Talking points

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

Rural leaders reconvene with top aide of CY Leung

Key figures involved in the February 10 dinner involving controversial businessman 'Shanghai Boy' Kwok Wing-hung reconvene over lunch in Yuen Long. Lew Mon-hung (left), a core supporter of Chief Executive-elect Leung Chun-ying, will met rural leaders to discuss how to resolve the dispute over illegal structures on homes in the New Territories. Their previous encounter triggered a row over Leung's possible involvement in 'black gold politics' - a term referring to collusion between triad societies and politicians.

Pope Benedict leads Good Friday ceremonies

Good Friday will be observed by Christians around the world, from the Stations of the Cross procession led by Pope Benedict at Rome's Colosseum to the Philippines, where two dozen believers will be nailed to the cross in an annual re-enactment of Christ's crucifixion. The ritual has become a tourist attraction but is frowned upon by the Catholic Church.

Japan, South Korea and China meet in Ningbo

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi holds the annual tri-lateral meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Kim Sung-hwan and Koichiro Gemba, in Ningbo , Zhejiang province. Japan's Kyodo news agency said Gemba wanted to settle the details of the first Sino-Japanese maritime consultation with Yang during the meeting. The consultation, due to be held in May, would discuss setting up communication channels in the event of any maritime conflict or incident, including those in disputed East China Sea waters.

Extradited from Canada, Lai Changxing goes on trial

The Xiamen Intermediate People's Court hears the smuggling case of Lai Changxing (left), once dubbed China's most wanted man and sent home from Canada last year after a decades-long legal battle. China accuses Lai of running a multibillion-dollar smuggling operation in Xiamen that dates to the 1990s, when Jia Qinglin , now the Communist Party's fourth most senior leader, was the province's party boss.

Sony chief spells out plan to reverse string of losses

Sony chief executive Kazuo Hirai holds a briefing to outline his group's business plan. Sony is under pressure to turn around its business after forecasting a net loss of 220 billion yen (HK$20.7 billion) for the fiscal year ended in March, its fourth consecutive annual loss. The troubled Japanese consumer electronics giant is facing intense pressure from South Korea's Samsung Electronics, and ballooning interest in smartphones like Apple's iPhone is putting pressure on Sony's Playstation.

Invisible Children issues defence with Kony Part II

A viral internet video has turned brutal African warlord Joseph Kony (left) into a household name and boosted the hunt for him. Can a sequel do more? That's the burning question for advocacy group Invisible Children and its follow-up effort, Kony 2012 Part II, which was due to be released last night. The new video addresses criticism of the San Diego-based group since its overnight launch to fame. Among the complaints were that Kony 2012 was too US-centric and that the group spends too little money directly on the people it intends to help.