Vanuatu: Pacific Islands Forum starts in Port Vila; leaders of smaller island states, leaders of Pacific members of Asia-Caribbean-Pacific grouping meet today; forum summit starts tomorrow
China: Latest on the worst floods in southern China for a decade. According to state media, 928 people have died because of the seasonal bad weather and another 477 are missing. Premier Wen Jiabao says the situation is critical.
China: Watching developments as thousands of people again gathered in a Guangzhou park again in defiance of government orders not to rally as part of a campaign to defend Cantonese. About 200 people attended a parallel rally in Hong Kong at Southorn playground in Wan Chai.
Russia: Monitoring situation with the forest fires which are spreading through western, central, southern and eastern Russia
Russia: Kuwaiti Oil Minister Ahmad Abdallah al-Ahmad al-Sabah meets Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko for talks on economic cooperation; final day
Pakistan: Latest on the floods ravaging northwestern Pakistan. Rescue efforts continue after up to 2.5m people were affected by country's worst natural disaster in 80 years
Pakistan: Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki visits to attend Iran-Pakistan joint economic commission meeting; second and final day
Iran: Weekly Foreign ministry briefing for the press.
Azerbaijan: Sources in the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed Moscow’s readiness to sell two divisions of the S-300 PMU-2 to Azerbaijan, News.az reported (NB which will presumably mean that Iran will get to study the system?)
Georgia: A photograph of a Georgian economy minister, recently-appointed by President Saakashvili, said to be taken at a strip club in Vancouver during the Olympics has created a local media furore
Iraq: Watching for reaction after President Obama confirms all US combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by 31 August
Syria: Russia’s naval supply and maintenance site near Syria’s Tartus port will be updated to accommodate heavy Russian warships - such as guided-missile cruisers and aircraft carriers - after 2012, Russian navy chief Admiral. Vladimir Vysotsky said
Oman: Iranian Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi begins two-day visit to discuss bilateral, regional, international issues with counterpart Bin-Sa'ud Bin-Harib al-Busa'idi
Lebanon: Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah is expected to address a rally in Beirut held to commemorate the end of the 2006 war with Israel. (Actual anniversary is 14 August, but brought forward because of Ramadan)
Israel: Monitoring reaction after Israel says it will cooperate with UN investigation into its commando raid on Gaza flotilla in May
Israel: Jerusalem Municipality approved the construction 40 more new housing units in the illegal settlement Pisgat Ze’ev, Ynet reported. Four buildings, each containing ten apartments, will be built as part of a plan for the construction of 220 apartments.
Kenya: Kenyans prepare to vote in a referendum to change the constitution. The referendum is yet another effort for a new constitution after twenty years of failed attempts.
Tanzania: Trial Chamber to deliver judgement in the genocide case against Dominique Ntawukulilyayo, a former local leader of Gisagara, Rwanda (1030GMT).
South Africa: Sentencing of former police commissioner Jackie Selebi. Selebi, found guilty of corruption for accepting bribes from a convicted drug lord, continues at the Supreme court.
South Africa: Millions of litres of highly acidic mine water is rising up under Johannesburg and, if left unchecked, could spill into its streets in 18 months, Parliament's water affairs portfolio committee has been told
Zimbabwe: Expecting the arrival of Kimberley Process monitor Abbey Chikane, a South African, who is expected to certify the first batch of diamonds from the controversial Marange fields for export. The government says it has stockpiled some 4.5 million carats of diamonds since the beginning of the year for export.
Nigeria: ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) court in Abuja hears case brought by ousted Niger president Mamadou Tandja's family against his detention by military government
Guinea: Presidential election run-off between Dalein Diallo, Alpha Conde; first round was held on 27 June
Slovakia: Parliament holds vote of confidence in Prime Minister Iveta Radicova's government
UK: Pakistani President Zardari begins a three-day visit to Britain days after British Prime Minister David Cameron's remarks about the country's role as an "exporter of terror."
UN: Following up after ten Taliban members, 14 individuals with ties to al-Qaida and 21 entities previously linked with al-Qaida have been removed from a U.N. sanctions terror, Austria’s U.N. ambassador said. A final decision for 66 names on the list is still pending.
Canada: The Russian Federation Air Force and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will conduct a cooperative air defense exercise for the first time ever on or around Aug. 8-11 and will involve Russian, Canadian and U.S. Air Force personnel operating from command centers in Russia and the United States.
US: BP will attempt the "static kill" operation to seal its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well.
Argentina: San Juan hosts second and final day of Mercosur (Common Market of the South) summit; Colombia-Venezuela spat tops agenda; row erupted following Colombia's allegations that Venezuela shelters left-wing guerrilla group FARC (Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman said that the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) has signed a free trade agreement with Egypt)
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