大象传媒

The new year is set to be a new start for Ukraine - economically speaking at least. On January 1st the country starts its free trade agreement with the European Union. The pact will remove almost all barriers and tariffs between their economies. Many Ukrainians see this as a major step towards integration into Europe.

Not so happy is Ukraine's powerful neighbour, Russia. Moscow says it's suspending its free trade zone with Ukraine because, it says, the EU-Ukraine pact could lead to a flood of European imports into Russia and make its own exports to Ukraine less competitive. We hear from Lilit Gevorgyan, Senior Economist at IHS Global Insight, and the 大象传媒's David Stern, who's garnered opinion on both sides of the debate in Odessa, southern Ukraine.

American superstar Oprah Winfrey's battle with her weight is well known. But now, in a new advert for the dieting brand Weight Watchers, she has apparently moved viewers to tears. Shares in the company soared after the first airing of the advert in America on Wednesday. We hear from Drew Harwell, business reporter for the Washington Post.

China is facing a crisis of confidence in its food industry. A study by Renmin University claims that food safety was the number one concern among ordinary Chinese citizens in 2015. Now it seems, some people are taking matters into their own hands. The 大象传媒's Danny Vincent went to meet some of Beijing's middle class farmers who are leaving the city life behind to farm organic food.

And finally, the most famous detective in the world is back. The new one off Sherlock special hits screens in the UK and around the world on New Year's Day. It's been a global smash hit with audiences from China to India. Although some fans would like to believe otherwise, Sherlock is fictional - but there are thousands of real life private investigators solving crimes. Elizabeth Hotson reports.

(Picture credit: AFP)