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

Coming up on the program this evening...

A group of leading voices in the UK chime in about Chinese President Xi Jinping's forthcoming trip next week.

New plans have been unveiled to try to bring more e-commerce, and a better overall internet connection, to rural China.

Questions are already being raised about a new National Ceasefire Accord signed in Myanmar earlier this Thursday.

In Business.... new stats show outbound Chinese investment remains strong, despite the current domestic slowdown.

In Sports... Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray through to the quarter-finals at the Shanghai Masters.

In entertainment... a Chinese super model has been tapped to host this year's movie awards in Taiwan.

All of that coming up in the next hour, but first, just a reminder there are several ways to reach out to us here on the Beijing Hour.

You can follow us on our weibo account at weibo.com/beijinghour.

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Visit crienglish.com for the latest news and information from China Radio International.

Top NewsUK experts elaborate on "golden era" of Sino-British relationsAnchor:

A number of leading voices in the United Kingdom are suggesting Chinese President Xi Jinping's forthcoming trip there next week is only going to help solidify the "golden" standard both sides have been using to describe ties between the two countries.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen explains.

Reporter:

Shortly after British Prime Minister David Cameron's re-election in May, he was quoted as saying he believes the relationship between the UK and China has entered a "golden era" of development.

Since then, both sides have been throwing around "gold" to describe both economic and diplomatic ties.

Mike Bastin, director of China Business Center based in London, says the term, though perhaps somewhat derivative, does seem to fit.

"I think the golden era is the right term. The British government realized the growth in trade with China and other fast-growing nations is so important for the Eurozone economy. And I also think the term comes from the Chinese side where the internationalization of Chinese industries across all sectors is now of paramount importance for the sustainable growth of the Chinese economy. And UK seems as a real opportunity (for China) to enter and expand across Europe. "At the same time, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is also among those trotting out the 'gold standard' when describing his expectations for Xi Jinping's forthcoming trip.

"I think it's possible to get to an even higher and increased level of cooperation, not just economically but politically. How China develops its role in the world -- it's got immense implications for everyone today. There's no big global problem that can be solved without China. We are enthusiastic about developing the ties with China even further and making sure that this next decade is a golden decade."The "golden decade" is being used to describe most areas of cooperation between China and the UK.

However, one area which has seen a major step forward over the past few years is in infrastructure investment.

On top of Chinese companies purchasing a number of major properties in London, its being said Chinese investors are being directed toward other areas, including the development of the new Hinkley nuclear power station project in the UK, as well as Britain's high-speed railway system.

But other UK observers are suggesting Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit may go beyond economics.

Doctor Robin Niblett, director of London-based international think-tank Chatham House, suggests "climate change" is a non-traditional field the two countries can begin exploring.

"The British government is part of the EU, which is the other part of the triangle in a way on climate change. This could also be a big feature. There's some quite important long-term studies taking place between Chinese and British institutes on resources, on how to do greater energy efficiency, green technology, how to think about food and water, not just oil and energy. "Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with his wife Peng Liyuan, are scheduled to fly out to London on Monday.

The couple will be guests of the Queen at Buckingham Palace during their 5-day visit.

It will be the first state visit to the UK by a Chinese leader in a decade.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen.

UK economy to benefit from China's fast-growing consumer market: British OfficialsAnchor:

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's impending trip to the UK, British tourism officials have been making an active push to draw more Chinese visitors.

CRI's Li Ningjing has more.

Reporter:

According to UK national tourism agency VisitBritain, China has been one of the fastest-growing sources of tourist income for the UK.

Data shows that the number of Chinese tourists grew from 89-percent in 2009 to 185-thousand in 2014, an increase of around 108 percent.

Patricia Yates, director of VisitBritain, says they still want to see more growth.

"For every 22 Chinese visitors that come here, another job is created in tourism. So high-spending Chinese visitors, we absolutely want them to grow. In all, the market is worth about half a billion pounds to Britain at the moment, we want to double that in the next four years. So that's a really ambitious growth target to come."Per capita consumption by Chinese tourists in the UK stands at nearly 2,700 pounds, or 26,200 rmb, only behind visitors from the US.

The tourism agency VisitBritain says the growth in Chinese spending was mainly driven by trips to supermarkets and shopping on London's High Street.

China's booming consumer market is also expected to build a closer bilateral trade relationship with the UK.

UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment Francis Maude says the two sides could cooperate to a larger extent.

"I think there are no limits to the areas. There's a great deal of collaboration and cooperation. The financial services, for example, London being the main offshore location for renminbi trading. But a whole range of areas where we can collaborate, technology, health care, a huge range. So it is a very exciting time, and we look forward to developing the relationship even further."Though the future is promising, challenges still lie ahead.

Yates with VisitBritain says that the UK has disadvantages in tourism development compared with some other countries.

[act 3, Yates, female in English]

"The route development isn't as good as China as we would like it to be. So I think getting more routes approved, getting those into regional airports, absolutely a focus for us in the next few years."Despite that, the country still saw about 20-percent increase in visitors from China at the beginning of this year.

For CRI, I'm Li Ningjing .

South Korea, Japan and China Hold Regional cyber policy summitOfficials from China, Japan and South Korea are sitting down together in Seoul to talk about the internet.

The session is meant to outline the country's respective policies on the use of the internet, as well as international rules governing cyberspace.

Discussions surrounding terrorism and cyber crimes are also on the agenda.

China's delegation is being led by the Chinese government's international disarmament chief, Wu Haitao.

South Korean envoy Choi Sung-joo says they expect to make a lot of headway at the talks in Seoul.

"I expect the three of us will produce fruitful results on concrete cooperation project in the areas of countering cyber crime, as well as strengthening cyber security of critical infrastructures including nuclear power plant."The first meeting of its kind among China, South Korea and Japan took place last year in Beijing.

China to Develop E-commerce in CountrysideAnchor:

New plans are being worked on to try to bolster e-commerce activity in China's vast rural areas.

CRI's Luo Wen has details.

Reporter:

The new plans include major upgrades to the internet itself, as well as the creation of new infrastructure projects to promote the development of logistics in more parts of rural China.

It will involve spending of around 140-billion yuan by 2020 to provide at least 50-thousand villages in China with Internet access.

Once complete, authorities say this should give internet access to around 98-percent of the country.

The new State Council initative also calls for upgrading internet speeds and broadband access in rural areas which already have access to the internet.

Shen Danyang with the Ministry of Commerce says its their belief the new plan should also help in the government's broader efforts for poverty-relief in rural China.

"The development of e-commerce is expected to help people in remote areas start business online. It should also help promote local farming products and trips to the countryside."Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows online shopping revenues across China topped 9.8 trillion yuan through the first eight months this year, up nearly 25 percent year on year.

That same analysis shows e-commerce growth in China's third-and fourth-tier cities have shown stronger growth than in the larger, coastal cities.

Noting this, the leading e-commerce companies in China are already working on plans to tap the growing market.

Jin Jianhang, President of Alibaba, says they have plans over the next 5-years to build a nationwide delivery network.

"We plan to invest 10 billion yuan over the coming five years to set up delivery centers in 1,000 counties across the country as well as 100-thousand village-level outlets."At the same time, JD.com is actively trying to recruit more local agents.

The company's CEO is Liu Qiangdong.

"Of the over 40-thousand townships throughout the country, we have started business in 28-thousand. We have also contracted 46 thousand village-level agents, which is expected to reach 100 thousand by the end of this year and 480 thousand before 2020."However, Cheng Yu, a researcher of rural economics with the State Council, is cautioning e-commerce companies not to expect quick profits.

"The major task for now is to establish an efficient logistics system and a platform for farmers to sell their products. It's also important for online retailers to establish a credit system and strict quality supervision measures. That process will take a long time. "There are currently around 700-million people living in China's rural areas.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

NASA Eyes Cooperation with ChinaAnchor:

A recent gathering of international space agencies in Germany this past week is prompting new calls for policy changes in the United States.

A total of 14 different groups representing space agencies around the world met last week to discuss a number of areas, including how to make advancements to get humanity living beyond the confines of the International Space Station.

China's space administration was involved in this meeting.

However, the US Congress has been banning NASA from working directly with the Chinese space administration since 2011 over national security concerns and other policy issues.

NASA chief Charles Bolden says he believes this policy needs to change if they want to get humanity beyond earth's gravity, something the head of China's National Space Agency says he would welcome.

For more on this, CRI's Michael Butterworth spoke earlier with Australian space writer and observer Morris Jones.

Myanmar signs peace deal with eight armed rebel groupsAnchor:

The government of Myanmar has signed a ceasefire deal with eight armed ethnic groups, just a few weeks before parliamentary elections early next month.

Though largely an agreement to 'keep talking,' authorities with the Myanmar government contend the deal could pave the way for a more comprehensive political settlement to Myanmar's decades-old ethnic conflicts.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has the details.

Reporter:

The signing of the peace deal, known as the "Nationwide Ceasefire Accord" is the culmination of over two years of negotiations aimed at bringing an end to Myanmar's long-running ethnic conflicts.

The government has been talking to 15 different ethnic rebel groups who have been demanding greater autonomy.

Eight of them have now agreed to the initial peace pact.

Myanmar's Prime Minister Thein Sein says he hopes the agreement will be the first step to a lasting political settlement.

"There have been armed conflicts in our country since the country won independence. Ten of thousands of troops from both sides have lost their lives in this conflict. Hundreds of thousands of people living in the conflict area have suffered severely by the outcome of the fighting.""But many of the most active rebel groups have opted not to sign the new deal.

Seven of them, including the largest and best equipped rebel group, the United Wa State Army, have stayed away.

The powerful Kachin Independence Army and the Shan State Army, who control considerable amounts of land, have also refused to sign.

Despite this, Prime Minister Thein Sein says the door is open for any group to join the ceasefire in the future.

"Although some organisations are currently not ready to sign, the government decided to conclude the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) with the vanguard group of organizations that are ready to proceed with the signing. However, we will continue with our efforts to bring the remaining organizations into the process. The door is open for them. "Critics note the groups that agreed to the new deal on Thursday already had existing bilateral ceasefire accords with the government.

Myanmar observer Larry Jagan suggests the new deal isn't nearly as profound as the Myanmar government is hailing it as.

"It can't be considered a nationwide ceasefire agreement but it is the start of a process that might actually lead to all the ethnic groups signing the ceasefire agreement. Most of them already have bilaterals and this is trying to bring them all together to start a political dialogue process."Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi also stayed away from Thursday's signing ceremony.

She has expressed concerns the peace deal is being rushed-through by the military backed government to try to shore up votes during the upcoming elections on November 8th.

Minority ethnic groups make up around two-fifths of Myanmar's population of just over 50-million.

All of the groups that signed the peace accord were removed from the government's list of "unlawful associations" earlier this week.

The colonial-era law has been used to prosecute people who had contact with these groups.

However, their removal from the list could pave the way for many of the armed ethnic groups to join Myanmar's political mainstream.

For CRI I'm Poornima WeerasekaraPilipino Presidential candidates submit paperwork to runPhilippine presidential candidate Manuel Roxas and his running mate Leni Robredo have filed their papers to officially become candidates in the next election.

"Leni and I are all in filling out our certificates. We will give our all to this fight, a fight that we need to keep fighting for, the fight for our countrymen, the fight for every Filipino family."Roxas has the backing of current President Benigno Aquino III.

Roxas, was originally tapped to be the current ruling party's candidate before Benigno Aquino III announced his intentions to seek office.

As such, Roxas stepped aside to allow Aquino, the son for beloved former Philippine leader Corazion Aquino, to run for the top office under their party's banner.

Other candidates who hope to contest next year's elections will have to submit their papers before tomorrow.

Japan Restart Second Nuclear Reactor at Sendai Nuclear PlantJapan has restarted a second reactor at a nuclear power plant in the southwest of the country.

The Number-2 unit at the Sendai plant will begin generating power next week.

The first reactor at the Sendai facility was restarted in August, ending a prolonged nuclear power hiatus in Japan.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says this move will be the first of many.

"We will continue to restart nuclear reactors that meet what's called one of the most strict safety standards in the world, respecting the judgment of the government's nuclear authority."The Abe administration hopes to have nuclear power to account for 20 to 22-percent of the country's energy mix by 2030.

However, that goal could be somewhat difficult to achieve, as opposition to nuclear power remains widespread following the melt-down of the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011.

Report on the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the USAnchor:

As the Middle East and Europe continue to struggle with the massive influx of refugees from Syria, the US continues to be criticised for not doing enough to help.

To that end, our Kevin McAleese caught up with one of the few Syrian families which have made it to the United States.

Reporter:

For Hussen, his wife Aysha and their 7 young children, Pennsylvania couldn't be more different to the life they fled in Syria.

Hussen, Syrian refugee (Hussen does not want to disclose his surname for security reasons)"You were exposed to death on a daily basis, a rocket could land on your house, you could get shot on the street, I have 7 children, I didn't know who was an enemy, who was a friend."The Syrian conflict forced Hussen's family to escape the city of Homs - it would be three more years before the United States would open its door.

Just before Hussen's family arrived, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the US President had ordered his administration to do more for the Syrians left desperate by 4 years of civil war.

White House spokesperson, Josh EarnestHe's informed his team to make preparations to accept at least ten thousand Syrian refugees in the next fiscal year. We know the scale of this problem: it's significant and there are millions of people who have been driven from their homes because of this violence.

But Refugee resettlement director Sheila Mastropieto, says more could be done and that the US is giving in to fear-mongering.

Sheila Mastropietro - Church World Service Lancaster Refugee Program"The problem is that the American public is fearful that we will be importing terrorists but it's laughable, because to come to the US as a refugee is the most vetted process."Hussen is thankful his children can now have an education, safe from the threats of Assad's forces and ISIS, but believes there is still more the US can do.

Hussen, Syrian refugee"If America cannot stop the war they should accept more refugees and help more people, because some refugees become desperate and take to the sea to escape, and some die as a result."Hussen is now learning English so he can find work, while his children, especially his 13 year old daughter Rahaf, are already planning for the future.

Rahaf, 13 years old"One day I will be a doctor."For CRI, I'm Kevin McAleese in Lancaster, PennsylvaniaEcuador: Britain Denies Request for Assange to Have Medical Exam Outside EmbassyEcuador's government says the British government is refusing to let Wikileaks founder Julian Assange receive medical attention outside the Ecuadoran embassy in London.

Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino has made the humanitarian appeal on behalf of Assange, saying he's been suffering "deep pain" in his right shoulder for the last three months.

"We also understand the reasons they might have as a government, but of course, even in times of war, in other types of conflicts, for humanitarian reasons, safe-passage is granted. We, in this case, have requested Mr. Assange be able to undergo this medical exam. However, the answer is always the same. 'When he leaves, we will take him prisoner because we have to follow this European detention order'."The WikiLeaks founder has been holed up in the Ecuadoran embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, and ultimately the United States.

He's wanted in Sweden for questioning in connection with sexual assault allegations which have been leveled against him.

The 44-year-old took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition there, saying he believes the charges against him in Sweden are simply a ploy to get him there so that he can be taken into custody and sent to the United States to face charges.

Assange is wanted in the US connected to Wikileaks' publication of classified military and diplomatic documents in 2010.

WeatherBeijing will be clear tonight with a low of 12 degrees. Tomorrow will see some haze with a high of 25.

Shanghai will be clear overnight with a low of 17. It will be sunny tomorrow with a high of 26.

Chongqing will be cloudy with a low of 18. Tomorrow, cloudy, high of 29.

Lhasa will be cloudy tonight with a low of 4, overcast tomorrow with a high of 15.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will be cloudy tomorrow with a high of 31.

Kabul, light rain, 20.

In the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney will be sunny with a high of 28.

Brisbane, cloudy, high of 23.

Perth, sunny, 20.

And finally Auckland will be cloudy with a high of 18 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsMyanmar gov't signs nationwide ceasefire accord with 8 armed groupsThe government of Myanmar and 8 different armed ethnic groups in the country have signed-off on a new national ceasefire.

Government officials are touting this as a major step in bringing close to 6-decades of civil conflict to an end.

However, of the 15 different armed groups in Myanmar involved in battles with the military-backed government, only 8 have agreed to the new ceasefire.

The current government of Myanmar has been pressing hard to have the various factions lay down their arms ahead of the country's national elections on November 8th.

China to gradually postpone statutory retirement ageThe Chinese government has confirmed it's working on plans to push back the mandatory retirement age in this country.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has announced it's working on a reform proposal to "gradually" ease back the retirement age on a "step by step" basis.

Right now, the mandatory retirement age for men in China is 60.

It's 55, or even 50, in some cases.

This is a much lower retirement threshold than in other countries around the world, with the average retirement age being around 65.

There are over 200-million people in China over the age of 60, which is around 15-percent of the overall population.

That figure is expected to rise to close to 20-percent in the next 5-years, putting an additional strain on the national pension fund and other social resources.

China imposes one-year ban on ivory imports as hunting trophiesChinese authorities have announced a one-year ban on imports of African ivory acquired as hunting trophies.

The State Forestry Administration says it will stop approving all African ivory imports under this designation until next October.

It's part of the continued fight against fight wildlife poaching and trafficking in China.

It follows a one-year ban in February on imports of African ivory carvings.

The new ban also comes on the heels of a Chinese national being detained in Tanzania for allegedly running an ivory smuggling ring out of the country.

Tianjin port opens new shipping line to MediterraneanThe Port of Tianjin has announced its establishing a new regular shipping route to the Mediterranean east coast.

The route, to be serviced by nine container ships, will make ports-of-call at countries along the way, including Malaysia, India, Israel, Egypt and Turkey.

The Port of Tianjin has opened 10 routes along the new 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which traverses a vast expanse of Asian, African and European waters.

Over 300 container ships sail every month along the maritime route.

The Port of Tianjin is the fourth largest in the world by volume.

Biz ReportsAsian StocksAnchor:

Time to check today's business news, starting with the closing numbers in Asia.

Joining us on the desk Luo Wen.

Reporter:

Chinese shares rallied to an eight-week high on Thursday amid improving sentiment and expectation of more growth-supportive policies.

More than 140 shares jumped by the 10-percent daily limit, most of which were small-cap stocks.

Telecommunication equipment, electronics and information, aviation equipment manufacturing, software, and chemical fiber led the gains.

The telecoms equipment sub-index jumped nearly 5 percent.

This after China's three main telecom operators agreed to consolidate towers and related assets into a jointly owned firm, a move that would reduce duplication of telecom infrastructure.

At the close,The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index advanced 2.3 percent, closing above the 3,300-point mark for the first time since August 21.

The Shenzhen Component Index jumped 3 percent.

The ChiNext Index of growth enterprises surged 4.3 percent.

In Hong Kong, the Heng Seng Index rose 2 percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,Tokyo shares erased morning's losses and rebounded sharply higher at close on bargain hunting after recent dives and gains in Asian markets..

The benchmark Nikkei added 1.2 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI also edged up 1.2 percent.

Singapore's Straights Times went up 1.1 percent.

And finally,Australia's ASX/200 ticked up 0.6 percent.

China Jan.-Sept. outbound direct investment surgesNew stats are suggesting outbound direct investment from China in the non-financial sector remains stable, despite the domestic economic slowdown.

Non-financial ODI by Chinese firms has increased by around 16-percent year on year through the first 3-quarters to some 87 billion U.S. dollars.

Zhou Liujun with the Ministry of Commerce says this is mostly due to Chinese companies buying into overseas operations.

"We're going apace in foreign investment, acquisition, and mergers with many highlights, in particular in such industries as manufacturing, information and technology, and construction."Mergers and acquisitions overseas by Chinese companies this year sits at around 20-billion U.S. dollars, accounting for just under a quarter of all China's full-year ODI.

The data also shows that investment by non-state-owned companies and local businesses have become the main source of outbound investment.

China third-quarter growth seen dipping to 6.8 percent, weakest since 2009: Reuters PollAnchor:

Ahead of the release of China's 3rd quarter GDP figures next week, a new survey of economists has been released, suggesting a median estimate of 6.8-percent growth through Q3.

This would be down from the 7-percent growth seen in the previous quarter.

A 6.8-percent growth rate would be the lowest in China since the first quarter of 2009, which was right at the height of the global economic downturn.

The survey also comes amid mixed results on the import and export side this week, leaving questions about whether the trade sector in China is beginning to turn around.

For more on what's going on with the Chinese economy, The Beijing Hour's Spencer Musick spoke earlier with CRI's financial commentator Cao Can.

Burberry Sales Hit by China SlowdownBurberry is reporting its missed its lagest revenue projections due to weaker demand from Chinese customers.

Burberry retail revenues are up 2-percent to 774 million pounds through its latest quarter.

This is down some 8-percent from the previous quarter.

Chinese shoppers account for 30 to 40 percent of Burberry's global revenues.

Shares of Burberry fell by some 12-percent on Thursday on the disappointing figures.

Wanda Chair Wang Jianlin Tops China's Rich ListThe latest Hurun wealth rankings now has Wanda chair Wang Jianlin listed as China's richest man.

Wang Jianlin is now said to be worth around 34-billion US dollars.

A lot of his new wealth is being attributed to the 10-fold increase in the share price of Wanda's newly-listed cinema chain.

Wang Jianlin overtakes Alibaba founder Jack Ma, who has seen his personal net-worth drop to around 22-billion US dollars, mostly due to this year's plunge in Alibaba's share price in New York.

"Beverage King" Zong Qinghou of WaHaHa sits third with a net worth of some 21 billion U.S. dollars, up 8 percent year-on-year.

The same analysis by Hurun also suggests China now has more billionaires than the United States for the first time.

There are nearly 600 billionaires in China.

The United States has 537 right now.

Chinese company's multi-million dollar lease of Australian port gets gov't supportDespite opposition concerns, the Australian government says it stands behind a move this week to allow a Chinese-owned company to take over the long-term lease at the Port of Darwin in northern Australia.

The Australian government says it has already signed an agreement in anticipation of the deal which permits it to access the site for the first 15 years of the lease.

Earlier this week, Chinese-owned Landbridge Group signed a deal with the government of Australia's Northern Territory for a 99-year lease of Darwin's port operations.

Under the 370-million US dollar agreement, the Chinese company will maintain full control of the port operations, as well as 80-percent of the land at the port site.

The port in Darwin is a major jumping-off point for Australian exports headed to China.

Chinese firm in legal bid to overturn New Zealand gov't land sale decisionA Chinese company is preparing to launch court action in New Zealand to try to have the courts there overturn a government decision to block its purchase of a local farm.

A subsidiary of Shanghai Pengxin, known as Pure 100 Farm, was hoping to pay around 60-million US dollars to purchase a farm on New Zealand's North Island.

However, the New Zealand government blocked the bid, arguing the proposed Chinese take over didn't meet the proper criteria for the sale of lands over 5-hectares in size to overseas buyers.

The Chinese side plans to challenge the decision on the criteria the government of New Zealand uses to make assessments of overseas land purchases.

First Chinese bank opens in MexicoThe Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has announced its opening its first branch in Mexico.

The Mexico branch will be ICBC's 4th bank to open in Latin America, after launching previous operations in Argentina, Brazil and Peru.

The bank in Mexico City will officially begin operations next year.

Mexico is Latin America's second-largest economy.

SportsNovak Djokovic and Andy Murray into last eight at ATP Shanghai MastersIn tennis,Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are through to the last-8 at the ATP Shanghai Masters.

Andy Murray stuttered in the opening set but has still made the quarterfinals with a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over American John Isner in the third round.

Murray's reward will be a quarterfinal clash against either 5th seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic or 10th seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Top seeded Novak Djokovic has also advanced, rolling through Spainyard Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 6-3.

France's Jo-Wilfred Tsonga is also through, needed three-sets to get past Spanish left-hander Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

Ramos-Vinolas was the man who knocked out Roger Federer from action in Shanghai in the last round.

WTA Tianjin Open ResultsIn women's action from the WTA event in Tianjin.

China's Duan Yingying is into the 3rd round after getting past Ukraine's Lyudmyla Kichenock in a 3-set battle.

Chinese compeditor Wang Qiang wasn't nearly as lucky, getting hammered by 2nd seed Agnestizia Radwanska in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1.

The Chinese pairing of Xu Yifan and Zheng Saisai are through to the semi-finals of the women's doubles event in Tianjin after dumping a duo from Japan and Britian.

Big stars pull through to 2nd round of Denmark OpenIn badminton,China's big names have all advanced to round-2 at the Denmark Open.

Top seed and defending champion Chen Long cruised by a competitor from Hong Kong in straight-sets.

Lin Dan has celebrated his 32th birthday with a strait-set win against Raul Must of Estonia.

Other top players, including Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia, Kento Momota of Japan and Jan O. Jorgensen of Denmark, have also moved into the 2nd round.

The Chinese team has sent all its top players to this year's tournament in Denmark, as it serves as an important tune-up ahead of next year's Olympics.

The tournament will run until Sunday.

Sung Hyun Park leads Hana Bank Championship by four after opening 62In golf,Park Sung Hyun holds a 4-stroke lead after the first round of the LPGA's Hana Bank Championship in South Korea.

The 22-year-old hit 6-birdies in a 7-hole stretch in the middle of her round, then birdied three of her last 4 to fire a blistering 10-under-62, setting a new single-round course record.

She sits 4-strokes ahead of her nearest competition heading into Friday's 2nd round.

Chinese golfer Feng Shanshan also had a solid opening round, finishing her day at 5-under, which is good for a tie for 4th.

Fellow Guangzhou-native Lin Xiyu, who finished in the top-10 this past week at the LPGA stop in Malaysia, finished her first round at minus-1.

Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals advance to the next round of play-off seriesIn baseball,The American League Division Final has been set.

The Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers are both through after winning their respective Game-5's earlier this morning.

Toronto downed the Texas Rangers 6-3, which included one of the most bizarre innings ever seen in baseball playoff history.

Texas took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 7th after the Blue Jays' catchers throw-back to the pitcher inadvertently went off the Texas batter's bat, allowing a run to score on an error.

Originally called a dead ball by the umpires, the run was later allowed.

This led to angry fans pelting the field with garbage, and prompted Toronto to play the rest of the game under protest.

However, in the bottom of the same inning, Toronto scored 4-runs, including a 3-run home run by 3rd baseman Jose Bautista, who then flipped his bat out of the way in dramatic fashion while staring-down the Texas pitcher.

This led to the benches clearing twice in the same inning before things settled down and the Jays' won the game.

---Much less drama in Kansas City, where the Royals' Johnny Cueto pitched 8-strong innings to lead KC to a 7-2 victory over Houston.

The Royals and the Blue Jays will start the AL Championship Series Saturday morning, Beijing time, in Kansas City.

---Tomorrow morning, the final National League Finals will be set, as the LA Dodgers will be at home in Game-5 of their series against the New York Mets.

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan applies for presidency of FIFAPrince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has formally submitted his papers to potentially replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president.

The Prince says he's the right person for the job.

"I think that right now we need a candidate who is forward thinking, who brings a new idea, who is not tainted by the past as well. And so what I will say for to you right now is just stayed tuned."Confirmation of his candidacy comes after UEFA chief Michel Platini, considered one of the top candidates, was suspended by FIFA's ethics committee for 90-days earlier this month, along with Sepp Blatter, amid corruption allegations.

As such, FIFA's executive is getting together for an emergency meeting on Sunday in Zurich to discuss whether or not to delay the elections for FIFA's Presidency, which are scheduled for February 26th.

The deadline for nominations is October 26th.

2016 European Championship playoff seeding setIn football,UEFA has determined Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Sweden and Ukraine will all be able to avoid each other in the playoffs for the 2016 European Championship.

All have been ranked top seeds, and will find out on Sunday who they'll be drawn-against in the home-and-home match-ups next month to see if they'll qualify for next year's European tournament.

The top seeds will have to face either Denmark, Ireland, Norway and Slovenia in the two-legged playoffs, which will take place from November 12th to 17th.

Mexico takes Colombian soccer coach Carlos Osorio as new head coachMexico's national football team has tapped Carlos Osorio as the new head coach.

The 53-year old Columbian comes into the job after heading FC Sao Paulo in the Brazilian national league.

"To fulfill the dream and objective of a professional footballer which is to try and get to the World Cup. So I think this relationship will help to identify us in a style of play and I hope the country enjoys it, that they live it and we can achieve this great objective."Osorio is now the 12th person to take over as Mexico's national football squad in the last 9-years, and takes over a full-time position vacated after the last head coach punched a TV reporter in the face in July.

Osorio will make his debut next month as Mexico begins its qualifying matches next month for the 2018 World Cup.

EntertainmentLin Chi-ling to co-host Golden Horse awardsChinese super model turned actress Lin Chi-ling has been tapped to co-host this years Golden Horse Film awardsThe actress, who first hosted the show in 2004, will be hosting it again this year alongside Golden Horse regular, Mickey Huang.

Meanwhile, 250 films have been submitted for competition this year, with 39 of them receiving nominations.

Hou Hsiao-hsien's "The Assassin" leads the race with 11 nominations including Best Film and Best Director, followed by Tsang Tso-chi's "Thanatos, Drunk".

The 52nd Golden Horse Awards will be held on November 21 at the National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei.

Faye Wong's daughter banned from posting makeup tutorials onlinePop diva Faye Wong's 9-year-old daughter - who had earlier created a cyber-frenzy by posting videos of herself giving makeup and style tutorials online - has been banned from using social media by her father.

The daughter, Li Yan poses in several online makeup tutorials while showing off her mother's makeup room.

Many netizens had praised these videos saying it showed the child had a lot of self-confidence despite being born with a cleft lip.

However, her father Li Yapeng has now banned her from using social media.

Li Yapeng, an actor-turned-entrepreneur, said on his Weibo account that his daughter was too young to get so much public attention.

Li Yapeng and Faye Wong are very protective parents.

They married in 2005 and established a charity, the Smile Angel Foundation, to help children who are suffering from a cleft-lip.

Li and Wong divorced in 2013.

Placido Domingo cancels shows, will have surgery to remove gallbladderFans hoping to hear Placido Domingo conduct "Tosca" at the Metropolitan Opera will have to wait a little longer.

The maestro is suffering from gallbladder pain and will have to go under the knife and miss the first five shows this season.

The opera said that Domingo was admitted to the hospital with an inflammation and will undergo gallbladder removal next week. Domingo will have a brief hospital stay.

The opera said Domingo is expected to make a full recovery in time to conduct the performances from November 6 onwards.

Marco Armiliato will lead Friday evening's opening performance of "Tosca," and Paolo Carignani will conduct the performances on Oct. 21.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' – the ultimate monster battle coming up in 2020Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have announced that they will be teaming up in a monster-heavy partnership that will lead to the 2020 epic battle of the beasts.

Warner Bros.' Godzilla and Legendary's King Kong is expected is expected to have a go at each other in the new flick.

The basis for the film would be an "ecosystem" of giant super-species, both classic and new.

The first films in this monster partnership have already been announced: Kong: Skull Island, which will open in 2017, and Godzilla 2 that will hit the screens in 2018.

Meryl Streep to head next year's Berlin Film Festival juryMeryl Streep will serve as the President of the Jury at next year's Berlin International Film Festival.

It is the first time that the Academy Award-winning actress has been appointed to the festival jury.

But Streep is no stranger to the European festival.

In 1999, she was awarded the Berlinale Camera, and in 2003, she took home the Silver Bear award for "The Hours."In 2006, she starred in Robert Altman's ensemble comedy "A Prairie Home Companion" and, in 2012, she was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear recognizing her contribution to cinema.

The 66th Berlin International Film Festival will be held next year from February 11 to 20.

Pixar Releases Clip of 'Sanjay's Super Team'

Pixar has released a preview clip to their latest animated short Sanjay's Super Team.

The seven-minute film will show prior to "The Good Dinosaur" when the film is released in theaters on November 25th.

Sanjay's Super Team tells the story about the relationship of a deeply religious Hindu father and his young, western idealistic son who often daydreams of three Hindu Gods as superheroes.

The gods in his dream are Half-monkey, half-god, Hanuman – Durga, the goddess of power and protection and the blue-skinned Vishnu, representing preservation.

The film is loosely based on director Sanjay Patel's own life, growing up in the 1980's.

Sanjay's Super Team marks Patel's first time as director.

His previous credits as an animator include Pixar movies A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles and Ratatouille.

WeatherBeijing will be clear tonight with a low of 12 degrees. Tomorrow will see some haze with a high of 25.

Shanghai will be clear overnight with a low of 17. It will be sunny tomorrow with a high of 26.

Chongqing will be cloudy with a low of 18. Tomorrow, cloudy, high of 29.

Lhasa will be cloudy tonight with a low of 4, overcast tomorrow with a high of 15.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will be cloudy tomorrow with a high of 31.

Kabul, light rain, 20.

In the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney will be sunny with a high of 28.

Brisbane, cloudy, high of 23.

Perth, sunny, 20.

And finally Auckland will be cloudy with a high of 18 degrees Celsius.

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

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

A group of leading voices in the UK chime in about Chinese President Xi Jinping's forthcoming trip next week.

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