新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2015/11/30（打印版）

新闻纵贯线 The Beijing Hour updated 20:00 2015/11/30（在线收听）

The Beijing HourEvening EditionMonday, November 30, 2015. I'm Paul James.

Welcome to the Beijing Hour, live from the Chinese capital... Coming up on the program this evening...

The highly-anticipated UN Climate Change Conference in Paris has opened, with Chinese President Xi Jinping among the world leaders attending the event.

Anticipation is growing in Africa as the Chinese President prepares to head there after leaving Paris.

Turkey and the EU sign a new agreement to try to stem migrants flowing through Turkey into Europe.

In business... the IPO pipeline in China is open once-again.

In sports... as expected, the LA Lakers Kobe Bryant is calling it a career after this season.

In entertainment.... a new historical drama begins airing tonight on Chinese television.

All of that is coming up in the next hour, but first, a reminder, there are several ways you can reach us at the Beijing Hour.

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

On WeChat: search "beijinghour"Email us directly at [email protected].

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

Top NewsParis Conference OpensHigh-level climate change talks are underway in Paris with the goal of creating a long-term deal to reduce emissions.

151 world leaders have converged on Paris to launch the two-week meeting.

The talks come just 2-weeks after the deadly attacks in Paris launched by Islamic State extremists.

For more on what's happening in Paris, we are now joined on the line by our correspondent Duan Xuelian who is at the conference venue, Le Bourget in northern Paris.

Back anchor:

CRI's correspondent Duan Xuelian reporting from the climate change conference in Paris.

For more on the conference in Paris, we're joined on the line by Sze Ping Lo, CEO of World Wide Fund for Nature China.

Sze Ping Lo, CEO of the World Wide Fund for Nature in China.

Xi, Obama Meet in ParisChinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama have sat down for a meeting ahead of the opening of the UN's climate change conference in Paris.

As part of the meeting, Xi Jinping has told Obama both countries will have to work hard to make the conference a success.

Policy differences among countries led to the failure of the last attempt to craft a legally-binding global climate change agreement in 2009.

In a bilateral agreement, China has agreed to cap its greenhouse gas output by 2030 or earlier if possible.

It has also promised to increase its use of energy from zero-emission sources to 20% by 2030.

The United States has pledged to cut its emissions to 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025.

Xi Jinping's time with Obama has also included discussions over security in the Asia-Parcific.

On that front, Xi Jinping has told the US President the two need to regulate their differences over security issues in a more constructive way.

The US has become active in the territorial disputes in the South China Sea, sailing a warship through Chinese-controlled territory last month, prompting an official summoning of the US ambassador over the issue.

Xi Jinping, Francois Hollande meet in ParisChinese President Xi Jinping and French President Francois Hollande have sat down together in Paris, making promises to try to make the UN climate conference a success.

As part of the meeting, Xi Jinping says it's the Chinese position the conference will confirm a plan to create -quote- "common but differentiated responsibilities" to address climate change beyond 2020.

Meeting in Beijing earlier this month, Xi Jinping and Hollande both agreed to create a program to try to accelerate climate change initiatives before 2020 arrives.

China's Chief Negotiator says Paris Climate Change Conference just the startChina's chief climate negotiator at the Paris Change Conference is cautioning observers to expect a long process before any binding agreement might be reached.

Su Wei says the next two weeks is likely only going to be the beginning of a long process.

"If some basic agreements on how to strengthen our actions can be reached during the Paris conference, and every party can remain committed to the basic framework and policies of the treaty, then the details on how to implement the commitments and obligations will then be opened up further discussions among the signatories after the Paris meetings come to an end."Preliminary negotiations by the so-called Ad Hoc Working Group began on Sunday.

This group is tasked with creating the language in the document world leaders may end up signing at the end of the UN-backed summit in Paris.

The goal in Paris is to create a legally-binding agreement which will oblige countries around the world to take steps to reduce their emissions.

China achieving climate goals: ReportAnchor:

A new report outlining the steps the Chinese government has been taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has been released ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference.

The report itself suggests significant progress is being made on a number of fronts.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen has more.

Reporter:

The report, title "China's Response to Climate Change Policy and Action in 2015" is an assessment of the steps that have been taken to both reduce emissions and clean up the air in the country.

Among the achievements laid-out in the analysis, the government notes C02 emissions have come down by close to 16-percent over the past 5-years.

This has been aided by the addition of some 2.2 billion cubic meters of forest coverage across the country over the past 10-years.

In addition, the proportion of non-fossil fuel energy production has increased to over 11-percent this year.

Xie Zhenhua, China's leading expert on energy production with the National Development and Reform Commission, says these goals have been accomplished through a series of steps being taken across the country.

"Pilot projects for the creation of low-carbon cities and communities are underway. Seven carbon emission trading programs have also been launched online. These are just a couple of the numerous steps being taken to adapt to the realities of climate change. Through these kinds of programs, people in China are becoming more familiar with the need for green and low-carbon energy development."It's expected the next 5-year national development plan to be adopted next year will include a priority on environmental protection.

The State Council, China's cabinet, adopted a plan back in July to promote the idea of an "energy Internet," which coordinates how power is both generated and used around the country to optimize its use.

Han Xiaoping with China Energy Network says this approach addresses challenges faced in China around energy efficiency and distribution.

"In the future micro-grid system, electricity will become similar to information. As part of the concept, companies and households will be able to take part in the production of renewable energy. People can set electricity generators on the roofs of their houses, offices, and plants to provide power for themselves. This will create a type of 'micro-grid.' This will go a long way toward creating a more stable renewable energy system in China."Among the priorities for the Chinese government in creating non-fossil fuel energy is a focus on nuclear and hydro-electric power production.

At the same time, traditional industries are also going to be given incentives to "go green."Chinese president Xi Jinping announced a plan in September to launch a nationwide cap-and-trade program in 2017 for high-polluting sectors, including power generation, iron and steel, chemicals and building material suppliers, including cement, paper and nonferrous metals producers.

For CRI, this is Wang Mengzhen.

President Xi's visit to Africa mark new era of China-Africa coopAnchor:

Observers looking ahead to Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Zimbabwe later this week are suggesting a number of new assistance programs are likely to be announced as part of his trip.

Though not revealing any details, China's ambassdor to Zimbabwe says Xi Jinping's time in China is going to "raise bilateral relations to a new high."Zimbabwe is in critical need of both cash and access to capital, as the country has been struggling with hyper-inflation and international sanctions for years.

Following his time in China, Xi Jinping will then head next door into South Africa to chair the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation set to be held this year in Johannesburg.

For more on the Chinese President's time in Africa, CRI's Brian Kopczynski spoke earlier with Doctor David Dorward, former Director of the African Research Institute at La Trobe University in Australia.

Doctor David Dorward, former director of the African Research Institute with La Trobe University in Australia, speaking with CRI's Brian Kopczynski.

Heavy Smog Continues in BeijingProduction at industrial plants have been curtailed, highways have been shut down and the movement of materials at construction sites has dragged to a hault in Beijing this Monday amid the heavy smog whic has been engulfing the capital.

The Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has upgreaded the smog condition from Yellow to Orange.

This has promted the automatic measures to kick-in.

PM2.5 readings in Beijing have been hitting levels of around 460 today, which is around 18-times the limit the World Health Organization deems as safe.

Sun Feng with the Environmental Protection Bureau says the snow which hit Beijing last week is partly to blame.

"The snowfall last week was heavy and covered a large area. As the snow melts, the humidity increases and temperatures decrease. But the temperature of the mid-level atmosphere tends to rise, leading to less wind. So, this makes the PM 2.5 level jump up quickly."Forecasters are warning the smog, which is being blamed on coal-fired power production amid the current cold-snap, is expected to linger until at least Wednesday.

This is the first time this year that authorities have raised the orange alert, second only to red, which means heavy smog is forecast for three days.

Hazardous air is also engulfing much of northern China including Tianjin, Hebei, Henan and Shandong.

ARATS and SEF review enforcement of agreements between two sides across Taiwan StraitsA cross-strait meeting involving the mainland's Association for Relations across the Taiwan Straits and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation is underway in Taipei.

The session is meant to review how previous cross-strait agreements have been working out.

It's the 3rd time the two sides have sat down to review their progress since 2011.

Shih Hui-fen, vice chair of Taiwan's SEF, says there's a lot that both sids can be proud of.

"For more than 7-years, the ARATS and the SEF have signed agreements and made them into force, which are the fruits produced by the competent departments of the two sides and the wisdom of multiple parities. This is a hard-won achievement that the both side should take great care of it. We will create more concrete results for the people on both sides."A total of 23 cross-strait agreements have been signed since the two sides began direct contact, covering areas such as tourism, personnel exchanges, economic cooperation and disaster management, among others.

S.K ratifies FTA deal with ChinaSouth Korea's parliament has ratified the much-anticipated Free Trade Agreement it signed with the Chinese government earlier this year.

The ratification by the South Korean side means the FTA will begin taking effect after Chinese lawmakers give their stamp-of-approval to the new agreement at next year's annual political sessions.

Under the terms of the Free Trade Agreement, tariffs on over 90-percent of goods traded between the two countries are going to be eliminated over the next 20-years.

The deal is the largest bilateral free trade deal China is involved in when it comes to trade volume, which is approaching around 250-billion US dollars a year.

Some are suggesting the China-South Korea FTA could be the first step toward a trilateral free trade agreement among Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo.

However, those negotiations have been bogged down on numerous issues for the past couple of years, with little headway being reported from the last round of negotiaions earlier this year.

ASEAN Workshop on Space Security Kicks off in BeijingRepresentatives from over 20 different countries and organizations are gathered in Beijing to discuss security issues in outer-space.

Officials from China, Russia and the US are among those taking part in the 2-day workshop, which is tasked with space policies and military controls in earth's orbit.

Chinese vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong has delivered a speech to open the event.

"As a space power, China has always advocated the peaceful use of outer space, opposing weaponisation and an arms race in outer space."China is a signatory to the 1967 treaty crafted during the height of the Cold War which bans countries from putting weapons of mass-destruction into orbit.

China, along with Russia, also put forward a pair of additional resolutions to the UN General Assembly in 2008 to try to prevent the weaponisation of Space.

Officials holding responsibilities for Sinopec oil pipeline explosion SentencedPrison sentences ranging from 3 to 5-years have been handed down to officials connected to massive oil pipeline explosion in Shandong two years ago.

14 people from both Sinopec and the local government in the city of Qingdao are being sent to prison in connection with the massive blast.

Leaking oil from a pipeline caught fire and exploded during a maintenance operation in November of 2013, killing 63 people and injuring over 150 others.

The massive blast also caused close to 120-million US dollars in damage.

Over 60 people have been sanctioned in connection with the incident.

EU, Turkey sign deal to stem migrant flowsThe European Union and Turkey have signed a new deal meant to help stem the flow of migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece.

The EU is going to give Turkey 3 billion euros to help improve the living conditions of Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, says the deal is designed to control migrant flows, but shouldn't be seen as funding for Turkey to guard EU borders.

"Let me state clearly that we do not expect anyone to guard our borders for us - that can and should only be done by Europeans. But we expect a major step towards changing the rules of the game when it comes to stemming the migration flow that is coming to the EU via Turkey."At the same time, the European Union is also promising a revival of talks on Turkey's possible membership in the bloc.

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says his side is going to work with the EU to deal with the refugee issues, along with other issues that arise.

"But I want to say one thing - one message from Ankara, clear message - we are a European nation. The destiny of our continent belongs to us - to all of you. And for the future of the European continent, Turkey is ready to do everything possible, not just to respond to the refugee crisis but also to respond to all the crises."The EU has been negotiating with Turkey since September on strengthening the country's border controls with Greece in a bid to stem the unexpected human influx.

Some 1.5 million illegal migrants have arrived the the EU so far this year.

About 2.2 million Syrian refugees are now living in Turkey.

The International Organization for Migration estimates Greece has been a gateway for around 700-thousand asylum seekers this year, most coming from war-torn Syria.

53 child soldiers released in MyanmarThe UN Children's Agency is reporting an additional 53 child soldiers have been released by Myanmar's military.

This brings the total number of children freed from military service in Myanmar to 146 this year.

The UN estimates around 700 child soldiers have been freed from service by the Myanmar military since the now-outgoing government signed a deal in 2012 to end the recruitment of children into the army.

At the same time, UNICEF says its currently in talks with armed ethnic groups in Myanmar about ending their recruitment of child soldiers.

Regional conflicts throughout Myanmar over the past half-century among the central authorities and 7 different armed ethnic groups has prompted all sides to look toward children as a way to keep their forces bolstered.

WeatherAs we mentioned earlier, heavy smog is still engulfing Beijing and won't likely disperse until at least Wednesday.

The capital is hazy tonight with a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius; overcast and hazy tomorrow with a high of 2.

Shanghai sees clouds overnight with a low of 9; overcast to wet tomorrow with a high of 6.

Chongqing, overcast tonight with a low of 11; overcast to wet tomorrow with a high of 14.

Lhasa is clear tonight with a low of minus 3; sunny tomorrow with a high of 14.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will be cloudy tomorrow with a high of 21.

Kabul, also cloudy, 11.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney will be cloudy with a high of 34.

Brisbane, slight rain, 30.

Perth, cloudy, 30.

And finally Auckland, New Zealand will be wet with a high of 21 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsXi, Obama Meet in ParisChinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama have sat down for a meeting ahead of the opening of the UN's climate change conference in Paris.

As part of the meeting, Xi Jinping has told Obama both countries will have to work hard to make the conference a success.

Policy differences among countries led to the failure of the last attempt to craft a legally-binding global climate change agreement in 2009.

Xi Jinping's time with Obama has also included discussions over security in the Asia-Parcific.

On that front, Xi Jinping has told the US President the two need to regulate their differences over security issues in a more constructive way.

Meeting in Beijing earlier this month, Xi Jinping and Hollande both agreed to create a program to try to accelerate climate change initiatives before 2020 arrives.

Close to 150 world leaders are in Paris for the UN Climate Change Conference.

The Chinese President will be leaving Paris for stops in Africa after delivering a speech to the world leaders.

Member of Russian royal family to be buried in Australia after dying alone under treePoliticians from Australia have come together in the northern city of Darwin to pay homage to the passing of a member of the Russian aristocracy.

Leonid Kulikovsky, great grandson of Tsar Alexander III, who ruled in Russia during the late 1800's, was found dead in a small community in Australia's Northern Territory back in late September.

However, his true identity wasn't understood until last week when a Priest from the Russian Orthodox Church was dispatched from Moscow to confirm a member of the famed Romanov family had died in Australia.

After being schooled in Denmark, Leonid Kulikovsky emigrated to Australia, living in Sydney until his retirment.

He then spent the last half-decade of his life traveling throughout Australia before dying of a heart attack in late September in a trailer-park in a small retirement community in the Northern Territory.

A memorial for the 72-year old Romanov heir has taken place in a small Russian Orthodox Church in Darwin.

The Romanov family ruled Russia from the early 17th century until 1917 when Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne, fomenting the creation of the Soviet Union.

Biz ReportsChina resumes IPOsAnchor:

The pipeline for initial public offerings has been opened again in China following a 4-month freeze.

A total of 10 new companies are being listed this week on the mainland markets.

Among them, a Shenzhen-listed industrial explosives maker has begun trading this Monday.

The remaining 9 firms are set to hit the markets over the next two days.

Securities regulators in China shut down IPOs in July amid the massive sell-off which hit the mainland markets this summer.

At Monday's close on the mainland market,The Shanghai Composite Index ticked up 0.3 percent.

The smaller Shenzhen Component index gained 0.6 percent.

The ChiNext Index for start-ups climbed 0.9 percent.

For more on the resumption of IPO's and its implication for the mainland markets, we are now joined on the line by Gao Shang, senior analyst with Guantong Futures.

Back anchor:

Gao Shang, senior analyst with Guantong Futures.

--Meanwhile in Hong Kong, the Heng Seng Index dropped 0.3 percent.

In Japan, Tokyo shares ended the trading day lower after a government report on October industrial output failed to meet market expectations.

The Nikkei edged down 0.7 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI lost 1.8 percent.

Singapore's Straits Times index dipped a fraction of a percent.

And finally,Australia's ASX/200 sank 0.7 percent.

IMF reviews inclusion of Chinese currency into SDRThe International Monetary Fund is due to review the Chinese yuan's inclusion in its special drawing right basket later this Monday.

Chinese authorities have been holding up the likely inclusion of the RMB into the Special Drawing Rights basket as a milestone in their attempt to internationalize the Chinese currency.

Huang Yiping with the PBoC's Monetary Policy Committee at Peking University says the addition of the RMB into the SDR basket will also have tangible impacts as well.

"What I think is going to change is that the onshore and offshore rates will converge. In other words, the exchange rate in different markets and the interest rates in those markets should eventually become the same, because once you integrate into the market, you don't have a second settlement measurement."An IMF report issued last month has determined the Renminbi is a 'freely usable' currency."If approved this Monday, the addition of the renminbi into the SDR Basket won't take effect until at least September of next year.

The basket is currently made up of the US dollar, the euro, the British Pound and the Japanese Yen.

It's composition is reviewed every five years.

The SDR basket is used by the IMF to calculate the loans it dolls out to countries which need them.

Other countries use the valuation of the combined currencies in the SDR to calculate the peg for their own currencies.

China takes big step in electricity system reformA new set of plans for the Chinese energy market have been unveiled, including plans for the establishment of a national electricity futures market.

The plans also include the expansion of a pilot pricing system currently being tested in Shenzhen and Inner Mongolia to parts of southern China.

That program allows power users to purchase electricity packages according to their needs, making it more market-oriented.

At the same time, electricity trading operations that are "relatively independent" are going to be set up to create inter-provincial electricity trading.

The document released this Monday suggests this could be the start of a unified national electricity futures and derivatives market.

Chinese authorities have been trying to gradually scrap government controls of electricity prices in areas which don't require government electricity subsidies to allow market forces to dictate pricing.

China Construction Bank authorized for RMB clearing business in ZurichChina's central bank has tapped China Construction Bank to be its RMB clearing bank in Zurich, Switzerland.

It comes following an agreement between the PBoC and Switzerland's central bank.

Chinese authorities have been using the establishement of RMB clearing centers in overseason markets as a major tool in promoting the globalization of the Chinese currency.

Renminbi clearing is now available in Singapore, London, Frankfurt, Seoul, Paris, Luxembourg, Doha, Toronto and Sydney, as well as in Hong Kong and Macau.

The internationalization of the Chinese currency is expected to take another major step forward later on this Monday, with the International Monetary Fund poised to add the Chinese currency to its special drawing rights basket.

Units of China Minmetals and Alibaba to build B2B steel e-commerce platformMinmetals Development, a unit of China Minmetals Group, has reached an agreement with Alibaba's Ali Venture Capital to set up a business-to-business platform for steel transactions.

Minmetals Development and Ali Venture Capital, along with another company, are planning to dump close to 100-million US dollars into Minmetals E-commerce.

Minmetals will hold the largest stake, at 46-percent, while Ali Venture will control 44-percent.

The other player will hold a 10-percent stake in the e-commerce company.

China Life confirms completion of London property investmentChina's largest insurer, China Life Insurance, has completed its acquisition of a 40 percent interest in 99 Bishopsgate, a premium office building in London.

China Life's investment arm, China Life Investment Holdings, has acquired a 40 percent share in a subsidiary of Brookfireld, which holds 99 Bishopsgate.

Qatar Investment Authority has bought 40 percent as well, while Brookfield retains the remaining 20 percent.

By the end of the third quarter, China Life and its subsidiary have made over 100 billion yuan of overseas investment.

Among the investments are 10 Upper Bank Street in London's Canary Warf last year and 500 million dollar development project in Boston, known as Pier 4.

Japan's public pension fund posts record quarterly losses amid equities devaluationThe world's biggest pension fund has posted its worst quarterly loss since the start of the global financial crisis.

Through the third quarter, Japan's 1.2 trillion U.S. dollar Government Pension Investment Fund lost 64 billion U.S. dollars, which is close to 6-percent of the value of its holdings.

The huge loss is due to slumping values of the fund's domestically and foreign held stocks, as well as a slowdown in some emerging economies.

The losses mark the biggest drop for the fund since comparable data became available in 2008.

Analysts suggest the loss shows the potential fragility in the prime minister's moves to push for more aggressive investments in the short-term, without a clear, tangible and quantifiable long-term vision.

SportsKobe to Retire after This SeasonIn basketball,The big news of the day has come off the court,LA Laker veteran Kobe Bryant has made it official, saying he's going to be retiring after this season.

"A decision like this you can't allow, you can't make that decision based on, you know outside circumstances, it has to be an internal decision and finally I just had to accept the fact that I don't want to do this anymore, and I'm okay with that, and once I accepted that then it became time to just let everybody know, I mean why not, I mean it just takes a load off my shoulders and everybody else I mean it's just the right thing to do."The 37-year-old won the NBA Championships 5-times with the Lakers.

After being drafted out of high school by Charlotte and then moved to Los Angeles in a trade during the 1995 draft, Bryant has spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers.

However, he's been hit by injuries in recent years, and has lost a step to the younger stars entering the league.

His decision to retire has no-doubt been compounded by the fact the Lakers have only won 2-games so far this season, going down to Indiana 107-103 this morning to move to 2-14 on the season.

The only team worse then the Lakers this year, the Philadelphia 76ers, have managed to match the worst-ever start to an NBA season held by the former New Jersey now-Brooklyn Nets, going down to Memphis 92-84 this morning.

---The Houston Rockets rallied past the New York Knicks 116-111 in overtime.

---The Los Angeles Clippers held off the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-99.

---And was the Charlotte Hornets over the Milwaukee Bucks 87-82.

---The Phoenix Suns edged the Toronto Raptors 107-102.

---And it's the Orlando Magic over the Boston Celtics 110-91.

----------Here in China,Xinjiang have won 11 in a row to start the season, getting past visiting Shandong 103-81 last night.

Zhou Qi scoring 23 points and pulling down 18 rebounds for the Flying Tigers in the victory.

----------Sichuan has dropped to the third place in the league standings, going down to Zhejiang 116-114.

----------Guangsha moved up to the second following their 120-96 win over Shenzhen.

----------Yi Jianlian contributed a game-high 29 points to help Guangdown to their 5th consecutive win with a 107-85 thumping of Beijing Beikong last night.

----------Tianjin has lost 11 in a row, despite a 50-point performance from Jordan Crawford last night, going down to Liaoning.

---Foshan has finally entered the win column, upsetting Fujian last night.

----------Other winners in the day will include: the Beiing ducks, Jiangsu Tongxi and Qingdao.

Murray Wins Davis Cup for Great BritainIn tennis,Andy Murray is issuing a new call for the organizers of the Davis Cup tennis tournament to adjust their schedule.

Murray has made the suggestion after downing Belgium's David Goffin last night in his 11th straight Davis Cup victory to give Britain its first Men's international tennis trophy since 1936.

"I think for all of the team it's obviously great to have a Davis Cup next to our name. We'll all remember this year for the rest of our lives, regardless of what happens in the rest of any of our careers. Nothing may ever top this now."Murray has committed to the first round of Davis Cup matches this coming year, with Britain taking on Japan to start the defense of its title.

However, he says the timing of the matches should be adjusted, as they fall directly after the major ATF tournaments, including the Grand Slams, take place.

Football: Australian football legend diesIn football,Australian football is mourning the passing of one of its legends.

Joe Marston passed away at his home in Sydney on Sunday at the age of 89.

Marston became an Australian football hero after moving the UK, helping Preston North End into the final of the FA Cup in 1950.

He held the distinction of being the only Aussie to appear in England's FA Cup Final until Shanghai Shenhua's Tim Cahill helped this then-second-division side Milwall reach England's most prestigious football tournament exactly 50-years later in 2000.

---In English football from the Premiership,Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino says he's unwilling to rest on his club's laurels, despite their record-breaking performane last night, holding Chelsea to a nil-nil draw.

"That's a very good thing, but in the end, for me, it's nothing. We need to look forward, to be ready for the next game. This is the important statistic for us. We have a very tough game against West Bromwich, and we need to win because we want to stay higher on the table and.... it is true that it is a very good thing to be unbeaten from the first game of the season."Tottenham have now gone a record-breaking 13-matches without a loss, and will look to extend that this coming Saturday against West Brom Albion, who drew with West Ham United 1-1 last night.

In other action from the Premiership last night,Arsenal blew its chance at moving to the top of the table last night, drawing 1-1 with Norwich.

It leaves Arsenal alone in 4th on the table, two back of Man City and Leicester at the top, and one point behind Man United.

And it was it was Liverpool squeezing out a 1-nil victory over Swansea.

---And off-the-pitch, this year's Asian Football Confederation Awards were dolled out last night in New Delhi.

Among the awards, Al Ahli's Ahmed Khalil has been named the AFC Player of the Year.

"Thank God This is a feeling to hard to describe. Of course it's true I won this trophy in 2008 then I hoped I would win it once more. I congratulate the Emiratis people for this achievement and I congratulate our national team and Al Ahly football club because this achievement is not just for Ahmed but also for the players who play with me for the club and the national team and I hope to do better in the future."Khalil won out over one of his teammates and Guangzhou Evergrande capitan Zheng Zhi.

Evergrande's captian didn't go home empty-handed last night, accepting the award for Evergrande as the AFC's Club of the Year.

Evergrande took this year's Asian Champions League title for the 2nd time in 3-years.

Lin Dan Wins Brazil OpenIn badminton,Chinese shuttlers have had a solid day in Rio de Janeiro, winning all the five events at the Brazil Open.

In women's singles,It's Shen Yaying coming from behind to beat her teammate Li Yun in a three set affair.

On the men's side,It was Lin Dan claiming the title, downing Spain's Pablo Abian in straight sets 21-13, 21-17.

Chinese players have also won the mixed doubles, men's doubles and women's doubles events.

Lin Dan and many of the other shuttlers are now going to head to Dubai for the Super Series Finals, which will take place from December 9th to the 12th.

Lin Dan and Chinese World Number-1 Chen Long will represent China in the Men's Singles Event at the season-ending tournament.

EntertainmentHighly-anticipated TV Drama Ready to Premiere TodayThe highly-anticipated historical series, "The Legend of Miyue", premieres today.

The series, starring mainland actress Sun Li and Hong Kong actor Alex Fong, will air on Dragon TV.

It will also be streamed through Tencent Video.

Based on a hit online novel, the epic is the latest production of famed director Zheng Xiaolong, who also directed costume drama, "Legend of Zhen Huan" a big hit in 2011.

Set in the turbulent Warring States Period (476-221 BC), the series chronicles the legendary life of Miyue, the first empress dowager in Chinese history.

Elements of political intrigue, war and romance in that ancient age of chaos are highlighted in the epic.

Director Zheng's former work "Empress in the Palace" was critically acclaimed for its touching story and lavish scenes.

It has also reached the screens of many foreign countries including Japan and the United States.

iQIYI Uploads Spy Action Show 'The Substitute'

"The Substitute," being billed as a pioneering U.S.-Chinese co-produced series, began airing today on Chinese streaming service iQIYI.

The 20-episode spy-action show follows a woman who through plastic surgery is turned into a replica of her role model, a feisty supermodel, who is also a double agent.

The show takes as its own role models "Nikita" and Korean series "Iris" and represents something of a genre stretch for Chinese content.

Production is by Palette Pictures, which has offices in Los Angeles and Beijing, and is co-directed by actress and producer Bai Yu and by U.S.-educated Hong Kong filmmaker Sun Chan.

The Martian' Soars to $50.1 Million Opening in ChinaAt the Chinese box office, "The Martian" continues to hold the top spot, earning over 50 million US dollars in China this weekend.

In the film, China's space program gives critical aid to NASA that allows it bring a stranded astronaut, Matt Damon, back to earth.

Other films, such as "Transformers: Age of Extinction," have shot in China or included Chinese actors historically has also paid off at ticket booths.

"The Martian's" opening topped Chinese charts, and outranks previous outer-space themed films like "Gravity" and "Interstellar," positioning it well for the future.

Despite the massive results, "The Martian" wasn't the highest-grossing film at the foreign box office.

That honor went to "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2" with 62 million US dollars.

The final film in the futuristic franchise has made 440.7 million US dollars in global ticket sales.

'Hunger Games' holds lead at box officeNew stats show Hollywood had a good, but not record-breaking, Thanksgiving weekend at box office, with the Hunger Games and a new Disney Pixar animation clinching the top two positions.

"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2" was on track to gross 75.8 million US dollars over the five-night holiday weekend, which began Wednesday night. It has taken in 51.6 million US dollars for the three-day weekend, down 50 percent from last weekend.

Disney's "The Good Dinosaur" opened in second place, with 55.6 million US dollars in five-night sales and 39.2 million US dollars in three-day frame.

The three-day revenue of "The Good Dinosaur" marks the worst opening for a Pixar film since "Toy Story" back in 1995.

"Creed" opened in third place, with 30.1 million US dollars in three-day projected sales from 3,404 locations. It grossed 42.6 million US dollars in five-day frame.

The rest 5 most-popular movies in North America in three-day weekend frame were "Spectre", "The Peanuts Movie", "The Night Before", "Secret In Their Eyes", "Spotlight".

Chinese directors win prize at Tokyo Filmex (by Sun Wanming)Tibetan director Pema Tseden's Tharlo has been awarded both the Grand Prize and the student jury prize at this year's Tokyo Filmex, which wrapped on Sunday night.

Mainland filmmaker Zhao Liang's Behemoth, about coal miners in Inner Mongolia, was awarded the special jury prize, which came with a cash award of 2,500 US dollars.

While Hong Kong director Peter Ho-sun Chan's Dearest won the audience award.

The Talents Tokyo Award 2015 went to Lau Kek Huat's Malaysia-Taiwan co-production A Love To Boluomi.

Special mentions went to Dark In The White Light, from Sri Lanka's Vimukthi Jayasundara, and Japanese director Okuda Yosuke's The Dork, The Girl And The Douchebag.

Headed by Busan International Film Festival director Lee Young-kwan, the Tokyo Filmex jury also included Taiwan filmmaker Sylvia Chang, Japanese director Shiota Akihiko.