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

Coming up on our program this morning...

Chinese President Xi Jinping adressing the UN General Assembly during the world body's opening session in New York...

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for accelerating negotiations on a China-EU joint investment fund...

And Scientists from US space agency NASA have reporting the presence of liquid water on Mars...

In Business.... China vowing a better enviornment for foreign investment...

In Sports.... China taking out Lebanon at the FIBA Asian Basketball Championships...

In entertainment..... Trevor Noah set to take the helm of American political satire program "The Daily Show..."All of that coming up in the next hour.

A reminder as always there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

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Top NewsChinese President Xi Jinping Addresses UN General AssemblyAnchor:

World leaders are gathering at the UN headquarters in New York for the annual high-level meeting of the General Assembly.

Among many state leaders such as US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping has made speech stating China's stance in regards to the international order and its resolution to pursue peaceful development.

CRI's He Fei reports from New York.

Reporter:

The Seventieth session of the United Nations General Assembly kicks off its annual high-level debate early this morning at the UN headquarters in New York. Member States of the UN have taken the opportunity to address to the world their concerns on core international issues.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has made his first speech at the UN General Assembly, saying that China will never give up its pursuit of peaceful development.

"China will continue to participate in building world peace. We are committed to peaceful development. No matter how the international landscape may evolve and how strong it may become, China will never pursue hegemony, expansion or a sphere of influence."He says all countries are equals, no matter big or small, rich or poor. And a partnership should be built in which countries treat each other as equals, engage in mutual consultation and show mutual understanding.

"The principle of sovereign equality underpins the UN Charter. The future of the world must be shaped by all countries. The principle of sovereignty means that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries are inviolable and their internal affairs are not subjected to interference. It also means that all countries' right to independently choose social systems and development paths should be upheld, and that all countries' endeavors to promote economic and social development and improve their people's lives should be respected. "While addressing the General Assembly, President Xi Jinping also announced a decision to establish a 10-year, 1 billion US dollar China-UN peace and development fund to support the UN's work.

"I wish to announce that China will join the new UN Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System and has thus decided to take the lead in setting up a permanent peacekeeping police squad and build a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops. I also wish to announce that China will provide a total of 100 million of free military assistance to the African Union in the next five years to support the establishment of the African Standby Force and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis."In regards of the international order, the Chinese President has stressed the country's determination to stay committed to the path of development through cooperation.

"China was the first country to put its signature on the UN Charter. We will continue to uphold the international order and system underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China will continue to stand together with other developing countries, especially African countries, in the international governance system. China's vote in the United Nations will always belong to the developing countries."In addition to Chinese President Xi Jinping, other state leaders such as US President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have all addressed to the General Assembly.

The general debate session will last for about 6 days.

For CRI, I'm He Fei in New York.

Review of President Xi's UN tripAnchor:

Prior to the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly, Chinese President Xi Jinping has attended the UN Development summit, the South-South Cooperation roundtable and the gender equality and women's empowerment summit.

CRI's UN correspondent Su Yi now gives us a review of the Chinese President's activities there.

Reporter:

In his speech at the UN sustainable development summit, the president elaborated on China's stance on global development. He called for equitable, open and all-round development. We know the centerpiece of this year's development summit is the adoption of the post 2015 sustainable development agenda. So this could be interpreted as the Chinese government's interpretation of the way of implementing the SDGs.

-At the South-South Cooperation Roundtable, President Xi said the new era of SSC requires countries to respect each other's development path and better coordinate their policies. It should bring about more concrete benefits and help to reform the global governance system. Another highlight would be a slew of measures announced at the roundtable.

China will establish an assistance fund for South-South cooperation, with an initial pledge of 2 billion US dollars in support of developing countries' implementation of the 2030 development agenda.

China will continue to increase investment in the least developed countries, aiming to increase its total to 12 billion US dollars by 2030.

- At the gender equality summit, president Xi rolled out a four-point proposal. He called on the international community to make women's development part of their social and economic policies and protect women's rights as they are basic human rights. He also said a inclusive society is needed to better protect women's rights and the international community should build a global environment favorable for women's development.

To support women's development worldwide, China will donate 10 million US dollars to UN Women.

For CRI, I'm Su YIChina-US consensus to help expand cooperation in cyberspaceA group of Chinese experts are hailing the future of China-US cooperation in the cybersecurity field following Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States.

President Xi has noted that both China and the United States are major countries in the Internet sphere in a meeting with participants of an Internet forum during his time in Seattle.

He said that the two sides can make cybersecurity a new bright spot in bilateral cooperation.

Shen Yi, contract research fellow at the China Institute of Cyber Space, said China and the US have come to a new ground in managing differences.

"President Xi proposed a constructive way to manage differences and make cyber issues a highlight of China-US relations. This idea transcends the traditional concept of confrontation and friction. It provides a constructive attitude towards the cyber issues."China and the US have reached agreements on issues including handling malicious cyber activities and making state-level cyberspace behavior standards.

Both sides have also decided to build a high-level joint dialogue mechanism concerning the crackdown on cyber crimes.

Premier Li urges negotiations on China-EU joint investment fundChinese Premier Li Keqiang has met with European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen on Monday in Beijing.

Premier Li calls for accelerating the negotiations on a China-EU joint investment fund.

Li Keqiang says the fund will help promote bilateral investment, financial cooperation and joint exploration of the third-party market.

Despite a complicated international situation and tepid economic recovery, Li says improved China-EU cooperation will not only benefit the two sides, but also send positive signs to the world.

He also reiterates the Chinese economy is still within the reasonable range, and the long-term positive trend of China's economic development remained unchanged.

Katainen says the EU is ready to enhance coordination with China on macro-economic policy issues, and to offer support for China's reform and opening-up.

Katainen is in Beijing to co-chair the fifth China-EU high level economic and trade dialogue with Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai.

China becomes first non-EU country to announce contribution to Juncker plan: EUThe European Union says China has become the first non-EU country to announce its contribution to the continent's Juncker Plan, which is to be established in early 2016.

The plan is to involve 315-billion-euro investment, or 352 billion U.S. dollars.

China's announcement was made at Monday's High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue in Beijing.

The two sides agreed at the dialogue to set up a joint working group, including experts from China's Silk Road fund, the European Commission, and the European Investment Bank.

The Commission and the Chinese government have also signed a memorandum of understanding on the EU-China connectivity platform to enhance synergies between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the EU's connectivity initiatives.

The EU says the bloc is ready to establish cooperation with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and will offer technical assistance in the bank's start-up phase.

Potential co-financing for the two projects is also under consideration.

China- EU economic and trade talks kick off in BeijingAnchor:

China and the EU have pledged to speed up talks on an investment treaty.

The pledges were made at a high-level economic and trade dialogue that wrapped up Monday in Beijing.

CRI's Guo Yan reports.

Reporter:

Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai says Monday's talk aims to enhance bilateral trade and investment.

"Under the theme of promoting bilateral trade and investment from a strategic height, this round of dialogue has had in-depth and candid discussions on a wide range of topics and we reached extensive consensus."Officials from China and the EU also signed an agreement on 5G technology and communications industry development.

Under the agreement, the EU and China seek to reach a global understanding, by the end of 2015, on the concept, basic functionalities, key technologies and time plan for 5G.

The two sides agreed that by 2020 there will be more than 30 times as much mobile Internet traffic as there was in 2010.

The EU also vowed to make joint efforts with China to promote global standardization for 5G, implement joint research actions and facilitate bilateral participation of enterprises in 5G research projects.

Major topics during the talks also include an investment treaty between China and EU.

Talks on this agreement started in early 2014.

The European Commission's Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen told a joint news conference that both sides had agreed to set up a working group to discuss these issues.

"The first issue which we agreed today was a real breakthrough, because we wanted to, we agreed to set up a joint working group to increase cooperation between the EU and China."The group is expected to further discuss how to better cooperate on China's "One Belt and One Road Initiative" with an economic plan backed by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

The Junker plan, with the aim of reviving European economy, also features large infrastructure projects.

After Monday's dialogue, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met the EU delegation headed by Katainen.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

New Zealand Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee Visits ChinaAnchor:

New Zealand's defence chief says his country regards its relations with China as a crucial avenue in maintaining a stable and prosperous Asia-pacific.

He made the remarks during a stop in Beijing on Monday.

CRI's Niu Hong Lin reports.

Reporter:

New Zealand Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee has given a speech, outlining New Zealand's perspectives and security priorities.

He thus speaks highly of China's contribution to the UN peacekeeping mission.

"In peacekeeping, New Zealand is very grateful for the force protection provided by People's Liberation Army soldiers working under the United Nations banner in South Sudan, side-by-side with our troops. China is now one of the world's biggest contributors of peacekeepers to United Nations missions, and we commend you for your commitment to maintaining international peace and security through these means."Brownlee says because New Zealand's interests in maritime domain are global, free navigation is especially important for his country.

In talking about the issue of the South China Sea, he says over half of New Zealand's maritime trade passes through the region.

"It is of particular importance to New Zealand, reliant as we are on seaborne trade and the security and freedom of navigation for our economic prosperity and well-being. Over half of New Zealand's maritime trade passes through the South China Sea."The comment comes after Chinese president Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Barack Obama jointly announced last Friday that both countries' support the freedom of navigation and over-flight that countries enjoy and insist on solving disputes among directly concerned parties through peaceful negotiations and consultations.

Gerry Brownlee says being a long-time ally to the United States, New Zealand doesn't think its military ties with Washington contradict relations with Beijing.

"We do not see our defence relationships with the United States and China as mutually exclusive. We believe that the United States and China want the same thing for the Asia-Pacific – peace and prosperity. This is New Zealand's desire as well, and we will work with all parties to achieve this outcome."He adds that an inclusive dialogue will ensure all nations will integrate into a rules-based international order so that territorial disputes can be properly dealt with.

The China-New Zealand relationship was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during President Xi's visit to New Zealand last year.

Following Brownlee's visit in Beijing, he will go to Chengdu Military District, meet with commanders, and visit a military base.

Since Brownlee has some personal experience in disaster response and recovery, he also hopes to learn from the perspectives and expertise of Chinese leaders and officials who dealt with the tragic 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

For CRI, I'm Niu honglin.

Four Chinese Dead in Mecca StampedeFour Chinese nationals have been confirmed dead in the stampede near Mecca last Thursday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the announcement on Monday.

"The Chinese delegation on the pilgrimage has confirmed that around 14,500 of its members have completed their activities in Saudi Arabia and will start returning to China. Four Chinese participants have died in the stampede."The spokesperson added that the Chinese embassy in Saudi Arabia will continue to monitor new developments and manage issues as they arise.

Two million pilgrims took part in the Hajj's last major rite at the Mina valley near Mecca.

'Strong' Evidence Found for Liquid Water on Mars: NASAAnchor:

Scientists from US space agency NASA have reported that they've found evidence that there's liquid water intermittently flowing on present-day Mars.

CRI's Xie Cheng has more.

Reporter:

NASA's planetary science director Jim Green announces that liquid water has been discovered on Mars under certain circumstances.

"Today, we're revolutionizing our understanding of this planet. Our rovers are finding that there's a lot more humidity in the air that we ever imagined. As we ingest the soils they're moist. They're hydrated, full of water. These discoveries are very important but they were only part of the hydrological cycle on Mars that we're just now beginning to understand. "The finding could have major implications for the possibility of discovering the truth about life on the planet.

For his part, NASA's Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate John Grunsfeld explains the discovery's significance.

"The more we observe Mars, the more information we are getting that it really is a fascinating planet. From the Curiosity Rover we now know that Mars once was a planet very much like Earth, with warm salty seas, with freshwater lakes, probably snow capped peaks, clouds and a water cycle, just like we are studying here on Earth with our Earth satellites, the water cycle here on Earth."He also notes Mar's abundance of perchlorate, a type of salt typically used as a propellant.

"These observations from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter are giving us a much better view that Mars has resources that are useful to future travelers. When you have water, what is water --hydrogen and oxygen - that's what you make rocket fuel out of. Perchlorates, the space shuttle, the solid rocket boosters are aluminum perchlorate. In principal, you can make solid rocket fuel and as we've talked about, perchlorates are ubiquitous around Mars."The evidence of flowing streams consists of dark, narrow streaks on the surface that tend to appear and grow during the warmest Martian months and fade during the rest of the year.

However, the source of the water still remains a mystery.

The existence of frozen water on Mars was confirmed by scientists back in 2008.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

India Launches Observatory and Six SatellitesIndia has successfully launched its first space observatory and six satellites into orbit.

It comes as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive to expand his country's influence in the competitive global space industry.

Mission Director B. Jayakumar says things have gone according to plan so far.

"Just now we completed the PSLV-C30 ASTROSAT Mission and everything went on well in the mission and we have used an external version of PSLV which we call as PSLV XL vehicle for this mission and the performance of the vehicle has been excellent. In fact, it has performed as we wanted."The observatory, named Astrosat, will attempt a deeper study of the universe, especially star systems.

Saudi Arabia raises possibility of greater death tollPakistani authorities say the Saudi Arabia has given an indication of a significantly higher death toll from last week's hajj stampede.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, a lawmaker in Pakistan's governing party, leads his country's response to the families of its nationals involved the disaster.

"The number I shared is official. Photos of 1,100 martyrs, hard copies and soft copies are available in our embassy and people are coming and seeing them to verify whether, God forbid, their missing relative is among the dead, and some were identified among them. This is an official number - eleven hundreds martyrs."The Saudi Health Ministry's latest figures released on Saturday put the number of people killed at 769 and nearly 1,000 injured.

Saudi authorities have said that the disaster began when two large waves of pilgrims converged on a narrow road last Thursday during the final days of the annual hajj in Mina near the holy city of Mecca.

Fighting continues between Taliban and Afghan troopsHundreds of Taliban gunmen have launched a multi-pronged offensive and seized more than half of the strategic northern city of Kunduz in Afghanistan.

A hospital, a courthouse and other government buildings have been locked down in fierce battles with government forces.

Spokesperson for the provincial police chief of Kunduz says the insurgents overran more than half the city after launching coordinated early morning attacks.

Battles with government forces are still underway in at least four locations.

Taliban militants have entered hospitals around the city hunting for wounded government troops.

A Taliban spokesperson has claimed responsibility for the attack on his social media account.

Obama, Putin Exchange Sharp, Opposite Views on Syria Crisis at UN AssemblyUS President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have exchanged sharply opposing views on the Syrian crisis at the first day of debate of the UN General Assembly.

Obama stressed that the war in Syria is the result of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad escalating repression and killings.

Obama said the US is prepared to work with any nation including Russia and Iran, but that Assad must still be taken out.

"I've said before and I will repeat there is no room for accommodating an apocalyptic cult like ISIL, and the United States makes no apology for using our military as part of a broad coalition to go after them. We do so with a determination to ensure that there will never be a safe haven for terrorists who carry out these crimes. And we have demonstrated over more than a decade of relentless pursuit of Al Qaida, we will not be outlasted by extremists."For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who addressed the UN Assembly for the first time in a decade, called for a global response to the crisis alongside the current Syrian government.

"Today we give military-technical help to Iraq, Syria as well as to other countries of the region which are fighting terrorist groups. We believe it's a huge mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian authorities, with the government forces, those who are bravely fighting terror face-to-face. We need to finally admit that apart from the government forces of President Assad and the Kurdish fighters in Syria, nobody, in reality, is fighting the IS group or other terrorist organisations."The United States has been leading a coalition to fight the IS group in Iraq and Syria for more than a year.

However, the efforts have produced only limited results.

In the meantime, Russia has been increasing its military build-up in the region, co-operating with Iraq, Iran and Syria to share intelligence on IS.

More than 250-thousand Syrians have been killed in a civil war that started four years ago.

Around 4 million others are fleeing aboard, mainly into Europe, which increases the urgency to reach a deal to end the civil war.

Obama and Putin are set to meet later to further discuss the issue in a meeting in New York.

US House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy running for SpeakerUS House of Represenatives Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has officially declared his candidacy for Speaker of the House.

The California Republican is strongly favored to win the top job in the lower house of the United States Congress.

McCarthy is vying to succeed outgoing speaker John Boehner of Ohio, who announced his resignation over the weekend amid an ongoing congressional row over funding for the controversal women's health organization Planned Parenthood, that has seen conservatives in the Republican caucus threaten a government shutdown if its congressional appropriations are not removed.

McCarthy is serving his fifth term in congress and has been endorsed by Boehner.

Bangkok Basts Retaliation Against Crackdown on Human Trafficking: Thai AuthoritiesThai authorities announced on Monday that the two bombing attacks in Bangkok last month were likely acts of retaliation against government crackdowns on human trafficking.

Meanwhile, China says it is closely following the investigation of the cases.

Hong Lei, Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the comments on Monday.

"China has closely followed the latest development and kept frequent communication with Thai authorities. We support the Thai government's investigation of the cases. We believe all those involved in the cases must be justly punished by law."The Aug. 17 bombing killed 20 people, including 7 Chinese nationals, and injured more than 120 other people.

WeatherBeijing will see slight rain today with a high of 18 and low of 14 degrees Celsius.

Shanghai will also be rainy today with a high of 26 and low of 24.

In Chongqing, it will be overcast with a high of 28, tonight will see showers with a low of 22.

Lhasa will see slight rain today with a high of 20, tonight will be cloudy with a low of 6.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will see a little rain with a high of 35.

Kabul will also have a little rain with a high of 21.

Over to North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 26.

Washington DC will also be cloudy, high of 27.

Honolulu, overcast, 28.

Toronto will be cloudy with a high of 25 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will see slight rain with a high of 20.

And Rio de Janeiro will also see slight rain with a high of 31 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsChinese President Xi Jinping Addresses UN General AssemblyChinese President Xi Jinping has said on Monday that China is committed to peaceful global development.

President Xi made the remarks at the annual UN General Assembly of world leaders in New York.

The Chinese President noted that China will never pursue hegemony, expansion or a sphere of influence, no matter how the international landscape may evolve and how strong China may become.

As the leader of the world's second largest economy, President Xi has pledged one billion US dollars over the next decade to support the United Nations' efforts to further international cooperation, global peace and development.

He says China will also set up a permanent peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 troops to be deployed whenever necessary.

China is already the biggest contributor of peacekeeping troops among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Xi also announced that China would provide 100 million US dollars in military assistance to the African Union.

Sino-US civil space cooperation dialogue held in BeijingGovernment officials from China and the U.S. have exchanged views on civil space exploration at a cooperation dialogue held in Beijing.

The officials shared space exploration plans and discussed possible exploration cooperation, Earth observation, space science, space weather and civilian navigational satellites.

A statement from China's top administration for science, technology and national defense, says the dialogue has marked the establishment of a mechanism of civil space cooperation between China and the U.S.

The dialogue, the first of its kind between the two countries, is part of the outcome of the 2015 China-US Strategic Economic Dialogue in June.

The second dialogue will be held in Washington next year.

Senior leader visits Kyrgyz autonomous prefecture in XinjiangTop Chinese political advisor Yu Zhengsheng has visited China's western-most Kizilsu region in Xinjiang.

Yu has encouraged local enterprises to seize the opportunity of the "Belt and Road" initiative and join enterprises from bordering countries to achieve win-win results.

Local officials are urged to continue their efforts to rid the county of terrorism and to maintain stability in the region.

Bordering Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Kizilsu is the only Kyrgyz autonomous prefecture in the country.

Yu is in Xinjiang leading a central government delegation to attend events marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on October 1.

Mine collapse traps 35 illegal miners in GhanaMore than 30 illegal miners have been trapped and at least one confirmed dead in a collapsed illegal mine pit at Tarkwa Nsuaem in Ghana.

Eye witnesses say at least one person has been pulled out of the debris dead while more than 30 are still trapped underneath the rubble.

The Local police chief says two other injured people also have been pulled up from the collapsed pit.

A similar incident claimed nearly 100 lives at Dunkwaw-on-offin near Cape Coast in 2010.

Biz ReportsStocksTurning onto business news. First, a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe as well as a recap on the Chinese market.

U.S. stocks suffered big losses on Monday, as uncertainties about the timing of U.S. interest rate hikes weighed on Wall Street sentiment.

At the same time, the Commerce Department announced that U.S. personal income in August increased 0.3 percent and personal consumption expenditures rose 0.4 percent.

Analysts said the better-than-expected increase in consumer spending in August added to the case for an interest rate hike this year.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Pending Home Sales Index decreased 1.4 percent in August, remaining at a healthy level of activity.

At the closing bell,Dow Jones dipped 1.9 percent.

S&P 500 lost 2.6 percent.

The Nasdaq slumped 3 percent.

In Europe,Markets also closed sharply lower on Monday, with miner Glencore seeing one third of its value wiped out by growing debt concerns and carmaker Volkswagen extending losses.

At the closing bell,The UK's FTSE 100 slid 2.5 percent.

Germany's DAX was down 2.1 percent.

France's CAC 40 decreased 2.8 percent.

Finally here in China, shares closed higher on Monday.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed up 0.3 percent, while the Shenzhen Component Index gained 2.1 percent.

China vows better environment for foreign investmentChina has vowed to further improve the investment environment for foreign companies.

China's top economic planner says the central government will stick to market-oriented reforms and lift investment restrictions in more industrial sectors.

Data shows foreign investment increased 9 percent to hit 85 billion U.S. dollars in the first eight months of 2015.

A spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission has affirmed that China's policies toward foreign investment will not change.

Slower China growth hurts shipping sectorRating agency Fitch says China's slower growth and economic transition may hurt the global shipping sector.

Fitch has explained that weaker data on exports and manufacturing in China has increased uncertainty for container shipping.

China is a key player in global trade, accounting for two-thirds of world iron ore imports, 20 percent of coal imports and 16 percent of oil imports.

The rating firm has expected global container demand growth to between 2 and 4 percent this year, compared to its forecast of 4 to 5 percent.

Free trade zone's successes and potentialToday marks the 2-year anniversary of the Shanghai's Free Trade Zone.

The zone is designed as a testing ground for deregulation and market-opening reforms here in China.

If successful, the FTZ format is expected to be rolled out nationwide.

By September, some 26-thousand new companies were set up in the zone, with nearly 20 percent of these being foreign-funded ventures.

The proportion of companies involving overseas capital is increasing steadily.

In April, the zone officially quadrupled in size, with officials pledging to strive for an ever-greater level of openness.

For more on the achievements and the future of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, we're joined on line by Gao Shang, analyst with Guantong Futures.

China's Aug. industrial profits decline fasterProfits of Chinese industrial enterprises further declined in August, indicating increased downward pressure on the economy.

The latest official figure shows that the profits of major industrial firms fell nearly 9 percent year on year last month.

It was sharply down from a 2.9-percent decline posted in July.

The poor performance was mainly caused by a drop in the prices of industrial goods due to weak domestic demand, a rise in unit costs and volatility in the yuan exchange rate.

New air link to boost China-New Zealand economic linksA new direct air link between Shanghai and New Zealand's Auckland has been launched.

The new route aims to boost bilateral trade and people-to-people links between the two countries.

The China Eastern Airlines flights have been supported by the New Zealand government.

The year-round service began with an inaugural flight arriving in Auckland on Saturday.

At present, four flights works a week until January 2016, when they would become daily.

The new link would contribute over 200 million NZ dollars, or about 125 million U.S. dollars, to the New Zealand economy.

2 mln Audis involved in VW scandalVolkswagen's high-end brand Audi has found itself embroiled in controversy.

More than 2 million Audi vehicles are among those with the engines affected by the emmission-rigging scandal.

The engine in question was built into 1.6-litre and 2-litre turbo diesel models in the A1, A3, A4, A6, TT, Q3 and Q5 ranges.

Spokesman for the German Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Martin Susteck is urging Volkswagen to solve the technical problems as soon as possible.

"The Federal Motor Transport Authority has sent Volkswagen a letter and asked the company to come up with a binding timetable about when measurements needed to solve the technical problems of the affected cars can be implemented. The agency has set a time and wants to see a plan from Volkswagen until October 7th."The cars involved have engines in the "euro 5" emissions category. Those with the newer "euro 6" engines are not affected.

Currently, authorities is checking the affected Audi cars and cars from different brands.

A further investigation is underway.

Apple sells over 13 mln new iPhones at weekendApple has sold more than 13 million its new iPhone products during their first weekend on the market.

The company surpassed its previous record of 10 million in sales for the previous generation of iPhones in its first weekend last year.

This year's sales result was benefited from the Chinese market, where regulatory problems delayed the debut last year.

The new iPhones will be available in more than 40 additional markets starting next Friday, reaching more than 130 countries and regions by the end of the year.

SportsChina beats Lebanon in 2015 Asian Basketball ChampionshipIn basketball news:

China beat out Lebanon 90-72 at the 2015 Asian Championship of men's basketball on Monday.

With Iran losing to the philippines 87-73, China is now the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

Iran is looking to be second in Group E, which means that they are likely to meet host China in semifinals.

But for now, China's next match is going to be against Qatar.

Venus advances at WuhanFor news in tennis:

Venus Williams won straight sets 6-1, 7-6 over tenth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the first round of the Wuhan Open on Monday.

This is her first match since her quarter-final exit at the US Open at the hands of her sister Serena.

Williams raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set and never seemed to be troubled by her Polish opponent.

Williams will face German Julia Goerges in the second round.

Sharapova suffers from arm injury at WuhanMaria Sharapova's first match for almost three months ended when she retired with a forearm injury in the third set against Barbora Strycova on Monday.

It seems Maria Sharapova's injury problems are just beginning.

Earlier in the season, a leg injury meant she missed the entire hard-court season, including the U.S. Open.

But in her recent match, Sharapova fell victim to a fore-arm injury.

The tennis pro was leading Barbora Strycova 7-6, 6-7, 2-1 when she decided to stop.

The Wuhan Open second seed had her left forearm examined at the end of the first game.

The Russian continued for another two games and held her serve for a 2-1 lead.

Sepp Blatter continues to deny FIFA Corruptionand in FIFA news:

Sepp Blatter's leagal team stated on Monday, that blatter has done nothing illegal and has no immediate plans of stepping down.

Sepp Blatter was back at FIFA headquarters three days after being interrogated by Swiss investigators.

Blatter is expected to hand over power in February when an emergency election is held.

But the 79-year-old Blatter does not appear to be planning any sudden exit strategy.

Blatter has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Meetings for the future leadership of FIFA have already begun.

Japan proposes 5 additional sports for 2020 Olympic gamesand in Olympic News:

Japanese organisers proposed adding five sports to the 2020 Olympics in TokyoOfficials in Japan want to add, baseball, karate, skateboarding, climbing and surfing to the 2020 Olympics.

The organising committee in Tokyo picked five sports from eight finalists.

Sports that didnt make the cut were bowling, squash and wushu.

Olympics marathon gold medallist Naoko Takahashi stated that this announcement is not a late notice.

"There is still just about five years to the Tokyo Olympic Games. Those athletes who are at the top of their game can aim higher, and for those who may yet be beginners, there is still plenty of time to gain a chance to win a medal. I look forward to the success of everyone in Japan, when they compete at the Olympic Games in Japan."Baseball and softball have been out of the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games.

The IOC has repeatedly stressed that any additional sports must have a strong youth appeal.

This is something Tokyo organisers believe they are addressing.

Bonhomme wins Red Bull Air Race World Championshipand in air racing:

Britain's Paul Bonhomme won the Red Bull Air Race World Championship event in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday.

This is Bonhomme's fourth Red Bull Air Race win of the season.

Australia's Matt Hall stayed right on his heels with a solid second place finish.

Bonhomme stated that a lot hard work had made his victory possible.

"It was hard work today and I think you have to take each run as it comes. You can't take anything for granted. As we've seen anything can happen. It's just as easy for me to get a knock on a gate as somebody else. It's really hard work but all I'd like to say is thanks to the team because I've got the most superb team and without them I couldn't do it."The two-time world champion from Britain stopped the clock in 55.285 seconds.

Matthews is top 2016 NHL draft pick after training in EuropeAnd in Hockey news:

Auston Matthews has become the projected first pick in the 2016 NHL draft, after playing some hockey in Europe.

Matthews made the decision to spend the year playing for Switzerland before being drafted into the NHL.

The 18-year-old Matthews is believed to be the first American hockey player who decided on taking this route.

The American's Swiss hockey coach Marc Crawford said Matthews has huge potential.

"I would say we felt he was going to be a very good player. We haven't been wrong. He's been a very good player here. Arguably in the four games he's played he's been our best player in at least two of those occasions. His vision really shows out.

Seeing Matthews play in Switzerland ahead of the draft has drawn attention North America.

It seems more elite hockey prospects might make a similar move in years to come.

Lawn Mower racing championship held in EnglandAnd some interesting sports news:

The cutting edge sport of Lawn Mower Racing has taken place in West Sussex, England.

The racing world saw a new world champion crowned this weekend.

Sam Ratcliff is amongst those at the head of the field in his chosen sportThis sport is the bizarre and secretive world of lawn mower racing.

Ratcliff mowed his way through a field to take the honors in Group 2.

The sport was created in England in the mid-1970's.

Since then, it has taken seed and grown year-upon-year.

EntertainmentTrevor Noah Debuts as New Host of 'The Daily Show'

South African comedian Trevor Noah will make his debut in a few hours as the new host of hit American political satire news show "The Daily Show."Noah takes over for long-time host Jon Stewart.

Earlier this week, he has elaborated on the two things that he could bring to the show.

"One, a fresh perspective into that a lot of these things I'm learning or have absorbed from a different place. The second thing I bring to the table, honestly, is an internal optimism. I come from a country where the impossible was achieved. It's not an easy journey, don't get me wrong, but I hear people in America saying 'I'm fed up, I feel this is the worst place we've ever been in.' I would argue it's the best place you've ever been in, but it's difficult to see that in the moment."During an interview with FOX News, the 31-year-old comedian also mentions that he'll focus less on the media outlet, often lampooned as Jon Stewart's favorite source of on-screen outrage.

Established in 1996, 'The Daily Show' counts millions of Americans among its viewers.

Wanda Group open theme park in YunnanChina's Wanda group have opened a giant theme park in Yunnan Province.

The park located in Xishuangbanna took four years to build and cost some 16 billion yuan.

It's the first outdoor theme park that Wanda Group have built and shows their expansion from commercial property and cinema.

The Wanda Xishuangbanna International Resort includes an outdoor park, international stage show, Wanda shopping mall and luxury hotels.

The park will contain five lands and include a rollercoaster that is 45 meters high.

Last year Wanda announced plans to build 100 theme parks in urban locations including shopping malls.

Hugh Jackman to Hong Kong with Latest Film 'Pan'

Austrlian actor Hugh Jackman almost paralyzed traffic in Hong Kong's downtown, as he promotes his new film 'Pan' in the city on Monday.

Dressed in a charcoal button down shirt and slacks, the 46-year-old actor started the premier by greeting the waiting fans in Cantonese.

Hugh Jackman also shares his experience as performing Blackbeard in this adventure fantasy film, which is a remake of J. M. Barrie's beloved novel 'Peter Pan'.

"All boys at some point want to be pirates, so to play Blackbeard, to be in this world of Neverland, which trust me, the visual effects and the action are like nothing you've ever seen before, this was about as much fun as I've ever had. Sword fights and flying ships. It was amazing!"'Pan' portrays a orphan who discovers his true destiny after being spirited away to the fantastic world of Neverland, and finally becomes a hero by saving Neverland from a ruthless pirate.

After the premier, Hugh Jackman got closer contact with his fans by attending an event promotes Hong Kong's tourism. As he was the guest of honor at a Fire Dragon Dance ritual held during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

'Pan' is scheduled to be released in Hong Kong on October 8th.

'Bad Man Must Die' Arouses Interests in Busan Film FestivalChina-South Korea co-produced film 'Bad Man Must Die' is reported to be one of the most anticipated productions at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival.

This Chinese-language comedy features an adventure of a Chinese primary school teacher in Busan, who comes across a mysterious lady that later gets him involved into a local crime.

Recently, the film has unveiled its Chinese theme song 'Cinderella', which is composed and sung by South Korea's popular rock band CNBLUE.

China's top director Feng Xiaogang and leading Korean filmmaker Kang Je-gyu have teamed up as producers of this black action comedy.

Popular actor Chen Bolin is starring along with famous Korean actress Son Ye-jin to interpret a thrilling but romantic story taking place on Jeju Island in South Korea.

Regarded as one of Asia's largest film events, this year's Busan International Film Festival will run from Oct 1st to 10th, by showcasing 304 films from 75 countries.

WeatherBeijing will see slight rain today with a high of 18 and low of 14 degrees Celsius.

Shanghai will also be rainy today with a high of 26 and low of 24.

In Chongqing, it will be overcast with a high of 28, tonight will see showers with a low of 22.

Lhasa will see slight rain today with a high of 20, tonight will be cloudy with a low of 6.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will see a little rain with a high of 35.

Kabul will also have a little rain with a high of 21.

Over to North America,New York will be cloudy with a high of 26.

Washington DC will also be cloudy, high of 27.

Honolulu, overcast, 28.

Toronto will be cloudy with a high of 25 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will see slight rain with a high of 20.

And Rio de Janeiro will also see slight rain with a high of 31 degrees Celsius.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

Chinese President Xi Jinping adressing the UN General Assembly during the world body's opening session in New York...

And Scientists from US space agency NASA have reporting the presence of liquid water on Mars...

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