Talking Points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
European leaders meet in Brussels to debate the European Union's budget for the period from 2014-20. The bloc's leading officials want to see funding increased, but nations such as Britain are eager to see deep cuts in line with the austerity measures being implemented in many EU member states. To complicate matters, each of the bloc's 27 members can veto the budget at the summit.
A court in St Petersburg hears a US$10.5 million suit against Madonna brought by Russian nationalists who claim that the Like a Virgin singer violated local laws by promoting gay rights during a recent concert. The American pop star's tour to Russia proved highly controversial - she also called for the release of the anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot.
Another indicator of the state of the city's economy emerges with the Census and Statistics Department's release of October consumer price index figures. Year-on-year inflation stood at 3.8 per cent in September, up from 3.7 per cent in August.