What's Happening Today - Monday 25th October

Japan:

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets Emperor Akihito and expected to sign free trade agreement, discuss bilateral civil nuclear cooperation pact

China: 

Unusually large number of presidents and prime ministers visit China, including Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri, Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba (Gabon has third largest oil reserves among sub-Saharan countries),  Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ; South African National Assembly Speaker Max Sisulu and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano 

North Korea:

The first university founded jointly by South and North Korea is scheduled to open in Pyongyang. Pyongyang University of Science and Technology project is “to promote reconciliation and prosperity among the Korean people”.

Koreas:

Some 100 families chosen from a list of 200 families on both sides of border and given permission to meet. South dispatches 5,000 tonnes of rice to North Korea; first such aid shipment since President Lee Myung-bak took office in early 2008

Vietnam:

Start of summit of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, plus the East Asia Summit (to Oct. 30).

Thailand:

Flooding has hit 30 provinces and made 1.2 million homeless. The Royal Irrigation Department has has warned that the embankments along the Chao Phraya River will be in a desperate situation as water run-off from the North is flowing downstream to the capital with the high tide expected to peak.

Philippines:

Government forces tighten their security to avert possible clashes by candidates or their supporters for the upcoming village polls, as the discovery of private armies and militias has worried the capital.

Russia:

The 2010 census is completed – with indications that Russia’s population is considerably smaller than at the time of the fall of the Soviet Union.

Russia:

Moscow City Court to consider a lawsuit filed by the A Just Russia party to abolish the results of the Moscow city duma election in 2009

Russia:

Moscow had insisted farmers complete sowing of winter crops by 25 October, stressing the economic damage done by this summer’s fires and that no grain exports should be made before July 2011. We could find out if they have.

Russia:

Chebarkul training ground in Chelyabinsk Region hosts joint tactical exercise of Collective Rapid Response Forces of Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO); troops from Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus, Tajikistan take part. (NB The CSTO has shown remarkable reluctance to deploy when needed ... as in Kyrgyzstan this year)

Russia: 

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Yukiya Amano begins visit to Moscow (-26); takes part in 5th International Energy Week "Moscow Energy Dialogue"; also meets senior officials from Foreign Ministry, Rosatom, Rostekhnadzor and Federal Medical-Biological Agency 

India:

Iranian Energy Minister Majid Namju arrives in New Delhi on a three-day visit to attend 4th International Renewable Energy Conference 2010

Nepal:

De-mining work suspended 30 June for monsoon period resumes; government deploying four UN-backed army teams to clear minefields dating from 1996-2006 Maoist insurgency within eight months; Maoists deny laying mines but did lay IEDs

Kyrgyzstan:

Military court to consider report completed by Kyrgyzstan's law-enforcement agencies into “the case of mass murder” that took place on 7 April at the central square of Bishkek. Last night, around 1,000 supporters of Kyrgyzstan's Ata-Jurt party gathered outside the Kyrgyz parliament building to demand the resignation of State National Security Service head Keneshbek Duishebayev

Iran:

Iran's Foreign Ministry will hold a conference to review human rights status in the USA

Iran:

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visits meets First Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, Parliament Speaker Ali Larijanii - hydroelectric projects on agenda. (NB Chairman of Iran's Water Resources Management Company says the number of dams in the republic will increase to 538 by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (20 March 2011))

Iran:

Bolivian President Evo Morales visits (-27); today, flies to northeastern city of Tabriz to visit industrial units (Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA))

Iran:

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i continues visit to Qom (-27)

Iran:

Iran is to host the 3rd Nanotechnology Festival,  Tehran says it ranks first in the Muslim world in terms of nanotechnology production. Good guest, if required, Iranian Vice-President for Science and Technology Nasrin Soltankhah

Iraq:

Watching developments after the Iraqi Supreme Court ruled the parliament's self-declared absence to be unconstitutional, and ordered the parliament to convene

Qatar:

Doha hosts eighth Worldwide Exhibition of Internal State Security, Milipol

Saudi:

Saudi Arabia has promised the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) $100 million in order to assist its financial situation, Voice of America reported, without giving any details

Israel: 

Two Arab Israelis passengers from Gaza-bound aid ship seized in 31 May give evidence to commission probing operation that left nine Turkish activists dead (1000 gmt)

Egypt:

A rally will be held to demonstrate against high food prices in front of the cabinet building in Husayan Hijazi street of al-Qasr al-Ayni suburb. According to the Ikhwan website, the Kifayah Movement, the Nasirite Arab Party, the Revolutionary Socialists, the Hashd Movement, the al-Karamah Party, the Movement of Youth for Justice and Freedom, the Committee for the defence of conscientious objectors, Egyptian Women for Change, and the Union of the Islamic Labour Party Youth are all going to take part.

Libya:

Last day of the Arab - Chinese Friendship Conference in Tripoli. Sudan’s delegation was the largest to attend.

Sudan:

Sudanese-Ethiopian border conference in Sinnar State.

Sudan: 

Vice-President Ali Uthman Muhammad Taha gives "important" speech at opening of session of Khartoum State's new parliamentary term

Sudan: 

South African special envoy to Sudan, Charles Nqakula, concludes visit 

Uganda:

First major coverage of the 2011 polls will be held at the national nominations at Namboole, according to the head of the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, Edward Musinguzi Mugasa.

Uganda:

Deadline for Kizza Besigye of the [opposition] Forum for Democratic Change to submit 100 signatures of supporters from each of at least 75 of the 112 districts. If Besigye fails to get the required signatures, he will not be nominated.

Guinea: 

Election officials expected to announce new date for second round of presidential election, which was postponed following violence 

Senegal:

International Conference On Child Health / Aids & Malaria Prevention resumes in Senegal (CHAMP 2010)

Belarus: 

Ukrainian delegation headed by deputy energy minister and head of Ukrtransnafta board in Minsk to sign agreements on pipeline transportation of Venezuelan oil through Ukrainian territory to Belarus; ZAO Belarusian Oil Company to sign on behalf of Belarus 

Luxembourg:

Foreign Affairs Council meets (-26); on agenda, Serbia's application to join EU; possible EU help to Sahel countries fighting Islamist militants; EU's status at UN after failed bid to get own seat; decision on whether to exempt Shah Deniz oilfield in Azerbaijan from EU sanctions on Iran as Iranian company Naftiran has 10 per cent stake in field - EU reportedly does not to wish to endanger planned Nabucco pipeline which would be supplied from Shah Deniz

Belgium: 

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev continues visit (-26); today, meets EU president Herman Van Rompuy (1140gmt); NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen (1245 gmt) 

Belgium:

European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Human Rights holds hearing on human rights in Turkey (25) in view of Commission's Progress Report on 9 November; EU-Turkey joint parliamentary committee meeting (-26); Turkish EU affairs minister Egemen Bag taking part 

France:

Parliamentary conciliatory committee - which is to present final version of controversial pensions bill incorporating opinions of both houses of parliament - meets amid further protests and industrial action by opponents of bill

France:

Around 25 percent of French gas stations are short of fuel due to strikes at refineries across the country against pension reforms

UN:

The United States has asked UN officials to brief the Security Council on peacekeeping preparations in Sudan in preparation for the referendum next January, and is stepping up contacts with aid organizations to evaluate what might happen after the votes.

Haiti:

Watching developments as cholera epidemic appears to be slowing down 

US:

Trial of Canadian Omar Khadr resumes at US prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba amid reported negotiations for plea bargain; Khadr - who was 15 years old when he was captured - is accused of killing US sergeant in Afghanistan; Canadian government has refused to ask for his extradition despite criticism from opposition 

US:

The Buttonwood Gathering (to Oct. 26) of leading policymakers, banking executives and regulators to discuss pressing economic and financial issues such as sovereign-debt risk, the rise of China, global regulatory changes.

Chile:

Thirty-three freed miners celebrate freedom at La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago.

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