Talking points

Hong Kong human rights groups come together to rally in support of whistle-blower Edward Snowden, with a march from Chater Garden in Central to the US consulate in Garden Road. The march is being organised by In-media, a website that supports freelance journalists. "We call on Hong Kong to respect international legal standards and procedures relating to the protection of Snowden," the group said earlier this week.

The countdown to the 2014 soccer World Cup begins in earnest as host nation Brazil kicks off the warm-up event, the Confederations Cup. The two-week event will test six of the stadiums due to host matches in next year's soccer extravaganza, including Rio's world-famous Maracana Stadium. The hosts kick off the competition against Asia's representatives Japan in the capital, Brasilia.