What's Happening Today - Monday 20 December

Australia:

Two days of mediation talks in Queensland between federal government representatives and lawyers of Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef; he was wrongly detained and had his visa cancelled in 2007 over disproved link to Glasgow airport bomb plot 

Japan: 

Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh visits; talks with country's authorities, focus on bilateral ties as well as funding of sectors such as health, food insecurity (-23)

North Korea:

US New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson wraps up private visit

South Korea: 

Seoul launches one-day live-fire exercise on Yeonpyeong Island, scene of shelling by North which killed four people last month

India:

More than 15 pacts in key areas of civil nuclear cooperation and defence, including one on fifth generation fighter aircraft, will be signed during the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who arrives on Monday night

Nepal: 

First day of Indian army chief Gen V.K. Singh's four day visit, to be conferred honorary rank of Nepal army general as per 60-year tradition, hold talks with PM, defence minister, army chief and top security officials (-23)

Pakistan:

Microsoft founder Bill Gates visits on polio awareness.

Russia: 

Latvian President Valdis Zatlers continues first official visit; agenda includes ethnic Russians' rights in Latvia (-21) 

Iraq:

New cabinet announced by Nuri al-Maliki. Al-Iraqiyah Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, has nominated Falah al-Naqib for the defence minister's post 

Turkey:

Syrian PM Muhammad Naji Utri pays an official visit to Turkey to chair the Syrian side of the Syrian-Turkish High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council due to be held in Ankara on Tuesday

Syria:

The Gaza-bound humanitarian aid convoy 'Asia 1' is scheduled to reach the Syrian borders from Turkey. 15 countries are participating in the convoy, of which are India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Bahrain and Iran.

Lebanon:

Nasrallah says he expects the Special Tribunal looking into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri to issue a bill of indictment 

Lebanon:

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will pay an official 3-day visit

West Bank:

"Christmas under occupation" performance with Nativity scene next to separation barrier. 1800 GMT.

Israel: 

Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius continues visit, meets counterpart Binyamin Netanyahu; Economy Minister Dainius Kreivys also travels; likely to sign bilateral accords on cooperation in industrial research (- 23)

Egypt:

Arab interior, justice ministers meeting to be held in Cairo

Sudan:

The mission of the European Union for monitoring south Sudan referendum is due to hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. [local time] at Al-Fatih Tower Hotel to declare the launching of its monitoring activity.

Sudan:

Khartoum hosts a summit attended by President Umar al-Bashir and his first deputy Salva Kiir Mayardit and Presidents Husni Mubarak of Egypt and Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi of Libya to discuss the situation in Sudan and post-referendum arrangements.

Ivory Coast:

More than 50 people have been killed and more than 200 wounded as a result of post-presidential election violence. There are also growing reports of abductions in the country

Kenya:

Security chiefs, who served during post-election violence, have vowed not to give evidence before the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators in Nairobi, saying Moreno-Ocampo tricked them into being witnesses for prosecution rather than defence.

Ukraine:

Prosecutor-General's Office launches a criminal case against the former prime minister, leader of the [opposition] Fatherland party, Yuliya Tymoshenko, in connection with the embezzlement of the funds which were granted to Ukraine within the Kyoto Protocol. She is expected in court.

Belarus: 

Following reaction to President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's apparent victory in presidential elections. (Reports that Nikolai Statkevich was beaten by special forces officers as he was heading for an unsanctioned rally in downtown Minsk, and that Vladimir Neklyayev was beaten en route to a rally and lost consciousness)

Romania:

Prime Minister Emil Boc to face a no-confidence vote over a new wage bill required under Romania's 20 billion euro IMF-led bailout - the third this year.

Hungary:

Parliament is due to pass the 2011 budget law.

Montenegro:

Union leader of Niksic-based Steelworks says after failed talks that workers to seek rights in street protests 

Italy:

President Giorgio Napolitano likely to urge Berlusconi to broaden his governing majority in a speech

France:

Council of Europe representatives to discuss Dick Marty's report on human organ trafficking allegations in Strasbourg

UK:

Lord Chief Justice issues interim guidance on the use of Twitter and electronic guidance for reporting court proceedings at Royal Courts of Justice.

UK:

Brian Haw, who has maintained a round-the-clock demonstration at Parliament Square since 2001, appears charged with obstructing police. Haw was detained as police made security checks before the opening of Parliament. City of Westminster Magistrates Court.

Dominican Republic:

Bail hearing for two US pilots whose supporters say were inadvertently caught in a drug smuggling operation.

Haiti:

Final officials results of the first round of the presidential election in Haiti published, after appeal period expires

Posted via email from luay's posterous