Talking points
Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun gives his views on relations between China and the Vatican under Pope Francis at a forum at Baptist University. The cardinal, a veteran pro-democracy campaigner and an outspoken critic of Beijing, has urged the pope to maintain the stern attitude to Beijing shown by his predecessor. The Holy See has refused to recognise mainland bishops appointed by the state-sanctioned Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
Top researchers and economists affiliated with the state planning body and commerce ministry offer their assessment of the nation's economy at a forum hosted by the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges in Beijing. The economy grew at a slower-than-expected 7.7 per cent in the first quarter, trailing the market consensus expectation of 8 per cent growth and lower than the 7.9 per cent of the previous quarter.
The world's oldest person, Jiroemon Kimura, celebrates his 116th birthday. Born in 1897, when Queen Victoria was on the throne in Britain and Emperor Meiji was steering Japan towards becoming a world power, Kimura has held the honour since 2011. He is the only man still alive born in the 19th century and one of a small number of people who have lived in three different centuries.
A teenager, who helped a drug-trafficking suspect break out of custody during a hospital visit, learns his fate in the District Court. Law Wing-tung, 18, had denied aiding the man's escape but was found guilty after a trial. Three other people, two 16-year-olds and Ngan Kwan-yiu, 22, will also be sentenced after pleading guilty to one joint count of conspiracy to escape from lawful custody.
A flurry of economic news is expected from Washington as finance ministers take part in the International Monetary Fund's spring meeting. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble speaks at the US Council on Foreign Relations, while his Indian counterpart, Palaniappan Chidambaram, discusses economic reform in his country at the city's Peterson Institute for International Economics. Japanese leader Shinzo Abe also speaks on the economy in Tokyo.
Events and ceremonies in Warsaw mark the 70th anniversary of the bloody doomed uprising in the city's Jewish ghetto during the second world war. Hundreds of poorly armed Jews took up arms against their Nazi oppressors, and 7,000 Jews died during the month-long revolt, with 50,000 more deported to death camps. A memorial service will be held at the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes.
