Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
A specially invited audience gets a first glimpse of the programme line-up for City Telecom's new CTI television station. In the ballroom of the InterContinental in Tsim Sha Tsui, the station's boss, Ricky Wong Wai-kay, shows off trailers of the drama shows on which he is spending HK$1 million per episode. The only catch is that the channel has yet to receive its free-to-air licence from the government, casting doubt on when or where the full shows will ever be broadcast.
An expected interest rate cut in Australia is unlikely to hurt the attractions of the Australian dollar for Hong Kong investors, who face the prospect of ultra-low interest rates for Hong Kong dollar deposits. The Reserve Bank of Australia may cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point to 3 per cent, still comfortably higher than any yields available in the US or European markets.
Research agency Millward Brown releases its ranking of the 50 most valuable Chinese brands for 2013. Observers will be closely watching the study for comparisons with the list published by the same firm for 2012. Last year's ranking put telecommunications giant China Mobile at the top of the list, followed by four major banks.
British rock star Elton John comes to Hong Kong for a one-off gig at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. John hit the headlines in Beijing last week when he praised dissident artist Ai Weiwei . His concert - his third in the city - is part of a tour marking the 40th anniversary of his hit .
China celebrates the 30th anniversary of the current version of its constitution. While the government is expected to hold events to commemorate the anniversary, liberal scholars will call for policies that better conform to the constitution. Earlier this month, leading liberal Hu Deping , son of the late Communist Party general secretary Hu Yaobang , called for reforms and restoration of the constitution as the basis of government, reversing the situation whereby the party has absolute power over the constitution.
Nominations close in the race to become a Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress, with a host of players due to chase a seat. Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun and Maria Tam Wai-chu have both signed up to seek re-election by the 1,600-strong grouping that will select the deputies. Other Beijing loyalists tipped to run include former secretary for security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong.
This article was updated on Dec. 4, 2012 to correct the third item, "China's top brands". The firm who publishes the ranking is Millward Brown, not Ogilvy & Mather.
