Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
The Ministry of National Defence is publishing its two-yearly defence white paper in Beijing. The ministry's spokesman, Yang Yujun, is expected to highlight the People's Liberation Army's services in peacetime, including border patrols, search and rescue operations and the Navy's anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia.
Hong Kong lawmakers debate the government's plans for keeping the city free of bird flu after the latest outbreak on the mainland. As well as considering the government's contingency plans, including the possibly of a cull and clean-up operation should cases be found in the city, the Legislative Council's panel on food safety and environmental hygiene will hear submissions from animal rights groups and farming organisations.
Bruce Lee's widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, is in London for a special tribute to the late martial arts star. Lee is to be given the Founders' Award at the annual Asian Awards at London's Grosvenor Hotel. The awards were created to honour achievements by Asian people worldwide in a range of disciplines including the arts, sport, business and philanthropy. Lee's award reflects "his iconic status and impact on Western cinema", the event's organisers said.
The International Monetary Fund's spring gathering begins in Washington, with the bank's chief economist Olivier Blanchard briefing the media on the world's economic outlook. The five-day meeting is also expected to see Egypt's government seek an increase on the US$4.8 billion IMF loan it has already requested to cope with its soaring budget deficit.
Hong Kong Baptist University welcomes its writer in residence for this year, well-known Taiwanese novelist and academic Professor Su Wei-chen. Su is a professor of Chinese at the National Cheng Gong University in Taiwan and the author of a series of award-winning novels and essays. She will make several public appearances during her stay at the university.
India's top court is expected to announce that the case of two Italian marines charged with murdering two Indian fishermen will be transferred to a special court. The move is expected to expedite the hearing of the case, which has led to tensions between the two nations. Italy agreed to extradite the pair after India agreed not to pursue the death penalty over the deaths in the Indian state of Kerala.
