What's Happening Today - Sunday 12 December

China:

An 11.7 percent surge in food prices has caused China's consumer price index to increase to a 28-month high of 5.1 percent in November

Thailand:

Holds by-elections for five parliamentary seats in provinces in the northeast and central region.

India, Sikkim:

Dalai Lama visits the north eastern Indian state Sikkim where he will visit various ancient Buddhist monastries along the border with China

Russia:

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun visits for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov (-15) (Korean news agency KCNA)

Russia: 

Finnish Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi concludes visit; joins counterpart Vladimir Putin to launch high-speed St Petersburg-Helsinki railway service today

Russia:

Constitution Day; human rights activists hold forum to discuss public action to defend constitution, civil rights, options for dialogue with authorities; Monthly Day of Wrath opposition rally held in Moscow, also rally expected by supporters of jailed former Yukos oil company chief Mikhail Khodorkovskiy, his associate Platon Lebedev

Turkmenistan:

A total of 1,972 convicts have been pardoned and freed from further serving sentences under a decree signed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on the occasion of the Neutrality Day holiday; when it also shuts border with Kazakhstan

Iran:

Tehrani students will hold a gathering in protest against the assassinations of Iranian scientists by Western countries outside the British embassy

Iraq:

The Baghdad Operations Command will deny groups of officials access into Al-Kazimiyah from today until Friday [17 December] in order to provide better safety to citizens as they  “perform their religious rituals"

Kuwait:

Following the issue of Kuwaiti opposition MPs being exposed to beatings, the Illa al-Dustur Bloc, composed of the Development and Reform Bloc, the Popular Action Bloc, and the National Action Bloc, says it will 
submit a request to interpellate the prime minister.

UAE:

7th Dubai International Film Festival (to Dec. 19).

Jordan:

Visiting Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd holds a press conference following talks with his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser Judeh.

Israel:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene weekly meeting of his cabinet.

Egypt: 

Opposition holds Day of Wrath over alleged rigging of 28 November parliamentary election

Egypt: 

President Husni Mubarak addresses newly-elected parliament ahead of its first meeting tomorrow 

Libya:

Meeting of North African and southern European Interior Ministers.

Sudan:

Watching after Sudanese Armed Forces attacked Minni Minnawi's faction of the Sudan Liberation Army, a Darfur rebel group. Two ground attacks took place between the SAF and SLA, Darfur's UNAMID peacekeeping force spokesman stated, adding that both attacks were on the village of Khor Abeche, located 80 km northeast of Nyala, the capital of south Darfur.

Kenya: 

Jamhuri Day, marking anniversary of independence from UK in 1963, formation of republic in 1964; President Mwai Kibaki usually delivers speech; Prime Minister Raila Odinga may also speak 

Moldova: 

Election of head of Gagauz autonomous region

Moldova: 

Breakaway Dniester region holds parliamentary election 

Slovenia:

Slovene voters will head to the polls to vote on the new law on RTV Slovenija, a piece of legislation that would thoroughly change the public broadcaster compared to the existing law, which the centre-right government enacted in 2006.

Kosovo: 

Snap elections held following break-up of ruling coalition, no-confidence vote on 2 November 

Sweden:

Following as audio files in an e-mail to Swedish news organizations TT and SAPO sent by the man believed to have conducted a suicide bombing in Stockholm contained messages recorded in both Swedish and Arabic

US: 

Watching for developments after US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke is taken critically ill

US: 

Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon continues visit to meet UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for talks on Spanish involvement in peacekeeping missions (-14) 

Mexico:

Climate Change summit ends.

Posted via email from luay's posterous