Evening Edition

It's Shane Bigham with you on this Sunday, April 26th, 2015.

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

Coming up on the program this evening...

The Chinese rescue team sent to the earthquake zone in Nepal has already found several survivors buried in the rubble...

The quake has killed thousands of people, with more casualties expected. Strong aftershocks in Nepal continue shake the country and neighbours including China...

Chinese authorities have caught their first suspect from a recently-released list of 100 economic fugitives...

In our weekly Biz/ sci-tech review: China's next-generation navigation satellite...

In sports: updating this weekend's football action from the Chinese Super League...

In entertainment: Jackie Chan opens the Far East Film Festival...

Top News

China Rescue Team Find Survivors

Chinese Search and Rescue Team have found survivors under the rubble in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal.

The team arrived in the city earlier this afternoon, less than 24 hours after a massive quake shook most of Nepal and several neighbouring countries, including China.

The team is composed of 69 people and 6 dogs and the group began searching for survivors almost immediately after arriving in Nepal.

Qu Guosheng, vice director of the team, is at the site of a rescue.

"We have already discovered several survivors and started to carry out an urgent rescue mission. We are now in the Northwest of the capital Katmandu. Although we will encounter difficulties during our rescue, I think we will overcome them."

China's charter flight also carried 20 tons of medical and communications equipment and living materials.

The medical gear and medicine is worth 5 million yuan, and should be enough for the emergency treatment for more than 2,000 people.

Strong after-shock jolt Nepal, death toll reached 1900

Anchor:

Nearly 2000 are confirmed dead after Saturday's earthquake in Nepal, including at least 4 Chinese nationals in the neighbouring country.

A major aftershock of magnitude 6.7 hit Nepal this afternoon.

Local authorities says the number of dead is likely to rise significantly.

Our reporter Guo Yan has the details.

Reporter :

Tens of thousands of Nepalese who spent the night outside under a chilly sky were jolted awake by strong aftershocks on Sunday.

A local woman describes what it felt like.

"While watching from the tea stall I saw the buildings fall and crumbling of nearby sites, then people escaped from the sites and spent the night inside tents and wherever was available. There are still trapped people, four or five still have not been brought out."

The aftershock lasted almost two minutes and triggered fresh avalanches.

The earthquake struck at a busy time of year for the tourism-reliant national's trekking and climbing season, with an estimated 300,000 foreign tourists in the country.

Mountaineering officials say 18 mountaineers have died on Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest, after the initial quake caused an avalanche.

The rescue operation has intensified in Nepal, with China sending a 60-strong emergency team, while India has flown in medical supplies and relief crews.

Rescuers are examining demolished buildings looking for survivors, as relatives of the missing stand nearby crying and praying.

Global charities are offering emergency aid to Nepal following the earthquake, while grappling to understand the scope of the disaster.

Sanitation, shelter, and medical help are urgently required.

Several charities are assembling disaster teams.

Many Chinese tourists evacuated from Nepal have arrived back in China.

An injured Chinese tourist, surnamed Mou, recalls what happened.

"We could not stand still and my head was spinning. We had to hold each other, otherwise we could not stand still. It was very, very dangerous."

Over 680 Chinese tourists are stranded in Nepal.

China's Civil Aviation authority says that extra flights will be dispatched to pick up more trapped Chinese tourists.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

Aids Pours into Nepal

Following the powerful earthquake that struck Nepal, condolences and aid are pouring into Nepal from the international community.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement earlier today, sending his condolences to the government of Nepal and to everyone affected.

Top Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, have all sent condolences and promises of support to their counterparts in Nepal.

The Venezuelan government has expressed its "deep sorrow" to the victims and offered its expertise in rescue operations.

Meanwhile a Chinese rescue team has arrived and joined in the search and rescue operation in Nepal.

Pakistan today sent two military transport planes with relief goods, search and rescue teams, and a mobile hospital.

India sent two relief planes to disaster-struck zones hours after the quake struck.

Meanwhile, the United States has authorised an initial 1 million USD in aid to Nepal.

The United Kingdom has deployed a team of humanitarian experts to help quake victims.

Germany, Spain, France, Israel and the European Union have all pledged to send aid.

Relief supplies rushed to Tibet following earthquake

Relief supplies including clothing, food and medicine, are being taken to Tibet following the Nepal earthquake.

So far, 18 people have been confirmed dead and four are missing in the western Chinese region which borders Nepal, while another 55 were injured.

The central government has allocated 5,000 tents, 30,000 coats, 15,000 foldable beds and 15,000 sleeping bags to the affected areas in Tibet.

The regional government has also delivered relief materials, medicines and drinking water.

Infrastructure in the southwestern part of Tibet was destroyed in the quake. Thousands of houses collapsed and communications base stations were damaged.

CRI correspondent Norbu Tsering visited a hard-hit town this afternoon.

"The road between Nielamu and Zhamu was cut off. Zhamu is short of drinking water and food. They are rationing food and water there. Supplies will be running out in three to five days. Personnel with the Armed Police in Tibet are transporting supplies on foot to quake-stricken areas."

He says hygiene is a priority issue in the quake zone as well.

"Based on information we have received, the water quality of seven shelters in Jilong County has approximately reached standards for drinking water, easing the shortage of water for quake-hit areas. Professionals have sterilized garbage and tents, and introduced knowledge about epidemic prevention to people and monitored the water quality there."

The Ministry of Public Security is warning that the highway linking Xigaze, a major Tibet city, and Zham Pass, the border port to Nepal, has been cut by landslides.

The ministry is also urging citizens not to drive, in order to leave the way clear for the transportation of relief supplies and professional rescue teams.

Tourists are also urged not to visit scenic spots during the upcoming May Day holiday.

Rescuers continue to clear quake-triggered landslide in Tibet

Rescuers are competing against time to clear the road leading to the heart of quake-hit Nyalam county in Tibet.

Aftershocks continue to be felt following yesterday's devastating earthquake, including one earlier today that was measured with a magnitude of 5.3.

Three sections of the No. 318 highway connecting Nepal and China were blocked by landslides, though two reopened this morning.

The third section is still being cleared.

This worker describes the mess that is being cleared from the roadway.

"There are many huge rocks. The landslide amounts to about 2,500 cubic meters. So, we have to explode the huge rocks. The explosives and detonator are on the way here, but we cannot tell when they will arrive."

The clearing work is expected to be finished later today.

Climbers safe on northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma

Authorities in Tibet say over 400 mountain climbers on the Chinese side of Mount Qomolangma have descended or are descending after the major quake hit Nepal yesterday.

The climbers from more than 20 countries are on their way down to the North Base Camp at 5,200 meters, while a total of 15 Chinese climbers have already descended.

Officials say there are no new casualties reported.

The avalanches caused by the quake have claimed the lives of at least 18 climbers and guides on the Nepal side of the mountain. Hundreds of other climbers are stranded.

Latest development in India after quake

Anchor:

Relief work is also continuing in India.

The devastating earthquake in Nepal has affected the northern part of India, leaving more than 50 dead so far.

CRI's correspondent Sun Yang has the latest information:

Reporter:

Aftershocks continue in Nepal, with the tremors felt across northern India.

The aftershocks have been very strong, with one having a magnitude of 6.7.

The shaking lasted for nearly two minutes in the Indian capital of New Delhi. Local metro services stopped for a few minutes during the quake. Tremors were also felt in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a high-level meeting to look at the relief effort and review the situation arising from the earthquake.

Saturday's devastating quake affected the eastern and northern part of India. So far, 58 people have died and 237 have been injured in three states bordering Nepal. Most deaths were due to wall and building collapses.

The government has announced compensation of about 3,000 dollars to the families of those who lost their lives in the earthquake.

In order to deal with the situation in the affected states, 5 teams of the National Disaster Response Force have already been dispatched. Each team consists of 45 personnel who are fully equipped with modern equipment for search and rescue operations. The team also includes medical supplies and paramedics.

China nets first economic fugitive on 100-people wanted list

Anchor:

The first suspect on a recently released wanted list of 100 economic fugitives has been captured by Chinese authorities.

CRI's Yu Yang reports.

Reporter:

Dai Xuemin is the former manager of a trust and investment company based in Shanghai.

He is suspected of embezzling funds totaling 11 million yuan, or some 1.7 million U.S. dollars.

Dai fled China in August 2001.

The Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the top anti-graft body in the country, said that Dai was under detention on Saturday, after he returned China with a fake ID and a foreign passport.

He was netted under a joint operation involving multiple government departments from Shanghai, Jiangsu and Anhui.

Zhang Zhiyi is the deputy director from the anti-corruption bureau under the People's Procuratorate of Shanghai.

Zhang gives more details on the current hunt for economic fugitives.

"Special action plans are required. We are doing multiple tasks at the same time. On the one hand, we are continuing to collect information on suspects, and establish files specific to each case. On the other hand, we are making more efforts to try to persuade the fugitives to come back themselves with the help of their family. We are communicating and cooperating with multiple government departments for a joint operation. Consensus between departments has been achieved."

The move comes after the Interpol's Chinese office released a global wanted list of 100 Chinese nationals.

These 77 men and 23 women on the list are believed to be involved in economic crimes, and have fled the country already.

The list contains their names, suspected crimes as well as their possible destinations after fleeing China.

Gao Bo, a political researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Science, warns that with the list being made public, it would be more difficult for economic fugitives to hide away.

"According to what has been made public, government departments have conducted thorough communication and coordination with relevant international organizations and law enforcement institutes of target countries. We have initial plans in place for cooperation in the next phases, and a basic idea of the moves of fugitives. "

The move is part of the "Sky Net", a campaign launched by the central authorities to repatriate corruption suspects.

Sky Net combines efforts on the part of the government, the Communist Party, the central bank and diplomatic services.

Those on the wanted list are said to be only a fraction of the target suspects.

For CRI, I'm Yu Yang.

China Mulls Inland Nuclear Power Plant Building

Anchor:

China's National Energy Administration is analysing whether the country should build inland nuclear power plants.

The topic has aroused fierce debate.

Luo Bin has more.

Reporter:

China Nuclear Energy Association has released a research report about the environmental security of inland nuclear power plants, and has come to the conclusion that such a facility would be safe.

Professor Zhou Ruming with the Association claims that the impact of liquid radioactive waste over underground water is within the allowable range, if nuclear power plants are running properly.

"When plants are running properly, the radioactive impact caused by disposal of liquid waste will fluctuate within the range of natural background radiation. It is not only our prediction but also facts have been proved by experiences of the United States and France. Our country has adopted many measures to treat liquid radioactive waste in order to secure the water quality of downstream. We can achieve that."

However, different from the US and France, China is densely populated and short of water resources. Additionally, earthquakes frequently happen in this country. Some people doubt if proper locations for nuclear power plants can be found.

Chang Xiangdong is the vice chief engineer of the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center, an agency directly under China's Ministry of Environmental Protection.

He says they take all that factors into consideration when selecting locations.

"In accordance with laws and regulations, we need to select locations where it is safe to build nuclear power plants with minimal impact over the environment. So far all the nuclear plants sites in China were selected in this way. "

Lessons have been learned in the four years since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan. Nuclear officials in the country like Takuya Hattori admit that radiation pollution from the damaged plant is not fully under control. And fixing the problem will not be cheap.

"The total cost of this counter measure is estimated, but not officially announced to the public, to reach 2 to 3 trillion Japanese yen."

After the Fukushima leak, Germany, Italy and Switzerland announced plans to abandon nuclear projects.

Despite the risks that come with nuclear power, the head of nuclear power department of China's National Energy Administration, Liu Baohua, says the power source has its benefits.

"Developing nuclear power is a practical choice to secure energy supplies. China's demand for electricity will reach 9 trillion kilowatt-hours per year. It is hard to imagine that we can meet the massive demand without nuclear power. Additionally, we need to develop nuclear power so as to optimize our energy structure- currently coal power account for 75 percent of our total power generation. "

For CRI, I'm Luo Bin.

Kazakhstan Holds Snap Presidential Election

A snap presidential election is being held in Kazakhstan today.

The three candidates include incumbent president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is expected to win with overwhelming support.

The country's communist party is running a candidate, and the other hopeful is running as an independent.

More than 9.5 million voters are expected to cast ballots.

Local voter Tursun Dzhumakova is confident the current leader can bring the country a bright future.

"As a former Soviet (communist) party worker I am very disciplined and I know what a vote means. And especially now (to vote for) our prosperity, for stability, for the future of our children, for the future of our country. I am sure that only this Leader of the Nation will bring us to bright and good future."

Preliminary results are expected within 12 hours after the voting closed and the final results will be announced in seven days.

The presidential election was originally scheduled for next year.

In February, Nazarbayev announced the plan to hold a snap election in April, answering a call made by the National People's Assembly.

Nazarbayev is the first and so far the only president of Kazakhstan since its independence in 1991.

The country's parliament approved an amendment in 2007, allowing him unlimited participation in future presidential elections.

US Demo over Death in Custody of Black Suspect

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Baltimore on Saturday to demand answers to the death of Freddie Gray in police custody.

Demonstrators held signs with slogans such as "Jail Killer Police!" and "Stop Black Violence!".　

"Thank you, for standing up and never let the oppressors be the ones to have you sit down. And don't let them throw their ministers or whoever out here and try and take it away from what's real, because the only real thing is getting justice."

Freddie Gray was arrested on April 12 after he made eye contact with officers and ran away.

Officers held him down, handcuffed him and loaded him into a police transport van.

Human rights activist Graylan Hagler calls for actions to address the issue.

"What we need to talk about right now, right now, is basically how we begin to demilitarise the police department not only here, but across the country."　

Gray died on April 19 after suffering a fatal spinal injury while in custody.

Authorities have not explained how or when Gray's spine was injured.

Video showed him being dragged into a police van and police have said he rode in the van for about 30 minutes before paramedics were called.

Late on Friday, Deputy Commissioner Kevin Davis said Gray should have received medical attention at the spot where he was arrested - before he was put inside the van without a seat belt.

Police-related violence has ignited growing anger across the US over the past months.

Thousands of Guatamalans join demonstration urging president to quit

Massive protests have erupted in Guatemala City after the country's government was linked to a corruption scandal.

Demonstrators are demanding the resignations of President Otto Perez Molina and his vice president.

"Guatemalans today are in a dead end. This government has left the national coffers empty. government officials have stolen our taxes."

It was revealed last week that a scheme involving customs regulations is believed to have defrauded the Central American nation of millions of dollars, allowing some businesses and individuals to pay lower import duties in exchange for bribes.

The investigation implicated the current and former Tax Authority chiefs as well as a former aide to the V-P.

The unrest also comes two days after Perez Molina invited a UN commission to continue an investigation into local criminal networks.

The new graft scandal has drawn heat for Molina's government and sparked calls from various sectors of society to renew the commission.

3D food printing to reshape food industry

Anchor:

The 3D food printing conference has just concluded in the Netherlands, and advances in technology are reshaping the way people cook and eat.

CRI's fu yu has more.

Reporter:

Dutch based company By Flow have designed a printer that makes fruit gelatin look like caviar.

They harnessed the difference in temperature between pieces of gelatin and oil to create fruit caviar.

Marcio Barrades, head of sales at By Flow, says the new technology allows many opportunities for food creation.

"The spheres are processed with nothing more than vegetables and fruit. The agar-agar is a banding material for consistency we need. With this recipe reach a big range of people, we can reach high quality restaurants because it is very attractive, we can reach elderly people because it's very easy to chew and we can reach children which (who) don't eat their vegetables."

German company Print2Taste are entertaining people with their plug and play concept.

It allows a person to draw a simple shape on a tablet computer which is then printed using a sweet gelatin substance.

Developer Melanie Senger says the concept is flexible and can be adapted for a person's requirements.

"That's always depending on the person, that's why is personalised. If someone has deficiency in vitamin D you can add some vitamin D, if someone has another deficiency maybe don't eat enough you can add some energy in form of proteins or fat, or people who are obese or overweight can increase the fibre so they feel full faster and do not take up so much energy."

3D printing technology can alter the taste and texture of certain food products.

This will lead to new types of production systems for the manufacture of complex products, according to project manager Pieter Debrauwer.

"You have machines that can make all kind of beautiful shapes from sugar or chocolate. I think that's a first step looking at shaping and products. I think the next step will be towards personalised food for instance medical nutrition. A step beyond that might be to go textures where you can create all kind of different flavours and combinations of textures and structures in products."

With 3D printing, people can unleash their creativity with food. That's why there are endless possibilities and potential for this emerging technology.

For CRI, I'm fu yu.

Bloodhound Supersonic Car Challenges Extreme Land speed

Anchor:

A Supersonic Car powered by three rocket motors and one jet engine is aiming to set a new World Land Speed Record of 1000mph, which is over 1600 km/h, smashing the current record of 763mph.

CRI's Luo Wen takes us to know more about the astonishing vehicle.

Reporter:

"The car behind me, the Bloodhound Supersonic Car, over the next year we're going to work it up to not just the new land speed record this year, but ultimately next year to 1,000 miles an hour. That's not only 30 percent faster than any car in history, it's faster than any jet fighter has ever been at ground level."

Wing Commander Andy Green will be the driver of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car.

The current holder of the world record says the vehicle covers one mile in just 3.6 seconds.

Described as "part Formula 1 car, part space rocket and part supersonic jet", the rocket-and-jet-powered car has a thrust equivalent to 180 Formula 1 cars.

Chief engineer Mark Chapman describes how the car achieves its extreme speed, which is far beyond the speed of sound:

"With a jet engine on its own we can get to about 600 miles an hour. When we're trying to go supersonic, what Andy will do is wind the jet engine up to full power and then at about 300 miles an hour he'll put the rocket on as well. And with both of those at full power it will get him through the sound barrier and up to 1,000 miles an hour."

Mark says the use of innovative hybrid rockets is key to Bloodhound's pioneering technology:

"If we're to say what part of the car is really the cutting edge science, it's how we're using that rocket. That is what's going to be the next generation of green propellants for rockets, it's the system we're using on this car."

A bulletproof woven glass-fibre coating protects the vehicle against flying debris as the wheels will be rotating at over 10-thousand revolutions per minute, making any stones or debris kicked up by the wheels potentially deadly.

The vehicle was conceived and hand-built by an extraordinary team of world-class engineers.

It is supported by over two hundred sponsor companies and supported by twelve of the world's leading universities through technology, research, and development.

In September, the team will test the car in Hakskeen Pan, a flat baked mud flood-plain in Northern Cape, South Africa, attempting to set a new record of 800mph.

This will allow the engineers and scientists involved to assess the car's performance ahead of the planned 1,000mph attempt in 2016.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

Hundreds Mark Anniversary of Chernobyl Disaster

Hundreds of people gathered late last night in the northern Ukrainian city of Slavutych to mark the 29th anniversary of the world's worst nuclear disaster.

People laid flowers and candles at a memorial to victims of the Chernobyl disaster.

The city is 60 kilometres from the Chernobyl power plant and the closest inhabited city to the exclusion zone.

It houses many people who were displaced by the disaster in 1986.

Valentina Gondareva still has a fresh memory of the accident.

"The heat was oppressive and we all had burns and spotty, itchy skin. And then we were being taken out of the city. We waited for our turn to load onto one of the buses and left for some village. We left and that's it. Only later did we realise it was forever."

The initial explosion at Chernobyl on 26 April 1986 killed more than 30 people.

135-thousand people had to evacuate the city due to the high radiation levels.

The explosion released a lethal radioactive cloud which poisoned 150-thousand square kilometres of Ukraine and neighbouring Belarus.

According to the Ukrainian government, more than 4-thousand of those who took part in the cleanup effort have died.

More than 70-thousand Ukrainians were left disabled by the disaster.

Weather

In quake hit Kathmandu, partly cloudy tonight with a low of 11, tomorrow it will have thundershowers with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Here in Beijing, clear tonight with a low of 17, tomorrow showers with a high of 29.

Shanghai is cloudy tonight with a low of 17, tomorrow, cloudy, high of 26.

Chongqing is clear with a low of 17 tonight, sunny tomorrow and a high of 25 tomorrow.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia,

Islamabad, sunny tomorrow with a high of 46.

Kabul, sunny, 24.

Over in Australia

Sydney, sunny, high of 19,

Brisbane, sunny, 26,

Finally Perth will be sunny with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

Headline news

Death toll from Nepal earthquake climbs to 1931: government official

Over 1,900 people have been confirmed dead following the powerful earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday.

The country's Home Ministry says more than 700 of those casualties were found in the capital, Kathmandu.

The ministry says the number is expected to continue to rise, and rescue operations have been intensified.

Death toll climbs to 18 in Tibet following Nepal earthquake

The death toll from the Nepali earthquake in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has climbed to 18.

This, as more aftershocks are recorded across a wide area in Nepal and China.

A total of 53 people were injured, while about 12,000 have been evacuated.

Rescue operations continue in the quake-hit region.

18 mountaineers confirmed dead in avalanche in Mount Qomolangma

At least 18 mountaineers have been confirmed killed in the avalanche in Mount Qomolangma following the major earthquake in Nepal on Saturday.

The country's Tourism Department says the nationalities of the victims are not yet clear.

Around 20 climbers are still unaccounted for.

Six helicopters have been sent to search the avalanche-hit area but bad weather is hampering the operation.

Over 600 Chinese tourists stranded in quake-hit Nepal

More than 680 Chinese tourists are stuck in Nepal because of the deadly earthquake.

China's tourism authorities say there are over 50 Chinese tourist groups in Nepal as well as some individual tourists.

There are 14 flights between China and Nepal today, including 3 carrying relief materials.

China Southern Airlines will send a plane to evacuate Chinese tourists.

Meanwhile, a 62-member Chinese rescue team has arrived in Kathmandu on a chartered flight.

The plane will carry some Chinese tourists on its return trip.

ASEAN Summit kicks off in Malaysia

Leaders of the 10 countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations are meeting today in Malaysia for a two-day summit.

The meeting aims to create a unified economic community and to bring nations together on political and security issues.

The regional bloc is currently working to ensure the free flow of goods, services, investment and labor across the region's borders by the end of this year.

The meeting, the first of the association's biannual summits this year, runs until Monday.

Extremist militants kill 30 civilians in northwest Syria: state media

Extremists militants are accused of committing a massacre in a town they captured in northwestern Syria, killing over 30 civilians, mostly women and children.

The state news agency SANA reports the "terrorist" groups committed an "appalling massacre" in a town in the countryside northwest of the city of Idlib.

It added that the Syrian army launched overnight raids on military posts that had been overrun by the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and likeminded groups in that key town near the Turkish borders, inflicting hefty losses among the militants.

The Nusra Front has made notable progress over the past five weeks, capturing many Syrian areas, mainly the city of Idlib, and the town of Busra al-Sham in the south, in addition to some posts in central Syria.

Sci&Tech

Anchor:

It's time for our weekly Science & Technology feature. China's 17th Beidou navigation satellite is functioning; A new public transit line in Beijing uses cheaper, quieter technology; and Google launches a new US wireless service.

Let's catch the details with CRI's Wenjie.

Reporter:

China announced a major success in its new-generation of satellites, part of the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, on Thursday.

The satellite is the 17th for the Beidou system. Its success marks the first step to expand from a regional to a global service.

It was sent into orbit on March 31.

As of Tuesday afternoon, navigation equipment on the satellite was functioning and its navigation signals were being received on Earth.

The new generation satellite has a number of improvements over the 16 previous ones in service, such as reduced weight and new functions like inter-satellite links.

Xiangli Bin is the chief commander for the new-generation BDS satellite program.

"Satellites of the Beidou system launched before have no link circuit between each other. However, this satellite, and satellites going to be launched in the future, will have link circuits. This will help to form a sky network, thus achieving autonomous navigation."

This is the first satellite that enables the Beidou system to expand its coverage beyond Asia-Pacific.

By 2020, China will launch around 30 satellites of this kind to complete a global navigation network.

China launched the first BDS satellite in 2000. In December 2012, it began providing positioning, navigation, timing and short message services to civilian users in China and parts of Asia-Pacific.

The system has been gradually introduced into transportation, weather forecasts, fishing, forestry and telecommunications sectors.

Currently there are four satellite navigation systems in the world: the US Global Positioning System and Russian GLONASS, as well as the European Galileo and Beidou, which are still being developed.

Construction has started on a cheaper and less noisy public transportation line in Beijing. The work began on Monday.

The "maglev" line, short for magnetic levitation, is a cutting-edge technology in rail transportation.

It will have a top speed of 80 km/h.

Chang Wensen, China's chief scientist for maglev technology, says lower noise is maglev's specialty.

"The most important characteristic of maglev trains is that little noise is produced. Our tests show the electromagnetic impact on your body will be just 64 decibel if you stand 10 meters away from the line."

64 decibel is comparable to regular human speech.

Chang adds the maglev train produces little in the way of electromagnetic radiation, even less than that of an electric shaver.

What's more, its cost is lower than that of a subway system. Li Jie is with maglev technology research center.

"Its construction cost is almost the same with light rail, much cheaper than subway."

The line will run 10 kilometers through two of Beijing's western districts, Mentougou and Shijingshan.

It is expected to become operational before the end of next year.

Shanghai, China's financial hub, is the only Chinese city that now operates a commercial maglev line.

The other two operational maglev lines are also in Asia - the Aichi High-Speed Transit Tobu Kyuryo Line in Japan and the Incheon Airport line in South Korea.

Solar Impulse II, the fuel-free airplane, arrived in Nanjing in east China on Tuesday, completing the sixth leg of its round-the-world flight.

Pilot Betrand Piccard set down the plane after the 1,200 kilometer journey from Chongqing.

He says the first goal he set at the beginning of this year has been reached.

"We had three goals in the beginning of the year, we want the solar impulse to arrive the coast of Pacific in China, then to arrive in America, and then to be back in Abu Dhabi, finishing the entire circle. Today we have achieved the first goal."

That was only one of the small steps before the solar plane can finish an unprecedented flight around the globe.

The fuel-free plane has a wingspan of 72 meters. It carries more than 17,000 solar cells on its wings to power the craft.

Solar Impulse 2 will remain in Nanjing for approximately 10 days before the first possible date to cross the Pacific.

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has hosted its first global launch outside of China, introducing its feature-heavy Mi 4i model in India.

The new smartphone supports six Indian languages and is priced at 205 U.S. dollars.

Xiaomi's vice president of international operations, Hugo Barra, says the company considers India a key testing ground for its international expansion.

"India is already our company's second largest market in the world and we really want to make significant investment here. We want to build products that are made and designed for India and that is exactly what we just did today by launching our flagship product that is made and designed for India specifically."

The research on the processor used in the Mi 4i was led by a team in Bengaluru.

Barra adds that Xiaomi could make the phone locally once it sets up a manufacturing presence in India.

Xiaomi entered India in July last year through a tie-up with online retailer Flipkart.

It later partnered with a leading electronics retail chain with a pan-India presence to boost its sales.

Google has launched a new US wireless service– Project Fi.

The project's goal is to have users' phones switch seamlessly between WiFi and cellular networks, even mid-call.

Google said in a statement on Wednesday that the service will work only on the company's Nexus 6 phones, and will be hosted through Sprint and T-Mobile's networks.

Project Fi will automatically switch between the two networks and more than 1 million open, free wifi spots, depending on which signal is strongest.

The Hubble Space Telescope celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday.

Launched on April the 24th 1990, Hubble has contributed a lot to humanity's major advances in astronomy.

Its observations have confirmed the existence of black holes... and it's helped to show that the expansion of the universe is accelerating.

Dr. Jennifer Wiseman is a senior scientist on the Hubble Space Telescope project:

"Hubble has changed the way humans look at the universe and our place in it. It shows us that the universe has been changing over time, that starts are an intrical part of producing the types of elements that we need for life, for planets - for our well being."

Though Hubble is in good condition for now, its successor is already being built.

The James Webb Telescope, a joint project between the US, Europe, and Canada will mainly detect infrared rather than visible light, and will pick up objects up to 100 times dimmer than those Hubble could see.

Dr. Mark Clampin works on the James Webb Telescope project:

"What James Webb is really going to be doing in the field of astrophysics, is looking for the very first galaxies that formed in the universe. We also, with this new infrared capability, can peer into these very dark clouds where stars are being born, and study how stars and planetary systems form and evolve in dark clouds."

The new telescope is scheduled to launch in 2018.

And that concludes this week's sci&tech report, I'm Wenjie, see you next week!

Sports

Football: Chinese Super League Recap, Premier League Preview

First, let's take a quick look at Chinese Super League action,

League leaders Shanghai SIPG remain on top of the standings with 17 points following a 3-0 victory over sixth place Henan Jianye on Sunday.

All three goals were scored in the second half of the game.

In other action,

Guangzhou R&F got their fourth win of the season by beating Changchun Yatai 2-1.

Two more games tonight,

Shandong Luneng is hosting Beijing Guo'an.

And Jiangsu Sainty is at Tianhe Sports Center to take on Guangzhou Evergrande.

Over in the Premiere League,

Leaders Chelsea battle second-place Arsenal.

The gunners haven't beaten Chelsea in their last 12 meetings, but Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger says his team's hungry for the win.

"The result on Sunday will be just down to the performance on the day. We're on a good run, we have an opportunity at home to beat them and we want to take it."

And third-place Manchester United is looking to move up in a meeting with Everton.

Xavi, Gerrard Make 500 League Appearances for One Club

In off-court football news,

Steven Gerrard and Xavi Hernandez joined the 500 club in the top European leagues on Sunday.

The two each made their 500th league appearances, for Liverpool and Barcelona, in games against West Brom and Espanyol respectively.

Liverpool captain Gerrard is the twelfth player to have played more than 500 times in the Premier League.

The 34-year-old has helped Liverpool to a host of major victories, including two Champions League trophies.

But his career is drawing to a close as he is leaving for America at the end of the season to join the LA Galaxy.

Gerrard has scored 117 goals for the reds in the Premier League.

Barcelona Captain Xavi Hernandez is now eighth on the all-time list for La Liga appearances.

The 35-year-old has scored 57 goals and handed out 96 assists in La Liga.

Memphis Lead 3-0 in Playoffs against Portland Following 115-109 Win

In the NBA Playoffs,

The Memphis Grizzlies lead 3-0 in their playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers following a 115-109 victory in Portland on Saturday night.

Five Grizzlies' players scored double figures with Marc Gasol netting 25 points, Courtney Lee 20 points, and Zach Randolph adding 16 points.

Memphis Grizzlies coach David Joerger is happy with this win.

"A good game for us. There were some great performances. I thought Nick Calathes came off and gave us a big boost tonight, Marc Gasol knocked some shots down coming down the stretch. I have a lot of respect for Portland, for the arena, for the tradition that's here. And a lot of that is from my time with Lionel Hollins, and to come in here and get a win in this kind of environment is a big win for our guys."

Game 4 is in Portland on Monday.

In other action,

Brooklyn beat Atlanta 91-83.

Milwaukee beat Chicago 92-90.

And it's Golden State over New Orleans 109-98.

Islanders Beat Washington Capitals 3-1, Series Tied at 3-3

In National Hockey League Playoffs action,

The New York Islanders beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 on Saturday to force a deciding Game 7 in their first round series of the Stanely Cup Playoffs.

Eight players were penalised at the end of the game as a final shot by a Caps player at the end of the game angered the Islanders as the final horn sounded.

Game 7 will be in Washington on Monday.

The Islanders have a 3-4 record in Game 7s while the Capitals are 3-9, and 2-7 when hosting a seventh game.

The winner will face the New York Rangers, who finished off the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games on Friday night.

In other action,

Detroit beat Tampa Bay 4-0.

Chicago beat Nashivlle 4-3. The Hawks advance to the second round.

Calgary overcame Vancouver 7-4. The Flames advance.

Canadian Brooke Henderson Maintains Lead after 3rd Round

In golf,

Chinese golfer Feng Shanshan had a one-under 71 on Saturday and shares fifth place with Stacy Lewis at the third round of the Swing Skirts LPGA Classic.

Feng has four top-10s in six events so far this season.

Canadian teen Brooke Henderson hit a even-par 72 and maintained her spot atop the leaderboard.

The 17-year-old advanced to the final round with a one-shot lead over Morgan Pressel and Min Seo Kwak.

She feels the course is a little different in Round three than in Round two.

"Oh, the court conditions are quite tough today. The wind is very strong....but you know, I really tried to pay attention to where I was on the leaderboard, it takes a lot of experience and I take it as a learning experience. Hopefully, it could help me in the future."

Defending champion Lydia Ko is three shots behind Henderson.

Elsewhere, and in men's action,

Australian Jason Day birdied two of his last four holes on Saturday to tie with American Erik Compton for a one-shot lead at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

The two are level at 13-under.

England's Justin Rose, Canadian David Hearn, Americans Blayne Barber and Jerry Kelly were a stroke behind.

Former U.S. Ryder Cup players Rickie Fowler and Steve Stricker were among those failing to advance.

Third round play was suspended due to a rain storm.

Wu Ashun Becomes First Chinese Player to Claim European Tour Title on Home Soil

In other golf news,

China's Wu Ashun made history by becoming the first Chinese player to win a European Tour event on home soil at the Volvo China Open in Shanghai on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Wu beat David Howell by one stroke to claim the title.

Defending champion Alex Levy was seven under overall and tied for third.

Another Chinese player, Li Hao-tong, finished sixth on the leaderboard.

Canadia's Jamie Lynn Broder and Kristina Valjas Win Fuzhou Open

In beach volleyball,

Canadian pair Jamie Lynn Broder and Kristina Valjas beat Chantal Laboureur and Julia Sude of Germany to win the Fuzhou Open in China on Sunday.

Broder says the victory is a good starting point for the rest of the season.

Fuzhou Open marks the first event on the 2015 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.

Entertainment

Poet Wang Guozhen dies in Beijing

It's been confirmed that renowned Chinese poet Wang Guozhen has died in Beijing of liver cancer.

The poems of the 59-year-old poet were popular in the 1980s and 1990s, and had become a representative of culture during that period.

Wang's poem was quoted by President Xi Jinping at the 2013 APEC CEO Summit in Indonesia, in order to emphasize China's determination on economic reform, which made his works more popular.

Jackie Chan opens the Far East Film Festival

Kung fu superstar Jackie Chan breezed opened the Far East Film Festival in Udine, northeastern Italy.

It is the first time in its 17 year history that the specialist festival has welcomed East Asia's most consistent movie star.

Chan, who only 24 hours earlier had handed out prizes at the closing ceremony of the Beijing festival, came in by private jet.

As well as opening the festival, he held a press and fans event for his recent hit "Dragon Blade."

Chan apologized for having refused all the previous invitations to the festival and then regaled the audience with tales of shooting for three months in the Gobi Desert.

The festival line-up includes Chinese hits "The Continent" and "Breakup Buddies," Thai drama "The Last Executioner," as well as "Gangnam Blues" and "Ode to My Father."

Obama jokes at White House Correspondents Association dinner

US president Barack Obama once again threw out cutting jokes at this year's White House Correspondents Association dinner, skewering cable news, the Republican presidential field and even Hillary Clinton's just started presidential campaign.

"Despite many obstacles, much has changed during my time in office. Four years ago I was locked in a brutal primary battle with Hilary Clinton, four years later she won't stop drunk texting me from Carter Haines."

After welcoming the cast of ABC's "Blackish" comedy, he warned: "(But) being 'Blackish' only makes you popular for so long."

One of his biggest laughs came when he noted that people ask him, "Mr. Obama, do you have a bucket list? Well, I have something that rhymes with bucket list."

The event has gained a reputation for being "Washington's wildest week," for the unusual mix of celebrity, media figures and government officials.

Jane Fonda, Bradley Cooper and Laverne Cox were among the show biz figures who attended the event.

'Age of Adaline' Overhauls 'Furious 7' at Friday Box Office

Blake Lively's "The Age of Adaline" is giving "Furious 7" a run for the money at the North American box office this weekend.

But the Vin Diesel-Dwayne Johnson hot car blockbuster still has the inside track at being the first movie to win four consecutive weekends since "The Hunger Games" did it in 2012.

Universal estimates "Furious 7" will translate into a roughly $16 million three-day total. That would probably be enough for it to reclaim the No. 1 spot it has held since opening on April 3, and rolling to $1.2 million at the global box office in record time.

But Lionsgate's "Age of Adaline," about a young woman caught in time was on top Friday with $4.9 million from 2,991 theaters in its first day of release, and will wind up with between $12 million and $13 million for the weekend.

That will put it right in the mix with "Furious 7" and Sony's "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2."

Moby set to open vegan restaurant in Los Angeles

Moby is set to open his own Vegan restaurant in Los Angeles.

Called Little Pine, the eatery will open its doors this summer and initially only serve dinner on weekdays and brunch on weekends.

Moby isn't the only music star to branch out into the world of vegan cuisine.

Earlier this year, Beyonce launched her own vegan meal delivery service with her trainer. The food entirely gluten, soy and dairy free is delivered to customers' homes.

Sample dishes include curried Indian cauliflower and ratatouille pasta with pesto.

Weather

In quake hit Kathmandu, partly cloudy tonight with a low of 11, tomorrow it will have thundershowers with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Here in Beijing, clear tonight with a low of 17, tomorrow showers with a high of 29.

Shanghai is cloudy tonight with a low of 17, tomorrow, cloudy, high of 26.

Chongqing is clear with a low of 17 tonight, sunny tomorrow and a high of 25 tomorrow.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia,

Islamabad, sunny tomorrow with a high of 46.

Kabul, sunny, 24.

Over in Australia

Sydney, sunny, high of 19,

Brisbane, sunny, 26,

Finally Perth will be sunny with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

That’s it for this weekend edition of the Beijing Hour.

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