Welcome to the Beijing Hour; we are coming to you live from the Chinese capital.

Coming up on the programme this evening:

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang promising a more open foreign investment environment in addressing the Davos sessions in Switzerland.

At least a dozen people are dead in a shelling in eastern Ukraine, despite a new agreement to move heavy weapons out of the fighting.

Yemen's embattled President works out a new deal with the rebel forces which have been holding him as a virtual prisoner.

In business..... provincial authorities in Sichuan removing housing restrictions, including limits to the size of new homes.

In sports... all eyes on Brisbane tonight as China battles the host Australians for a shot at the AFC Cup semi-finals.

In entertainment.... Andy Lau confirming his return to CCTV's Spring Festival Gala.

But first, a check on what's happening weather wise...

 

 

Weather

 

 

Beijing will be clear tonight, with a low of minus 6. It will be cloudy tomorrow, with a high of 6 degrees.　

Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 2, tomorrow will be sunny, with a high of 10.

Chongqing will be overcast tonight, 7 degrees the lowest, tomorrow will continue to be overcast with a high of 15.

Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia

Islamabad, partly cloudy tomorrow with a high of 22.

Kabul, cloudy, 4.

Over in Australia

Sydney, sunny, highs of 31.

Canberra, cloudy, 32.

Brisbane, thundershowers, 26.

Finally, Perth will see be windy with a high of 31.

 

 

Top News

 

 

Premier Li Shruggs off concerns over China's slowing economic growth in Davos

 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is moving to dissuade any fears about China's slowing growth rate.

Speaking to business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Li Keqiang says the Chinese economy is not headed for a hard landing.

"We are now taking effective measures to prevent potential debt and financial crisis. At the same time, our financial reform is underway. Here what I want to convey is that regional or systemic crises will not happen in China. The Chinese economy will not head for a hard landing."

In addressing any potential concerns about the so-called "new normal," Li Keqiang has told the Davos sessions the Chinese government is making moves to make it easier for foreign investment, particularly in the service sector.

But he also admits the 'new normal' is part of a restructuring slowdown of the overall economy.

"It must be noted that the moderation of the growth rate in China reflects a profound adjustment in the world economy and it is also consistent with the laws of economics. More importantly, we have made further progress on structural reforms. Needless to say, the Chinese economy will continue to face substantial downward pressure in 2015."

The 'new normal" is the Chinese government's term for a shift from high rates of growth toward a more moderate growth rate built on a greater focus toward consumer-driven economic strength.

China's growth rate for last year came in at 7.4-percent, the slowest rate of growth in over 20-years.

 

 

For more on the Premier's speech and broader issues connected to the Chinese economy, we are joined live by Mike Bastin, Director of The China Business Centre based in London.

 

 

Ukraine and Russia agree with withdraw heavy weapons

 

At least a dozen people are dead after a shelling in the eastern Ukranian city of Donetsk.

A mortar round has hit a tram stop in the city, leaving at least 13 dead and dozens of others injured.

The incident comes just hours after an agreement by Kiev and rebel-forces to withdraw their heavy-weapons 15-kilometers behind a previously-agreed-to demarcation line.

The new agreement comes on the heels of talks among the foreign ministers from Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier hosted the meeting in Berlin.

"The further step envisages that the Contact Group meets straight away and as quickly as possible to agree on the procedure and therefore the start of the process. On top of this, we agreed that the contact group will set up several working groups who will work on resolving the most important open questions, including access to humanitarian aid and provision in eastern Ukraine, as quickly as possible."

Despite the new agreement, Ukrainian authorities say rebel forces are still pounding a town about 70-kilometers east of Donetsk with heavy artillery.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says the separatist offensive is a clear violation.

"This is a very blatant land grab and it is in direct contravention to the Minsk agreements, which they signed up to and that is why the European community decided to hold the line with respect to the sanctions and continue to send a message that we will not stand for this kind of violation of the sovereign integrity of a nation."

Wednesday's meeting has failed to finalize an agreement on the withdrawal of all troops.

Ukraine claims Russia has more than 9-thousand of its soldiers fighting alongside the rebels.

Moscow has denied the allegation.

 

 

Yemeni President in new deal with Houthi rebels

 

Yemen's embattled President, Abd-rabbu Mansour Hadi, has worked out a new agreement with the Shia Houthi rebels that are occupying key points in the capital, Sana'a.

As part of the new deal, Hadi has agreed to amend the country's draft constitution to give more power and autonomy to the Houthi's.

The deal comes just a day after Houthi fighters took control of the Presidential compound, essentially making Hadi a prisoner.

"At present, the presidential palace is completely under our control, but the president's official residence remains the same. The president is inside and some police are still guarding it."

In return, Houthi leaders have agreed to release Hadi's chief of staff and withdraw its forces from the presidential palace and other parts of Yemen's capital.

The Shia Houthi have been accusing Hadi of breaking a UN-brokered peace agreement signed back in September, which would allow the Houthi to appoint representatives in all government institutions.

The Shia Houthi have accused Hadi, a moderate Sunni, of being weak in the face of the continued threat of al-Qaeda in the country.

Hadi does have the support of most of the international community, and is viewed by the United States and its allies of being a partner in the fight against al-Qaeda.

 

 

France boosts counterterrorism force after deadly Paris attacks

 

The work is underway in France to recruit thousands of extra police officers, undercover agents and investigators.

This follows an announcement by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls that the French government is going to dramatically increase spending to boost national security and intelligence in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

Valls says the French government is planning to hire over 26-hundred new police and intelligence officers by 2018.

"In total, 425 million euros of investment credit has been earmarked for new equipment and the functioning of the French intelligence services, which will be dedicated over the next three years to this reinforcement plan."

French forces admit they're struggling to monitor an estimated 12-hundred radical Islamists and around 200 people who have returned from fighting with militant groups in Syria and Iraq.

On top of the new spending, several thousand planned military cuts are being canceled.

 

 

Japan refuses to give in to IS threats to kill two hostages

 

Japan's government is holding firm to its position that it will not give in to the ransom demands from the Islamic State, despite a deadline looming to free a pair of Japanese citizens being held hostage by the militants.

The Islamic State released a video on Tuesday, threatening to kill the two Japanese hostages within 72 hours unless the Japanese government paid a ransom of 200-million US dollars.

This is the same amount Japan has pledged in non-military aid to support countries affected by the Islamic State's expansion in Iraq and Syria.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

"While it is indeed a difficult situation, we are doing everything possible to ensure the release of the hostages. Japan will not cave in to terrorism and will look to continue to contribute to the efforts against terrorism with the international community."

One Japanese hostage is an independent filmmaker, while the other a freelance defense contractor.

Japanese officials have been meeting with friendly governments in the region in an attempt to try to secure their release.

 

 

Delay in publishing Britain's Iraq War inquiry report causes outcry

 

A number of British lawmakers and the families of Iraq war veterans are blasting a decision not to publish the results of a 6-year-long inquiry into the Iraq War until after the general elections in May.

The decision has been made by the chair of the inquiry, Sir John Chilcot.

A series of voices are demanding the release of the long-overdue report before voters head to the polls.

Reg Keys is the father of a British serviceman killed in the early days of the invasion.

"I'm bitterly disappointed to be honest. It's a disgrace, because there are a lot of families out there, families of the fallen who've been waiting for this report. It is now part of the closure we need. This Iraq war has been going on in our minds for the last... for me 11 years since Tom was killed, we need these findings to understand exactly why this country was taken into this rather unsavory war, a war of option, not necessity, under the falsehood of weapons of mass destruction that never existed."

British Prime Minister David Cameron is also expressing his disappointment in the delay.

"It is extremely frustrating that this report cannot come out more quickly, but the responsibility lies squarely with the inquiry team. It is an independent inquiry. It would not be right for the prime minister to try to interfere with that inquiry."

The UK's Iraq War inquiry stopped taking evidence in 2011.

Britain was the main US ally in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Frustration over the state of the lingering conflict in Iraq eventually helped lead to the ouster of the Labor government in favor of the current Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

 

 

Three Chinese workers die, one injured at hydropower project in northern Vietnam: local official

 

Vietnamese officials say three Chinese workers have been killed and another injured while working at a hydropower project in northern Vietnam.

Procedures are underway to bring the bodies of the three victims back to China.

The condition of the survivor is said to be "stable."

It hasn't been made clear what exactly the accident was.

 

 

Xi Jinping Emphasises disaster relief, poverty elimination in Yunnan Trip

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping's first domestic inspection tour of the year in the province of Yunnan has come to an end.

During his three days in the southwestern province, Xi Jinping has made stops in several cities, visiting the countryside, as well as local businesses, with a focus on poverty reduction and disaster relief.

As part of his trip, the Chinese President made a stop in Ludian County, which is the epicenter of last summer's 6.5-magnitude quake that left over 600 people dead and thousands of others homeless.

"Do you have a place to live? Can you access decent meals everyday? Are the elderly in your family being taken care of? Are your children going to school? Can you get proper treatment when you're sick? I'm especially concerned about how you're spending the winter. With post-quake reconstruction where it is right now, is it possible for you to move to your new homes? So that's why I'm here visiting you."

As part of his time in Yunnan, the Chinese President has also put an emphasis on poverty reduction, particularly among ethnic minority groups.

Yunnan is home to many of China's 55 ethnic minorities, many of whom are among the over 90-million people in China still living below the poverty line.

 

 

Industrial emissions reduced significantly in China's northeast region

 

Chinese environmental regulators say a snap inspection tour they launched this past year seems to show polluters in the north and northeast of the country appear to be adhering to the government's emission reduction rules.

Regulators carried out a series of surprise inspections in over a dozen different cities from April to August of last year.

The combined review of their work appears to show many of the high-polluting industries in those cities were in-line with emission targets.

However, environmental regulators note there are still problem areas, including the area surrounding Beijing.

Liu Changgen with the Ministry of Environmental Protection says the area around the capital remains one of the biggest trouble-spots for air pollution.

"The pollution in Beijing's neighboring areas definitely impacts air quality in Beijing. Based on our overall inspections, pollution in the city of Baoding in Hebei is still severe. But if the air quality in Baoding can be improved, it should have a positive impact on the air, particularly in the south of Beijing. As for Beijing itself, air quality regulations in the capital are in-place. However, coal burning still remains a problem in the outlying regions of the capital, including Yanqing and Fangshan."

Environment officials have been calling for unified emission standards for the entire Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

 

 

Biz Reports

 

 

Anchor:

First, let's have a look at the numbers across the Asian markets this Thursday evening.

Joining me on the desk is Poornima Weerasekara.

Reporter:

Chinese markets have extended rallies this week into a third-straight day, with aircraft manufacturers and nonferrous metal producers leading the gains.

Military equipment stocks also rose after a report suggests the government is going to increase defense spending by 13-percent this year, with more emphasis on the country's air force.

The nonferrous metal posted solid gains on reports the European Central Bank is going to announce a massive bond buying program later tonight.

At close, the Shanghai Composite Index gained just over half-a-percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index added just under 1-percent.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng picked up close to three-quarters of a percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,

The Japanese Nikkei inched up around a third of a percent.

South Korea's KOSPI ended flat.

Finally, both Singapore's Straits Times index and Australia's ASX 200 increased half a percent.

 

 

Sichuan Scraps all Home Purchase Caps

 

The provincial government in Sichuan is eliminating all its existing home purchase restrictions.

Among the rules being scrapped include a long-standing cap on home sizes.

Authorities in the western Chinese province have been limiting the size of residential developments to keep apartment sizes between 70 to 90 square meters each.

This has created a glut of homes of this size on the market.

The elimination of size restrictions is expected to unleash new demand for bigger homes.

At the same time, developers in Sichuan are being encouraged to put more pre-furnished homes on the market, a trend which has been gaining increasing popularity in China's first-tier cities.

Traditionally new homes in China are sold as shells, which the owner then pays to have renovated.

 

 

Li reassures investors of China's property market

 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is ruling out the possibility of a systematic meltdown of China's real estate market.

Speaking to representatives of the International Business Council at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Li Keqiang says rebuilding dilapidated shantytowns in China will provide new growth for the housing market.

The premier has also told the world business leaders the steady urbanization drive in China maintains the potential to unlock new housing demand.

The comments from Li Keqiang follow on the latest stats showing China's home sales declined over 7-percent, while investment in the property sector rose 10-percent through the whole of 2014.

 

 

Beijing Set to Link with Moscow with New High-speed Railway

 

Beijing's Municipal Government says it's going to ask for permission to build a high-speed passenger railway linking the Chinese capital to the Russian capital, Moscow.

Beijing's municipal information office says the new high-speed link would cut the train trip between Beijing and Moscow to just two days.

Right now it takes a week to travel by train between Beijing and Moscow.

Beijing authorities say the project will cost around 250-billion US dollars.

The new line would pass through Kazakhstan, rather than the current link to the Trans-Siberian railway, which connects through Mongolia.

 

 

Apple agree to accept China's internet security clearance

 

China's internet security watchdog says Apple has agreed to allow security checks by the Cyberspace Administration of China, becoming the first foreign firm to agree to the watchdog's rules.

Several US tech giants, including Google and Facebook, have been excluded from the Chinese market for refusing to comply with China's cyberspace checks.

For more on this, the Beijing Hour's Shane Bigham spoke earlier with Cao Can, CRI's Financial Commentator.

 

 

ECB Set to Announce Massive Bond Buying Program in Hours

 

It's widely expected the European Central Bank is poised to announce a plan to inject up to a trillion euros into the Eurozone economy.

Reports are suggesting the ECB plans to purchase government bonds worth up to 50-billion euros per month until the end of 2016.

This would be double the amount previously anticipated.

The announcement is expected later tonight.

Observers say the decision to expand the bond-buying program has been made under pressure by calls within the Eurozone to take bold steps to reinvigorate the European economy along the lines the United States did as part of its bond-purchase program.

 

 

PBOC grants 8-billion dollar Investment quota to Switzerland

 

China's central bank has granted Switzerland an 8-billion US dollar investment quota under its Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor program.

The QFII will allow Swiss investors to directly invest into the Chinese capital market.

The deal is part of a broader plan to make Switzerland the latest clearance hub for renminbi-based business in Europe.

It is expected one of China's big-4 state-run banks is going to be tapped to become a RMB clearance bank later this week.

The central banks of China and Switzerland signed a bilateral currency swap agreement worth 24-billion US dollars last year.

 

 

China's Domestic Luxury Sales Drop for the First Time

 

New industry stats are suggesting luxury sales in China contracted for the first time last year.

The luxury market decreased by 1 percent from a year earlier to around 19-billion US dollars.

A report by consulting firm Bain & Company is attributing the slowdown of luxury purchases to the government curbs on lavish spending by the country's public servants.

But the same report also suggests the purchase of luxury items by overseas Chinese travellers is still on the rise.

 

 

U.S. to levy punitive duties on China's photovoltaic products

 

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce is calling on the US to be fair and objective in its trade dispute over Chinese-made solar panel imports.

The call follows a final ruling by the US International Trade Commission, which paved the way for punitive duties on Chinese-made Photovoltaic Products.

The US side contends certain Chinese solar products have been receiving subsidies of between 27 and 50 percent.

The ITC has also recommended dumping margins between 26 and 165 percent.

American solar-panel producers have convinced US authorities that Chinese producers have been receiving unfair government subsidies.

 

 

BHP Billiton to Shut down 40 Percent Shale gas Rigs in the States

 

Australian mining giant BHP Billiton has announced its shutting down around 40-percent of its shale exploration rigs in the United States over the next 4-months.

The company says it's making the move in the wake of the sharp downturn in oil prices.

Exploration in shale fields is an expensive process, requiring commodity prices to be above certain benchmarks for shale exploration to be profitable.

Oil prices have fallen over 60-percent since last June.

The massive drop has already forced a number of US shale gas companies to shut down their operations.

Some have already declared bankruptcy.

Despite this, Chinese energy giant Sinopec says it remains committed to shale gas exploration.

Sinopec's Fuling shale gas field produced over a billion cubic meters worth of natural gas this past year.

But each cubic meter of gas is sold with a 0.4 yuan subsidy from the government.

 

 

Headline News

 

 

Premier Li Shruggs off concerns over China's slowing economic growth in Davos

 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is moving to dissuade any fears about China's slowing growth rate.

Speaking to business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Li Keqiang says the Chinese economy is not headed for a hard landing.

In addressing any potential concerns about the so-called "new normal," Li Keqiang has told the Davos sessions the Chinese government is making moves to make it easier for foreign investment, particularly in the service sector.

But he also admits the 'new normal' is part of a restructuring slowdown of the overall economy.

The 'new normal" is the Chinese government's term for a shift from high rates of growth toward a more moderate growth rate built on a greater focus toward consumer-driven economic strength.

 

 

Tram shelled as foreign ministers talk peace in eastern Ukraine

 

At least a dozen people are dead after a shelling in the eastern Ukranian city of Donetsk.

A mortar round has hit a tram stop in the city, leaving at least 13 dead and dozens of others injured.

The incident comes just hours after an agreement by Kiev and rebel-forces to withdraw their heavy-weapons 15-kilometers behind a previously-agreed-to demarcation line.

But the two sides failed to finalize an agreement on the withdrawal of all troops in eastern Ukraine.

Kiev claims Russia has more than 9-thousand of its soldiers fighting alongside the rebels.

Moscow has denied the allegation.

 

 

U.S. lifts cap on military aid to Philippines

 

The US is lifting its financial cap on military aid to the Philippines.

Since 2009, the U.S. Congress had been enforcing a cutback of 3-million U.S. dollars a year worth of assistance to the country amid accusations of rights violations by the Philippine military.

The U.S. is now expected to provide 40 million U.S. dollars in military funding to Manila this year.

The increase in US military aid to the Philippines comes amid the dispute in the South China Sea between Beijing and Manila.

 

 

International conference held in London tackling IS

 

High-ranking officials from 21 different countries are gathering in London to discuss how to continue the fight against the Islamic State.

The one-day conference includes US Secretary of State John Kerry, UK Foreign Minister Phillip Hammond and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, among others.

Officials are expected to discuss how to stop the flow of both recruits and money to the Islamic State.

They are also expected to talk about how to provide more military aid to those fighting the Islamic State on the ground, such as the Kurdish pershmerga forces.

 

 

Police reopen Sydney Harbor after bomb scare

 

Australian police have reopened a popular tourist area in Sydney Harbor which was shut down earlier after a suspicious object was found on a ferry.

Hundreds of police and sailors had to be dispatched to Circular Quay after a bottle with wires hanging out of it was found on the ferry.

Circular Quay is a transport hub for ferries, buses and trains in Sydney Harbor.

It has since been reopened after the item was later determined not to be dangerous.

 

 

Newspaper Picks

 

 

PEOPLE'S DAILY

Survey reveals public satisfaction of China's anti-graft campaign

A recent survey found 70 percent of respondents were satisfied over the progress of the country's anti-graft campaign.

The respondents listed the downfall of a batch of "big tigers" or high-ranking officials, cracking down on corrupt officials fleeing abroad, and a purge of "naked officials", which refer to those whose spouses have emigrated overseas, as the top three biggest results in 2014.

The survey sampled employers ranging from private and state-owned companies to government agencies.

Over 80 percent of those polled, however, believe the situation remains grave and the fight against graft still has challenges ahead.

The most anticipated anti-graft moves in 2015 include bringing down corruption in common people's daily life, ferreting out more "big tigers", and the continued hunt for fugitive officials and their illegal gains, the survey said.

--

SINA ENGLISH

Employees seek new pastures as bonuses decline

According to a survey, many white-collar workers are unhappy with their annual bonuses, and some said their dissatisfaction over the issue will force them to seek new jobs.

The report says only 40 percent of employees are expected to receive a bonus for their work performance in 2014.

Sixteen percent have already received a bonus.

A second study has found that employers on the Chinese mainland are willing to offer the most generous salary increases this year compared with those in Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.

The over 10-thousand respondents who took part in the annual bonus survey were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with their payments on a scale of five, with zero representing complete dissatisfaction and five indicating complete satisfaction. The average result was 2.23.

--

REUTERS

Gates foundation sees huge gains against disease, poverty by 2030

Worldwide child deaths will be halved over the next 15 years, polio, guinea worm and river blindness will be eradicated, and there will be a single-dose cure for malaria.

The predictions appear in the annual letter from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, chaired by the Microsoft Corp co-founder and former chief executive and his wife.

The letter, released on Thursday, predicts a long list of breakthroughs in global health and development by 2030, including long-elusive milestones such as Africa being able to feed itself rather than depend on food imports.

The world's wealthiest foundation has helped produce big advances before, including vaccines against the childhood killers rotavirus and pneumonia.

It is also one of the largest donors to the World Health Organization, which has been slammed for a chaotic and belated response to West Africa's Ebola epidemic last year.

--

The Christian Science Monitor (US)

L.A. ban on some alcohol ads will protect young people, advocates say

Los Angeles has effectively become the largest US city to ban alcohol advertising on some city-owned or city-controlled property.

Specifically, the Los Angeles measure, which the city council passed unanimously, will remove such advertising from all public transit, including bus-stop benches and enclosures.

A coalition of some 40 community and grass-roots groups helped get the ordinance passed, which advocates say will protect the region's youths.

The restrictions, however, will not take effect for another seven years, when the city's current advertising contract for outdoor advertising expires.

Other cities that have recently joined the effort to curb alcohol advertising include Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Boston, with Boston passing a similar measure in 2012.

But New York, Chicago, and New Orleans are among cities that have yet to get on the bandwagon.

 

 

Special Reports

 

 

A Change is Encouraged for Unhappy Employees

 

Anchor:

A pair of forums have been held in both Beijing and Shanghai to discuss how people work toward finding and building a global career.

CRI's Xu Fei has more.

Reporter:

"It surpassed my expectations."

"Identify what you would like to do and follow it" "It's so important to do what you love."

"I'm studying business administration. And I think it's important for my future because I want to work in an Multinational corporation."

'Careers beyond borders' is a global event hosted by EF Education First at various global destinations ranging from Manchester, Chicago, London and also here in Shanghai and Beijing.

Panelists from different sectors of the industry would share their experiences on how to build global careers in today's challenging global economy.

The forum in Beijing also addressed the importance of learning a second language, like English. A first-ever such workshop explained there is much more than just learning a language to build a career.

Sange Lee, a Swedish, President of Asia Pacific with EF International Language Center, is a panelist who joins the forum held in Beijing earlier this month.

"We, of course, believe that learning a language will benefit you tremendously in your career. It's a package of lot of things when it comes to learning. It's not necessarily the language itself; it's experiencing the language and the culture. I think there is a segment of people that are professionals but they may have not found the right job, or a passion for the job and how to actually find the future or investing in the future and find the right job for them."

There's an old Chinese saying that goes as "Flexible people may succeed" (人挪活 树挪死). Apparently, panelists believe in this and adds that an opportunity to link travel, study and work abroad as an effective option for adults and young professionals who are unhappy at work.

A report released by Gallup, the Washington, D.C.-based polling organization, finds there are people who are disengaged with their jobs and people who are engaged with their careers.

Since the late 1990s, Gallup has been measuring international employee satisfaction through a survey. In total it has polled 25 million employees in 189 different countries.

Overall, Gallup finds that only 13% of workers feel engaged by their jobs. That means they feel a sense of passion for their work, while the vast majority, some 63%, are "not engaged," meaning they are unhappy but not drastically so.

Getting this in mind, Sange Lee, encourages a change in the life of the passionless worker. He adds that is why his organization designed such a forum.

"By attending this forum, it's a little bit like 'open your own eyes'. Haven't you this feeling, ah, maybe there is a different career path for me. Maybe there's another job that I can do. Maybe I can do something to change my life. The things you haven't really thought about yourself, by going to this forum, there is another opportunity."

A similar career forum was held last month in Shanghai

BACK ANCHOR:

CRI's Xu Fei reporting.

 

 

Sports

 

 

China takes on Australia in Asian Cup

 

In Asian Cup action:

South Korea beat Uzbekistan, blanking them 2-0.

And China are playing Australia, and trail 1-0 at last check.

CRI's Australian Correspondent Wang Xiao attended the match, and joins us live.

 

 

Tennis: Kei Nishkori advances to round 3 of aussie open.

 

In more action from round two of the Australian open:

Kei Nishikori had to dig deep in his match against Croatian Ivan Dodig in the second round of the Australian Open.

The Japanese fifth seed came from a set down to eventually triumph 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 to set up a tie against American Steve Johnson.

It was a little easier for Novak Djokovic.

The top seed and four-time champion lost just five games as he cruised into the third round with some sublime shot making.

He thrashed Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 6-0, 6-1, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes

Defending champion Stan Wawrinka also safely reached the last 32 as he beat Romanian qualifier Marius Copil.

He won both opening sets in tie-breaks before taking the third set 6-3.

He will face Jarkko Nieminen of Finland in the third round.

In other action:

9th seeded David Ferrer took out Sergiy Stakovsky, of Ukraine, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

In women's singles:

4th seed Petra Kivitova beat out Germany's Mona Barthel, 6-4, 6-2.

Five-time Australian Open champion Serena Williams was forced to save three set points before she took the first set and ran away with the match to progress with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Vera Zvonareva.

Serena's sister, Venus, also won through to Saturday's third round with a straight-sets win over compatriot Lauren Davis.

The defending men's champion, world Number four Stan Wawrinka, faced a 242-km serve from Marius Copil and struggled to get a racquet on those marginally slower.

Wawrinka, however, prevailed in each of the match's two tiebreaks before breaking the fast, if sporadic, serve of Copil to win 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

 

 

CBA: Stephon Marbury and Beijing edge Xinjiang 115-106.

 

In CBA action last night:

Fujian downed Guangdong Foshan 126-116;

Dongguan harpooned the Shanghai Sharks 108-100;

Zhejiang Chouzhou beat Tianjin 121-116;

Jilin Northeast embarrassed Shanxi 135-91;

Stephon Marbury and his Beijing Ducks took the win over Xinjiang 115-106;

Jiangsu Tong Xi edged the struggling Bayi Rockets 125-122;

Qingdao hammered the Sichuan Blue Whales 104-84;

Guangdong Southern put away the Jiangsu Dragons 124-94;

First-place Liaoning lost to Zhejiang Guangsha 120-113;

And Shandong beat Chongqing 114-88.

 

 

NBA: Stephen Curry gets in scuffle in Golden State's 126-113 win over Houston

 

In NBA action:

Stephen Curry lost his cool while his Golden State Warriors hosted the Houston rockets.

The typically mild-mannered point guard got involved in a rare altercation with Trevor Ariza before finishing with 22 points and 10 assists, and the Warriors held off the Houston Rockets 126-113 on Wednesday night for their franchise-record 17th straight home win.

And in Atlanta:

With Kyle Korver providing the highlight of the night with his first slam in more than two years, the Atlanta Hawks cruised past the Indiana Pacers 110-91 on Wednesday night, tying the franchise record with their 14th straight victory.　

The Hawks are now one game away from setting an NBA record for longest winning streak of all time. They host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Phillips Arena on Friday.

In other action:

Charlotte beat out Miami, 78-76.

LeBron James added 26 as the Cavaliers held off the Utah Jazz to extend their hot streak to four.

It was a battle of two of the most losing teams in the league as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the New York Knicks 98-91.

The Detroit Pistons hosted the Orlando Magic and outdid them 128-118.

Memphis took out Toronto 92-86.

Dallas thrashed Minnesota 98-75.

The New Orleans Pelicans got the better of the Lakers, 96-80.

Oklahoma City edged Washington 105-103.

Phoenix bested Portland 118-113.

And it was the Brooklyn Nets over the Los Angeles Kings, 103-100.

 

 

NHL: Colorado Avalanche bag 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins

 

In NHL action:

Nathan MacKinnon scored the only goal of the shootout to lift the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins earlier today.

The Ottawa Senators got the better of the Toronto Maple Leaves 4-3.

Chicago beat out Pittsburgh 3-2.

The Winnipeg Jets blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0.

Anaheim thrashed Calgary 6-3 at the Duck pond.

And it was the San Jose Sharks over the Los Angeles Kings 4-2.

 

 

Cycling: Latest from the Down Under Tour in Australia

 

In Clycling Action, from the Down Under Tour in Australia:

The third stage of the Tour Down Under saw the riders make a 143 kilometer ride from Norwood to Paracombe.

Will Clarke (Drapac) went hard early and broke away from the peloton, joined by Lasse Norman Hansen, Calvin Watson and Frenchman Axel Domont (ag2r).

Clarke took the three sprints and was soon out on his own, but his lead was never big enough to see him home to the finish.

With nine kilometers remaining he was caught, and as the stage entered the final climb to the finish it seemed as if Cadel Evans (BMC) would take the stage win.

But Australian Rohan Dennis took the initiative, outsprinting teammate and former Tour de France champion Evans on the tough uphill finish.

Dennis maneuvered into an attacking position as the field swung around the final corner to beat Evans by three seconds for his first stage win since last year's Tour of California.

 

 

Entertainment

 

 

Andy Lau to return to this year's CCTV Spring Gala Festival

 

Hong Kong actor and singer Andy Lau is set to return to this year's Spring Gala Festival on China Central Television.

Ten years after his last appearance at the event, Lau has confirmed his participation on the show which will be aired on 18 February although the nature of the appearance cannot be disclosed for the time being.

Other performers at the event include Karen Mok and David Tao. Actors Tong Dawei and Zhang Fengyi will also appear on the show.

The Spring Festival Gala is an annual Chinese New Year broadcast produced by China Central Television since 1983.

This year's show will see Ha Wen return to the director's seat for the third time.

 

 

Oscar song nominations result in 102 percent sales rise for original song contenders

 

The January announcement of this year's Oscar nominations resulted in a 102 percent sales spike for the five academy award original song contenders.

Common and John Legend's Glory from the film Selma was the biggest seller.

The song registered 27,000 downloads the week ending last Sunday, a rise of nearly 160 percent from the previous week. The track debuts at number 25 on the Billboard R&B songs chart.

Glenn Campbell's 'I'm Not Gonna Miss You', his final recording, rose over 200 percent on sales of 1,000. While Rita Ora's version of 'Grateful' from Beyond the Lights, was up over 150 percent although it did not top 1,000 units in sales.

The version of 'Everything is Awesome' by Tegan and Sara and The Lonely Island, from The LEGO Movie, stacked up 4,000 sales, a 26 percent rise.

 

 

Hacker behind Madonna album leak arrested in Israel

 

The suspected hacker behind Madonna's Rebel Heart leak has been arrested in Israel.

Israeli media have reported that a 39 year old man was arrested following a month-long investigation involving a private investigation firm.

According to Lahav 433, Israel's cybercrime unit, the suspect broke into the personal computers of several international artists over the past few months and stole promotional final-cut singles which have yet to be released and traded them online for a fee.

The singer has thanked the agencies that helped arrest the hacker via her Facebook page. She also thanked fans for helping to provide information regarding the leaks of her music, and criticized the hacker's attack on her right to privacy.

The arrest in Israel comes a day after Bjork was forced to release her new album Vulnicura two months ahead of schedule after it leaked over the weekend.

 

 

Morrissey denies fan an autograph claiming he has ebola

 

British singer Morrissey has denied a fan an autograph declaring that he was unable to due to the fact he has Ebola.

A fan spotted the star at LAX airport in Los Angeles and asked for an autograph.

The fan said that the singer's bodyguard would not allow them to take a picture and when they asked for an autograph Morrisey replied saying he had Ebola.

It's fairly obvious that the star does not have Ebola due to the fact he was travelling through one of the busiest airports in the world.

The singer isn't one to stay away from controversy having banned several of his fans from attending shows including some fans who had travelled thousands of miles to attend one of his shows.

It's rumoured that Morrissey was in the US recording his next album.

 

 

George Lucas reveals his Star Wars ideas rejected by Disney

 

George Lucas has revealed that he had ideas for the next Star Wars films but Disney rejected them.

It turns out that the brains behind Star Wars had begun writing the seventh chapter to the saga several years ago.

Lucas said at a press conference that Disney came to the decision that they didn't want to use his ideas and came up with their own.

He wouldn't offer details about his own plans for Episode 6. He also admitted to not seeing the first trailer for the new film which is being directed by JJ Abrams.

Beyond the names of its characters and a few contextual tidbits, not much is known about the new film.

George Lucas sold his company Lucasfilm to Disney for 4 billion dollars in 2012.