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.
