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

Coming up on our program this morning...

The Chinese president has promised that the government's campaign against corruption will continue to be strengthened in 2015...

Several Turkish nationals have been detained in China, accused of helping terrorists who were trying to flee the country...

And following the Paris attacks, the French government has approved an extension to the country's mission in Iraq, targeting IS forces with airstrikes...

In business...allegations of insider traiding threaten a merger between Chinese rail giants...

In Sports...China back in action at the Asian Cup football tournament...

In entertainment...the top domestic box office draws in China last year...

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

 

 

Weather

 

 

Beijing will be snowy today with a high of 2, hazy tonight with a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius.

Shanghai will be rainy with a high of 11, overcast tonight with a low of 6.

Chongqing will be cloudy with a high of 14 and a low of 7.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia.

Islamabad, cloudy with a high of 15.

Kabul, also cloudy with a high of 9.

Over to North America.

New York will be overcast with a high of 1 degree Celsius.

Washington will have sleet with a high of 3 degrees.

Honolulu, overcast, 26.

Toronto, Canada, will be cloudy with a high of minus 8 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,

Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 31.

And Rio de Janeiro will have slight rain with a high of 33 degrees Celsius.

 

 

 

Top News

 

 

Chinese President Urges Efforts to Step Up Anti-corruption Drive

 

Anchor:

Chinese President Xi Jinping is ordering ongoing and improved efforts in the fight against corruption across the country in 2015.

CRI's Qizhi has more.

Reporter:

Speaking at a meeting of the Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the country's top anti-corruption body, President Xi praised the counter-corruption drive in 2014, calling it "effective".

During the past year, a number of senior officials, including security chief Zhou Yongkang, military leader Xu Caihou and political advisor Ling Jihua, were placed under investigation.

President Xi says it shows the world that the CPC is not afraid of taking a "self-purifying" approach.

But he also warns that more work must be done to truly cure the ills of corruption.

"When it comes to investigating and the treatment of corruption cases, our attitude of zero-tolerance will not change. Our determination to use strong remedies to cure illness will not change. Our courage to rid our bones of poison will not diminish. Our standard of severe punishment will not loosen. If a case is exposed, we shall deal with it. We will deal with it no matter how many cases we come across."

He adds that the party will keep up the anti-corruption momentum with the aim of creating a strong sense of deterrence.

He also notes that misconduct has not vanished and counter-corruption strategies are not perfect.

The President has stressed that discipline and rules are very important in the fight against corruption.

"Party members should obey disciplines and rules, and the authority and unity of the CPC Central Committee must be safeguarded at all times. Organizational procedures must be observed with Party members conferring with their superiors when handling major issues. Members must not overstep their authority and must obey the decisions of the Party. Members and officials must supervise their families and the staff working around them. They should not give tacit consent to anyone seeking illegitimate interests through their association."

In his speech, President Xi has also taken time to address the supervision of state-owned enterprises.

"We should intensify the CPC's leadership over state-owned enterprises, strengthen the supervision on their executives, do a good job during inspection tours and enhance audits and inspections. State-owned assets and resources are the common property of all people of the country."

Xi Jinping says the war on corruption is far from over and the fight must continue.

For CRI, I'm qizhi.

 

 

10 Turks detained for helping terrorists fleeing China

 

Police in Shanghai have detained 10 Turkish nationals who allegedly provided assistance for terror suspects in Xinjiang.

According to the Beijing-based Global Times newspaper, 11 other people, including 9 terror suspects from Xinjiang, have also been taken into custody.

The 10 Turkish detainees are accused of providing fake Turkish passports for terror suspects. The alleged terrorists were trying to leave China illegally through Shanghai Pudong Airport. Each of them had paid 60 thousand yuan for an illegal passport.

Audio and video materials related to terrorism were found among the suspects who were trying to leave China.

They had been bound for Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

The investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, authorities in Xinjiang have announced that people who buy fireworks and firecrackers for Chinese New Year will have to register using their ID cards.

A local official says this is to prevent terrorists from obtaining raw materials to make explosive devices.

Firework retail outlets will need to record the type and quantity of products purchased by each customer.

Earlier this week, police in Shule County in Xinjiang shot dead six attackers who attempted to detonate explosive devices attached to their bodies.

 

 

French MPs Extend Strikes on IS; PM Warns of 'High Risks'

 

France's lower house of parliament has approved extending French airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq.

The vote comes days after the Paris attacks - the country's worst in decades.

France joined the United States in conducting airstrikes against the IS last year.

However, French law requires a vote on extending such operations after four months.

MPs were holding a parliamentary session dedicated to last week's violence.

They observed a minute's silence for the victims before singing the national anthem, the Marseillaise.

Addressing the session, Prime Minister Manuel Valls says "high risks" remain in the country.

"Dear members of parliament, at no time should we lower our guard. And I want to say with gravity to the nation's representatives and through you to our citizens that not only the global threat is still present but also that serious and high risks remain, linked to last week events."

French police say as many as six members of the terrorist cell that carried out the Paris attacks may still be at large.

Amid the hunt for accomplices, Bulgarian authorities say they have a Frenchman under arrest who is believed to have links to one of the Charlie Hebdo attackers.

The satirical weekly itself is defying the terror of last week by printing a new issue later today, with the cover featuring a crying Prophet Mohammed in a white turban and holding a sign that reads "I am Charlie" under the title: "All is forgiven".

 

 

Merkel joins march for tolerance and against growing anti-Islam protests

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has joined some 6,000 people in Berlin to promote religious tolerance and to commemorate the victims of last week's attacks by Islamic militants in Paris.

This happens after a new round of anti-Islam rallies launched by the group called Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the West, in the German city of Dresden.

Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, warns against xenophobia, ahead of attending a rally for tolerance

"Excluding population groups due to their faith or their origin is not according to the values of our liberal state and not according to our constitutionally established values and it is inhuman. Xenophobia, racism and extremism do not have a place here in this country."

The latest protest organized on Monday by the anti-immigration group drew a record 25-thousand supporters, with speakers citing the Paris attacks as proof of the danger posed by Islam.

Merkel has spoken out against the Group, accusing it of seeking to divide German society and capitalising on people's fears.

Germany has some 4 million Muslim residents, equivalent to about 5 percent of the population of 80 million.

 

 

Obama unveils a cybersecurity legislative proposal

 

U.S. President Barack Obama has unveiled a cyber security proposal to promote better information sharing between government and the private sector.

He announced his plan one day after the Twitter and YouTube accounts of the US military command was hacked by a group claiming to back the Islamic State.

"Today I want to announce some additional steps. First we are proposing new cyber security legislation to promote the greater information sharing we need between the government and private sector. This builds and improves on legislation we've put forward in the past. It reflects years of extensive discussions with industry, includes liability protections for companies that share information on cyber threats. It includes essential safetguards to ensure government protects privacy and civil liberties even as we're doing our job of safeguarding America's critical information networks."

The White House hopes to build momentum for the legislative move at a cyber security summit slated for Feb. 13.

Obama has elevated cyber security to the top of his 2015 agenda and will send the legislation to Capitol Hill immediately.

 

 

Civilians Killed as Bus Hit by Shell in Eastern Ukraine

 

A passenger bus has been hit by a shell near a military checkpoint in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 11 civilians and wounding several others.

Among the dead are six women and a teenager.

Regional authorities loyal to Kiev say the bus had been passing a Ukrainian army checkpoint, putting it in the line of fire.

Leonid Matyukhin is the spokesperson for Ukraine's Anti-Terrorist Operation.

"At 1415, the checkpoint near Volnovakha was under shelling from Dokuchaivsk town, controlled by terrorists. As a result, a civilian bus, on its way from Zlatoustovka to Donetsk, was destroyed."

Bus routes in the area have now been suspended.

Rebels in eastern Ukraine have denied responsibility for the incident.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has condemned the attack

"Today's terrible tragedy near Volnovakha belongs to the events that stand out due to their cruelty even under strict standards of modern times. These events give the creeps."

Poroshenko says he will sign a decree later today on the next wave of mobilization against the rebels.

The incident is likely to deal the final blow to hopes that a short-lived and shaky cease-fire could take hold.

Diplomacy to end the conflict has also suffered a setback.

A multilateral summit between leaders from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France over the situation in eastern Ukraine has already been called off.

The meeting, originally planned for Thursday in Kazakhstan, was aimed at signing a peace document between Kiev and Moscow.

 

 

Egypt's Mubarak to Be Retried on Embezzlement Case

 

 

An appeals court in Cairo has ordered the retrial of former President Hosni Mubarak in a corruption case.

The case is the only one still keeping Mubarak behind bars.

The former president has already been cleared over the killings of protesters during Egypt's 2011 uprising that toppled him.

The court overturned an earlier verdict, which had sentenced Mubarak to three years' imprisonment for embezzling nearly 18 million US dollars allocated for the renovation of the presidential palaces.

 

 

Analysis on Black boxes of AirAsia flight to be launched

 

Indonesian authorities will begin analysis of the two black boxes from the crashed AirAsia plane today.

The voice recorder has arrived in Jakarta for analysis helping investigators piece together what caused the tragedy killing all 162 people on board.

The recorder retaining the last two hours of conversation between the pilots and air traffic control was found yesterday.

In the meantime, authorities also assured families of the passengers that they will not give up searching for the remains of those who are still unaccounted for.

Navy Commander Widodo, who goes by only one name.

"The military will use all its assets for the operation. With all the assets we have we'll maximize our efforts to search for the main body of the plane and retrieve the bodies of victims that are still missing."

So far, 48 bodies have been retrieved and brought to Surabaya for identification. Many more bodies are believed to be trapped in the plane's fuselage.

 

 

Japan, China hold maritime crisis talks in Tokyo

 

Chinese and Japanese defense officials have resumed talks on setting up a maritime crisis management plan to try to prevent clashes at sea.

These same discussions broke off in 2012 after the Japanese government's move to nationalize the Diaoyu Islands.

Working-level talks in Tokyo have seen the two sides agree to set up a hotline, use a common radio frequency for ships and planes around the islands, and hold annual meetings.

Teng Jianqun with the China Institute of International Studies says the talks are the right step to further defuse tensions around the Diaoyu Islands.

"I think China wants to maintain stability in the East China Sea, which will bring benefits to both countries. It's in no one's interest to escalate tensions regarding the Diaoyu Islands issue."

China and Japan reached an agreement in November to try to better-manage their disputes and improve ties.

That agreement was made ahead of a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the APEC conference in Beijing.

 

 

Two more human H7N9 cases reported in South China

 

Local authorities in South China's Guangdong Province have reported two more H7N9 bird flu infections in humans in the city of Shenzhen.

A 57-year-old woman is in critical condition while a 41-year-old man is listed in stable condition.

Health authorities have warned that the province has entered a high-incidence period for avian flu, which occurs in winter and spring, and risks for occasional human infections are high.

In the meantime, a patient in Xiamen, Fujian Province, has died of the H7N9 virus, while another 4 human infections have also been confirmed.

One person has already recovered while the other three remain in a critical condition.

 

 

Service module of China's lunar orbiter succeeds in entering moon's orbit

 

The service module of China's unmanned lunar orbiter has entered a 127-minute orbit at an altitude of 200 kilometers above the moon.

Scientists are hoping the orbiter can take photographs of the terrain of the areas on the moon where Chang'e 5 will land.

Yang Mengfei, chief commander and chief engineer with the lunar exploration program.

"We will further detect the environment of the orbit by collecting more data about light, temperature, and mechanical property in order to prepare for Chang'e 5."

It is a test run for the final chapter of China's three-step lunar program -- orbiting, landing and returning.

And it is the first time that a Chinese space vehicle entered lunar orbit from a gravitationally neutral spot between the Earth and the moon.

 

 

China completes construction of largest nuclear power base

 

With a newly installed unit going on line Monday, the Qinshan nuclear power base in Zhejiang Province, east China, has become the country's largest nuclear power station.

Li Dakuan, an official from the Qinshan nuclear power base.

"Qinshan has become China's nuclear power base which boasts the largest number of generating units, largest generating capacity and widest variety of reactors."

Generating about 50 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, the station has nine installed generating units, with a combined generating capacity of over 6.5 million kilowatts.

The newly installed water reactor unit is part of the Fangjiashan nuclear power project, an expanded project of the Qinshan nuclear power plant.

 

 

China shuts objectionable websites and Wechat accounts

 

China's Cyberspace Administration has released a blacklist of websites, channels, and WeChat accounts which have been shut down over the past two months.

24 websites, 9 channels, and 17 WeChat accounts have all been closed due to serious violations of the law.

Some websites, such as Government Legal Web, are accused of publishing political news without permits or qualifications.

The channels closed are charged with spreading lewd or pornographic content. Several of the channels in question are owned by web giants like Sina and Tencent.

Some accounts shut down masqueraded as public organizations or media groups, such as The People's Daily and inspection groups of the China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and thus sent out fake information.

Other accounts were closed for selling counterfeit invoices and spreading information about gambling and guns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biz Reports

 

 

Stocks

 

Anchor:

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

Joining me on the desk, Luo Wen.

Reporter:

U.S. shares reversed an earlier rally on Tuesday to decline for a third day as energy and materials shares sank with commodity prices.

Copper prices sank 2.6 percent to their weakest level in more than five years despite strong trade data from China and signs of physical demand.

Both Brent crude and U.S. crude dipped to near six-year lows as the United Arab Emirates defended OPEC's decision not to cut output to shore up falling crude prices.

At close,

Both the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq ended down slightly.

The S&P 500 shed nearly a third of a percent.

A rise in retail shares pushed up European shares on Tuesday, while expectations of new economic stimulus measures from the European Central Bank also propped up stock markets.

At the closing bell,

UK's FTSE 100 increased about three fifths of a percent.

Germany's DAX jumped one and three fifths of a percent.

And finally France's CAC 40 rose close to one and a half of a percent.

 

 

Rail Merger Threatened by Insider Trading Allegations

 

Over to the Chinese stocks,

Shares of Chinese trainmakers CSR and SNR rebounded on Tuesday, after dipping during several consecutive days of trading amid claims of the two companies being involved in insider trading before the announcement of a merger.

At market close on Tuesday, CSR shares jumped 3.8 percent while CNR shares surged 4.2 percent.

The recent slide follows allegations in the media that more than 20 executives of the two companies and their relatives have traded shares during the six-month period prior to a trading suspension last October.

The two companies have both issued statements denying the insider trading accusations, saying the trading involved investments made by individuals and therefore doesn't qualify as insider trading.

However, the final announcement of the merger plan, which took place two weeks ago, has sent the two companies' shares soaring over 30 percent, generating huge profits for those who had bought before the suspension.

It is not yet clear whether the securities regulator will launch an investigation into the matter.

For more on this, we are now joined live by Benjamin Cavender, Principal at China Market Research.

Questions…

Back Anchor: Benjamin Cavender, Principal at China Market Research.

 

 

China Allows Foreign Investors to wholly Own E-commerce Business

 

Chinese authorities are to allow overseas investors to fully own e-commerce companies in a pilot scheme in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

Local telecommunication authorities in Shanghai will be tasked to take charge of the pilot scheme and regulate and supervise foreign investors.

No further details of the scheme have been revealed.

The entry of foreign investors to the Shanghai FTZ is expected to trigger a gradual opening to overseas capital in China's lucrative e-commerce business.

 

 

China to Announce New Support for New Energy Cars

 

China is planning to introduce new fiscal policies to help create a favorable environment to boost growth in the new-energy-vehicle sector.

The Ministry of Finance says in addition to a new policy package, more charging stations and supporting infrastructure are also in the pipeline.

The government will also help improve innovation in the sector.

 

 

China December Trade Data Beats Expectations

 

The latest trade figures show that China's exports and imports exceeded market expectations in December.

Exports increased nearly 10 percent from a year earlier.

That's up significantly from the 4.7-percent growth in exports seen in November.

Meanwhile, imports dropped for a second consecutive month, declining by 2.4 percent.

The final numbers for the year mean exports rose more than 6 percent year on year in 2014, while imports gained by just under half a percent.

Zheng Yuesheng, spokesman for the General Administration of Customs, says this year's first quarter export growth still faces pressure.

"We think the negative factors that crimped trade performance in 2014, such as the weak global economic recovery, China's disappearing low-cost advantage, decreasing foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, and falling global commodity prices and so on will be sustained for a period of time. Those factors will continue affecting our foreign trade in 2015,"

Last year, the country's total export and import values expanded 3.4 percent year on year.

That is well below the government's initial target of 7.5-percent.

2014 is the 3rd year in a row where China's foreign trade volumes have missed official targets.

 

 

Alibaba Agrees to Block Sale of Dangerous Toys in U.S.

 

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has reached an agreement with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to prevent sales of illegal or dangerous toys in the United States.

The CPSC will give Alibaba a list of between five and 15 children's toys it wants to prevent from entering the U.S. market.

 

 

Headline News

 

 

Chinese President Urges Efforts to Step Up Anti-corruption Drive

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping is ordering ongoing and improved efforts in the fight against corruption across the country in 2015.

Speaking at a meeting of the Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the country's top anti-corruption body, Xi Jinping praised the counter-corruption drive in 2014, calling it "effective".

But he also warns that more work must be done to truly cure the ills of corruption.

The President adds that the party will keep up the anti-corruption momentum with the aim of creating a strong sense of deterrence.

 

 

10 Turks detained for helping terrorists fleeing China

 

Police in Shanghai have detained 10 Turkish nationals who allegedly provided assistance for terror suspects in Xinjiang.

According to the Beijing-based Global Times newspaper, 11 other people, including 9 terror suspects from Xinjiang, have also been taken into custody.

The 10 Turkish detainees are accused of providing fake Turkish passports for terror suspects. The alleged terrorists were trying to leave China illegally through Shanghai Pudong Airport. Each of them had paid 60 thousand yuan for an illegal passport.

Audio and video materials related to terrorism were found among the suspects who were trying to leave China.

They had been bound for Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

The investigation is ongoing.

 

 

China Allows Foreign Investors to wholly Own E-commerce Business

 

Chinese authorities are to allow overseas investors to fully own e-commerce companies in a pilot scheme in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone.

Local telecommunication authorities in Shanghai will be tasked to take charge of the pilot scheme and regulate and supervise foreign investors.

No further details of the scheme have been revealed.

The entry of foreign investors to the Shanghai FTZ is expected to trigger a gradual opening to overseas capital in China's lucrative e-commerce business.

 

 

French MPs Extend Strikes on IS; PM Warns of 'High Risks'

 

France's lower house of parliament has approved extending French airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq.

The vote comes days after the Paris attacks - the country's worst in decades.

Addressing the parliament session, Prime Minister Manuel Valls says "high risks" remain in the country.

French police say as many as six members of the terrorist cell that carried out the Paris attacks may still be at large.

Amid the hunt for accomplices, Bulgarian authorities say they have a Frenchman under arrest who is believed to have links to one of the Charlie Hebdo attackers.

 

 

Civilians Killed as Bus Hit by Shell in Eastern Ukraine

 

A passenger bus has been hit by a shell near a military checkpoint in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 11 civilians and wounding several others.

Accusing the rebel forces in the eastern Ukraine for carrying the attack, President Petro Poroshenko says he will sign a decree later today on the next wave of mobilization against the rebels.

Rebels in eastern Ukraine have denied responsibility for the incident.

Meawnhile a multilateral summit between leaders from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France over the situation in eastern Ukraine has already been called off.

The meeting, originally planned for Thursday in Kazakhstan, was aimed at signing a peace document between Kiev and Moscow.

 

 

Newspaper Picks

 

 

South China Metropolitan Daily

Headline

Police video went viral

Summary

A video clip depicting a police officer's self-made talk show has gone viral on Weibo.

The officer tells stories about fraud cases with hilarious expressions and funny dialects.

The video has gained 13 million clicks online.

The officer says he made the video to warn the public of staying away from swindlers during the New Year festival.

Beijing Morning Post

Headline

Imperial garden launches APP

Summary

Beijing's Summer Palace, China's largest imperial garden, has released a free smart phone app.

A Summer Palace manager says the app profiles over 100 of the garden's popular areas and maps them using GPS.

Tourists can choose from recommended routes and directions.

Xiaoxiang Morning Post

Headline

Green on the rooftop

Summary

Changsha city is to launch a pilot project to make green landscapes on the rooftops of big buildings.

Local authorities say the program will start from public buildings including schools, hospitals and government offices.

To accelerate its green program, the city will make use of every available space to grow green plants.

Global Times

Headline

Geese are cooked

Summary

Taiwan has slaughtered nearly 6,000 geese after avian flu was confirmed on another 14 farms amid the latest outbreak of the virus.

The incident has led to the culling of more than 140,000 birds so far.

Huaxi Metropolitan Daily

Headline

pollution haunts cities

Summary

13 cities across Sichuan province are dealing with air pollution.

Three cities in the region have been suffering severe pollution.

The local environment watchdog says a new round of pollution has come to this region and the prime pollutant is PM 2.5.

 

 

Special Reports

 

 

Japan to extend visa validity for Chinese tourists to boost consumption

 

Anchor:

Japan will further ease visa requirements for high-spending Chinese tourists in an effort to boost its weak consumption and slow economy.

CRI's Doris Wang has more.

Reporter:

Starting on January 19, the Japanese government will extend the validity of multiple-entry visas for Chinese tourists from three to five years. The tourists will also have unrestricted travel throughout Japan.

The move aims to attract more Chinese visitors, who are playing an increasingly important role in bolstering consumer spending and economic growth in Japan.

Hitomi Takahashi is the manager of a sales division at the branch of the Japanese cosmetic maker Shiseido company at the luxurious shopping district in central Tokyo Ginza.

She says:

"This shopping street brings together visitors from across the world and Chinese consumers account for more than 70 percent of them. We have Chinese salespeople in our shop and we also have several Chinese interpreters so that we can communicate with Chinese tourists."

The yen's slump to a seven-year low against the U.S. dollar and other currencies is also broadening the country's appeal globally.

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry estimates that some 2.2 million Chinese visited Japan in the first 10 months of 2014, contributing more than a third of the total spending by foreign tourists.

According to the Japanese Tourism Agency, the average Chinese tourist spent about 2,000 U.S. dollars last year, more than three times as much as visitors of other nationalities.

Chinese tourists said the main appeal of Japanese products is their perceived superior quality and lower prices.

"I came to buy some electronics, including cameras and cellphones, and also clothes, items for daily use and cosmetic products because the exchange rate has dropped recently. Some of my friends go to school here and they often go back to China with bags of purchases. I think maybe the reason that people come here to buy is that prices in our country are higher."

The Japanese government plans to further expand the range of goods exempt from consumption tax for foreign tourists, possibly to include cosmetics, food and alcoholic beverages in the next fiscal year. Analysts believe the move is likely to lure more foreign nationals and help buoy the recession-bit economy.

For CRI, I'm Doris Wang.

For Studio Plus, I'm Doris Wang.

 

 

Sports

 

 

Asian Cup: China Faces Uzbekistan; S. Korea and Australia Through to Knockout Stage

 

Kicking things off with football;

In Asian Cup action down in Australia;

China will take on Uzbekistan in Group B action at 6 p.m., Beijing time. A win over the Uzbeks would supplant Team Dragon firmly in the knockout stage of the tournament.

And it's do-or-die for the Green Eagles of Saudi Arabia, who face a North Korean team also in desperate need of a win to stay in the cup.

In yesterday's football action down under;

South Korea became the first team to make it into the knockout stage after eking a 1-0 victory against Kuwait yesterday.

South Korea took the lead eight minutes before half-time, when veteran Cha Du-ri's cross found Nam Tae-hee in the middle, whose header went past 'keeper Hameed Youssef for the single goal of the game.

And hosts Australia joined South Korea after trouncing Oman 4-0.

The Socceroos were already up three going into the second half. Australia completed the rout in the 70th minute after Mathew Leckie crossed with a brilliant pass from the near side to set up a goal for substitute Tomi Juric, who knocked the ball in from close range.

 

 

Football: FA Cup, Copa del Rey, Copa Italia

 

More football action here;

In the second leg of La Liga's Copa del Rey,

Espanyol shut out Valencia 2-0. A pair of gaols by Portuguese Felipe Caicedo in the second half helped Barcelona-based Espanyol advance to the next round.

They will meet the winner's of tonight's game between Levante and Malaga.

Over in England at the FA Cup:

Bristol City beat the Doncaster Rovers 2-0

West Ham tied with Everton 2-2

Chesterfield beat Scunthorpe2-0,  Fulham beat Wolverhampton Wanderers as well. And AC Milan went 2-1 against Sassuolo.

 

 

Football: CSL News

 

In Chinese Super League news;

Shandong Luneng are in talks to play a friendly against two-time Brazilian champions Botafogo later this month.

Botafogo are hopeful of scheduling the match on January 24th at the Engenhao stadium, which will host Rio's 2016 Olympic track and field events.

And some football talent being exchanged across the Pacific;

Brazilian club Cruzeiro OK'ed forward Ricardo Goulart to negotiate a move to CSL's Guangzhou Evergrande or Shandong Luneng.

Goulart has 38 goals from 105 matches for Cruzeiro and was key in the team's 2013 and 2014 Brazilian Serie A title wins.

And eight-time Brazilian champions Palmeiras signed Rafael Marques, on loan from China's Henan Jianye.

The 31-year-old will be tied to the Saol Paolo team until December.

 

 

CBA and NBA news

 

In basketball action,

Last night in the CBA;

Qingdao beat Foshan 125-115;

Tonight at 8 p.m., Beijing time:

Liaoning will face Zhejiang Chouzhou,

Jilin Norhteast take on Chongqing AoLong,

Jiangsu Tong Xi go up against Guangdong Southern,

Shanxi and Beijing go head to head,

Fujian takes to the court against the Shanghai Sharks,

Jangsu Dragons are on the road to take on Dongguan,

The Sichuan Blue Whales meet Shandong on the court,

It's Zhejiang away to face Xinjiang,

and Tianjin will take on the Bayi Rockets.

And in the NBA,

Kicking off at about 8 a.m. Beijing time,

The Minnesota Timberwolves take on the Indiana Pacers.

The red-hot Atlanta Hawks are in Philly to face the 76ers.

And San Antonio go up against the Washington Wizards.

In off-court news,

Brooklyn Nets player Kevin Garnett will be suspended for one game after head-butting Houston Rockets' Dwight Howard during yesterday's game. Howard committed what would later be called a technical foul for what appeared to be a slap to Garnett's neck. KG responded by throwing the basketball at Howard after the whistle and headbutting the Rockets player.

In more news from Brooklyn, Nets owner and Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov is putting the team up for sale, according to league sources.

Prokhorov has retained Evercore Partners to gather bids for the franchise.

According to ESPN, the Nets lost 144 million U.S. dollars in basketball-related business in 2013 and 2014.

 

 

Entertainment

 

 

Tsui Hark's "The Taking of Tiger Mountain" smashes Chinese Box Office

 

Tsui Hark's 3D epic "The Taking of Tiger Mountain" has smashed the Chinese Box Office, making a total of almost 130 million U.S. dollars since its release.

Last week the film added 17.5 million dollars to the total, making it the third highest selling movie of 2014.

Trailing slightly behind "Breakup Buddies" and "The Monkey King 3D," which both took over one billion Chinese Yuan respectively last year. That's over 160 million U.S. dollars.

"The Taking of Tiger Mountain" ranked third on the weekly box office charts in China.

This week saw "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" at the top, "Miss Granny," a remake of a South Korean comedy with the same title, came in second.

Wong Kar Wai's second screening in 3D version of "The Grandmaster," came in forth.

Rounding off the top five was the animated Chinese movie "One Hundred Thousand Bad Jokes."

 

 

China's Golden Broom Awards: Nominations announced

 

The nominations for the sixth 'Golden Broom Awards' have been announced in China.

And this year, a total of 40 films, 10 directors, 20 actors and actresses and 10 scriptwriters have been put forward for the "worst" awards.

Among the 20 movies nominated for the Most Disappointing Film Award, quite a few made over 16 million USD in the Chinese mainland, including "The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom" and "Tiny Times 3."

Chinese film critic Cheng Qingsong and his Youth Film Handbook magazine first launched The Golden Broom Awards in 2010.

Similar to the Golden Raspberry Awards, the awards ceremony is designed to entertain and make fun, providing a platform for film critics.

Many stars refuse to show up to collect their awards.

Online voting runs from January 15 to February 15, with results set to be announced in mid-March.

 

 

Directors Guild Awards nominations announced

 

Another awards ceremony of a different kind…

The Directors Guild of America has announced the nominees for its DGA Award, honoring outstanding directing in a feature film.

The nominees are Wes Anderson for "The Grand Budapest Hotel", Richard Linklater for "Boyhood" and Morten Tyldum for "The Imitation Game."

They all received their first-ever DGA Award nominations in the announcement.

They're joined in the category by Alejandro Inarritu for "Birdman", a previous DGA nominee, and Clint Eastwood for "American Sniper", a previous winner.

DGA president Paris Barclay said in a year full of excellent films, DGA members have nominated a stellar group of passionate filmmakers.

Directors who missed out on this year's list include Ava DuVernay for "Selma" and Angelina Jolie for "Unbroken."

The winner will be revealed at the 67th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on February 7th, hosted by actress Jane Lynch.

 

 

Amazon Studios signs Woody Allen to create first ever TV series

 

Amazon Studios has signed Woody Allen as the creator of his first-ever TV series.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker will write and direct all of the half-hour episodes of the series.

The company announced that a full season has been ordered for Amazon's Prime Instant Video, which is expected to premiere in 2016.

Vice president Roy Price called Allen "a visionary creator who has made some of the greatest films of all time."

Amazon Studios is a recent entrant in the world of streaming video that is said to be redefining what television means.