Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
TV debate for pan-democrat rivals
Pan-democrat contenders for the chief executive election will hold their first televised debate, part of campaigning ahead of Sunday's vote to choose the bloc's sole candidate. Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan (left) and Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood lawmaker Frederick Fung Kin-kee (right) will face each other in the debate's opening session, before taking questions from the media and the bloc's members on the 1,200-member Election Committee to choose the chief executive. The debate will be broadcast live from 7.30pm. The second televised debate will be held on Saturday. On Sunday, all permanent residents can vote for their pan-democrat candidate at 60 polling stations set up along the city's MTR lines.
Reprise likely for domestic consumption stimulus
The Ministry of Commerce may announce a new programme to stimulate domestic consumption, officials told state media, after the expiry on December 31 of the 'new for old' home appliance scheme. A ministry spokesman said the old programme spurred nearly 342 billion yuan (HK$416 billion) in sales last year. A researcher affiliated with the ministry said new stimulus measures were needed to avoid a slowing of consumer spending.
Soccer broadcasts get a new dimension
Cable TV unveils its 3D Live telecast service of football games on its Barclays Premier League platform, which will start broadcasts this month. Ronald Chiu Ying-chun (left), executive director of the pay-TV network's news and sports branch, will join hands with its soccer commentators, including Li Tak-nang and Eric Lau Kin-kei, in announcing details of the new service.
Hong Kong skiing team to debut in Jilin
The 12th National Winter Games start in Jilin city and Changchun , both in Jilin province, with more than 1,400 athletes in 44 teams from around the country, including Hong Kong. Authorities say 27 local athletes will be taking part for the fourth time since the Games were first held in 1999. The Hong Kong team will compete in four events - short-track speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey and, for the first time, alpine skiing.
Italy to hold key bond sales
In a holiday-shortened week, all eyes will probably be on Italy's Treasury when it sells Euro9 billion (HK$90.4 billion) of 179-day bills and as much as Euro2.5 billion of zero bonds payable next year. Italy's 10-year bond yield reached a euro-era record 7.48 per cent on November 9, one week before Prime Minister Mario Monti took over from Silvio Berlusconi and three months after the European Central Bank started back-stopping the nation's bonds.
Egyptians vote in final phase of elections
The final phase of Egypt's parliamentary elections begins. The elections, the first since Hosni Mubarak (left) was ousted a year ago, began in November. The Freedom and Justice party and the more conservative Al-Nur won a substantial combined majority in the first two rounds. Mubarak's trial on charges over the killing of more than 800 protesters in last year's uprising resumed yesterday.
