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

Coming up on our program this morning...

Underwater equipment is being used in the search for a dozen people still missing following Wednesday's dramatic plane crash in Taiwan.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sits down with Argentina's President.

France and Germany put forward a new plan for peace in eastern Ukraine.

In business... more pressure being reported on China's Social Security system through last year.

In Sports. China's CBA playoffs tip-off tonight with a pair of first-round match-ups.

In entertainment.... this year's Berlin Film Festival is officially underway.

First, let's check in with what's happening with the weather...

 

 

Weather

 

 

Beijing will be cloudy today with a high of 8, tonight overcast with a low of minus 2 degrees Celsius.

Shanghai will also be cloudy with a high of 8 and a low of 2 degrees Celsius.

Chongqing , cloudy to overcast, with a high of 13 and a low of 8.

Elsewhere in Asia.

Islamabad, sunny, with a high of 27.

Kabul cloudy with a high of 12.

Over to North America.

New York, cloudy with a high of minus 2 degree Celsius.

Washington, cloudy with a high of 6 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, with a high of 26.

Toronto will be snowy with a high of minus 4.

Finally, in South America,

Buenos Aires, cloudy, 32.

And Rio de Janeiro will be rainy with a high of 30 degrees Celsius.

 

 

Top News

 

 

Underwater equipment being used to locate missing of TransAsia crash

 

Searchers have been using underwater gear in an attempt to locate the 12 people still missing following Wednesday's plane crash in Taipei.

At the same time, investigators have begun the process of what caused the plane to go down shortly after take-off on mid-day on Wednesday, clipping a bridge before it plunged into the Weelong River.

So far the official death toll stands at 32.

Of the 58 people onboard 31 of them are tourists from the mainland.

The flight was destined for Kinmen Island, which lies just off the coast of the city of Xiamen.

Reports have been suggesting the plane was having engine trouble even before it took off.

However, TransAsia General Manager Wu Husheng is refuting that allegation.

"As for such reports, we would like to clarify and tell our friends in the media that these reports are not true. At the same time, we have documents that prove we checked the plane before take-off. We plan to give these documents to the 'civil aeronautics administration' for further investigation."

The plane itself had only been in-service since April.

Meantime, the first batch of relatives of the victims, along with officials from Xiamen, have arrived in Taiwan.

TransAsia has already started handing out compensation worth 200-thousand New Taiwan dollars to the families of each person confirmed killed.

 

 

Chinese premier meets Argentine president

 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has met with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, suggesting the two countries enjoy huge potential for cooperation.

The Chinese Premier is suggesting there is room for expanding cooperation in areas including financing and the direct-trading of bulk commodities.

Fernandez's time in China has seen her oversee a number of deals with China, including the creation of a new nuclear power plant.

A number of deals connected to mining have also been signed as part of her time in China.

China is Argentina's second-largest trading partner after Brazil.

Bilateral trade between the two-sides came in at over 12-billion US dollars through the first three quarters of last year.

 

 

China Urges Philippines to Enhance Restriction on Its Fishermen

 

The Chinese government is standing behind the actions of the Coast Guard following an incident last week in the South China Sea.

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel was involved in a collision with one of three Filipino fishing boats in the area around Huangyan Island.

The incident has sparked an official protest from the Philippine government.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei.

"Huangyan Island is China's inherent territory, and China's coast guard ships have been patrolling around the waters to maintain normal order. We've learned that there had been several Filipino fish boats illegally staying in shallow waters around Huangyan Island and refused leaving when they were ordered to. Our coast guard ship sent small boats to drive away the Filipino fishermen, and had slight collisions with one of the boats."

Huangyan Island is under the administration of China's southern city of Sansha on the South China Sea.

 

 

New peace initiative for Ukraine conflict

 

The leaders of France and Germany have put forward a new peace plan to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are in Kiev to discuss the plan with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

Observers are suggesting the move is being made in an attempt to head-off any US plans to deliver offensive weapons to Ukraine.

Poroshenko says the talks with French and German leaders gives him "strong hopes" that a ceasefire can be reached.

"And the fact that you today (are) here and we can have these negotiations, it is... gives me some strong hopes that we will reach the results, bring the ceasefire, have promotion as a progress in the process of the peace and that can help us a lot in reaching the agreement about the ceasefire."

Hollande and Merkel are due to travel to Moscow later on this Friday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Their time in Kiev has coincided with that of US Secretary of State John Kerry.

"There must be an immediate commitment, now, to a real ceasefire which is not just a piece of paper and words, but which is followed up by specific actions."

Kerry has told Ukrainian officials US President Barack Obama is still "reviewing all options" when it comes to the situation in Ukraine.

Right now the US is only providing non-lethal assistance to Kiev.

However, the possibility of increased US military assistance to the Ukranian government is starting to create waves in Moscow.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich.

"We can state that Washington's actions intentionally lead Russia-US relations into a deadlock, and it will take a very long time to find a way out. But this seems to be the choice of the US administration, and it will have to take full responsibility for it."

NATO is among those expressing concern about the possibility of the US providing offensive weapons to Ukraine.

NATO commander Philip Breedlove is warning any-such move could trigger a more strident reaction from Russia.

Germany's foreign minister has likened the option to "throwing more weapons on the bonfire".

 

 

Jordan airstrikes IS bases in revenge for pilot killing

 

Jordan's military has carried out its first air strikes on Islamist State targets since a gruesome video of one of its pilots being burnt alive by the militant group emerged earlier this week.

"Tens of Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft launched consecutive airstrikes to demolish strongholds and holes of the militant organization. The aircraft attacked positions that include training centers belonging to the terror organization as well as ammunition warehouses. All the targets that were attacked were destroyed and the aircraft went back to their bases safely."

The Jordanian air raid has targeted the city of Raqqa in Syria.

This is the de facto capital of the Islamic State's self-declared caliphate.

In returning to Jordan, the fighter-jets involved made a symbolic fly-over of the village of the pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh.

It coincided with visit to the relatives of Kasasbeh by King Abdullah.

The Jordanian King has been warning of severe retribution following the grizzly murder of Kasasbeh, who was videoed being burned alive in a steel cage.

Jordanian authorities have already executed two al-Qaida convicts, including the would-be female suicide bomber which the Islamic State had been demanding in return for the safe release of the pilot.

 

 

African Union Leaders Meet to Discuss Joint-Army against Boko Haram

 

Leading officials with the African Union have been meeting to discuss how to deal with the growing insurgency of the Boko Haram rebels in northeastern Nigeria.

The AU has authorized a force of 75-hundred troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin to be inserted into the region to fight the militants.

African leaders are also expected to seek a United Nations Security Council mandate, which could lead to an expanded operation against the group.

Cameroon Defense Minister Edgar Ngo'o says operational plans are still being worked on.

"We're going to work on the structure of the operation, elaborate a plan that will ensure logistical support, as well as the goals we want to achieve. In general terms, it will be the management of this operation that will determine the right deployment of forces on the ground, and this will be submitted by the African Union to the UN Security Council, which will confer the new force an international legitimacy, as well as the financial resources necessary for its effective operation."

Boko Haram militants, who initially began pressing their demands for the adoption of Sharia Law in Nigeria 6-years ago, have since begun running raids into neighboring countries.

The group maintains a stronghold in northeastern Nigeria, but also has supporters in neighboring Cameroon and Niger.

 

 

EU predicts 'modest' economic recovery in 2015

 

The European Union has released its latest forecast for the economy, predicting a modest recovery in the 19-country Eurozone, despite the recent sharp declines in both the price of oil and the euro.

EU economic officials are predicting the Eurozone will grow by 1.3-percent in 2015.

This is up from the 1.1-percent estimate in November.

And at the same time, in the broader 28-nation European Union, economists are predicting all member-economies will grow for the first time in 8-years, with combined expansion set to hit 1.7-percent this year.

Pierre Moscovici is the EU's top economic official.

"The outlook remains one of a modest recovery. Growth is set to gradually pick up speed as the impact of adverse factors on growth gradually fade. This is of course welcome news. At the same time it is important to retain the necessary sense of perspective, the underlying challenges facing the European economy have not disappeared, and this recovery is still low and slow."

But at the same time, the European Union is warning weak investment and high unemployment continue to undermine progress.

Its also warning geopolitical tensions and financial market volatility are adding increased uncertainty to the economic outlook.

The EU is forecasting 11.2-percent unemployment by years-end.

This would be just slightly lower than the current rate of 11.4-percent.

 

 

Southeast Brazil hit by worst drought in 80 years

 

The ruins of a sunken town in Brazil, which had been underwater for decades, have re-emerged.

This is the latest development in the country's worst drought in some 80-years.

The Jaguari River in Sao Paulo State is now 30 metres below its normal levels.

Its' revealed the old structures of the former town of Igarata.

The town was submerged in 1969 when a reservoir was built nearby, forcing around 2-thousand people from their homes at the time.

"It brings me happiness in some ways but it is also very sad. Happiness because the things that were around when I was a child are re-emerging from the water, but sadness because of the lack of water. Without water humans don't live. The most valuable liquid we have on the earth at the moment is water."

In Brazil's largest city of Sao Paulo, authorities have already lowered water pressure for up to 18 hours a day, prompting many residents to stockpile bottled water.

Other cities have been forced to cancel their annual carnivals amid the water shortage.

 

 

Shanghai Police Bust Biggest Drug Seizure

 

Police in Shanghai have made a major drug bust, seizing 2.4-tons of methamphetamine.

The raid has also confiscated raw materials and equipment, on top of a pair of guns and close to 250-thousand US dollars.

The bust is being touted as one of the largest in China in recent memory.

Police in Shanghai say the factory could produce more than 200-kilograms of meth per day, which had a potential street-value of hundreds-of-millions of yuan.

The group involved is said to have links as far as Guangdong in the south, and Liaoning in the north.

 

 

Investigation team dispatched to probe series death of inmates

 

An investigation team has arrived in a prison in Jiangxi to investigate revelations of a series of 'abnormal' deaths in Ganzhou prison.

Authorities are probing reports 8 inmates "died abnormally" at the facility from 2008 until last year.

Five of the deaths have been attributed to "sudden illness"

One was killed by other inmates.

Another is said to have committed suicide, while the other died from unknown causes.

Wang Sijun is the son of the 52-year-old inmate who died from 'causes unknown.'

"My father was seldom ill, Just 12 days after beginning his sentence, he was sent to a hospital and diagnosed as having a cerebral hemorrhage. He died 20 days later."

The prison has refused to provide surveillance video footage to relatives, and also turned down their request to carry out autopsies.

The Ganzhou Prison probe comes on the heels of the Ministry of Justice announcing plans to conduct probes into illegal behavior following a series of scandals across China last year involving the prison system.

 

 

Chinese local lawmaker takes responsibility for Beijing cave-in

 

A former lawmaker with the Beijing municipal government has announced he's going to take full-responsibility and bear all the costs for a cave-in caused by illegal construction in his home.

Li Baojun built an 18-meter-deep basement in his home.

This eventually set off a collapse which caused homes and roads surrounding his project to collapse.

"I've been feeling very anxious. I have inescapable responsibilities for my neighbors and society. I will face up to whatever happens, including economic damages. I will sell anything I have to bear the losses."

But at the same time, Li Baojun contends it was his construction crew which didn't adhere quickly enough to warnings from the Beijing planning Commission.

"I agreed to rectify it and I signed-off on it. When I handed it to the construction team, they said they would handle it. It's too late to regret it."

The value of the damage caused hasn't been fully assessed.

 

 

Expert: adding gold foil to liquor is safe

 

China's food safety watchdog is stepping-up to defend its decision to continue to allow gold foil as food additive in liquor.

The National Health Commission of China is soliciting opinions on whether to continue to allow gold flecks in baijiu.

Wang Zhutian is food safety researcher.

"Some metals can be toxic, but only if it is absorbed in the human body after hitting certain amounts. Gold is one of those elements which is totally excreted from the body after consumption."

Chen Junshi with the Chinese Academy of Engineering says they've done research into the Chinese company's plans for the addition of gold flecks.

"Colorizing liquor isn't nearly as controversial as it had been decades ago. It's now widely accepted. As long as the companies are following proper standards, its fine. If the market doesn't approve, then its choice to not buy the product."

Adding gold flecks to alcohol in China is a relatively new phenomenon, though it's been done for years in other parts of the world.

Last year, of the estimated 12-million bottles of baijiu sold, less than one-in-10-thousand added gold foil.

 

 

Biz Reports

 

 

Stocks

 

Anchor:

First, a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe.

Joining me on the desk, Luo Wen.

Reporter:

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday as energy shares rebounded along-side oil prices.

At the same time, news Pfizer is planning to buy Hospira further boosted the markets.

The oil prices rallied on Thursday, with crude rising more than 4 percent to settle at around 50-US dollars a barrel after slipping the day before.

Shares of Pfizer added close to 3-percent on the day after the pharmaceutical giant agreed to buy Hospira, a maker of injectable drugs, for a reported 17-billion U.S. dollars.

Hospira shares jumped 35 percent on the news, making it the S&P 500's biggest percentage gainer on the day.

At close,

The Dow Jones crept up 0.2-percent.

Both the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 finished up around one percent.

Over in Europe,

Stocks closed essentially flat on Thursday after the European Central Bank abruptly cancelled its acceptance of Greek bonds in return for funding, shifting the burden onto the country's central bank.

At the closing bell,

The UK's FTSE 100 ticked up slightly.

Germany's DAX made no gains.

And France's CAC 40 nosed-up a fraction of a percent.

 

 

China Stocks Down Despite RRR Cut

 

Chinese shares reversed gains on Thursday, closing lower, despite Wednesday's rally after the central bank's decision to cut banks' reserve requirement ratio.

China's central bank lowered the banks' reserve requirement ratio by 50 basis points in an attempt to stimulate the economy.

Despite this, the Shanghai Composite Index ended down 1.2 percent on the day.

The Shenzhen Component Index shed close half of a percent.

 

 

China's Social Insurance Income Growth Rate Slows down in 2014

 

New data from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security shows the percentage-growth rate of China's social insurance income has surpassed payments this past year.

Injection into the overall social security system last year hit 3.8 trillion yuan.

That's an increase of around 12-percent year on year.

But at the same time, Social Security payments amounted to 3.2-trillion yuan.

While still some 600-million yuan above the break-even line, payments did increase around 18-percent from a year earlier.

Hu Xiaoyi is the deputy Minister of Human Resources and Social Security.

"The social insurance fund is facing more pressure when it comes to balancing the bills. The growth rate of social insurance income was around 18 percent a few years ago. However, it dipped last year. With an aging society, there are more demands for social insurance spending. So with a high rate of expenses, the balance becomes more narrow."

China's social insurance system covers the basic pension insurance, medical care, work-related injuries and maternity leave.

 

 

Corporate News of the Week

 

Anchor:

Let's check out some of the main events taking place on the corporate front in China this week.

Joining me on the line now is Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.

1. Tencent Bans Alipay in WeChat Stores as War Heats up

The tussle between Tencent and Alibaba has escalated after Tencent banned Alibaba's Alipay Wallet on its social networking app Wechat.

From Monday, users have reported that they are unable to do transactions in Wechat's virtual stores via Alipay Wallet.

Earlier, Tencent cut off the link between WeChat and the "hongbao" or "red envelope" service of Alipay Wallet.

Additionally Tencent has banned users from sharing music on Wechat from music app Netease and Xiami.

advantages does it wish to utilize?

 

 

China, Maldives Launch Feasibility Study on FTA

 

China and the Maldives have begun a feasibility study on a potential free trade area between the two countries.

Officials from both sides have been meeting in the Maldivian capital, Male.

Discussions at this point are at the early stage, with initial frameworks and division of tasks being sorted out.

Trade between China and Maldives hit just over 100-million US dollars last year.

However, it does represent an increase of just under 7-percent compared to 2013.

 

 

Hong Kong Jewellery Giant Branches into 'Black Gold'

 

It's being reported Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook group, owner of the world's biggest jewellery chain, is tapping into China's oil trading business.

The company, which established the Chow Tai Fook Energy Company in July, is reportedly looking for a permit to import crude oil into the mainland market.

Chow Tai Fook's oil division already has an office in Beijing.

The jewellery maker's reported move could be prompted by a slowdown in its core activities.

Its jewellery business recorded a 10-percent drop in sales in its most recent quarter.

A slowing Chinese real estate market has also clipped the company's profits from its property arm.

 

 

Headline News

 

 

Chinese premier meets Argentine president

 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has met with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, suggesting the two countries enjoy huge potential for cooperation.

The Chinese Premier is suggesting there is room for expanding cooperation in areas including financing and the direct-trading of bulk commodities.

Fernandez's time in China has seen her oversee a number of deals with China, including the creation of a new nuclear power plant.

A number of deals connected to mining have also been signed as part of her time in China.

China is Argentina's second-largest trading partner after Brazil.

Bilateral trade between the two-sides came in at over 12-billion US dollars through the first three quarters of last year.

 

 

Shanghai Police Bust Biggest Drug Seizure

 

Police in Shanghai have made a major drug bust, seizing 2.4-tons of methamphetamine.

The raid has also confiscated raw materials and equipment, on top of a pair of guns and close to 250-thousand US dollars.

The bust is being touted as one of the largest in China in recent memory.

Police in Shanghai say the factory could produce more than 200-kilograms of meth per day, which had a potential street-value of hundreds-of-millions of yuan.

The group involved is said to have links as far as Guangdong in the south, and Liaoning in the north.

 

 

Fourth panda dies from virus in NW China

 

A fourth giant panda has died from the distemper outbreak at a facility in Xi'an.

The Shaanxi rescue center says the 6-year-old, named Feng Feng, died of heart failure.

Feng Feng was diagnosed in late December, along with three other pandas, of distemper.

The panda had been in a coma for around a month.

The Distemper outbreak in December caught panda researchers off-guard, as the virus normally only infects dogs and cats.

 

 

Jordan airstrikes IS bases in revenge for pilot killing

 

Jordan's military has carried out its first air strikes on Islamist State targets since the militant group released the video of pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh being burnt alive.

Jordanian fighter jets have reportedly destroyed ammunition warehouses and training centers in the city of Raqqa.

The Syrian city is the de-facto capital of the Islamic State.

The retaliatory strikes are part of a pledge by King Abdullah to strike back at the Islamic State following its murder of the Jordanian pilot, who was shot down in December.

 

 

NATO beefs up response force

 

NATO has announced plans to bolster the alliance's military presence in Eastern Europe.

A 5-thousand-strong rapid-reaction force is being established.

NATO says it will be able to deploy the troops within 48 hours.

Six new bases are also being set up in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

The move is being viewed as a deterrent against any Russian threat to the Baltic states or other bloc members, should the fighting in Ukraine spin out of control.

 

 

Newspaper Picks

 

 

CHINA DAILY

Headline

Beijing "smart pay" device

Summary

The public transport card currently used by commuters in Beijing is going to be incorporated in a wrist strap which can be connected to mobile phones wirelessly.

The technology is also going to allow commuters to charge their accounts and inquire about their balance via their mobile phones.

The device's pay functions are also going to be extend to supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, vending machines and restaurants.

It’s also said the new device will be able to monitor the user's health status, and provide health suggestions based on the statistics it obtains.

GLOBAL TIMES

Headline

Media outlets punished for doing paid news

Summary

China's media watchdog has sanctioned four media outlets for writing "paid news."

One of the journalists involved wrote "soft news" for 16 different companies, receiving payments worth around 150-thousand yuan.

In another case, a publication in Gansu has been punished for publishing promotional content for local governments worth 260-thousand yuan.

SHANGHAI DAILY

Headline

Beidou for port

Summary

Maritime authorities in Shanghai have announced plans to use China's Beidou Satellite Navigation System at its Yangshan Deep-Water Port.

This should allow ships to enter and leave the Yangshan Port with visibility less than 200 meters in the future.

BEIJING TIMES

Headline

Custody rights revoked

Summary

A local court in the city of Xuzhou in Jiangsu has stripped custody of a 10-year-old girl from her parents.

The girl was sexual assaulted and abandoned.

The ruling is being deemed news-worthy as its the first ruling of its kind in China after the implementation of the new guidelines surrounding parental abuse, which took effect at the beginning of this year.

The father is already serving an 11-year sentence.

SHENZHEN DAILY

Headline

Overseas online shopping limits reduced

Summary

The limits on online overseas transactions have been increased from 10-thousand U.S. dollars to 50-thousand.

At the same time, payment companies are being allowed to open more foreign exchange accounts.

XIAOXIANG MORNING POST

Headline

Teen soccer development

Summary

China's education minister has announced football will be part of students' overall quality assessments, demanding schools keep a record of students' football skills.

Football is also going to be made a compulsory part of physical education classes.

 

 

Special Reports

 

 

China Promotes new Citizens' Tax ID Numbers

 

Anchor:

Observers are suggesting the impending creation of a new Tax Identification Card here in China is going to create equity in the overall tax system.

CRI's Min Rui has more.

Reporter:

The tax number would be the same as the number on the Chinese ID card, and similar to the social security numbers issued in other countries.

Currently, Chinese citizens pay taxes through their employers. Individual citizens don't have to declare their sources of income.

Liu Jianwen is a professor of law at Peking University. He says linking taxes with the permanent ID number will be easier to manage for the authorities and can help to create a national credit collection system

The taxpayer identification number system aims to help establish the social credit system. It benefits all Chinese people, and it is a result of a pressing need. As we are in the time of Big Data, using the internet to manage information is a must. Also, the ID number is indispensable in pursuing fairness and justice in the construction of the legal system. It would be tricky without the system"

The idea of using the ID card number in the tax system was first brought up in 2005, but was never promoted nationwide to all Chinese citizens.

Du Liqun is the deputy of the Credit Research Center at Peking University.

She says the ID number should be linked not only with the tax system but also with other aspects like credit history, social security, etc.

"So far the banks have done well in information acquisition, but they also should share info with other organs like taxation, quality inspection, the commerce department, and customs to improve the credit system on a larger scale in all aspects."

All Chinese citizens need a tax ID when signing work contracts, paying insurance, and buying properties.

The new system will also better help authorities to track individuals' sources of income and personal assets.

For CRI, I'm Min Rui

 

 

Sports

 

 

Basketball: CBA Playoffs Start Tonight, NBA Preview

 

In basketball action:

The Chinese Basketball Association Playoffs tip off tonight:

Quangdong, who went 26-0 leading up to the playoffs to usurp the top spot of the league, will take on Dongguan.

And the Beijing Ducks will face Jilin Northeast.

Jilin's Dominic Jones says he's the best player in the CBA; he'll go up against league veteran and import player Stephon Marbury, who may have something to say about Jones opinion.

Those games get underway at 8 p.m., Beijing time.

Then tomorrow:

Second-place Liaoning will battle Guangsha;

and Qingdao hit the court against Shanxi.

Over in the NBA:

Four games on schedule this morning:

The Washington will face Charlotte;

The LA Clippers take on Cleveland;

Sacramento host Dallas;

And Phoenix is on the road in Portland.

 

 

Table Tennis: Zhang Jike and Ma Long to Battle for Trip to World Championships

 

Three months after their World Cup singles final, Chinese star paddlers Zhang Jike and Ma Long will fight for the second ticket through men's team scrimmage for 2015 World Table Tennis Championships.

In the men's World Cup singles final in Dusseldorf last October, Zhang edged Ma in the seven-game thriller, before he controversially put his foot through two plates around the court.

Zhang kept his hot momentum in Thursday's quarterfinals and semifinals, where he beat Hao Shuai and Fang Bo in five-game matches.

The result of another semifinal between Ma Long and Xu Xin went beyond some people's expectation, where Ma saw a comfortable 3-0 win over Xu.

Fan Zhendong has got the first ticket among Chinese boys for the Worlds through stage-one of scrimmage here.

In women's action, after beating Chen Meng 3-1, world No. 1 Ding Ning will meet Mu Zi in Friday's finals. Mu Zi beat Feng Yalan 3-0 in her semifinal match to advance.

 

 

Golf: Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell Lead Round 1 of Malaysia Open

 

Down at the Malaysia Open:

Defending champion Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup teammate Graeme McDowell are tied at the top of the leader, having shot 66 for 6 under par.

It's little surprise seeing both players in the lead, given the way they both played in Dubai last week and that Westwood won this event by seven strokes last year.

Their opening rounds were similar, with both making seven birdies, but Graeme slipping up at the sixth hole.

Although the course this year was tricker, Westwood says he's happy with the round:

"My iron shots were pretty good, distance control was alright, considering the conditions that was good, putted very nicely - I'm starting the ball on line a lot, left a couple short in the middle (of the round), just got fooled by the grain. But all in all, I was very happy with the round. That's probably the trickiest I've ever seen this golf course play."

Both sank 7 birdies and sit one ahead of Tommy Fleetwood, hometown favourite Danny Chia and Sung Kang, who are all tied for second at 67 for 5 under.

 

 

Football: Ghana to Face Ivory Coast in AfCon Final; La Liga and EPL Preview

 

In football action:

Ghana are through to the final on the African Nations Cup after thrashing hosts Equatorial Guinea 3-0, earning the ire of the home crowd.

A converted penalty from Jordan Ayew and a successful strike from Wakaso Mubarak put the Black Stars two ahead of the hosts late in the first half.

Incensed by their team's poor performance, Equatorial Guinea supporters started throwing water bottles and other debris at Ghana team-members and fans.

Riot police were called in to protect the rivals and their supporters; after Ghana scored a third goal in the second half, a small section of Black Star fans had to be escorted out of the stadium by police for their own safety.

Play was stopped in the 82nd minute for more than half an hour because of the turmoil in the stands.

After the game resumed, one fan ran onto the pitch during stoppage time to confront a linesman, but was intercepted by security.

Ghana will go on to face the Ivory Coast in the African Nations Cup final on Sunday.

Over in Premiere League action this weekend:

Arsenal will face Tottenham;

Chelsea take on Aston Villa;

Leicester battle Crystal Palace;

Man City will meet Hull;

QPR and Southampton will go at it;

Swansea take to the pitch against Sunderalnd;

and Everton will face Liverpool;

then on Sunday:

Burnley will face West Brom, Stoke clashes with Newcastle and West Ham take on Man U.

In accion de la liga:

an injury-heavy Real Madrid squad will face Atletico Madrid in their derby;

then on Sunday, league leaders Barcelona take on Bilbao;

and it's Sevilla facing Getafe.

 

 

Entertainment

 

 

"Nobody Wants the Night" opens the Berlin Film Festival

 

The 65th Berlin International Film Festival has kicked off, with the first of 19 contenders for the event's top Golden Bear honor.

"Nobody Wants the Night," directed by Isabel Coixet, started off a varied competition at this year's first major European film festival.

The opening film, set in 1908 and starring Juliette Binoche as the wife of an Arctic explorer, had its international premiere at the event.

Binoche explained why the Berlinale is so special to her.

"The choice is very picky, arty and strong, and one of the themes is the other tone, of choosing films about the others, the stranger. So I am very touched by that."

Coixet is one of three female directors in the competition at the Berlinale, and only the second woman to hold its coveted opening-night spot.

Chinese Film Gone With The Bullets directed by Jiang Wen is the only Chinese film in the competition and will be screened to judges next Wednesday.

The festival's Golden Bear top prize, will be awarded at a gala ceremony on February 14 by jury president Darren Aronofsky, the US director of "Black Swan".

 

 

34th Hong Kong Film Awards Nominations Announced

 

Nominations for the 34th annual Hong Kong Film Awards have been announced.

Felix Chong and Alan Mark's crime thriller "Overheard 3" took the lead with 11 nods, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor.

The film was closely followed by "The Golden Era" by Ann Hui and "Rise of the Legend" by Roy Chow Hin-Yeung, each with 10 nominations.

Nicholas Cheung made his directorial debut this year with horror film "Hungry Ghost Ritual."　

The 47-year-old said that he was actually relieved that his name wasn't called when Best New Director nominees were announced.

"It is the first time I feel happy about not being nominated.　Because I feel, if I really received the nomination personally, I think that it should go to young people who are directing for the first time.　That would make more sense. I have been an actor for so many years.　I'm directing films because it's a hobby. So without me on it, the list of nominees makes more sense."

Competing for Best Director will be Ann Hui, Felix Chong and Alan Mak, Peter Chan, Fruit Chan and Dante Lam.

Other films nominated for best film are Peter Chan's "Dearest," "Aberdeen" by Pang Ho-Cheung, and "The Midnight After" by Fruit Chan.

The awards ceremony will be held on April 19, 2015 in Hong Kong.

 

 

Hong Kong Film Festival to put spotlight on Sylvia Chang

 

Some more news coming from the Hong Kong Film Festival.

Award winning actress, director and screenwriter Sylvia Chang has been named this year's 'Filmmaker in Focus' at the event.

The festival will screen 13 of her films to celebrate her career.

Among the screenings will be the world premiere of her latest directorial work, "Murmur of the Hearts."

Chang has also served as vice chair of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, president of the Taipei International Film Festival and chairwoman of the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.

She will be appear in person at a face to face seminar on April 5 at the Hong Kong cultural centre to talk about film, art and her life.

 

 

Amy Pascal to step down as co-chairman of Sony Pictures

 

Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and head of the film studio is to step down.

The move comes after Pascal's personal emails were leaked online, after a massive hack hit the company, which put her under fire for racist remarks about President Obama's presumed choice in movies.

Pascal, one of the most powerful women in Hollywood, will launch a major new production venture at the studio focused on movies, television and theater.

Pascal will transition to the new venture in May, her career with Sony has spanned nearly 20 years.