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

Coming up on our program this morning.

Chinese authorities have confirmed President Xi Jinping is going to be making a trip to the US.

Medal detectors are being used in the search for the remaining victims of last week's plane crash in Taiwan.

Three new bird flu cases have popped in Guangdong.

In business. new stats show foreign trade is down nearly 11-percent though the start of this year.

In Sports.  An Indian golfer takes this year's Malaysian Open golf tournament.

In entertainment. "Birdman" takes home the Director's Guild Award.

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

 

 

Weather

 

 

Beijing will be sunny today with a high of 7, tonight clear with a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius.

Shanghai, also sunny with a high of 5 and a low of 0 degrees Celsius.

Chongqing will be overcast with a high of 12 and a low of 8.

Elsewhere in Asia.

Islamabad, sunny, with a high of 26.

Kabul cloudy with a high of 10.

Over to North America.

New York will see sleet today with a high of minus 0 degree Celsius.

Washington will have shower with a high of 9 degrees.

Honolulu, windy to rainy, with a high of 28.

Toronto will be cloudy with a high of minus 8.

Finally, in South America,

Buenos Aires, cloudy to rainy, 33.

And Rio de Janeiro will have shower with a high of 30 degrees Celsius.

 

 

Top News

 

 

Xi Plans State Visit to U.S.

 

It's been confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping is going to be making his first state visit to the US as President.

Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai says discussions are already underway about the logistics of the trip.

The date for Xi Jinping's trip has yet to be set.

The expected talks between Xi Jinping and Barack Obama are likely to focus on issues related to the Western Pacific.

Xi Jinping was last in the US for an informal summit with Obama in California in June 2013.

They met again at the APEC Summit in Beijing back in November.

 

 

Search continues for 3 missing in TransAsia crash

 

The search area has been enlarged to find the remaining victims of last week's TransAisa Airlines crash in Taipei.

Metal detectors are being used in the underwater search for the victims.

The flight went down Wednesday shortly after take-off one a flight from Taipei to Kinmen Island, which lies just off the coast of Xiamen.

58 passengers and crew on board.

Only 15 survived.

Most of the passengers were tourists from the mainland.

A public memorial service is scheduled for tomorrow in Taipei.

TransAsia Airways has been in talks with local authorities about compensation.

Fang Chih-wen is the deputy head of Taiwan's civil aviation authority.

"Each victim will get three million new Taiwan dollars as minimum compensation. As for the exact numbers, we will have to see the result of negotiations between the airway and the families of the victims."

Initial indications suggest one of the plane's engines flamed out, causing the plane to lose power.

Dramatic video show the plane cutting across a bridge, with its wing hitting the guard railing before plunging into the Keelong River.

 

 

Three more H7N9 cases reported in China's Guangdong

 

Authorities in Guangdong are reporting 3 more human cases of the H7N9 bird flu virus.

This brings the number of bird flu cases in the province to 42 this year.

Patients in the cities of Zhongshan and Jiangmen are in critical condition.

A third victim in Shenzhen is in stable condition.

Bird flu cases this winter have been recorded in Guangdontg, Shanghai, Fujian, Jiangxi and Zhejiang.

No major outbreaks have been recorded this season.

 

 

China's lunar probe tests orbit for moon sampling

 

A series of tests of China's test lunar orbiter have taken place.

Scientists are testing the technology needed for the forthcoming mission to the Moon.

The tests have involved modulating the speed, height and orbit needed for a moon sampling mission.

This is all in preparation for the next Chinese lunar mission, the Chang'e-5.

Chang'e-5 is due to be launched in 2017.

Its mission will be to land on the moon, collect samples, then return to Earth.

 

 

New Minsk peace talks planned over Ukraine

 

The leaders of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine are preparing for a possible summit in Belarus this week to discuss a new peace plan for Ukraine.

The call comes following telephone conversations among German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

However, Putin says the talks are not set in stone.

"We agreed that we will try to set up the meeting, in the same format, of the heads of states and governments in Minsk. We will be aiming for Wednesday, if by that time we are able to agree on a number of the positions that we recently have been discussing intensely."

It's being reported the leaders are going to be discussing the creation of a demilitarized zone around the current front line.

The proposed talks come amid reports the US is considering sending defensive weapons to Ukraine.

Numerous European leaders have expressed concerns about the possibility of escalating the conflict.

US Secretary of State John Kerry contends there's no divide among the allies.

"Let me assure everybody, there is no division, there is no split. I keep hearing people trying to create one. We are united, we are working closely together, we all agree that this challenge will not end through military force. We are united in our diplomacy."

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has already left over 53-hundred dead.

1.5-million others have been displaced by the fighting, which has been going for nearly a year.

 

 

Iran nuclear talks: supreme leader says no deal is better than bad deal

 

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has gone on-record suggesting "no deal is better than a bad deal" when it comes to negotiations with world powers over the country's nuclear program.

Khamenei has made the comments while meeting with leaders of Iran's air force.

"They are trying to make it appear as if Iran is desperate in the nuclear issue. That is not true. I say it hereby that I agree with a possible deal but not a bad deal. Americans have repeatedly said that they believe no deal is better than a bad deal. Yes, we believe in that too. We think that no deal is better than a bad deal that is against our national interests and humiliates the great nation of Iran."

Iran and the P5+1 group of nations, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, have a deadline to make a political agreement by March.

A technical agreement is supposed to be worked out by the end of June.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop what Israel considers a "bad deal."

"We will continue to act and lead the international effort against Iran arming itself with a nuclear weapon and we will do everything to thwart a bad and dangerous deal that will cast a dark cloud on the future of the state of Israel and its security."

Netanyahu has been invited to speak to the US congress to support proposed legislation for further sanctions against Iran.

US President Barack Obama has publically denounced any additional sanctions on Iran, suggesting their implementation could derail the current negotiations.

 

 

Jordan intensifies airstrikes against IS

 

Jordan's air force has launched a series of sorties against Islamic State's targets.

Jordanian air force chief Mansour al-Jabour says they hit weapons depots, training centers and military barracks.

"Targeting top leadership, with al-Baghdadi at the helm. The second target was the illegal revenues of the group which they have been getting from fuel. The third target was to weakening and destroying the trainings centres and the logistic centres."

The focus of the airstrikes is the city of Raqqa, which is the de facto capital of the Islamic State.

Jordan is among a group of 4 Arab countries involved in the US-led coalition hitting Islamic State targets with air-strikes.

Jordanian authorities have stepped up their attacks on Islamic State targets following the release of a grizzly video this past week showing one of the country's captured pilots being burned to death.

 

 

Hundreds pay tribute to Japanese hostages killed by IS

 

A memorial has been held in Tokyo for the two Japanese hostages killed by Islamic State militants.

Hundreds of people have lit candles and held placards bearing the names of Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa.

"I feel anger about this war but I have decided not to bring that anger here today and I hope they can rest in peace."

"It is obvious that the Japanese government should help the Japanese who are in trouble overseas and that is why the government is around. It really pains me to listen to the same reply that the government has to no choice but to repeat: "We are extremely sorry". This reflects the current state of our society."

The memorial comes on the heels of a new survey in Japan which suggests around half of those asked think the country's aid for Middle East countries should be limited to non-military.

Islamic State militants beheaded journalist Kenji Goto last month.

Haruna Yukawa was murdered by the group a week earlier.

Japanese authorities have since tightened security at airports and at Japanese facilities abroad.

 

 

A new round of UN climate talks open in Geneva

 

UN Climate Change negotiations have resumed in Geneva.

Officials are working on putting together a blueprint to guide negotiations at the Paris summit slated for the end of this year.

They're working to try to trim down the 37-page deal reached in Peru this past year.

That agreement is calling on governments to submit national plans for reining in greenhouse gas emissions.

They're to submit their proposals by the end of March.

Conference chief Manuel Pulgar-Vidal is calling for both urgency and compromise among the negotiators involved.

"Now we need to work with an even higher sense of urgency as we recall the sovereign conclusions of the last IPCC report and we learn that according to the World Meteorological Organization 2014 has been the warmest year on record in history. This week we need to act with responsibility and mission, I ask you to work with efficiency and a sense of compromise."

Despite advancements made last year, the UN process remains divided.

At issue is disagreements over how much money the world's rich nations are going to provide to the developing world to help with climate-change initiatives.

 

 

DPRK fires 5 short-range missiles into east waters

 

North Korea has launched five short-range missiles off its east coast.

The missiles travelled around 200-kilometers before splashing down.

They're being touted as a new form of tactical missiles.

This comes just days after North Korean forces fired two ship-to-ship missiles off the coast of Wonsan.

The US and South Korea are preparing to take part in their annual drills.

 

 

22 Egyptian football fans killed in clash with security forces

 

It's being reported over 20 people have been killed in clashes between football fans and police outside a stadium in Cairo.

Reports are suggesting the melee started as fans tried to force their way into a premier league game without tickets.

At least 20 others have been sent to hospital.

Most of the victims suffocated.

 

 

Over 700 migrant workers demand their backpay after 17 years' delay

 

Protests have been taking place in Shenzhen, with some 700 migrant workers demanding their unpaid wages.

The group claims they've been waiting for their back pay for 17-years.

"Since the case has been settled, we just want to get our money as soon as possible. We want to head home for the Spring Festival. Since the payment has been transferred into the court's account, why not give us the money?"

"I just want to be paid and return home soon because my children are waiting for me. Without being paid, I can even not afford to send my sick mother to the hospital."

A local court in Shenzhen has already ordered the three companies involved to pay them over 4 million US dollars in back-pay plus over 6 million dollars in breach of contract fines for a construction project dating back to 1997.

The court in Shenzhen has since confirmed the workers will be recieving their back-pay.

However, the payment of the money from the fines is being delayed due to an appeal filed by the companies.

 

 

Jewelry Store Boss Detained for Illegal Fundraising

 

Police in Liaoning are detaining 13 suspects for illegally raising more than 3-billion yuan.

The authorities have shut down a jewelery-store chain which ran a leasing service.

Authorities contend the operation, which had over 150-stores, had been scamming people.

Wang Meijie heads the company involved in the alleged scheme.

"We let people try our jewelry for free. Though it was free, we had an agreement with customer on how long they must return the jewelry. They can pay us a deposit and take the jewelry. We collect a lot of deposits from our customers. The deposits we collected were higher than the value of the jewelry."

Xiu Liang is the lead investigator.

"The key point is that they charged interest much higher than a bank would. They also used fake jewelry. They also promised significant returns to lure people into investing."

Authorities say little of the money stolen from customers can be refunded, as the suspects have already spent most of it.

 

 

Chinese Mobile Internet users in data trap

 

A new Internet security report is suggesting Chinese mobile Internet users are becoming inundated with massive data flows without knowing it.

One main problem is pop-up ads.

"Some app developers force you to update or you can no longer use the app. They have also been able to design some tricks for you to update the app updates without knowing what happened. This chews up a lot of data."

An extra megabyte of data used outside your monthly plan runs around 10 yuan.

Qiu Baochang with the China Consumers' Association says there are legal options available to fight pop-up ads.

"If an app developer fails to notify you about their product or mislead you, they are then in violation of the consumers' rights laws. Consumers can sue the app developers if they want restitution."

Internet regulators in China brought in new rules in September to monitor the use of pop-ups on mobile devices.

Mobile internet users hit 500 million this past year.

 

 

CCTV Starts 2nd Rehearsal for Spring Festival Gala

 

China Central Television has held its second rehearsal for its upcoming Spring Festival Gala.

This year's show has been put on a tight schedule, as preparations began late.

Singe-songwriter Liu Huan says he's bringing a new sound to this year's event.

"I believe this song could help us to find our true selves. Living in such a rapidly-changing and fast-pacing modern society, we are all under a lot of pressure. And this song is going to help us to find a way back to ourselves. I myself like this song very much."

The gala is set to air on Lunar New Year's eve, which falls on February 18th this year.

 

 

Wild Giant Panda Spotted in Northwest China

 

A wild giant panda has been spotted in a nature reserve in the northwestern Chinese province of Shaanxi.

The panda has been seen on-cameral in the Huangguan Mountain Reserve.

It has been recorded climbing a mountain.

Observers are suggesting it was looking for both water and warmth.

Giant Pandas are native to Sichuan and northern Yunnan.

 

 

Biz Reports

 

 

Stocks

 

Anchor:

First let's get a preview of what we can expect on the markets this week.

Join me on the desk, Luo Wen.

Reporter:

A light data calendar this week, with U.S. January retail sales and February consumer sentiment the only major reports due for release.

On Thursday, the U.S. Commerce Department is expected to report that retail sales fell half of a percent in January, largely reflecting lower gasoline prices, after dropping 0.9 percent in December.

U.S. Labor Department data on Friday is expected to show import prices tumbled 3.2 percent in January after falling 2.5 percent in December.

The last week of earnings will dominate activity for the equity market this week.

Tesla Motors will report fourth-quarter results on Tuesday.

Investors will be listening for an update on the company's battery plant construction, color on weak fourth quarter sales in China that it previously outlined, and details about the planned summer launch of the Model X SUV.

Cosmetics maker Avon Products will report fourth-quarter results on Thursday amid controversy in its key market, China.

China unit of Avon pleaded guilty in connection with a bribery scheme in December last year.

Finally, publisher Time is expected to report fourth-quarter revenue slightly above analysts' estimate on Friday.

The Publisher has cut its full-year 2014 revenue forecast twice in consecutive quarters citing falling circulation and weak print advertising.

 

 

China's Foreign Trade Tumbles 10.8 pct in Jan.

 

Official figures show China's foreign trade sank dramatically in January.

The total trade volume hit 340-billion U.S. dollars last month, down nearly 11-percent year on year.

Exports dropped over 3-percent last month.

At the same time, imports dipped just under 20-percent to 860 billion yuan.

This has increased China's trade surplus to 87.5 percent to start the year.

 

 

'Big Four' Auditors' Chinese Units Settle with U.S. SEC over Document Dispute

 

Anchor:

U.S. regulators have reached a deal with the China-based units of the "Big Four" accounting firms after a lengthy dispute over their 2012 refusal to turn over documents connected to Chinese companies under investigation.

The settlement involves the China units of Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Each company is going to pay a 500-thousand US dollar fine.

The Securities and Exchange Commission sued the firms in 2012 amid a dispute over the release of documents the firms argued would break Chinese secrecy laws.

For more on the settlement, we are now joined live by Mike Bastin, Director of The China Business Centre based in London.

Talking points:

 

 

Chinese Domestic Luxury Market Sees Sales Slump in 2014

 

A new report by U.S. consulting firm Bain suggests Chinese consumers spent nearly 19-billion US dollars on luxury goods last year.

The same analysis is also suggesting Chinese consumers are going to account for one-fifth of the world's high-end sales this year.

The report by Bain comes amid official would that domestic luxury consumption declined last year.

Luxury watch sales declined by 13 percent last year from a year earlier.

Bruno Lannes with Bain says they expect sales of luxury items to continue dropping this year.

"We saw for the first time a decline in the market, so the market contracted. Three main reasons for this. One is, of course, the continuous impact of the anti-graft. Second is the fact that Chinese consumers buy a lot of luxury products outside China, or now, because it's more convenient, also through 'daigou' agencies. And third we found that more and more Chinese are now interested by what we call it experiential luxury, which is enjoying good time in spas, resorts and cruises."

Industry observers are suggesting more and more Chinese consumers are opting for cheaper items amid the drive for frugality by the Chinese government.

 

 

Porsche to Recall 14,571 Cars in China

 

Porsche has announced its recalling over 14-thousand of its vehicles on the mainland due to a faulty camshaft.

The recall covers mostly imported Panamera models built from April 2009 to September 2011.

Cayenne models constructed between March 2010 and September 2011 are also involved.

The recall will officially begin in April.

 

 

New Direct Flight to Link China's Chongqing and Rome

 

Hainan Airlines has announced its going to be launching direct flights from Chongqing to Rome starting in April.

The flight, which will run twice a week, will take around 13 hours between the two cities.

This follows an agreement reached last month between the Civil Aviation Administration of China and Italy's civil aviation authorities.

The new agreement is expected to allow airlines in China to operate more flights between the two countries.

 

 

Air Arabia to Enter China

 

United Arab Emirates air-carrier Air Arabia is opening a new route to the Chinese market.

Air Arabia has announced plans for 3-times-a-week services from the Saudi city of Sharjah to Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi.

The new route is being serviced by an Airbus A320.

Air Arabia is the first low-cost airline to run routes from the Middle East to China.

 

 

China's Insurer to Acquire US Hotel for over $230 mln

 

Chinese insurer Sunshine Insurance has announced its buying New York's Baccarat Hotel for more than 230 million U.S. dollars.

The company is reportedly paying real-estate mogul Barry Sternlicht's firm more than 2 million U.S. dollars a room for the mid-town Manhattan property.

The valuation is more than the Plaza Hotel, which sold in 2012 to India's Sahara Group for just over 2 million dollars a room.

Its expected Chinese companies will spend more than 5-billion U.S dollars this year on hotel investments this year.

Chinese companies spent 920 million U.S. dollars last year.

 

 

Headline News

 

 

Xi Plans State Visit to U.S.

 

It's been confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping is going to be making his first state visit to the US as President.

Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai says discussions are already underway about the logistics of the trip.

The date for Xi Jinping's trip has yet to be set.

The expected talks between Xi Jinping and Barack Obama are likely to focus on issues related to the Western Pacific.

Xi Jinping was last in the US for an informal summit with Obama in California in June 2013.

They met again at the APEC Summit in Beijing back in November.

 

 

China's lunar probe tests orbit for moon sampling

 

A series of tests of China's test lunar orbiter have taken place.

Scientists are testing the technology needed for the forthcoming mission to the Moon.

The tests have involved modulating the speed, height and orbit needed for a moon sampling mission.

This is all in preparation for the next Chinese lunar mission, the Chang'e-5.

Chang'e-5 is due to be launched in 2017.

It's mission will be to land on the moon, collect samples, then return to Earth.

 

 

DPRK fires 5 short-range missiles into east waters

 

North Korea has launched five short-range missiles off its east coast.

The missiles travelled around 200-kilometers before splashing down.

They're being touted as a new form of tactical missiles.

This comes just days after North Korean forces fired two ship-to-ship missiles off the coast of Wonsan.

The US and South Korea are preparing to take part in their annual drills.

 

 

22 Egyptian football fans killed in clash with security forces

 

It's being reported over 20 people have been killed in clashes between football fans and police outside a stadium in Cairo.

Reports are suggesting the mele started as fans tried to force their way into a premier league game without tickets.

At least 20 others have been sent to hospital.

Most of the victims suffocated.

 

 

Wild Giant Panda Spotted in Northwest China

 

A wild giant panda has been spotted in a nature reserve in the northwestern Chinese province of Shaanxi.

The panda has been seen on-cameral in the Huangguan Mountain Reserve.

It has been recorded climbing a mountain.

Observers are suggesting it was looking for both water and warmth.

Giant Pandas are native to Sichuan and northern Yunnan.

 

 

Newspaper Picks

 

 

CHINA DAILY

Headline

Restrictions eased for migrants

Summary

Authorities in Beijing's Tongzhou district are working on a new "point system" for people to get a local "hukou".

Criteria will include stable employment, accommodation, social security status and duration of residency.

Once people get a certian amount of points, they'll be able to change their residency status.

Similar systems are already being implemented in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin.

BEIJING NEWS

Headline

CPC video's popularity rises

Summary

A three-minute English-language video promoting the Communist Party of China has gained renewed popularity on the Internet.

Its hits on Youku.com have reached over 750-thousand by Sunday.

The video was first posted online in 2013.

BEIJING TIMES

Headline

Medal ranking U-turn

Summary

China's sports authority has apologized for bringing back a gold-medal orientated provincial ranking system it had promised to abolish.

The performance of local sports officials is evaluated based on the number of athletes selected from the region to participate in the National Games.

BEIJING MORNING POST

Headline

Critical illness insurance

Summary

A health official is suggesting the critical illness insurance program was used by 1.15 million patients last year.

The reserve fund for the program hit 9.7 billion yuan last year.

YANZHAO METROPOLITAN DAILY

Headline

Basement radar

Summary

Radar is being used to detect unauthorized basement construction in Beijing.

The crackdown comes after a municipal lawmaker was busted after he built a basement in his courtyard home, which led to the collapse of nearby homes and a street.

GLOBAL TIMES

Headline

Dongguan sex bust

Summary

A number of political officials and 36 police officers in the city of Dongguan in Guangdong have been punished for negligence and abuse of power in the wake of the city's sex scandal.

The city has been reputed to be China's "Sex capital," with prostitution running rampant.

The Chinese government launched a crackdown a year ago.

 

 

Special Reports

 

 

Life-Like Elephant in Beijing shopping mall to raise conservation awareness

 

Anchor:

A new public awareness campaign for elephants has been launched in Beijing involving an electrically-controlled elephant in a shopping mall in downtown Beijing.

CRI's Zhang Wan has more.

Reporter:

People in Beijing are now able to touch and play with a cute electrically-controlled elephant inside this shopping mall.

IFAW communication officer Zhang Qi says people can actually communicate with Elephant Laura with stomps and even take a shower with her.

Laura is an elephant full of stories. A book about her and her family has hit shop and library bookshelves in China.

Girl "I am Xie Wenxuan. I am 9 years old and I am a third grader. Killing elephants and trading ivory is wrong."

Boy "We are not capable of actually doing something for them over in Africa, but we can do our best to tell people their stories."

Man "I didn't know ivories come from dead elephants, now I'll tell my friends never consume ivory anymore."

Grace Ge is the Asia Regional Director of IFAW. She says illegal ivory trade in Africa remains alarming.

"In Africa, Elephants are being killed for the ivory trade. And it's very alarming, their populations, they're disappearing. Every link on this chain, from poaching to trafficking of ivory to consuming ivory is full of blood."

The latest figures from IFAW estimate that at least 10-thousand elephants have been killed in Africa in the past three years.

UN figures also suggest that at least 60 percent of the deaths of elephants in Africa in the past decade were caused by poaching. In some places, this number could be as high as 90 percent.

"When the buying stops, the hunting stops as well. If there is a market for wildlife parts, the hunting will definitely be going on."

Some other wildlife experts also argue that illegal ivory trading can be actually destructive to local economy, since it can make the country look bad to tourists and hurt the backbone of many African economies - tourism.

Ge says the government should put stricter laws on illegal ivory trading so as to cut off the source of the business.

"Because consumers cannot tell which is legal ivory and which is illegal ivory. Once illegal ivory gets smuggled into China and sold in the market, the consumers would not able to tell and law enforcement officers could not tell."

As a signatory of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna or CITES, China has stepped up efforts in curtailing ivory smuggling. Government figures show the number of illegal wildlife smuggling cases last year dropped 70 percent from the year earlier.

For CRI, I'm Zhang Wan.

 

 

Sports

 

 

Basketball: CBA Playoffs, NBA Preview

 

Taking a look at hoops action at in the Chinese Basketball Association Playoffs last night:

League leaders Guangdong evened things out with Dongguan last night to one game apiece after defeating the Leopards 112-89. Guangdong were looking to redeem themselves after suffering a close upset to open up their playoff bid by losing 117-116 to Dongguan.

And Defending champions Beijing overwhelmed Jilin 111-92, thanks to Randolph Morris's 31 points, putting them up 2-0 in the best-of-five series.

On Saturday,

Second-place Liaoning defeated Zhejiang Guangsha on Saturday 100-92 in their opening playoff game, aided by forward Deon Thompson's 29 points, 14 rebounds and 4 of Liaoning's 7 total blocks of the game.

And Friday, Qingdao edged Shanxi 115-113. Qingdao rallied from a 13-point deficit heading into the fourth. A team-total of 22 assists and American Mike Harris' 42 points helped the Eagles soar past Shanxi.

Tonight, tipping off at 8 p.m., Beijing time;

Liaoning host Zhejiang Guangsha for game two of their series;

And Shanxi will meet Qingdao for the second time in the playoffs.

Tonight, tipping off at 8 p.m., Beijing time;

Over in the NBA:

Nine games are on schedule this morning, with four underway right now:

Atlanta vs. Memphis;

Indiana vs. Charlotte;

Minnesota vs. Detroit;

Chicago vs. Orlando;

Already on the books:

It's a bad day for Los Angeles;

as Cleveland dumped the Lakers 120-105

and Oklahoma City thrashed the Clippers 131-108.

 

 

Lin Dan Seeded 5th at All England Badminton Championship

 

Olympic champion Lin Dan has been seeded fifth on his quest to capture his sixth men's singles title at the All England Open Badminton Championships to start early next month.

The top seeds are China's world champion Chen Long, who will be gunning for his second All England title, followed by Jan O Jorgensen, of Denmark--the current European Champion.

In mixed doubles, world champion Chinese pair Zhang Nan and Zhao Yunlei are top seeds, with Denmark's Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christina Pedersen seeded to meet them in the final.

In the women's singles, China's Li Xuerui has been seeded top to regain her first and only title she won in 2012.

 

 

Dongfeng Race Team Top Volvo Ocean Race Leaderboard Heading into 4th Leg

 

Dongfeng Race Team have dominated the Volvo Ocean Race ever since they entered their home waters in Sanya last month, and Sunday marked no change despite four swaps in their crew line-up for Leg 4 to Auckland.

They won the stage from Abu Dhabi and then followed up on Saturday with a faultless win in the Team Vestas Wind In-Port Race.

Dongfeng raced clear of the six-strong fleet virtually from the starter's gun on Sunday and exited the bay of Sanya in Hainan first.

The Chinese team was joined by golfer Zhang Lianwei, who eventually jumped off the yacht to be picked up by a dinghy.

The fourth stage to Auckland, a distance of over 5,000 nautical miles (nm), is probably the toughest so far in terms of the sea conditions the fleet will meet.

The racers are expected in the New Zealand city in about three-week's time.

 

 

Football: Atletico Madrid Destroy Real, Barca Come Within 1 of Top Spot

 

In football:

Over in accion de La Liga:

Atletico Madrid absolutely dismantled rivals Real Madrid 4-0 in their derby.

Atletico's Tiago Mendes opened scoring in the 13th minute, with sub Saul Niguez, Antoine Griezmann and Mario Manzukic notching points in the beat-down.

Barcelona manhandled Athletic Bilbao 5-2. The Barca win and Real loss pulls the Catalan giants within one point of the league's top spot.

English Premiere League action yesterday was an all-even event;

Burnley tied with West Brom 2-2;

Stoke and Newcastle went 1-all in their match;

As did Man U against West Ham;

earlier,

Chelsea beat Aston Villa 2-1;

Man City tied with Hull City 1-1;

Liverpool and Everton went scoreless in their 0-0 tie;

And Southampton downed QPR 1-0.

And in the African Nations Cup final, which just finished:

The Ivory Coast are the continental champions after a dramatic victory over Ghana 9-8 in a dramatic penalty shootout.

The Elephants and Blackstars went scoreless in extra time. In the penalty shootout, it came down to sudden death. Ivory Coast keeper Boubacar Barry became the hero of the game, saving a penalty to keep his side in the match, then scoring the game winner.

 

 

Tennis: Sharapova Sends Russia to Fed Cup Finals; Team USA Make Playoffs Thanks to Venus Williams

 

In Tennis:

Fed Cup action in Krakow, Poland saw

Russia advance to the semifinals after world no. 2 Maria Sharapova defeated Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 7-5.

Sharapova hit 39 winners and took the first set in just over half an hour. The win put team Russia 3-0 over their hosts, before the doubles pair of Vitalia Diatchenk and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova extended their lead to 4 and 0.

And over in Buenos Aires, team America advanced to the playoffs after Venus Williams put her side up 3-1 over Argentina with a 6-1, 6-4 win against Maria Irigoyen.

With the victory, the U.S. has a chance to return to the World Group when they compete in the Fed Cup playoffs in April.

 

 

Golf: Indian Anirban Lahiri Wins Malaysia Open; PGA Action Update

 

Over in Golf:

India's Anirban Lahiri shot a four under par final round of 68 to win the Malaysian Open by a stroke over Bernd Wiesberger of Austria in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (8th February).　

The key moment came at the seventeenth, where Lahiri holed a monster putt from the fringe for birdie and took the lead at sixteen under.

Lahiri parred the last and had a nervous wait as Bernd Wiesberger failed to birdie the 18th to force a play-off.

Over at the PGA's Farmer's Insurance Open:

 

 

Entertainment

 

 

'Birdman's' Alejandro Inarritu Takes Top Film Honors in DGA Awards

 

Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Inarritu has taken this year's Directors Guild Award for "Birdman," raising his and his film's chances for Oscars in two weeks.

Inarritu has bested Richard Linklater for "Boyhood," and Clint Eastwood for "American Sniper".

"If this is considered a great film, it doesn't have nothing to do with me, it's a miracle, and a good film is something that is beyond what you can do, and I truly say that humbly because I never expect to be tonight here talking to you, never in my life, really."

"Birdman," starring Michael Keaton, tells the story of an actor who is struggling to try to reclaim his craft after being involved in action-hero films.

 

 

A-listers attend Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy gala

 

Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy gala has drawn stars who are set to shine at this year's Grammys.

The gala is a pre-party for the show, which gets underway in around 10-minutes time.

A-Listers from Taylor Swift to Jamie Foxx took part in the pre-party.

One Republic's Ryan Tedder is up for album of the year for co-writing and co-producing the track "XO" on Beyonce's self-titled album.

"I think that this year is different because of Beyonce. She's never won album of the year. I don't know how that's possible? What is going on in the world where Beyonce hasn't won album of the year?"

Beyonce, Beck, Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran and Pharrell Williams are all up for "album of the year."

 

 

Zhang Ziyi Accepts Veteran Rocker Wang Feng's Proposal

 

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has announced her engagement.

Veteran rocker Wang Feng popped the question at her birthday party.

The 36-year old accepted Wang's proposal in front of relatives and friends, including famous Chinese singers Na Ying and Leehom Wang.

Zhang Ziyi is best known for her role in the Oscar-winning film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

The Beijing-born actress is also known for her role in Zhang Yimou's "Hero."

 

 

Bruce Jenner Involved in Fatal Car Accident

 

Olympic gold medalist and reality TV star Bruce Jenner is recovering following a fatal highway crash.

The incident took place on Saturday in Malibu.

A 70-year old woman is dead as part of a 4-vehicle pile-up.

Jenner managed to escape from the crash without injury.

Authorities have said Jenner was not responsible for the incident.

Bruce Jenner, who won a gold medal in the men's decathlon at the 1976 Summer Games, has become renowned as Kim Kardashian's stepfather.

It was recently announced he's trying to make a transition from a man to a woman.

 

 

Brian Williams Stepping Away From 'NBC Nightly News' Amid Scandal

 

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams says he's stepping away from the show for the next few days.

Williams has been under fire for claiming to have been on-board a military helicopter in Iraq that was forced down by enemy fire in 2003.

It was later revealed he was not on the helicopter in-question, but in one behind it.

Williams has issued an apology.

He's since announced he's going to take a short break from 'NBC Nightly News,' saying he's going to be off for the "next several days."

NBC has launched a formal investigation.

In the interim, Lester Holt will take over the anchor desk.