Talking points
Leslie Cheung lives 10 years on
Fans of Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing commemorate the 10th anniversary of his death at various events. Among the highlights is a 20th anniversary charity screening of Farewell My Concubine - which brought Cheung international acclaim for his portrayal of a gay opera singer - at the Sunbeam Theatre in North Point. Known as Gor Gor (older brother in Cantonese), the 46-year-old actor and Canto-pop singer shocked fans around the world when he committed suicide on April 1, 2003.
Indian court rules on Swiss drug challenge
India's top court rules on a patent challenge by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis that activists say threatens to reduce access to cheap generic versions of life-saving drugs in poor nations. Drug makers in India, long known as the "pharmacy to the developing world", have been a major supplier of copycat medicines to treat diseases such as cancer, TB and Aids for those who cannot afford expensive branded versions. The landmark challenge, watched closely by global drug giants, involves an updated version of Novartis' cancer drug Glivec, for which the company is seeking patent protection.
Two-month hiatus for Pearl River fishermen
A two-month ban on fishing in the Pearl River takes effect to conserve resources and allow stocks to recover. As well as the main body of the river, fishing is banned on all tributaries and lakes connected to it, according to the fishery bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture. The Pearl, which crosses Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi, is the second largest river in China in terms of run-off volume, topped only by the Yangtze. The ministry initiated the fishing ban in 2011.
Day one for mainland trading accounts
Residents of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau living on the mainland become eligible to open domestic trading accounts, which will facilitate their access to investment in yuan-denominated stocks, or A shares, according to a statement on the website of the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corp.
Myanmar allows privately owned newspapers
The publication of privately owned daily newspapers becomes legal in Myanmar for the first time under new media freedoms. President Thein Sein's government has significantly relaxed media controls since taking power in 2011. It lifted censorship in August, allowing reporters to print material that would have been unthinkable during the five previous decades of military rule.
Autism study lays out the costs
The results of the city's first survey on the spending required to train autistic children are released on the eve of World Autism Day tomorrow. The Heep Hong Society's survey shows parents of autistic children face great economic and psychological pressure.