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

Coming up on the program...

Survivors have been found in the rubble at the site of a massive landslide in Shenzhen...

Hebei province and the port city of Tianjin have issued their first-ever red alerts because of smog in northern China...

And Europe has now received over a million migrants this year, roughly half of them being from Syria...

In Business...retail gas prices in the US are the lowest they've been since 2009...

In Sports...a new design has been chosen for Tokyo's Olympic stadium...

And in Entertainment...media authorities in China promise a crackdown on bootleg movie recordings...

All of that coming up in the next hour.

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Top NewsShenzhen Landslide updatesRescuers have pulled out a survivor found at the site of a massive landslide in Shenzhen.

He is said to have been conscious and alert when he was found early this morning.

Another slide victim found together with him is said to be in a coma.

Rescuers also retrieved a body earlier this morning.

That deceased landslide victim is the second one to be found so far, after a first one was spotted on Tuesday morning.

Over one thousand rescuers are working at the site, as the golden window to find survivors - a 72-hour time limit following the initial incident - will be closing soon.

Shen Wenyuan is the chief of staff at Shenzhen's fire department.

"First, we need to locate buildings, to draw up the positions where the construction collapsed. Secondly, we search for vital signals. We use sniffer dogs and life sensors to search for the living. Thirdly, rescuers and machinery are adopted to excavate and dismantle, to search for lives."Liu Guonan, a senior expert with the China Academy of Railway Sciences, explains the danger involved in rescue work.

"The sliding soil mass is very loose and contains higher water content. When we step on it, our feet will be engulfed. It's very difficult for people to walk on it, not even to say rescue operations and machines."Local authorities have cut the number of missing people from 91 to 76.

Liu Qingsheng, deputy major of Shenzhen, says the 15 removed from the missing list were found after verification checks were completed.

"First, we compare and verify people's identity by using the information from nearby businesses and rental rooms. Second, people on site or nearby are interviewed for verification. Third, we review the list of people living at the landslide site and nearby buildings. Fourth, the authorities will further verify the names and homes of people already confirmed missing."The identifications of 73 missing people have been released. Authorities are still working to identify two men and one woman.

The 16 people who were rescued from the landslide are still hospitalized.

All of them are in stable condition.

The landslide, which took place on Sunday, covers about 380,000 square meters, which is equal to 50 football fields. The mud and silt is tens of meters high.

The massive mountain of construction waste that came pouring down on the industrial park buried over 30 buildings on the site.

It is being reported that heavy trucks had been transporting silt and waste to the site for the past 2-years, drawing numerous complaints.

Dirt, cement chunks, and other construction waste had reached heights of around 100-metres before the fill came tumbling down.

The Ministry of Land and Resources, along with the Ministry of Public Security, is promising a thorough probe.

It's been reported that police have taken away executives from Shenzhen Yixianglong Investment and Development Company, which is in charge of a factory dealing with waste and clay residue at the site.

Conference on urban development lays out solutions for China's urban problemsAnchor:

A national conference on urban development names safety as the top priority in the development and management of Chinese cities.

The conference also stresses a change in the overall building strategy.

CRI's Li Jianhua has more.

Reporter:

In an attempt to focus more on urban problems and ways to solve them, this year's Urban Development Conference in Beijing has shifted its focus away from infrastructure construction toward proper urban development.

Those at the event say this is the first time in 37-years the focus of the annual session has not been on infrastructure building.

Professor Qi Shuyu with the National School of Administration says the timing of the conference, at the end of the current five-year plan, is a sign the central government is starting to better understand the need for proper urban management.

"Urban development plays a pivotal role in the development of the country, especially in the development of the Chinese economy in the coming 5-years. Urban areas are both major areas for consumers and service providers. In addition, innovation mostly comes from urban areas as well. But at the same time, urban areas are also the places where major problems can take place. Take the Shenzhen landslide as an example."Qi Shuyu says one of the priorities they've focused on is safety.

He says the other is developing cities on the basis of serving "people.""We need to better understand what the essence of a city is, as well as better define what responsibilities the government should take. Urbanization should serve people's needs. The highest level of urbanization is its livability. Another point is how the government can take its own steps toward better serving the interests of the people."This year's conference also discussed ways to give migrant workers in cities more opportunities.

Qi Shuyu says any new urbanization programs should balance the needs of the locals with those who are non-hukou holders.

"Urbanization shouldn't just benefit those who have lived in a city for a long time. It should also be beneficial to the development of people from rural areas. The problem of rapid urbanization is here, now that farmers are coming off the fields and looking for work in cities."The Chinese government has been taking steps toward green development in Chinese cities.

However, observers say a number of obstacles still lie ahead.

Professor Qi Shuyu says the actual conditions in China, including the massive population flows, have been holding back the urbanization process.

"For one thing, urbanization is happening too fast. This is the main driver of the massive population flows, which, in turn, create very high demand for infrastructure construction, management and services in a city. Another hurdle is the concept of 'city,' the center of which should be 'people' instead its economic development. The last is the management of the government, including the elimination of bureaucracy, as many municipal functions are overlapping and conflicting."China's urbanization rate surpassed 50 percent this year 2015.

In 1978 when Reform and Opening up was first suggested, only around 18 percent of the country lived in an urban setting.

To adapt to the changes in the social structure in China, a new urbanization plan is going to be released next year.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

Smog prompts more Chinese northern regions to issue "red alert"Anchor:

The National Meteorological Center has warned that the lingering smog, which reached its peak time in this morning, will be affecting a large area in north China.

This has prompted Hebei Province and the port city of Tianjin to issue their first-ever "red alerts" for air pollution.

CRI's Luo Bin reports.

Reporter:

Zhang Hengde is a forecaster with the National Meteorological Center.

"The highest level can be expected on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Heavy smog will be seen in central and south Beijing, central and west Tianjin, central and north Hebei, north Shandong and Henan. It will cause severe pollution."To tackle the pollution, Hebei, which is home to six of the ten most polluted Chinese cities, as of November, issued its first red alert for smog on Tuesday noon.

All 11 cities in Hebei are expected to roll out strict measures including limitations on the number of vehicles on the roads.

Kindergarten, middle school, and primary school classes will be canceled.

The port city of Tianjin also issued its red alert, which will runs through Thursday.

Meanwhile a similar warning for severe air pollution expired in Beijing as of Tuesday night.

Zhang Hengde with the National Meteorological Center, says the capital city is to see the smog density reduced, though in a slow pace on Wednesday.

"Starting from Wednesday, a weak cold front from the north will affect North China's central and south regions, all the way down to the Huang-huai area. But it's not strong enough. So the smog will be reduced at a very slow pace. In Beijing, it will be weakened from Wednesday and dispelled a day after. And in Hebei it could be even slower and longer, if it's dispelled at all."Beijing was hit with severe air pollution on Tuesday, with pollution levels reaching the highest grade on its pollution gauging system in the southern part of the city.

The Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center said the density of PM2.5 exceeded 500 micrograms per cubic meter in these areas.

Meanwhile, other parts of north China also witnessed some of the worst smog so far this year from Saturday.

Orange, yellow and blue alerts have been issued in cities in the provinces of Henan, Shandong and Liaoning.

The high-speed rail linking Shenyang, capital city of Liaoning, and the coastal city of Dalian cut its speed to 200 kilometers per hour from the usual 300 kilometers per hour, due to limited visibility.

In addition, 15 highways in Liaoning Province were either completely or partially closed.

For CRI, this is Luo Bin.

China, Iraq establish strategic partnershipChina and Iraq have agreed to establish a strategic partnership. The move was announced during the on-going visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to China.

The two countries have issued a joint statement, saying the strategic partnership will help deepen bilateral cooperation in various field and promote development and prosperity in both countries.

Chinese president Xi Jinping met with Abadi on Tuesday and said relations between China and Iraq have kept a momentum of steady development in recent years.

Xi Jinping voiced support for Iraq's efforts to maintain national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

For his part, Abadi said he hoped to promote bilateral cooperation in such areas as energy, communication, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges.

Abadi has also met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other top officials.

China, South Korea hold first round of talks on maritime demarcationChinese and South Korean negotiators have held their first round of talks connected to the overlapping maritime boundary in the Yellow Sea.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin says the biggest issue involves exclusive economic zones.

"For a long time, people in both countries have been working together, jointly exploring ways to utilize resources of the Yellow Sea. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea has established the current maritime law. China and South Korea have overlapping exclusive economic zones and continental shelves, so we need to solve the problem by demarcation."South Korea's Cho Tae-yul says these talks might be able to serve as a benchmark for other maritime disputes.

"If both countries are engaged in negotiation based on a shared understanding, mutual trust and the spirit of security cooperation, I am sure that we can definitely reach a fair settlement of the dispute, as well as make a good example showing that both countries take specific actions to respect the international law."Under UN convention, a country's Exclusive Economic Zone extends 200-kilometers off its respective coast, meaning China and South Korea have overlapping interests in the middle of the Yellow Sea.

A second round of maritime talks between China and South Korea will take place in China sometime next year.

Pu Zhiqiang gets suspended three-year sentenceA court in Beijing has handed lawyer and blogger Pu Zhiqiang a suspended three-year sentence for inciting ethnic hatred and disturbing public order.

In handing down the sentence, the courts said the crimes were committed via multiple entries posted on the suspect's Weibo accounts from 2012 to 2014.

The courts say his widely-viewed and shared posts triggered antagonism in the public and created a severe social impact.

Pu Zhiqiang has been given a suspended sentence, as he confessed and repented.

He says he will not appeal.

Iraqi forces launch a multi-pronged offensive to retake the city of RamadiIraq's armed forces have stormed the centre of Ramadi, in a drive to dislodge Islamic State militants from their remaining stronghold.

They have reportedly retaken two districts and are advancing into more, backed by US-led air strikesRamadi, a city of strategic importance, fell to IS control in May.

The operation to recapture Ramadi began in early November after a months-long effort to cut off supply lines to the city.

Iraqi intelligence estimates the number of IS fighters entrenched in the centre of Ramadi at between 250 and 300.

If the attack to recapture Ramadi succeeds, it will be the second major city after Tikrit to be retaken from Islamic State in Iraq.

Islamic State also controls Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, and Fallujah, which lies between Ramadi and Baghdad.

Over 1m Refugees, Migrants Enter Europe in 2015Migration experts have suggested that more than one million people driven out their countries by war, poverty, and persecution have entered Europe this year, more than four times as many as last year.

According to the Geneva-based International Organization for Migration (IOM) most of the refugees and migrants arrived by sea.

Nearly 3,700 people are said to have died or are missing after attempting to cross the Mediterranean.

IOM Director-General William Lacy Swing says Europe should be "concerned," as unresolved conflicts still rage in the refugees' homelands.

"I think we need all of us to be concerned, because we have never had a situation in recent times, where you have so many unresolved conflicts without any semblance of hope out there that any of these can be resolved in the short to medium term. And people over time will become concerned about their future, particular children not being in school, and they having no chance at all to work and to improve their lives."Most migrants and refugees entered Europe via Greece, with over 800-thousand traveling there from Turkey.

Many have been making their way through Balkan nations such as Macedonia and Serbia, trying to settle in more prosperous, Western European countries.

Michael Moller, director-general of the United Nations in Geneva, calls for "much greater global solidarity" in tackling the migrant and refugee crisis:

This is really a global issue and needs to be dealt with as such, and I think is increasingly being done so, a little late but better late than never. I think this is an issue of the need for much greater global solidarity and it's in this context that a number of the activities that I'll come to for 2016 are being planned."The war in Syria is a main cause of the influx of migrants to Europe, with a number not seen in half a century.

European governments have struggled to reach an agreement on how best to manage the flows.

Police thwart planned attack on army staff in central FranceFrench authorities say they have foiled an attack targeting police and army officers in the central town of Orleans.

Two French nationals aged 20 and 24 were arrested.

They are believed to have been in contact with another French national, currently in Syria, who is believed to be the organizer of the failed attack.

At the same time, France's interior minister said the government will tighten security for churches around Christmas.

Bernard Cazeneuve announced on Tuesday that churches will keep only one door open, instead of multiple doors.

"There are a little under 300,000 police officers in our country. We have 77,000 schools and thousands of places of worship, thousands of official places. So it is with the use of mobile patrols and the precautionary measures taken by religious institutions themselves that we will be able to provide security. And everything is being done to guarantee security."The interior minister says around 10 attacks had been foiled in France so far this year.

He also says that more than 3,400 people have been denied entry to France, following a state of emergency taking effect after the Paris attacks in November.

That attack, carried out by Islamic States militants, killed 130 people.

Russia seeks continuation of trade talks with Ukraine, EU: PutinThe latest round of trade talks between Russia, the European Union, and Ukraine have failed to bring any result.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in a statement that she was surprised by a decree that was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, suspending all of Russia's obligations towards Ukraine.

The statement adds that the measure goes against the spirit of the talks held in Brussels.

However Russian President Putin is putting the blame on the EU side.

"When our negotiators raised a direct and ultimate question, what did our partners do? The head of the EU delegation said 'Game over,' stood up, and and left. Game over, and they left. And today they issued a press release saying the Russian delegation ruined the talks."Despite this, Putin said Russia still intends to continue the trade talks, in his words, to "get the relations with our partners in this sphere back on track, both with Ukraine and the European Union."The latest round of talks comes after Russia suspended its free trade deal with Ukraine from the beginning of next year, which deprives it of the most favored nation treatment, as well as of a host of preferential policies in areas of migration, customs, quarantine inspection, and investment.

On Monday, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed an order imposing a ban on Ukrainian food imports, starting from next year.

The EU decided on Tuesday that Moscow has failed to fully respect a peace agreement in eastern Ukraine - prompting the renewal of sanctions against Russia for another six months.

The sanctions target Russia's financial, energy, and defense sectors as well as some dual-use goods.

For more on this, our reporter Liu Kun spoke with Professor William Butler at the Dickinson School of Law at Pennsylvania State University.

Back Anchor:

Professor William Butler with Pennsylvania State University speaking with CRI's Liu Kun.

US DRONE SALESAnchor:

2015 has seen a new record set for civilian drone sales in the US.

However, with reports of dozens of near misses with passenger planes and fears over privacy and security, the US government is scrambling to get appropriate regulations in place.

Kevin McAleese has this report from the US capital.

Reporter:

US interest in recreational drones is soaringConsumer experts, like Brian Mark Walter from the Consumer Technology Association, believe the technology could soon be part of a multi-billion dollar industry.

'400,000 drones will be sold to consumers and overall we predict that over 700,000 will be sold this year, a 63 per cent increase over last year'

Non-military drone providers at this year's National Drone Show put the rise in sales down to affordability and ease of use...Matthew Creger, of Intelligent UAS, a civilian drone provider said the appeal was clear...

"You can get them right out of the box, power your batteries, power your transmitters, plug it in and be up and flying within ten minutes"Despite that growth industry specialists at this year's US National Drone Show, such as Flight Instructor Gene Pyson say the US has serious competition especially from the Asian Market...

'China has the low cost nature so most of the products are being commercially manufactured in China, so China is way ahead in terms of regulations than other countries are far behind the US is trying to catch up because they see a looming billion dollar industry and they see jobs and a lot of potential'

But civilian drones have raised privacy and security questions with the US Federal Aviation Administration announcing new regulations and possibly a registry to track the many drones now flooding US airspace.

DC-based Aviation lawyer Christine Walls says the FAA is trying to keep pace with the rapid rise in so-called unmanned aerial systems...

Golf courses, railway companies interested in getting air shots of railroads wanting to check their tracks, flooding, track maintenance, previously available'

Under the new FAA regulations drone-flyers who break the law could face fine's of up to $250,000 or even 3 years behind bars... penalties the government hopes will deter illegal-drone activity in US skies.

For CRI, I'm Kevin McAleese in WashingtonHeadline NewsShenzhen Landslide updatesRescuers have pulled out a survivor found at the site of a massive landslide in Shenzhen.

That person has been identified as a 19 year old, surnamed Lin. He is said to have been conscious and alert when he was found early this morning.

Another slide victim found together with him is said to be in a coma.

Rescuers also retrieved a body earlier this morning.

That deceased landslide victim is the second one to be found so far, after a first one was spotted on Tuesday morning.

China, Iraq establish strategic partnershipChina and Iraq have agreed to establish a strategic partnership. The move was announced during the on-going visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to China.

The two countries have issued a joint statement, saying the strategic partnership will help deepen bilateral cooperation in various field and promote development and prosperity in both countries.

Chinese president Xi Jinping met with Abadi on Tuesday and voiced support for Iraq's efforts to maintain national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

For his part, Abadi said he hoped to promote bilateral cooperation in such areas as energy, communication, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges.

Abadi has also met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and other top officials.

India Toughens Law for Juvenile Crimes Including RapeIndia has passed a bill, lowering the age at which someone can be tried for rape and other crimes to 16.

The move comes after the minor involved in a notorious 2012 gang rape was recently released from detention, a move which triggered great uproar.

Maneka Gandhi, with India's Women and Child Development ministry, says the bill aims to strike a balance between the rights of a child and the need to deter heinous juvenile crimes, especially against women.

Under the new law, 16 year-olds can be tried as adults, with corresponding sentences of up to life in prison or even the death penalty, depending on the severity of the crime.

NASA suspends 2016 launch of Mars lander due to instrument leakNASA has suspended the planned launch of a Mars lander called InSight in March 2016 due to unsuccessful attempts to repair a leak in a seismological instrument.

The instrument involved is provided by the French Space Agency that will help answer questions about the interior structure and processes within the deep Martian interior.

According to the U.S. space agency, a leak earlier this year that had prevented the seismometer from retaining vacuum conditions was repaired, but after the final sealing of the instrument, another leak was detected.

Biz ReportsAnchor:

Turning to business news, starting with a quick look at the closing numbers across North America and Europe.

U.S. stocks continued to rally on Tuesday, as Wall Street digested the newly-released U.S. real GDP data.

The U.S. Commerce Department announced that the "third" estimate of real GDP increased at an annual rate of 2 percent in the third quarter, slightly down from the second estimate of 2.1 percent.

The U.S. dollar fell against most major currencies on Tuesday on investors' profit-taking and negative housing data.

The dollar index was down 0.1 percent in late trading.

At the closing bell,The Dow Jones and S&P 500 each rose nearly 1 percent.

The Nasdaq increased 0.7 percent.

In Europe, shares closed mixed on Tuesday.

The UK's FTSE 100 gained 0.8 percent.

Germany's DAX decreased 0.1 percent.

France's CAC 40 moved up 0.1 percent.

US gas prices reach record lowsFor drivers in the United States this year, it's been the gift that keeps on giving with low gasoline prices helping them saving money.

The US national average for gasoline has dropped below 2 US dollars a gallon, the lowest price since 2009.

"I had noticed when I put gas in my car, I remember one year ago, I and to put around 50 dollars. Now, with 36 or 38 dollars, I fill up my car."Manager of the American Automobile Association, Robert Sinclair, says gasoline prices are likely to move down in the coming months.

"We think it's something that is going to continue, there is plenty of crude oil supply still remaining. Crude oil futures are pointing to even lower prices as we go forward in the next month, so we could see prices drop another 25 or 30 cents in the next month."Sinclair says the current excess supply of crude oil and a fall in demand are fueling the drop in prices.

"There is a lot of excess supply as far as crude oil is concerned. We've also seen the contraction of the Chinese economy which was running 'nip and tuck' with United States as to who was the number one user of crude oil in the world. With the glut of crude oil that we're seeing, we're seeing a plunge in prices for the commodity, with that comes along gasoline."He adds that lower gasoline prices will reduce costs by 100 billion dollars compared to 2014 and save 550 dollars for each licensed driver in the country.

China's M&A set to hit new heights in 2016: ReutersAnchor:

New stats are suggesting Chinese acquisitions in the Asia Pacific region have helped push the value of annual deals past one trillion U.S. dollars for the first time.

The same set of data also shows Chinese companies have spent a record 102-billion U.S. dollars on mergers and acquisitions so far this year.

Analysis by Reuters is suggesting investment banks expect this coming year to see an even bigger splurge by Chinese firms.

For more on this, CRI's Paul James spoke earlier with John Ross, senior fellow with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University.

Back Anchor:

John Ross, senior fellow with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University, speaking with CRI's Paul James.

NAO releases report on rectification of central budget implementation problemsChina's National Audit Office has released a report on the rectification of the problems with the implementation of the central budget, and problems with financial revenue and expenditures in 2014.

According to the auditors, 56-hundred people involved in 900 cases of violations have been punished by law.

Deputy director of China Audit Society, Jiang Jianghua, says the rectification is more solid compared with that in previous years.

"The auditing is effective in that it achieved a four-fold increase in fiscal revenue and expenditure reduction. It gives stricter punishment. Meantime, the auditing has effectively pushed forward the improvement of the current system. Departments and audited institutions have been required to improve their systems and deepen reforms."Figures show that the amount of money brought in during the correction had reached up to 580 billion yuan, or 90 billion U.S. dollars, as of the end of October.

So far, 6-thousand items of rules and regulations have been made or improved.

China introduces green bond in interbank marketChina's central bank is set to introduce green bonds to allow financial institutions to raise funds for green projects.

The People's Bank of China says the green bond will widen financing channels for projects in clean energy and environmental protection.

The move aims to direct commercial banks to improve the credit system for green projects through re-lending, financial discounts and guarantees.

More supportive policies for the green bonds will be issued by the central bank.

Meanwhile, a corporate bond market will be established for green industries.

Trading quotas for energy, water, and emissions will also be promoted.

Chinese steel exports to decline to 70-80 mln tons: FitchRating agency Fitch predicts that China's annual steel exports are likely to fall to 70 to 80 million tons in the long term.

Official data shows in 2014, China's steel exports reached 94 million tons.

However, more steel production capacity will become outdated because of market demand rather than tough government policies in the future.

Earlier, tough environmental policies drove many small mills to close.

Fitch says China will add 16 million tons of new steel capacity each year in the next two years, and shut down around 80 million tons of outdated capacity in the next five years.

SportsNew design selected for 2020 Olympic stadium in JapanIn Olympic news:

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on Tuesday his approval for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium design by Japanese Architect Kengo Kuma.

Kuma was in the running with one other designer for the bid to help build the new stadium.

The initial designs by Zaha Hadid were scrapped due to controversy over its cost and scale.

During his public endorsement for the new stadium design, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke a few words about the future games in Japan.

"We will continue our efforts to make sure this new national stadium is equipped with the world's highest level of barrier-free functionality, and that Japanese concepts will help it to become a venue that gives a moving experience to crowds (at the Tokyo Olympics). It will become a legacy that can be carried to the next generation."The architect for the newly selected 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium, Kengo Kuma, gave a press conference in Tokyo following Abe's approval.

The new design by Japanese architect will cost $1.26 billion to design, build and maintain.

The original price offered in Zaha Hadid's proposal was roughly $2.1 billion, which would have been the most expensive stadium ever built.

At his press conference, Kuma spoke about his motivations in designing the new stadium.

"The area surrounding the (construction) site is a green area, like a forest. So, this time, we weren't looking to create a remarkable or outstanding building, but we aimed for an architecture that integrates with its surrounding area, with the forest. And, I believe that will be the legacy (of this stadium) and that is the concept of Japanese (in design)."The initial scrapping of the first design has delayed preparation for construction of the 2020 stadium.

Some officials still show concern for whether the new design plan can be completed in time for the games.

Arsenal defeats Manchester Cityand in some football news from the Premier League:

Arsenal defeated Manchester City 2-1 in their premier league match on Monday.

Following the game, Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger spoke about what's driving his team.

"Look it's too early to say that we will the league but it strengthens our belief that we can and its down to, you realise that when you come out you have to win these games and for us it's important for us to realize that, to be ready to fight like that in every game, like we do, but it is interesting on my side that there is a real life in the team, great togetherness and solidarity and let's take care of that."The successful football team is currently riding in second in the Premier league standings with 36 points, 11 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses.

Paris Saint-Germain takes trip to Qatarin some more football news:

Paris saint Germain will visit Qatar for a friendly match against Inter Milan on December 30thPSG has just finished off their league 1 program for 2015 with a 3-0 at Caen on Saturday.

This marks the team's 16th win out of nineteen in an unbeaten league run.

Their next competitive fixture is in the Coupe de France on January 3rd.

Before that, PSG coach Laurent Blanc has decided to take his team on a tour of Qatar during their winter break.

PSG captain, Thiago Silva, told the press that this trip will be beneficial to the teams spirit.

"I think it is very important for the club to go on this tour. We know the owners are from Qatar, so it is very important for them and for the club. But it is a good thing to go over there, as the locals love Paris Saint-Germain and the players. Last year for instance, it really helped us to go on the tour as we came back and were even better, finishing the season in the best way possible. I hope that this year, it will again be beneficial and maybe make us stronger for the Champions League."The trip is becoming a sort of tradition for the team since Qatar Sports Investments became the majority shareholder in 2011.

The highlight of the tour will be a friendly match against Inter Milan on December 30th.

Last year PSG beat Inter 1-0 in a friendly match played in Marrakesh, Morocco.

French Sports Minister talks about Platini banAnd in some FIFA news:

Following the suspension of Michel Platini, French Sports Minister Patrick Kanner told French radio on Monday that he believes Platini was intentionally targeted.

The radio interview with Kanner came following the FIFA ethics committee's descision to ban both Platini and former FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, from football for 8 years.

Allegedly the two football titans have been believed to be part of the recent FIFA corruption scandals.

During the radio interview, Kanner states that he still supports Platini and believes he has been targeted.

"I support the president of UEFA even if he is suspended because I saw him working for Euro 2016. I thought he was able - and you can see that I am already talking in the past tense - to bring back order within FIFA. Today, again, I'm not sure he'll be able to do it in favorable conditions. This is a source of regret because we feel there is a kind of intentional targeting against Michel Platini. Has he been able to defend himself in favorable conditions? I'm not sure about that today."Kanner would go on to state that Platini is the kind of man who would defend his honor to the end and exonerate his name.

According to the French Sports Minister, the only problem for Platini will be missing out on the FIFA elections, which will be held on February 26th.

EntertainmentSARFT cracks down on illegal copying in movie theatersChina's media regulator is moving to crackdown on bootleg recordings.

The move comes as several hit movies just launched have already had bootleg versions released online.

One of the victims is "Mojin-The Lost Legend," which even has a high-resolution version the day after it opened in theaters.

The State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television has issued a circular, warning that technology now allows authorities to determine the cinema and the time where a film was illegally copied.

The circular also asks companies and cinemas to enhance the protection of copyrights and the administration of their branch cinemas.

Industry insiders are welcoming the circular, but some are suggesting that the set-up of an accountability system and laws are more important to stop the illegal behavior.

Scriptwriter Yu Zheng involves in another TV Drama plagiarism caseChinese screenwriter Yu Zheng is going to face another plagiarism case in the middle of January next year, a month after losing the previous case.

Yu is accused of stealing parts of the novel "The Evil Hypnotist" for his 2014 TV series "Cosmetology High."Novel writer Zhou Haohui says he's looking forward to the trial.

Yu Zheng and his representative have not made any comment.

In 2014, Taiwan-based romance novelist Chiung Yao filed a lawsuit, alleging Yu Zheng's "The Palace: The Lost Daughter" was almost identical to her novel "Mei Hua Lao."Last Friday, an appeals court in Beijing upheld the original verdict from December of 2014, which ordered Yu Zheng and four companies involved in the TV show, to pay five million yuan to Chiung Yao.

Yu Zheng has also been ordered to issue a public apology for copying her work.

Chiung Yao's representative lawyer has also issued a statement, asking all TV stations and online platforms to stop airing "The Palace: The Lost Daughter."Quentin Tarantino gets star on Hollywood Walk of FameRenowned director Quentin Tarantino has been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The veteran director says he felt like a "bigshot" after receiving his star in front of the Chinese Theatre.

"Yeah this is a real, real groovy day. I had really no idea exactly where the star was going to be. I was expecting to go a little bit more down by Cherokee or Bronson and when they said 'No it's going to be right underneath that Chinese Marquis -　that one right there' I was like 'Wow I guess I must have become a big shot in the meantime that's really cool.' I appreciate it."Tarantino has produced such acclaimed films as "Django Unchained" and "Pulp Fiction."In addition to hundreds of fans, he was accompanied by his friends and collaborators through the years, including Samuel L. Jackson.

Tarantino and Jackson most recently worked on the film "The Hateful Eight," which is set to be screened in select cinemas on Christmas Day in the US before it goes wide in January.  WeatherBeijing will be smog today with a high of 6 degrees Celsius.

Overnight cloudy with a low of -5.

Shanghai will see slight rain with a high of 13 and a low of 9.

In Chongqing, it will be overcast with a high of 10 and lows of 6.

Elsewhere in the world, staying here in Asia,Islamabad will be cloudy with a high of 15.

Kabul, cloudy, with a high of minus 2.

Over to North America,New York will have slight rain with a high of 20 degrees.

Washington D.C., moderate rain with a high of 21 degrees.

Honolulu, cloudy, 26.

Toronto, slight rain with a high of 12 degrees.

Finally, on to South America,Buenos Aires will be cloudy with a high of 31.

And Rio de Janeiro will also be cloudy with a high of 32 degrees Celsius.

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

Recapping our top stories this morning...

Survivors have been found in the rubble at the site of a massive landslide in Shenzhen...

Hebei province and the port city of Tianjin have issued their first-ever red alerts because of smog in northern China...

and Europe has now received over a million migrants this year, roughly half of them being from Syria...

In Business...retail gas prices in the US are the lowest they've been since 2009...

On behalf of the rest of the Beijing Hour team, Shane Bigham in Beijing hoping you'll join us for our next edition of the Beijing Hour to open a window to the world together.