing says she hopes "Age of Extinction" will be a success in her home country.
"It makes Chinese fans very happy that 'Transformers 4' shot partially in China," she says. "I believe that many Chinese audiences are going to cinemas to watch this movie this time."
The premier for the new film comes amid a bit of controversy.
Property developer Pan'gu has terminated its association with the movie, and is demanding edits be made to the film amid a dispute over association rights.
However, just hours before the premiere, the two sides held a press conference inside the Pangu 7 star hotel and announced that they had resolved their differences.
Director Michael Bay
"As a director, working with Pangu was fantastic and I want to put all this misunderstanding aside and let's just celebrate a great movie that we shot in China and I hope everyone enjoys it."
The film is to hit Chinese screens on Friday.
The Breaking Guru opens in Shanghai
New Chinese Comedy "The Breaking Guru" has been screened at a theater in Shanghai.
The movie stars Deng Chao and actress Yang Mi.
Deng also directed the film.
Speaking to reporters after the screening, Deng says he believes his film should be able to compete for market share with the new Transformers film.
"The Breaking Guru" is due to go national here in China on Friday.
"Maleficent" becomes Angelina Jolie's best-selling film ever
"Maleficent" has become Angeline Jolie's best grossing film, raking in over 500 million U.S. dollars worldwide so far.
The worldwide box office takings for the Disney movie is over 300 million, with particularly big audiences here in China and Mexico.
The number is likely to surpass 700 million after it opens in Japan.
Jolie's previously highest-grossing film was 2005's "Mr. and Mrs Smith" in which she co-starred with her now-huband Brad Pitt.
Katy Perry offers to write Hillary Clinton's campaign theme song
Hillary Clinton has issued a response to Katy Perry's offer to write a campaign theme song.
Clinton, who's currently on a media tour to promote her new book "Hard Choices" has posted on twitter that letting Katy Perry write a song for her would not be a "hard choice" and that she wants to Perry to "keep letting us hear you Roar".
Clinton has not officially said she's planning to run for president.
However, most observers widely expect the former first lady and Secretary of State to throw her hat into the ring for the Democratic nomination by the end of this year.
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Authorities in Xinjiang say they've already broken up over 30 terrorist cells since the launch of a nation-wide anti-terror campaign a month ago.
The Chinese government is blasting the Japanese government's review of its previous statements connected to comfort women.
Rebels in eastern Ukraine have now agreed to a ceasefire.
In Business... Guangdong has become the first local government in China to issue its own debt.
On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers, this is Paul James in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together. |