Talking points

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

Myanmar's Thein Sein attends Mekong summit

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda hosts a summit attended by the leaders of the Mekong delta nations - Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar - on co-operation to 'ensure prosperity, stability and sustainable development' in the region. The visit of President Thein Sein's (left) makes him the first head of state of Myanmar to visit Japan in 28 years. Unlike major Western nations, Japan maintained trade ties and dialogue with Myanmar during its years of isolation, warning that a hard line could push it closer to China, its main political supporter and commercial partner.

Gulf oil spill continues to spread contagion

It's been exactly two years since the start of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The crude flowed unabated until July 15, but recriminations continue unabated. Most recently, the British oil giant BP suffered a significant shareholder rebellion over bosses' pay and a share price that languishes 30 per cent below pre-spill levels. The AGM in London passed the remuneration report comfortably, but investors representing 11.78 per cent of shares voted against it - a bigger rebellion than big British companies are accustomed to.

For the homemaker in search of a smorgasbord

The Hong Kong Houseware Fair, Asia's biggest trade fair for home-related products, with more than 2,100 exhibitors, opens at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. A highlight is World of Pet Supplies, a zone featuring innovative pet products, which returns for the fourth year. Other zones feature eco-friendly products, fine dining tableware, home decor and outdoor furniture. The fair runs until Monday, with entry HK$100.

Legco education panel discusses subsidies

Discussions by Legco's education panel, chaired by Starry Lee Wai-king (left), include how to improve governance of direct subsidy schools, which have been battered by revelations of high-risk investments by administrators, measures to subsidise students seeking alternative study pathways, and supervision of privately run post-secondary programmes.

Leaders gather for World Investment Forum

The World Investment Forum opens in Doha. According to its organisers, the high-level biennial gathering is 'designed to facilitate dialogue and action on the world's key emerging investment-related challenges'. Since it was first held by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, in Accra, Ghana, in 2008, the forum 'has become one of the world's leading international investment events, attracting over 1,800 participants from 120 countries, including heads of state and ministers, global CEOs, heads of international organisations and civil society'.

Uganda's top villain gets his day

The US charity Invisible Children, whose video about the leader of the Ugandan rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army went viral last month, has dubbed today 'International Day Against Joseph Kony'. Kony is accused of war crimes against civilians and forcibly recruiting child soldiers into his group, which is no longer in Uganda and believed to be in the Central African Republic.