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

Coming up on the program this evening...

Rescue efforts are still underway in the search for over 90 people caught up in a massive landslide in Shenzhen on Sunday.

Chinese lawmakers are set to approve new legislation this week bringing the so-called one child policy to a end.

Spain's People's Party loses its majority following Sunday's national elections.

In business... a trend toward holiday cheer driving investors toward booze-based issues on the Chinese markets.

In sports.... Arsenal and Man City set to clash tonight in the English Premier League.

In entertainment..... a new fantasy-adventure is breaking box office records here in China.

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

Top NewsRescue efforts continue after Shenzhen landslideClose to 80 excavators and an additional 12-hundred search and rescue personnel have arrived on the scene in Shenzhen, where 91 people are still listed as missing after a massive landslide in the southern Chinese city.

Over 29-hundred people are now on the scene, digging through the silt and rubble which rolled over three industrial parks.

Authorities say they have detected signs of life at several locations at the site, though only the 16 who survived the initial slide have been accounted for.

Shenzhen deputy-Mayor Liu Qingsheng says the extent of the disaster is massive.

"An area of around 380,000 square meters has been covered by this mudslide. The thickness of the mud and debris ranges from between a few meters to tens of meters deep. It has led to burial or varying degrees of damage to 33 buildings across three industrial parks."According to the official Weibo account of Ministry of Land and Resources, the landslide occurred due to accumulation of huge pile of construction wastes.

When the pile of the dump site overloaded, it triggered the collapse of the man-made mountain.

Geotechnical engineer Liu Guonan says he's shocked by the extent of the disaster.

"It is rare to see such a massive disaster take place in urban areas. We took a look through the records, and we've only been able to find one similar case, which took place in Indonesia in the 1990s. But here in China, this is the first case of its kind."China's top leadership, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, are monitoring the situation.

The State Council, China's cabinet, has dispatched a team of senior officials and experts to the city to oversee rescue work there.

Around 15-hundred people living in the area have been moved out as a precaution.

China to raise deficit ratio graduallyA new statement has been issued from the Central Economic Work Conference in Beijing, saying the current pro-active fiscal policies in China need to be more forceful.

At the same time, the statement says the fiscal deficit ratio needs to be raised gradually.

The statement says the prudent monetary policy needs to be more flexible so as to create the appropriate monetary conditions for structural reforms.

Meanwhile, plans are being worked on to reduce the property inventories in China to try to stabilize the housing market.

This may include helping rural residents settle down in cities and buy properties there.

At the same time, a set of policies dealing with industrial overcapacity are also being worked on.

The Central Economic Work Conference opened on Friday, during which China's top leaders review the economic work done in China this year, as well as map out plans for the coming year.

Innovation to be the focus of China's economic development 2016Anchor:

Ways to keep the economy steady through structural reforms are said to be the focus as leading Chinese officials continue to meet in Beijing as part of the annual Central Economic Work Conference.

CRI's Li Jianhua has more.

Reporter:

A new economic report compiled by Renmin University, which has been presented at the sessions, is warning China's economic growth will continue to dip next year.

The report says the transition from an investment-and-export driven model toward innovation and consumption is going to continue to drag down heavy industry and export-oriented businesses.

Sany Heavy Industry vice-President He Dong says companies like his are moving to try to adapt to the changing times.

"We are realizing internationalization, with Chinese heavy-industry products making up around one-third of the international market. I think more is going to be dfone to invest in the global market. But at the same time, the economic transformation is a chance to upgrade our manufacturing through things like the internet. At the same time, an emphasis on areas such as new energy can also create opportunities."Professor Liu Qiang with Beihang University says the government should be taking steps to weed-out companies which have continued to profit on low-end, low-quality production.

"There is a serious gap between the excess low-end capacity and the lack of high-end product supplies. More needs to be done to transform low-end production into higher-end, which can be cost-effective. In addition, more should be done to deal with manufacturing services. We need to create more of our own core technology."The Chinese government has been trying to take the economy down a new, 3rd path for the past few years.

Following the founding of the PRC in 1949, a command-economy structure was formed, with a focus mostly on heavy industry to pull the country out of poverty and allow it to compete with other global economies.

Reform and Opening up in the 1980's saw China quickly become the world's factory, with companies attempting to cash in on low labor costs by divesting into lower-end manufacturing.

Today, the Chinese government is hoping turn the economy into one driven by services and innovation.

Economist Li Yining says this transition is going to take some time.

"Innovation can't be achieved instantly; it's a process. But as long as we are pointed in the right direction and put more emphasis on quality, efficiency and education, I believe China's economic growth will remain healthy."The Chinese economy has expanded by 6.9 percent year on year through the first three quarters of 2015.

Most expect the Chinese economy to grow from around 6.5 to 6.8-percent next year.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

China mulls law amendment to advocate "one couple, two children"Anchor:

As part of this week's meetings of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the final stamp-of-approval is expected to be given to ammend the decades-old family planning policies to eliminate the so-called one-child policy as of January 1st.

CRI's Wang Mengzhen has more.

Reporter:

As of the end of 2014, the number of people over 60 years old in China had reached 212 million, accounting for 15.5 percent of the total population.

Of the 212 million, around one-in-five were considered either disabled or partially-disabled.

Relaxation of the family planning policy is expected to provide part of the solution to the challenge of an aging population, and to become a new driver for the economy in the long run.

Li Bin, head of National Health and Family Planning Commission, says the decision to eliminate the one-child policy will also bring with it other considerations for parents.

"Couples who are allowed to have two children will be entitled to longer marriage and maternity leave if they have the second baby."Under the current laws, people who marry later or delay having kids are given more time off for weddings and maternity leave.

Li Bin says these articles are going to be eliminated from the new draft, but says there are some exceptions.

"The amendment will not affect the welfare programs enjoyed by the elderly whose family abides by the current family planning law, parents who have only one child and parents whose only child is disabled or dead."At the same time, embryo harvesting or surrogacy will remain illegal.

Those caught could face fines or even jail time.

The new two-child policy is expected to add an extra 30 million more people to the labor force by 2050.

It's also going to decrease China's elderly population by around 2-percent.

For CRI, this is Wang Mengzhen.

China's first counter domestic violence law may include emotional or psychological abusesIt's being reported the new domestic violence law being worked on here in China may include provisions covering both emotional or psychological abuse, and may also cover people who live together.

This new draft defines domestic violence as both physical and psychological harm among family members, including beatings, injuries, restraint or forcible limits on physical liberties, as well as recurring verbal threats.

Those who aren't related but live together are also going to be subject to the new law.

Su Zelin is the deputy director of the Commission for Legislative Affairs with the NPC Standing Committee.

"A newly-added regulation specifies that when the courts issue a personal safety protection order, the order has to be delivered to the applicant, the respondent, the local police department and other organizations in the area. The local police department and other authorities in the area are then in-charge of enforcing the order. "An earlier draft of the domestic violence legislation submitted in August only included provisions covering physical abuse, and not psychological.

Anti-pollution Measures being UnderminedAnchor:

Amid the heavy smog which has been engulfing much of northern China, the country's environmental watchdog says they've uncovered a number of incidents where companies are actively trying to skirt the regulations to keep the air clean.

CRI's Luo Wen reports.

Reporter:

Latest data from the Environmental Protection Ministry shows the current wave of smog has shrouded close to 40 cities around Beijing.

The affected area has expanded to 660,000 square kilometers, about 40 times the size of the capital.

Emissions from thermal heating plants have been widely blamed for contributing to the winter air pollution.

As such, authorities now require these plants use sulfur-removing equipment and limit the use of the coal with high sulfur content.

However, a recent probe has concluded a number of these plants are trying to get around the rules.

Qin Songtao led a supervision team to a heating plant in Gaobeidian, which is located just 90-kilometers southwest of Beijing in neighboring Hebei.

He says when they got there, they could clearly see the chimneys there pumping out yellow smoke high into the sky.

"This indicates a high content of sulfur and ash in the smoke. Otherwise it would have dissipated shortly after being emitted from the chimney, totally not like this. And the dark color appears to support our conclusion."Investigators later found the sulfur-skimming equipment at the plant had been left unused.

Gaobeidian is under the jurisdiction of Baoding, which, last year, was one of the most polluted cities in China.

Recently, PM2.5 levels in the city hit 1-thousand.

At the same time, its being reported a number of heating companies in Tianjin have been filing fake reporting figures to make their coal meet requirements.

A report provided by Jingbin Heating Group shows the coal it uses has a sulfur content of 0.32 percent, lower than the city's requirement of 0.4 percent.

However, inspectors found the real percentage is around 4-times higher than maximum levels.

Coal with sulfur content of 1.6-percent is around 100 yuan per ton cheaper than coal with sulfur percentages of less than 0.4.

Hao Jiming with the Chinese Academy of Engineering says stronger government supervision is needed to prevent such violations.

"It's nothing but economic interests that are behind these violations. The government should play a stronger role in both limiting the use of high-sulfur coal and making the existing equipment functional."The smog in the northern China area is forecast to last until new frontal system arrives on Wednesday.

But in the city of Baoding, the red alert for smog is being extedned to at least the end of December.

At the same time, a municipal official in Beijing is warning the recent spell of smog has made it difficult for the city to achieve its annual air quality improvement goal of cutting PM2.5 levels by 5 percent year-on-year.

For CRI, this is Luo Wen.

Masks Sales Soar in North ChinaThe 2nd smog red-alert in Beijing this month is said to be causing a run on filtration masks and air purifiers.

The sale of face masks on online retailer JD.com through the first week of December is four times what it saw through the whole of October.

Analysis is suggesting 4 out of every 5 masks being sold in China right now are being sold in the northern parts of the country.

Staffers at Walmart locations are scrambling to try to keep enough masks on the shelves.

"The number of consumers buying face masks is rising. This week alone, our face mask sales have doubled compared to the previous week."Home appliance giant Suning says its sales of air purifiers though this past week has increased 13-fold, while sales at their brick-and-mortar outlets for air purifiers have shot up 6-fold.

China Objects to Arbitration over South China SeaThe Chinese government is calling on the Philippines to give up any illusions it has over the South China Sea.

Foreign Ministry spoksperson Hong Lei has been prompted to make the comments following the release of a court transcript of hearings the Philippine side has launched at the International Court of Justice.

"No other people or institutions have the right to deal with Chinese territorial sovereignty except the Chinese people. With regard to territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China will not accept any resort to a third-party dispute settlement. We urge the Philippines to give up the fantasy and make a fresh start of negotiations on the disputes."The Chinese side is refusing to take part in the hearings at the Hague, saying the arbitration aims to deny Chinese sovereignty and its maritime interests in the South China Sea.

Impressions: Rediscovering Chinese Music in NYAnchor:

This year's Princeton International Chinese Music Festival has come to an end at Carnegie Hall in New York, with a closing concert from the China National Traditional Orchestra.

CRI's He Fei has more.

Reporter:

Several musicians stand on the auditorium and around the balconies, playing their traditional Chinese instruments in an attempt to mimic the sound of birds chirping.

The concert "Impressions: Rediscovering Chinese Music" has been put on by the China National Traditional Orchestra.

"I think it's very interesting especially when they played the instruments in the audience, it was very engaging, which I found very new and it's very refreshing because I wouldn't expect something like that to come from the traditional Chinese orchestra.""I think they're unbelievably great. I just enjoyed it so so much and it's wonderful. The passion of the musicians and the conductor was just … he put his whole heart into it. It was really very moving."After more than a decade, the CNTO has returned to Carnegie Hall to try to put traditional Chinese works into a more modern light.

Invited by the Princeton International Chinese Music Festival, the orchestra includes 110 musicians, including famed musicians such as Wang Ciheng, Wu Yuxia, Tang Feng and Feng Mantian.

A series of new concepts have been added to the performances, including singing and chanting to try to amplify the mood of the music.

Feng Mantian, a renowned Zhongruan artist, singing Xintianyou, a traditional folk song from the northern part of Shaanxi province.

Feng says traditional Chinese folk music can be adapted to create a more modern feel.

"Folk music today has become a way to showcase how Chinese people look at music in the 21st century and our new understanding of Chinese culture. For the first time, I've introduced western blues guitar skills into my Zhongruan playing, and surprisingly it can be transformed to create a taste of the northern part of Shaanxi's folk tunes. To me it's like using English to tell a Chinese story."Wu Yuxia is the orchestra's deputy president.

"Culture can lead us ahead. We hope our unique interpretation of traditional Chinese music will be embraced and understood by more audiences so that more and more people will come to support traditional Chinese music."The Carnegie Hall concert is the Beijing-based ensemble's last performance in the US this year.

The orchestra also performed in the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. before arriving in New York.

For CRI, I'm He Fei in New York.

Spanish ruling Popular Party wins electionsSpanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's Popular Party has won the right to form a new government.

However, Sunday's election has seen his party lose its majority, dropping 63 seats, meaning the Popular Party will have to govern from a minority position for the first time.

"I and all Spaniards are aware of the fact that we have lived through four difficult years, four hard years. We had to take difficult decisions. Those are the ones that any government leader does not like to take. But me, I am telling the more than seven million (who voted for us) that as prime minister of my government, I have done what I thought was good for Spain's general interests."The Socialist Party has come in 2nd, taking 90-seats.

This vote has also upended Spain's traditional two-party system.

Left-wing Podemos has taken 69 seats, while the center-right Citizens Party has claimed 40 seats in the parliament.

For more on the outcome of the Spanish election, CRI's Mike Butterworth spoke earlier with Jesus Gamiz, a Spanish journalist based in Beijing.

Putin: Russia Ready to Cooperate with EuropeRussian President Vladimir Putin is taking an open swing at Europe, suggesting its being manipulated by the United States.

Putin, in a documentary aired on Russian television, contends Europe has transferred part of its sovereignty to the United States through NATO.

Despite this, Putin also says Russia hopes to continue working with - what he calls - his "European partners.""It seems to me that interests of European countries - maybe I am wrong and then I should be told otherwise - are in uniting efforts with Russia in economic, in politics, in the fight against terror, in the fight for resolving environmental problems and in the fight with the organized crime. And we are ready for this work."At the same time, Putin has also suggested any international action which is taken in a country should require the consensus of the UN Security Council, implying the US-backed coalition action in Syria isn't backed by the United Nations.

Israel, Turkey to Normalize RelationsIsrael and Turkey have reached a preliminary agreement toward restoring full diplomatic relations.

The two countries, once close regional allies, broke off diplomatic ties following an Israeli raid of a Gaza-bound protest ship in 2010 which left 10 Turkish activists dead.

Omer Celik is a spokesperson for Turkey's ruling AK Party.

"Turkey has three precise conditions for normalising ties - an apology, compensation and the lifting of an embargo on Gaza. Our first condition is fulfilled but the remaining two have not been met yet. Therefore, our people should know we have no doubt that this draft will be shaped within these parameters."Observers are suggesting the political reproachment may be motivated by Turkey's falling-out with Russia over the downing of a Russian fighter jet last month.

Israeli officials are suggesting the Turkish side is looking toward Israel for the import of natural gas, with the two sides set to discuss the possibility of a pipeline being built between the two countries.

Turkey currently relies on Russia for much of its natural gas supplies.

Thailand does not Deny Slavery in Shimp Industry Reported by APThe Thai government is rebuffing suggestions its been turning a blind-eye to slavery in the country's shrimp industry.

Thai authorities have been forced to respond after media reports of wide-spread abuse of migrant laborers in the shrimp industry.

Thailand is one of the largest shrimp exporters in the world.

Its government is being accused of ignoring the slave-like conditions many of the migrant workers have to endure in an attempt to keep its shrimping industry a world leader.

Thai government spokesperson Sansern Kaewkamnerd, speaking through an English translator.

"The speaker (Kaewkamnerd) replied that this is incorrect because in order to become the world leading exporter of the shrimp, there are several factors that need to be considered. For example, the trust from the consumer, the quality of the product, and this result in that Thai became the leading shrimp exporter in the world, and the cost of the labor is only part of that picture, so it cannot be concluded like that."Thai Union, one of the world's biggest seafood exporters, is promising changes to its policies, saying it wants to ensure that the shrimp it buys from its suppliers hasn't been farmed with slave labor.

WeatherBeijing will be hazy tonight with a low of minus 4, tomorrow will be cloudy and hazy, with a high of 4.

Shanghai will be cloudy tonight with a low of 8, slight rain tomorrow, high of 13.

Chongqing will be overcast with a low of 7, tomorrow will be overcast, high of 10.

Lhasa will be clear with a low of minus 6, tomorrow will be cloudy with a high of 8.

Elsewhere in Asia,Islamabad will have slight rain with a high of 16.

Kabul, snow, 0.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sydney, rainy, high of 24,Brisbane, cloudy, 28,Perth, rainy, 38,And finally Auckland, New Zealand will have slight rain with a high of 24 degrees Celsius.

Headline NewsChina to raise deficit ratio graduallyA new statement has been issued from the Central Economic Work Conference in Beijing, saying the current pro-active fiscal policies in China need to be more forceful.

At the same time, the statement says the fiscal deficit ratio needs to be raised gradually.

The statement says the prudent monetary policy needs to be more flexible so as to create the appropriate monetary conditions for structural reforms.

Meanwhile, plans are being worked on to reduce the property inventories in China to try to stabilize the housing market.

This may include helping rural residents settle down in cities and buy properties there.

At the same time, a set of policies dealing with industrial overcapacity are also being worked on.

The Central Economic Work Conference opened on Friday, during which China's top leaders review the economic work done in China this year, as well as map out plans for the coming year.

Reinforcements arrive for Shenzhen rescue operationClose to 80 excavators and an additional 12-hundred search and rescue personel have arrived on the scene in Shenzhen, where 91 people are still listed as missing after a massive landslide in the southern Chinese city.

Over 29-hundred people are now on the scene, digging through the silt and rubble which rolled over an industrial park.

Authorities say they have detected signs of life at several locations at the site.

Among those missing, 59 are men, while the other 32 are women.

The landslide rolled through the industrial park late Sunday, burying 33 buildings under more than 100-thousand square meters of debris.

China's top leadership, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, are monitoring the situation.

The cause of the massive landslide remains unclear at this point.

Australian and Indonesian foreign and defense ministers meet in SydneyThe foreign and defense ministers from Australian and Indonesia have held bilateral meetings in Sydney.

Both sides say they want to strengthen security cooperation in the fight against militant activity.

They've also signed an agreement on countering international terrorism.

Issues connected to the South China Sea have also come up, with the Australian side calling on all parties involved to keep their disputes from escallating.

Neither Australia or Indonesia has claims in the South China Sea.

Vegas Crash an "Intentional" actLas Vegas police have confirmed a woman behind the wheel of a vehicle did "intentionally" plan to plow into people outside a hotel on the Vegas Strip.

One person was killed and 37 others hurt after the vehicle plowed into pedestrians outside a local hotel, not too far from where the Miss Universe Pagent was being held on Sunday evening.

Of those hurt, 7 are said to be in critical condition.

Police have not said what the motive the driver may have had.

It's believed alcohol might have been involved.

It’s being reported the car mounted the sidewalk, and then plowed through pedestrians before taking off.

The driver is in custody after reportedly turning herself in later.

Biz ReportsAsian StocksAnchor:

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

Mainland markets closed mostly higher on Monday, with heavyweight financial stocks leading the gains.

The financial industry posted handsome gains, with its sub-index rising some 2 percent.

Shares of China Minsheng Bank gained nearly 10 percent.

Shares of CITIC securities surged 4.1 percent on the day.

Meanwhile, liquor producers were also among the day's winners as alcohol consumption tends to pick up at the end of the year.

Shares of Sichuan Tuopai Shede Wine rose by the 10-percent daily limit.

Baijiu producer Kueichow Moutai's shares went up 4.7 percent.

At the close, the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 1.8 percent.

The smaller Shenzhen Component index rose 1.5 percent.

The small-cap ChiNext Index closed flat.

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

Elsewhere in Asia,Tokyo shares closed lower as investors failed to shake a dour market mood following European and U.S. shares losing ground at the end of last week.

The drive to offload issues were compounded by the yen's rise versus the U.S. dollar.

The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.4 percent.

In South Korea, the KOSPI edged up 0.3 percent.

Singapore's Straits Times index dipped 0.3 percent.

And finally,Australia's ASX/200 ticked up a fraction of a percent.

Chinese lawmakers to consider registration-based stock listing reformChinese lawmakers are set to deliberate a registration-based stock listing program as part of its week-long legislative session, which began this Monday in Beijing.

If approved, it would shift from an approval-based stock listing system to a registration-based one in both Shanghai and Shenzhen for a period of 2-years.

This would give the bourses themselves the ability to decide which companies will be allowed to list, rather than requiring approvals from the government.

Observers expect this will create much easier access to the capital markets for the hundreds of companies which have been stuck in the IPO pipeline for the past few years.

Vanke and Baoneng spat heats upAnchor:

China's largest home developer, Vanke, says it is planning to disclose details of its restructuring plans by January as the company looks set for a bidding war with its biggest shareholder, Baoneng Group.

Trading of Vanke shares was suspended on Friday.

Its shares will resume trading by January 18th, should the board fail to convene and seek a delay in their resumption or if the Shenzhen stock exchange doesn't approve an extension of the trading halt by the date.

Analysts estimate vanke's share suspension is likely to last three months, given the size of the assets and complication of the restructuring procedures.

Vanke's President Yu Liang has gone on-record saying the company is facing a "hostile takeover".

Last week, Chair Wang Shi said Baoneng lacks sufficient credibility and may have a negative impact on Vanke's credit rating and reputation.

Vanke has a market capitalization of 40 billion US dollars.

Baoneng Group replaced China Resources as Vanke's largest shareholder earlier this month, holding a more than 22 percent stake.

For more on this, CRI's Shane Bigham earlier spoke with Mike Bastin, Director of the China Business Centre in London.

HK's IPO fundraising reaches world's highest in 2015New figures released by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing suggest Hong Kong's IPO fundraising has been the highest in the world this year.

IPO fundraising this year has come in at around 246 billion HK dollars, which is close to 32-billion U.S. dollars.

Data from the World Federation of Exchanges also shows turnover of securitized derivatives in Hong Kong has been the biggest so far this year.

HKEx has been the global leader in securities derivatives turnover since 2007.

This year, the market capitalization of HKEx's securities market has exceeded 31 trillion HK dollars for the first time, reaching a high for the year at 31.6 trillion HK dollars on May 26th this year.

There are more than 18-hundred listed companies in Hong Kong, with around 16-hundred on the Main Board.

GE to Near Bidding Deadline on Appliances as Haier Mulls Offer: ReportIt's being reported the first-round of bidding for General Electric's home-appliances division will start this week.

Companies including China's Haier Electronics Group are weighing offers for the unit.

Sweden's Electrolux had originally put in an offer of some 3.3 billion U.S. dollars.

However, GE has since restarted the sales process after backing out of the agreement with Electrolux earlier this month.

The U.S. Justice Department had expressed concerns the deal would leave the market for range sales in the U.S. too heavily concentrated in the hands of Electrolux and Whirlpool.

12-bln-dollar electric car deal signed in ChinaA leading Chinese leasing firm has signed a deal worth 78 billion yuan, or around 12 billion U.S. dollars, with a Chinese-owned Swedish vehicle company.

National Electric Vehicle Sweden will produce 150-thousand electric vehicles for Chinese leasing company Panda New Energy.

The vehicles to be produced will be based on Saab 9-3 design.

They're set to all be manufactured by the end of 2020.

NEVS is the Swedish investing arm of National Modern Energy Holdings, which is a company founded by Chinese and Swedish companies.

NEVS took over Swedish car manufacturer Saab's assets and technologies after Saab's bankruptcy in 2012.

Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson says it has signed a patent license agreement with Apple.

Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson has signed a patent license agreement with Apple.

Financial details have not been revealed.

Meanwhile, Ericsson has estimated that its overall revenues from intellectual property rights this year would hit about 1.5 to 1.6 billion U.S. dollars, including revenues generated through its deal with Apple.

Last January, Ericsson filed a complaint against Apple over mobile technology license payments in response to a lawsuit from Apple earlier that month.

Analysts have estimated that if the dispute with Apple went Ericsson's way, the U.S. firm would have to pay it between 230 million to 700 million U.S. dollars annually, based on estimates of levels of handset sales and royalty payments per phone.

SportsNFL: Carolina survives Giants comeback to remain perfectIn NFL action from this morning,The Carolina Panthers have managed to remain the only undefeated team in the league this year, holding on for a nail-biting 38-35 win over the New York Giants this morning.

The Giants scored 28 unanswered points to tie the game at 35 late in the 4th quarter.

However, a 43-yard field goal as time expired has moved the Panthers to 14-0 on the season.

Panthers' quarterback Cam Newton.

"It feels weird in the locker room now because we were so high in the third quarter and then we found our way back in the battle. But yeah, we're 14-0 right now and that's a great feeling in itself."The loss for New York represents a big setback in their hopes of making the playoffs, as Washington has been able to move up to top of the weak NFC East division with a 35-25 win over Buffalo.

The Redskins move to 7-7, while New York and Philadelphia are now 6-8.

The Eagles were routed by Arizona 40-17.

The Cardinals victory secures them the NFC West title.

Other action this morning,The Seattle Seahawks have secured a playoff berth, downing Cleveland 30-13.

--The Cincinatti Bengals are also playoff bound, dumping San Francisco 24-14.

--Green Bay is also assured a spot in the playoffs after getting past Oakland 30-20.

--New England remains atop the AFC after rolling over Tennessee 33-16.

--It was Atlanta keeping its playoff hopes alive with a 23-17 win over Jacksonville.

--Minnesota is also one step closer to the playoffs with a 38-17 win over Chicago.

--Indianapolis' hope of making the post season took a big hit today, with the Colts going down to Houston 16-10.

The win puts the Texans at the top of the weak AFC South Division at 7-7, while the Colts drop down below them at 6-8.

It's likely only the winner of that division will move on to the playoffs.

--Kansas City kept its playoff hopes alive, moving to 9-5 after downing Baltimore 34-14.

--Pittsburgh handed Denver its 2nd straight loss, keeping its playoff aspirations alive with a 34-27 win over the Broncos.

The Steelers move to 9-5.

--And it was San Diego with just its 4th win of the year, dumping Miami 30-14.

Blatter, Platini Banned from football for 8 yrsFIFA's ethics committee has issued an 8-year ban to outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini.

The bans come into force immediately.

Both Platter and Platini have been found guilty of breaching ethics code sorrounding a payment made to Platini worth some 1.9 million US dollars.

Both have denied any wrongdoing.

The 79-year-old Blatter has already announced his intention to step down.

Platini had hoped to succeed Blatter as the future leader of football's governing body before becoming embroiled in the scandal.

Football: City and Arsenal battle for 2nd place in EPLFootball action from the English Premier League.

One match tonight, with two of the league's top teams in action to round out Week 17.

It's 3rd place Manchester City on the road taking on 2nd place Arsenal.

City comes in just one point back of Arsenal at 32-points, something Manager Manuel Pelligrini is well aware of.

"I think it's an important game but we have to play 21 games more, we have a lot of points to play for, but it's important to see who is the best team after the first round, it is important to play against a team who is one point above our team, a very important game, a game of six points I always say,　you can win three and Leicester and United will stay in the same position."Leicester tops the Premiership with 38 points.

Man United and Tottenham are below City and Arsenal at 29-points.

In action from last night,It was Watford getting past Liverpool 3-nil.

And Swansea remains in relegation after a nil-nil draw with West Ham United.

Chinese legend Yao Ming nominated for NBA Hall of FameFormer Houston Rockets center Yao Ming has been nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame.

This makes him the first Chinese player to receive the honor.

The 35-year-old was drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2002 and spent nine years with the team.

But he was forced to retire in 2011 due to injuries.

Basketball: Milwaukee snaps road losing skid in PhoenixIn basketball action from the NBA this morning,The Toronto Raptors were unable to overcome the third-quarter ejection of All-Star Kyle Lowry, going down to the Sacramento Kings 104-94 this morning.

Lowry was ejected after disputing an on-court call.

In other action,The Milwaukee Bucks have snapped a 12-game road losing streak with a 101-95 win over the Phoenix Suns.

---Minnesota got past the Brooklyn Nets 100-85.

--The Portland Trail Blazers went down to the Miami Heat 116-109.

---Cleveland rolled over Philadelphia 108-86.

--Atlanta squeaked past Orlando 103-100.

And it was the New Orleans Pelicans downing the Denver Nuggets 130-125.

------No action in the CBA tonight.

However, there is one game tomorrow.

Both Shandong and Shenzhen are putting 3-game winning streaks on the line tomorrow, with Shenzhen entertaining the Lions.

Shandong currently sits 6th in the league at 12-7, while Shenzhen sits outside a playoff position right now in 9th at 11-8.

Hockey: Capitals score 6 unanswered to rout RangersIn NHL action,The Washington Capitals have jumped back to the top of the league standings with their 2nd come-from-behind win in a row, this time hammering the Rangers in New York 7-3 this morning.

The Caps, who now sit tied with Dallas at the top of the NHL with 50-points, erased a 3-1 deficit at the end of the first period with 6-unanswered goals.

With the win, the Caps extend their Metropolitan Division lead over the Rangers to 8-points.

The rest of the games this morning were all won by the home teams.

It was Boston getting past New Jersey 2-1 in a shootout.

Florida also needed a shootout to get past Vancouver 5-4.

Tampa Bay thumped Ottawa 5-2.

Chicago got past San Jose 5-4 in overtime.

And Detroit doubled-up on Calgary 4-2.

China wins team aerials event at Bird's Nest in BeijingIn skiing,China has won the Team Aerials Final at the FIS Freestyle World Cup event at the Birds Nest in Beijing.

The Chinese team was led by Liu Zhongqing, who landed a back-Full, double Full-Full.

"We are competing in Beijing and we are representing China. So we tried our best to win this honor for China".

The team from Belarus finished 2nd, while a Russian team finished third.

-------In Europe,Sweden's Victor Oehling Norberg has claimed the title at the World Cup Ski Cross event in Italy.

"Yeah, I just couldn't believe it actually winning today. I was...when I hurt my back in Montafon I thought actually that, 'I'm quitting this.' I was sick and tired of this, my back, but I got the best help I could ever have so we trained a lot and every time it was getting better and better so I'm just really happy to be here today."France's Jean Frederic Chapuis finished second in the event, moving him up to the top of World Cup standings.

Entertainment'Mojin: The Lost Legend' Rules China's Box Office, Breaking RecordsChinese fantasy-adventure 'Mojin: The Lost Legend' has pulled-in over 400 million yuan in just two days following its release, breaking three records at the Chinese box office.

The film has become the highest-grossing domestic 3D film for a midnight screening.

It has earned a record 171 million yuan in ticket sales for its opening day.

The following day, it surpassed 'Monster Hunt' as the highest grossing single-day at the box office, taking in 230 million yuan.

Adapted from popular adventure novel series 'Ghost Blows out the Light', the film follows a trio of legendary grave robbers.

Director Wu Ershan says the film itself takes audiences to different levels.

"Firstly, the characters have to overcome challenges such as traps in the tombs and other mysteries, which pits man against the environment. Second is the challenges from the antagonists, who have the same goals as the hero, but share totally different values. Thirdly, the film shows the inner-struggle and self-contradictions of the hero. Its these three elements which make the film more appealing."The film stars Chinese-A listers, including Chen Kun, Huang Bo, Xia Yu, Liu Xiaoqing, Shu Qi, and Angelababy.

'Mojin: The Lost Legend' has also had a limited release in the US, Canada and Australia.

Miss Universe: Wrong winner crownedThe internet is still buzzing after word the wrong Miss Universe winner was crowned at the event.

Host Steve Harvey announced Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez, won this year's beauty pageant.

However, organizers later had to step in and advise Harvey that he screwed up, as Miss Columbia was actually the first runner-up.

Miss Philippines, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, was then declared the winner.

A surprised and obviously gutted Miss Columbia then had to hand the crown back on live TV.

MissUniverse2015 became Twitter's biggest trend of the night, with thousands on the social media site cracking jokes and using memes to make fun of the gaffe.

Steve Harvey has since issued a response, saying it was his fault for not reading the winning card correctly.

It's the third time a contestant from the Philippines has won the title.

It could have been the second win in a row for Colombia.

Forum on Chinese TV series held in CambodiaA forum on Chinese television is underway in Cambodia.

It's designed to promote Chinese culture and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

The forum has been organized by Cambodia's state-run television station, TVK, and the Guangxi People's Broadcasting Station.

Two Chinese TV series, including a cartoon and a historical drama, have been airing on TVK since last year.

Cambodia's delegation attending the forum say the programs themselves have become popular in Cambodia, and say they serve as a bridge to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Asia's first Hello Kitty clinic opens in Hong KongHello Kitty is here to heal you.

Asia's first Hello Kitty-themed health care center has opened in Hong Kong.

The facility is decked out from top to bottom with Hello Kitty pictures and imagery.

Nurse Zoe Fung says they went with the Hello Kitty design to try to create a relaxing environment for kids.

"We used the colors white, blue and pink to create a friendly and warm atmosphere. We hope that the kids and their parents who come here will have a positive experience. Even if you're not here to enjoy the service, we hope people will come here to take a look and have a great time," Fung said.

Hello Kitty is a fictional cartoon character created by a Japanese company in the '70s.

It's since acquired a huge following across Asia, with cafes, shops, various merchandise and even an airplane with the Hello Kitty theme.　The health center in Hong Kong currently offers health exams and vaccinations for infants, children and adults.

New Projects launched to find young film talent in ChinaThe China Film Directors Guild, or CFDG, is teaming up with the country's media watchdog to find young directors.

The project, called CFDG Young Directors Support Program, will select five of the most talented young filmmakers in China.

The lucky ones will then work under the tutelage of renowned directors to produce their own big screen works.

Veteran director Feng Xiaogang is acting chairman for the first project.

The application period runs until January 20th next year.

All Chinese citizens aged between 18 and 38 with no more than two works shown in theatres are qualified for the programme.

Thirty individuals will be selected to attend a series of training sessions, with five finalists eventually receiving one-on-one guidance from veteran directors.

China's film market has been booming in recent years.

The Chinese box office has already surpassed the 40 billion yuan mark this year and an increasing number of bigger titles are still coming to cinemas.

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

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

Rescue efforts are still underway in the search for over 90 people caught up in a massive landslide in Shenzhen on Sunday.

Chinese lawmakers are set to approve new legislation this week bringing the so-called one child policy to a end.

Spain's People's Party loses its majority following Sunday's national elections.

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