Evening Edition

It's Spencer Musick with you on this Monday, May 5th, 2015.

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

Coming up on the program this evening...

Leaders from the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan-based Kuomingtang holding meetings in Beijing..

Chinese President Xi Jinping due to travel to Russia at the invitation of Vladimir Putin, as part of his upcoming multi-nation tour..

Italian authorities rescuing some 7000 migrants attempting to cross into Italy's waters from Libya...

In Business: China's manufacturing activity slowing according to analysts from a major international bank...

In Sports: China's Ma Long taking the last title at the World Table Tennis Championships in Suzhou...

In Entertainment: The director of an upcoming Star Wars spin-off calls it quits...

Top News

CPC, KMT Leaders Meet in Beijing

Anchor:

The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi Jinping, has met with visiting Kuomintang Chairman Eric Chu in Beijing.

Xi Jinping calls for both sides of the Taiwan Straits to build a community of shared destiny and settle political differences through consultations under the principle of One China.

CRI's Wang Wei has more.

Reporter:

The first meeting between Xi Jinping and Eric Chu took place in the Great Hall of the People this morning.

Leaders of the two parties exchanged views on CPC-KMT exchanges and the development of relations across the Taiwan Straits.

Xi Jinping says cross-straits ties are now at crossroads.

"Currently, the cross-straits relations are at a new and important nexus. How to develop such relations is an important matter for political parties on both sides. It also affects the well-being of the people of both sides and the future of the nation as a whole. Anything we do needs serious considerations."

Xi Jinping calls for both sides across the Straits to build a community of shared destiny.

"The CPC and KMT should strengthen cooperation in working out a blueprint for the future development of relations between the two political parties. We should work together to build a community of shared destiny. I am willing to further exchange views with Chairman Chu on such joint endeavour."

Xi Jinping adds the mainland is willing to share the growing development opportunities with the business communities in Taiwan.

As for the lingering political differences and difficulties in relations between the two sides, Xi Jinping notes the CPC and KMT should continue to consult with each other on the basis of 1992 Consensus and reach agreement acceptable by both sides.

Eric Chu reaffirmed that the 1992 Consensus should remain the foundation for the exchanges between the CPC and KMT.

"We hope the 1992 Consensus will continue to be the basis for cooperation between the two sides in participating in Asia-Pacific regional affairs including peace, environment and economic cooperation."

The Kuomintang Chairman told Xi Jinping that the younger generation in Taiwan has great expectations on the development of cross-straits relations and the fuure of the island. They hope Taiwan would take an active part in regional affairs including joining the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, the "Belt and Road Initiatives", as well as any other regional economic organizations.

The meeting is part of Chu's first visit to the mainland since he took over as party leader of Kuomintang in January.

Chu has earlier met with Yu Zhengsheng, top political advisor and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and attended the 10th Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Culture Forum in Shanghai.

For CRI, I am Wang Wei.

Question List for "CPC, KMT Leaders to Meet in Beijing"

For more on the importance of Monday's meeting and the cross-Straits forum, we spoke earlier with Lin Shaowen, our senior political commentator.

Back Anchor:

That is Lin Shaowen, our senior political commentator.

Chinese president to visit Russia, Kazakstan, Belarus,attend WWII celebration in Moscow

Anchor:

It is now confirmed that Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend a ceremony in Russia to mark the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe during World War II.

CRI's Luo Bin with more.

Reporter:

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed President Xi Jinping is going to have a three-day visit to Russia.

Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping says President Xi's attendance at the ceremony expresses the message that China, together with Russia, will remember the history of war and cherish the peace at present time.

"President Xi Jinping's attendance at the ceremony on May 9 shows China's respect to the Russian people and the importance of the strategic partnership between the two countries. It also demonstrates the profound working relations between the leaders, which plays a basic but significant role in pushing forward the ties between China and Russia."

The ceremony includes a military parade to be held at the Red Square in Moscow on May 9th.

China's Defense Ministry earlier confirmed that the guards of honor of the three branches of the Chinese army are preparing to take part in the Victory Day parade.

China and Russia were the main battlefields of Asia and Europe respectively in World War Two.

President Xi's stop in Russia is part of his 3-nation tour due later this week.

He will first travel to Kazakstan on the coming Thursday, and then spend three day in Russia.

Kazakstan is one of the founding members of the Beijing-initiated Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

The President's tour also includes a stop in Belarus.

"Russia, Kazakstan and Belarus are all along the ancient silk road and China's strategic partners. They are important and prior partner courtiers for China's economic belt initiative. Russia's plan of "Euro-Asia channel" is currently underway and the three countries have also jointly launched a plan for the construction of Asian and European economies. Negotiations on potential cooperation between these projects of China and the three countries have been active."

Xi Jingping will pay a state visit to Belarus from May 10 to 12 at the invitation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko

For CRI, I'm Luo Bin.

German Chancellor Marks 70th Anniversary of Dachau Concentration Camp

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a speech on site to mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.

Merkel appeals to people worldwide to remember the history of the holocaust.

"It is the responsibility of our country and its citizens. The country and its citizens should always keep this responsibility in mind. We owe this to all the victims of Nazis, including those who died at Dachau, we owe this to all the survivors. We owe this to them forever."

Merkel has thanked survivors for their role as witnesses to the atrocities.

The attendance of the event includes survivors and their relatives from about 20 countries, U.S. veterans, and thousands of guests from all over the world.

Dachau concentration camp was set up in 1933 as the first Nazi concentration camp in Germany.

More than 200,000 people from around Europe were imprisoned at Dachau in the 12 years of its existence from 1933 to 1945.

Over 41,000 prisoners died in the camp.

It is now being transformed into a memorial site.

Survivor Recalls Memories in Dachau Concentration Camp

Anchor:

For more on life inside the Dachau concentration camp, we turn to the story of one of its survivors who has shared his experience.

The survivor calls on younger generations to prevent history from repeating itself.

CRI's Huang Shan reports.

Reporter:

Bernard Marks was born into a Jewish family in Poland in 1932.

When he was seven years old, he was sent to the concentration camp along with his family, as Germany occupied the country.

At that time, children under the age of ten were sent directly to the gas chambers, rather than being worked to death as slave labor.

To avoid being killed, Marks' father changed his son's year of birth when they were registered in the camp. But the heavy labor was overwhelming to the then 8-year-old Marks.

Marks has recalled that he and his father had been transferred to five different concentration camps.

"At Auschwitz I was working building a road. Sometimes we would take stones from one side, in the heat, and carry them to the other side. And then some people would take it from this side to put it back over there. Another way to exterminate you, because they used the word 'arbeit macht frei', work makes you free. Actually that was not the case, they should have used 'work will exterminate you'. Instead of putting you into the gas chamber, they just worked you to death without giving you any food."

In 1944, Marks and his father were sent to build air-raid shelters and arsenals for the Nazis in a sub camp of Dachau.

According to Marks' memory, during that time, if they fell ill, they would be locked in a hut with window nailed shut. The Nazis would often splash the huts with gasoline, and then set the sick people inside on fire.

Marks says he and his father were later transferred to a "death train".

The train serves as a target to draw firepower from the allies.

"It could have been military, they didn't know it was just us, slave laborers, on that train. So we jumped out into the forest, and we were greeted from the top by machine guns by the allies, from machine guns from both sides from the forest by Nazis, that was on the 26th of April. And we survived, wounded as we were, we survived overnight in the forest. And they collected us again the next day and took us back to the camp. The day after, we were liberated by the United States Army 12th Armored Division."

After Marks and his father were set free form the camp, they moved to the United States, with hopes to start a new life.

About 200 people in his extended family were sent to the camps, but only five survived.

Since 1995, Marks has worked as a volunteer to tell people what he has gone through and what he witnessed in the concentration camps.

By doing this, Marks hopes the younger generation can learn from history, and prevent it from repeating itself.

For CRI, I'm Huang Shan.

Aid Delays at Nepal' s Airport "Improving"

International aid delivery delays caused by Nepal's customs inspections are lessening, which will ease the way for foreign aid coming into the country.

Jamie McGoldrick, UN Nepal Resident Coordinator notes that the Nepalese government has taken note of some concerns, including the customs process slowing aid arrivals clearing the airport.

"I think that the problem is there, but it's actually diminishing. I think that the number of experts that have been put in there, the UN, and the handling services there are starting to get better."

Aid agencies have earlier warned that vital supplies for the survivors of the massive earthquake are being held up by customs inspections.

The Nepalese side have also suggested that more helicopters are needed to ferry relief into the remote areas.

The death toll from the 8.1-magnitude quake has now surpassed 72-hundred.

A total of 57 foreigners have been confirmed dead in the quake.

109 are still missing.

Hundres Mountaineers Evacuated from Mount Qomolangma

Hundreds of mountaineers and Sherpa guides are being evacuated from the Mount Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest in Nepal-China border area after the earth quake in Nepal.

The evacuees include over 200 mountaineers from more than ten international climbing teams and over 100 Sherpa mountain guides from Nepal.

They are currently staying in China's Tibet.

The Nepalese Sherpa mountain guides will be send back to Katmandu by air around May 11, while the international mountaineers will be able to go back home from Lhasa this week.

According to the Chinese Mountaineering Association, climbing activities in the north side of the mountain have also been suspended.

Nineteen mountaineers were killed in a snowslide caused by the earthquake on April 25.

Italy rescues 7000 illegal migrants over the weekend

Nearly 7,000 migrants were rescued and ten bodies recovered from the sea by the Italian Coast Guard and Navy over the weekend.

Hundreds of migrants disembarked off Italian Navy and Coast Guard ships Monday morning in ports in Sicily and Calabria.

About 300 of them have been brought to the port of Lampedusa.

Coast Guard officials said there were a total of 17 boats rescued, 6771 migrants saved, and 10 bodies recovered in the past several days.　

Good weather over the past few days has encouraged more groups to make the crossing from Libya to into Italy.

Interview about Solar Impulse 2 with Swiss Ambassador Jean-Jacques de Dardel

Anchor:

The Swiss-made solar-powered plane Solar Impulse 2 is now in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing.

Pilot Betrand Piccard set down the plane on April 21, following a 12-hundered kilometer journey from Chongqing.

The plane embarked on its 12-leg world circumnavigation from The United Arab Emirates March this year.

It will soon take off and fly to Hawaii, conquering the most challenging leg throughout the entire circumnavigation.

For more on this zero-fuel plane and its trip to China, our reporter Ding Heng earlier spoke with Jean-Jacques de Darde, Switzerland's Ambassador to China.

Back Anchor:

That was Switzerland's Abassador to China, Jean-Jacques de Darde, speaking with CRI's Ding Heng.

U.S. Secretaty of State Visits Kenya

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in the Kenyan capital Nairobi to assist in the country's fight against terror.

Kerry will hold a series of meetings with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The two are expected to discuss the situation in Kenya focusing on al-Shabaab militants from neighboring Somalia.

Kenyan secretary of foreign affairs Amina Mohammed hopes the meeting can see in more technical cooperation from the two sites.

"The visit with the CS is going to be, you know, the technical issues. What do we need? What have we done so far? Where are our efforts? You know, what kind of purpose could we benefit from?"

The visit comes at a time when Kenya is seeking various forms of assistance, including in intelligence gathering and sharing, training of security forces, and equipment.

Kerry is also scheduled to visit the site of the 1998 U.S. embassy bomb blast during his visit.

Kenya has suffered several deadly attacks that have been all claimed by Somali militant group Al Shabaab.

The latest was an attack on Garissa University in northern Kenya, killing 148 people, most of them students.

Two gunmen shot dead in US, robot checks car for explosives

Two armed men have been killed after opening fire on a security officer outside of a contest in the US state of Texas for cartoon depictions of Muhammad.

An official statement said the men drove up to the Curtis Culwell Center in the Dallas suburb of Garland and began shooting at a security officer.

Garland Police Department officers engaged the gunmen, both of whom were shot and killed.

Garland Police spokesperson Joe Harn explains the process and says a bomb squad has been called in to search their vehicle for explosives.

"Police officers that were nearby saw what was happening and engaged the two men and shot and killed them there at the scene. The security officer was taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated and later has been released. He is currently at the Garland Police Department, where he is talking with investigators as to what happened with him. After that, we started evacuating businesses nearby because our concern became the vehicle that they'd come in and possible any bombs that may be in that vehicle."

Police said it was not immediately clear whether the shooting was connected to the event inside.

Australian Federal Police defends role in Bali Nine arrests leading to executions

Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Andrew Colvin, has refused to guarantee future investigations would not lead to Australians being sentenced to death overseas.

Speaking at a news conference on the arrests of executed Bali Nine ringleaders -- Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran -- Colvin said the Australian police were not in a position to arrest any members of the heroin smuggling ring before they left Australia for Indonesia in April 2005.

Information provided to Indonesian authorities by the Australian police led to the capture of the ringleaders.

Colvin said the AFP may continue to provide intelligence that could led to death penalty.

He added that the case of the Bali Nine served as a tragic reminder of the risks associated with Australians who travel overseas to participate in drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

S. Korea urges DPRK to release student detained for illegal entry

South Korea has urged North Korea to free a South Korean student detained in the North for alleged illegal entry.

The 21-year-old student was arrested by the border guards of North Korea on April 22, as he illegally crossed its territory from Dandong in China's Liaoning Province.

His parents said the student had just gone to China for a trip.

Seoul urged Pyongyang to release him as soon as possible and return him to home, calling for the guarantee of his personal safety according to international practices and for the permission of access for his family and attorney.

Weather

Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 13, tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 27.

Shanghai is cloudy tonight with a low of 15, tomorrow, also cloudy, high of 24.

Chongqing will have slight rain with a low of 18 tonight, also rainy tomorrow with a high of 23.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia,

Islamabad, sunny tomorrow with a high of 37.

Kabul, sunny, 29.

Over in Australia

Sydney, sunny, high of 19,

Brisbane also sunny 29,

Finally Perth will be sunny with a high of 21 degrees Celsius.

Headline news

Xi meets visiting KMT chairman

The leaders of the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan-based Kuomintang party have met in Beijing.

Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of Kuomintang party Eric Chu have discussed the two parties' exchanges and relations across the Taiwan Straits.

Chu is leading a Taiwan delegation to visit the mainland.

They took part in the Cross-Straits Economic, Trade and Culture Forum which was held in Shanghai on Sunday.

Chinese president to visit Russia, Kazakstan, Belarus,attend WWII celebration in Moscow

China's Foreign Ministry has confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping will begin a 3-nation tour later this week.

Xi Jinping is due to make stops in Kazakstan, Russia and Belarus.

He'll begin his trip on Thursday in Kazakhstan.

From there he will travel to Russia to attend the ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in Europe in World War II.

Afterward, he's due to make a stop in Belarus.

Death toll tops 7,365 in Nepal's earthquake

Death toll of Nepal's earthquake has risen to 7,365 with the number of injured over 14,300.

Some 600,000 houses across the nation have been damaged.

Figures from the UN office shows that nearly one-third of Nepalese people in the entire country have been affected by the disaster.

The UN and other international organizations have appealed for more than 400 million U.S dollars to provide relief goods to people in Nepal.

Meanwhile, Nepal's National Planning Commission has started working out plans for reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Italy rescues 7000 illegal migrants over the weekend

Nearly 7,000 migrants were rescued and ten bodies recovered from the sea by the Italian Coast Guard and Navy over the weekend.

Hundreds of migrants disembarked off Italian Navy and Coast Guard ships Monday morning in ports in Sicily and Calabria.

Coast Guard officials said there were a total of 17 boats rescued, 6771 migrants saved, and 10 bodies recovered in the past several days.　

Good weather over the past few days has encouraged more groups to make the crossing from Libya to into Italy.

Civilian killed, 15 injured in Afghan capital suicide bombing

One civilian was killed while 15 others were injured after a suicide bomber targeted a government bus in the Afghan capital Kabul.

Witnesses said the attacker detonated his suicide vest close to the vehicle carrying the Attorney General Office's staff in Sanatoriam road in west Kabul Monday morning, killing one female worker aboard the bus and injuring several others.

The Taliban militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs has condemned the attack.

Biz reports

Stocks

Anchor:

Turning now to our business news, but first let's have a look at the numbers from the Asian markets starting out the week on this Monday evening.

Joining me on the desk is CRI's Luo Bin.

Reporter:

Thank you Spencer!

Chinese shares gained ground Monday after the three-day holiday weekend.

Shares in electricity, insurance and steel sectors took the lead.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index gained nearly 0.9 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index added 0.3 percent.

Both Shanghai Electric Power and New China Insurance soared by their daily limit of nearly 10 percent.

Shanghai Bao Steel rose 10 percent and is among the biggest winners today.

In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng Index closed flat.

Elsewhere in Asia,

Japan's Nikkei was closed for a public holiday, along with financial markets in Thailand and Malaysia.

South Korea's Kospi rebounded for the first time in six sessions and added 0.2 percent, led by technology and financial shares.

Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index closed 0.1 percent down.

In Australia, the ASX 200 rose 0.2 percent.

China manufacturing index at one-year low: HSBC

HSBC stats show China's manufacturing activity recorded its worst contraction in a year in April.

Analysts are saying that the decline is due to subdued domestic demand.

According to HSBC, China's purchasing managers' index in April stood at 48.9, even lower than the preliminary reading and forecast.

The index, compiled by information services provider Markit, tracks activity in China's factories and is regarded as a barometer of the health of China's economy.

The HSBC result came in after the Chinese government on Friday posted the official PMI at 50.1 for last month, unchanged from March when the gauge showed growth for the first time this year.

Rules for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordination were approved

Rules for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area have been approved by the central authorities in China.

The main thrust of the new rules is to transfer administrative functions from Beijing to neighboring areas and improve living conditions in densely populated areas.

Currently, the Tianjin-Baoding high speed rail link is under construction to provide convenient transportation between these all of these areas.

Program manager Hao Jianguo says the link will be finished by this year.

"It only takes 40 minutes from Tianjin to Baoding with this rail link. Shijiazhuang to Tangshan only takes a 2 hour ride. "

Under the new rules, priority will be given to traffic management, environmental protection energy security and industrial upgrades.

Public services will be improved and the area will be made into a more comfortable environment for foreign enterprises to do business in. Innovation will be encouraged.

The top leadership asked that institutional barriers to the strategy be removed and pilot programs launched as soon as possible.

For more on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordination, CRI's Zhaoyang spoke with Winston Wang, Managing Director of Shipstone Group Limited.

That was Winston Wang, Managing Director of Shipstone Group Limited speaking with CRI's Zhaoyang.

Changes on way with top oil reshuffles

China is shuffling the leadership of its biggest oil companies.

Changes to the top executives at China National Petroleum, Sinopec and China National Offshore Oil are expected to accelerate market-driven reform of the oil and gas industry.

Wang Yupu, deputy head of the Chinese Academy of Engineering will be the new chairman of Sinopec as Fu Chengyu retires.

Former deputy of China National Petroleum Corp Wang Yilin will return to the company in the latest leadership shuffle.

Wang will leave his current post as the head of China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

He will be replaced by the company's president, Yang Hua.

These top executive will also face challenges to steer the oil giants through the current corruption crackdown and a tumble in global crude prices.

Cambodia breaks ground on China-funded road to connect Thailand

A national road linking Cambodia and Thailand that is funded by China breaks ground today.

The construction of a 182-km national road will link Cambodia's Pursat province's central part to the Thai border.

The road is expected to cost nearly 133 million U.S. dollars, which is the size of the soft loan from the government of China.

The China Road and Bridge Corporation will undertake the construction, which is expected to be completed in three years.

So far, China has provided financial aid to Cambodia to build roads in the length of nearly 2,700 kilometers, representing about 35 percent of Cambodia's total roads.

Japan to increase investment in Asian infrastructure

It is being reported that Japan will increase investment in Asian infrastructure at a meeting of the Asian Development Bank.

Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso did not disclose the size of the investment, but the move could put Japan at loggerheads with China.

Last month, China initiated the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a new development lender devoted to infrastructure projects in Asia.

Japan, which has a lead role at the ADB, has also set up a new framework for financial cooperation between the ADB and the Japan International Cooperation Agency to promote investment and help the Japanese economy.

Chinese small firms save 24 bln yuan in taxes in Q1

Small and micro enterprises in China saved 24 billion yuan or some 4 billion U.S. dollars in the first quarter of this year due to preferential tax policies.

The taxation authority says that more than 2 million small and micro firms enjoyed a 50-percent cut in income tax, resulting in savings of 5 billion yuan.

Value added tax and business tax cuts resulted in more than 18.9 billion yuan in savings for 27 million small and micro firms.

Under the preferential tax policies released in February this year, companies with annual taxable income under 200 thousand yuan can have their corporate tax halved.

Firms with monthly revenues under 30 thousand yuan can their value added tax and business tax exempt.

The preferential tax policies for small companies aim to ease tax burdens and to boost economic growth and employment.

Sports

Ma Long wins men's singles at World Championships

China's Ma Long wrapped up the World Table Tennis Championships in Suzhou as he took the last title in men's singles.

Ma beat compatriot Fang Bo 4-2 in the final.

It was his first world title and one that has been a long time coming for Ma.

"I have waited for this day for too long. I lost in the semifinals the previous three times. After this morning's game a reporter asked me if I was ready, I said I hope there will be good results. And in the end I did it."

Head coach of China's men's team Liu Guoliang was glad that Ma Long's hard work paid off.

"It was a well-deserved victory for Ma Long. It was his fifth world championships. The goal for Ma and his coach during trainings was to train him to the very limit, and this is where it all pays off."

Ma Long also teamed up with Germany's Timo Boll in the men's doubles but fell to Xu Xin/Zhang Jike in the second round.

Shanghai SIPG back on Chinese Super League top

In the Chinese Super League last night,

Shanghai SIPG have extended their unbeaten record to eight games after a 1-1 draw against Hangzhou Greentown.

Shanghai are back on top of the league standings with 18 points, leading Guangzhou Evergrande by one point after eight games.

Hangzhou took the first lead with Imed Louati's goal 74 minutes into the game.

Jean Evrard Kouassi came off the bench and grabbed the equalizer for Shanghai with a header.

In the other game,

It was also a 1-1 draw between Tianjin Teda and Changchun Yatai.

Thai businessman plans to close AC Milan deal within one month

In other foodtball stories,

Thai tycoon Bee Taechaubon is planning to finish his takeover of AC Milan within a month.

Italian media reported that Bee had offered 500 million euros or a 51 percent stake.

He had had talks with the current owner Silvio Berlusconi and is leaving the process to the hands of lawyers.

After the paperwork is done, the business man will start the restructuring of the team.

Carlo Ancelotti and Marco Verratii are Bee's top choices for manager and midfielder.

Qatar improves conditions for FIFA World Cup workers

Qatar's is trying to improve conditions at both worker accommodation and construction sites ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

It is setting up housing facilities, clinics and gyms to provide better living conditions for workers at labor camps.

Camp boss Yusseff said although the facilities cost them more, such arrangements are worth it.

"We are following the regulations imposed upon us by the Ministry of Labour. But also we believe that as much as we give workers, they will give back. If I spend a little bit more on workers, in return he will be more productive."

Concerns over conditions for migrant workers will be raised when football's governing body meets in Zurich.

The meeting will also decide the definite dates for the World Cup. The games will be played in November and December as scorching summer heat made the original June-July schedule impossible.

NBA Playoffs: Washington, Golden State win Game 1 in semifinals

Turning over to the NBA playoffs,

The well-rested Washington Wizards beat the Atlanta Hawks 104-98 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Washington have a one-week lull after their sweep of the Toronto Raptors. They came on full-force against hosts and top seed Atlanta.

Bradley Beal set the pace for Washington and had 28 points.

It took Atlanta six games to win over the Brooklyn Nets and they only had a 36-hour layoff before facing Washington.

Fatigue seemed to have got the best of Atlanta as they missed six straight shots in the final quarter.

Game 2 is Wednesday in Atlanta.

In the Western Conference,

The Golden State Warriors took out the Memphis Grizzlies 101-86 in their series opener.

Stephen Curry had 22 points and seven assists.

He had reportedly won the MVP award, according to an anonymous source familiar with the decision.

Park In-bee wins LPGA North Texas Shootout

In Golf:

South Korea's In-bee Park has won the LPGA Tour's North Texas Shootout.

Park finished 15-under 269 for her second victory this year and 14th on the tour.

She shot four birdies and summoned the best tournament so far.

"I really tried to play hard until the end. And it was a really good day out there today for me. I played really solid, like the ball striking was solid, I putted really good. The whole week this week it's been the best I putted this season."

World number two Park is now within contention for the Rio Olympic Games next year.

MLB: Cleveland Indians take out Toronto Blue Jays

In Major League Baseball action:

The Cleveland Indians took out the Toronto Blue Jays 10-7.

The Washington Nationals shut out the New York Mets 1-0.

It was Phillies over Marlins 6-2.

The Baltimore Orioles took out the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2.

Atlanta blanked Cincinatti 5-0.

It was Tigers over Royals 6-4.

And Minnesota took out the White Sox 13-3.

The Astros vanquished the Mariners 7-6.

St. Louis took out Pittsburgh 3-2.

Milwaukee beat the Chicago Cubs 5-3.

Oakland beat out Texas 7-1.

And the San Francisco Giants took out the Los Angeles Angels 5-0.

Entertainment

Josh Trank quits Star Wars Spin Off production

Director Josh Trank who was set to direct the Star Wars spin off has quit the production.

Trank was expected to direct the second Star Wars anthology film.

The series which is unconnected to the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens or the previous Star Wars films is set in the Star Wars universe.

The director who was also behind the reboot of The Fantastic Four announced his departure from the project via site StarWars.com. He said that after a tremendous amount of thought, he wanted to pursue some original creative opportunities and move forwards on a different path.

Lucasfilm's vice president has thanked Trank for his hard work and contribution wishing him all the best.

Josh Trank was announced as the director for the second spin off film in January 2014. Godzilla director Gareth Edwards will head the first.

Swiss watchmaking exhibition comes to Beijing

The exhibition Geneva at the Heart of Time – The origin of Swiss watchmaking culture is now underway at the Capital museum in Beijing.

Over 350 watches along with tools and equipment are on display along with the watchmaking collections of the Geneva Museum of Art and History.

There will also be craftsmen from Geneva demonstrating their traditional techniques.

There is even a complete reconstruction of an 18th century watchmaking workshop from Geneva based on a painting by Christophe Francois von Ziegler.

The exhibition is to commemorate the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and China and as part of the partnership signed in 2013 between Geneva and Beijing. The exhibition will close on August 12th.

Jamie Foxx facing harsh criticism after his rendition of US anthem

Singer and actor Jamie Foxx is facing harsh criticism following his rendition of US national anthem before the Mayweather – Pacquiao fight on Sunday.

Foxx performed the Star Spangled Banner at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas right before the 'fight of the century' took place.

The fight was screened on pay per view television around the world and many viewers were not impressed with Foxx's version of the Star Spangled Banner.

Many people took to social media to criticize the star.

The fight itself faced many problems including a late start due to pay per view service outages and rampant piracy.

It was even slated by some who said it was too boring and underwhelming.

Mayweather won the long anticipated fight after a decision in the twelfth round.

Harry Potter author apologises for character's death

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has apologized for the death of one of the characters in the final Harry Potter book.

Over the weekend Rowling apologized on her Twitter page for the death of character Fred Weasley during the Battle of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Rowling said she chose to apologise over the weekend as it marked 17 years since the battle took place. She explained that she would apologise for one death every anniversary and therefore she chose the worst death first which was Fred Weasley.

Many fans of the book were upset at how the series came to an end and have criticized the writer's decision to kill off many characters.

Britney Spears premieres new song via Uber

Britney Spears has premiered her latest song featuring Iggy Azalea but not in the conventional way.

The popstar premiered her song Pretty Girls via taxi hailing app Uber. A limited number of Britney Spears branded cars drove around Los Angeles and fans of the star could book the cars for up to 30 minutes using Uber to listen to the song.

The song was leaked online on Saturday and both artists took to Twitter to ask fans not to share the leaked version until its official release the following day.

Spears isn't the first to shake up music song premieres. Madonna premiered her single Living for Love via Snapchat while Jason Derulo released his video Want to Want Me via dating app Tinder.

Josh Groban heading for eighth top 10 album

Singer Josh Groban is heading for his eighth top 10 album on the Billboard 200 charts with his new release Stages.

Forecasters say the album which was released last week could move units upward of 130,000 in the week ending May 3 which places the star within the top 5 and possibly even in second place.

The Billboard chart ranks the most popular albums of the week by monitoring album sales along with streaming.

Groban's new album Stages features tunes from the musical world of theater including Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera.

Weather

Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 13, tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 27.

Shanghai is cloudy tonight with a low of 15, tomorrow, also cloudy, high of 24.

Chongqing will have slight rain with a low of 18 tonight, also rainy tomorrow with a high of 23.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia,

Islamabad, sunny tomorrow with a high of 37.

Kabul, sunny, 29.

Over in Australia

Sydney, sunny, high of 19,

Brisbane also sunny 29,

Finally Perth will be sunny with a high of 21 degrees Celsius.

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

A quick look at the headlines before we go...

Leaders from the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan-based Kuomingtang holding meetings in Beijing..

Chinese President Xi Jinping due to travel to Russia at the invitation of Vladimir Putin, as part of his upcoming multi-nation tour..

Italian authorities rescuing some 7000 migrants attempting to cross into Italy's waters from Libya...

In Business: China's manufacturing activity slowing according to analysts from a major international bank...