What's Happening Today - Monday 13 September

China: 

Duties on 538 Taiwanese products and 267 Chinese products will be eliminated in three phases between 2011 and 2013 starting from today. 

China: 

World Economic Forum "Summer Davos" in Asia Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2010 (to Sept. 15)

China: 

Sudanese Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Ahmad Karti begins two-day official visit. Expceted to hold talks with Chinese counterpart on progress of relations between Khartoum and Beijing.

South Korea:

Defence Ministry to publish its final report on March sinking of corvette Cheonan with loss of 46 lives; incident has been blamed by Seoul and Washington on a North Korean torpedo attack

Cambodia: 

Around 100,000 garment workers are expected to join the nationwide strike demanding a new round of negotiation on minimum wage at 93 USD per month.

Russia: 

Kyrgyzstan Defence Minister Abibulla Kudayberdiyev visits for talks with Russian counterpart Anatoliy Serdyukov; military cooperation, Russian military base in Kant, plans for Russian military training centre in Osh are on agenda

Russia:  

Russia and Iran to discuss cooperation in agricultural sector.

India: 

The Indian Strategic Forces Command plans to create a fighter force with nuclear capabilities, Press Trust of India reported. The Strategic Forces Command has sent a proposal to the Indian Defence Ministry on forming a force of two squadrons of 40 jets, which will be capable of carrying missiles armed with nuclear warheads. It will be the first time India has possessed a nuclear strike force consisting of fighter jets.

Afghanistan: 

Top US commander in Afghanistan Gen. David Petraeus has issued new guidelines on contracting aimed at improving oversight and ensuring that international funds do not end up in the hands of militants and criminals, worsen corruption or hamper efforts to win the loyalty of the Afghan people

Iran: 

The Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee sent a letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad requesting that he eliminate the positions of special presidential envoys

Iran: 

Tehran has not sent a delegation of officials to Baghdad to hold talks with US officials on the formation of the next Iraqi government, according to an unnamed Iranian source, Al-Sharq reported 

Iran: 

Iran said on Sunday it was ready to release on bail an American woman who was detained near border with Iraq more than a year ago; Sarah Shourd was arrested along with two American men in July last year and accused of spying; watching for developments

Turkey: 

Following developments after voters in Turkey on Sunday gave strong backing to constitutional reforms in referendum seen as trial of strength between government and its secularist opponents

Israel: 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said current restrictions on settlement construction in the West Bank will end

Egypt: 

Arab League foreign ministers meet in Cairo, expected to endorse direct talks between Israel, Palestinians due to be held in Sharm al-Shaykh on 14 September

Madagascar: 

National Conference held as part of transition process in run-up to 17 November constitutional referendum, next year's presidential, legislative elections; postponed from 30 August (-18)

Ukraine: 

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych visits Brussels for talks on association accord, visa-free travel, free-trade zone

Austria: 

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors meets 

Finland: 

"Largest-ever" military exercises, involving United States, nine EU countries (-24)

Norway:  

The Challenges of Growth, Employment and Social Cohesion, Joint ILO-IMF Conference. Speakers include IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, German deputy labour minister Ralf Brauksiepe, ILO Director-General Juan Somavia.

Luxembourg:  

The General Court, Europe's second highest court, is to rule on a challenge by French TV station TF1 against the European Commission's approval of a French levy on television companies to finance independent productions and an obligation to invest in such productions.

Holland: 

International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague holds hearings into Russia's challenge to its jurisdiction in case brought by Georgia; Russia is accused of breaches of International Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (-17)

UK: 

London court hears extradition case of Russian businessman Yevgeniy Chichvarkin, former owner of mobile phone store chain Yevroset; Chichvarkin is wanted by Russia for complicity in alleged kidnap, extortion

Canada: 

World Energy Congress in Montreal, attended by energy executives (-16) 

US: 

Nigerian national Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab status conference in Detroit court charged with trying to blow up Northwest Airlines flight 253 as it approached Detroit from Amsterdam with almost 300 people on board.

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