Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
British MPs report on phone hacking scandal
British lawmakers are expected to publish their report on the scandal over phone hacking carried out by newspapers owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch (left), particularly the now defunct News of the World. The powerful parliamentary group drawing up the report, the culture, media and sport committee, was due to meet yesterday to decide its final wording. The report had been due to be published late last year, after the committee heard testimony from 81-year-old Murdoch, his son James and others. Rupert Murdoch's tetchy displays last week at the Leveson judicial inquiry into the same issue is expected to put pressure on the MPs to be harsh in their verdict on Murdoch's News Corp publishing empire.
Labour Day rallies reinvigorate Occupy movement
Demonstrators inspired by the Occupy Wall Street campaign hold Labour Day marches across the globe. Organisers say they hope the co-ordinated events will mark a spring resurgence of the movement after a quiet winter. Calls for a general strike, with no work, school, banking or shopping, have sprung up on websites in Toronto, Barcelona, London, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney among hundreds of cities in North America, Europe and Asia. In London, the Trades Union Congress is organising a march on Trafalgar Square to protest against what it calls 'attacks on the National Health Service, education, pensions, the civil service, local government, jobs ...'.
Hong Kong workers march for improved benefits
Workers from Hong Kong unions press various demands. The Federation of Trade Unions has organised a Labour Day march from Sham Shui Po's Maple Street Playground to Yau Ma Tei to call for standard working hours and a better retirement-protection system. The Neighbourhood and Worker's Service Centre and the Women Workers' Association have called a Wan Chai rally to highlight concerns over benefits for casual workers. And firefighters will march to support their demand for a cut in working hours.
Ruling due on maid's lawsuit against Strauss-Kahn
A New York State judge is due to decide whether to dismiss a civil lawsuit against former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn (left) brought by the hotel maid who accused him of sexually assaulting her in a New York hotel room last year.
Central bank likely to cut Australian rates to 4pc
The Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to cut rates a quarter percentage point to 4 per cent, which would still leave its benchmark among the world's highest. China's demand for iron ore and coal has powered a resources bonanza, with miners expected to boost investment by 85 per cent to a record A$94 billion (HK$763 billion) in the year to June, with a further rise to at least A$120 billion planned for 2012-13. But there are signs that the rest of the economy is stuttering, giving the bank room to ease. Business B4
Li Keqiang visits European Union headquarters
Vice-Premier Li Keqiang (left) starts a three-day visit to Belgium and the European Union headquarters in Brussels, where he will meet European Council President Herman van Rompuy. Li recently concluded a visit to Russia, where he addressed 1,000 teachers and students at Moscow State University on Sino-Russian relations and invited 300 students to visit China this summer.
