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Agencies

Strauss-Kahn banks on out-of-court deal
Dominique Strauss-Kahn hopes to draw a line under the sex scandal that destroyed his career. Lawyers for the former IMF chief are due to discuss in the Bronx Supreme Court a settlement of the civil suit brought by Nafissatou Diallo, who says Strauss-Kahn raped her when she went to clean his New York hotel room in May last year. Terms of any settlement, which would allow Strauss-Kahn to avoid an embarrassing civil trial and the potential for a jury to order a huge payout, have been kept confidential. Lawyers confirmed only that talks were under way. They dismissed as "dramatically inaccurate" a report that Diallo would be paid US$6 million.
 
Arts hub names winner of design contest
The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority announces the winner of the design competition for the Xiqu Centre for Cantonese Opera. The five shortlisted teams are BTA & RLP, Foster+Partners with O Studio Architects, Mecanoo Architecten with Leigh & Orange, Safdie Architects, and Wong & Ouyang in collaboration with Diamond and Schmitt. The authority will also announce the shortlisted designs for the arts hub's visual arts museum M+.
 
Cathay union meets to discuss industrial action
The 6,000-strong Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union holds an extraordinary general meeting to decide whether to take industrial action over the airline's proposed 2 per cent pay rise. The airline failed to respond to the union's request for pay talks by the deadline of Tuesday last week.
 
Guangzhou meeting on cross-strait progress
Beijing and Taipei convene the fourth regular meeting of the cross-strait Economic Co-operation Committee in Guangzhou tomorrow. The arrangement of the meeting was made according to a provision in the Economic Co-operation Framework Agreement, a wide-ranging cross-strait economic pact signed in 2010. Committee members from the mainland and Taiwan are expected to review and assess implementation of the framework agreement as well as the progress of talks on follow-up agreements at tomorrow's meeting.
 
HSBC braces for money-laundering bill
Details might emerge as early as this week of HSBC's settlement with US authorities. It was reported last week that the banking giant might pay US$1.8 billion for money-laundering lapses. Any settlement would probably involve HSBC entering into a deferred prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors, Bloomberg reported.
 
Upbeat Chelsea prepare to take on Monterrey
European champions Chelsea are out of the Uefa Champions League and struggling on the domestic front in the English Premier League, so a trip to Japan for the Fifa Club World Cup this week should give manager Rafael Benitez much-needed breathing space. Having beaten Sunderland 3-1 in the Premier League at the weekend, the Blues will be upbeat as they prepare to take on Monterrey of Mexico in the semi-finals on Thursday.


Strauss-Kahn lashes out at the sexual focus of his trial

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former head of the IMF, goes on trial on pimping charges

Talking points

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