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

Coming up on the program this morning...

An historic meeting in Singapore is being hailed as a new high point for relations across the Taiwan Strait...

A Chinese envoy expresses confidence in Beijing's relationship with Myanmar, where an historic general election gets underway today...

And the wreckage of a crashed Russian plane in Sinai is to be moved to the Egyptian capital...

We have our weekly roundup of the latest Science & Technology news.

In Sports...results from the first leg of the AFC Champions League final...

In Entertainment...new music from Coldplay...

All of that coming up in the next hour, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghourFind us on WeChat by searching "beijinghour"Or email us directly at [email protected].

You can also visit crienglish.com for the latest news and information from China Radio International.

Top NewsCross-Strait ties reach the best period in 66 yearsAnchor:

Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou have sat down together at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, marking the first face-to-face exchange between the two leaders across the Taiwan Straits in 66 years.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen has the details.

Reporter:

Addressing each other as "Mr", Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou agreed that the cross-Strait ties had reached its best period since 1949.

After a historic handshake lasting for some 70 seconds, Xi Jinping told Ma that history has proved that no force could set the two sides apart.

"The 66-year history of the development of cross-Strait relations shows that no matter how much ordeal the two sides have undergone and how long the two sides have been isolated from each other, they cannot be pulled apart. We are brothers who are still connected by our flesh even if our bones are broken. We are 'one family'."Looking ahead, Xi Jinping said both sides are now at the crossroads for choosing the direction and path for future development in cross-Strait relations.

"We should prove with concrete moves to the world that the Chinese from both sides have the capabilities and wisdom to solve their own problems. As such, I hope that the two sides could adhere to the 1992 Consensus, consolidate common political foundations, stick to the path of peaceful development, and maintain the right direction for development of cross-Strait ties."Ma Ying-jeou echoed Xi's viewpoints, calling for a joint effort to consolidate the 1992 Consensus, and maintain the peaceful status quo.

In his five-point proposals, Ma suggested that the two sides could achieve a win-win outcome by reducing hostility and resolve disputes in peaceful means, while expanding cross-Strait exchanges.

"Maintaining peace and stability on both sides of the Taiwan Straits is the mainstream public opinion in Taiwan. The future development of cross-Strait relations must follow the people's desires. I especially emphasised that the two sides must base our ties on integrity, respect, clarity and good will in order to narrow the distance between the two sides. So I specially mentioned that both sides should turn hostility into friendship, and seek peace, not war."Ma Ying-jeou added that both sides could set up a joint hot-line to exchange views on urgent matters.

Later, Zhang Zhijun, head of mainland's Taiwan affairs office, revealed some key points during their 1 hour meeting behind closed doors.

Zhang Zhijun says Xi has encouraged the expansion of cross-Strait cooperation in various aspects on the basis of "One China" Principle.

"Xi Jinping expressed his great hope that both sides could soon clinched deals about the cross-Strait trade on goods and the set-up of cross-Strait offices between the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS). Xi Jinping welcomes people in Taiwan to join the 'Belt and Road' initiatives, also welcomes Taiwan could join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in future."Both leaders stressed the goodwill across the Taiwan straits since Ma Ying jeou was elected as Taiwan leader in 2008.

In the past seven years, 23 agreements have been signed between the two sides, making bilateral trade volume worth over 170 billion US dollars.

At the same time, over 8 million tourists travelled across the straits annually.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen.

Xi-Ma meeting hailed by Taiwan and overseas media, expertsAnchor:

The historic meeting between Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou, the first meeting between leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait since 1949, has been widely hailed by media commentators in Taiwan and overseas.

CRI's Niu Honglin has more.

Reporter:

Fang Nien-hua, a news anchor for TVBS Taiwan, says the meeting has delivered an important message to the people across the Taiwan Straits.

"Both President Xi and Mr. Ma Ying-jeou delivered a message at the beginning of their statement that people across the Taiwan Straits share the same history of China, which is an intangible basis when we seek common points while reserving differences."The meeting has also received wide international coverage from many foreign media outlets.

Akira Takeda, a reporter from Tokyo Broadcasting System Television (TBS), was impressed as he witnessed the historic handshake.

"President Xi and Mr. Ma Ying-jeou talked with each other directly. With smiles on their faces, they shook hands, waved to reporters and then walked off to have the meeting. I felt it was very deep."Zheng Yongnian, the director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, says a firm adherence to the 1992 Consensus based on the one China principle is the premise on which to promote relations between the two sides across the Taiwan Strait.

"Both President Xi and Mr. Ma Ying-jeou have been aware of the fact that the 1992 Consensus is the political basis for the peaceful and stable development of the two sides. Therefore, in my opinion, the development on the basis of the 1992 Consensus indicates a clear direction for the next phase."Zheng also says that the meeting is a milestone moment on the road to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The two leaders both emphasized the Chinese rejuvenation.

He says the landmark meeting will undoubtedly instill more confidence in a bright future of cross-Strait relations for compatriots on both sides, and prove to the international community that Chinese people across the Straits are fully capable of solving their own issues and jointly contributing to regional and global peace, stability and development.

For CRI, I am Niu Honglin.

Chinese president's visit has further deepened Singapore-China ties: Singapore PMSingaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he had a fruitful meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Lee reveals that Singapore has signed several agreements with China, including the third government-to-government project in Chongqing, launching the upgrade of the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, collaboration on education, urban management and customs.

Lee believes these deals will open up more opportunities for mutual exchange, trade, investments and development.

The Singaporean Prime Minister adds China's dramatic progress is positive for the region and the world. Singapore will continue to take bilateral relations forward.

New Deals Aim to Boost China-Singapore CooperationAnchor:

For more about the deals signed between China and Singapore, CRI's Luo Wen reports.

Reporter:

Among the accords is a long-anticipated deal over negotiations to upgrade the seven-year-old China-Singapore free trade agreement.

Zhang Jianping, a foreign trade expert with China's top economy planner, NDRC, says it's expected to meet the increasing needs of bilateral businesses and create more room for future cooperation.

"As free trade and investment is gaining further momentum around the world, it's necessary for China and Singapore to upgrade their FTA to boost bilateral trade, mutual investment and the cooperation between relevant sectors of the two sides. Once upgraded, it's likely to create more jobs for both sides."The existing China-Singapore FTA was signed in October 2008.

It came into force on Jan. 1 next year.

It was China's first comprehensive bilateral FTA with another Asian country.

The FTA deal is among those signed earlier Saturday in the presence of President Xi Jinping and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

One of those agreements concerns the third government-to-government project between the two sides.

Under the deal, the two sides will join hands to build Chongqing in southwestern China into an important nodal point for the "Belt and Road" initiative.

The latest deal follows the success of two previous G-to-G projects -- the Suzhou Industrial Park established in 1994 and an Eco-city project inaugurated seven years ago in Tianjin.

Chongqing, one of China's four municipalities, has seen a fast-growing economy since 2014.

The city's economy expanded by 11 percent in the first three quarters of this year.

Singapore Business Federation chairman Teo Siong Seng says the Chongqing project is different from the previous two as it will target China's central and west regions.

Teo is looking forward to the opportunities the new plan will bring.

"Apart from being an important transit center for Southeast Asia, Singapore has also advantages in finance, communications, e-commerce and logistics. We hope to fully play these advantages for the third project."Xi arrived in Singapore after wrapping up his state visit to Vietnam on Friday.

The two sides have agreed to redefine their ties as a partnership of 'all-round cooperation' in keeping with the times.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

Chinese envoy says confident in future of China-Myanmar tiesA Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry says China is confident in the future of its relations with Myanmar.

Sun Guoxiang is leading a team to observe Myanmar's general election, happening today.

Sun says Myanmar and China are friendly neighbors, and China hopes to see a more stable and more developed Myanmar.

The envoy noted that the two countries' relations will continue to move ahead in the common interests of the two countries after Myanmar's general election.

Sun arrived in Myanmar on Tuesday at the invitation of the Myanmar government.

Hong Kong Wine and Spirit Fair- Growing thirst for wines in AsiaAnchor:

Wines, whiskies and various other alcoholic beverages quenched the thirsts of the many visitors at the just-concluded Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair.

The event featured a thousand exhibitors from all over the world, who see Asia as an attractive, growing market.

CRI's Luo Bin has more.

Reporter:

It's bottoms up at Hong Kong's International Wine and Spirits Fair, the eighth edition of the event.

More than 360 million US dollars' worth of wine was exported by Hong Kong in the first eight months of 2015 - that's an 88.2 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

However, it's not just wines quenching visitors' thirsts. There's also an array of spirits, including Japanese whiskey.

Agent Baron Hui says Mars Whiskey's spirits feature a distinctly Japanese taste.

"Mars Whiskey offers a sweeter and softer taste. The texture is silkier. It also has a very strong floral scent as Japanese people enjoy a more delicate taste in whiskey. Its uniqueness sets it aside from its usual Scottish counterpart which has a smoky aroma."Mars Whiskey is made by the Shinshu Mars Distillery, which has adopted certain technologies from famed Scottish whiskey production and incorporates that with Japanese techniques.

Opened on Thursday this week, the three-day fair featured over one thousand exhibitors from all over the world.

Santo Gomes, Managing Director of Sogrape Asia Pacific, says they're aiming to grasp the recent growth of China's wine market with both hands, particularly making sure they offer wines at affordable prices.

"With recent developments in the Chinese market, which is one of the largest markets in the region, we've been investing in recent years in developing brands that offer very good value for money and showing people that they don't need to spend a lot of money in order to get a good wine."Despite China's recent economic slowdown, experts here are confident the wine market will continue to prosper in Asia.

Hong Kong-based Master of Wine, Debra Meiburg, says the wine market remained buoyant during the last financial crisis. And the large volume of exhibitors and visitors to the fair clearly show no sign of a declining industry.

"Interestingly, the world fell into global financial crisis just as Hong Kong's wine market took off and I think historically wine has never actually followed say, the stock market. Wine is an asset, but it has always forged its own path and performed financially independently of what's happening in the world. Except of course, you need a bit of money around to buy some of the top-level wines."With 31 countries participating at the fair, it seems there's a strong intention from international winemakers to tap into China's blossoming wine market.

For CRI, I'm Luo BinRussia Marks 74th Anniversary of 1941 Military ParadeA group of Russian soldiers marched across Moscow's Red square on Saturday to mark the 74th anniversary of an historic military parade.

Over 55-thousand Russian soldiers dressed in Red Army World War uniforms, including 21 veterans who took part in the original parade of 1941, have participated in the event.

Elina Akimova with the Council of Veterans in Moscow says the event will help younger generations understand the history:

"I think it serves as a great opportunity to teach the children especially about patriotism. This is an important event not only for the older generation, but also the younger generation,"55 pieces of WWII military hardware - tanks, armored cars and several other armored vehicles and motorcycles, were also employed during the parade.

The 1941 parade was held after Russia joined WWII, with an aim to raise morale as Nazi forces approached Moscow. 285-thousand soldiers marched from Red Square directly to the front line to defend Moscow from invading Nazi forces.

Crashed Russian Plane to be moved to CarioThe wreckage of the Russian plane that crashed in Sinai will soon be moved to the Egyptian capital Cairo.

Investigators now say "a noise was heard in the last second" from the cockpit voice recorder.

Ayman al-Muqaddam is head of the investigation committee,"A noise was heard in the last second of the CVR recording. A spectral analysis will be carried out by specialized labs in order to identify the nature of this noise."Referring to media reports citing Western intelligence sources pointing to the possibility that the plane was brought down by a bomb, Muqaddam says no evidence related to those claims had been provided to his team.

"The committee is considering with great attention all possible scenarios for the cause of the accident and did not reach till the moment any conclusion in this regard."Muqaddam says structural fatigue, a fuel explosion and even lithium batteries carried by passengers could be a cause.

The Russian plane crashed late October in Egypt's North Sinai, shortly after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport, killing all 224 people on board.

Earlier on Saturday, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry criticized the panic and hastiness of some "partners", which "had negative effects on the Egyptian economy and the tourism field."Britain have suspended its flights to Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh based on intelligence information suggesting a bomb might have been behind the Russian plane crash.

Russian President Vladimir Putin decided on Friday to suspend all Russian flights to Egypt in light of the same speculation.

Relationship between EU and Iran at a decisive stage: Martin SchulzThe President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, is suggesting that the relationship between the European Union and Iran is at a critical stage.

"We are in a decisive phase in our relationship between the EU and Iran."Schulz made the remark during a one-day visit to Tehran, where he met Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

Schulz has also met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

His visit to Iran comes after the country signed an historic nuclear agreement with major world powers in July.

Under the July 14 accord with the United States and other countries, Iran must dismantle large parts of its disputed nuclear programme before international sanctions, imposed over suspicion the program had bomb-making purposes, can be lifted.

The European Union hopes to import gas from Iran, which has some of the world's largest reserves, to reduce its dependence on Russia.

However, even after sanctions are lifted, the lack of export infrastructure will delay plans.

People in Sierra Leone holds candlelit vigil to mark the end of EbolaResidents of Sierra Leone's capital held a candlelit vigil and celebrations on Saturday to mark the end of an Ebola epidemic that has killed almost 4-thousand people.

More than 220 health workers also lost their lives since the epidemic began last year.

Names of health workers who died because of the virus were read out during the vigil.

Alfred Conteh, head of National Ebola Response Centre, says he hopes the country will remain free of the virus.

"Our compatriots who have succumbed to this disease, we hope that Ebola does not return to Sierra Leone soon."No new cases have been reported in the past 42 days.

The epidemic has killed more than 11,300 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea since it was announced in March 2014.

Sierra Leone's death toll was 3,955 people.

Ukraine military withdraw light weaponsUkraine's military says it has finished withdrawing its light weapons from the eastern frontline with rebels, where clashes have erupted in recent days despite a ceasefire.

A Ukrainian soldier says troops near the front now have only firearms left.

"Today was the next phase of the pullout of light weapons. We have withdrawn Vasylkis, they are good mortar launchers, but now we have lost them. We pulled them back to a reasonable distance and our guys say - if something happens - it would take not too much time to get them back."Saturday's pullout completed the government's weapons withdrawal from the Donetsk area.

Kiev's withdrawal came after rebels said they pulled their light arms from the area on Thursday.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe says the ceasefire is "largely holding" but that the situation remains "volatile."A peace deal signed in February calls for a vote to be held in the eastern regions.

Those elections have now been pushed back to early 2016.

The Ukraine conflict that erupted over one year ago has killed more than 8,000 people.

New Wireless Device Keeps Snoring in CheckAnchor:

US developers have come up with a new wireless device that keeps snoring in check while offering health benefits.

CRI's Fu Yu has more.

Reporter:

Start-up company Smart Nora has found a solution to combat the sound of snoring with "Nora", a wireless device that automates the nudging process without having to disturb people.

The company's co-founder Behrouz Hariri explains how the idea of such a device emerged from his mind.

"Often a very small movement or a very gentle push will stop the snoring. The problem is that it is very likely that after a few minutes they will start snoring again and nobody has the patience to continuously overnight just nudge or push their partner very gently to stop their snoring."Nora's job is to listen for snores and give a nudge before either the snorer or the partner wakes up.

It activates a pump that inflates a mat underneath the pillow when it gets loud enough. The process stimulates the airway muscles and quiets down the snorning.

Hariri says this method guarantees a better quality of sleep.

"Nora is actually listening for volumes of snoring that are below the sensitivity of their partner. So just before snoring is getting loud enough to wake them up, Nora does the gently push or the gentle movement of the pillow and that, in turn, reduces the volume of snoring then both partners can actually have continuous sleep."Nora could also have health implications.

It stops snoring and therefore reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, depression and diabetes.

Hariri says Nora is working well in terms of the results of their trial runs.

"We have made a limited number of prototypes to test on different users and taking it back from someone after a week or two of sleeping is not an easy task. "The developers are in a fundraising campaign where they have raised nearly 375-thousand US dollars to date.

For CRI, this is Fu Yu.

Scores missing as deadly mudslide flattens Brazil villageFirefighters have rescued 500 survivors from a torrent of mining waste that killed at least 17 people and destroyed a village after two dams burst in southeastern Brazil.

They have been searching for survivors after the mudslide erupted Thursday from waste reservoirs at the partly Australian-owned iron ore mine.

The torrent ripped the roofs off houses.

The mudslide flattened Bento Rodrigues, a village of 600 people near the southeastern city of Mariana.

17 people have been confirmed dead and 50 others injured.

The fire chief in Mariana also warned more bodies have been found and scores could be missing.

Severe Drought Fueling Fires further South ChileA new climate report is suggesting an unusually prolonged drought has been fueling forest fires that are spreading more than ever into in southern Chile.

The drought is considered to be the longest and most severe droughts in Chile's history, says Chile's Centre for Climate and Resilience Research.

According to the report, the forest area burned in south-central Chile has increased by 70 percent in the past five years.

Over 100-thousand hectares have burned in the past two seasons.

The report also suggests massive fires from the Valparaiso to the south-central Araucania region have increased by 27 percent during the mega drought, leading to a longer fire season in the region.

So far, the flames in Chile this year have engulfed vast tracts of national parks and ancient woodland.

Airstrikes Kill 10 near Syrian CapitalAt least 10 people have been killed in airstrikes against the rebel stronghold of Douma, east of the Syrian capital Damascus.

Meanwhile, Syrian helicopters have also dropped at least 16 barrel bombs near Daraya, west of Damascus. Injuries have been reported.

The Syrian army has waged a broad offensive in tandem with Russian airstrikes against terrorists that started in late September.

The Russian airstrikes has been hailed by the Syrian government as efficient in cracking down on terror.

However, the rebels have accused Russia of supporting the administration of President Bashar al-Assad against the opposition.

WeatherBeijing will be overcast with a high of 9 degrees Celsius, clear tonight and a low of 0.

Shanghai will have slight rain with a high of 16 and a low of 14.

In Chongqing, it will see slight rain with a high of 20, overcast tonight, lows of 16.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will be overcast with a high of 23.

Kabul, slight rain, highs of 10.

Over to North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 12 degrees.

Washington, cloudy, 13 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 27.

Toronto will have some clouds with a high of 9 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires, cloudy with a high of 28.

And Rio de Janeiro will have slight rain with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsChinese president back home after Vietnam, Singapore visitsPresident Xi Jinping returned to Beijing early Sunday morning after his state visits to Vietnam and Singapore.

The president visited Vietnam on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and the Vietnamese President.

He then visited Singapore on Friday and Saturday at the invitation of Singaporean President.

Chinese envoy says confident in future of China-Myanmar tiesA Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry says China is confident in the future of its relations with Myanmar.

Sun Guoxiang is leading a team to observe Myanmar's general election, happening today.

Sun says Myanmar and China are friendly neighbors, and China hopes to see a more stable and more developed Myanmar.

The envoy noted that the two countries' relations will continue to move ahead in the common interests of the two countries after Myanmar's general election.

Sun arrived in Myanmar on Tuesday at the invitation of the Myanmar government.

Russian plane wreckage to be moved to safe place in CairoThe wreckage of the Russian plane that crashed in Sinai will soon be moved to the Egyptian capital Cairo.

Investigators now say "a noise was heard in the last second" from the cockpit voice recorder and a spectral analysis will be carried out to identify the nature of this noise.

Referring to media reports that the plane may be brought down by a bomb, the investigation committee say no evidence related to those claims has been provided to his team.

The Russian plane crashed late October in Egypt's North Sinai, shortly after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport, killing all 224 people on board.

Several countries have suspended their flights to Egypt for safety concerns.

Relationship between EU and Iran at a decisive stage: Martin SchulzThe President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, is suggesting that the relationship between the European Union and Iran is at a critical stage.

Schulz made the remark during a one-day visit to Tehran, where he met Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani.

Schulz has also met Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

His visit to Iran comes after the country signed an historic nuclear agreement with major world powers in July.

Under the July 14 accord with the United States and other countries, Iran must dismantle large parts of its disputed nuclear programme before international sanctions, imposed over suspicion the program had bomb-making purposes, can be lifted.

Sci&Tech (Sunday)Anchor:

It's time now to check on the news of the week from the science and technology sector.

The first domestically produced large passenger jet has been unveiled in China,China is planning to carry out a series of state-level scientific projects to boost its development in the next five years,And the International Space Station has marked its 15th Anniversary.

We get more from CRI's Wen Jie.

Reporter:

China has unveiled its first domestically produced large passenger jet.

The C919, which can seat 158 passengers, has been rolled out of the final assembly line after going under production at a facility in Shanghai for over a year.

Mavis Toh, Asia air transport editor for Flightglobal, says it is an answer to the industry giants Airbus and Boeing's aircrafts.

"The C919 is targeted as a competitor to the Airbus A320 and also the Boeing 737. This is a very significant programme for China because it's basically their – it's a major push for the country as they want to be known as a major player in the aviation manufacturing sector."The plane, developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, has a standard flight range of 4,075 km.

The aircraft featured 102 new applications of technology and materials, including third generation aluminum-lithium alloy materials, which were used for the body.

Li Xianping, deputy chief designer of the aircraft, says the design was coordinated by a digital prototype this time.

"Before, our designing was coordinated by a physical prototype, but now we use a digital prototype to coordinate the process. With the help of it we can visualize the overall structure and over 10-thousand parts of the aircraft.

The C919 is scheduled to make its maiden flight next year and then begin test flights for about three years before putting into commercial use.

Scholars said scientific and technological innovation enabled by large-scale scientific projects will lead China's overall development in the following years.

The remarks come as China is planning to carry out a series of state-level scientific projects in the next five years, and to take a lead in organizing large-scale international research projects.

Vice president of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wang Enge, said the goal is set out of economic and practical consideration.

"Large-scale scientific projects will not only promote the development of fundamental researches and technical breakthroughs but they are also an important platform and support that facilitate many practical projects."At the same time, Mu Rongping with the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proposed the building of scientific and technological research bases in regions along the Yangtze River.

Mu said over the past 30 years the country has built good research and development infrastructure in its coastal areas, so it is necessary now to move development towards the central and western parts of the country.

The Chinese mainland and Hong Kong have vowed to deepen bilateral science and technology cooperation during the national 13th Five-Year Plan period.

The commitment was made at the 10th Mainland-Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee meeting held in Hong Kong on Thursday.

The meeting agreed to support Hong Kong as the leading base for international science and technology exchanges and cooperation, in concert with national needs and developments.

Five more Hong Kong branches of the Chinese National Engineering Research Centers will be established in the coming years.

The committee also agreed to reassess 12 Partner State Key Laboratories in Hong Kong to ensure they maintain their leading positions in their research areas.

Monday marked 15 years of continuous human habitation on NASA's International Space Station.

Commander of the station Scott Kelly says the station serves as an important testing bed for space technology.

"It's clearly an orbiting laboratory, a world class orbiting laboratory at that. There's the exploration goals and the things we need to understand living in low earth orbit that will enhance our capability to explore further out into the solar system."Scientists are using the ISS as a testing ground to develop technologies that could eventually send humans to Mars.

The first station crew docked on November 2, 2000. Since then, 220 people have moved in and out of the station. The ISS is a 100-billion-dollar research laboratory that flies 400 km above Earth. It is a collaboration between the US, Russia, Canada, Japan and a number of European countries.

The crew currently on board planned a celebratory dinner to mark the occasion.

Scientists from around the world gathered in Budapest, Hungary this past week for this year's World Science Forum.

Themed "The Enabling Power of Science," the event focused on a more responsible and ethical use of science in addressing environmental and health challenges.

The gathering in Budapest was sponsored by the United Nations, the International Council for Science and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, among other groups.

The World Science Forum has been held every other year since 2003.

The next one will be in Jordan in 2017.

The Xi Hou Men Bridge across the Zhou Shan Archipelago has received the outstanding award from the International Federation of Consulting Engineers for 2015.

The Xi Hou Men Bridge contains the world's longest steel box girder as well as a main span of 1,650 meters, which is the longest in China and the second longest in the world.

According to the FIDIC citation, the project was rewarded for its innovation and excellent quality, transparent management and implementation, and for its respect for the environment.

Enrico Vink, the managing director of FIDIC, explained their criteria for awards.

"We are focusing in particular on projects that deserve international recognition, there are some special features about them - innovation, demonstrating innovation. Also, looking at issues like sustainability principles - has it been designed to be more sustainable? And, it's quite clear that in the case of China, a lot of innovation is taking place, and there are a lot of skills in China that we can share with the rest of the world."As one of the most authoritative organizations in the field of engineering consulting, FIDIC has published various guides and terms that have been widely applied to international engineering projects.

Chinese projects have been honored with FIDIC awards for three years.

NASA has announced its planning to begin a new recruiting drive for astronauts.

Among those chosen could be some who may end up making NASA's historic trip to Mars.

The requirements for astronaut training include applicants be US citizens.

NASA is also looking for a wide variety of backgrounds, including pilots, engineers, scientists and medical doctors.

Candidates need to have at least 3-years of professional experience in what-ever field their applying for.

Pilots have to have at least a thousand hours behind the stick of a fighter jet.

NASA is planning to send its Orion deep-space exploration vehicle to Mars in 2030s.

The space agency will be accepting applications starting in mid-December.

The final list of candidates is expected to be announced in mid-2017.

NASA has had more than 300 astronauts fly into space.

At the moment, 47 people are in NASA's active astronaut corps.

And that brings us to the end of this edition of our weekly science and technology report.

I'm Wenjie. See you next week.

SportsGuangzhou Evergrande and Al Ahli stalemate in 1st leg of AFCAnd for some football news:

Al Ahli and Guangzhou Evergrande battled it out to a goalless stalemate in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final.

The Chinese team made the trip to Dubai to face Al Ahli of the United Arab Emirates.

The first 25 minutes of the game saw Guangzhou playing some excellent offense, but in the end, the team couldn't keep the pace and the game was pronounced goalless.

Al Ahli player Khamiss Salmeen spoke about the game during a press conference.

"Today our performance was good but luck was not with us in scoring. What is important is that we did not concede any goals, we wait for the second match we will give the best performance in China and come up with a positive result.　It was the first time for us to play in the final, in the beginning it was the fear and awe of the opponent but in the second half we were able to control the game but luck was not with us in scoring goals."The Chinese team's coach Luiz Scolari is looking to take back the title for the best club in Asia for a second time in 3 years.

The last time they held that title was in 2013.

The second leg will be played in Guangzhou on November 21st.

Djokovic and Murray Face off in Paris Masters Finaland in tennis news:

World number one Novak Djokovic became the first player in the Open Era to reach 14 successive finals in a single season on SaturdayThis came after his 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 victory against Stanislas Wawrinka in the Semi-finals of the Paris Masters.

The match lasted 1 hour and 48 minutes as both players had their ups and downs, but in the end Djokovic was on top.

After the match, Djokovoc spoke about his upcoming match against Andy Murray.

"It's always a challenge. We played in Shanghai the last match a couple of weeks ago. I've played an unbelievable match - obviously I am hoping I can play as well as I did there but it's different conditions obviously playing indoors. He has been playing terrific tennis this week, I've seen him play and well, it is going to be a tough one physically, mentally. But I'm ready for it."Murray and Djokovich will face off in the Final on Sunday.

It will be the 7th meeting for the pair, with a 5 to 1 record, in Djokovic's favor.

Kevin Kisner leads in Golf's WGC Championship in ShanghaiIn some golf news:

American Kevin Kisner has maintained his position atop the leaderboard after carding a two under par 70 on day three of the WGC Champions in Shanghai on Saturday.

Heavy overnight rain caused a 75 minute delay before the players were allowed to T- off.

When play got underway, Rickie Fowler improved his position with a round of 68.

Local favourite Li Haotong carded a 66 to share second on the leaderboard.

and Rory McIlroy posted a four under par at the end of his round.

And moving forward, eyes were on Jordan Speith after the two-time major winner carded a round of 63.

After finishing the day, Speith spoke a few words regarding how he felt on the green.

"You almost feel as though you are out of the tournament. You almost feel as if you are playing the golf course, you are just playing for yourself, you have a higher level of trust. That is going to be my biggest inhibitor tomorrow to success is actually trusting what I worked on and what was useful today for the first 13, 14 holes in my swing. I just felt that it was free flowing, if it doesn't work out then you know what, that's fine and if it does, that's great."The man to catch is still Kevin Kisner as the tournament moves forward into Sunday.

Dubia's FINA swimming world cup concludesIn competitive swimming:

New Zealand's Lauren Boyle collected first-place in the women's 400 metres freestyle on the final day of the FINA Swimming World Cup in Dubai on Saturday.

Hungary's Katinka Hosszu picked up second, while Great Britain's Jaz Carlin grabbed third in the same event.

In the mens 50 meter freestyle, Brazil's Bruno Giuseppefratus claimed the top spot at first.

Behind him was, South Africa's Chad Le Clos in second and USA's Anthony Ervin in third.

And for the men's 100 meter Breast Stroke, South Africa's Cameron Van Der Burgh beat out Great Britians Adam Peaty for 1st.

In the 100 meter butterfly, Chad Le Clos came back to win his second medal of the weekend.

Behind him was USA's Tom Shields and Singapore's Zheng Wen Quah.

This win gave Le Clos his 4th medal in the tournament along with 2 silvers.

Manchester United beats West Bromwich 2-0and in some English Primier League news:

Manchester United beat West Bromwich Albion 2-0 in Old Tafford on Saturday.

Manchester United's coach Louis Van Gall spoke about the win during a press conference and also pointed out what his team needs to do as they move forward.

"Goals are always the main important thing in the game and that we have seen. Still, we don't give many chances away, like against CSKA Moscow (in the Champions League), only the header of (Saido) Berahino, I think that was the chance ofr them, so I'm a very happy manager, I think. We won a difficult game, last year we lose against this opponent. Probably because of that, Tony Pulis (WBA coach) chose this (defensive) strategy again and now we have won, so we have improved again."This win now puts their team within 1 point of their league's leaders, those being, Manchester City, Arsenal and Leicester City.

International Parachuting Competition held at Anshun Balinghe Bridgeand for some extreme sports news:

The 2015 China Anshun Balinghe Bridge International parachuting competition has just concluded as of Saturday.

This is the fourth time the competition has been held, since it started in 2012.

The competition was divided into skydiving and Base jumping.

Competitors jumped from an airplane or a bridge and free fell for 3-5 seconds before opening their parachutes around 100 meters above the ground.

Sounds pretty exciting....anyways, that's all I have...back to youEntertainment17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival provides business opportunitiesThe ongoing 17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival has become a platform not only for Chinese and foreign artists to show their original productions but also for them to exchange experiences and become better known in the Chinese market.

"Carrot Planet" is a Chinese musical for children highlighting a positive attitude towards life and a concern for children and humanity.

Zhu Yunyan, the Chinese producer of the play, says the art festival also serves as a good art market.

"This is an international art festival, which is able to link with many resources downstream and upstream in the performing arts market. This platform has provided a very good opportunity for us as an independent production company to recommend and promote our production."Some foreign troupes have also added a unique flavor to their performances.

A U.S.-based company staged an "aerial ballet" in China for the first time, giving free performances every week during the festival. Their show takes place on the side of a skyscraper with the dancers suspended by wires.

Roy Shippe is one of the performers.

"We have to readjust getting used to jumping away from the building and having 10 seconds of time before you come back. It takes a little calibrating, not to prepare to land after three seconds. So there's a lot of amazing moments out there, and like Jessica was saying, I've had some of those moments where it's just so amazing that it makes me laugh."The international art festival will run till Nov. 16th.

Zhang Yimou receives special lifetime achievement honor in US-China Summit in Los AngelesChinese director Zhang Yimou has received a special lifetime achievement honor at the 6th annual U.S.-China Film Summit in Los Angeles.

Other honorees include Le Vision Pictures founder and CEO Zhang Zhao and the Beijing Film Academy for its role in cultivating Chinese cinema talent during a period of historic industry growth.

The Asia Society-sponsored event features a series of panel discussions addressing a raft of perennial cross-border industry topics: such as Chinese investment in Hollywood, Hollywood investment in China.

Zhang Yimou's latest film "The Great Wall" is currently in production.

The film will hit the screens next year.

Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette Talk about New Film "Miss You Already"Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette recently talked about their new film "Miss You Already," a story about the friendship between two life-long girlfriends being put to the test when one starts a family and the other falls ill.

Collette says in preparation for the part, she did extensive research and spent as much time as she could with cancer patients, their families, and experts.

"Catherine and I spent a lot of time traveling around London meeting lots of people who were very generous with their time, and were very open to talking about their experiences because they were eager to have something realistic portrayed on screen,"As the star of a movie about women directed by one of Hollywood's foremost female directors, Barrymore says that now is a great time for women in entertainment, but that there is still more work to do.

"I think women's voices are so loud right now about what they need and want and desire and deserve, and it's always been women who have pioneered and paved the way to help us all have such blessed opportunities. And, so I really appreciate what's happening right now, and people do pay attention when you're loud, and if you handle it gracefully you can really accomplish so much, and I just feel like my whole life I've had so many good opportunities. So, I love the fight, and I also really just want to be really grateful for what I have been able to do.""Miss You Already" is now in theaters.

Coldplay debuts new single "Adventures of a Lifetime"Coldplay have revealed their seventh album, "A Head Full of Dreams", to be released on December 4th and have also premiered the first single, "Adventure of a Lifetime".

"A Head Full of Dreams" will contain 12 songs, including a hidden work "X Marks The Spot."The band have previously hinted the album could be their last, with Chris Martin describing it as "the completion of something".

A statement issued by Parlophone reads, "Coldplay has never enjoyed making a record more than this one. Nor have they been happier with the results."The press release also carries a colorful picture of the four-piece enjoying a visit to India; front man Chris Martin performed his first show in the market mid-year.

The band's last album, "Ghost Stories," was released in 2014 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. They chose not to tour "Ghost Stories," instead returning to the studio to record "A Head Full of Dreams."WeatherBeijing will be overcast with a high of 9 degrees Celsius, clear tonight and a low of 0.

Shanghai will have slight rain with a high of 16 and a low of 14.

In Chongqing, it will see slight rain with a high of 20, oveercast tonight, lows of 16.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will be overcast with a high of 23.

Kabul, slight rain, highs of 10.

Over to North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 12 degrees.

Washington, cloudy, 13 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 27.

Toronto will have some clouds with a high of 9 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires, cloudy with a high of 28.

And Rio de Janeiro will have slight rain with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

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

A recap of your headlines:

An historic meeting in Singapore is being hailed as a new high point for relations across the Taiwan Strait...

A Chinese envoy expresses confidence in Beijing's relationship with Myanmar, where an historic general election gets underway today...

And the wreckage of a crashed Russian plane in Sinai is to be moved to the Egyptian capital...

In Sports...results from the first leg of the AFC Champions League final...

On behalf of the Beijing Hour staffers: I'm Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour, to open a window to the world together.