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

Coming up on the program this evening...

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is meeting with China's top leaders on this, the first day of her 2-day trip to China.

The top commanders of the Chinese and US navies have held discussions to try to ease tensions in the South China Sea.

Leading diplomats from a number of different countries are arriving in Vienna to discuss ways to try to clean up the situation in Syria.

In Business... Chinese officials promising new moves to make the OTC investment market more stable.

Sports... tour Sophmore Lin Xiyu takes the first round lead at the LPGA's current stop in Hainan.

In entertainment.... new stats show Marvel's Ant Man continues to dominate the Chinese box office.

TopQ&A on CPC Plenum and 13th Five-Year PlanAnchor:

A major policy decision has been outlined here in China this Thursday.

Following a 4-day session of leaders in the Communist Party of China, officials have announced that every couple in China is going to be allowed to have two children.

Under the existing rules, only parents who themselves had been the product of the one-child policy were allowed to have a 2nd child without risk of penalties.

The move represents a significant step forward in the relaxation of the family-planning policies, and comes amid concerns about China's aging population.

Meanwhile, the communiqué released after the meeting says a target of "medium to high economic growth" will be set out in the next 5-year plan starting next year.

The new plans also include doubling 2010 GDP and per capita incomes by 2020.

A plan to make consumption a leading driver of economic growth has also been laid-out.

For more on all this, we're joined in-studio by CRI Senior Political Analyst Lin Shaowen.

…CRI Political analyist Lin Shaowen discussing the just-concluded CPC plenum here in Beijing.

Experts on China's Economic TransformationAnchor:

With leading Chinese officials gathering to discuss the outlines of the next "5-year plan," observers are suggesting the government's plan to shift toward a consumer-driven economic model will be high on the agenda.

CRI's Luo Wen on what some observers are suggesting will need to be done to make that happen.

Reporter:

Professor Huo Deming with Peking University says the experience the world's leading industrialized countries have gone through suggests shifting away from an export-driven model of growth is one of China's only real options at this point.

"Not using investment as a driving vehicle, what else can we count on? With our experience, consumption. The US, UK as well as Japan, all those fully-grown economies, fully-developed economies... all their growth depends on consumption."At the same time, Huo Deming suggests the Chinese government should be focusing on how to keep people working when pursuing a consumption-driven economy.

"When we want to have a consumption-driven economy, we are really saying that more jobs and more employment will help drive the economy. How to create more jobs, how to create more salaries, so on and so forth.... the interpretation is that, the translation is that, it does not necessarily imply more investment."The Chinese government is maintaining plans to create 10-million new jobs annually over the coming 5-year plan.

This is up from the 9-million target in this current Five-year Plan.

Many observers are suggesting the expanded employment goal is going to need a wide range of new social policies.

Jerome Booth is the chair of London-based investment firm New Spatra Limited.

He's among those calling on the Chinese government to do more to improve social security.

"I think efforts needed to get people to consume more as well. And that involves giving them a sense of security in their old age. We are trying to reduce the precautionary motive to save. I mean, that's a big task that involves changing people's perception of what they may need and what they might rely on later in life,"The 13th Five-Year Plan will be the first to be produced under President Xi Jinping's leadership.

Growth, rebalancing, upgrades, liberalization and the environment are likely to be among the overriding themes.

An official announcement won't be made until the plan is officially ratified at the annual session of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, this coming March.

For CRI, I'm Luo Wen.

Angela Merkel, Li Keqiang hold talks in BeijingAnchor:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has begun a two-day visit to China.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has already met with Merkel upon her arrival in Beijing.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen has more.

Reporter:

Following a red-carpet welcoming ceremony, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has sat down with the visiting German Chancellor for talks lasting some two-hours at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Premier Li Keqiang says he's pitched the idea of creating an intergovernmental mechanism between China and Germany so the two sides can coordinate with one-another on their respective development strategies.

"China and Germany should enhance innovation, as well as coordinate our "Made in China 2025" strategy with Germany's "Industry 4.0" strategy. On the one hand, Germany's industrial growth and technological developments needs bigger markets, such as China. On the other hand, China can learn advanced concepts and technological innovations from Germany, as well as help German companies broaden their markets. Both countries can compliment one-another. I've also committed that the Chinese government will protect German companies' intellectual property rights."Its said the two leaders also exchanged their thoughts on regional economic cooperation, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the internationalization of the renminbi and the prospects of a China-EU Free Trade agreement.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says its her country's hope China's ongoing economic transition will provide new opportunities.

"I certainly have confidence in China's economic growth. Each nation has different stages of economic development, along with some fluctuations. At this particular moment, Chinese economy is in need of innovative development, especially a larger investment on green economy. Germany can be acted as a great partner in this respect. Both nations have great potential for collaborations in industrial strategies, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as production of consumers' goods."Merkel also says she hopes to see China and the EU sign a bilateral investment agreement at "an early date."Meanwhile, both leaders also talked about strategic issues, including the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Angela Merkel says a solution needs to be hammered out in Syria quickly.

"We need a diplomatic political solution, and in view of the more than 300,000 dead and the millions of refugees in Syria the time is urgent and I am really happy that there are at least signs for a format of talks that will bring the necessary participants together, and the faster the people in Syria can be helped the better."Premier Li Keqiang says the Chinese side also wants to see something done quickly in Syria.

"The urgency of resolving the Syrian situation has been increasing. We think the most important thing right now is to seize the opportunity to implement a political resolution and set up an equal, inclusive and open political line of discussion."Angela Merkel is also due to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and top legislator Zhang Dejiang.

The German Chancellor is leading a delegation from Germany which includes 20 different business leaders representing the machinery, automotive, electrical and telecommunications sectors.

On top of her time in Beijing, Merkel is also due to make a stop in Li Keqiang's home province of Anhui, where she's due to co-chair a business development meeting along with the Premier.

This trip represents Merkel's 8th visit to China since taking over as German Chancellor in 2005.

For CRI, I am Wang Mengzhen.

German Chancellor Merkel visits ChinaFor more on Merkel's visit to China, CRI's Yu Yang earlier spoke with Zhao Huaipu, Director of European Studies Center at China Foreign Affairs University.

…That was Zhao Huaipu, Director of European Studies Center at China Foreign Affairs University speaking with CRI's Yu Yang.

China, US navy leaders to talk on phone amid tensionThe top naval commanders of China and the United States are holding direct talks via video today.

Admiral Wu Shengli and Admiral John Richardson are holding the talks amid the tension the US side created this week in the South China Sea.

The video conference is reportedly going to be followed-up by a visit to Beijing by the new head of the US Pacific Fleet, Harry Harris, sometime next week.

The talks come on the heels of the US navy sailing one of its naval frigates within 12-nautical miles of Chinese-controlled territory in the Nansha Islands on Tuesday.

This move has drawn a strong rebuke from the Chinese side.

Meanwhile, the Australian government, a key US ally in the region, has announced it will be taking part in joint military exercises with the Chinese navy in the South China Sea next week.

Xi to visit Vietnam, Singapore next weekIt's been announced Chinese President Xi Jinping will be making a visit to Vietnam.

The agenda for Xi Jinping's time in Vietnam has not been laid-out.

However, issues connected to the South China Sea are likely to be high on the list of talking-points.

The two-day trip to Vietnam on November 5th and 6th visit will be followed by a state visit to Singapore.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Singapore.

China donates $100,000 to Quake-hit Afghanistan and PakistanThe first of the promised Chinese assistance to quake-stricken northern Pakistan and Afghanistan has been handed over.

China's Ambassador to Pakistan has delivered a 100-thousand US dollar cheque to the Pakistani government on-behalf of the Chinese Red Cross Society.

A similar cash donation is also going to the Afghan government for relief following Monday's 7.5-magnitude quake in the Hindu Kush region.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Sun Weidong, says the cash is just the first of more help the Chinese government is willing to provide.

"We will provide as much support as we can according to Pakistan's needs for disaster relief. We also sincerely hope that people in the stricken area can overcome their current difficulties and rebuild their beautiful homeland with the help of the Pakistan government."The death toll from Monday's massive earthquake is approaching 400.

At least 2-thousand others were hurt in the quake, with thousands-more homes damaged or destroyed.

Pakistani and Afghan authorities are still having a difficult time accessing certain parts of the striken region, as some areas are under the control of either the Taliban or tribal forces which are not allied with the national governments of either countries.

John Kerry Heads to another round of Syrian talksUS Secretary of State John Kerry is now in Vienna for another round of talks to try to find an end to the fighting in Syria.

John Kerry admits their task is not going to be an easy one.

"The challenge that we face in Syria today is nothing less than to chart a course out of hell. To do that, we have to employ a two-pronged approach: intensifying our counter-Daesh (IS) campaign, and on the other side, our diplomatic efforts to try to bring the conflict to a close."This round of talks will, for the first time, include Iran.

This is something the United States has opposed in the past.

However, the US side has relented under pressure from Russia.

Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, says a political solution is the only way forward in Syria.

"Iran's stance on Syria has not changed. From day one of this unwanted conflict imposed on the Syrian people, we have always said that the solution to the conflict lies in a political solution, found through negotiations, and we have insisted on this."The US, Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have already an earlier round of talks in Vienna this past Friday, with little headway being made.

At issue is the future President Bashar al-Assad will have in Syria.

The US, the Saudi's and Turkey have been demanding Assad be sidelined.

Iran and Russia continue to support his administration.

U.S. House Passed 2-Year BudgetAnchor:

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a two-year budget deal reached among Congressional leaders and the White House earlier this week.

The deal is designed to avert an impending US default and keep a budget in-place beyond President Barack Obama's tenure in office.

CRI's Washington chief correspondent Xiaohong has more.

Reporter:

The 2-year budget deal passed through the U.S. House on Wednesday evening with a vote of 266 in favor with 167 against.

The 2-year budget will extend the government debt ceiling to March 2017 and provide additional spending of some 80 billion dollars over the next two years.

House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, hailed the vote as a victory.

"Today we had a major victory on the floor of the House. It was a victory for bipartisanship. It was a victory for the working families in our country. It was a victory that enables us to go forward to do our job for the American people. "While one third of the House Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues to vote in favor of the bill, two thirds of them remained observant and voted nay. Representative Darrell Issa from California described the bill as robbing from the future to pay for the present.

The bill is now handed over to the Senate. Rand Paul, a Republican 2016 presidential candidate tweeted that he would filibuster the bill.

Senate minority leader Harry Reid urged his Republican colleagues to support the measure.

"I would hope we get a nicer number from Republicans. The more bipartisan it is the better offer it is. "The Senate is expected to vote within this week before the country reaches its borrowing limit next Tuesday.

Xiaohong, CRI, Washington DC.

Japan gov't resumes US Base Relocation Work Amid Public ProtestsThe Japanese government has ordered the resumption of landfill work needed to relocate a controversial US air base on Okinawa.

The work being done in the Henoko area of Okinawa is controversial, as many in Okinawa, including those living in the more remote area of Henoko, want the US Airbase gone from the island.

However, Hiroshige Seko, the Japanese government’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, says moving the Futenma Base out of its current location is better than leaving the US base where it is.

"The government must proceed with the return of relocation work at Futenma and eliminate the dangers there, as soon as possible. We believe that is the way to answer to the wishes of the Okinawan people. We would like to firmly proceed with the relocation to Henoko."The relocation of the US airbase has been a sticking point for years.

Locals in Okinawa have long-complained about the US presence on the island, including complaints about the activities of US soldiers and the noise the US air force creates.

However, the Japanese government is obliged by treaty to permit the US to maintain its presence in the region.

Security response needed to counter extremism: Ban Ki-moonMeetings this week in Spain to discuss how to combat global extremism have come to an end.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has delivered a speech to the just-concluded Madrid +10 "Counter Violent Extremism" meeting.

In it, he suggests there are significant concerns about violent extremism becoming more rampant, given the millions of people who find themselves in a desperate situation this year.

"Now we have 60 million refugees around the world. This is the largest ever since the end of the Second World War. We have four and a half million Syrian refugees and hundreds of thousand people fleeing their countries now. European countries, all of them, without almost exception, they are now struggling to handle these issues. Countering this threat through effective security responses should remain a priority."Around 250 experts and former world leaders gathered in Madrid over the past couple of days to discuss possible measures to prevent extremism.

Former Thai PM Yingluck Confident of EvidencesFormer Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has appeared at Thailand's Supreme Court to check through the witness and evidence lists put out in-connection with the case against her.

Yingluck is facing charges of dereliction of duty and negligence for her role in approving a controversial rice subsidy scheme launched during her time in office.

"At least the court has accepted some of our witnesses into the case, after some of them were earlier written out by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Now the court has accepted other witnesses too, I am confident in all of my witnesses."The first hearings connected to the case are scheduled for mid-January.

Introduced in 2011, Thailand's rice subsidy program promised to subsidize farmers by setting prices as much as 50-percent higher than market rates.

However, it ended up costing the Thai economy over 4-billion US dollars.

Yingluck's opponents claim she set up the program to curry favor in her party's traditional power-base in the Thai countryside.

WeatherBeijing is clear tonight with a low of 2 degrees Celsius; it will be sunny to cloudy tomorrow with a high of 18.

Shanghai, light rain tonight with a low of 15; light rain to cloudy tomorrow with a high of 18.

Chongqing, light rain tonight with a low of 16; light rain to moderate rain tomorrow with a high of 18.

Lhasa, sleet tonight with a low of 0; showers to sleet tomorrow with a high of 15.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 25.

Kabul, cloudy, 21.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney will be cloudy with a high of 23.

Brisbane, light rain with a high of 22.

Perth, light rain, 29.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will be cloudy with a high of 16 degrees Celsius.

Headline newsCPC Plenum and 13th Five-Year PlanA major policy decision has been outlined here in China this Thursday.

Following a 4-day session of leaders in the Communist Party of China, officials have announced that every couple in China is going to be allowed to have two children.

Under the existing rules, only parents who themselves had been the product of the one-child policy were allowed to have a 2nd child without risk of penalties.

The move represents a significant step forward in the relaxation of the family-planning policies, and comes amid concerns about China's aging population.

Meanwhile, the communique released after the meeting says a target of "medium to high economic growth" will be set out in the next 5-year plan starting next year.

The new plans also include doubling 2010 GDP and per capita incomes by 2020.

A plan to make consumption a leading driver of economic growth has also been laid-out.

China, US navy leaders to talk on phone amid tensionThe top naval commanders of China and the United States are holding direct talks via video today.

Admiral Wu Shengli and Admiral John Richardson are holding the talks amid the tension the US side created this week in the South China Sea.

The video conference is reportedly going to be followed-up by a visit to Beijing by the new head of the US Pacific Fleet, Harry Harris, sometime next week.

The talks come on the heels of the US navy sailing one of its naval frigates within 12-nautical miles of Chinese-controlled territory in the Nansha Islands on Tuesday.

This move has drawn a strong rebuke from the Chinese side.

Meanwhile, the Australian government, a key US ally in the region, has announced it will be taking part in joint military exercises with the Chinese navy in the South China Sea next week.

Xi to visit Vietnam, Singapore next weekIt's been announced Chinese President Xi Jinping will be making a visit to Vietnam.

The agenda for Xi Jinping's time in Vietnam has not been laid-out.

However, issues connected to the South China Sea are likely to be high on the list of talking-points.

The two-day trip to Vietnam on November 5th and 6th visit will be followed by a state visit to Singapore.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Singapore.

556 fugitives captured in "Fox Hunt 2015"The Ministry of Public Security has updated its progress in this year's campaign to repatriate overseas economic fugitives.

It says a total of 556 suspects have been captured overseas since "Fox hunt 2015" began in April.

The suspects have been plucked from close to 60 different countries or regions.

"Fox Hunt 2015" is part of the broader "Skynet" program which targets economic fugitives, many of whom are corrupt officials who used to work for government departments and state-owned enterprises.

Last year's "Fox Hunt" campaign netted 680 fugitives.

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 closed higher on Thursday.

Shares in sports, restaurants and hotels performed strongly while the financial sector lost the most.

Thursday marked the last day of the four-day fifth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, during which Chinese leaders discuss China's development plan for the next five years.

Analysts estimate that as details about the plan surface in the next few days, related shares may receive a boost from favorable policies.

At the close,The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index advanced 0.4 percent.

The Shenzhen Component Index gained 0.6 percent.

The ChiNext Index of growth enterprises closed flat.

While in Hong Kong, the Heng Seng Index moved down 0.6 percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,Tokyo shares ended higher on upbeat domestic earnings reports.

However, gains were capped as an unexpected rise in Japan's factory output data dispelled expectations of further easing by the Bank of Japan to a large extent.

The benchmark Nikkei ticked up 0.2 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI slipped 0.4 percent.

Finally, both Singapore's Straights Times index and Australia's ASX/200 sank 1.3 percent.

Samsung unveils US$10 billion share buyback with Q3 profit surgeSamsung Electronics has posted double-digit growth in its 3rd-quarter operating profits thanks to record quarterly profits from its chip-making division.

The company's net profits in Q3 have surged nearly 30-percent year-on-year to some 4.8 billion U.S. dollars.

Samsung says favorable exchange rates and a renewed focus on components are also a factor.

However, Samsung is also warning its earnings might shift downward in the 4th quarter when the exchange rate benefits will be less pronounced.

At the same time, the South Korean electronics giant has announced that it will buy back and cancel 10 billion U.S. dollars worth of its shares to lift the valuation of its stock prices.

This will mark the largest buyback in the company's history.

Shares of Samsung have surged more than 6 percent in Seoul.

China to Introduce Internal Classification System on OTC Stock Market in 2015National Equities Exchange and Quotations, China's Over-the-Counter stock market, is reportedly expected to start an internal classification system on the market within the year.

A leading official with the NEEQ has also revealed its planning to launch a trial operation for OTC-listed companies to transfer to the ChiNext board sometime next year.

At the same time, a new promise is being made to improve OTC stock offerings, as well as plans to develop SME bond products and launch asset-backed securities.

National Equities Exchange and Quotations was launched in late 2012, and is known in China as the "new third board."NEEQ uses a trading mechanism similar to the OTC Bulletin Board, or pink sheets trading system, in the US.

OTC listings are preferable for some companies which don't want to go through the process of registering for the big-boards.

However, for investors, their stocks tend to be more volatile, as the risk-reward ratios for OTC products are much larger.

Uber China insures passengers against traffic accidentsUber China has co-launched an insurance initiative with China Taiping Insurance, offering passengers coverage of up to 1-million yuan for bodily injury claims.

Liu Zhen with Uber China says the company is applying for a license to run an online ride-hailing platform, which requires operators to insure passengers against traffic accidents.

"We handed in the application materials to the Shanghai Transportation Committee last week and are now being examined. Our servers are already in China. They are located in both Beijing and Shanghai. Our processors and storage for our systems are also in China as well."Companies hoping to obtain a license must have a fixed place of business, as well as proof they can service their locations properly.

Earlier this month, Shanghai's transport authority granted the first license in China to run an online ride-hailing platform to Didi Kuaidi.

Alibaba reports faster revenue growthAnchor:

New quarterly figures from Alibaba this week showing revenue growth of some 32 percent has spawned suggestions the tech sector may be one area the Chinese government might still be able to bank on when it comes to economic growth.

Alibaba's revenues of nearly 3.5 billion U.S. dollars beat expectations, as its growth had slowed to 28-percent in the second quarter from 45 percent in the first.

New York-listed Alibaba has seen its share price dwindle this year amid concerns the slowdown in the Chinese economy might be dragging on the company's bottom-line.

For more on Alibaba and the tech sector in China, CRI's Zhao Yang spoke earlier with Einar Tangen, former Chair of the US State of Wisconsin's International Trade Council.

…Einar Tangen, former Chair of the US State of Wisconsin's International Trade Council, speaking with CRI's Zhao Yang.

Chrysler, GAC Changfeng Motor Announce Recall in ChinaChrysler is recalling around 58-thousand-600 of its Dodge Journey SUVs in China.

A part of the affected vehicles may become loose and touch the exhaust manifold, which could result in a fire.

The recall covers Dodge Journey's manufactured between July 2010 and May this year.

Meanwhile, GAC-Changfeng Motors is recalling over 96-hundred vehicles in China over faulty airbags.

The affected vehicles are Pajero V73 models manufactured between November 2010 and December 2011.

Due to a problem with the airbag's propellant, inflators in the front airbags could rupture when the airbags deploy.

Those broken parts could then injure the passengers.

Beijing's largest wholesale market opens branch in neighboring HebeiBeijing's largest wholesaler, Xinfadi, has opened its first branch in neighboring Hebei.

The new wholesale area is located in the city of Gaobeidian, which is 84-kilometers south of central Beijing.

Covering an area of 138 hectares, the new 850-million U.S. dollar agricultural market has some 1.4 million square meters of cold storage and trading areas.

By putting the new market in Gaobeidian, it will eliminate 5.6 million trucks travelling to Beijing and move some 300-thousand wholesale employees out of Beijing.

Its part of a broader plan to help integrate the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region by getting the large-scale businesses in Beijing to move out into areas which have a lower population-density.

Pfizer in merger talks with Botox-maker Allergan: ReportIt's being reported that pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has approached Botox-maker Allergan to discuss, what could be, the biggest merger ever in the healthcare industry.

It would also be Pfizer's second attempt to acquire a European rival.

In May of last year, Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca rejected Pfizer's acquisition bid after 6-months of negotiations.

Pfizer is the largest drugmaker in the US, with a market value of around 220-billion U.S. dollars.

Allergan has a market value of around 113 billion U.S. dollars.

It's being suggested that a takeover of Allergan could give Pfizer a significant boost to its top-line growth.

Allergan's revenues have been increasing by around 40-percent this year.

SportsLin Xiyu opens with first round lead at LPGA stop in HainanIn Golf,Tour sophomore Lin Xiyu has opened with the first round lead at the LPGA's Blue Bay event in Hainan.

Lin, who came off her 3rd top-10 finish this past weekend in Taiwan, has carded a 5-under-67 to take a one-stroke lead into Friday's action.

American Austin Ernst sits alone in 2nd at minus-4.

A group of five others sit tied for 3rd at minus-2.

Top Chinese golfer Feng Shanshan struggled somewhat.

She's sitting tied for 16th with Chinese rookie Ye Ziyi and a few others at plus-1.

New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko, who just took over again as the LPGA's top golfer after winning last weekend's Taiwan Championships, struggled today.

She struggled early and couldn't recover, carding a 5-over-77 to sit near the bottom of the leaderboard after the first round.

Chinese teenager Zhou Jiayi, who just returned from the United States after qualifying for the next round of the LPGA's Q-School, also had a rough outing this Thusrday, finishing her day at plus-11.

---On the men's side,This week's PGA stop is the CIMB Classic in Malaysia.

American Scott Piercy has torn up the course today, firing a blistering first round 10-under-62 for a 3-stroke lead.

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama sits alone in 2nd at minus-7.

A group of 5 others, including Americans Keegan Bradley and Charles Howell III, sit tied for 3rd at 5-under.

A-Radwanska beats Simona Halep, saving her hope of into semis of WTA FinalsIn tennis,Agnieszka Radwanska has salvaged hopes of entering the semi-finals of the WTA Finals after beating Simona Halep 7-6, 6-1 this afternoon.

Provided Maria Sharapova can down Flavia Pennetta in straight-sets in tonight's other match, Radwanska will move through to the semi-finals together with Sharapova.

In double's action,The pairing of Chan Hao-Ching and Chan Yung-Jan from Taiwan have seen their WTA Finals come to an end after going down to Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro 7-5, 6-4.

The final match tonight between Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova versus Caroline Garcia and Katarina Srebotnik will decide who will be through to the knock-out stages in the doubles event.

Karlovic stuns Wawrinka and Nadal through in Swiss IndoorsIn men's tennis,Rafael Nadal has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors in Basel after getting past Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 earlier today.

Nadal will meet either Marin Cilic or Teymuraz Gabashvili.

Meanwhile, some disappointment for the Swiss crowd today, after home-favorite Stan Wawrinka was bounced by world-23 Ivo Karlovic in a 3-set battle.

"They were really loud, which is normal because it is his home here so they are cheering for him but I just try to ignore it and to think positive and in the end that paid off."Karlovic is due to meet Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic in the next round.

Opener matches recap in the new NBA regular seasonIn Basketball,All 30-teams in the NBA have now opened their 2015-2016 campaigns.

Following yesterday's opening 3-matches, all but the defending champion Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks had the day off, as the remaining 28-teams were all in action this morning.

Both the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons remain perfect to start out the season.

The Bulls beat up on Brooklyn 115-100, while Detroit edged Utah 92-87.

In other action,The Miami Heat got past Charlotte 104-94.

Jeremy Lin with 17 points in the loss for the Hornets.

--LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavs opened up their campaign with a 106-76 drubbing of Memphis.

--It was the Denver Nuggets all over Houston 105-85.

--Minnesota edged the LA Lakers 112-111.

--The LA Clippers dumped Sacramento 111-104.

--Oklahoma City got past San Antonio 112-106.

--The Dallas Mavericks downed Phoenix 111-95.

--The New York Knicks thumped the Milwaukee Bucks 122-97.

--Toronto dumped Indiana 106-99.

--The Washington Wizards edged Orlando 88-87--It was Dallas over Phoenix 111-95--And the New Orleans Pelicans are now 0-2 on the season after going down to Portland 112-94.

Shao Jiayi officially announces retirementBeijing Guo'an veteran Shao Jiayi has officially announced his retirement from football.

The 35-year-old midfielder gave a tearful goodbye to the game this Thursday.

"Since 1998, I have been playing 17-years in football. 17 years is a long time for a player. Because of the effects of long-term injuries, including to my knees and my back, I don't want my family to worry about me any more. So I've decided that 2015 will be my last professional season. The match against Guangzhou Evergrande this coming weekend will be my last. After that, I will retire. Thank you all."Shao started his football career with Guo'an at the age of 18.

He made the national squad 2-years later and represented China in the 2002 World Cup.

Shao joined Bundesliga side Munich 1860 on loan in 2003 to start a 9-year spell in Germany.

He returned to Beijing 4-years ago to finish out his career with Guo'an.

Nigeria advance to the quarterfinals of U17 World CupIn football,Defending World Cup champions Nigeria have moved into the quarterfinals of the Under-17 World Cup following a 6-nil thrashing of Australia.

Young striker Victor Osimhen with a hat-trick for the Super Eagles.

The Nigerians will be taking on Brazil in their quarter-final clash after the Brazilians edged New Zealand 1-nil.

--On the top half of that draw, Mexico will await the winner of tonight's match between Ecuador and Russia.

This, after the Mexican Under-17 side knocked the host Chileans out of the tournament with a 4-1 win last night.

--On the other side of the draw,Belgium is through after dumping South Korea last night 2-nil.

They'll await the winner tonight in the match between France and Costa Rica.

--On the top half of that draw, both quarter-final slots will be set tonight as well, with Mali taking on North Korea, while Germany will battle Croatia.

--The quarter-finals of the Under-17 World Cup will take place this weekend.

Kansas City Royals secures another home victory in World SeriesIn baseball,The Kansas City Royals have taken a 2-0 lead in the World Series after hammering the New York Mets 7-1 this morning.

Royals' starter Johnny Cueto allowed only 2-hits in going the distance for the Royals, who used 7-different pitchers on their way to their Game-1 victory yesterday morning.

The full-game, 2-hitter is the first time in nearly half-a-century that an American League pitcher has gone a complete game in the World Series with 2-hits or less.

Royals manager Ned Yost.

"It's a great feeling. This is why we pushed for home field advantage so hard. We got to take care of business here at home and we know we're going to head into a tough environment there in New York, so it was important to take these two. And, as far as Johnny, he was electric tonight."The series now shifts to New York for Game-3 on Saturday morning, Beijing time.

Pittsburgh hands Washington 2nd loss in NHL seasonIn hockey,A light schedule from the National Hockey League this morning, with just 3-games played.

It was Ottawa winning its first home game of the season, edging the Calgary Flames 5-4 in overtime.

Flames' Goaltender Jonas Hiller had the leave that game late in the 3rd period with an undisclosed injury.

His status remains unclear.

--It was Pittsburgh handing Washington just their 2nd loss of the season, downing the Capitals in DC 3-1.

--And the Nashville Predators continue their strong start to the season.

The Preds have moved to 7-1-1 after downing San Jose 2-1 this morning on the road.

Entertainment"Ant-Man" rules China's box officeNew stats show Marvel superhero flick "Ant-Man" ruled the Chinese box office in the calendar-week ending today, pulling in 250 million yuan, or just over 39-million U.S. dollars.

"Ant-Man has grossed some 523 million yuan since it was released on October 16th in China.

Meanwhile,Domestic film "Goodbye Mr. Loser" has come in a respectable 2nd for this week, earning 144 million yuan.

That films total box office has hit 1.35 billion yuan since opening on September 30th.

3rd place this week has gone to "Detective Conan: Sunflowers of Inferno," which has grossed 58.1-million yuan.

Animated fantasy "The Little Prince" lands in fourth place, just behind "Detective Conan" at 58-million yuan.

The French production has earned nearly 128-million yuan since its release on October 16th.

Rounding out the top five is "The Youth That Is Fading Away," a domestic rom-com, which has earned 28.5 million yuan in the week.

Actress Jiang Yiyan earns fame for 8-year volunteer teachingA documentary about Chinese actress Jiang Yiyan has gone viral on Sina Weibo and WeChat.

The 17-minute film features an interview with Jiang and details her experience as a part-time volunteer teacher for 8-years in remote Bama County in Guangxi.

The 32-year old actress is best known for her role in the 2009 historical drama "Nanjing! Nanjing!"Some of those who have seen the documentary have taken issue with her decision to highlight her time as a volunteer, suggesting she's using it to try to gain notoriety for herself.

However, others have been praising her for helping highlight the plight of rural schools in China.

Jiang Yiyan has launched a "Crawler Fund" to raise money for rural schools and children.

Schools in remote, rural parts of China often remain underfunded, with teachers and students often forced to take classes in squalid conditions.

Black Sabbath Scrap Final Album Plans to Focus on TourA little over a year after Ozzy Osbourne announced that "Black Sabbath" would record a second reunion record, the band has abandoned plans to go into the studio.

A rep for the group has confirmed "Black Sabbath" has opted out of recording another studio album for Universal.

Instead, the band has booked a lengthy farewell tour it has dubbed "The End."Ozzy Osbourne revealed last year the group had plans to record one more album, which would be a follow-up to the group's 2013 chart-topping album "13."However, as Ozzy prepped for a solo appearance at New Orleans' "Voodoo Fest," he revealed to reporters that "Black Sabbath" has chosen not to do another LP.

The group will kick off its final tour on January 20th in Nebraska, which is the first a month-long series of dates as part of the first US-leg of their final tour.

Announce Plans For 1st Solo Concert, 7 Years After Debut And Down 1 MemberFans of South Korean girl group "f(x)" are going to have a chance to see them in-action again, some 7-years after the group put on a full-fledged concert.

The group's management has announced "f(x)" are going to put on their first solo concert in Seoul sometime in the new year.

The announcement comes a day after "f(x)" released its fourth studio album, "4 Walls."This will be the first first solo concert from "f(x)" since the girl group debuted in 2009.

It's going to be held in Olympic Park in southern Seoul.

"4 Walls" is the group's first album since former member Sulli left the group in August.

Brown Eyed Girls Releases Physics-Inspired Tracklist For Upcoming Album 'Basic'

Following the release of individual image teasers, South Korean band "Brown Eyed Girls" is attempting to build up more hype for their upcoming album.

They've revealed the full track list for the yet-unnamed forthcoming album.

All the songs on the new album, except for "Ice Cream Time" and "Obsession," have some sort of links to the world of physics.

This is adding fuel to speculation "Brown Eyed Girls'" new album is going to be titled something physics-related.

The teaser image also includes other physics-based concepts, like geometric shapes, fractals, waves, wormholes and atoms, as well as a mysterious equation that was found on their individual teaser images.

"Brown Eyed Girls" will be releasing their new album on midnight on November 5th.

WeatherBeijing is clear tonight with a low of 2 degrees Celsius; it will be sunny to cloudy tomorrow with a high of 18.

Shanghai, light rain tonight with a low of 15; light rain to cloudy tomorrow with a high of 18.

Chongqing, light rain tonight with a low of 16; light rain to moderate rain tomorrow with a high of 18.

Lhasa, sleet tonight with a low of 0; showers to sleet tomorrow with a high of 15.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad, cloudy tomorrow with a high of 25.

Kabul, cloudy, 21.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney will be cloudy with a high of 23.

Brisbane, light rain with a high of 22.

Perth, light rain, 29.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will be cloudy with a high of 16 degrees Celsius.

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

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

A major domestic policy move in China, with the Party announcing every couple in China is going to be allowed to have 2-children.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is meeting with China's top leaders on this, the first day of her 2-day trip to China.

Leading diplomats from a number of different countries are arriving in Vienna to discuss ways to try to clean up the situation in Syria.

In Business... Chinese officials promising new moves to make the OTC investment market more stable.

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...