Talking points

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

Dog lover to hear verdict on mauled runner

Sally Andersen (left), founder of Hong Kong Dog Rescue, appears in Eastern Court to hear the verdict after her trial on charges of contravening the Rabies Ordinance. The charges result from an incident in which a jogger said he was surrounded by 25 dogs and repeatedly bitten. Canadian Mitch MacDonald said he was attacked at Lamma Island quarry in 2010 and left with wounds in his legs that became infected. Andersen, whose organisation rescues, rehabilitates and finds homes for dogs, faces a maximum fine of HK$10,000.

State press office minister briefs the media

State Council Information Office minister Wang Chen briefs the media on the press office's work last year, which included setting up the State Internet Information Office that oversees online content management. The number of mainland internet users rose to 513 million in December, up 12 per cent from a year earlier, according to the government-sanctioned China Internet Network Information Centre. The government is strengthening its control over microblogs after a bullet train crash in July that killed 40 people prompted an online outpouring of criticism of the official response.

Ma embarks on a victory tour of Taiwan

Fresh from his re-election over the weekend to a second four-year term as Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou (left) begins a tour of the island to thank voters and aides for their support. Ma's tour will set off from Xinbei city and is expected to reach central and southern cities by tomorrow.

Desperate diplomacy in the euro zone

Shuttle diplomacy is continuing apace this week ahead of a European Union summit on January 30 that will try to forge a growth strategy for the region. Following French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Madrid on Monday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti meets Britain's David Cameron in London today before hosting Sarkozy and German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel in Rome at the end of the week. Aside from Greece, Italy - facing massive bond repayments over the next three months - poses the biggest threat to the euro zone. Its credit rating has been downgraded two notches.

Panel reports on reactor stress tests

A panel of experts reviews the Japanese nuclear watchdog's first report on reactor stress tests, in an important step to rebuild public trust shattered by the Fukushima crisis and to restart two reactors. The government ordered the stress tests - computer simulations of how reactors can withstand severe shocks such as last year's March 11 magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami - to overcome public opposition to restarting the reactors, which were taken offline for regular checks.

Wikipedia shuts down in protest

Wikipedia blacks out the English-language version of its website in protest against anti-piracy legislation tabled in the US Congress. The foundation behind the online encyclopaedia said its website would go dark for 24 hours in an unprecedented move that adds muscle to a growing base of critics of the legislation. The Stop Online Piracy Act before the House of Representatives, and the Protect Intellectual Property Act before the Senate, are designed to crack down on sales of pirated US products overseas.