Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
Newly confirmed US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew arrives in Beijing, where he is expected to press China to allow the yuan to rise further against the dollar and to push other concerns such as increased market access for US goods and better protection of intellectual property rights. Although Lew lacks the international stature of predecessor Tim Geithner, his decision to make China his first overseas trip signals the import the White House places on its economic relationship with Beijing.
Citibank unveils the findings of its Hong Kong Millionaire Survey, which it conducts annually with the University of Hong Kong social sciences research centre. Last year's survey blamed volatile markets and fallout from the European debt crisis for trimming the ranks of the city's millionaires by 31,000 to 527,000. Nonetheless, nearly one in 13 Hongkongers had more than HK$1 million in liquid assets.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying travels by high-speed train from Beijing to Tianjin to meet the city's party secretary, Sun Chunlan. He will also visit the Town Planning Exhibition Hall and Cultural Centre before meeting a group of Hong Kong businessmen and students.
Former Court of Final Appeal permanent member Mr Justice Kemal Bokhary speaks at a forum on the law organised by the Young China Watchers. Since his retirement in October, Bokhary's remarks have made headlines. He has blamed the decision not to extend his term on politics and warned that a "storm of unprecedented ferocity" is gathering over the rule of law in Hong Kong.
The trial on genocide charges of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt is due to begin. Rios Montt, 86, is accused of ordering the execution of 1,771 members of the indigenous Ixil Maya people during his 1982-83 regime. The trial marks the first time genocide proceedings have been brought in relation to the 36-year civil war in Guatemala that ended in 1996, leaving an estimated 200,000 people dead, according to United Nations estimates.
The Catholic Church rolls out the red carpet for world leaders and royalty attending Pope Francis' inauguration mass today. The occasion promises a contrast with the pomp and circumstance normally associated with grand church occasions, given the humble style Francis has shown in the days since he became the first pope from Latin America. The event poses a protocol headache for the Vatican; no official invitations are involved, and some VIPs may turn up unannounced. It will also be a first test of the ability of the former archbishop of Buenos Aires to navigate choppy diplomatic waters.
