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Pyongyang marks Kim Jong-il's death
Today is the third anniversary of the death of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, known in the country as the "dear leader". Kim took over from his father, Kim Il-sung, in 1994 and oversaw a period when famines were widespread in the North. Kim Jong-il's son, Kim Jong-un, now rules the reclusive country. Kim Jong-il was given the honorific title "supreme commander" after his death. Special events will be held in the country today.
 
Verdict set for widow in Sewol sinking case
The verdict is expected in South Korea in the embezzlement trial of the widow of Yoo Byung-eun, the former patriarch of the family that owned the ferry Sewol, which sank with the loss of more than 300 lives. Kwon Yun-ja was arrested in June in connection with the case. Yoo's body was found in a field in the same month. In a related case, the appeals court in Paris is expected to rule on whether to extradite Yoo's daughter, Yoo Som-na, on embezzlement charges.
 
Greenpeace focuses on power tariffs
Hong Kong environmental group Greenpeace is holding a press conference to give its views on electricity tariffs over the past 10 years, which it says have been unfair. The two power companies, CLP Power and HK Electric, announced their new charges yesterday. The firms are moving towards the use of cleaner energy sources for power generation, although they warn this will lead to higher tariffs.
 
Obamacare challenged in appeals court
A lawsuit challenging US President Barack Obama's health insurance plan is heard in the appeals court in Washington. In July, a three-judge panel voted 2-1 in favour of subsidies under the Affordable Care Act being available only in state-run exchanges. However, an appeals court in Virginia ruled the exact opposite. The latest court case is aimed at clarifying the issue.
 
EU parliament votes on Palestine statehood
The European parliament is set to vote on a resolution on whether Palestine should be recognised as a state. The vote follows a plenary debate on the issue last month. It comes after several other European parliaments, including those in Britain, France and Sweden, urged their governments to back Palestinian statehood. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has long been pushing for statehood.
 
Final Hobbit film opens in Hong Kong
The final episode in The Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, opens in Hong Kong today. The films are based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien. The decision to turn the book into a trilogy has been controversial among Tolkien fans. The series is a prequel to The Lord of the Rings, which director Peter Jackson turned into three Oscar-winning films between 2001 and 2003.


Talking Points, December 17, 2014

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...

Talking Points, December 17, 2014

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...