新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 08:00 2013/07/10

 Paul James with you on this Wednesday, July 10th, 2013.

Welcome to the Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program this morning...
Leading Chinese officials have arrived in Washington ahead of the start of this year's China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
The Chinese consulate in San Francisco has given us an update on the conditions of the Chinese citizens injured in Saturday's Asiana Airlines crash.
The Chinese government is lashing out at a new Japanese Defense Ministry White Paper.
In Business, we'll analyze the latest CPI and PPI figures here in China.
In sports... England and Australia are gearing up for the start of The Ashes.
In entertainment.... Disney is going to do a remake of Rudyard Kipling's classic "The Jungle Book."
First, let's check on what's happening on the weather front...
 
 
Weather
 
 
Toronto mayor urges city to conserve power after record-setting storm
 
The mayor of the Canadian city of Toronto is calling on people there to conserve power amid the massive flooding which has hit the city.
Canada's largest city has been hit by a massive storm, flooding out major highways and light-rail systems.
Tens of thousands are without power.
The city's main airport was hit with 126-millimeters of rain in the course of just 2-hours overnight on Monday.
 
 
Beijing will see thundershowers today, with a high of 27 degree Celsius in the daytime, and it will also see thundershowers tonight with a low of 22.
In Shanghai, it will be sunny today, 38 the high, and it will be clear tonight, the low of 28 degrees Celsius.
Lhasa will have showers in the daytime the temperature's at 22, and tonight will see slight rain with a low of 12 degree Celsius.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny, 30.
Kabul, sunny, with a high of 32.
And in North America
New York, overcast, with a high of 32 degrees.
Washington, thundershowers, highs of 31
Houston, overcast, 34.
Honolulu, overcast, 30.
Toronto, thundershowers, 25.
Finally, on to South America,
Buenos Aires, moderate rain, 12.
And Rio de Janeiro will see moderate rain with highs of 22 degrees Celsius.
 
 
Top News
 
 
Chinese delegation arrives for fifth China-U.S. high-level dialogue
 
Anchor
A leading Chinese delegation is now in Washington for this year's edition of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
CRI's Su Yi has more.
Reporter
The Chinese delegation is led by Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.
On the U.S. side, Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will represent the United States' interests.
Leading officials from 20 different departments and ministries on both sides are set to hold a series of talks in the coming two days.
Cyber security, climate change, economic and trade relations, on top of military-to-military ties are expected to be high on the agenda.
In a signed article in the Washington Post, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi is describing the cooperation between China and the United States as an "anchor" for world peace and stability.
Yang Jiechi also says China's development poses no threat to any other country.
He says it's natural the two countries have their differences, and writes it's important to manage them properly.
Meantime, Vice Premier Wang Yang has also had an article published in the Wall Street Journal, focusing on the economic side of the bilateral relationship.
Wang Yang says a stronger economic and trade relationship benefit both sides.
China is now the fastest-growing export market for the U.S.
The U.S. is China's second-largest trading partner behind the European Union.
Bilateral trade between the two sides has increased by a nearly 200 times since the establishment of diplomatic ties over three decades ago.
Wang Yang also writes that China remains committed in opening to the outside world and releasing the huge potential of its 1.3-billion person-strong market.
China and the U.S. have been holding the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue since 2009, when US President Barack Obama came to power.
For CRI, I'm Su Yi.
 
 
China, US Hold Forum on Cyber Security
 
Anchor
A forum on cyber security has been held in Washington ahead this year's Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
CRI's Xie Zhao has the details.
Reporter
The forum on cyber security which began on Monday is due to last for four days.
An official from the U.S State Department says both sides will state their concerns regarding cyber security issues and clarify how they can cooperate in future.
Cyber security has been making major headlines on both the US and Chinese side recently.
The U.S has long accused China of hacking attacks on its internet.
But last month NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden exposed the U.S government's internet surveillance program dubbed PRISM - found to target China and the E.U.
Shi Yinhong, is director at the Center of American Studies at China Renmin University.
He says the exposure of PRISM has been a catalyst for the cyber security forum:　　
"Snowden revealed the U.S government had been launching hacking attacks against China for years. Now, I don't see any official in the U.S government accusing China of hacking as openly as they did in the past. The event has created a good condition for both sides to hold the closed-door dialogue over cyber security. I think the atmosphere is better than before."
Yang Xiyu, is a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies.
He says as far as both sides are concerned, the forum will be a win-win outcome.
"Sino-U.S should cooperate to face the cyber challenge. Both sides are not only the two biggest internet user countries, but also the victims suffering most hacking attacks. They should carry out research in order to defend themselves and crack down on cyber crime as well as make cyberspace more secure. This will be beneficial to each other and it's win-win cooperation."
For CRI. This is Xie Zhao.
 
 
China, US need to be more open-minded on trade and investment
 
For more on the trade and investment front of the S&ED talks, CRI's Zheng Chenguang spoke earlier with Zha Xiaogang, Director of the Institute for World Economic studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.
(BJH/reports/0709 sed pik qa with zha)
Zha Xiaogang, Director of the Institute for World Economic studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, speaking with CRI's Zheng Chenguang.
 
 
Asiana investigation and victim family reception continue
 
The Chinese consulate in San Francisco has provided an update on those injured in Saturday's plane crash.
Yuan Nansheng is China's Consul General to San Francisco.
"There are five survivors here, and one of them is receiving surgery. I have talked with four survivors. They are all conscious and optimistic."
13 Chinese citizens are being treated in five different hospitals in San Francisco.
Saturday's crash killed two Chinese students and injured over 180 others.
The Asiana Airlines flight originated in Shanghai, then stopped over in South Korea before making its way to San Francisco.
Li Bo, English Department director of CRI's affiliate G&E Studios in San Franciso, says the Chinese community in the city is paying very close attention to the situation.
Initial investigations suggest Boeing 777 was flying 25-percent below the required air speed needed to land the super-jumbo.
The plane's tail slammed into the seawall, sending the plane spinning across the runway before it finally came to a halt and caught fire.
The role of the pilots in Saturday's crash is coming under increasing scrutiny.
U.S investigators are said to be focusing on why the plane had a dangerously slow air speed while landing.
Asiana Airlines has already revealed that the pilot at the controls, Lee Kang-kuk, was still in training on Boeing 777 jets.
Lee only had 43-hours experience flying the long-range jet.
Still, Asiana Airlines insists it's still too early to point to pilot error for the crash.
 
 
Chinese Foreign Ministry reax on Japan's defence ministry white paper
 
The Chinese government is lashing back at the new details of a Japanese Defence Ministry White Paper.
The Japanese defense analysis, the first under new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, points to a "China threat."
The white paper is pointing to both China and North Korea as areas of Japanese defense concern.
One of the leading issues in the report is the dispute over the Diaoyu Islands.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
"We have noticed recently Japan has continued to exaggerate the China threat to artificially create regional tension and confrontation. Taking into consideration of some Japanese political forces and politicians consistently advocating for the strengthening of their military and preparing for war, the international community cannot but be concerned by Japan's real intentions and its future development."
In the foreward to the new white paper, Japan's Defense Minister says the Shinzo Abe government is studying changes to the National Defense Guidelines, which will be brought in this year.
It's widely expected this will be the Abe government's move to ammend the country's pacifist consitution to allow the Japanese military to adopt an offensive military posture.
 
 
Egypt new PM meeting interim president, reax
 
Newly appointed Egypt Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi has met with interim president Adly Mansour.
Beblawi once served as finance minister in one of the first cabinets formed after the 2011 uprising.
At the same time, Mansour has also tapped opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradai to be his vice-President.
News of the appointments is being condemned by ousted President Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood.
News of the appointments has sent thousands of Morsi's supporters flocking to one of Cairo's main Mosques.
Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad.
"Constitutional declarations are made by representatives of the people or elected officials. None of these appointed officials have any right to issue any constitutional declarations. There is no legal or constitutional basis for that, it is revocable both internationally and locally. It has no basis (on which) to stand even in the courts."
The new political appointments are being welcomed by anti-Morsi protestors in Tahrir Square.
"We need someone that moves the country forward, someone that gets the production cycle going and provides bread for poor citizens. Not someone that drowns the boat (of the country)."
The appointments come a day after the interim leadership laid out a fast-track timetable to elect a new president and parliament by early next year.
 
 
Russia determined Syrian rebels made and used sarin nerve gas
 
The Russian government says it's been able to determine Syrian rebel forces are the ones behind a deadly Sarin Gas attack near the city of Aleppo in March.
Russia's UN ambassador is Vitaly Churkin.
"The projectile involved is not a standard one for chemical use. Hexogen, utilised as an opening charge is not used in standard ammunitions. Therefore there is every reason to believe that it was the armed opposition fighters who used the chemical weapons in Khan al-Assal."
The chemical weapon attack took place on March 19th in the government-controlled Aleppo suburb of Khan al-Assal.
The attack left 26 people dead and dozens of others injured.
Both the Syrian government and the rebels blamed each other for the attack.
Russia was invited by Syrian government to investigate the attack after UN experts were pulled back from the analysis in a dispute over the probe's scope.
 
 
Severe rainstorms batter quake-hit SW China
 
One person is dead and 15 others missing amid heavy rains which are still pounding Sichuan.
Massive downpours have been hitting much of the northeast of the province.
Traffic and communication lines have been severed in many of the townships in the Wenchuan, Beichuan and Lushan regions.
Swolen rivers have taken out three different bridges.
Meanwhile, in the capital, Chengdu, around 4-thousand people remain stranded at the airport because of flight cancellations.
 
 
Rainstorm forecasted for the capital
 
Anchor
Forecasters in Beijing are warning people here in the capital to remain on alert, given the rain that has been pounding the city this week.
CRI's Zhang Shuangfeng has more.
Reporter
The Beijing meteorological bureau says the southern and northern parts of the city will be the most affected by the rain.
It also warns of the increasing risks of geological disasters in the city's mountainous areas.
Meanwhile, the capital's flood control office is calling on the public to be prepared for the adverse weather.
Pan anjun is the spokesperson of the office.
"We advise the public to stay away from mountainous areas, waterways and valleys. Drivers, please be aware of water logged roads and flooded areas. We also recommend companies and organizers postpone outdoor events."
According to the city's meteorological bureau, over 200 millimeters of rainfall will hit the city within 24 hours.
Last year, Beijing was hit by the heaviest rainfall to affect the city in six decades. 77 people were killed in the storm.
Among the dead, a driver was drowned under an overpass in the downtown district, sparking outcries for the city's flood control system.
Wang Rao, from the Beijing Drainage Group, says that his company has installed real-time surveillance camera on 20 overpasses, as part of the government's upgrading program.
"The control center can now find when there is waterlogging via the cameras. In some cases, the center has been able to dispatch personnel and send out rescue teams even before residents called in to report the waterlogging."
Beijing has had 19 days of rainfall since the beginning of this flood season, with an accumulated rainfall of over 170 millimeters, a 57 percent increase from last year.
Well prepared or not, more rain is on the way.
For CRI, I'm Zhang Shuangfeng.
 
 
Pollution shortens life expectancy
 
New research is suggesting air pollution here in China may be shortening people's life expectancy by more than 5-years.
The report has been compiled by researchers from Tsinghua University, Peking University, MIT and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The analysis is suggesting the air pollution in northern China cuts people's lives short by an average of 5.5-years compared to people living in the south of China.
Professor Li Hongbin is one of the authors of the report.
"The conclusion of the report is that when the aerosol in the air goes up by 100 micrograms, the average life expectancy will be decreased by three years. The cause of death is mainly due to cardiovascular disease and lung disease."
The report has concluded the over-reliance on coal-fired heating during the winter months in the north of China has led to more pollution than in the south.
The research suggests pollution levels are some 55-percent higher north of the Huai River than south of it.
The central government does have plans in place to reduce industrial pollution by at least 30-percent by 2017.
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Anchor
First off, a check on the stock market of North America and Europe.
Join me on the desk, CRI's Su Yi.
Reporter
U.S. stocks rallied on Tuesday, notching a four-day winning streak.
Investors bet that companies will be able to surpass the low bar set for earnings season, leaving room for better-than-expected results that could drive the rally further.
The gains also suggest that investors are becoming more comfortable with the prospect of the Federal Reserve slowing the pace of its economic stimulus.
The Dow jumped 0.5 percent.
The S&P 500 rose 0.7 percent.
The Nasdaq ticked up 0.6 percent.
Canada's S&P/TSX gained 0.7 percent.
In Europe, miners powered European shares to their highest close in a month on Tuesday.
Germany's DAX rose 1.1 percent.
France's CAC 40 was up 0.5 percent and Britain's FTSE 100 up 1 percent.
 
 
Q&A With Mark Hughes on CPI and PPI
 
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is suggesting this country's economy is in a phase which requires an economic transformation if it's going to maintain a healthy development.
Li Keqiang has made the suggestion following an economic meeting in Guangxi.
The Premier says the government needs to speed up its reform of this country's tax, pricing and administrative sectors.
He's also pressing for market forces to play a stronger role in how the economy develops.
Li Keqiang's comments come on the heels of the release of June's CPI and PPI figures.
Inflation increased 2.7-percent this past month.
This represents a 0.6-percent rise from May.
At the same time, the Producer Price Index, which measures wholesale inflation, declined 2.7-percent year-on-year last month.
This represents the 16th straight month the PPI has declined, signaling continued weaker market demand.
For further analysis on the June figures, CRI's Rebecca Hume spoke earlier with Mark Hughes, Executive business editor of the China Daily.
(Q&A)
Mark Hughes, Executive business editor of China Daily, speaking with CRI's Rebecca Hume.
 
 
Call-in Ping An Insurance to buy the Lloyds Building in London
 
Ping An Insurance has announced plans to buy the Lloyds Building in London for nearly 390-million U.S dollars.
The Lloyds Building is home to the world's leading insurance market.
This represents the latest in a string of Chinese investments in London.
This past month Wanda announced plans to pour in 1.2-billion US dollars into a hotel development along the Thames River in London.
Chinese developer Advanced Business Park, or ABP, is also planning to spend 1.5-billion US dollars to redevelop a dock in east London into a business port.
For more on Chinese firms increasing interest in London we're joined on the line by Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.
1. First of all, Ping An though considered one of the big players in the insurance market in China, it's a share-holding company rather than those big spending state-owned ones. Do you see this big purchase a discreet move given the soundness of the company's financial books?
2. The Lloyds Building is a landmark in the world finanical center. It houses some of the world's leading insurance companies, is the purchase have bigger implications other than boost Ping An's international profile?
3. How much interest is there in the UK and other EU countries to see more Chinese companies going and scooping up big real estate assets like the Lloyds building and others?
back anchor: Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai
 
 
S&P downgrades Italy's credit rating
 
Standard and Poor's has downgraded Italy's credit rating by a notch.
S&P now rates Italy as BBB, with a negative outlook.
The ratings agency says Italy's economic prospects are getting weaker.
It's also warning of another potential downgrade later this year or sometime next year.
Standard and Poor's is predicting the Italian economy will contract by 1.9-percent this year.
It also expects its debt-to-GDP ratio to hit 129-percent.
A lower credit rating makes it potentially harder for a country to borrow money on the bond markets, as potential investors will demand higher returns.
 
 
U.S. regulators propose higher capital standards for big banks
 
Federal regulators in the US are calling on the country's 8 largest lenders to increase their leverage ratio to 5-percent.
The 5-percent standard is significantly higher than the 3-percent benchmark set out in the Basel III standards for the international banking system.
The proposal by the US Federal Reserve board and two other regulatory bodies will also require the subsidiaries of the "big-8" banks to hold 6-percent of their assets in reserve.
US regulators are making the move to try to cushion the US banking system from a potential repeat of the near-collapse of the banking system in 2008.
The proposal will see the new requirements take effect in 2018.
The new rules will apply to Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Bank of New York Mellon and State Street Bank.
 
 
NYSE Euronext to take over Libor
 
The U.S. owner of the New York Stock Exchange has announced it's taking over the daily operations of the London Inter-Bank Offer Rate, or Libor.
NYSE-Euronext is taking over the operations of the LIBOR from the British Bankers Association for a single-pound.
The move comes in the wake of last year's scandal involving the artificial fixing of the LIBOR rates by a number of traders.
The LIBOR rates are references for some 550-trillion US dollars worth of contracts.
They cover areas from complex derivatives to personal credit card bills.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
Chinese delegation arrives for fifth China-U.S. high-level dialogue
 
A leading Chinese delegation is now in Washington for this year's edition of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue.
The Chinese delegation is led by Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi.
On the U.S. side, Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will represent the United States' interests.
Leading officials from 20 different departments and ministries on both sides are set to hold a series of talks in the coming two days.
Cyber security, climate change, economic and trade relations, on top of military-to-military ties are expected to be high on the agenda.
 
 
Chinese premier presses for economic transformation
 
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is suggesting this country's economy is in a phase which requires an economic transformation if it's going to maintain a healthy development.
Li Keqiang has made the suggestion following an economic meeting in Guangxi.
The Premier says the government needs to speed up its reform of this country's tax, pricing and administrative sectors.
He's also pressing for market forces to play a stronger role in how the economy develops.
 
 
Egypt's caretaker president appoints interim PM, vice president
 
Egypt's interim president has officially appointed ex-finance minister Hazem al-Beblawi has the country's prime minister.
Adli Mansour has also tapped leading opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei as his vice-President.
The move comes on the heels of Monday's deadly clashes between the Egyptian military and supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.
51 people were killed in armed clashes between the two sides.
The military and pro-Morsi supporters are blaming one-another for the attacks.
 
 
UN, U.S. condemn Beirut car bomb blast
 
The United Nations has officially condemned a bombing which ripped through Beirut on Tuesday.
The blast hit near the Islamic Cooperation Center in a pro-Hezbollah area of the Lebanese capital.
Over 50 people have been hurt in the blast.
The car bombing hit on the eve of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Lebanon has been home to increasing violence in recent months, in what's seen as a spill-over from the civil war in Syria, with opponents and supporters of the Bashar al-Assad government becoming increasing militant.
 
 
Severe rainstorms batter quake-hit SW China
 
One person is dead and 15 others missing amid heavy rains which are still pounding Sichuan.
Massive downpours have been hitting much of the northeast of the province.
Traffic and communication lines have been severed in many of the townships in the Wenchuan, Beichuan and Lushan regions.
Swolen Rivers have taken out three different bridges.
Meanwhile, in the capital, Chengdu, around 4-thousand people remain stranded at the airport because of flight cancellations.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
CHINA DAILY
Headline
Shenzhen Red Cross denies organ claim
Summary
The Shenzhen branch of the Red Cross Society of China is denying allegations it asked for donations of 100-thousand yuan from hospitals for every organ donation the society helps facilitate.
The Shenzhen branch says it has never participated in the process of organ donations.
GLOBAL TIMES
Headline
Electricity load hits new record
Summary
Shanghai's peak electricity load has hit a new record high of over 26 million kilowatts.
The power consumption is peaking amid the current heatwave gripping Shanghai.
Yesterday saw Shanghai record it's 9th day of temperatures over 35-degrees this year.
SHANGHAI DAILY
Headline
Metro Line 5 to extend all the way to Fengxian
Summary
Shanghai authorities are planning to extend the subway line further south into the city's Fengxian district.
For years, people living in that district have been pleading for a subway extension.
The new line will have 9 stops.
SOUTH CHINA METROPOLITAN DAILY
Headline
Guangzhou to develop high-end health projects
Summary
Authorities in Guangzhou are planning to develop a number of high-end health and comprehensive medical projects in the next few years.
As many as 8 projects, with a combined investment of around 44 billion yuan, will be built in the city.
The projects will include the creation of high-end medical services and medical technology research.
BEIJING NEWS
Headline
Authorities refute trans-fat report
Summary
The China Food and Drug Administration says the levels of trans-fats in infant formula produced here in China are within national and international safety standards.
The comments come following a report which claims 3 popular mainland infant milk brands contain trans-fats that experts say could lead to heart disease.
BEIJING TIMES
Headline
Homesick bride
Summary
Police says a Vietnamese bride who had been claiming of being forced into prostitution was lying.
Authorities in the city of Wenzhou says the woman was homesick, and made up the claims so the police would fund her trip back home.
The same story says the woman has since made-up with her husband, and is now back in China.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
China music industry's move toward paid service model
 
Anchor
The music industry here in China is making moves to brace itself for the inevitable shift toward a paid service model.
CRI's Jordan Lee explains.
Reporter
A collaboration between government, content providers, and record companies will attempt to move China's online music market into a new era of copyright protection and fair compensation for artists.
But will the millions of Chinese netizens who are accustomed to free music resist the change?
Thomas Reemer, Founder and CEO of web-based content provider 88tc88, says that piracy will not become obsolete until people have a better alternative:
Reemer launched Paishouba in Beijing, a mobile download platform that provides Western music, games, aps, and ebooks to Chinese consumers.
Paishouba is drawing a diverse group of western artists to the Chinese market by providing them with a safe sales platform:
We support the artists with us content providers, artists get paid, and we enable a better ecosystem. Now more and more companies are following suit, that has to do with government initiative as well as people understanding that they are losing, not getting, a lot of revenue if they don't enable this market to earn money.
Statistics published by China Audio & Video Association showed that China's 2012 copyright market was valued at 40 billion yuan, but only generated 800 million yuan in actual revenues.
A survey by Beijing-based research group Music 2.0 found that one third of Chinese music consumers are actually willing to pay for downloads if it gives them access to better content.
Associate Professor Jin Haijun, a specialist in intellectual property at Renmin University Law School, says China's music industry is ripe for reform.
Jin compares the current state of the music industry to that of the film industry in the early 2000's when illegal downloading was rife:
"Several years ago, that's also the same problem, illegal downloading for movies or television episodes. What the lessons can be learned is that the government and the industry put together, joined together, to make things better. They cracked down on the illegal ones. At the same time paid the royalties to the movie producers. The internet users had to pay something like 5 yuan for the latest movie"
After the government cracked down on illegal movie downloads, the domestic film industry experienced a renaissance, boasting over 30% annual growth rates between 2004 and 2009.
Many factors contributed to that growth, but the motions to fight piracy certainly played a role.
For CRI, I'm Jordan Lee.
 
 
Sports
 
 
England and Australia are ready for the start of the ashes
 
England's and Australia's cricketers are gearing up for the opening Ashes test match at Trent Bridge today.
For one of the first times, England enters the series against the Aussies as the clear favorites to retain the urn this year.
But England's captain Alastair Cook doesn't put any stock in pre-match predictions.
"We've been favourites in other series before, just because it hasn't been Australia it doesn't mean it's any different to any other side. What we're very aware of is cricket is never played on paper and it never will be played on paper. It's about who delivers out there tomorrow and the next 24 days of cricket."
The Australian squad has received much ribbing for their lackluster performances leading up to the Ashes. But Australian captain Michael Clarke said his team is ready.
"I've said for awhile now we come here as underdogs, there's no doubt about that. But that hasn't affected our preparation and it won't effect our performance either. We're looking forward to a tough series. We know it's going to be tough, but I know all the boys are up for the challenge."
Nottingham is buzzing with cricket fans ahead of today's game, which begins at 11 o'clock local time.
 
 
Marcel Kittel wins stage 10 at the Tour de France
 
Germany's Marcel Kittel won stage 10 at the Tour de France, his second stage victory of the tour.
It was a sprint to the finish, with Kittel just managing to stay in front of fellow German Andre Greipel and Mark Cavendish
This year's tour has seen some pretty nasty crashes so far, but only a couple minor ones happened yesterday.
In the final sprint, Dutchman Tom Veelers went down after coming into contact with Cavendish as the road curved.
Cavendish claims it was an accident, but he reacted angrily after the race when a reporter asked him whether the crash was his fault.
Team Sky's Chris Froome was a little ways behind the crash, and managed to avoid being caught up in it.
Froome has been wearing the race leader's yellow jersey since Saturday and will continue to wear it into stage 11.
Peter Sagan finished in fourth and maintains possession of the green points jersey.
Up next in stage 11, cyclists will head towards the mountains in a 33 kilometre time trial.
 
 
AS Monaco signs new players
 
In football,
A.S. Monaco is attempting to buff up its squad ahead of the upcoming Ligue one season.
The club recently unveiled a batch of newly signed high-profile players. Portugal's Joao Moutinho and Colombia's James Rodriguez signed on from Porto.
And another Colombian Radamel Falcao will come over from Atletico Madrid,where he contributed 28 goals to help the team with its third place La Liga finish last season.
And,
FIFA president Sepp Blatter met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss the difficulties football teams are having crossing into Palestinian territories.
"There is one association recognized officially in Palestine and the other one here, so go and together and try to do it, but there some constraints that we FIFA, we cannot open, we need the help of the authorities, and here we are, I'm on a mission and a mission cannot be accomplished in one day, it is a sports diplomatic political mission"
Because of Israeli security restrictions, the Palestinian national team is often unable to travel between the West Bank and Gaza for matches.
The same problem is encountered by foreign teams.
Netanyahu expressed interest in resolving the issue. And FIFA will organize a task force to recommend a solution before the end of this year.
 
 
Day 4 of Universiade kicks off
 
In Kazan Russia, the summer Universiade games continue on day 4.
Russia is still dominating on the medal count, and has a good shot of beating the 75 gold medal record set by China two years ago in Shenzhen.
China has been struggling to keep up with Russia at this year’s game. But this could be because many of China's elite athletes have opted to stay home to prepare for the upcoming National Games in August.
Today’s competitions include events in boxing, athletics, swimming, and beach volleyball.
Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin is in Kazan to observe the proceedings, since his city will be hosting the summer universiade in 2017.
 
 
Hockey Hall of Fame gets five new members
 
The National Hockey League announced its five newest inductees to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Geraldine Heaney, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Chelios, Brendean Shanahan, and Fred Shero will be officially added in November.
Shanahan, Niedermayer, and Chelios are all highly decorated former players.
Heaney is one of the pioneers of modern women’s hockey.
She represented Canada's national team on numerous occasions and her victories include an Olympic gold and silver.
Shero was an award winning coach who spent 10 seasons in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.
He will be inducted posthumously after his death in 1990.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Singer Morrissey Awarded 10,000 Pounds
 
UK crooner Morrissey has won 10-thousand pounds in a court case against a television network.
(please please clip)
The network forgot to ask Morrissey for permission to use his band's song Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want to promote Chef Gordon Ramsay's Christmas cooking show in 2011.
Upon receiving the payment Morrissey donated the sum to the animal rights charity People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also known as PETA.
PETA will reportedly use the donation to buy advertising protesting UK goods seller Fortnum & Mason for selling foie gras a fancy name for liver from a duck or goose.
Morrissey is an outspoken opponent of animal cruelty and remarked if Ramsay had an ethical bone in his body he'd be against the cruelly produced delicacy.
Fortnum & Mason has continued to sell foie gras despite calls from several animal rights groups to pull it from the shelves.
 
 
Disney to Remake Jungle Book
 
Disney is planning to remake another live adaptation of the classic Richard Kipling novel The Jungle Book.
(jungle clip)
This will be third film iteration following the 1967 animated musical and 1994 live-action film starring Jason Scott Lee and Game of Thrones actress Lena Heady.
Mark Wahlberg is rumored to be involved as producer and star in the new film.
However, Disney may be competing with Warner Brothers studios which also plans to adapt their own version of the public domain stories.
Disney needs a successful film following the abysmal performance of the newly released Johnny Depp film The Lone Ranger.
The film may end up costing Disney 150-million US dollars though with the success of Monsters University, Iron Man 3, and Oz the Great and Powerful the studio can probably afford the loss.
 
 
Boston Bombings to Become Movie
 
The events surrounding the US Boston Marathon Bombings in April will soon be made into a feature film.
The film will be an adaptation of the yet-to-be-released book Boston Strong cowritten by Boston Herald reporter Dave Wedge.
Cowriters for US actor Mark Wahlberg's Academy Award winning film The Fighter have already acquired the rights to the unpublished book.
The book and subsequent film will focus on the city's reaction to the attacks and manhunt for the Tsarnaev brothers who were responsible.
The book won't be published until next year so we can probably expect to wait a few years before the film hits theaters.
 
 
Elton John Postpones Shows Due to Illness
 
UK performer Elton John has been forced to postpone a bunch of summer shows due to illness.
(elton clip)
The Your Song singer has announced he has been diagnosed with appendicitis and must pull out of scheduled appearances.
One of the dates is his headlining show at London's Barclaycard British Summer Time Festival in Hyde Park.
Other shows in Italy and Germany have also been postponed.
The appendicitis will reportedly require surgery but the legendary singer promises to make it up to fans.