Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
President Xi Jinping welcomes leaders from two of Southeast Asian neighbours for talks in Beijing. Myanmar's President Thein Sein and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Brunei's prime minister, are both due in the capital. Myanmar has long looked to China for support while tiny Brunei has seen its importance increase after it took over the Asean chairmanship.
About 8,000 US and Philippine troops take part in an annual "Balikatan" exercise, a cornerstone of their military alliance that has gained importance as the US turns its focus on the Asia-Pacific region. The exercise, which runs until April 17, is the fourth in a series of biannual exercises based on disaster response and preparedness. Security officials from Australia, Brunei, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand will also join talks during the exercise.
Taipei gets a taste of star power as Tom Cruise pays a visit for the opening of his new science-fiction film . But the controversial star will not be speaking to the media. Cruise, who will be visiting Taiwan for the third time, will only attend the local premiere of the action movie and is not scheduled to appear at press conferences or give any interviews, the film company said.
A new round of talks between Iran and six world powers begins, raising renewed hopes of an end to the impasse over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme. Iran will meet representatives of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France - plus Germany in Almaty, Kazakhstan, after similar talks in February proved surprisingly cordial.
A teenager is sentenced for wounding and indecently assaulting his teacher. Tuen Mun Court earlier heard that Ho Man-tai, 18, punched the teacher, tugged her hair and put keys into her mouth, causing her to bleed. He also touched the victim's breast. Ho had denied all charges. Ho's mother lay wailing on the courtroom floor after the original verdict was delivered last month.
Hong Kong/Geordie mixed martial artist Eddie Ng Gar-wei is back in action in Singapore. Ng, an up-and-coming star of the brutal combat sport in Asia, was born in Hong Kong but honed his skills in the small town of Chester-le-Street, near Newcastle in the north of England. The 26-year-old takes on French champion Arnaud "The Game" Lepont in front of 12,000 fans at the One Fighting Championship in the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
