Welcome to this half-hour version of the Beijing Hour, live from the Chinese capital.

Coming up on the program this morning...

International experts are praising the results of the Chinese president's state visit in the UK...

hundreds of global landmarks, including a section of the Great Wall of China, have been lit-up in blue to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations...

Russian officials call for elections in war-torn Syria...

We will look back at the science & technology stories that have made headlines over the past week...

In Sports...the final WTA tournament of the season...

In Entertainment...film industry regulators in China are targeting fraud at the box office...

Top NewsExperts speak highly of Xi Jinping's British VisitAnchor:

President Xi Jinping is back in China after concluding his 5-day state visit to the UK.

CRI's Poornima Weerasekara has more on what observers are saying about the trip.

Reporter:

Chinese authorities are suggesting Xi Jinping's time has set bilateral ties between China and the UK at "a global comprehensive strategic partnership for the 21st century".

Elena Ananieva, an expert on British issues with the Russian Academy of Sciences, says its her belief the British side feels the same way.

"I believe we should notice that there is such a voice in Britain as the country is ready to do anything to enhance relations with China. It means that the will to develop bilateral relations is mutual. The United Kingdom will become the western country that can provide the best investment environment for China."As part of Xi Jinping's time in the UK, the Chinese President oversaw the signing of business deals worth some 46-billion US dollars.

Lord Sassoon, head of the China-Britain Business Council, says he believes UK companies will be given more opportunities to work with China in the future.

"The great thing is the visit has shown British-Chinese companies that although there's strongly growing trade investment between the two countries, there's still so much can be done under the 'new normal' and China manufacturing 2025. This gives the UK very big opportunities to work with China, gives China and sells China the creative hi-tech good that China wants."As part of discussions with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Xi Jinping put forward his vision for the UK's role in the "Belt and Road" initiative.

Christian Friis Bach, head of the UN's Economic Commission for Europe, says using the UK to facilitate Chinese trade with the rest of Europe makes sense for China.

"We see this as a very welcome road to take. We stand ready to support the standards, the conventions, the agreements that are needed to form a stronger cooperation, all the way from the trade facilitation, to the transport conventions, to supporting the investments."British Prime Minister David Cameron has gone on-record saying the UK will be China's "partner of choice" in the west.

Both governments have been describing the trip as the start of a "golden era" of bilateral relations between China and the UK.

For CRI, I'm Poornima Weerasekara.

German economist positive about Sino-European relations after Xi's UK visitAnchor:

Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent visit to the UK has also drawn attention from German economic circles, who believe it will have a significant impact on Sino-European relations.

CRI's Min Rui has more.

Reporter:

Dr. Horst Loechel is a professor of economics at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.

He says closer cooperation with China is of great benefit to the UK and even to the whole of Europe.

"I think that China is willing to cooperate with Europe. China is the second largest economy in the world, economically and politically, and the UK is also an important country in the Europe. Xi Jinping's visit to the UK is of significant importance."The professor notes that the UK's joining hands with China will encourage other European countries to reconsider their relationship with China; therefore it could trigger changes in international order.

He also points out the German city of Frankfurt has welcomed the Renminbi's internationalization, which will help fertilize and expand China-EU cooperation and investments in the future.

"The renminbi's internationalization in London, the UK's financial capital, is very important financially. Cooperation between China and other European countries, including Germany, is also very open. The German city of Frankfurt is also a platform for renminbi internationalization. This will endure and is no exception."Germany is the largest trading partner in the European Union for China.

Untapped business opportunities can be found mainly in the consumer goods market, particularly in the food and clothing sectors.

Dr. Loechel says Germany will also benefit from the China promoted Belt and Road initiative in the future.

"The implementation of the Belt and Road initiative, though it takes some time, will significantly promote trade between Europe and China. Countries along the Belt and Road will all benefit."It's been reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay an official visit to China on Oct. 29th and 30th.

Topics of bilateral trade and investment are said to be top the agenda during the Chancellor's meeting with Chinese officials.

For CRI, I'm Min Rui.

To mark 70th anniversary, Ban Ki-moon says UN Charter must remain our guideAnchorMore than 300 landmarks in 75 countries will be lit up in blue, the official color of the United Nations, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the world body.

Ahead of this year's UN day, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations remains a 'beacon for all humanity,' and the UN Charter must remain the guide of the international community.

CRI's UN correspondent Su Yi has more.

ReporterIn his remarks ahead of UN Day, Ban Ki-moon said "no single country or organization can address today's challenges alone," and "the timeless values of the UN Charter must remain our guide."When it comes to the contributions of the UN since its founding 70 years ago, the UN chief told reporters that the UN helped to end colonialism, pushed forward development, and helped more people to live with dignity.

"On a daily basis, the UN has been delivering and making lot of differences in saving human lives, vaccinating more than 60 percent of the world's children, so that their lives can be saved from preventable diseases. We have been deploying peacekeeping operations. We have been working very hard to realize women empowerment. We have been trying to prevent regional conflicts, thereby saving millions of human lives. We are still today delivering to tens of millions of people their life-saving assistance."Among the landmarks taking part in the 'Turn the World UN Blue' campaign will be the Great Pyramids in Egypt, the Empire State Building in New York, the Great Wall of China, Russia's Hermitage Museum, and the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.

In an interview with Chinese media outlets earlier this year, Ban Ki-moon said as the world's second largest economy and a peace-loving country, China will continue to make a lot of contributions to this rapidly changing world.

The Chinese government has recently pledged to contribute 10 million dollars to UN Women to support its work around the world.

Lakshmi Puri, UN Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, says the support bears important political and financial value.

"China's generous gesture to offer 10 million dollars to our core resources means we will be reinforced financially; our resource gap will be closed somewhat. We will be enabled to do work effectively at the global level, at the regional level and in developing counties through our operational programs on gender equality and women empowerment, supporting them, empowering them. This is going to be strongly benefited by the contribution of China which has brought high political value as well as financial value."Apart from the global light show, a concert has been held at the General Assembly Hall.

It is the second year in a row for pianist Lang Lang, UN Messenger of Peace, to join the concert at the UN Headquarters to mark UN Day.

"We hope to convey our good wishes through the concert to mark UN Day. We hope more people can support the work of the UN. The UN has many goals each year, and we are on the way to realize the established ones. I hope we are able to realize every single of them eventually."The United Nations Day, marked annually on Oct. 24, is dedicated to the UN's global efforts and achievements since its founding on this date in 1945.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi in New York.

China Pledges Continuous Participation in UN PeacekeepingThe Chinese government says it remains committed to its funding of and expanded role in UN Peacekeeping missions.

The pledge was made on Saturday as the United Nations marked the 70th anniversary of its founding.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying says China's commitment has been bolstered by the country's recent pledge to create a stand-alone rapid-response force for urgent UN missions.

"When attending the series of summits celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UN, President Xi Jinping announced a series of major moves aimed at supporting peacekeeping missions. This has once again reflected the responsibility China's has taken to safeguard world peace."President Xi Jinping announced the creation of a standby force of 8-thousand Chinese troops for the UN at the General Assembly in New York last month.

In addition to that, 2-thousand additional soldiers are to be trained to take part in foreign peacekeeping operations over the next 5-years.

China is now the second largest contributor to the UN's peacekeeping budget, behind only the United States.

Beijing-Tokyo Forum opens in BeijingAnchor:

The 11th Beijing-Tokyo Forum has kicked off in Beijing on Saturday, with a focus on the long-term healthy development of China-Japan relations.

More than 500 delegates are at the forum, including experts on the economy, media, and politics. They will be discussing topics like security, trade, and culture.

CRI's reporter Guo Yan has the details.

Reporter:

This year's forum is focused on the topic of developing a sound and healthy China-Japan relationship.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda attended the opening ceremony and made a positive impression on the forum.

"No matter whether the political environment was good or bad, the forum has not been suspended. In the forums, people from China and Japan are able to exchange opinions on the problems of common interests. Especially, many non-governmental figures joined in the forum and gave frank opinions. I think these are important reference for both countries' governments."Apart from traditional topics like trade and culture, security will also be discussed at this year's forum.

The Japanese government passed a new security bill last month, which allows Japan to send troops overseas for the first time since the end of World War Two.

The bills have triggered widespread protests at home and abroad.

On this issue, Fukuda says failure to properly recognize history is irresponsible, but he expects China and Japan will find new solutions to help solve problems.

" I think the current China-Japan relations should not continue for a long time. The two countries should be open minded and build a common target to make efforts to improve the relationship"Zhou Mingwei is director of the China International Publishing Group, co-host of the forum.

He also shared the same notion with Yasuo Fukuda.

"Under new circumstances, learning how to deal with conflicts and crisis is an important issue. The Japanese government has passed a new security bill and many new problems have cropped up. Under such circumstances, it's necessary for the two countries to find solutions to deal with these problems."The Former Japanese Prime Minister also calls for more bilateral communication at various fields.

(act4)"I think the communication is not enough, so there should be more, no matter if it's political or civil communication. The NHK Symphony Orchestra will present a show in Beijing in November. I hope such activities can be a regular communication action, rather than news in the media."The forum has been held annually since 2005 to gather elites from both countries to exchanges views and enhance trust.

This year it is jointly organized by China International Publishing Group, and Genron NPO, a Japanese think tank.

For CRI, I'm Guo Yan.

Travel Agency Board Member Detained after Mainland Tourist Dies in Hong KongA board member of a Hong Kong travel agency has been detained for investigation after a mainland tourist died during a shopping dispute.

It is reported that the travel agency and the tour group it organized used fake documents.

Dong Yaozhong is the Chief Executive with the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong.

"We have clear regulations there that the travel agencies should have obtained licenses and cooperate with the ones that also with a legal license. And they have violated our regulations. We also have found that the parts of documents that handed by the local agency are fake. We will hand this to the police."Miao Chunqi, 54, died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Tuesday morning, a day after an incident at a jewelry shop in which he allegedly tried to mediate in a shopping dispute, and was dragged out of the store and beaten unconscious by a group of men.

A preliminary autopsy report says the victim may have died from a heart attack.

Russia Calls for presidential elections in SyriaRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the Kremlin wants Syria to prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections, as Moscow intensifies air strikes against IS militants in Syria.

"Even with continuing anti-Assad rhetoric, democratization rhetoric, I think the correct understanding of the situation is developing, and this gives us hope to push forward the political process in the near future by using outside players and to bring all Syrians to the negotiating table."Lavrov says this issue has been discussed with the country's president Bashar al-Assad, who paid a surprise visit to Moscow this week.

Lavrov also says Russia's air force, which has been bombing Islamist militants in Syria since Sept. 30, would be ready to help the Western-backed Free Syrian Army if it knew where they were.

"I repeat, American refusal to coordinate their anti-terrorist campaign with us is a big mistake. We are seriously prepared for such a coordination. Though we are denied information on the whereabouts of terrorists according to American sources, where patriotic opposition is located - we are ready to give air support to patriotic opposition as well, including the so-called Free Syrian Army, but we need to get in contact with the people who will have the authority to represent certain armed groups that are fighting against terrorism among other things."Lavrov gave the interview on the eve of a meeting in Vienna where a political solution to Syria's civil war was discussed.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said after that meeting he expected new talks on Syria to begin as soon as next week.

Israeli PM vows to keep status quo in al-Aqsa compoundThe Israeli prime minister has vowed that his government will not change the status quo at the al-Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem, a holy site that has long been a source of tension between Israelis and Palestinians.

Benjamin Netanyahu made the statement following the announcement by US Secretary of State John Kerry that Israel and Jordan had agreed on steps aimed to reduce tensions over religious site.

There have been waves of deadly violence in recent weeks stemming from disputes over access to the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The Israeli leader released a statement saying that Israel is "recognizing the importance of the Temple Mount to peoples of all three monotheistic faiths - Jews, Muslims, and Christians." Temple Mount is the Jewish name for the site where the Mosque is located.

The site has been under Israeli control since the Six Day War in June of 1967.

Netanyahu says Israel welcomes the decision to increase coordination between Israeli authorities and the Jordanian Waqf that runs the site, aiming to ensure visitors at the site exercise restraint and respect the sanctity of the area. Video surveillance of the site is to be increased as well.

2nd Group of Koreans attend family reunion in N. KoreaA group of South Koreans have met their long-lost relatives in North Korea's Mount Kumgang resort.

Saturday's event was the second round of reunions. The first ended on Thursday.

254 elderly South Koreans, mostly in their 80s and 90s, met family members separated from them by the Korean War six decades ago.

Proceedings kicked off with brief speeches given by the Red Cross.

Ri Chung Bok is the head of the North Korean Red Cross.

"Relieving the pain of separated families and relatives and improving the North-South relations are our republic's consistent stance."Only 12 hours of face time have been given to the separated families through six two-hour sessions, including lunch and dinner gatherings in public and communal meetings.

Only one private face-to-face will be allowed during the three-day event.

Kim Seon-hyang, Vice President of South Korean Red Cross, calls for more such events to be held.

"While many separated families are alive, let's make our best efforts to bring forward the day in which the families can confirm the life and death of their separated family members and meet them whenever they want."With 65,000 South Koreans on the waiting list for family reunions, the vast majority of them are highly likely to have no chance to meet their relatives in the North or even know whether they are still alive.

The latest round of reunions was agreed in late August, after high-level military talks to defuse tensions that had pushed the Korean peninsula to the brink of armed conflictCar crashes into crowd for Oklahoma parade, killing threeAt least three people were killed and nearly two dozen injured when a car traveling at high speed plowed into a crowd watching a homecoming parade at Oklahoma State University in the United States.

Captain Kyle Gibbs of the Stillwater Police Department says a suspect is in custody.

"The driver of the car was arrested at this point for driving under the influence. Her names is Adacia Avery Chambers, she is a 25 year old Stillwater resident and she is currently in jail here at the Stillwater Police Department."The suspect does not appear to have been a student at Oklahoma State University.

Information on the victims has not yet been made available.

Glaciers in the Italian Alps are melting fasterAnchor:

Alpine glaciers in Italy have been shrinking at an alarming rate over the last three decades, losing an estimated 40 percent of their total area as a result of global warming.

It's a challenge that geologists in Italy have had to tackle ahead of a crucial United Nations Climate Change Conference due to be held in Paris in November.

CRI's Wang Wei reports.

Reporter:

The vast Monte Rosa on the border between Italy and Switzerland is the second highest mountain in the Alps and a paradise for skiers and snowboarders.

But it's also a prime spot for a group of Italian geologists to observe a shrinking glacier on the mountain, which they warn could disappear completely in a few decades.

Roberto Seppi, Geologist from University of Pavia is worried about the melting of glaciers on the Italian side of the Alps, which is carrying away the wealth of water that is conserved in the glacier.

"The shrinking of glaciers in the Alps and across the world is reducing our great reserves of fresh water - fresh water that also feeds our rivers on the plains, our agriculture in the summer months."While the number of glaciers in Italy is increasing, it does not suggest that the situation has improved.

On the contrary, it is a result of ice fragmentation, which is a phenomenon linked to global warming, according to Gianfranco Bologna, scientific director of WWF-Italy and co-author of the Hot Ice report on the Alpine glaciers in Italy.

Geologists have seen them retreating slowly for over a century, and much more sharply in the last 50 years.

Giovanni Mortara, a geologist from the National Research Council, has spent a large part of the year forecasting a further reduction of Alpine glaciers.

"We've seen a substantial reduction in the thickness of the ice, a couple of metres a year, and this year we're even talking about some 10 centimetres a day."Ice is considered an important part of the water cycle, and is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The progressive impact of climate change on the glaciers has become a critical issue.

Silvio Seno, Geologist at the University of Pavia, predicts a rise in temperature of between one and five degrees by the end of the century.

"Naturally the effect on the glaciers, in either the more positive or more negative scenarios, would be very serious and would mean the Alpine glaciers' disappearance."The further melting of Alps' glaciers would pose even more threats to Italy's environment and economy.

Mortara suggests that effective measures should be adopted to prevent the further deterioration of glaciers in Italy and worldwide.

"It's possible that our children and grandchildren will look upon completely different scenery. If they come to the Belvedere there probably won't be any ice left here, or there'll only be a small bit, in the highest areas."For CRI, I'm Wang Wei.

Clear-up underway after Patricia hit MexicoCleanup efforts have begun in the streets of Manzanillo after one of the strongest storms in history, Hurricane Patricia, made landfall in Mexico.

The storm, however, did not appear to cause any serious damage.

Trees and electricity pylons were knocked down in Manzanillo, but the storm quickly weakened to a tropical depression that offered little threat beyond heavy rain.

No casualties have been reported so far in Mexico.

WeatherBeijing will be cloudy with a high of 15 degrees Celsius, followed by light rain tonight with a low of 9.

Shanghai is overcast with a high of 23, cloudy tonight with a low of 17.

In Chongqing, it is overcast today with a high of 25. Light rain tonight with a low of 20.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, heavy rain on Sunday with a high of 20.

Kabul, cloudy with a high of 13.

In North America,New York will have light rain with a high of 18 degrees.

Washington, light rain with a high of 20 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 28.

Toronto will be cloudy with a high of 11 degrees.

In South America,Buenos Aires will have light rain with a high of 23.

And Rio de Janeiro will be cloudy with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsChina, US Sign New Energy Cooperation DealsThe Chinese and US governments have signed a package of agreements connected to energy cooperation.

The deals are expected to help reduce coal consumption in China.

The deals have been signed as part of an Energy Efficiency Forum hosted in Washington this year.

As part of the deals, the US side has also agreed to help the Chinese government with its plans to turn Tianjin into an ecological demonstration city.

The two sides have been holding regular meetings to discuss energy cooperation since 2010.

Beijing-Tokyo Forum opens in BeijingThe 11th Beijing-Tokyo Forum has kicked off in Beijing, with a focus on the long-term healthy development of China-Japan relations.

More than 500 delegates are at the forum, including experts on the economy, media, and politics. They will be discussing topics like security, trade, and culture.

Launched in 2005, the forum is the highest non-government level exchange mechanism between the two countries.

Russia Calls for presidential elections in SyriaRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the Kremlin wants Syria to prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections, as Moscow intensifies air strikes against IS militants in Syria.

Lavrov says this issue has been discussed with the country's president Bashar al-Assad, who paid a surprise visit to Moscow this week.

Lavrov also says Russia's air force, which has been bombing Islamist militants in Syria since Sept. 30, would be ready to help the Western-backed Free Syrian Army if it knew where they were.

Lavrov gave the interview on the eve of a meeting in Vienna where a political solution to Syria's civil war was discussed.

Maldivian Police arrest VP over alleged plot to assassinate presidentThe vice-President of the Maldives has been arrested for allegedly plotting to kill the country's President.

Ahmed Adheeb is facing charges of 'high treason' connected to an explosion which rocked the Presidential yacht last month.

Security has been beefed up in and around the country's capital following the V-P's arrest.

Maldives President Abdullah Yameen wasn't hurt in the blast which ripped through his yacht at the end of September.

However, his wife and a couple of other officials were seriously hurt.

Authorities in the Maldives have not provided any details as to why they believe the vice-President may have been involved in the suspected assassination attempt.

Clear-up underway after Patricia hit MexicoCleanup efforts have begun in the streets of Manzanillo after one of the strongest storms in history, Hurricane Patricia, made landfall in Mexico.

The storm, however, did not appear to cause any serious damage.

Trees and electricity pylons were knocked down in Manzanillo, but the storm quickly weakened to a tropical depression that offered little threat beyond heavy rain.

No casualties have been reported so far in Mexico.

Sci&TechAnchor:

It's time for our weekly Sci-Tech feature, with the latest headlines from the past week.

This includes Apple's latest move to try to tackle pollution in China, and the story of how Swiss scientists are allowing people to experience independent flight.

Here's CRI's Wenjie.

Reporter:

Apple has announced two new programs designed to reduce the air pollution caused by its manufacturing partners in China.

The programs are designed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas pollution between now and 2020.

The amount of greenhouse gases Apple hopes to eliminate through its industrial program would be the equivalent of pulling 4 million passenger vehicles off the road.

As part of the plan, Apple is going to build large-scale solar power projects in the northern, eastern and southern regions of China.

Apple's main product producer in China, Foxconn, is also part of the new program.

Apple currently runs 19 corporate offices and 24 retail outlets in China.

The company claims it's powering 100 percent of those operations in China and the US through renewable energy.

===The firm's latest iOS 9.1 update has added over 150 new emoji's, including a taco, cheese wedge, hot dog, unicorn and a middle finger icon.

The update also includes updates to Siri for iPhones and iPads.

It allows users to activate the voice-controlled assistant by simply saying 'Hey, Siri' at their devices.

Other major changes include updates to the Live Picture features on iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus devices.

===Swiss scientists have created a bird simulator, complete with a virtual reality headset, to help recreate the sensation of flight.

The device, named "Birdly", lets users see through the eyes of a kite flying high over New York city.

"You really think that you will crash down when you lean forward. You really think that you will fall. It was really cool."Designers of "Birdly" say they believe this is the closest a human can get to experience independent flight while staying firmly on the ground.

The simulator was originally created as an experiment by a team from the Zurich University of Art and Design in Switzerland.

Realistic graphics for the machine have been provided by an American company specializing in 3D renderings of cities.

===An exhibition featuring Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology, or drones, has taken place in London this past week.

The two day show has seen a series of new and innovative applications for drone technology on display.

Yannic van Moerkerk is a technician from Netherlands-based Aerialtronics, which was one of the companies displaying its products.

"A pilot is not really a pilot anymore; he is an operator of a system. He sends the system to wherever the system needs to go and he can pre-programme the flight route in-air, he can change the flight route, but he doesn't actually have to fly the system, the only thing he has to do is make sure the thing operates safely in a safe environment and make sure he has all the documents he needs."Using 3D maps, drones are quickly gaining the ability to fly on their own and avoid no fly zones or structures on the ground.

Chinese drone-maker DJI was part of this year's show.

China is quickly becoming one of the biggest drone producers in the world.

===Scientists in Israel are using so-called "gene silencing" to change the sex of female prawn larvae to males.

The move is meant to increase the yields for prawn farmers, as males are faster-growing and meatier.

The method involves the female giant freshwater prawns with a molecule that silences a gene, ensuring that all its fertilized eggs will hatch as males.

Professor Amir Sagi with Ben Gurion University says they contend their new method is not genetic modification.

"The advantage of this technology is that with using all male with that technology is that we do not have to use any chemicals nor any hormones and it is a non-GMO, saying that it is not genetically modifying the organism."Researchers say a well-trained individual can inject as many as 2-thousand prawns a day.

Those prawns will be able to produce thousands of eggs over several cycles.

===UK doctors say they've been able to devise a method to allow doctors to get a much earlier diagnosis of schizophrenia in patients.

Neurologists from Imperial College and Kings College are using a new form of brain scans to make the earlier detection, focusing on cells in the brain which are there to help repair any damage to a person's brain.

The cells, called microglia, respond to brain damage and infections.

They also help re-arrange connections between brain cells.

UK researchers say they've found people with schizophrenia tend to have higher levels of microglia compared to non-schizophrenics.

Dr. Oliver Howes is part of the research team at Kings College in London.

"This is the first indication of a new approach of treating schizophrenia and the thing that I think is striking is that over the last 60 years we've had no new fundamentally different approaches to treating this illness and we desperately need new avenues and new approaches."Researchers say this discovery, while not likely to produce a cure, could lead to earlier treatment of people diagnosed as schizophrenic, helping them avoid the worst symptoms of the neurological disorder later in life.

The findings may also provide a better understand of other mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder.

===China's hi-res mapping satellite sends back more visual dataA mapping satellite launched by Chinese authorities for civilian mapping programs has now taken pictures of all of China's land territory.

The Ziyuan III satellite, launched in January 2012, has produced images of 190 million square kilometers for mapping, land, mining and water conservancy.

It ended China's reliance on the use of foreign hi-resolution satellite images.

China plans to build a remote-sensing mapping satellite system in 10 to 15 years. Three follow-up mapping satellites are already in the pipeline.

===Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing has launched an online bus-booking service to its platform.

So far, the bus-booking service has attracted more than 500-thousand subscribers across China.

The service charge on a pay-as-you go bus trip now starts between 7 to 13 yuan, or 1 to 2 U.S. dollars per ride, which is three to five times the price of public buses.

Didi has already provided taxi-hailing, chauffeur and ride-sharing services.

It also dominates the Chinese online taxi-hailing market.

The company plans to bring the bus-booking service to more Chinese cities and invest more to launch new routes.

===A high-powered "super microscope" has been developed by the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology.

Dr. David Dowsett is one of the researchers who helped create the high-powered device.

"A human hair is about 50 to 100 microns in diameter. The resolution of our microscope images is half a nanometer and the resolution of our SIMS images is about 10 nanometres. So, that's about 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair."Researchers are now working with big pharmaceutical companies to use the "super microscope" for commercial uses, such as seeing whether shampoo actually penetrates human hair.

They're also hoping the nano-particle-level technology can also detect whether a drug the big pharmacy companies have produced is present within a cell.

===Research coming out of Australia is suggesting new advancements in solar power battery technology could make solar power the cheapest way to provide electricity in the country in the next 3-years.

A report by Australia's Climate Council is suggesting the storage capacity of batteries for solar power devices could grow by as much as 50-fold over the next 10-years.

US-based Tesla and one of its rival battery makers are currently working to test new high-capacity lithium-ion batteries in Australia.

If successful, the Climate Council suggests the new technology could make solar power a cheaper option for home-owners by 2018.

Australia currently has some of the highest retail prices for electricity in the world.

==And that brings us to the end of this edition of our weekly science and technology feature.

Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the show.

I'm Wenjie. See you next week.

SportsWomen tennis pros prepare for the Singapore OpenIn Tennis:

The Singapore open starts Sunday and the WTA is gearing up for their last tournament of the season.

Maria Sharapova was drawn with top-seeded Simona Halep on Friday in the tougher group for the WTA finals.

The Russian, who hasn't played since Wimbledon, said Saturday she was unsure of her fitness ahead of the tournament.

But according to Simona Halep, it could be anyone's game as top seeded Serena WIlliams has decided to skip the finals.

Without Serena, the tournament is more open now, everyone has the chance to win the tournament, win the title. The level is very close between us now at this time, Muguruza is playing well she won Beijing. Many players are coming with great results, I played well in USA so I think I have my chance. But we'll see. It's going to be difficult because every match will be very close I think."There are two groups that the pros have been placed in.

The red group will feature the two highest ranked women, Sharapova and Halep as well as Flavia Pennetta and Angieszka Radwanska.

The white group features Garbine Muguruza, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber and Lucie Safarova.

Finland's Jarkko Nieminen retires from TennisIn other tennis news:

Finland's Jarkko Nieminen was honoured at Stockholm Open after officially retiring from professional tennis.

Nieminen has been playing at the professional level for the past decade-and-a-half and is regarded as the best Finish tennis player to play the game.

During a ceremony held for the former pro, Nieminen spoke a few words about his memories playing tennis.

I have great tennis memories since I was a little kid. It is not necessary the titles I won, it is just the whole trip I have experienced as a pro. I never experienced to have this kind of trip. My plan was actually to try one year of tennis and now I am here standing on the centre court in Stockholm 15 years later and I have experienced so many great things which I will always remember and take with me when I go forward from here."During his career, the 34-year-old lefthander captured two singles and five ATP World Tour doubles titles, and reached a career-high No. 13 in the ATP Rankings in July 2006.

New Zealand beats South Africa to advance to RWC finalIn Rugby news:

New Zealand moved past South Africa with a 20-18 at Twickenham on Saturday to earn its place in the Rugby World Cup final.

South Africa fought hard against the All Blacks from the very beginning by scoring first points.

But soon after it would be the All blacks who would gain control.

The power struggle would continue until the second half where New Zealand would push their score to a 17-12.

At ten minutes remaining, the score finalized at 20-18.

New Zealand Coach Steve Hansen stated that the match could have gone either way but he is thankful for the outcome.

"What I would like to say is firstly to congratulate South Africa because, really, it was a massive game for both teams and I guess it's disappointing that someone has to go home and lose in a contest like that. The game could have gone either way and we're just thankful and humbled that we have been given the opportunity to go through to the final next week. In saying that, I was really rapt (pleased) with the composure that our guys showed."This will be the fourth time the All Blacks have reached the finals.

They will face either Australia or Argentina on Saturday as they aim to become the first side to successfully defend their title.

Nico Rosberg tops first practice of US Grand Prixand in F1 racing news:

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg topped the first Free Practice in Texas on Friday.

Rosberg was forced to navigate through wet conditions at the Circuit of the Americas to post the fastest time.

Rosberg crossed the finish line at 1 minute, 53.989 seconds.

Points leader and Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton was fifth at 1 min 55.693seconds.

Hamilton is chasing his second consecutive world championship and third overall.

He'll clinch the title if he finishes nine points ahead of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and two points ahead of Rosberg today.

Wang Shixian advances to finals of French OpenIn badminton news:

The two-time defending champion and fourth seed, Wang Shixian of China, reached the final of the women's singles at the 2015 French Open in Paris on Saturday.

In the semi-final she beat eighth seed and former world champion, Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand, 21-13 11-21 21-19.

But on the men's court China's Wang Zhengming couldn't contend with Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei, who won with 21-7, 21-13 to advance into the finals.

Slukova and Hermannova claim gold in Antalya Openand in Volleyball news:

Czech pair Marketa Slukova and Barbora Hermannova defeated Italian duo Marta Menegatti and Viktoria Toth to claim the gold at the inaugural Antalya Open in Turkey on Saturday.

This is the Czech pair's fifth event and first final together as they won 2-0.

Hermannova stated that the key to their success was focusing and enjoying the competition.

"No I have to say that we wanted to just enjoy the game and that's what happened on the court and I totally was happy there and yeah that is how we won I think....just totally calm and just focused on every point."Slukova and Hermannova are a recently made team.

They joined forces in mid 2015 after Slukova said goodbye to her long-term partner Kristyna Kolocova.

South African Tokyo Sexwale to bid for FIFA presidencyand in football news:

South African multi millionaire Tokyo Sexwale has confirmed his FIFA Presidential bid in Johannesburg on Saturday.

This announcement came after an emergency election to replace Sepp BLatter, who is currently under investigation.

Sexwale stated he would submit his candidature papers to FIFA to meet Monday's deadline.

The South African is receiving the unanimous backing of his national federation.

The 62-year-old has also worked for FIFA as its anti-racism adviser.

During his press conference, Sexwale stated that the reputation of FIFA needs to be restored.

"Leadership under SAFA has taken the decision, mine is to say I will not disappoint you. I know I carry the hopes of yourselves and hopefully the football family in the country as we go for the FIFA world family. The brand of the FIFA is severely damaged today following various scandals and other allegations that we are hearing about, it needs to be restored."Four other men have already submitted their papers for the FIFA election.

FIFA will elect a new president on February 26.

EntertainmentRevered Translator Cao Ying Dies at 93Revered Chinese translator Sheng Junfeng, better known under his pen name Cao Ying has died.

He was 93.

Cao Ying translated many works of Russian literature into Chinese and is best known for his translations of Leo Tolstoy and Mikhail Sholokhov novels.

He was honored with the Maxim Gorky Literature Prize in 1987 and is to date the only Chinese translator to have won that award.

China's film watchdog targets box office cheatsChina's film watchdog is saying that it will take further action against box office fraud.

The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) says more technical measures along with more strict regulation will be carried out to improve management of cinema ticket sales.

And the blacklists of wrongdoers will be made public.

The move follows the recent news that domestic movies are inflating box office figuresStatistics from the national digital ticketing platform show that a few cinemas and distributors have manipulated viewing figures and sales.

China's film market, now the world's second largest, has been a huge success this year.

Stats show that cinemas have taken 30 billion yuan already this year, exceeding the 2014 total of 29.6 billion yuan.

Homegrown movies "Monster Hunt" and "Lost in Hong Kong" are said to have reaped 2.4 billion yuan and 1.6 billion yuan respectively, but reportedly are involved in as yet unconfirmed box office fraud.

'Martian,' 'Goosebumps' in Close Battle for No. 1At the North American box office this weekend:

Ridley Scott's The Martian and family entry Goosebumps are in a close race for No. 1 despite a glut of new offerings, including Steve Jobs.

Projections show The Martian and Goosebumps are each grossing in the $14 million-$15 million range for the weekend.

The Martian won the Friday race with 4.4 million US dollars.

That's a major victory for The Martian as the space epic is in its fourth weekend.

Hopes were high for Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender as the iconic innovator.

But the Universal film's box office is bleak following a limited release in select theaters over the past two weekends.

It could come in No. 7 for the weekend behind The Martian, Goosebumps, Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, The Last Witch Hunter, Hotel Transylvania 2 and Paranormal Activity: Ghost Dimension.

Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks, is holding up particularly well in its second outing thanks to older adults.

The Cold War thriller is tipped to earn $10 million-$12 million, staying at No. 3.

Johnny Depp, Edgar Wright Team for Neil Gaiman AdaptationIt's been reported that Edgar Wright and Johnny Depp are teaming up to adapt "Fortunately, the Milk", based on a Neil Gaiman story.

Wright would helm the film, which is intended to be a live-action/animation hybrid.

Depp will star in and produce along with Australia-based Animal Logic Entertainment, best known for "The Lego Movie."Gaiman's children's book is described as "a story of time travel and breakfast cereal."It starts out with a father who goes to the store to buy some milk and returns with wild tales of aliens, space-time travel, pirates and more.

The bestseller originally hit shelves in September 2014, via HarperCollins.

Adele breaks video recordsBritish singer Adele has been breaking records ever since her new video for "Hello" was released on Friday.

The video shows Adele singing in a forest and looking at her flip-phone, wondering why her love interest played by Tristan Wilds hasn't returned her calls.

Just hours after the video was released, it received over 23 million views in under 24 hours, and has surpassed Taylor Swift's record of 20.1 million views in 24 hours for "Bad Blood."Adele could also set records with the release of her new album 25 slated for release on Nov. 20.

It's already on the top of the U.S. iTunes charts, and her first single is currently the No. 1 download in 85 countries.

Adele's 2011 release, 21, sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

WeatherBeijing is cloudy today with a high of 15 degrees Celsius, light rain tonight with a low of 9.

Shanghai is overcast with a high of 23, cloudy tonight with a low of 17.

In Chongqing, it is overcast today with a high of 25, light rain tonight with a low of 20.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad, heavy rain on Sunday with a high of 20.

Kabul, cloudy with a high of 13.

Over to North America,New York will have light rain with a high of 18 degrees.

Washington, light rain with a high of 20 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 28.

Toronto will be cloudy with a high of 11 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will have light rain with a high of 23.

And Rio de Janeiro will be cloudy with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

That’s it for this weekend edition of the Beijing Hour.

A recap of your headlines:

International experts are praising the results of the Chinese president's state visit in the UK...

hundreds of global landmarks, including a section of the Great Wall of China, have been lit-up in blue to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations...

Russian officials call for elections in war-torn Syria...

We will look back at the science & technology stories that have made headlines over the past week...

In Sports...the final WTA tournament of the season...

In Entertainment...film industry regulators in China are targeting fraud at the box office...