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

Coming up on the program this evening...

ahead of his trip to the US, the Chinese president has met with a group of American entrepreneurs and former officials...

a corruption suspect who fled China 14 years ago has been repatriated from the United States...

and Croatia has closed its border with Serbia following an influx of thousands of migrants...

In Business...Chinese and French officials have begun a new round of high-level economic talks...

In Sports...China reaches the semis of the under 21 FIVB volleyball world championships for the first time in decades...

And in Entertainment...the Sundance Film Festival returns to Hong Kong...

TopChinese President Meets U.S. Business Delegation in BeijingAnchor:

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sat down with a number of entrepreneurs and former officials from the United States here in Beijing ahead of his forthcoming trip to the US next week.

CRI's Luo Bin has more.

Reporter:

The meeting among President Xi and U.S. delegates in Beijing is part of a regular round of talks held among Chinese and U.S. business leaders and former officials.

Addressing the meeting, Xi Jinping has told the group the relationship between China and the United States needs to be one based on mutual cooperation.

The talks themselves have focused mainly on issues such as bilateral relations, trade and infrastructure investment.

Zeng Peiyan, Chair of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, says the talks are a good way to get both sides more involved.

"President Xi Jinping's full recognition of the talks is very motivating. We are facing a long and arduous journey ahead. I believe through continued collaboration, we can deepen understanding, strengthen communications, reach more consensuses and enjoy more fruitful results."Thomas Donohue, President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, says the relationship between China and the US is one of mutual dependence.

"Our nations share one of the most important and interdependent relationship in the world, our economies are closely tied, and how we work together will have a very (impact) on the strength and stability of the global economy."Issues such as cyber security and regional territorial disputes have been dominating the headlines in recent months.

US Chamber chief Tom Donahue says he believes these are issues which can be solved.

"Now the conflicts and disagreements between our nations must be acknowledged and must be addressed, our leaders must work through these differences, but these differences must not undermine the great potential for collaboration. We know that this kind of leadership is possible because it's been modeled here in the dialogue, CEOs and former officials from both countries have engaged in candid and constructive exchanges, through the process we'll build mutual trust and understanding and have come up with concrete ideas for moving forward."Xi Jinping is due to meet with US President Barack Obama in Washington next Friday.

Aside from cyber security and territorial issues, the two leaders are expected to address a number of other key issues, including nuclear issues in Iran and on the Korean peninsula, as well as trade and investment.

For CRI, I'm Luo Bin.

Chinese "Red Notice" fugitive repatriated from U.S.

Anchor:

A Chinese corruption suspect at large for 14 years has been repatriated from the United States to China.

Yang Jinjun, suspected of embezzlement and bribery, fled to the US in 2001.

China released a list of the 100 most-wanted Chinese fugitives abroad in April, all of whom were subject of an Interpol Red Notice.

Yang is the first from that group to be repatriated from the United States.

He is the 12th from the list to be netted so far.

Liu Jianchao, head of the international cooperation department at Commission for Discipline Inspection, says no matter how far you run justice will be served.

"Successful repatriation of Yang Jinjun shows that China's hunt for suspects related to corruption and embezzlement is getting more support and cooperation in the international community. Once again, the act showed that, no matter how long the suspect is at large, or how far he has run, we will bring him to justice. We will continue to work with other countries fighting corruptions."For more on this, our reporter Zhou Jingnan spoke earlier with Professor Yue Liling from the China University of Political Science and Law.

Xi's U.S. visit clear sign of China's commitment to cooperation--expertAnchor:

Li Cheng, a top Sino-U.S relations expert says President Xi's visit to the U.S. shows China's determination to pursue a cooperative path in Sino-U.S. ties.

CRI's Min Rui has more.

Reporter:

Li Cheng is the director of the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution think tank.

During an interview with CRI, he listed several issues the two sides will talk about.

"Each country has a different basket of issues. Some overlap and some may have different sequence or priority. For United States, they were covering four issues, cyber security, South China Sea, East China Sea maritime issues, intellectual property rights, BIT, and issues of human rights, NGO and civil society. For the Chinese side, it emphasize economic cooperation"The expert also points out that the talks will help to clarify some misunderstandings between the two countries, and undermine some of the worries or unfounded fears about a more confrontational relationship.

China bashing is a commonly noticed phenomenon in some U.S. political circles. With the campaign season underway, Li Cheng says Americans should put it into perspective and be aware of the impact this kind of negative dialogue can have on the future bilateral relations.

The US-China relationship is a complicated one because of its complicity. I think politician needs to be cautious. If China bashing goes too far, there will be a back lash. And to be honest, in the international community people, are very, very cynical about this kind of bashing because, it not… as you said, it's really not good for both countries. It undermines US interests. Really quite misleading, but therefore, I think we should put it into perspective. I think sophisticated Chinese understand that this is campaign language."In the last three years, President Xi and President Obama have had two summits, and they have also had a couple discussions on the sidelines of multilateral meetings.

When asked about prospective achievements during the upcoming visit, Li said it is not easy to predict the "headline news" during the visit, but he expected that Xi and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama will reach broad consensus on cyber security.

"There will be discussions about market access including IT companies and they will seriously discuss cyber security. China is not going to avoid this issue. China's interest is to establish an international norm in that area. So there will be a new agreement, a new kind of change."Li also says other issues like corrupt Chinese officials hiding in the US will also be included in the talks, and this is a second area to emphasize cooperation.

The expert says that the United States and China, the two largest economies in the world, will continue to make strides in their cooperation on the economic front, as global economic re-balancing requires China's participation.

For CRI, I'm Min RuiChina to Enhance Cooperation with ASEAN: Vice PremierAnchor:

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli has pledged to enhance cooperation with Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN in political, economic and cultural areas.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of 12th China-ASEAN Expo in south China's Nanning city.

Our reporter Wang Wei has more.

Reporter:

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli says building a community of common destiny is necessary for regional growth.

"At present, profound changes are taking place in global political and economic patterns. China and ASEAN have to strengthen cooperation, build a community of common interest, common destiny and common responsibility with political mutual trust, integrated economies and inclusive culture. Only by this can China and ASEAN effectively cope with the difficulties and challenges to achieve further development respectively."According to Zhang, promoting political mutual trust is one of the top priorities so as to strengthen strategic links between the two sides.

As for economic and trade cooperation, the vice premier has urged new efforts to upgrade the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and to promote the development of regional economic integration.

Zhang also called on China and ASEAN to deepen cooperation in other areas.

"We should push cooperation in international production capacity, for mutual benefit and win-win results. China is willing to launch cooperation with ASEAN in fields like electric power, engineering, construction materials, communication information, among others, in order to enhance global competitiveness of the industries of China and ASEAN."Meanwhile, cooperation in establishing an effective and convenient infrastructure network and China-ASEAN information harbor are expected to be strengthened in the near future.

The vice premier has noted closer cultural exchanges will be an impetus for bilateral relations.

"China and ASEAN should work closely in cultural exchanges, and continuously consolidate the foundation of good-neighborly relations. It will be full of difficulties and setbacks during the current world economic recovery process; China is willing to work with ASEAN to make use of each others' advantages for mutual benefit and win-win results."The expo, held from Friday to Monday, embraces over 2,200 companies from China and southeastern countries.

Initiated in 2004, the expo serves as an important platform to promote bilateral trade and relationships between China and ASEAN.

Bilateral trade between China and ASEAN increased over 8 percent year on year to 480 billion U.S. dollars in 2014.

For CRI, this is Wang Wei.

Chemical plant leak poisons 20 in central ChinaA leak at a chemical plant in central China involving synthetic ammonia has poisoned 20 residents in a nearby village. Five of them are in serious condition.

The government of Pingdingshan in Henan province says the leak happened at about 6:30 on Friday morning at Henan Zhonghong Coal Chemical Company where 300 kg of synthesized ammonia leaked from a cracked pipe.

The poisoned villagers have been sent to hospitals.

The government says no ammonia has been detected in air quality testing near the site.

Promo HereChina Holds Ceremonies to Mark September 18 IncidentAnchor:

On Friday morning, three Provinces in northeastern China held ceremonies to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the September 18 Incident.

The incident marked the beginning of a full-scale invasion of Japanese troops into China.

CRI's Victor Ning has more.

Reporter:

Warning sirens sounded across the city of Shenyang, where the incident started in 1931.

Nearly one thousand officials, students, veterans and soldiers attended the ceremony which was held outside of the "September 18" Historical Museum in the city.

Wang Jianxue, a historian from the museum, gives more details on what happened on that day.

"I wonder why Japanese troops launched their attack on Sept. 18. Everyone was in high spirits because the next day would be payday. The 29th company was the major force that attacked Shenyang and Beida Ying. The captain of the 29th company of the Japanese army visited Beida Ying on purpose--he was testing the waters. After that, the Japanese troops were confident enough to carry out their ambitious plan to intrude into northeastern China."On September 18, 1931, Japanese troops blew up a section of the railway under their control near Shenyang, and then accused Chinese troops of sabotage as a pretext for bombarding the barracks near Shenyang the same evening.

The incident was followed by Japan's full-scale aggression into China and the rest of Asia, triggering the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Ding Yu, a resident in the nearby city of Anshan, says commemorative actives, such as the sounding of sirens, have been held every year.

However, Ding says he feels it's different this year, as 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of Chinese people's victory against Japanese aggression.

"When I heard the siren, I felt it sounds so harsh; it reminds me of those documentaries and historic files that I have seen recently about that brutal history. I think Chinese people sacrificed a lot to live a peaceful life now. We should cherish it, and at the same time, be strong enough not to be involved in a war again."For CRI, this is Victor Ning.

China voices concerns over Japan's security billsChina's Foreign Ministry has expressed concerns over the security bills in Japan that are likely to be passed in in a plenary session of the upper house soon.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.

"Recently we have noticed that voices in Japan opposing the bills have become louder by the day. We demand that Japan earnestly listen to these just voices domestically and internationally, learn the lessons of history, uphold the path of peaceful development, speak and act cautiously in security and military matters and take actual steps to maintain regional peace and stability."On Friday, Japan's five largest opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet at the national Diet's lower house.

The move was their last-ditch effort to delay a vote in a plenary session of the upper house.

The motion against Abe's cabinet came after a censure motion against the prime minister filed by the oppositions earlier in the day at the upper house.

The security bill passed an upper house panel approval on Thursday, amid chaos and lasting protests.

If enacted, the bills will allow the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to engage in armed conflicts overseas even if Japan is not under attack.

However, since the Abe-led ruling bloc secured the majority seats in both chambers of the national Diet, the opposition motions are likely to be voted down.

Outside the national Diet building, protesters rallied against the bills, shouting slogans demanding the retraction of the bills and resignation of the prime minister.

Washington Reaction to Iran Nuclear AgreementAnchor:

The Obama administration is now free to begin implementing the Iran nuclear deal.

The Senate came up short of votes on Thursday for a resolution to disapprove of the agreement reached between the U.S., Iran, and five other world powers.

Kevin McAleese has more from Washington.

Reporter:

Time's up as the congressional review period expires and the Obama administration successfully swerves last ditch Republican attempts to kill a deal a decade in the making...

Speaking on the eve of the deadline US secretary of State John Kerry, the man who built international support for the agreement, said diplomacy had won through...

US Secretary of State, John Kerry:

"Iran made a fundamental decision that they wanted to change their direction, end their isolation with the world and that that was more important than pursuing a nuclear weapons program"The accord will see tough financial sanctions on Iran eased in exchange for the Islamic republic's dismantling of it's nuclear program and unprecedented access to atomic facilities. Further down the line, Iran may also reopen it's economy to foreign investment. But for Fred Flietz, with the Center for Security Policy, that shift should come with a warning...

Fred Flietz, with the Center for Security Policy:

"It's a terrible place to invest the business climate is awful, there's a concern among western businessman of what can happen to them, they know that Americans have been arrested fro no reason in Iran, there's also a concern by many international firms that if a republican is elected next year he or she is going to implement harsh sanctions on Iran and any investment will be lost."The deal has placed immense strain on US ties with it's close ally Israel, which fears unfrozen assets will be used by Iran to fund malign activities in the middle east, - Speaking at the White House spokesperson Josh earnest said the issue will feature in discussions in Washington when the Israeli Prime Minister meets with President Obama in November...

Josh Earnest, White House Spokesperson:

"The president looks forward to discussing with the Prime Minister regional security issues including implementation of the joint comprehensive plan of action to peacefully and veritably prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon"While the review period is over, implementing the conditions of the deal could, according to US observers, be some months away. Largely dependent on evidence that Iran is upholding it's end of the deal.

For CRI I'm Kevin McAleese in WashingtonCroatia Overwhemled by Influx of RefugeesCroatia has closed its seven border crossings with Serbia after seeing the influx of more than 11,000 refugees in one day.

The closure on Thursday night led to a six-kilometer-long queue of trucks waiting to enter Croatia, while on the other side of the road is a two-kilometer-long line of vehicles waiting to enter Serbia.

Croatia has said it is overwhelmed by the influx of migrants, after its neighbor Hungary closed the Hungary-Serbia border on Tuesday to keep the migrants out.

Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic says Croatia is not able to take in any more people, warning that his government may close the Croatia-Serbia border.

The Croatian government has set up makeshift shelters for the refugees, in places including border areas and its capital Zagreb. Buses have been provided to transport the migrants to the shelters and other places closer to Western Europe.

One migrant near the Serbian border on Thursday said that there were more people than the buses could take.

"We're waiting from this morning, from 9 o'clock to right now, we're waiting for the bus. Unfortunately there was six buses and there's no more buses to get. So the guy told us maybe tomorrow will come the bus and carry people to the centre of town."Most migrants in Croatia are first trying to reach Slovenia before reaching more prosperous European countries. However, regular train services between Croatia and Slovenia have been suspended by Slovenia in fear of the large numbers of arriving migrants.

Croatia's state media has reported that the country's president has asked the military to prepare to protect national borders from illegal migration.

The EU has called an emergency summit next week over the ongoing refugee crisis.

Death Toll in Chilean Quake Rises to 12, Major Damages ReportedThere are now 12 confirmed deaths from the powerful earthquake that struck Chile on Wednesday.

Some cities are now disaster zones following the quake, which had a magnitude of 8.3.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet visited the heavily affected city of Coquimbo on Thursday.

"And we have been able to determine the extent of the damage. This is a very, very serious damage and we are working with the ministers. Then, we will go house by house and business by business to put up the posters , designating a damaged structure."Damages are estimated to be in the billions of US dollars. The president added that shelters have been set up in Coquimbo for those who lost their homes.

More than one million people in Chile evacuated costal areas. Seismologists say Chile's investments in structural reinforcement and constant upgrades to its tsunami alert system have helped to prevent a potential catastrophe.

WeatherBeijing is clear tonight with a low of 16 degrees Celsius; a mix if sunshine and cloud tomorrow with a high of 27.

Shanghai, cloudy tonight with a low of 21; still cloudy tomorrow with a high of 27.

Chongqing will see slight rain tonight with a low of 19; overcast tomorrow with a high of 22.

Lhasa, overcast tonight with a low of 9; cloudy to wet tomorrow with a high of 21.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, sunny tomorrow with a high of 37.

Kabul, cloudy, 24.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney will see moderate rain with a high of 17.

Brisbane, cloudy with a high of 23.

Perth, cloudy, 20.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will be wet with a high of 15 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsKerry looking forward to Xi's state visit to U.S.: State DepartmentThe State Department has said that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is looking forward to Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to the United States, the first since he took office in 2013.

During the visit, President Xi will hold a summit meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House and will also meet with senior U.S. officials, including Kerry.

State Department spokesman John Kirbey says the Sino-US relationship is important not just for the pacific region but also around the world.

Chinese "Red Notice" fugitive repatriated from U.S.

A Chinese corruption suspect at large for 14 years has been repatriated from the United States to China.

China released a list of the 100 most-wanted Chinese fugitives abroad in April, all of whom were subject of an Interpol Red Notice.

Yang Yinjun, suspected of embezzlement and bribery, is the first of the 100 to be sent back from the United States. He is the 12th from the list to be netted so far.

The Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said in a statement that Yang's repatriation marks major progress in Sino-U.S. law enforcement cooperation.

China vows more ASEAN maritime cooperationChinese vice Premier Zhang Gaoli has proposed to step up maritime cooperation with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

He made the remarks while address the opening ceremony of the 12th China-ASEAN Expo today in south China's Nanning city.

Zhang says that peace and stability in the South China Sea is important to regional development and prosperity, and is in the common interests of countries in the region.

He suggests more regional cooperation is needed in the maritime economy and communication, and in scientific research, environmental protection, and maritime safety.

This year has been named "the year of China-ASEAN maritime cooperation."Chilean president declares state of emergency for Coquimbo regionThe Chilean President has declared a state of emergency for the coastal region that bore the brunt of the 8.4-magnitude earthquake on Wednesday night.

Interior Minister Jorge Burgos says that more than 70,000 homes in the area remain without electricity.

Burgos adds that the possibility of restoring power to these homes in the next few hours is doubtful. Much of the region will remain in the dark throughout the night. He says security measures are to be reinforced.

According to the minister, a local military division has been deployed to the zone to guarantee security after dark.

The powerful earthquake that struck central Chile on Wednesday night has killed at least 11 people.

Biz reportsStocksAnchor:

Time to check today's business news, first taking a look at closing numbers in Asia. Joining us is Victor Ning,Reporter:

Chinese shares rose on Friday after the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to refrain from raising interest rates.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index went up 0.4 percent to end at 3,098 points.

The Shenzhen Component Index rose 1.1 percent.

The ChiNext Index, which tracks China's NASDAQ-style board of growth enterprises, climbed 2.6 percent.

The U.S. Federal Reserve decided to maintain its near-zero interest rates during a policy meeting overnight. We have more on that later.

Mainland stocks have fluctuated widely this week, dropping nearly 4 percent on Tuesday and rising almost 5 percent on Wednesday.

In Hong Kong, the Heng Seng moved up 0.3 percent led by property shares.

Elsewhere in Asia,Tokyo shares ended the trading day sharply lower as investors' sentiment was weighed down by the U.S. Fed's decision to maintain its near-zero interest rates. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average tumbled nearly two percent.

South Korea's KOSPI added nearly one percent.

Singapore's Straights Times dropped 0.6 percent.

And Finally,Australia's ASX200 closed half of a percent higher.

China-France Economic and Financial Dialogue Kicks offThe third China-France High-Level Economic and Financial Dialogue has kicked off in Beijing.

Officials will consult with each other on issues such as the macroeconomic landscape and policies, global governance, bilateral cooperation in finance, as well as cooperation in market, industry and major projects.

Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai spoke at the opening ceremony on Friday.

"The two sides will exchange ideas on jointly exploring the third-party market, international currency reform and climate change etc."The French Finance Minister says he welcomes Chinese companies to invest in France.

Senior economic and financial officials from both sides are attending the dialogue.

China's housing market continues recoveryChina's housing market continued to pick up in August with new home prices marking a year-on-year rise.

Average new home prices of 70 large and medium-sized cities increased 1.7 percent compared with a drop of 0.4 percent in July.

The National Bureau of Statistics says more cities are seeing price increases in both new and second-hand houses.

New home prices in Shanghai rose 5.6 percent in August from a year ago while those in Beijing increased three percent.

China's housing market took a downturn last year due to weak demand and a surplus of unsold homes.

The cooling has continued into 2015, with both sales and prices falling and investment slowing.

ICBC authorized for yuan clearing in ArgentinaChina's central bank on Friday authorized the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to clear renminbi business in Argentina.

The People's Bank of China has made the decision after the signing of a memorandum of understanding on establishing a yuan clearing system.

China is Argentina's second-biggest trade partner and biggest destination of farm produce exports.

China is also the country's third-biggest source of investment.

The two sides inked a 70-billion-yuan, or 11 billion U.S. dollar currency swap deal last July.

ICBC has now been authorized for yuan clearing in six foreign countries.

China central bank orders banks to tighten supervision of clients' forex deals: sourcesMedia reports say China central bank has ordered banks to tighten supervision of their clients foreign exchange deals and strictly check the authenticity of clients' forex trading.

Reuters say the move is aimed at preventing cross-border arbitrage - the simultaneous purchase and sale of the same shares in different markets to profit from unequal pricing.

Meanwhile, the People's Bank of China also raised trading fees for some banks to settle their clients' forex deals in the domestic forex market.

The fees were raised as high as 0.3 per cent for certain banks, compared with a negligible 0.002 per cent to 0.003 per cent for most banks.

Federal Reserve keeps key interest rate unchangedAnchor:

The U.S. Federal Reserve has kept interest rates unchanged in a nod to concerns about a weak world economy.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen made the announcement at a press conference after the Fed's meeting on Thursday.

"The Federal Open Market Committee reaffirmed the current zero to quarter percent target range for the federal funds rate."In what amounted to a tactical retreat, the U.S. central bank says that an array of global risks and other factors had convinced it to delay what would have been the first rate hike in nearly a decade.

However, the Federal Reserve has left open the possibility for modest policy tightening later this year.

The Fed says it will assess both realized and expected progress toward its objective of maximum employment and 2 percent inflation in its consideration of when to raise the benchmark interest rate.

Fed officials also expect the recent global financial market volatility and slower global growth to further put downward pressure on the inflation level.

For more on this, CRI's Yu Yang earlier spoke to David Dollar, senior fellow with the Foreign Policy and Global Economy and Development programs.

Intel to invest in Chinese tech firmsU.S. chip giant Intel has decided to invest 67 million US dollars in eight Chinese tech companies.

Economic Information Daily says the eight firms are mainly involved in the cutting-edge fields of smart devices, the Internet of things, cloud services, big data and data analysis.

Intel has pumped over 1.9 billion US dollars into Chinese firms since it started to invest here 17 years ago.

Hong Kong-listed giant buys top Australian vitamin companyHong Kong-listed Biostime has purchased leading Australian vitamin company Swisse Wellness.

Under the 1.2- billion-US dollar deal, Biostime will take an 83-percent interest in the Australian company.

Biostime says it would bring significant China-wide distribution, e-commerce capability and a well-established customer loyalty program to the partnership.

Swisse has been known in the market for its aggressive marketing strategy, which took celebrity endorsement to a level not seen before in the Australian market.

On top of hiring celebrities to promote it, Swisse is a significant sponsor of sporting events in Australia.

SportsChina in semis at FIVB men's U21 world championshipIn volleyball,China have made it into the semifinals of the FIVB Men's Under 21 World Championship in Mexico for the first time in 34 years.

China sent off Canada in three straight sets to progress from second place in Group F.

They take on Argentina in the semifinals tomorrow evening Beijing time.

China's highest finish was second place in the inaugural championship in Brazil back in 1977.

Russia are also through after defeating Italy. They will meet Brazil in the other semifinal match-up.

Ding Junhui in last 8 of Shanghai MastersIn snooker,Ding Junhui was pushed to the final frame but survived Ryan Day's challenges to reach the last eight at the Shanghai Masters.

Ding took the deciding frame with a single break of 76 to close it 5-4 on Day.

He goes on to face Kyre Wilson in the quarterfinals.

Judd Trump emerged from the same situation and beat Matthew Selt to progress.

Defending and world champion Stuart Bingham, Mark Williams, and Mark Davis also made it through.

Davis ousted Shaun Murphy who couldn't convert the match points this time like he did in the last 16.

Spain beat France to reach Eurobasket finalIn basketball,Spain avenged their semifinal loss over France two years ago and powered past the hosts into the final of the Eurobasket championship.

With a place in the final guaranteed, Spain also became the first European team to qualify for next year's Rio Olympic Games.

They beat France 80-75 in overtime.

Pau Gasol hit a career high of 40 points with 11 assists.

The Chicago Bulls forward was well prepared for this tough match.

"I just prepared myself to play at my best level, trying to take advantage of the moment I'm going through and the good shape that I'm in. Knowing that we have significant players that are not here this year, I knew I had to maybe carry a little more responsibility but to me, I just try to bring inspiration and motivation to my teammates."Spain will have to wait for the result from the other semifinal to find out their opponent for the championship.

Serbia and Lithuania will hit the court for that berth early tomorrow morning.

French coach Vincent Collet is clearly disappointed but says they can still compete for a medal.

"First of all we lose the direct qualification to next year's Olympics. We know the consequences. It's awful by itself. And yes, It's going to be a struggle (to go to the Olympics) but we can't really talk about it for now. Somehow, we're kind of lucky that the next game is only on Sunday. I hope tomorrow will allow us to heal our wounds and that we'll manage to bounce back starting Saturday, to try to regroup and win a medal."In other action,Greece and Italy did not get a direct ticket into Rio but still have a chance, having made it into the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.

There is one more spot in the qualifying up for grabs for Latvia and the Czech Republic.

Jason Day holds early lead at BMW ChampionshipIn golf,Jason Day set an early pace with a four-shot lead when the opening round of the BMW Championship was halted by thunderstorm.

Day is currently at 10-under through 17 holes.

The world number three from Australia is grouped together with Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth.

He could overtake Spieth and Rory McIlroy to become the new world number one if he wins this tournament.

Spieth is tied for third place at five under.

He sank a hole-in-one at the par-three second hole from 196 yards.

Elsewhere,Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts hit birdies on 8 straight holes to card an opening-round 9-under-63 at the Italian Open.

He leads by two shots going into the second round today.

Centennial Copa America to be held in the USIn football,The centennial edition of the Copa America will be held in the United States next June.

Football officials from the Americas ratified the decision after the possibility of a change of venue came with the US investigations into FIFA leaders.

Ten South American teams and six teams from the Northern, Central American and Caribbean regions will participate in the tournament.

The Copa America is now held every four years but next year's event is designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the South American Football Confederation.

Chile won this year's edition at home in July.

Prince Harry, David Cameron attend opening ceremony of rugby world cupIn Rugby,Prince Harry and British Prime Minister David Cameron attended the opening ceremony of the world cup.

Prince Harry is also Rugby Football Union's vice patron and the honorary president of this world cup. He welcomes the world to England where the sport of rugby was born 200 years ago and hopes they will help in making it a successful event.

"The values of the game, demonstrated so brilliantly by elite players on the global stage, can be mirrored at all levels both on and off the pitch to improve lives and strengthen communities. I know everyone here shares our enthusiasm for this vision and will join us in helping to create a truly positive and inclusive legacy of this World Cup. I hope you all enjoy the tournament and, while you're here, make the most of everything this country has to offer. Thank you."Prime Minister David Cameron is proud that another sporting event of such magnitude has arrived in his country.

"It gives me huge pleasure again to welcome the world to the United Kingdom. We did it for those wonderful Olympics and Paralympics. We did it again with the Commonwealth Games, and it is a huge pleasure to welcome the world for this Rugby World Cup, to Britain - the best home of sport, the best host of sport that you could possibly have."Action begins when hosts England take on Fiji today.

Webb Ellis Cup holder New Zealand begin their title defense against Argentina on Sunday.

EntertainmentSundance Film Festival Opens in Hong KongThe Sundance Film Festival has returned to Hong Kong for the second year running.

The festival highlights independent movies and documentaries.

The festival opened with a screening of "The Wolfpack" by American filmmaker, Crystal Moselle.

"The Wolfpack" tells the story of the Angulo brothers who were confined to their apartment by their overprotective father. As a way to cope with their confinement, they re-enacted scenes from their favourite movies.

The film won the grand jury prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

Other films set to be screened at the Hong Kong festival include "Dope" and "The Stanford Prison"The 2015 Sundance Film Festival Hong Kong runs from September 17th to 27th.

David Beckham to star in mini filmFootball star David Beckham is set to star in a new short film titled 'Outlaws'.

Beckham will take on the role of a mysterious drifter in a film commissioned by British fashion label Belstaff. The film tells the story of a motorcycle stuntman haunted by memories of a beautiful trapeze artist all while being hunted by a director seeking revenge.

The football star says he did not take any acting lessons but his fellow cast members made the filming process easy.

"I was very nervous to work with such great people who are so professional and so humble and so easy to work with. It was, my job was easy. I was kind of happy that I didn't have to say anything throughout the movie because you know, I am working with professionals here,"Beckham is also set to star in Guy Richie's "Knights of the Roundtable" which is set for release next year.

"Outlaws" will be released on Belstaff's website on September 22.

Trailer released for Steve Jobs biopicA new trailer has been released for Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs biopic.

The film directed by Danny Boyle stars Michael Fassbender as the Apple boss who died in October 2011 from pancreatic cancer.

The film follows Jobs during three product launches and ends in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac.

Kate Winslet stars as Macintosh's former marketing chief Joanna Hoffman and Seth Rogen as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

In 2013, another biopic titled Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher was released to negative reviews and was seen by many as an untrue portrayal of the Apple boss.

Steve Jobs is set for release in UK cinemas on November 13.

Princess Leia gold bikini up for auctionStar Wars fans have the chance to purchase one of the franchise's most famous costumes at Profiles in History's Hollywood Props auction.

A version of Princess Leia's metal bikini from "Return on the Jedi" is to be put up for auction at the end of September. The bikini which was used on the set is expected to sell for around $120,000.

Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher was forced to wear the outfit while she was held captive by Jabba the Hutt.

The costume is just one of 50 pieces of Star Wars memorabilia up for grabs. Other collectibles on sale include original scripts, Darth Vader's helmet and cameras used to shoot the films.

The auction also features memorabilia from other films such as Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and the Terminator films.

The auction is set to take place from September 29 to October 1.

Ringo Starr puts Beatles' items up for auctionThe Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr is putting up 800 items of the band's memorabilia for auction including his three piece drum kit and a guitar owned by John Lennon.

(bjh/soundbites 0918 Beatles)Ringo says that he has so much stuff around the world and after selling his country house in England, he just doesn't have the room for it.

The musician is also selling 'The White Album No.1' which he says he had kept in a bank vault for the past 35 years and several guitars including one which was a gift from George Harrison.

He says a portion of the proceeds will benefit him and his wife's Lotus Children foundation which focuses on social welfare issues around the world.

The items will go up for auction on December 4-5 at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, California.

That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour...

A quick look at the headlines before we go...

ahead of his trip to the US, the Chinese president has met with a group of American entrepreneurs and former officials...

a corruption suspect who fled China 14 years ago has been repatriated from the United States...

and Croatia has closed its border with Serbia following an influx of thousands of migrants...

In Business...Chinese and French officials have begun a new round of high-level economic talks...

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