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Talking points

Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...

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O.J. Simpson

The return of O.J. Simpson to a Las Vegas court will remind Americans of a tragedy that became a national obsession and changed the country's attitude to the justice system, media and celebrity. His 1995 trial is the stuff of legend, the fall of a Hall of Fame football player who, although acquitted of killing his ex-wife and her friend, was never cleared in the public mind. Less is remembered about the 2008 Las Vegas trial that sent him to jail for a bizarre hotel room robbery. Simpson, 65, has been in prison for four years and must serve at least nine of his 33-year sentence before he is eligible for parole, when he would be 70. Today he seeks a new trial. If he fails, he could spend the rest of his life locked up.

 

The Court of Final Appeal is expected to hand down its judgment in the case of a young transgender woman known as W. It will rule on whether the Registrar of Marriage's refusal to recognise W as a woman for the purpose of marriage is against the Basic Law and W's constitutional rights. The case was heard on April 15 and 16. Government lawyers told the court it was inaccurate for W's lawyers to suggest she was recognised as a woman under many gender-specific laws. W, who underwent surgery to become female and had her identity card changed to reflect her gender, is challenging two previous rulings that forbid her from marrying her boyfriend.

 

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