What's Happening Today - Tuesday 5 October

Japan:

A Japanese official said he plans to visit the disputed Kuril Islands as part a visa-free exchange program, Kyodo reported. Japanese Minister of Land Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Sumio Mabuchi made the comments after Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said he may visit the islands soon. Russia controls the islands, which Japan refers to as the Northern Territories. Mabuchi, speaking from Nemuro, Hokkaido prefecture, did not specify when his visit would occur.

China: 

UN climate change conference continues in Tianjin (-9) ahead of main summit in Mexico's Cancun on 29 November-10 December

Thailand: 

Court continues hearing new charges against alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor But (Bout); verdict possible today which may clear the way for his extradition to USA, despite strong opposition from Russia

Russia:

Russia's Defence Ministry announced the creation of a new military district for southern Russia, Xinhua reported. General Alexander Galkin has taken command of the new district. Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said the new district will fulfil several tasks, including fighting terrorism, keeping a permanent naval presence in Ukraine, keeping Georgia from its breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and air defence tasks outside Russia.

Russia: 

Investment forum "Russia Calling!"; Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, presidential aide Arkadiy Dvorkovich, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Tyhypko, French Economy, Industry and Employment Minister Christine Lagarde attend

India:

Air Chief Marshal P.V. Naik, head of the Indian air force, said anything that affects India's growth is a matter of concern, amid the ascension and modernization of China's military. According to Naik, the Indian air force's current procurement plans rest on four pillars: see, reach, hit and protect. Like the Indian army, the air force is tweaking its doctrine to prepare for future multi-front wars, Naik said.

Nepal:

Nepalese police confiscated ballot boxes from Tibetan refugees wishing to vote for the exiled government led by the Dalai Lama, Bloomberg reported 

Tajikistan:

Watching developments as at least six people were killed in clashes in Tajikistan. Five policemen, one of them an officer, were also killed in the gun battles, and one more was wounded. (NB A special operation was launched in eastern Tajikistan on September 22, aimed at rounding up former opposition militants)

Tajikistan:

The price of Kazakh flour exported to Tajikistan has nearly doubled, Asia-Plus reported. The release price of third-grade wheat was $261 per metric ton and $395 per metric ton for first-grade flour. Prices increased by $80 per metric ton during transport to the Dushanbe-1 station, the ministry said, adding that wholesale prices increase $3 to $5 each day.

Kazakhstan: 

Kazakhstan will reduce its number of civil servants by 15 percent, which means 26,000 people will lose their jobs to provide savings in 2011

Iraq:

Following up after the Iraqi Council of Ministers postponed the 2010 census until December 5, according to an Iraqi Cabinet statement posted online 

Iraq:

Iraq's oil minister increased the estimate on the country's proven oil reserves to 143.1 billion barrels, an increase of nearly 25 percent

Egypt: 

Watching developments after Palestinian National Authority President Mahmud Abbas arrived yesterday for talks with President Husni Mubarak on direct talks with Israel, bilateral relations; Abbas expected to announce this week if he is pulling out of talks with Israelis after partial freeze on illegal Jewish colonies in occupied West Bank expired 

Somalia:

Somali Transitional Federal Government troops and African Union forces have reclaimed parts of Mogadishu from insurgents, Voice of America reported, adding that al Shabaab may be experiencing a leadership rift. (The group's second-in-command, Muktar Robow, may have withdrawn soldiers from Mogadishu)

Sudan: 

UN Security Council delegation visits, makes trips to Darfur, South Sudan regional capital Juba ahead of next year's independence referendum; no plans to meet President Umar al-Bashir

Sudan: 

Looking for reaction after Sudanese Vice President Ali Osman Mohamed Taha said a referendum on whether Sudan's Abyei region will join the north or the south will not happen unless outstanding issues are resolved first

Nigeria:

Following up after the owner of Nigeria-based Africa Independent Television network, Raymond Dokpesi, was arrested in connection with car bombings in Nigeria on Oct. 1 that killed 12 people. (NB Dokpesi is also the chairman of former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida's presidential campaign). 

Ivory Coast: 

Distribution of identity, voter cards begins in Abidjan ahead of 31 October presidential election; due to be extended to other parts of the country (Ivorian TV news)

Ukraine:

Energoatom, the Ukrainian state enterprise that runs all of the country's nuclear power facilities, has reached an agreement with Atomenergomash, a Russian entity controlled by state nuclear energy corporation Rosatom, to establish a consortium for local production of nuclear power plant equipment

Serbia: 

Tenth anniversary of downfall of Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic

Bosnia Hercegovina:

Looking for reaction after Bakir Izetbegovic said he is ready to work with other ethnic groups after voters backed him for the Muslim seat in Bosnia’s tripartite presidential poll. Social Democrat Zeljko Komsic garnered more than 50 percent in his bid to retain the Croat seat while Nebojsa Radmanovic appears to have kept the Serbian job.

Germany: 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

EU: 

Brussels hosts eighth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit of heads of state and government; Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan attend; second and final day

Sweden:

2010 Nobel Prize for Physics due to be announced (0945 at the earliest).

UN:

World Teachers' Day.

US: 

Sentence expected in trial of Faisal Shahzad, Pakistani-born US citizen who pleaded guilty to attempting to set off car bomb on Times Square, New York, in May

US:

President Barack Obama will address the 2010 Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit at the Mellon Auditorium to talk about the impact of women in business on the economy.

Posted via email from luay's posterous