新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2013/07/24

 The Beijing Hour

 
Evening Edition
 
 
Wednesday 24th July, 2013.
Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this evening.
The Guardian newspaper reporter who broke the Edward Snowden story plans to keep the NSA blueprints under wraps.
A bomb blast hits a police station in Egypt.
Psychologists are on hand to help with the victims of Monday's earthquake at Gansu.
Business, China's factory activity hits an 11-month low.
Sports, Diving gold for China at the World Swimming Championships.
Entertainments, Barack Obama enlists celebrity help for his healthcare plan.
Plus Special reports we have an interview with an author who's written three books on Bruce Lee.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Alerts on high temperature have been issued in most of the Chinese cities today, and the heat is expected to continue tomorrow.
Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 24 degrees Celsius. Tomorrow cloudy with a high temperature of 34.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be sunny tonight, with a low of 29,　cloudy tomorrow, with a high of 38.
Lhasa will have light rain tonight, 11 degrees the low, showers tomorrow with a high of 23.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, thundershowers, with a high of 32.
Kabul, sunny, 35.
Over in Australia
Sydney, sunny, highs of 18.
Canberra, sunny, 14.
Brisbane, sunny, 21.
And finally, Perth will be overcast with a high of 21.
 
 
Top News
 
 
White House attacks plans to curb NSA data collection
 
The BBC is reporting that the White House is urging Congress to reject an attempt to stop the National Security Agency collecting Americans' phone records.
President Barack Obama's spokesman said curbs on the NSA would "hastily dismantle" a vital counter-terrorism tool.
Critics say NSA phone data collection is an unwarranted invasion of privacy.
The details of the programme were made public by Edward Snowden, who had worked for the NSA and is now a fugitive, awaiting a decision on his asylum application in Moscow.
 
 
Interviewed Guardian reporter not to reveal NSA blueprints from Snowden
 
The columnist for the British newspaper, The Guardian, who first reported on Edward Snowden's intelligence leaks, now says he won't disclose the National Security Agency blueprints he obtained from Snowden.
Glenn Greenwald explains that he doesn't want other countries to copy the NSA's surveillance methods.
He also adds that he is doing everything discreetly in order to ensure none of the information falls into the wrong hands.
"No matter who obtain access to the storage of the documents, it would be almost impossible for them to obtain access to it for many many years. And at the same time, I'm ensuring that they are hidden in places electronically that are impossible to find. "
As for Snowden's future, Greenwald believes that what matters is that the American fugitive is given the chance to explain himself.
"I think what matters to him most is that by not being in an American prison and rendered incommunicado which is absolutely what will happen to him, he can continue to participate in the debate that he started."
Snowden is hoping to be granted asylum papers tomorrow that would allow him to end his month-long stay in Moscow's main airport and to move to the city centre.
The American applied for temporary asylum in Russia last week, having been charged by the US government for leaking classified information.
Washington has been calling on the Russian government to turn Snowden over.
 
 
German researcher warns of sim card bug
 
A recent study shows over half a billion mobile phone users are vulnerable to hacker attacks.
According to Berlin's Security Research Labs, a bug on sim cards allows hackers to remotely control and clone information from the cards.
Karsten Nohl is the chief scientist who led the research team.
He said that by sending a short message, hackers can acquire information from the sim cards within one minute. The information could then be used in financial fraud, or electronic espionage.
"Looking at the midterm, there are also surveillance questions. Because the sim cards do crack all the voice communication originating from the phone as well as data communication."
The UN's International Telecommunications Union has reviewed the research and cautioned that it is quote "hugely significant".
 
 
Psychological intervention for Gansu quake survivors
 
Anchor:
All 14 people who were listed as missing from Monday's earthquake in Gansu have been confirmed dead.
That brings the total number of dead so far to 95.
More tents and quilts have been dispatched to the disaster-stricken area, as relocation begins for over 220 thousand locals.
Meanwhile, epidemic prevention and psychological help are also underway, as CRI's Su Yi reports.
Reporter
Zhang Yuelin leads a team of medical experts providing psychological help for the survivors.
"Trauma is even more serious than physical injuries. One type of trauma is being panic and the other is having to deal with the loss of relatives. Many local houses are adobe houses and there is not spaces when they collapse so people die immediately."
Zhang says the two psycho-therapists on his team are very busy.
"They helped 35 patients today to ease their stress. This young mother lost her two children. She is under lots of pressure and pain so we've been trying to help her."
Meanwhile, new calls are being made for the construction of quake-proof housing in the Province.
Most of the buildings that collapsed in Monday's earthquake were mud-brick houses that were unable to withstand a strong earthquake.
In 2009, the Gansu provincial government proposed building 2 million quake-proof houses within five years.
However, the centuries-old tradition of building mud-brick houses in the province has hindered the progress of the project.
The 6.6-magnitude earthquake levelled over 5-thousand homes.
For CRI, I'm Su Yi.
 
 
Flight information transparency needed to ease tension
 
Anchor:
Flight delays are such a regular occurrence nowadays throughout China that in some cases, there have been reports of violence between passengers and airline staff on the ground.
Some experts believe that the key to solving this problem is for airlines to be more transparent with the information.
Li Dong has the details.
Reporter:
According to statistics from the Civil Aviation Administration of China or CAAC, the first half of 2013 saw passenger numbers rise by 11 percent year-on-year; by contrast, airline punctuality has declined by 3.35% when compared with the same period of time last year.
Xu Guangjian, deputy director of the School of Public Administration and Policy of Renmin University blames the lack of transparency in flight information as the major cause of dispute between airlines and passengers.
"If airlines can publicize accurate real-time flight information online, many passengers would be able to make a decision before they head to the airport."
Data published by the CAAC in May showed that more than half a million flights were delayed across the country in 2012 - the worst on record in the past five years.
A survey by airport information site FlightStats also showed that in a survey of 35 airports around the world, Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai's Pudong International Airport both came near the bottom in June.
Severe cases are continually being reported by the media. Some rampant passengers use violence in their treatment of air company staff who are unable to provide flight information, after waiting for more than 40 hours without receiving any accommodation and food.
As for the waves of questions by passengers about their flight information, Liu Dong with the Air China ground service explains that they really can't do anything about it, because they have limited access to the air traffic status as well as the take off information.
"We can only estimate the current take off capacity of the air field. The information we provide to the passengers is based on this rough calculation."
Since January 2013, reported brawls between delayed passengers and airport staff in airports in Beijing, Shanghai and Kunming also renewed public concern over how delay cases should be handled.
Wu Tongshui, the president of Civil Aviation University of China says another drawback of the civil aviation industry is the lagging behind of related service and emergency response resources. This may lead to inefficient cooperation between different departments such as air control, air company and ground service, which ultimately triggers conflicts between air companies and passengers.
"The flight information may be at the hands of the air company, the air control or the airport; however, nobody dares to release the information. So they all decide not to say anything to the passenger. Whether it's a problem with the crew, weather, or ground service of the airport, and when these problems be solved, this information needs to be communicated and smoothly exchanged."
An official with the CAAC said in early July that punitive measures will be carried out in the second half this year for airlines with poor punctuality records.
According to the CAAC, airlines with the lowest punctuality rates may receive warnings, while routes on which service quality has triggered mass disputes over delays may get canceled.
Analysts say that besides a unified compensation standard and harsher punishment, other problems, including limited civil airspace and tight scheduling by airlines to save costs, also need to be addressed.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
 
 
Fire breaks out on a blown-out Gulf of Mexico oil rig
 
A fire has broken out on a blown-out oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
All 44 workers were evacuated
No injuries have been reported yet.
The gas well had been blown off a day earlier off the Louisiana coast.
The reason of the fire is unknown.
Officials stressed that the incident would not be as damaging as the BP oil spill of 2010.
In 2010, an oil rig exploded off in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers and spewing millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf.
It was the worst offshore environmental disaster in U.S. history.
 
 
Asylum seekers boat bound for Australia sinks off Indonesian coast
 
A boat carrying asylum seekers bound for Australia has sunk off the Indonesian coast.
The boat was reportedly carrying some 170 people, mostly Sri Lankans and Iranians.
But it sank in rough seas and strong winds a few kilometers from the island of Java
At least 3 people were drowned and there are fears for more casualties.
More than 100 people have now been rescued.
The search for survivors continues.
Australia recently announced that all asylum seekers arriving by boats would be sent to Papua New Guinea, and would have no chance of being settled in Australia as refugees.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
"This underlines the need for policy changes in Australia on asylum seekers policy which sends a very clear message to people smugglers to stop sending people by boat to Australia. We are seeing too many drownings, we are seeing too many sinkings, too many innocent people being lost at sea."
More than 15-thousand asylum seekers have arrived by boat in Australian territory this year, prompting opposition accusations that the ruling Labor government is soft on border protection.
 
 
Bomb blast hits Egypt police station
 
In Egypt, a timed bomb hidden under a truck has gone off at a police station in the city of Mansoura, killing one and injuring a dozen more.
Meanwhile, in the capital, Cairo, unidentified gunmen have shot dead two supporters of ousted president, Mohamed Moursi.
Under the new interim government, a hundred people have been killed in clashes between Morsi supporters and opponents since the 30th of June.
The whereabouts of Morsi himself remains unknown though both the German government and the EU Foreign Affairs chief have called for his release.
In the last few days, his family have said that they have had no contact with him since his ouster, and are now taking legal measures against the Egyptian army.
 
 
Two teachers killed in southern Thailand bombing
 
A roadside bomb has exploded in southern Thailand, killing two and wounding three others.
The blast happened in the restless Narathiwat province.
Local police said suspected insurgents detonated the explosives as a car carrying three teachers drove past a hospital.
Of the three passengers, two were killed and another teacher and a policeman were injured.
It is believed that a police vehicle in front of the teacher's car was the intended target.
More than 5,000 people - 150 of them teachers - have been killed in Narathiwat province since 2004, when an Islamic insurgency erupted in Thailand's three southernmost provinces.
 
 
New York mayoral candidate refuses to drop out race despite online sex scandal
 
New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner has found himself caught up in yet another sex scandal.
Weiner confirmed that he had sent sexually explicit photos and messages to a woman online.
This comes two years after he resigned from Congress for similar behavior with half a dozen women.
However, Weiner says he won't drop out of the race for mayor of New York.
"I said that other texts and photos were likely to come out, and today they have. As I've said in the past these things that I did were wrong and hurtful to my wife and caused us to go through many challenges in our marriage that extended past my resignation from Congress."
Weiner says he has spent the past two years trying to make things right with his wife and earn redemption.
He is now asking voters for a second chance.
His wife, Huma Abedin, who's a longtime adviser to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, reaffirms her support for her husband.
"I love him, I have forgiven him, I believe in him, and as we have said from the beginning, we are moving forward."
However, 3 of Weiner's rivals for mayor immediately called on him to drop out of the race.
The 48-year-old Democrat has been near the top of most mayoral polls since his late entry into the race.
 
 
Japan joins TPP free trade talks in Malaysia
 
Japan has become the 12th member of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations currently taking place in Malaysia.
A Japanese delegation of more than 100 officials have joined the ongoing free trade talks whose bloc accounts for nearly 40% of global GDP and about one-third of all world trade.
Japanese Deputy Foreign Minster Koji Tsuruoka.
"Our country's stance is that these trade talks and especially these TPP negotiations that were made possible by the prime minister's decision will help to revitalize the Japan economy and we hope to continue talks to that end."
The latest round of the TPP negotiations is scheduled to end tomorrow.
The Japanese government is facing domestic pressure in joining the TPP talks, despite the LDP-coalition victory in Sunday's upper house elections.
The Japanese delegation is trying to preserve the hefty tariffs on imported agricultural products.
The TPP negotiations are expected to conclude by October.
 
 
China calls for substantive progress between Palestine and Israel: UN envoy
 
A Chinese envoy to the United Nations says the Chinese government is hoping to see "substantive progress" in peace talks this week between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
China's UN deputy representative Wang Min has issued the statement at a Security Council session.
Wang has also told the Security Council session that China's stance on the issue includes the creation of an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 border, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Wang Min has also called on the Israeli side to halt its settlement activities and lift its current blockade of the Gaza Strip.
He also says the Security Council should play a bigger role in pushing forward the Middle East peace talks.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are expected to go to Washington later this week to resume the long-stalled peace talks which have been brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Asian Stock
 
Chinese shares lost ground today after data from HSBC suggested China's manufacturing activity sank further in July.
When the markets closed, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.5 percent.
The Shenzhen Component Index lost 0.4 percent.
The financial sector was the hardest hit, with the sub-index for the sector down 1.4 percent.
In Hong Kong, the benchmark Hang Seng closed up 0.2 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Japan's Nikkei ended 0.3 percent lower due to weak Chinese manufacturing data.
Meanwhile, South Korea's KOSPI gained 0.4 percent as continued foreign purchases of local stocks relieved profit-taking by retail investors.
Down in Singapore, the Straits Times index picked up 0.7 percent.
and finally Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was also up 0.4 percent.
 
 
China manufacturing drops to 11-month low in July: HSBC
 
China's factory activity may have dropped to an eleven month low.
An HSBC report shows the flash purchasing managers' index this month fell to 47.7, the lowest since last August.
That compares with a final PMI reading of 48.2 in June.
A PMI reading below 50 indicates industrial contraction.
The HSBC report attributed the worsening manufacturing operations to weaker new orders and faster destocking among Chinese factories.
The HSBC's final reading of China's PMI this month is due next week.
 
 
Diageo expands in China with Shuijingfang deal
 
The world's biggest spirits company has taken a controlling stake in Chinese liquor maker, Shuijingfang.
Diageo is paying close to 360-million US dollars for the controlling shares in the Shanghai-based liquor company.
Diageo, whose headquarters are based in London, owns a number of famous brands including Guinness, Johnny Walker whiskey and Smirnoff vodka.
Shuijingfang is the 4th largest producer of Baijiu here in China.
For more on this deal, Beijing Hour's Paul James spoke earlier to Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai
…
back anchor: That's Paul James speaking to Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai
 
 
Wells Fargo deposes China's ICBC as world's biggest bank
 
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has relinquished its position as the world's largest bank by market value to the US-based Wells Fargo.
Based in San Francisco, Wells Fargo has been valued at 236 billion US dollars at the New York Stock Exchange - that's 3 billion dollars more than ICBC.
ICBC's six-year reign as the world's biggest bank began in July 2007, and its value peaked at 374 billion US dollars in November last year.
The shift comes after a liquidity crunch here in China last month which exposed risks in the banking system, and as a result, sending financial stocks into a tailspin.
 
 
Alibaba, Wasu link up to launch set-top box
 
Alibaba and digital TV network operator Wasu Media have joined forces to launch a set-top box, as the e-commerce giant seeks to tap into the smart television sector.
Wasu will be responsible for the hardware whilst Alibaba will provide the operating system for the gesture-controlled gadget, which they say will be launched in the coming months.
This product will bring together online shopping and video game downloading services to the television screens.
Alibaba's smart TV strategy comes amid widespread speculation about its IPO this coming autumn.
Analysts say launching this new strategy could boost Alibaba's valuation in the capital markets.
 
 
Huawei H1 sales revenue up 10.8%
 
Chinese IT giant Huawei posted a 10.8 percent increase in its sales revenue in the first half of this year.
The company announced in its unaudited financial report, that sales revenue reached 18.4 billion US dollars in the first six month till June.
The Shenzhen-based tech company now expects to generate a net profit margin of 7 to 8 percent for this year.
In the 2013 Fortune Global 500, Huawei jumped 36 places to 315th on the list.
It has now surpassed Stockholm-based Ericsson, its nearest competitor, with increased revenues and solid earnings propelled by its smartphone sales.
 
 
AstraZeneca probed in China amid GSK scandal
 
Chinese police have targeted another world-leading drug maker in AstraZeneca, as investigations into the GlaxoSmithKline bribery scandal continues.
AstraZeneca has confirmed that Chinese police have visited their Shanghai office and an employee was taken away for questioning.
Chinese authorities are currently investigating into GSK, accusing it of bribing officials and doctors to boost sales and profiteering.
AstraZeneca is a British-Swedish pharmaceutical manufacturer, and set up its Chinese headquarters in Shanghai last June with investment of more than 100 million US dollars.
 
 
Japan registers record trade deficit for first half of 2013
 
Japan logged a record 4,843 billion yen trade deficit for the first half of this year.
During the January-June period, the value of imports advanced 9. 2 percent year on year while exports increased 4.2 percent on the back of a weakening yen.
The Japanese Finance Ministry said the yen weakened by 18.9 percent against the U.S. dollar in the same period.
Shipments to China, which is Japan's biggest trade partner, fell 0.6 percent, while imports from China grew 11.4 percent.
In June, Japan's trade deficit stood at 180.8 billion yen, the 12th straight month of deficit.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Chinese VP to visit DPRK
 
Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao will head a Chinese delegation to visit North Korea on Thursday at the invitation of the North Korean side.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the announcement today.
The trip will last until Sunday.
During the visit, Li Yuanchao will attend activities in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the truce of the Korea War.
 
 
Psychological intervention for Gansu quake survivors
 
The official death toll from Monday's earthquake in Gansu has risen to 95.
Over a thousand others are being treated for injuries.
Around 220-thousand have been relocated.
Meanwhile, new calls are being made for the construction of quake-proof housing in the Province.
Most of the buildings that collapsed in Monday's earthquake were mud-brick houses that were unable to withstand a strong earthquake.
The 6.6-magnitude earthquake levelled over 5-thousand homes.
 
 
White House attacks plans to curb NSA data collection
 
The BBC is reporting that the White House is urging Congress to reject an attempt to stop the National Security Agency collecting Americans' phone records.
President Barack Obama's spokesman said curbs on the NSA would "hastily dismantle" a vital counter-terrorism tool.
Critics say NSA phone data collection is an unwarranted invasion of privacy.
The details of the programme were made public by Edward Snowden, who had worked for the NSA and is now a fugitive, awaiting a decision on his asylum application in Moscow.
 
 
China manufacturing drops to 11-month low in July: HSBC
 
A new HSBC report shows that China's manufacturing operating conditions deteriorated at the quickest pace since last August.
The HSBC's flash purchasing managers' index, or PMI, dropping to 47. 7 in July.
That is down from a final 48.2 in June and the lowest in 11 months.
A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion.
 
 
2 killed in Beijing bakery blast
 
At least two people were killed and 19 injured in a gas explosion this morning at a bakery in downtown Beijing.
Those injured have been hospitalized, including four severely injured.
The explosion took place in a Golden Phoenix Bakery store on Guangming Road in the Dongcheng District.
The fire has been put out and two gas tanks containing 50 kg of liquefied gas have been removed from the scene.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
 
 
Violent clashes between police, gang members kill 22 in Mexico
 
Violent clashes between police and armed gangs in Mexico's western province of Michoacan have left 22 people dead.
Among the killed, two were police officers while the rest were members of gangs.
Michoacan is one of the most violent states in Mexico, constantly plagued by clashes between criminal groups.
The Mexican government deployed 4,000 soldiers and 1,000 federal police officers to restore security in the state in May.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Daily Mail
“Overweight students are less likely to be accepted to US universities”
American scientists have found skinnier students are more likely to be accepted to university than overweight students.
Psychologists have conducted a huge study of over 950-colleges in the US and have discovered academics favor thin candidates in face to face interviews.
The study also suggests the weight bias was stronger for female applicants though there was no difference if interviews were held over the phone.
The scientists add the results found in this study could be a conservative estimate of the bias level in the graduate admissions process in other fields.
BBC
“India Bihar teachers to 'stay away' from school lunches”
Teachers in India's Bihar state have decided not to participate in the free school lunch program after 23-children died from eating a school meal last week.
Nearly 300-thousand teachers have decided to abstain from the implementation of the mid-day meals provided by the school.
However, the Bihar Education Minister, has said a Supreme Court order makes it mandatory for teachers to participate in the Mid-Day meal scheme.
The Mid-Day meal program provides free food for students, but often suffers from poor hygiene.
High levels of an agricultural insecticide were found in samples of the food the deceased children ate.
The school principal fled following the scandal and is still being sought on suspicion of criminal negligence.
China Daily
“Summer heat brings surge in patients”
The summer heat is being blamed for an unusual surge in the number of hospital patients in Shanghai.
Shanghai's large general hospitals have been faced with an average of 10-thousand patients every day this summer.
Medical staffs from Shanghai No 6 People's Hospital say summer is usually their peak time and this summer has seen a 20-percent increase in patients.
China Daily
“Sansha welcomes new Hospital”
A new hospital has been established to meet basic health demands for residents and fishermen in Sansha.
Many fishermen working in the South China Sea and near Sansha suffer from diver's disease with several deaths occurring each year.
The hospital is expected to offer comprehensive medical services in five years and currently has 30 beds which will increase to 100 over the next 5 years.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
Q&A with cultural studies professor Paul Bowman on Bruce Lee
 
Anchor
In addition to being an accomplished expert in marital artist, the late Bruce Lee was also a writer, philosopher and film maker.
Last week marked the 40th anniversary of his death, CRI's Zhang Ru had a chat with Paul Bowman - a professor at Cardiff University in Wales who has published three books on Bruce Lee.
…
That was Professor Paul Bowman from Cardiff University speaking with CRI's Zhang Ru.
 
 
Sports
 
 
The ongoing FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain
 
He Zi has won her second world title in the women's 1-meter springboard, edging out Tania Cagnotto of Italy by 0.10 points after executing a near flawless final dive.
The margin of victory is the smallest in deciding a gold medal in either the men's or women's at any world championships.
"I think I can control myself due to the positive energy. Before the 1-meter springboard competition, I was not hopeful to win it because I don't think my level is not high. So I am worried about my performance at this event. "
He Zi has won four world medals in various diving events. She also took gold at the 2012 Olympics in 3-meter synchronized springboard and silver in the 3-meter individual springboard.
Wang Han of China took bronze at this event.
There is more gold for China in the men's 3-meter synchronized final.
Qin Kai and He Chong outclass their competition and won the gold halfway through the final.
Qin Kai, diving with He Chong for the first time at a major competition, has recorded his fourth consecutive world title in the event.
In the Open Water Swimming Womens 10K event, Okimoto outsprints Brazilian compatriot Cunha to win the marathon event.
Fang Yanqiao of China finished 7th.
 
 
China faces South Korea tonight in East Asian cup
 
At the Asian Cup, the Chinese national football team is currently playing against the host South Korea in their second round-robin match.
Eight goals were scored in THEIR previous two meetings - a 3-2 defeat at home to the South Koreans in 2008, and a 3-nil win for China in 2010.
Tomorrow, Japan takes on Australia and the Japanese will need to bolster its defense against the sockeroos.
In their last four games alone, the Japanese have conceded 12 goals, including three in the opening match against China, and that game ended in a 3-all draw.
 
 
GERMANY-BAYERN_PRESENTATION
 
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has presented his new side to the public ahead of his first season at the German club.
The former Barcelona manager Guardiola takes over from Jupp Heynckes after Bayern won the unprecedented treble of Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League trophies last season.
Tens of thousands of fans gathered at the team's Allianz Arena to cheer on their heroes and the new team leader.
Each player was called up onto the pitch one by one with special cheers for the new arrivals, Spain's Thiago Alcantara, Mario Goetze and of course, Guardiola himself.
The team then carried out a training session in front of thousands of fans.
When asked whether the upcoming season would be as profitable as the last, this is what defender Philipp Lahm had to say:
"Every opponent is always dangerous. We also lost a game last season. It is not always a given that each season is like last year. It was a complete exception. So many points have not been won in the 50 years of the Bundesliga. That's why we have to win points from game to game, from the beginning and then we will see how many we lose, how many we draw but of course we want to win the most games.
Bayern will play their first Bundesliga match on August 9 at home against Borussia Moenchengladbach.
 
 
Nigerian players banned for life in match-fixing scandal
 
A number of Nigeria football players and match officials have been banned for life for match-fixing, after two Nigerian play-off games ended with an aggregate score of 146 goals to nil.
In the first match, Plateau United Feeders beat Akurba FC 79-0, and in the other, Police Machine FC put 67 goals past Bubayaro FC's goalkeeper.
All four clubs have now been banned from the game for 10 years.
A Nigerian Football Federation has also imposed life bans on the match officials involved.
The federation have also vowed to name and shame all the individuals concerned.
 
 
LeBronmania hits the Philippines
 
LeBron James mania has hit the Philippines this week.
The NBA superstar was visiting Manila, having successfully helped the Miami Heats defend their NBA Championships last month.
Thousands of adoring fans camped out in front of a shop at an upscale shopping complex - some sleeping in tents overnight - all hoping to bag free tickets to watch him do a few rounds with the Philippine national basketball team.
LeBron James's next stop on his Asian tour is Guangzhou, in China's southern Guangdong Province.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Disney Quells Rumors of Abrams Leaving Star Wars
 
LucasFilms and Disney are denying rumors hotshot director JJ Abrams is about to quit the director's chair for the upcoming Star Wars Episode 7 film.
It was reported the filmmaker was unsure about uprooting his family and moving to the UK to film the new installment.
Several sources indicated the director was going to quit and instead devote his time to Star Trek 3.
However, the Star Wars studio claims these rumors are false and Abrams will remain on the team.
The new film is expected to force its way into theaters in 2015 with original cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hammil, and Carrie Fisher all reprising their legendary roles.
Actor Samuel L. Jackson has admitted he has no idea if he will appear in the new film and reprise his role of Jedi Master Mace Windu.
Jackson publicly campaigned to appear in the new film but says he has received no invitation or word on whether his character will return.
 
 
Obama Enlists Help of Musicians for Healthcare
 
US President Obama is enlisting the help of several popular artists and actors to help promote his health care plan.
Obama met with artists such as Bon Jovi, and Alicia Keys at the White House to discuss plans for promotion.
The president also met with stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Michael Cera, and comedian Amy Poehler to enlist their help as well as people from Youtube and the comedy website Funny or Die to make promotion videos.
Obama hopes the group will spread the word among younger uninsured Americans about new health insurance options opening up in October.
A younger healthier group is necessary for Obama's program to work to offset older generations who are more likely to fall ill.
This isn't the first time the President has enlisted the help of artists.
During President Obama's reelection campaign the President called on musicians and artists to help support his cause.
 
 
Hugh Jackman Meets Fans for The Wolverine Film
 
Actor Hugh Jackman met with fans at the special screening of his new film The Wolverine in New York.
The new film marks the 6th time the actor has played the iconic superhero though it won't be the last.
He'll be returning as Wolverine in the upcoming X-men: Days of Future Past film next year.
Jackman says getting out and meeting the fans is the truly exceptional part of his job.
"It's a really exciting day this is the gravy man. This what we do it for the chance to say thank you to the fans and show them the movie. There is always so much secrecy because we have to worry about piracy and all of that. So everything' sunder wraps and now we can say, come on guys come and check it out. I'm really proud to show it to them."
Jackman stars alongside Will Yun Lee, Famke Janssen and Rila Fukushima in the new film, which will be released over the next month.
 
 
Mo Yan Novella to be Made into Film
 
The work of Nobel Prize winning author Mo Yan will soon be made into a feature film.
Producer Yu Ren bought the rights to the winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in literature's novella Treasure Map.
This is the first time a piece of Mo's work will be turned into a film since he won the coveted prize.
About 100-million yuan, or 16-million US dollars will be invested into the film which will feature heavy visual effects including 3-D
The special effects will be put to good use considering the Nobel committee has described Mo's work as hallucinatory realism.
The film will likely begin shooting by the end of the year.
 
 
Actor Sacha Cohen Leaves Film About Freddie Mercury
 
Actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has exited the lead role in the untitled Freddie Mercury biopic.
The film about the Queen singer has been met with a series of problems on its path to preproduction including finding a suitable screenwriter and director.
This latest development adds to the film's woes.
Cohen has cited difficulty with the remaining members of Mercury's band Queen as the main reason behind his departure from the project.
The actor claims Queen wants to tell a good-hearted version of Mercury's life whereas Cohen was interested in portraying the darker side of his rock-n-roll lifestyle.
Cohen had brought several pairs of screenwriters and directors including Fight Club director David Fincher but all were nixed by the band who has final say.
No word on who will replace Cohen or if the project will ever get off the ground.