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

Coming up on the program this evening...

The China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt is applauded at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Zhengzhou.

China urges the United STates to stop selling arms to the Taiwan region.

Shuttle diplomacy gains pace as world powers attempt to find consensus over fighting Islamic State.

In business... China's peer to peer lender Lufax seeking to raise funds.

In sports.... No end in sight for Chelsea's woes.

In entertainment..... a Chinese surprise at the movie box offices.

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.

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Top NewsChina-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt brings new opportunities to SCOAnchor:

The 14th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is drawing to close in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, with the signing of a joint communiqué.

During the two-day meeting, heads of government from the SCO member states - China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan - exchanged ideas on cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, finance, transportation and culture.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called on all SCO member states to step up efforts in the cooperation of security, capacity, interconnection, finance, regional trade and people's livelihoods.

CRI's Li Jianhua has more.

Reporter:

Several topics dominated the two-day meeting, including China's Belt and Road Initiative, industrial capacity cooperation, customs cooperation, an SCO Development Bank and regional anti-terrorism measures.

Experts believe the Silk Road Economic Belt, which was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his trip to Kazakhstan in 2013, will inject vigor into the further development of the bloc.

Zhang Jianping from China's top economic planner, the NDRC, said the Silk Road Economic Belt provided a new dimension to cooperation among SCO member states, and that China had made remarkable achievements in infrastructure construction and capacity cooperation with other SCO members.

"The capacity cooperation between China and Russia is now in full swing. For instance, China and Russia have joint efforts in developing large commercial aircraft and in feasibility studies for Russia's high-speed railway. China and Kazakhstan have also reached deals in the production of steel, cement, glass and building materials. In addition, China has also been developing closer relationships with other Central Asian countries."The trade volume between China and other SCO member states reached 130 billion US dollars by 2014, a ten fold increase on the level in 2001. Economic cooperation, in turn, has also facilitated greater communication between these nations in terms of people's livelihoods, science and technology, as well as education.

Sun Zhuangzhi from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences believes the Silk Road project will be conducive to the development of the whole Eurasian area.

"The SCO and the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt can not only achieve common prosperity but also push the development of the SCO to new heights."In May this year, the Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin discussed the aim of aligning trans-regional economic development with the idea of the association among different nations. It's widely believed that the SCO has the potential to serve as a platform for such an effort.

Secretary-General of the SCO Dmitry Mezentsev says the China-proposed plan is likely to meet the needs of the countries along the "Silk Road" and be beneficial to the overall development of Eurasian area.

"The China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt is a macroscopic concept with a forward-looking vision. Every nation involved should step up their efforts in coordinating with others in order to fully realise the potential of this concept."At a summit in Beijing in June 2012, SCO member states adopted a wide range of important documents, including the Strategic Plan for the Medium-Term Development of the SCO, announcing that more importance should be attached to expanding regional economic cooperation in the next decade.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

Anchor:

For more on this, CRI's Brian Kopczynski and Liu Kun earlier talked to Professor Wang Dehua with Shanghai Municipal Institute of International Studies.

China Objects to US Arms Sales to TaiwanChina is strongly urging the United States to stop selling arms to the Taiwan region.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, notes that Beijing's stance on this issue is clear and consistent.

"China firmly opposes the U.S. arm sales to Taiwan. This stance is clear and consistent. The U.S. arm sales to Taiwan violate three joint communiqués signed between China and the United States, especially the 8.17 communiqué. It also interferes in China's internal affairs, disrupts peaceful development of the relations between the two countries, and damages Sino-US relations."Hong Lei urged the US government to realize the harm and sensitivity of such an action.

It's being reported that the Obama administration may authorize the sale of two guided missile frigates to Taiwan as soon as this week.

Expert: China-ROK Maritime Talks Long Way to GoAnchor:

The first round of talks between China and South Korea over their overlapping claims on exclusive economic zones in the Yellow Sea is due to get underway in a weeks time.

But experts are predicting the negotiations will not be plain sailing.

CRI's Tu Yun reports.

Reporter:

The meeting, scheduled for next Tuesday in Seoul, will be co-chaired by the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin and his ROK counterpart Cho Tae-yul.

China says it hopes the talks will set an example for regional countries to solve similar issues.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.

"China hopes that the two countries will resolve the overlapping claims fairly and reasonably through friendly consultations and set a good example for the region's countries in resolving similar issues."The exclusive economic zones of China and South Korea overlap in the Yellow Sea.

Both sides agreed to start demarcation talks when President Xi Jinping visited South Korea last year.

While many think that improved China-South Korea relations have smoothed the way for negotiations, military observer Yin Zhuo argues there is still a long way to go before an agreement is reached.

"The two sides still remain divided on which principle applies to the demarcation in the sea area. South Korea advocates a median line drawn equidistant from the coastline of the two states, while China thinks the problem should be settled based on the extension of the continental shelf."China says the continental shelf in the Yellow Sea shares the same geological characteristics as its territorial continent, so should be regarded as the natural extension of the land territory, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

As the seabed between the two sides slopes downwards from China to South Korea, many believe China will gain a larger area than South Korea if the continental shelf principle is adopted.

But Yin Zhuo suggests there are other more urgent matters for the Korean side to address.

"The Korean side advocates the median-line principle in talks with China, but when it addresses maritime disputes with Japan, it resorts to the continental shelf principle. This doesn't conform to international law."The demarcation issue has been brought up regularly at bilateral meetings between China and South Korea, but asyet no settlement has been reached.

The ambiguous maritime border has resulted in a series of issues, including repeated clashes between Chinese fishermen and the ROK Coast Guard in the disputed area.

Yin Zhuo suggested both sides should take measures to prevent the issue hampering the devleopment of the bilateral relations.

"China and South Korea share broad common ground when it comes to North Korean issues, the stability in East Asia and historical disputes. Both governments should prevent it from whipping up contradictory feelings between the two peoples."Another focus of maritime disputes between the two is a reef in the East China Sea, called Suyan Reef by the Chinese and Ieodo by Koreans.

Both sides agree the reef is not a 'territory' dispute, as it remains submerged even at low tide.

China ensured its 2013 air defense identification zone in the East China Sea extends over it.

In response, South Korea has expanded its own ADIZ to cover the reef.

For CRI, this is Tu Yun.

China working on poverty reduction appraisal plan: officialThe Chinese government has briefed the media on plans to achieve the goal of poverty alleviation in the next five years.

Details were given by Liu Yongfu, director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, at a news conference on Tuesday.

He says eliminating poverty is the most arduous task for China in establishing an all-round well-off society.

"The main goal is to ensure people living below the poverty line in rural areas have access to food, clothes, basic education, medical care, and a safe home by 2020. By that time, poverty shall already be eradicated in rural areas and there will be no more poverty-stricken counties in the country."Liu urged governments at all levels to take more targeted and precise measures to fight against poverty.

According to Liu, China has created an initial appraisal plan to assess poverty alleviation progress in 22 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities that have signed poverty reduction acts.

"The result of poverty reduction will be a main factor in appraisal, including the population being lifted out of poverty, the income increase of poverty-stricken population, and the number of counties being lifted out of poverty."More than 600 million Chinese people have escaped poverty in the past three decades, about 70 percent of the total global achievement.

At the end of last year, over 70 million people in the countryside lived below China's poverty line.

The Light of Internet EXPOAnchor:

'The Light of the Internet' expo has kicked off in east China's water town of Wuzhen, as part of this year's World Internet Conference.

More than 50 companies have gathered to exhibiting the latest technologies and products.

Our reporter Luo Wen tells more about the future this technology expo is showing us.

Reporter:

The sound you just heard was a man asking a robot to switch on the humidifier and play Chinese Singer Jay Chou's song.

It's just one of many products on show at "The light of the Internet" expo in wuzhen.

Altogether, the technologies and products on show give us a glimpse of what a future world could look like.

Among them is a self-driving car developed by China's search engine giant Baidu.

"This self-driving car can automatically identify the objects around it. And the core of this car is intelligence decision. It can change lane and change directions automatically to avoid other obstacles, cars and so on."Not far from Baidu's car is a more surprising product, a mind-control racing car.

"By using this brainwave collector, we can measure your concentration level and transfer it into data. The voltage of the racing track will be changed based on the data. Then finally the speed of the toy car will be different based on your concentration level."Also at the expo, online retailer JD.com promotes the concept of a "smart home.""The future is the era of the 'Internet of Things'. We can use one app to control all the equipment we have. And furthermore, all the equipment can connect with each other. All I need to do is just tell them what I want while laying in my bed. For example, When the PM2.5 reading is above 200, the air purifier will automatically turn on. When I click home on my app, all the equipment that I need will start working."Also among the highlights of the expo are wearable devices controlled by smart phones.

Miss Chen at the expo expressed how she's been surprised by what a phone can do in the future.

"Now you can't live without internet. You can see lots of high-tech and advanced products here. All the equipment can be controlled by just a phone. "The 2015 World Internet Conference is set to open on Wednesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will give a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.

For CRI, this is Luo Wen.

John Kerry meets with Russian FM Lavrov over SyriaVisiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for talks over Syria, the Islamic State group and Ukraine.

Washington and Moscow are at odds over the Syrian political process and the future of Syrian President. America says Bashar al-Assad should have no part to play in the political future of Syria, while Russia insists the Syrian people should decide without international intervention.

Ahead of their talks in Moscow, Kerry says despite differences between the two sides, the US and Russia can work together.

"What is important to note is that even when there have been differences between us, we have been able to work effectively on specific issues and Russia made a significant contribution to the dialogue on the Iran nuclear agreement and now in both of the Vienna discussions Russia has been a significant contributor to the progress that we have been able to make."The meeting came after talks last week in the Saudi capital Riyadh, during which parties agreed to unite opposition groups, excluding Islamic State, to negotiate with the Syrian government for peace talks.

Russia has rejected the outcome of the Riyadh meeting, saying those who attended had no right to speak on behalf of the entire Syrian opposition.

Kerry is now in Russia, trying to narrow the gap between the two countries so as to make sure that a third round of talks on Syria, involving world powers will be held on Friday in New York as scheduled.

Saudi Arabia announces formation of anti-terrorism coalitionSaudi Arabia has announced the formation of a 34-state Islamic military coalition to fight against Terrorism.

The Saudi Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman attended a rare news conference on Tuesday and told reporters that the campaign would "coordinate" efforts to fight terrorism in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan.

"I understand you have seen a statement that announces the alliance between a number of Islamic countries to fight against terrorism and this comes from the Islamic world's vigilance in fighting the disease which has damaged the Islamic world, even before the International community as a whole. There shall be an operations room in Riyadh for the coordination and support of efforts to fight terrorism in many parts of the Islamic world."The 30-year-old crown prince added that the new alliance would focus not only on Islamic State, but any terrorist organization.

Nations on the alliance's long list include Arab countries such as Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, together with Islamic countries such as Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and Gulf Arab and African states.

Shi'ite Muslim Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia's arch rival for influence in the Arab world, is absent from the coalition.

Obama makes address on anti-ISIL campaignAnchor:

U.S. President Barack Obama has delivered an address from the Pentagon updating the country on the on-going campaign against Islamic State militants.

The president has been under increasing pressure to reassure Americans that his strategy against the terror group is working, following the massacre earlier this month in San Bernardino, California.

Ellen Scott has this report from Washington.

Reporter:

President Obama said the U.S.-led coalition has made progress dismantling ISIL's core in Iraq and Syria by launching more targeted airstrikes than ever.

"We are hitting ISIL harder than ever. Coalition aircraft, our fighters, bombers and drones have been increasing the pace of airstrikes --- nearly 9000 as of today. Last month in November we dropped more bombs on ISIL targets than any other month since this campaign started."There hasn't been a shift in strategy...the focus is still on targeted airstrikes.

President Obama continues to rule out sending ground forces into Iraq and Syria.

President Obama listed off the names of ISIL leaders who had been killed in these airstrikes. He added that the latest round of coalition airstrikes have disrupted ISIL's freedom of maneuver.

"Everyday we destory as well more of ISIL's forces...their fighting positions, bunkers and staging areas, heavy weapons, bomb making forces and training camps. In many places ISIS has lost its freedom of manuever -- because they know if theymask their forces we will wipe them out."But...Republicans in the U.S. are critical of President Obama's rare address at the Pentagon. They see the tough talk against ISIL as more of a way to dismantle doubts about his foreign policy after the attacks in Paris and in San Bernardino.

Obama warned that the US and its partners faced a 'very tough fight ahead' and despite some progress, there's still work to be done.

"We recognize that progress needs to keep coming faster. No one knows that more than the countless Syrians and Iraqis living everyday under ISIL's terror as well as the families in SB and Paris and elsewhere who are grieving the loss of their loved ones."During his address, Obama announced that he's sending Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to the Middle East to help secure more help in the fight against the Islamic State.

"Just as the US is doing more in this fight. Just as our allies...France, Germany and the UK, Australia and Italy are doing more, so must others. That's why I have asked Secretary Carter to go to the Middle East -- he will depart right after this press briefing -- to work with our coalition partners on securing more military contributions to this fight"He also said that Secretary of State John Kerry will be in Moscow on Tuesday in order to push diplomatic efforts to finally put an end to the Syrian civil war.

For CRI I'm Ellen Scott in Washington.

EU Foreign Ministers Meeting Held in BrusselsAnchor:

Relations between the European Union and Turkey continue to be bolstered, with discussions regarding the country's membership of the EU re-energized by the refugee crisis and recent terror attacks.

While some in Brussels wonder whether Turkey will ever be able to meet all the requirements for EU membership, many top EU leaders now believe that Turkey has become an invaluable partner in the fight against terrorism, and closer links should be encouraged.

Our Europe Correspondent Kevin Ozebek has the latest.

Reporter:

As European Union foreign ministers begin the week in Brussels, Turkey tops the agenda.

On Monday, Turkey moved one step closer to becoming an EU member.

European Union leaders have agreed to examine Turkey's economic and monetary policy, to make sure it's aligned with EU rules and regulations.

It's a necessary step on the road to EU membership.

Volkin Bozkir is Turkey's minister to the EU.

"We have expressed our strong commitment to reinvigorate the process and proceed in all chapters. Turkey expects to join the union as an equal member with all the rights and obligations."But some members of the European Parliament say Turkey will never grant full freedom of the press and full freedom of expression.

That too is needed for EU membership.

But the EU's top diplomat Federica Mogherini says membership talks must continue...because Turkey is an invaluable ally.

She met with Turkey's delegation visiting Brussels...

"We discussed the common approach to counterterrorism and common work with foreign fighters. Especially the difficult boarder between Turkey and Syria. both ways. Foreign fighters entering Syria and foreign fighters getting out of Syria and back to Europe."Counterterrorism also was high on the agenda during the meeting of EU foreign ministers.

They're still working on how their coun tries can better share intelligence.

Security Expert Evgenia Gvozdeva says it's the most important issue the EU can push in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

"Still a lot of things should be done to improve the exchange of information between the security authorities on all levels between countries in the European Union. But at the same time as the Paris attacks showed, there should also be an exchange of information improved with countries beyond the borders of the European Union.

And improving intelligence sharing will be discussed again in Brussels later in the week when a two day EU leader's summit starts on Thursday.

For CRI, I'm Kevin Ozebek in Brussels.

Argentina to Eliminate Export Tax on IndustryArgentina's new President Mauricio Macri vowed on Monday to eliminate the export tax on industrial goods to kick-start the stagnant economy.

"Now I would like to announce to you all what I did this morning in the farming sector. Here we need to reward those who are motivated by the challenge of exporting, investing and innovating. This is why, from today, there will no longer be taxes on industrial exports in Argentina because, it is not appropriate."The new administration also pledged to correct the mistakes of its leftist predecessor, the Peronist party, by restoring the Central Bank's independence and overhauling the national statistics office.

Macri is only the third non-Peronist leader since the end of military rule in 1983.

The other two failed to finish their terms owing to the difficulties caused by Peronist labour unions, state governors and Congress opponents.

Heavy Smog in Shanghai Stops School Outdoor Activities and Construction Sites WorkShanghai has halted work at some construction sites amid concerns over dust as the city suffers severe air pollution.

All local kindergartens, primary and secondary schools cancelled outdoor activities this morning.

Besides a smog alert, the authorities have adopted emergency measures for the first time this winter.

WeatherBeijing sees some clouds tonight a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius; sunny tomorrow with a high of 2.

Shanghai, cloudy overnight with a low of 3; sunny tomorrow with a high of 5.

Chongqing, overcast tonight, low of 5; cloudy tomorrow with a high of 11.

Lhasa, clear overnight with a low of minus 5; cloudy tomorrow with a high of 11.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will be cloudy tomorrow with a high of 19.

Kabul will see sleet with a high of 3.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere:

Sydney, wet, a high of 24.

Brisbane, overcast, 26.

Perth, also cloudy, high of 30.

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

Headline NewsSCO drawing to an end with the signing of joint communiqueThe 14th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is drawing to close in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, with the signing of a joint communiqué.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called on all SCO member states to step up efforts in the cooperation of security, capacity, interconnection, finance, regional trade and people's livelihoods.

During the two-day meeting, heads of government from the SCO member states also exchanged ideas on cooperation in the fields of investment, finance, transportation and cultural communication.

The SCO, founded in 2001, currently has six member states -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers and Belarus, Turkey and Sri Lanka as dialogue partners.

China Central Gov't Solicits Online Advice on 5-year PlanThe official website of China's central government has started to accept suggestions and opinions from the general public on the national economic and social development roadmap for the next 5 years.

Suggestions and opinions will be processed and passed on to the institutions drafting the plan, known as the 13th 5-year Plan which runs from 2016 to 2020.

The public must register with their real name and phone number to submit their opinions.

Submissions will last until January 15, 2016.

The 13th 5-year-plan aims to build a moderately prosperous society, and double its 2010 GDP and per capita income of both urban and rural residents by 2020.

1 Killed in Typhoon Melor in C. PhilippinesAt least one person has been killed by typhoon Melor which has been lashing the central Philippines.

A total of over 730 thousand people have been evacuated, while millions of people have been left without power. The tripping of transmission lines has led to power interruptions in 9 provinces.

A total of 16 domestic flights were canceled and more than 7300 passengers have also been stranded at sea.

School classes have been suspended in several cities in the region.

It's forecast the typhoon will later weaken to become a severe tropical storm.

New Zealanders Face 'Historic Choice' on National Flag: Vice PMNew Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Bill English said the people in the country have a clear choice for a new national flag.

He made the remarks after the final result of last month's referendum on 5 possible alternatives was revealed.

The winner was a stylized white fern on a black and blue background with the 4 red stars of the Southern Cross, taking around 50 percent of the allowable votes.

The design will be put forward, with the current flag which features the British Union Jack in the top left corner, to a second referendum next March.

The winner of that poll will become or remain the official national flag of the country.

Biz ReportsAsian StocksAnchor:

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

Mainland markets closed mixed on Tuesday.

At the close, the Shanghai Composite Index dipped 0.3 percent.

The smaller Shenzhen Component index gained 0.8 percent.

While the small-cap ChiNext Index jumped 1.3 percent.

In Hong Kong, the Heng Seng moved down 0.2 percent.

Elsewhere in Asia,Tokyo shares fell as a circumspect market saw investors in a risk averse mood ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting on Wednesday.

Decliners were led by pulp and paper, banks and miscellaneous products.

The Nikkei 225 dropped 1.7 percent.

South Korea's KOSPI closed 0.3 percent higher.

In Singapore, the benchmark Straits Times index closed flat after U.S stocks rallied overnight on crude oil's rebound from a six-year low.

And finally,Australia's ASX/200 lost 0.4 percent.

China's EBRD membership a boost to Belt and Road initiative: PBOCThe European Bank for Reconstruction and Development says its board of governors has approved a request by the Chinese authorities for China to join the Bank as a non-recipient country.

Chen Fengying, Director of the CICIR Institute of World Economic Studies, explains the significance of the membership.

"China's membership of the EBRD will promote cooperation between China and other members of EBRD. This is because some members of the EBRD are also members of the AIIB. Also with EBRD's specialty in investments and infrastructure building, the membership will also facilitate Chinese firms making investments in Europe, especially in central and eastern Europe."The EBRD opened for business with headquarters in London in 1991.

Up to now, its existing shareholders included 64 countries and 2 international organizations.

China's central bank says the move will provide new cooperation opportunities for China and countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt.

The bank adds that China will strengthen cooperation with the EBRD and its members through experience sharing, co-financing programs and development assistance.

Lufax Close to Raising Funds at $18 Billion ValueChina's peer-to-peer lender and broker Lufax, a Internet financial arm of Ping An Insurance, is reportedly close to completing a round of fundraising valuing the company at about 18 billion U.S. dollars.

It's being reported that the company is raising almost one billion U.S. dollars by selling a stake of about 5 percent to a group of Chinese and overseas investors.

Lufax is also said to have attracted investor demand for about five times the amount it raised.

Officially called Shanghai Lujiazui International Financial Asset Exchange Company, it's run by former McKinsey & Co. consultant Gregory Gibb.

Earlier reports say Lufax is seeking an initial public offering in Hong Kong in the second half of next year.

It's also reported it's hoping to raise a maximum of 5 billion US dollars via the IPO.

WISCO Refutes Reports about Job CutsLeading Chinese steel maker Wuhan Iron and Steel Company has rejected media reports about job cuts which it said were inaccurate.

Earlier, It was reported that Wuhan Iron and Steel Company Limited, a listed arm of WISCO, planned to cut 6-thousand jobs within three months and that WISCO would probably lay off 11-thousand employees.

In response, WISCO says the inaccurate media reports had led to uncertainty among its labor force and in the community.

The company also said it had no plan to cut jobs at the moment.

Meanwhile, the company added that it will constantly optimize labor resources, reduce human resource costs and enhance labor productivity.

China Factory Output Picks up, Investment Rises in NovemberAnchor:

Recent official data shows factory output growth in November picked up to stand at a five-month high.

Factory output grew an annual 6.2 percent last month, quickening from October's 5.6 percent.

Growth in China's fixed-asset investment, one of the main drivers of the economy, rose 10.2 percent in the first 11 months.

Retail sales grew an annual 11.2 percent in November - the strongest expansion this year - compared with 11 percent in October.

On Monday, China's top leadership unveiled its major economic tasks for next year, with emphasis on issues concerning urban planning and innovation.

A statement issued after a political bureau meeting of the CPC Central Committee said China should expand the effective demand on the housing market by turning more migrant rural workers into urban residents, to reduce the high housing inventory.

The statement also pledged to promote mass entrepreneurship and innovation as well as reduce operation costs for companies.

For more on this, CRI's xxx earlier spoke with Huo Deming, Professor from National School of Development,Peking University.

Huawei-backed information, network academy launched in CambodiaChina's Huawei and Cambodia's National Institute of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Communication Technology have jointly launched a Huawei Authorized Information and Network Academy.

The academy will offer training on cloud computing, networking and telecommunications to Cambodian studentsMeanwhile, the academy will also help university students majored in Information Communication Technology to fill the gap between theory and practice and master required skills.

Under the partnership, Huawei is also going to set up an ICT laboratory to provide students with opportunities for hands-on exploration of the latest cloud computing and networking technologies.

Huawei has now extended its academy program to more than 130 leading universities worldwide.

The company's products and solutions are available in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over a third of the world's population.

New cargo train to link central China, LuxembourgA cargo train will start operating next year between central China's Henan Province and Luxembourg.

The train will pass through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Austria and Germany on its way to Grand Duchy.

The new railway line will link observer and dialogue partner states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The train line is expected to boost cross-border e-commerce, and transport Henan's textiles, mechanical equipment and electronic devices to SCO member states, returning with agricultural products, health foods and medicines produced in those countries.

Baidu seeks driverless buses on roads in 3 yearsChina's top online search firm aims to put self-driving buses on the road in three years.

The decision from Baidu comes after it set up a business unit to oversee all its efforts related to automobiles.

The unit will also include its initiative in partnership with BMW to develop a self-driving passenger vehicle.

Senior Vice President Wang Jing will lead the new unit as general manager.

However, Baidu has declined to give details on potential auto manufacturer partners for the bus or the investment amounts for the unit.

SportsLeicester City Beat Chelsea 2-1In football action,Leicester City has overtaken Arsenal to top the English Premiership with a 2-1 home win over reigning champions Chelsea.

Jamie Vardy scored his 15th goal of the season to help Leicester with the win.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says they could have played better.

"I worked four days in this match. I prepared everything related to the opponent. I identify four movements where they score almost every of their goals. My players they got all that information in training in the last three days and you can ask them because they are honest guys and I know that they will tell you that what I am saying is true. In four type situations that I identified - we conceded the first and the second goal."Losing the game, Chelsea is just one point above the relegation zone.

----------La Liga leaders and UEFA Champions League winners Barcelona has held a training session in the Japanese city of Yokohama, ahead of their meeting with Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande of China in the semi-finals of this year's FIFA Club World Cup this Thursday.

Barcelona is looking to win the trophy for a record three times.

Defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets has offered these thoughts on the game.

"Everyone thought the Mexicans were favorites (against Guangzhou in the quarter-finals), but they (Guangzhou) have shown they are a great team, on a great run without losing. They have a mixture of players with some Brazilians as well, who can give us a difficult game. We have to ensure we play well, as we always try to do."Shortly after the training, it was announced that Barcelona have been drawn to play England's Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League last 16 tie.

Barcelona, five-time European champions, are bidding to become the first side to retain their continental crown since AC Milan managed that feat back in 1990.

----------------In off-court football news,South American football's governing body CONMEBOL announced that Brazil international midfielder Fred has been handed a one-year ban for doping.

The 22-year-old tested positive for the diuretic hydro-chloro-thiazide in June during the Copa America in Chile.

The ban, backdated to July 26, is valid for all CONMEBOL-sanctioned matches, meaning he is still eligible to play for Shakhtar.

However world football's governing body FIFA could decide to apply the penalty across all competitions.

Fred is expected to appeal the decision.

San Antonio Spurs beat Utah Jazz 118-81In basketball,Kawhi Leonard has scored 22 points as the San Antonio Spurs held off the Utah Jazz 118-81 earlier.

Five players scored double digits for San Antonio in the victory.

With the win, the Spurs improve to 13-zero at home.

------------The Chicago Bulls have grabbed their third win in a row, edging the Philadelphia 76ers 115-96.

The 76ers remains at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with only one win as of now.

------------In other action,The Brooklyn Nets suffered a back to back defeat after going down to the Orlando Magic 105-82.

--------The Indiana Pacers got past Toronto Raptors 106-90.

--------The Los Angeles Clippers downed the Detroit Pistons 105-103.

--------And it's the Atlanta Hawks going down to the Miami Heat 100 to 88.

--------Other winners also include: the Memphis Grizzlies, the Dallas Mavericks, the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers.

--------Here in China,Two games being played on the court.

It's Fujian up against Shanxi.

And it's Shenzhen at home to Tianjin.

Both teams are hoping to end their four-game losing skid.

Roger Federer Not to Retire Anytime SoonIn tennis,The hosts UAE Royals, led by Roger Federer, have suffered a surprising 24-26 defeat to the Philippine Mavericks on the first day of the Dubai leg of the International Premier Tennis League.

34-year-old Federer lost both the singles and doubles matches he played.

Speaking ahead of his matches last night, Federer said he had no plans to retire anytime soon.

"So I'm happy I'm feeling fine physically and in good shape and of course, like I say so many times I hope I'm still on tour for a while. No plans to retire yet. I don't have a definite date even though that would help to make things easier to plan but I don't have that so that's good."Federer has claimed six ATP Tour titles this year and finished the season ranked third in the world.

He will start next season at the Brisbane International in early January next year.

----------In other tennis news,Serena Williams of the United States has been named Sports Illustrated's Sportsperson of the Year.

Williams becomes the first individual female athlete to be selected for the honor in more than 30 years.

National Snowboard Halfpipe Championship Kicks Off in North ChinaA five-day national snowboard halfpipe championship has kicked off in the city of Zhalantun in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

122 skiers from 11 teams are taking part.

The event will serve as a qualification for China's 13th Winter Games, which will take place in January next year in Xinjiang.

Buffalo Sabres beat Detroit Red Wings 2-1In the National Hockey League,Ryan O'Reilly and Johan Larsson scored 61, seconds apart, late in the third period, as the Buffalo Sabres came from behind to beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 at the Joe Louis Arena.

This marks Larsson's first score in 30 games since April 6th.

With the victory, the Sabres broke an eight-game losing run in Detroit.

The last time they won in 'The Motor City' was back on October 13th, 2006.

-----------Elsewhere,T.J. Oshie scored twice, and added an assist, to help the Washington Capitals with a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

New Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan made his debut in the game.

He took over the team on Saturday after Mike Johnston was fired.

Rome presents logo for 2024 Olympics bidThe Italian capital Rome has officially presented the logo for its bid to host the 2024 Olympics.

The logo features the Colosseum - Rome's ancient stone amphitheater - in the red, white and green of the Italian flag which blends into a running track.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo is the chairman of Rome's Olympic bid.

''This city that organised in an extraordinary way the 1960 Olympics now wants to organise the most beautiful Olympic Games of this millennium 2000 in 2024 because we have everything we need to do it and to do it well.''

The Italian capital, which hosted the 1960 Olympics, is competing with other four bidders for the 2024 Olympics, including Budapest, Los Angeles and Paris.

Hamburg has recently withdrawn from the race after failing to win support in a public referendum.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will select the winning city in September 2017.

EntertainmentChina Box Office: 'Point Break,' 'Surprise' Share Chart HonorsAction adventure movie "Point Break" topped the weekly box office chart in China, which is now in a new 'blackout' period, as big studio offerings traditional make way for local movies.

Chinese period comedy "Surprise" was the big winner at the weekend.

"Point Break," in its second week, earned 18.8 million US dollars, according to data from Ent Group. It extended its cumulative score to 30.7 million US dollars after 10 days.

"Surprise" stormed the charts, while still technically in preview. Its official release date is Dec. 18, but it was already in a vast number of theaters from Saturday and topped the chart over the weekend.

"The Martian" slipped from first, but continued to do good business in third place. It added 12.5 million dollars, for a cumulative total of 87.9 million dollars after 19 days.

Local titles "Fall In Love Like A Star" and "Impossible" continued in their second weeks, taking fourth and fifth place, with scores of 7.35 million dollars and 6.72 million dollars respectively.

New release, "The Master" took 4.85 million US dollars in four days, for a 5.03 million dollar total including previews.

"Our Times" added 3.90 million US dollars in its fourth week, extending its cumulative total to 55.3 million dollars after 25 days.

Critics' Choice Award Nominations Led by 'Mad Max,' 'Fargo'

The 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards have announced nominations.

The 2016 TV and Film awards will be awarded at a joint ceremony for the first time on January 17th, during a live three-hour event.

The move is seen as a bid to rival the Golden Globes Awards.

"Mad Max: Fury Road" leads the field with 13 nominations, while FX's "Fargo" is ahead in the TV catagory with eight nominations.

Weinstein Co.'s "Carol," and two big Fox offerings - "The Martian" and "The Revenant," - have scored nine nominations apiece in voting by the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

Open Road's "Spotlight" tallied eight;Paramount's "The Big Short," seven; with TWC's "The Hateful Eight," six.

Disney-DreamWorks' "Bridge of Spies," Fox Searchlight's "Brooklyn," Focus Features' "The Danish Girl," Universal's "Jurassic World," and Lionsgate's "Sicario" each earned five;Tom Hiddleston Gives You a Tour in the New High-Rise TrailerThe first trailer for adaptation of seventies novelist JG Ballard's 'High-Rise' has arrived.

The film tells the story of young doctor Robert Laing, played by Tom Hiddleston, who is seduced by the high rise, but isolating lifestyle of a luxury tower block, and its creator, the architect Anthony Royal, played by Jeremy Irons.

The thriller documents the break down of social order following a series of power outages at the building.

"High-rise" which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, is directed by Ben Wheatley.

It also stars Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss.

The film will hit theaters next year.

Babymetal announce second album for release in 2016 and world tourJapanese metal idol band Babymetal says it's planning to release a new album in 2016.

This will be their second studio album, and will be released worldwide on 1 April, which the band are calling Fox Day, following a "prophesy by the Fox God".

Instead of using the sign of the horns, like other heavy metal bands, Babymetal make a sign of a fox.

The following day, 2 April, Babymetal will perform at London's Wembley Arena in what will be their biggest ever European show.

That gig will kick off the band's 2016 world tour, ending at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

Babymetal's form of "cute metal" has been causing a stir in the world of heavy metal for the past two years. The concept of the group is a fusion of the metal and idol genres.

The trio, 17 year old Suzuka Nakamoto, and 16-year-olds Moa Kikuchi and Yui Mizuno were chosen by a talent agency to form the "heavy music club."This year has seen them win multiple awards, including 'breakthrough act' at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods awards, a Kerrang Award and Vogue Japan's women of the year.

Mariah Carey to Tour Europe for the First Time in 13 YearsPop diva Mariah Carey is going to be enchanting her European fans on their home turf for the first time in 13 years.

Carey's "Sweet Sweet Fantasy" tour will kick off in the United Kingdom on March 15.

She will play six dates in the UK before moving on to continental Europe.

Her other tour destinations will cover 16 countries.

She will then conclude the tour in South Africa.

The multi-platinum selling artist will adjust her playlist for each different nation she visits.

Carey was last in Europe in 2003 for her Charmbracelet tour.

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

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

The China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt is applauded at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Zhengzhou.

China urges the United STates to stop selling arms to the Taiwan region.

Shuttle diplomacy gains pace as world powers attempt to find consensus over fighting Islamic State.

On behalf of the whole Beijing Hour news team, this is Bob Jones in Beijing. Join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour, to open a window to the world together...