Talking points

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

Rushdie addresses conference in New Delhi

Booker Prize-winning author Salman Rushdie (left) visits India to address a conference - within two months of pulling out of Asia's biggest literary festival after receiving death threats. His earlier attempt to visit the country of his birth brought protests from some Muslim groups, which say his novel The Satanic Verses is blasphemous. Rushdie, who spent years in hiding after the book's publication in 1988, later accused Indian authorities of pandering to zealots. Rushdie will speak in New Delhi alongside writer Aatish Taseer at an event called The Liberty Verses hosted by the India Today media group.

Candidates face to face for another debate

The three chief executive candidates go head to head in another debate, 10 days before the Election Committee's March 25 vote. Pro-Beijing candidates Leung Chun-ying and Henry Tang Ying-yen, and pan-democratic representative Albert Ho Chun-yan face each other at a forum organised by electronic media organisations at 8pm. The election has veered away from being a gentlemanly contest to one characterised by mud-slinging. It remains to be seen whether the candidates can get the discussion back to their policy platforms rather than attacks on each other.

Queuers likely to be disappointed as iPad goes on sale

Apple's new iPad goes on sale for the first time in Hong Kong and nine other places, including the United States. Scores of buyers have been queueing outside Apple's shop in Central since Wednesday (left) even though the company has said it will only be selling the device online, and not on the basis of first come, first served; buyers will be chosen randomly by computer.

Weibo's new real-name law goes into action

Weibo, the mainland's version of Twitter, begins 'real-name registration'. Those who have not provided real identity information when they register their weibo accounts will no longer be able to post messages, although they can still browse weibo. The government says the move is to curb slander and fraud, but many internet users say it is meant for censorship.

February inflation in US expected to be 2.9pc

American inflation figures for February are expected to show that consumer prices in the world's biggest economy rose 2.9 per cent year on year, although the United States still faces price pressures as a result of persistently high energy prices. Economists have welcomed recent American data signalling continued job creation, with the feeling growing that the US economy is showing signs of being in the early stages of recovery.

Annan briefs UN Security Council on Syria visit

United Nations-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan (left) briefs the UN Security Council about his mission to Syria to try to end the bloody turmoil. Diplomats say Annan's assessment of the crisis will be crucial to a bid by the United States and its European allies to pass a resolution on Syria. Russia and China have twice vetoed resolutions condemning Syria. Negotiations on a draft were expected to accelerate after Annan's briefing, diplomats said.