Talking points

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

How happy is Hong Kong? Survey to say

Lingnan University will announce today the happiness index of Hong Kong people this year. The university has been conducting the Happiness Index Survey since 2005. While Hongkongers last year were found to be a little sadder than in 2009, they were still considered upbeat. More low-income earners polled last year were happier than the previous year, but financial stress worried many people. And for three years in a row, women of all ages were happier than men.

Foreign minister begins tour to Europe, Africa

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi starts an eight-day visit to four countries - Albania, Poland, Sudan and South Sudan. He will be the first high-level Chinese official to visit the newly independent country South Sudan, which broke away from Sudan to become an independent state on July 9. China has been working aggressively with both countries to maintain access to their oil reserves.

Air China adds Tibet-Nepal flights

Air China makes its flights between Lhasa, Tibet and Kathmandu in Nepal a daily affair, up from the previous four flights per week. Air China launched the Lhasa-Kathmandu route in 1987, with services scheduled every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The flight between the two cities takes one hour and 10 minutes.

Murdoch protester to be sentenced

Jonathan May-Bowles, a British protester who threw a plate of foam at News Corp's Rupert Murdoch during a parliamentary hearing into the phone-hacking scandal, is expected to be sentenced. May-Bowles, 26, whose stage name is Jonnie Marbles, pleaded guilty on Friday at City of Westminster Magistrates Court to assault and to causing harassment, alarm or distress. Leaving court, May-Bowles echoed Australian-born Murdoch's own statement to the committee, telling reporters: 'This has been the most humble day of my life.'

Condemnation sought of Syria's Assad

International pressure continues to mount on President Bashar al-Assad, amid calls for an emergency UN Security Council session after Syrian security forces killed nearly 140 people in one of the deadliest days of more than four months of anti-regime protests. Rights activists said Sunday's death toll included at least 100 killed when the army stormed the flashpoint protest city of Hama, scene of a 1982 Islamist revolt that was put down by deadly force that left an estimated 20,000 people dead. Britain, France, Germany, Portugal and the United States have for weeks been pressing for some kind of condemnation of the violence in Syria. But Russia, China, South Africa, India and Brazil - which are angry at the Nato bombing campaign in Libya - have refused to support the move. Russia and China have threatened to veto any formal resolution against Assad.

Australia may raise rates to fight inflation

Australia's central bank reviews interest rates amid a growing divide between economists, with some concerned that the Reserve Bank of Australia will raise the overnight cash rate to 5 per cent from 4.75 per cent today. Business and consumer confidence are down but inflation is rising, powered by Asian demand for Australia's coal and iron ore.