The Beijing Hour
Evening Edition
It's Wednesday, October 30th, 2013.
I'm Marc Cavigli, welcome to the Beijing Hour broadcasting live from the Chinese capital.
Coming up on our program,
Chinese police have identified the crash in Tianamen square as a terrorist attack.
Iranian and International Atomic Energy Agency negotiators say their nuclear talks have been very productive.
26-Palestinian prisoners have been released by Israel.
Business, China's industrial growth appears to be gathering strength and supporting the broader economy.
Sports, The Los Angeles Lakers beat cross-town rivals the Clippers in the first game of the NBA season.
Entertainments, Loki actor Tom Hiddleston gives a special message to Chinese fans.
Plus Special reports take a look at the not-so-bright future of Britain’s middle class.
Weather
Beijing will be clear tonight with a low of 4 degrees Celsius. Tomorrow cloudy with a high temperature of 14.
Meanwhile Shanghai will have light rain tonight, with a low of 18, also light rain tomorrow, with a high of 21.
Lhasa will be overcast tonight, 0 degrees the low, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 12.
Elsewhere in the world, staying in Asia
Islamabad, sunny with a high of 26.
Kabul, sunny, 17.
Over in Australia
Sydney, sunny, highs of 22.
Canberra, sunny, 24.
Brisbane, sunny, 26.
And finally, Perth will be overcast with a high of 26.
Top News
Tian'anmen car crash identified as terrorist attack
Police have identified the car crash in front of the Tian'anmen rostrum in downtown Beijing earlier this week as a terrorist attack.
5-people related to the incident who killed 5-other people and injured 40-others have been arrested.
Police say Usmen Hasan, his mother and wife drove a jeep with a Xinjiang plate to crash into a crowd of people at noon on Monday, killing two people and injuring another 40.
The three in the jeep died after they set gasoline on fire.
The dead also include a Philippine female tourist and a male tourist from south China's Guangdong Province.
The 40 injured include two female and one male tourist from the Philippines as well as a male tourist from Japan.
Investigations are still underway as police are still searching for 8-people wanted in connection with the crash.
IAEA says Tehran's new proposal makes talks "very productive"
Iranian and IAEA negotiators have wrapped up a two-day meeting on Iran's nuclear situation in Vienna.
Following the talks, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran issued a rare joint-statement, saying the talks have been "very productive."
Tero Varjoranta is the Deputy Director General of the IAEA.
"Iran presented a new proposal on practical measures as a constructive contribution to strengthen cooperation and dialogue with a view to future resolution of all outstanding issues. Following the substantive discussions it was decided that a further meeting will be held on 11th November in Tehran in order to take this cooperation forward."
Iran and the IAEA have been at odds over access to Iran's Parchin nuclear site.
The Atomic Energy watchdog has been trying to gain access to the site for a number of years.
However, Iran has refused access to IAEA inspectors, citing national security concerns, given the Parchin nuclear facility is located on a military site.
For more on Iran's nuclear issue, we are now joined on the line with Hua Liming, China's former ambassador to Iran.
…
That was Hua Liming, China's former ambassador to Iran.
UN Syria prepares for next Geneva talks
Anchor:
The UN-Arab League envoy for Syria has met with opposition figures in Damascus as part of a diplomatic push to convince all sides in the lingering conflict to attend peace talks in Geneva next month.
CRI's Li Jing has more.
Report:
Lakhdar Brahimi has held talks with Hassan Abdul-Azim, the head of a Damascus-based opposition group.
The group has been calling for regime change through peaceful means.
The domestically-based opposition in Syria is not affiliated with the exiled opposition Syrian National Coalition or the rebel groups fighting to topple the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
One of the key sticking points in getting the opposition to agree to the talks is the issue of Assad's future.
Abdul-Azim says this is for Syrians to decide among themselves.
"We also need electoral and parties' laws to allow for parliament and presidential elections that would put an end to the crisis and finish off the old regime. We can build a new one through democratic and real elections with international, regional, Arabic and national monitoring."
For his part, Lakhdar Brahimi also says its up to Syrian parties to define the future of the country.
"What I always say is that we are preparing for the Geneva summit, which is fundamentally a meeting among Syrian parties, and the Syrian parties are the ones who will define the transitional phase and the post-transitional phase era, not myself who will define it."
At the same time, nearly two-thousand Syrians have fled a war-ravaged Damascus district with the help of aid workers as part of a temporary cease-fire.
The temporary ceasefire comes as part of an agreement between government forces and the rebels to avert a humanitarian crisis.
The evacuation has been made possible after reports of starvation and disease in the western suburb triggered an international outcry.
Meanwhile, the UN's health agency says it has confirmed a new polio outbreak in the country's northeast.
10 cases of the highly-infectious disease have been confirmed.
Dozens of others are believed to be infected.
World Health Organization spokesman Oliver Rosenbauer.
"Initially there were 22 AFP (Acute Flaccid Paralysis) cases that were being investigated as part of this cluster and out of ten of those cases they've isolated wild polio virus type 1."
The new polio outbreak is mostly affecting babies and toddlers.
UN officials are warning about the potential of the disease to spread, noting the lingering civil conflict has severely reduced vaccination programs.
For CRI, this is Li Jing.
South Korean lawmakers cross border to visit joint Kaesong industrial complex
South Korean lawmakers are paying a visit to the jointly-run factory park in North Korea for the first time since it reopened last month.
Before the visit Ahn Hong-joon, the Chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, said he was keen to improve relations between the North and South.
"Upon discussions of the normalization process, we, the National Assembly's Foreign and Unification Committee, will make an effort to build the South-North relationship upon trust, and act as the stepping stone for overall improvement."
A total of 47-people including 26-supporting staff departed from the border city Paju on Wednesday.
The Kaesong industrial complex had been shut down for five-months, but reopened last month after Pyongyang had withdrawn its workers in April during a period of high tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Analysts say North Korea's approval of the lawmakers' visit shows its desire to develop the park and resume other stalled cross-border cooperation projects.
Prisoner released by Israel returns to his Gaza home
26-Palestinian prisoners have been freed by Israel, the second of four batches to be released as part of an agreement brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
The deal brought Israel and the Palestinians back to the table for peace talks which have been stagnant since 2008.
Omar Masoud is one of the released prisoners. His mother says she was overcome with emotion upon seeing her son again.
"I don't know how to express myself, I'm very happy. All of our friends, relatives, and loved ones came to congratulate us. Hopefully all prisoners will be released soon."
In total, 104-convicts will be released in 4-rounds over the coming months.
Obama comments on spying allegations
U.S. President Barack Obama has officially admitted the White House has given policy directions to the National Security Agency's surveillance program.
However, Obama contends the NSA has developed and expanded its own spying operations without administration influence.
At the same time, Obama says his administration is currently reviewing the NSA's surveillance operations.
"I'm the final user of all the intelligence that they gather. But they're involved in a whole wide range of issues. And we give them policy direction, but what we've seen over the last several years is their capacities continue to develop and expand and that's why I'm initiating now a review to make sure that what they're able to do doesn't necessarily mean what they should be doing."
The comments by Obama follow revelations the NSA has been spying on dozens of foreign leaders.
The revelations are forming rifts among the US and some of its closest allies.
European Union officials are in Washington to get more information about the NSA programs.
They've been suggesting the controversy could affect the negotiations of a planned US-European trade agreement.
U.S. health official apologizes for Obamacare website glitches
A leading official in the Obama administration has issued the first formal apology for the poor roll-out of the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.
Speaking before a congressional committee, the woman in-charge of implementing the new insurance program admits the online marketplace for the new program has "not lived up" to the administration's expectations.
Marilyn Tavenner, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, says the rollout of Obamacare has been "unacceptable."
"We know that consumers are eager to purchase this coverage. And, to the millions of Americans who have used healthcare.gov to shop and enroll in healthcare coverage, I want to apologize that the website has not worked as well as it should. We know how desperate you need affordable coverage. Healthcare.gov can and will be fixed and we are working around the clock to deliver the shopping experience that you deserve."
President Barack Obama's landmark legislation, which mandates health insurance coverage for millions of Americans, has been plagued with technical issues since its launch on October 1st.
Many who have tried signing up using the US government's website have found it almost impossible to use the system, which has been plagued by bugs and errors.
Health care providers have also complained they find it difficult to determine who has signed up to the program.
The Obama administration has since hired a new contractor to try to fix the problems with the system.
Businesses in New Jersey reopen, still suffering from Sandy aftermath
Many New Jersey businesses are recovering from the effects of Superstorm Sandy while others are still awaiting state aid.
The storm dealt a mighty blow to thousands of small businesses set up along the Atlantic Ocean 1-year ago.
Angelina Liaguna-Dorr, owner of ocean-side bar and restaurant Jakeabob's Bay, says the number of customers plunged after the storm.
"There are over 400 families that are not back in town. So the trickle effect in this area is devastating".
The New Jersey shore has suffered about 38-billion US dollars in damage from Sandy, with more than 100-thousand people left out of work.
Despite New Jersey sinking 25-million dollars into an ad campaign encouraging people to visit the shore, the town has seen a bit drop in the number of visitors.
Biz Reports
Asian stocks
Asian share markets took heart from record highs in U.S. stocks on Wednesday
This comes as investors wagered the Federal Reserve would leave the stimulus in place for at least the next few months.
Chinese shares rose on Wednesday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 1.5-percent, while the Shenzhen Component Index surged 1.8-percent.
The market was boosted on reports that the nation's top securities regulator would launch a system of preferred stock as soon as possible.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed up 2 percent.
Elsewhere in Asia,
Nikkei closed up 1.2 percent.
South Korean KOSPI closed up 0.4 percent.
Singapore's Straits Times Index was up 0.7 percent.
And Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.3 percent.
China's economic planner sees growth gaining strength
The National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner says China's industrial growth is gathering strength and supporting the broader economy.
In a report, the NDRC says recent data points to significant recovery in the industrial sector.
It also shows the industrial sector's business climate is improving.
It adds nearly 90-percent of 400-thousand enterprises are optimistic about the outlook of business.
However, analysts have remained cautious about whether the current momentum can be sustained.
Last week, Standard Chartered forecasted GDP growth for the fourth quarter of 2013 at 7.5-percent, down from the 7.8-percent expansion in the third quarter.
China official PMI seen hitting 18-month high in October
A Reuters poll shows China's manufacturing activity in October likely grew at its fastest rate since April 2012.
This shows signs of stabilization in the world's second largest economy as the government readies a series of key economic reforms.
China's official manufacturing purchasing manager's index, or PMI, is expected to reach 51.2 from September's 51.1.
It remains well above the 50 point line separating expansion from contraction.
A firm reading in the official PMI could help put to rest worries that the economy may slow down significantly in the fourth quarter.
The official PMI figures will be released on Nov 1.
Online personal credit record search initiated
Anchor:
People in nine provinces across China are now able to look up their credit information online, thanks to a pilot program from the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank.
Li Dong has the details.
Reporter: The Credit Reference Center has experimented with a credit record search system since March 27 in Chongqing, as well as in the provinces of Jiangsu and Sichuan.
On Oct 28, the pilot project was expanded to six others — Beijing, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the provinces of Liaoning, Shandong, Hunan and Guangdong. The project is expected to expand nationwide next year, after the pilot provinces iron out possible problems.
Some netizens worry that their private information could be leaked. The Credit Reference Center's website claimed in a statement that its employees have received training to ensure that customers' personal information is kept safe.
Plus, Wang Xiaolei, deputy director of the Credit Reference Center of the Bank of China, says their department will also update credit records if anyone reports that their identity has been used illegally.
"For instance, there may be people who use your identity to apply for loans or a mortgage. Once a report of fraudulent activity is verified, it will be erased from your record."
People must register at the center's website before being able to look up their credit history. Users have to answer five security questions that their identities, such as their private credit limit, within 10 minutes.
If they fail the verification procedure, they can register by verifying their ID through digital certificate issued by banks.
Registered website users are able to search for a variety of personal financial information within the past five years, including whether they have been late in paying their credit card or mortgage loans.
To people concerned over their late payments on bills will be regarded as blemishes on their credit record, Wang Xiaolei, says it's easy for banks to see if bill and credit payments were missed intentionally or unintentionally.
"The credit reference system will definitely reveal the actual credit record of a person. But each commercial bank can make its own judgment when using these credit references. If credit card overdue fees are very small, the banks will see it's actually because you forgot to pay. I believe the commercial banks will have discretion over such minor mistakes."
On the first day the search option was made available, the website for the Credit Reference Center of the People's Bank of China was unavailable for a short period of time, eliciting complaints from many netizens.
An associate professor at the School of Finance at the Central University of Finance and Economics says this reveals that people are expected to be more aware of their credit records and the availability of their credit history online.
For CRI, I am Li Dong.
BASIC ministers urge developed countries to fulfill their obligations on climate change
BASIC ministers are urging developed countries to fulfill their obligations concerning climate change.
The 17th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change has concluded in Hangzhou with ministers from China, Brazil, India and South Africa exchanging views on issues to be discussed at next month's Warsaw Conference.
Su Wei, is chief of the Department of Climate Change at the National Development and Reform Commission.
"Ministers stressed that finance is key to the success of the Warsaw Conference. They urged developed countries to honor their obligations to provide new additional adequate financial support to developing countries and clear a roadmap to reach the goal of providing 100 billion US dollars per year by 2020."
Alvaro Galvani, deputy secretary general of the Ministry for External Relations of Brazil, says fulfilling the task isn't easy.
"We've still got a long way to go, to fulfill the commitments of these countries. We will be looking at the level of implementation, the level of how much the developed countries' promises are being fulfilled."
70-percent of carbon emissions were caused by developed countries over the past 100 years.
It's widely believed these countries must take responsibility and lead others to reach pollution reduction targets.
China is planning to achieve a reduction of pollution by phasing out "backward" production facilities.
China Exim bank's first overseas branch set up in Paris
The Export-Import Bank of China, or China Exim bank, has announced a new Paris, France branch.
This is the first overseas branch of the China Exim bank.
It becomes the third Chinese bank to set up a branch in Paris, following the Bank of China and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
A commercial counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Paris says the establishment of a Paris branch shows Chinese banks regard Paris as an international financial center and a strategically significant location.
Founded in 1994, the Export-Import Bank of China is a state bank solely owned by the Chinese government.
Its main mandate is to facilitate the export and import of Chinese products, assist Chinese companies with comparative advantages and promote international economic cooperation and trade.
U.S. consumer confidence at six-year high, Europeans also more upbeat - survey
Consumer confidence in the United States has reached a 6-year high in the third quarter, as prospects for jobs and personal finances improved.
Europe has also seen a sharp rise in consumer confidence.
U.S. stock markets have risen to record highs, creating a wealth effect which encourages consumers to spend.
Indonesia remains the most bullish consumer market worldwide, followed by the Philippines and India.
Portugal saw the biggest jump in consumer confidence globally in the third quarter, with a hefty 22-points, while Ukraine saw the biggest drop of 13-points.
The Nielsen survey was conducted between August 14th and September 6th and covered more than 30-thousand online consumers across 60-markets.
Number of businesses in New Zealand continues falling
The number of New Zealand businesses has continued to fall for the fourth straight year.
This has prompted renewed accusations that the government is presiding over a decline in the country's manufacturing sector.
The government's Statistics agency has announced New Zealand had over 470-thousand businesses in February, down 0.2-percent from February 2012.
At the same time, new business start-ups also fell by 5.2-percent from 2012, with closures exceeding start-ups for the fourth year in a row.
The government's "two-speed economy" has increased economic reliance on primary production, with processed primary manufacturing exports rising 13-percent since 2008, while overall manufacturing exports falling 19-percent.
Australian new home sales hit two-year high in Sept.
The Housing Industry Association, or HIA, says new home sales in Australia reached their highest level in over two years.
A new HIA report shows total new home sales increased by 6.4-percent in September, the fastest monthly growth since April 2012.
Headline News
Tian'anmen car crash identified as terrorist attack
Police have identified the car crash in front of the Tian'anmen rostrum in downtown Beijing earlier this week as a terrorist attack.
5-people related to the incident who killed 5-other people and injured 40-others have been arrested.
Police say Usmen Hasan, his mother and wife drove a jeep with a Xinjiang plate to crash into a crowd of people at noon on Monday, killing two people and injuring another 40.
The three in the jeep died after they set gasoline on fire.
The dead also include a Philippine female tourist and a male tourist from south China's Guangdong Province.
The 40 injured include two female and one male tourist from the Philippines as well as a male tourist from Japan.
Investigations are still underway as police are still searching for 8-people wanted in connection with the crash.
IAEA says Tehran's new proposal makes talks "very productive"
Iranian and IAEA negotiators have wrapped up a two-day meeting on Iran's nuclear situation in Vienna.
Following the talks, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran issued a rare joint-statement, saying the talks have been "very productive."
Iran and the IAEA have been at odds over access to Iran's Parchin nuclear site.
The Atomic Energy watchdog has been trying to gain access to the site for a number of years.
However, Iran has refused access to IAEA inspectors, citing national security concerns, given the Parchin nuclear facility is located on a military site.
44 killed after bus rammed into an oil tanker
At least 44 -passengers have been killed after a private bus rammed into an oil tanker and caught fire in India's southern Andhra Pradesh state.
The bus carrying 51 passengers caught fire near the state capital Hyderabad Wednesday morning.
Indian transport officials attribute a large number of accidents in India to reckless driving and untrained drivers.
China, Gulf bloc to hold meeting in Beijing next week
It has been confirmed the third round of the China-Gulf Cooperation Council strategic dialogue is set to be held next week in Beijing.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Bahraini counterpart Shaikh Al Khalifa are set to co-chair the meeting.
Bahrain now holds the rotating presidency of the council in 2013.
The GCC is a regional political and economic alliance established in 1981.
China's finance official becomes ADB vice president
Senior Chinese finance official Zhang Wencai has been named vice president of the Asian Development Bank.
Zhang Wencai is the third Chinese national appointed to the position since 2003.
The ADB is a regional development bank with 67-members, dedicated to poverty reduction and economic development in Asia and the Pacific region.
China joined the ADB in 1986.
The country now holds the third largest number of shares after the United States and Japan.
Newspaper Picks
China News Service
" Teacher gives A-, overzealous student hurt"
A teacher who gave an A- to a student for writing out Chinese characters that hadn't been taught in class has sparked criticism in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.
The first-grade girl, named Tongtong, now "refuses to write any characters that have not been taught in class," according her mother Mrs. Wen.
Wen said that last Tuesday she found an A- on her daughter's homework, although Tongtong had written out all of the characters, instead of simplifying with pinyin. The teacher wrote: "Don't write out characters which are not taught in class!"
Tongtong said the teacher also criticized two other classmates for overdoing it.
Naning Evening News
"Retired chemist extracts gold from old cell phones"
The alchemist from Nanning, started experimenting with mining gold from old cell phone circuit boards on his balcony after retiring from a local chemical design institute in 2008.
He said "urban mining" can become important because in addition to gold and silver, old phones also contain copper, palladium, tin and other types of valuable metals, whose prices are increasing.
First-generation cell phones yield the most gold, around 1g per phone, Zhou said, adding that of the newer phones, Nokias contain more than other brands, up to 0.01g.
Asia One
"Mosquitoes prefer biting drunk people and other health facts you need to know"
If you fancy a night out on the lash wear long sleeves.
Researchers have found that people who have had three or more cans of beer were 30 per cent more likely to suffer bites from mosquitoes than those who simply drank water.
According to the researchers, the findings are not limited to beer, but to any other kind of alcohol as well - in effect, mosquitoes prefer to bite drunk people.
India Express
"People likely to be moral in morning, dishonest in afternoon"
Researchers have found our ability to exhibit self-control to avoid cheating or lying is significantly reduced over the course of a day.
In two experiments, college-age participants were shown various patterns of dots on a computer. For each pattern, they were asked to identify whether more dots were displayed on the left or right side of the screen.
And they were paid 10 times more for selecting the right side over the left.
In line with the hypothesis, participants tested between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm were less likely to cheat than those tested between 12:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
Special Reports
Middle class decline: Will Today's Young Western Middle Class Fare Worse Than Their Parents?
Anchor:
A recent report by Britain's social mobility and child poverty commission, established by Prime Minister David Cameron, has found children from above average income families are now set to experience a worse standard of living than their parents when they grow up.
This unprecedented development is the first of its kind to emerge since the early 20th century.
Why is the middle class facing a decline in Britain? What is the situation with the middle class in the rest of the Western world?
CRI's Zheng Chengguang spoke earlier to Professor Lui Tai-lok, head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong.
…
That's CRI's Zheng Chengguang speaking to Professor Lui Tai-lok, head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong.
Sports
Bryant-less L.A. Lakers beat the Clippers 116-103 in season opener
The new NBA season has kicked off with three games today.
In Los Angeles, five reserve players scored in double figures to bring the Lakers a 116-103 victory over cross-town rivals the Clippers in their season opener.
The Lakers did not have Kobe Bryant in the lineup and were trailing the Clippers 75-79 at the end of the third quarter.
But the Lakers rallied to outscore the Clippers 41-27 in the final quarter.
Reserve Xavier Henry led the Lakers with 22-points while Jordan Farmar scored 16. Pao Gasol added 15-points and 13-rebounds.
Over in the east, two-time defending champions Miami snatched a 107-95 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Miami started their campaign with a new batch of rings handed to them by Commissioner David Stern.
"Your Miami Heat had some season last year. A franchise record with 66 wins, 27 straight wins and a captivating, captivating finals that showed the world in basketball, what determination, talent and teamwork can do. So congratulations to those players on your NBA champion Miami Heat."
LeBron James scored 17-points and held Bull's star Derrick Rose to just 12-points.
Rose, the 2011 Most Valuable Player returned to action after missing out the whole last season due to a knee injury incurred in April 2012.
Earlier in Indianapolis, the Pacers also came out with a 97-87 win against the Orlando Magic.
Chelsea eased past Arsenal 2-0 in League Cup
In football,
Juan Mata scored his first goal of the season as Chelsea comfortably beat Arsenal 2-0 to reach the Capital One Cup quarter-finals.
Cesar Azpilicueta gave Chelsea a lead in the 25th minute before Mata sealed his team's victory after the hour mark with a sweet strike from 20-yards.
The game was Chelsea's sixth successive triumph.
The result marked a second consecutive home defeat for Arsenal and reduces their chances of ending their eight-year trophy wait.
Also in the League Cup, Manchester United thrashed Norwich City 4-0 to advance to the last eight with ease.
Javier Hernandez scored twice and Phil Jones and Fabio each had one goal.
The victory extended United's unbeaten run to six games and came as a comfort to United's stuttering start under manager David Moyes's reign.
Meantime in the Spanish La Liga,
Cesc Fabregas inspired Barcelona to a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo to open up a four-point lead the Spanish top-flight league.
Alexis Sanchez tapped in the opener after nine minutes before Celta's goalkeeper Yoel Rodriguez added his own goal in the 48th minute.
Fabregas completed the scoring with a clinical finish in the 54th minute.
Barca now leads the table with 10 wins from 11 games.
Elsewhere in the La Liga, Malaga ended their three-game losing streak with a 0-0 draw at Espanyol.
Also in football, Fifa president Sepp Blatter has written a letter of apology to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez over comments mocking Cristiano Ronaldo.
Blatter made a joke at Ronaldo's expense while addressing the Oxford Union on Friday.
The Fifa chief was on record to have said Ronaldo has more expenses for the hairdresser that Lionel Messi when asked to compare the two.
The comment has angered Ronaldo's millions of fans across the world.
Prodigy Zhao Xintong fell to Marco Fu in the International Open in Chendu
From the snooker's International Open in Chendu,
16-year-old prodigy Zhao Xintong was knocked out 6-2 by Marco Fu from Hong Kong.
Zhao made it into the third round after beating Crucible finalist Barry Hawkins 6-1 earlier in the second round.
Marco Fu now moves to the last eight to face the winner between world number two Mark Selby and fellow Englishman Stuart Bingham.
Meanwhile, world number one Neil Robertson is now taking on Peter Ebdon in their last 16 encounter.
Earlier, 31st-ranked Chinese Liang Wenbo routed world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-4 in the second round.
O'Sullivan won the first three frames and led 4-1 before Liang's comeback.
O'Sullivan was crowned most recently in May, and since then hasn't taken part in any ranking event until now.
Liang will next meet Englishman Mark Davis in the next round.
Later tonight, Chinese star Ding Junhui will clash against Welshman Matthew Stevens for a place in the last eight.
Earlier, Ding made light work of Asian great James Wattana of Thailand in the second round.
Cardinals' flight delayed for six hours ahead of Game Six
The airplane flight taking the Cardinals to Boston was grounded for six hours at St. Louis airport due to some mechanical problems.
The Cardinals are trailing the Red Sox 3-2 going into Game 6 of the World Series of Baseball on Wednesday night.
But Cardinals' ace Michael Wacha says his teammates remain confident to turn the game around on home pitch.
The Red Sox are trying to clinch a World Series title on their own field for the first time since 1918.
The team won the Series pendant in 2004 and 2007.
Anticipation is high in Boston, and prices on the secondary market for even a standing-room ticket were approaching 1-thousand U.S. dollars.
Entertainment
Tom Hiddleston Greets Chinese Film Lovers
So to begin with a message for our Chinese listeners from English actor Tom Hiddleston
"Hello to all IMAX fans in China. I'm Tom Hiddleston and you might know me as Loke in 'Thor' and 'the Avengers'. No I'm back with 'Thor: The Dark World' which is a thrilling adventure that lends itself perfectly to IMAX 3D. You'll be immersed in epic action and breathtaking visuals that only IMAX can provide. So be sure to catch it in IMAX cinemas very soon."
This film is set in the aftermath of the first Thor and The Avengers,
It sees the mighty God of Thunder fighting to restore order on earth and across the nine realms when an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith comes back to plunge the universe back into darkness.
It's released in the US and here in China on November the 8th.
Hunger Games coming soon to a screen near you
Also hitting Chinese cinema screens soon in the new Hunger Games movie:
The latest instalment in the series "Hunger Games: Catching Fire" takes place after Katniss returns from the 74th annual Hunger Games along with Peeta Mellark.
Their victory means they must leave their loved ones behind to embark on a "Victors tour" of the districts.
But along the way Katniss can sense a change as her performance has planted the seeds of rebellion against the Capitol.
This film is released is released in the US and China on November 22.
Stevie Wonder to release two new albums next year
Now for a little music
It's good news for Stevie Wonder fans as he has announced he'll be releasing not one, but two albums next year. third.
These will be the 63-year-old's first new albums in eight years and from the sounds of it, it's going to be very different.
He has mentioned that he has taken an interest in rap, in using hip-hop to convey political messages AND
Get this.. he says he might even sing gospel in Arabic or Hebrew to mix things up a bit.
"Myself and David Foster are working on this project called 'When the World Began' and there's music that I've been working on for a while for the album 'Ten Billion Hearts.' And as well I'm working on a project that I promised my mother I would do before she passed away in 2006, called 'Gospel Inspired by Lula.' My mother's name was Lula."
Back in the summer Rolling Stone reported that he will also be releasing versions of several of his biggest hits played with a symphony orchestra.
Talk show host Yang Lan attacks Lang Lang over Weibo
As well as contributing some of the best known tracks of the 20th Century...
Stevie Wonder is also a United Nations Messenger of Peace,
This role is given to individuals who possess widely recognized talents in the fields of art, film, literature, music and sports and their aim is to act as an inspiration for people.
But Chinese talk show hostess Yang Lan has whipped up a storm after attacking fellow Messenger,China's Lang Lang, over Weibo
The pianist was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace on Monday, with a special focus on global education.
And as he was explaining his new obligations on the social networking site last night Yang Lan got involved.
She asked the 31-year-old superstar: what is the meaning of your work for children who can't afford a piano, or for those who are struggling amongst war and famine?
Many internet users found this comment to be rude and jumped to his defence, with many saying to Yang Lan.. right back at ya.. What is the meaning of your work?
A quick recap of headlines before we go.
Chinese police have identified the crash in Tianamen square as a terrorist attack.
Iranian and International Atomic Energy Agency negotiators say their nuclear talks have been very productive.
26-Palestinian prisoners have been released by Israel.
Business, China's industrial growth appears to be gathering strength and supporting the broader economy. |