Talking points

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...

China to publish results of piracy campaign

China will publish today the results of a six-month campaign to crack down on infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR). The results will be available at www.ipraction.cn or ipr.cntv.cn. The campaign, directed by Vice-Premier Wang Qishan and involving all major ministries, was launched in October and was considered to be China's most comprehensive effort to protect IPR in recent years. It included the investigation of more than 80 prominent IPR infringement cases involving many global brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, Marlboro and Nike.

Mainland wives of Hongkongers take case to Legco

A pressure group representing mainland wives of Hong Kong men will rally outside the Legco building as lawmakers discuss a government policy to cap maternity places in public and private hospitals for mainlanders. The group says the policy discriminates against the mainland wives of Hong Kong men.

Report on education issues for ethnic minorities

An Equal Opportunities Commission working group is scheduled to release a report on education for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong. The report identifies and addresses issues related to education problems faced by ethnic minority students, especially in learning Chinese.

Lee Teng-hui corruption case to go to court

Taiwan's Special Investigation Unit is expected to hand the corruption case of former president Lee Teng-hui to the Taipei District Court today. Lee was indicted last month on charges of embezzling US$7.79 million from a state fund, the second former president of Taiwan to be charged with corruption.

Pilgrims honour victims of Srebrenica massacre

They've come on bicycle from Switzerland, by plane from the US and Australia, by foot from Bosnian towns and villages. The occasion is sombre: the funeral today of 613 newly identified victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre. It is a yearly event marking the July 11 anniversary of Europe's worst massacre since the Nazi era. This year it is particularly special given the capture in May of Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb commander accused of orchestrating the execution of 8,000 Muslim men and boys - now on trial on genocide charges in The Hague.

Whaling watchdog wrestles with transparency

The chronically deadlocked International Whaling Commission will debate ways to boost transparency and battle alleged corruption within its ranks at a four-day meet in Jersey from today. Split evenly between pro- and anti-whaling nations, the 89-nation body was rocked last year by published accusations that Japan used cash and development aid to buy votes from otherwise indifferent Caribbean and African nations.

Ceremony kicks off reverse mortgage scheme

The Mortgage Corporation will hold a signing ceremony for the reverse mortgage programme, under which elderly home owners will be able to use their self-occupied, non-mortgaged homes as collateral for a reverse mortgage loan from banks that will give them a secure stream of monthly payments and allow them to live in their home for the rest of their lives. The banks will dispose of the properties when the owners die to cover the accrued principal, interest and insurance.