Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
D-day for ConocoPhillips clean-up in Bohai Sea
Today is the official deadline for US oil giant ConocoPhillips to clean up oil spills from its Bohai Sea platforms. The State Oceanic Administration's North China Sea branch said the spills polluted 5,500 square kilometres of the sea, and that oil pollutants in seawater had jumped to 40 times the normal level. Administration director Liu Cigui said any firm guilty of damaging the Bohai Sea in the country's worst oil spill must pay. China Ocean News, a newspaper affiliated with the administration, reported that the North China Sea branch was preparing to sue ConocoPhillips China for damages over the spills.
Rugby union breaks ground for Tin Shui Wai pitch
The Hong Kong Rugby Football Union will conduct a groundbreaking ceremony for a new HK$10 million rugby pitch in Tin Shui Wai. The ground, complete with artificial turf and floodlights, is due to be completed in February next year. The public will be able to book it for soccer or rugby games at a rent similar to the union's King's Park complex, which charges HK$300 and HK$500 for 11/2 hours during days and evenings, respectively.
Australia's top court rules on Malaysia asylum deal
Australia's High Court is set to rule on whether the government can implement its asylum-seeker swap with Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur would take 800 asylum seekers from Australia in return for Canberra settling 4,000 of its registered refugees. The proposal has been widely criticised, including by rights groups concerned that Malaysia is not a signatory to the United Nations convention on refugees. If the court rules in the government's favour, transfers could begin next week.