Talking points

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

Zoo holds briefing on baby orang-utans

The Zoological and Botanical Gardens holds a briefing on its twin baby orang-utans, which have been removed from their mother, to the distress of animal rights groups. Orang-utan Aid spokeswoman Mara McCaffery wrote to the Post: 'We are also astounded that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department is still undecided as to the fate of these babies, and their plans for improving the orang-utan enclosure at the zoo ... It would seem completely irresponsible to have allowed the breeding to occur without having a clear vision of how any future offspring would be cared for.'

Italian PM visits Washington for talks on debt crisis

US President Barack Obama meets Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti in Washington to discuss efforts to tackle the debt crisis threatening Italy and the euro zone. Monti's government has been trying to regain investor confidence by cutting public spending and reforming a sluggish economy. Italy's struggle with high borrowing costs is a cause for concern because the country is considered too big to rescue if it gets deeper into trouble.

Liberals deliver their nominations to Tang's office

Liberal Party leaders - including chairwoman Miriam Lau Kin-yee, honorary chairman James Tien Pei-chun and lawmakers Vincent Fang Kang and Tommy Cheung Yu-yan - hand their nominations to the campaign office of chief executive candidate Henry Tang Ying-yen (left). Lau has said all the party's 29 votes on the Election Committee - which on March 25 will choose the next chief executive - will go to Tang, a former member and founder. Lau said the party favoured Tang because they shared similar views on economic development.

Bad weather threatens back-to-school rush

Guangdong is bracing itself for the onset of another travel peak as students sent home for the Lunar New Year holiday begin to return for school in a rush expected to last until February 13. Bad weather is expected in the coming days in the south, adding to the pressure on the transport system.

Bank of England reviews interest rates

The Bank of England reviews interest rates amid increasing fears that the British economy is mired in recession. Separately, Bank Indonesia will also review rates, after slashing the benchmark overnight rate by 75 basis points in October and November to a record low of 6 per cent to shield the domestic economy from the euro-zone debt crisis. British rates are at a record low, leaving the central bank little room to manoeuvre. Analysts expect it to announce another GBP50 billion (HK$614 billion) injection of new money into an economy that shrank at the end of last year.

European summit looks past euro and debt crisis

At last, a European summit at which neither Greece nor the euro is the main topic of conversation. Leaders from the Nordic and Baltic countries and Britain meet in Sweden to strengthen ties and share ideas on Europe's future challenges. For British Prime Minister David Cameron (left), who last month isolated Britain by rejecting the European Union's new pact on closer fiscal unity, the Stockholm meeting is an opportunity to form new alliances within the 27-nation bloc.