Talking points

And the Man Asia prize winner is …

Asia's most prestigious literary prize is presented at a glittering ceremony in Hong Kong, as its principal sponsor prepares to bow out. Among the top contenders for the Man Asia Literary Prize are Pakistan's Musharraf Ali Farooqi, Japan's Hiromi Kawakami, Malaysia's Tan Twan Eng, Turkish Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk and Hong Kong-educated Jeet Thayil of India. The Man Group is ending its sponsorship of the event next year.

Leaders discuss Europe's woes

EU leaders meet in Brussels as they struggle to figure out a sustainable future for the debt-ridden continent. With austerity measures biting hard and economic growth sluggish or non-existent, markets are closely watching whether the leaders of the 27-member bloc markets will move away from their emphasis on reducing deficit and towards pro-growth policies.

Republicans line up for key conference

The most influential names on America's right come together in Washington for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. The event is seen as an early opportunity for influential Republicans to seek support for presidential runs in 2016. Speakers at CPAC who could be planning to run for office include Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Naval battle remembered

Vietnam and China mark the 25th anniversary of their last battle, also the last naval conflict in the South China Sea. On March 14, 1987, China took just 28 minutes to claim the Chigua reef, where Vietnam had been building an oceanic observatory station. A Vietnamese military cargo ship was sunk and Vietnam says 64 of its troops died.

Sarah Lee tipped for sports 'Oscar'

Cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-sze enjoys the spotlight again as the annual Hong Kong Sports "Oscars" takes to the stage at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Her women's keirin bronze medal captured at the 2012 London Olympic Games last summer is expected to be too good for other Hong Kong athletes to beat and give the world-class sprinter her first Sports Star Award of the Year.

Samsung unveils latest Galaxy phone

Samsung Electronics may add to Apple's headaches when the consumer electronics giant unveils the fourth generation of its flagship Galaxy smartphone, which already has Apple on the back foot. Some analysts predict the new Galaxy S IV could top 10 million unit sales in the first month after its launch. The phone is widely expected to boast crisp, full-high-definition pictures; a bigger screen; a 13 megapixel rear camera; and an improved eight-core processor.