What's Happening Today - Thursday 23 September

China:

Seven Hong Kong activists have begun a fishing trip to the Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands in support of China's claim to the disputed area, Radio TV Hong Kong reported 

China:

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) cleared a final hurdle for China to take a leadership role in the fight against piracy off the Horn of Africa. China's involvement was "certain," said Tang Yinchu, a senior consultant at the China Institute of International Strategic Studies and a retired PLA navy major general.

Indonesia:

Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa rejected China’s stance that the United States stay out of territorial disputes in the South China Sea. He said Indonesia would work with ASEAN to negotiate such a resolution through peaceful means.

Russia: 

International Arctic Forum held at Moscow State University; participants include politicians, scientists and NGOs from Russia and abroad; Prime Minister Vladimir Putin makes address today

Russia:

Series of training air battles fought near Chita, southeast Siberia (-30); air defence crews tested for ability to destroy enemy air targets; aims to prepare missile crews for maintaining airspace security above Vladivostok during 2012 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit 

India: 

Athletes start arriving at Commonwealth Games Village in Delhi amid some media claims relating to safety and poor facilities

India: 

The Indian government issued a three-day ban effective from last night on bulk Short Messaging Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) communications ahead of the September 24 verdict on the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute by the Allahabad High Court  to help prevent any organized rioting caused by the verdict's announcement.

Kyrgyzstan:

Russian Defence Ministry delegation visits for talks on status and continued use of military bases in Kyrgyzstan; fourth and final day

Kyrgyzstan: 

Kyrgyzstan to bar Pentagon contractors from supplying jet fuel to a US. air base that is critical for the Afghan war campaign, and replace them with a joint venture consisting of a Kyrgyz state company and Russia's Gaspromneft, President Otunbayeva said. Such an arrangement would reduce corruption, increase transparency and bring an end to questionable Pentagon contracts, she said.

Tajikistan:

A large weapons cache was seized in the home of former rebel commander Mirzokhuja Ahmadov during an operation in Rasht district, Tajik Television First Channel reported. At least 5 rebels were killed during the operation which involved rocket fire. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Tajik Service reports that Shoh Iskandarov, has joined the rebel leadership. The Interior Ministry is continuing an intensive search operation. All telephones in Rasht have been shut down.

Afghanistan: 

US General  David Petraeus has completed a draft plan to start reducing NATO forces in parts of Afghanistan next year. However, a US military headquarters will remain for years in Afghanistan as a crucial communications and intelligence link and base from which a quick reaction team would deploy, medevac assets would be staged and teams mentoring Afghan forces would be located.

Afghanistan:

TENTATIVE Preliminary results of 18 September parliamentary election may emerge today; results "remain subject to resolution of complaints by Electoral Complaints Commission"

Afghanistan: 

TENTATIVE Wolasi Jerga, lower house of parliament, decided on 29 June to go into recess until today; the house on 28 June approved five out of seven ministers-designate submitted to it, leaving seven cabinet posts still unfilled

Kazakhstan:

Two blasts occurred at Intergas Central Asia’s pipeline near the village of Sai-Utes in Kazakhstan’s Mangistaus region, causing a blaze, the Kazakh Emergency Ministry said, cutting gas transit.

Kazakhstan: 

Live fire drill held as part of Peace Mission-2010 military exercise of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (-25); five of six members involved (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan), Uzbekistan is not participating

Iran: 

Sacred Defence Week continues, marking anniversary of start of 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war (-28); 10 people were killed and at least 20 wounded in bomb attack on military parade in north-western Iran held as part of Sacred Defence Week

Turkey:

Turkey's Felicity Party has been ordered by a local court in Ankara to organize a party convention in order to elect new leadership. Felicity members Mustafa Kamalak, Hasan Bitmez and Serafettin Kilic were ordered by the court to set up the convention. 

Iraq:

Iraq will hold a nationwide census for the first time in 20 years on October 24, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Sept. 22, Xinhua reported. Although the security situation and a lack of funding led Iraq to delay the census, al-Maliki said he his confident it will be successful.

Bahrain:

Second and final day of meeting in Manama of interior ministers from countries neighbouring Iraq (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Syria, Turkey)

Yemen:

Yemeni troops are preparing to launch a second offensive near the of city al-Huta in Shabwa province, a security official said and is pushing all civilians to leave.

Romania:

Romanian President Traian Basescu said his country would sign a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2011 to borrow 5.7 billion euros ($7.6 billion) to bolster its economy and cover its budget deficit, which will be 6.8 percent of gross domestic product this year

Romania:

Follow-up after tear gas was used on about 20,000 people protesting the government's austerity measures that include wage cuts and public sector layoffs. Protests are likely to continue today and tomorrow.

Latvia: 

Two-day Baltic Economic Forum kicks off in Riga; attendees include prime ministers of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Belarus (Valdis Dombrovskis, Andrius Kubilius, Andrus Ansip and Syarhey Sidorski, respectively); Sidorski also meets Dombrovskis, opens joint investment forum

Italy: 

Egyptian President Husni Mubarak visits to meet Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for talks on Middle East peace process, bilateral ties; opens Egyptian Academy of Arts in Rome 

Belgium: 

Start of two-day informal meeting of EU defence ministers

France: 

Trade unions strike in protest at government pension reforms, disruption expected to travel

France:

A spokesman for the Tuareg Movement in northern Mali explicitly accused the government of providing care and support for al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), adding that the sites where previous AQIM attacks had been launched were the same as those used to hold the five Frenchmen and two Africans kidnapped on Sept. 16, El-Khabar reported. The previous attacks include the assassination of 11 Algerian border guards last June, the assassination of seven Nigerien soldiers last March and the attack by a booby-trapped car against a Mauritanian garrison last week.

UN: 

Start of general debate at 65th session of UN General Assembly; US President Barack Obama, Iran's Mahmud Ahmadinejad, Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao make addresses today 

US: 

Final day of Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York 

US:  

Look ahead as the US House Ways and Means Committee convenes tomorow to vote on a bill pressuring China to revalue its currency. Possible guests include Chairman Sander Levin or Reps Tim Ryan and Tim Murphy

US:

Republican leaders in the US House of Representatives plan to announce their "governing agenda."

US:

Sentencing of Aafia Siddiqui, U.S.-trained Pakistani scientist, for the attempted murder of U.S. officers and employees. 

Venezuela:

Russia signed an agreement for the supply of 10 Aframax crude oil tankers to Venezuela at a cost of $700 million by 2016. Three of the ships will be built by a Daewoo shipyard in South Korea, while the remaining vessels will be constructed in Russia.

Posted via email from luay's posterous