Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, bring their royal star power to Southeast Asia and the Pacific as part of a tour marking Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. The trip will feature Catherine's first speech in a foreign country, as she continues to learn the ropes of her new role following her marriage last year. The tour begins today in Singapore, before taking in Malaysia and the Solomon Islands, then ending in Tuvalu on September 19.
Asia's foremost global business gathering, the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, gets under way in Tianjin, northern China. It is known as the "summer Davos" as it's a spin-off from the Swiss town's World Economic Forum, which is held every January. Some 1,500 influential delegates from the worlds of politics, industry and academia are expected to attend the three-day meeting, with Premier Wen Jiabao due to give a plenary address.
The world's top badminton players arrive in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, for the China Masters, part of the Badminton World Federation's Superseries of international tournaments. Home favourite Lin Dan is the top seed in the men's singles after winning gold in last month's Olympics.
The Ministry of Health in Beijing will give an update on work to improve the state of dental care across the mainland. Its report comes after state media revealed alarming findings about the dental health of children on the mainland. A survey conducted by dental experts showed that 76.5 per cent of five-year-olds have suffered from decayed teeth, while 85 per cent of middle school pupils have suffered from gum diseases.
The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for the fourth quarter is due to be released, giving an insight into the economic outlook for the city's employers. The survey compares the proportion of employers planning to add staff to those looking to reduce headcount. It will offer clues as to how bosses view the continuing debt crisis in Europe, the strength of the mainland economy and political gridlock in the United States.
Hong Kong's successful Paralympics team arrives back in the city from London with a clutch of medals. Wheelchair fencer Yu Chui-yee was the undoubted star of the team with three golds and a bronze, while table tennis player Wong Ka-man also comes home with gold. The 28-strong team finished a remarkable 34th in the medal table, ahead of the likes of India, Indonesia and Taiwan.
