新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2013/11/01

The Beijing Hour
 
Evening Edition
 
 
It's Friday, November 1st, 2013.
I'm Marc Cavigli, welcome to the Beijing Hour broadcasting live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program.
The Chinese government says it’s pleased with the progress being made in the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons.
The international community is making serious efforts to set a date for the Geneva 2 conference on Syria.
And Indonesia’s foreign ministry summons Australia’s ambassador over US spying allegations.
Business, China’s manufacturing growth hits an 18-month high.
Sports, Snooker player Marco Fu takes on Joe Perry in the International Open’s semi-finals.
Entertainments, Chinese celebrities sing Happy 50th Birthday to the Golden Horse Awards.
Plus Special reports takes a tasty look at the growing popularity of oysters in China.
 
 
Weather
 
 
Smog Hits Beijing Hard
 
Beijing authorities have declared a blue alert for air pollution in the capital Thursday night.
Smog levels have reached hazardous levels for the second time this week in Beijing.
Authorities are advising people stay indoors when possible.
Statistics show Beijing has been covered in smog for more than half of the month of October.
Only strong winds have helped clear the smog away.
 
 
Beijing will be overcast with a low of 5 degrees Celsius.　Tomorrow cloudy with a high temperature of 15.　
Meanwhile Shanghai will be cloudy tonight, with a low of 18, light rain tomorrow, with a high of 23.
Lhasa will have snow tonight, minus 1 degrees the low, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 12.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 25.
Kabul, sunny, 18.
Over in Australia
Sydney, overcast, highs of 29.
Canberra, overcast, 27.
Brisbane, sunny, 28.
And finally, Perth will be overcast with a high of 28.
 
 
Top News
 
 
FM: China satisfied with progress in Syria chemical weapons destruction
 
The Chinese government has issued a statement, saying it's satisfied with the latest development in the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.
The comment comes after the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons reported Syria has destroyed all of its chemical weapons production and mixing facilities.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.
"China is satisfied with the implementation of relevant agreements concerning the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons at the present stage. We praise the efforts made by relevant parties in realizing the progress. Next, the OPCW is to discuss a detailed destruction plan. We expect all relevant parties can continue to take a constructive attitude and draft a feasible plan as soon as possible. China is willing to work with relevant parties to push the process of destroying Syria's chemical weapons forward and finding a political resolution to the Syrian issue."
The OPCW has confirmed Syria has destroyed critical equipment for all of its declared chemical weapons production facilities and mixing/filling plants.
The deadline for this destruction, one of the main obligations in the disarmament plan, is November 1st.
The OPCW must now form a detailed plan by November 15th for the destruction of the country's 1-thousand plus tons of chemical weapons.
They weapons themselves must be obliterated by mid-2014.
The UN estimates more than 100-thousand people have been killed in the fighting that has ravaged Syria for two-and-a-half years.
A further 2-million people have fled Syria and some 4.5-million have been displaced internally.
 
 
"Serious" efforts exerted to hold Geneva II conference
 
The UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi says the international community is making serious efforts to ensure the Geneva II conference on Syria happens.
Brahimi made the comments at a press conference in Damascus, saying the peace talks are set to take place within the next few weeks.
"The Syrian government ensured its participation in the conference. The opposition, whether the coalition or other parties, are still seeking a way to be presented in Geneva conference."
However, at the same time, the United Nations concedes there is still no date set yet for a planned conference on Syria, which has been tentatively set for sometime this month.
UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky does say the UN is working hard to try to drum up support for the proposed session.
He has confirmed UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi will be meeting with both US and Russian officials this coming Tuesday in Geneva to "take stock of the preparations."
Doubt has been cast about whether the proposed Geneva II conference will take place.
Despite diplomatic reproaches by various parties, the exiled Syrian opposition remains divided about whether to attend the meeting.
Factions within the group remain adamant the negotiations can only take place if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agrees to step down.
 
 
Indonesia FM summons Australia ambassador for spying scandal
 
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has summoned Australia's Ambassador after media reports claimed the embassy was part of a U.S.-led global spying network.
Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Moriarty, refused to reveal details of the meeting.
"I've just had a meeting with the Secretary General and from my perspective, the meeting was a good meeting and now I have to go to and report to my government, thank you."
Indonesia called in the chief U.S. diplomat in Jakarta this week over similar allegations.
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported Australian embassies across Asia were part of the U.S. spying operation.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says the reports of spying by Australia and the United States were likely to be raised "in a more concerted way" by other countries.
The director of the US National Security Agency Keith Alexander defended surveillance programs during a speech in Baltimore on Thursday.
"We would like to put it down, we would like to put it aside, but if we do it is our fear there will be a gap and the potential for another 9-11. And we would not have done our duty."
The ever-growing spying scandal has already involved Asian and European countries.
China has also demanded an explanation from the United States.
For more on this we are joined on the line with Teng Jianqun, American Studies expert with the China Institute of International Studies.
…
That was Teng Jianqun, American Studies expert with China Institute of International Studies.
 
 
Iraqi PM warns terror comeback as he seeks U.S. arms
 
Iraqi Prime Minster Nouri al-Maliki is warning terrorism fueled by the civil war in neighboring Syria may spill into his country.
As such, al-Maliki is looking to procure U.S. arms to combat the rising insurgency in his country.
Maliki has made the revelation while speaking at the U.S. Institute for Peace in Washington.
"And, because if what happens in Iraq is not dealt with, it will expand, and what happens in Syria, if not dealt with, will also expand, and what happens in any country where the virus of terrorism lives, this virus will spread. But, we say this is the responsibility of the international community."
Maliki contends a power vacuum being created by the political turmoil in the Middle East has created a "second chance" for terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda, to exploit the situation.
 
 
Private Start-ups in China
 
Anchor:
The Chinese government has removed the capital minimum required to register a company.
Previously, entrepreneurs needed a set amount of capital before registering a business in China.
The minimum ranged from 30-thousand yuan, or close to 5-thousand Us dollars to over 820-thousand dollars for a joint stock corporation.
For more, CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King spoke earlier to Professor Denis Wang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School.
…
That's CRI's Nathan Wakelin-King speaking to Professor Denis Wang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School.
 
 
 
Biz Reports
 
 
Asian stocks 
 
Asian shares struggled on Friday, as surveys showing improvement in Chinese manufacturing activity were shadowed by anxiety over when the U.S. Federal Reserve will start to taper its massive stimulus.
Chinese shares closed slightly higher with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 0.4 percent, and the Shenzhen Component Index gained 0.1 percent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed up 0.2 percent.
Elsewhere in Asian,
Japan's Nikkei fell to a one-week closing low on Friday.
It fell 0.9 percent, reversing earlier gains.
Still, the benchmark was up 0.8 percent this week and is up 37 percent year-to-date.
South Korean KOSPI was up 0.5 percent.
Singapore's Straits Times Index was down 0.3 percent.
And Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.3percent.
 
 
China Focus: China's manufacturing growth hits 18-month high
 
New data shows China's purchasing managers' index, or PMI, for the manufacturing sector rose to 51.4-percent in October, hitting a new high since May 2012.
A figure above 50 percent signals expansion.
The data indicates China's manufacturing PMI has risen for four consecutive months showing a steady upward trend in manufacturing.
Analysts have attributed the strong PMI to expanding production, as corporate confidence has been boosted by government measures this year to stabilize growth and restructure the economy.
However, experts have also pointed out the prospects for future growth are far from rosy.
The NBS sub-index for employment and raw material inventories both rose slightly by 0.1-percentage point, however they are both still under 50-percent.
 
 
58.com list on the New York Stock Exchange
 
Chinese company 58.com has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Shares in 58.com, China's equivalent of Craigslist, have surged dramatically in their first day of trading, gaining near 42-percent to over 24-US dollars from the offering price of 17-U.S dollars.
Some analysts say 58.com's successful listing in the U.S is an "ice-breaking" event.
In 2011, some Chinese companies have been embroiled in alleged accounting fraud with many of them having to retreat from the U.S. market.
In the wake of 58.com's listing in the U.S, several Chinese Internet companies are looking to follow suit in the coming months, including Qunar.com, 500.com and Sungy Mobile Limited.
For more, we talked earlier with Professor Liu Baocheng, marketing expert with the University of International Business and Economics.
…
That was Professor Liu Baocheng, marketing expert with the University of International Business and Economics.
 
 
Chinese shipping firm inks deal with Vale
 
A large shipping company in east China has signed an iron ore transport deal with the world's top iron ore miner, Vale.
The deal is worth over 500-million U.S. dollars.
Shandong Shipping Corporation has also inked a strategic cooperation agreement with the Brazilian giant in Qingdao City, Shandong Province.
Under the deals, Vale has delivered four 400-thousand ton ore vessels to Shandong Shipping to operate.
Established in 2010, Shandong Shipping has 24 vessels including those under construction with a total of over 4-million dead weight tonnage.
Previously, the Chinese company had signed a 10-year deal with BHP Billiton.
 
 
Indonesia's inflation eases to 8.32 pct in Oct.
 
Indonesia's annual inflation has slowed in October to 8.3-percent after registering 8.4-percent in September as food and clothes prices eased.
According to the national statistic bureau, the consumer price index was down 0.1-percent after accelerating by 0.35 in September.
Indonesian Central Bank has raised its inflation target for this year by about 5.5-percent to over 9-percent after the government increased subsidized-fuel prices in June.
The bank expects the Southeast Asia's largest economy to expand to almost 6-percent this year.
 
 
Pessimism in New Zealand economy receding
 
International survey firm Nielsen has announced consumer confidence in the New Zealand economy is at its highest in two years, although most people are still cautious about purchasing.
New Zealand consumer confidence hit 97 on an index with 100 as the baseline between pessimism and optimism in the third quarter, increasing four points from the previous quarter.
New Zealand is slightly ahead of Australia, where consumer confidence fell by two points to 96.
The global average is 94 with the UK coming in at 87, and the US at 98.
But experts say consumers remain cautious about the state of personal finances and their willingness to buy.
Those with spare cash who plan to increase their savings and pay off debt as well as adding to a retirement fund nearly doubled from the last quarter from 11 percent to 19 percent.
 
 
Thai economy stable: Bank of Thailand
 
According to the Bank of Thailand, or BOT, the Thai economy was stable in September due to steady private consumption and investment, which will likely continue for the rest of 2013.
The BOT has found inflation eased in the month with a 1.4-percent growth year on year, compared with a growth of 1.6-percent in August, due to a slowdown in prices in all major categories.
Unemployment is also fell to 0.8-percent of the total workforce.
Experts say the third quarter economy showed signs of recovery as exports gradually improved in line with global demand.
The tourism sector continued to grow remarkably with 2.1-million foreign visitors from China, Malaysia and Russia arriving in September, an increase of almost 28-percent year on year.
 
 
Headline News
 
 
FM: China satisfied with progress in Syria chemical weapons destruction
 
The Chinese government has issued a statement, saying it's satisfied with the latest development in the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.
The comment comes after the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons reported Syria has destroyed all of its chemical weapons production and mixing facilities.
The OPCW has confirmed Syria has destroyed critical equipment for all of its declared chemical weapons production facilities and mixing/filling plants.
The deadline for this destruction, one of the main obligations in the disarmament plan, is November 1st.
 
 
"Serious" efforts exerted to hold Geneva II conference
 
The UN-Arab League envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi says the international community is making serious efforts to ensure the Geneva II conference on Syria happens.
Brahimi made the comments at a press conference in Damascus, saying the peace talks are set to take place within the next few weeks.
However, at the same time, the United Nations concedes there is still no date set yet for a planned conference on Syria, which has been tentatively set for sometime this month.
 
 
Smog Hits Beijing Hard
 
Beijing authorities have declared a blue alert for air pollution in the capital Thursday night.
Smog levels have reached hazardous levels for the second time this week in Beijing.
Authorities are advising people stay indoors when possible.
Statistics show Beijing has been covered in smog for more than half of the month of October.
Only strong winds have helped clear the smog away.
 
 
China's Real Estate Price Continues Rocketing
 
A report from the China Index Academy shows China's real estate prices are continuing to rise fast.
The average price of residences in 1-hundred Chinese cities has risen over 1.2-percent from September to October.
The index has been rising for 17-months in a row.
In Beijing and Shanghai, the average price is 18-thousand yuan per square meter, or almost 3-thousand US dollars.
 
 
Long March-3B carrier rocket reaches launch base for unmanned mission
 
A Long March-3B carrier rocket has reached the launch center of the Chang'e-3 moon probe in the city of Xichang, in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Assembling and testing work will be carried out gradually after the arrival of China's most powerful carrier rocket.
Chang'e-3 will perform a soft landing on the lunar surface, and carry a special moon rover for detailed exploration and collection of lunar soil and stone samples.
 
 
Newspaper Picks
 
 
Xinhua
"Nearly 70% against retirement age increasing"
A new survey shows nearly 70 percent of Chinese people oppose a proposal to increase the retirement age, as the country looks to improve its pension system.
Of the 1,000 people surveyed in 11 cities across China, over 68 percent disagreed with the proposal, with employees at foreign-funded companies voicing the fiercest opposition.
74 percent of those asked support flexible retirement, which would respect workers' plans for early or late retirement, while 9 percent strongly opposed such policy.
According to the survey the most popular proposals are to adopt a flexible retirement mechanism instead of a one-size-fits-all policy; setting up a multi-pronged system; and narrowing the gap of how much pension different groups of employees should receive.
China has been considering raising the retirement age since 2008 to cope with its shrinking workforce and aging society.
China Daily
"Shoppers cheated by infomercials: survey"
Nearly half of TV shoppers say they've been cheated at least once, yet most didn't complain.
This, according to a survey conducted by Chinese state-run paper the People's Daily and a Beijing-based polling agency.
Results showed 14 percent of those asked had engaged in TV shopping and nearly half said they'd been cheated.
However, only 8 percent of victims tried to get their money back.
The survey shows most of those claiming to have been cheated said they got no reply to their complaints.
The most common reasons for not complaining were that doing so is "too troublesome" and "there will be no results".
Television services in China are crammed with TV shopping advertisements, the low quality of which has prompted criticism.
Authorities recently issued a notification that satellite TV channels must limit shopping advertisements starting from Jan 1.
Fox News
"High home ownership linked to high unemployment: study"
New research shows high levels of home ownership are strongly linked to subsequent rises in unemployment because labor mobility is reduced.
Using data going back to 1950 across all U.S. states except Alaska and Hawaii, Warwick University economics professor Andrew Oswald found that the lag from ownership levels to unemployment rates can take up to five years to show up.
But he said the linkage, established using data on millions of randomly sampled Americans, was extraordinarily robust.
Oswald said doubling home ownership in a state can lead to more than a doubling of the jobless rate.
The professor added the research may go some way to explaining why Spain, with a home ownership rate of 80 percent, has unemployment above 25 percent, whereas Switzerland, with a 30 percent ownership rate, has a jobless rate of just 3 percent
Germany, another nation of renters rather than home owners, also has relatively low unemployment.
Daily Mail
"Put 20% tax on soft drinks to cut obesity: Price levy will help 285,000 lose weight, says study"
Experts claim that slapping a 20 per cent tax on soft drinks would cut the number of fat Britons by more than a quarter of a million.
Researchers say a price hike would drive down sales of the sugary beverages and therefore benefit the nation's health.
The report adds the tax would raise nearly ?280 million a year to help the National Health Service cope with the burden of obesity-related illnesses.
People aged 16 to 30 would be most affected as they are the highest consumers of soft drinks.
A typical soft drink contains between six and 15 teaspoons of sugar, with one teaspoon containing 16 calories.
 
 
Special Reports
 
 
China's Courtship with Raw Oysters
 
Anchor:
A growing number of so-called Oyster Festivals are popping up here in Beijing, as raw oysters are becoming an increasingly popular delicacy here in China.
CRI's Lucy Du explains.
Reporter:
Briney, creamy, sweet, fresh….the oyster has for thousands of years epitomized the essence of the ocean.
A single oyster filters up to 10 litres of water per minute and the mineral composition, salinity, temperature, pH and algea content of the habitat all goes into orchestrating the taste of each little sea creature.
Whilst cooked oysters are a well-established staple in the cuisine of China's coastal regions, demand for the raw stuff on a half shell is rallying.
Beijing's Hatsune restaurant has been running its very own Oysterfest since 2011.
Flying in from Toronto for Wednesday's festivities is Patrick McMurray, the Guinness World Record Holder for shucking, or de-shelling oysters at 38 per minute.
For McMurray, oysters are more than just a tasty treat.
"Oyster mussel and Clams, the top three sustainable sources of protein for humans to eat. They filter phytoplankton out of the water. Which clarifies the water and makes plants grow and the whole works. And they're packed with algea, great protein source and source of zinc. Great for humans to eat its excellent stuff for you."
Putting on a display of his shucking skills, the seasoned shucking champion explained his oysterlosophy.
"It's a sport like curling is a sport where you get to drink beer and wine whilst you're competing at the same time. It steadies the hand."
This year, the festival included seven types of oysters from France, New Zealand, Australia
China is a major oyster producer, yielding over 3.6 million tonnes as of 2010.
Raw oysters are the most nutritious, but they also pose the risk of potentially lethal bacterial infections.
Saftey issues have domestic consumers looking overseas for raw oyster produce.
Andy Wong is the owner of Hatsune,
"Chinese oysters haven't matured to the point where they are extremely clean and fresh and sustainable. They don't have the method to produce extremely clean oysters."
Earlier this year, the China Daily reported that a sample of oysters in Guangzhou contained up to 20 times the legally stipulated levels of the metal cadmium, a common industrial byproduct.
Environmental threats are a global concern.
The 2010 BP oil spill continues to harm the oyster industry in the Gulf of Mexico but the dangers are not limited to industrial accidents.
McMurray says the increase in demand for oyster coincides with escalating risks posed by environmental change.
"When you see something like the BP oil spill, 70% of the area were affected but 30% were not. You worry about that type of thing all the time. Look at what's happening with Japan as well. We are finding radiation which is going to flow to British Colombia. I am also looking at greenhouse gases and the acidification of ocean waters. Greenhouse gases get into the water and the first thing that goes is exoskeletal invertebrates. Shelled creatures. Oysters will get soft and they won't be able to grow."
Humans have been feasting on oysters for over 2000 years. Aphrodite entered the world on an oyster shell, Casanova reportedly ate 50 for breakfast.
All great loves require nurture, and sustaining the world's long love affair with oysters means prioritizing ocean protection sooner rather than later.
For CRI, I am Lucy
 
 
Sports
 
 
Ding Junhui meets Graeme Dott in the last four of International Open
 
In snooker,
Marco Fu from Hong Kong is now taking on Englishman Joe Perry in the semi-finals of the International Open in Chendu.
Marco Fu came into this match after knocking out world number two Mark Selby 6-5 earlier in the quarter-finals.
Fu came back from 5-3 and took the decider with a terrific 112 break.
Later tonight, all eyes will be centered on Ding Junhui, who will meet Scotishman Graeme Dott in the other semifinal match.
Ding stayed on course for a third successive ranking title.
But the Chinese star says Dott poses some serious challenges.
"Dott is very aggressive in attacks, and plays well in defense as well. I think he has always been one of the top players, wasting no chances as soon as he gets hold of his opponent. He also made it into the semi-finals, which shows how in-form he is."
Earlier, Ding routed Peter Ebdon 6-3 in a game that lasted over four hours.
Should he win in Chendu, Ding will become the first man since Stephen Hendry in 1993 to win three major ranking events in a row.
 
 
Chris Paul brings L.A. Clippers to a 126-115 win over Golden State
 
In NBA news,
Chris Paul scored 42 points and handed out 15 assists to bring the Los Angeles Clippers to a 126-115 victory against the Golden State Warriors.
His 42 points equaled the highest-scoring game by Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant in his first game of the campaign.
Golden State's Stephen Curry led the Warriors with nine 3-pointers and delivered a total of 39 points and nine assists.
Curry set an NBA single-season record with 272 3-pointers last season.
In the night's other action,
Derrick Rose sunk the winning shot with 5.7 seconds remaining to help Chicago narrowly edge the New York Knicks 82-81.
Rose, playing in his second game after missing the entirety of last season, led Chicago with 18 points.
Luol Deng added 17 points for Chicago and Carlos Boozer had 14.
Carmelo Anthony produced 22 points to pace the Knicks while Chandler claimed 19 rebounds.
 
 
Asian golf number one Hideki Matsuyama out of Shanghai Championships
 
In golf,
Asia's number one golfer Hideki Matsuyama was forced to withdraw from the 8.5 million U.S.-dollar World Golf Championships in Shanghai with a bad back.
The Japanese world number 28 had shot a solid one-under-par round of 71 in the company of Spain's Sergio Garcia and Nick Watney of the US.
However he informed tournament officials 15 minutes before teeing off in his second round that he would have no choice but to withdraw.
The 21-year-old made history to be the first Japanese amateur to play in the US Masters at Augusta in 2011, where he made the cut and won the silver medal as a leading amateur.
He made the cut again as an amateur in 2012.
Meanwhile, two-time Major champions Rory McIlroy started his campaign bright in Shanghai with a seven under par round of 65 for a two shot lead.
"Yeah it was good. I played very well, controlled my ball very well for the first twelve or thirteen holes. Hit a couple of loose shots coming in that I got away with but it was nice to birdie one of the last couple to shoot seven under. Great start to the tournament and right where I want to be."
But defending champion Ian Poulter struggled and only managed an opening round of one-under par 71.
The Shanghai Championships is co-sanctioned by the US PGA, European and Asian Tour event.
 
 
French clubs will go ahead with match strike in protest of the "75 percent tax"
 
A number of football clubs in France say they will go ahead with a strike after the French government refused to exempt clubs from the so-called 75 percent tax on the rich.
French President Francois Hollande has asked to levy a 75 percent tax on salaries exceeding 1-million euros per year.
The tax is expected to affect 14 of the 20 clubs in the French Ligue One.
Jean-Louis Triaud, President of the Girondins de Bordeaux Football Club says they will cancel football matches at the end of November to protest.
"The President listened to us at length but we are not convinced of having been heard. We are leaving this meeting without any guarantees, without having made particular progress. So our action will go on."
Among the clubs affected, Qatar-funded Paris St Germain will be the hardest.
PSG have spent more than 200 million euros on transfers since being taken over by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011.
The club is expected to pay some 20 million euros or nearly half of the total annual expenditure of the club under the new tax scheme.
 
 
Entertainment
 
 
Addams Family to make animated return to the big screen
 
Some spooky news to follow Halloween.
It has been announced that The Addams Family are due to make a return to the big screen but this time in animated form.
The graphics for the famously creepy clan are going to be closely based on the original cartoons by Charles Addams.
He created the single panel cartoons featuring the spooky seven way back in 1938 and the series was published in the New Yorker until Addams' death some 50 years later.
The characters have inspired TV shows, two films and a Broadway musical so far with probably the most famous interpretation being the 1991 film starring Christina Ricci as Wednesday.
"Corpse Bride" writer Pamela Pettler will be penning the screenplay.
The project is still in its early stages of development, so for now we don't know who else is going to be involved
 
 
Chinese celebs sing happy 50th birthday to Golden Horse Awards
 
Now for a bit of fun let's see if you can tell who these people are..
They were – in order – Oscar Winning director Ang Lee and actors Huang Bo, Aaron Kwok, and Gua ah-leh.
They joined heavyweights from the Mandarin language film industry on a special video to wish Taiwan's prestigious Golden Horse Awards a happy 50th birthday.　
Others on the video include Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Stephen Chow and Li Bing Bing.
Considered the Chinese equivalent to the Oscars, winning a Golden Horse Award is the highest honor for Chinese language films in the Greater China region.　
And this year it looks like it's going to be the most star-studded ceremony the Awards has ever seen.　　
Wong Kai Wai's martial arts epic "The Grandmaster" leads with 11 nominations, while other contenders include Chinese director Jia Zhang Ke's "A Touch of Sin" and Anthony Chen's "Ilo Ilo," both with six nominations.　
Taiwanese veteran singer Tsai Chin will be performing and the ceremony is hosted by TV personality Kevin Tsai.　
The Golden Horse Awards are to be held in Taipei on November 23rd.
 
 
Legendary Bob Dylan guitar to be sold at Christie's in New York
 
The sunburst Fender Stratocaster that Bob Dylan played at the historic 1965 Newport Folk Festival is coming up for auction at Christie's in New York.
The iconic instrument is expected to make up to half a million dollars.
The festival marked the moment the rock poet moved from acoustic folk to electric rock and roll, as Tom Lecky, the vice president of Christies explains:
"July 25th, 1965, Dylan took the stage and he plugged in and we all know it as when Dylan went electric. And that is the guitar with which he went electric and changed the course of his career, the course of our perceptions of him, or our perceptions of music and what music could do."
'Rolling Stone' magazine referred to this moment as one of the most notable events in music history.
Hand- and typewritten lyric fragments, early versions of some of Dylan's legendary songs, found inside the guitar case are also being sold separately at the auction on December the 6th.
 
 
New Jimi Hendrix film released
 
Now staying in the same era another treat is on the way as there's a new Jimi Hendrix docufilm coming out.
The critically-acclaimed two-hour documentary by veteran director Bob Smeaton will take a much closer look at the guitar legend than any before.
Whereas previous films have looked Hendrix's performances at Woodstock or the Isle of Wight festival for example
This film encapsulates his entire life from his birth in Seattle in 1942 to his untimely death in London in 1970.
Smeaton covers Hendrix' military time and how an unfortunate accident turned his interest to music.
"(music) It made his fate, who would have know that on his 25th jump he breaks his ankle and gets booted out on an honourable medical discharge. He's out of the service, now what's he gonna do?
"Jimi Hendrix - Hear My Train A Comin'" includes old interviews with Hendrix, along with his well-known friends and musicians including Paul McCartney and Noel Redding.
It takes count of how he broke down racial barriers, and features some of his most famous performances as well as some that have never before been seen and concludes with poignant footage from his final performance in Germany in September 1970, just 12 days before his death at age 27.
 
 
That’s it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
The Chinese government says it’s pleased with the progress being made in the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons.
The international community is making serious efforts to set a date for the Geneva 2 conference on Syria.
And Indonesia’s foreign ministry summons Australia’s ambassador over US spying allegations.
Business, China’s manufacturing growth hits an 18-month high.