Talking points

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

CE candidates leave it late to declare funding

Today is the deadline by which those who stood for chief executive must declare the sources of their campaign funds and how they spent the money. The two main contenders, former Exco convenor Leung Chun-ying and former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen, have yet to do so. Democratic Party lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-yan has completed the paperwork, more than four weeks since the Election Committee chose Leung (left) to be chief executive, as has Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who failed to garner enough nominations to join the field.

Think tanks discuss trilateral free-trade deal

Think tanks from China, Japan and South Korea meet in Beijing to discuss how their three countries should move towards a negotiation on their trilateral free-trade agreement. Co-organised by the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges, the forum will focus on co-operation in manufacturing, trade in services and new energy.

Chinese eatery offends health officials

A 100-year-old San Francisco Chinese restaurant once notorious for having 'the world's rudest waiter', Edsel Ford Fung, could find out today if it will close for good. The owners of Chinatown's Sam Wo restaurant are scheduled to plead their case to the city's public health department, which has demanded changes after finding violations, including rodent activity.

Murdoch and son testify at Leveson inquiry

Rupert Murdoch, the 81-year-old head of News Corp, is expected to testify for the next three days at the Leveson media ethics inquiry in London. Murdoch and his son James (both pictured) can expect tougher questioning than they faced during the parliamentary hearings they attended in July, according to lawyers for other media companies at the hearings. The inquiry began last year after evidence emerged that phone hacking at News Corp's News of the World was rampant.

Apple on track for US$1 trillion milestone

Apple is expected to report quarterly earnings of US$9.94 a share on revenue of US$36.48 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S, with analysts polled by Reuters estimating that the world's most valuable company sold between 30 million and 35 million iPhones and about 13 million iPads last quarter. However, despite seeing its share price hit new highs amid predictions it will be the world's first US$1 trillion company, Apple faces stiff competition from Samsung Electronics and a lawsuit by the US Justice Department for alleged collusion on e-book prices.

Republicans prepare to embrace Romney

The Republican presidential contest is effectively over, but the voting continues today. Voters in Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island will choose from Mitt Romney (left), Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul in primaries that not long ago looked like being pivotal. With Rick Santorum's departure, the voting should serve another purpose: opening the door to a full embrace of Romney by the party establishment.