What's Happening Today - Wednesday 15 December

South Korea:

Major civil defence drill against mock air raid by North Korea; also, naval firing exercises continue in 27 locations; follows North Korea's deadly artillery attack on South Korean island of Yeonpyeong in late November (-27)

India:

Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India continues, heads the biggest ever delegation of 400 businessmen to New Delhi.

Russia:

Chechen diaspora in Moscow gather in the square next to the Yevropeyskiy shopping centre to protest against Russian neo-Nazis intimidation; counter demonstrations by right-wing organizations expected – could easily turn violent

Russia:

A verdict to Mikhail Khodorkovskiy and Platon Lebedev is expected 

Russia:

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun wraps up three day visit to Russia 

Russia:

The Dagestani Peoples' Congress held in Makhachkala. About 3,000 representatives of all the republic's ethnic groups will be trying to decide how to solve security, and continuing disappearances that most locals suspect are being undertaken by the security forces.

Russia: 

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac visits, meets Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksey Borodavkin 

Russia: 

Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic visits Moscow for talks with counterpart Sergey Lavrov

Russia: 

Mongolian Prime Minister Suhbaataryn Batbold visit, meets counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss economic cooperation (-16) 

Pakistan:

All-parties conference on protection of dignity of Prophet to be held in Islamabad, religious parties hold protest against changes in blasphemy law

Kyrgyzstan: 

Jalal-Abad town court meets in capital city of Bishkek to launch case against Akmat Bakiyev, brother of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, accused of organizing mass disturbances, extortion, illegal possession of weapons

Kazakhstan:

Launch of three-man crew to International Space Station.

Iran: 

Tasua (15) and Ashura (16) days of mourning, marking martyrdom of Imam Husain; pro-reform protests possible

Iraq/UN: 

US Vice President Joseph Biden chairs Security Council meeting on Iraq at UN headquarters in New York

Turkey:

Russia's energy minister and an accompanying delegation visit Turkey, attempt to end commercial competition between "Nabucco" and "South Stream"

Turkey:

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin visits Turkey to discuss establishing joint venture to build nuclear power plant and gas contracts.

Lebanon:

Nasrallah announces that he intends to give a political speech, in which he will address domestic and regional issues.

Egypt:

Deadline for all Tajik students studying in al-Azhar university  to leave their studies and return home.

Egypt:

Mahmud Abbas attends the meeting of the Arab Follow-Up Committee which will be held at the headquarters of the Arab League

Sudan:

Peace and Security Council of the African Union is expected to visit Sudan for three days as part of the council's concern over implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)

Ethiopia: 

Fifth International Conference on Federalism, Equality and Unity in Diversity for Development held in Addis Ababa (-16)

Zimbabwe:

ZANU-PF annual conference starts in Mutare, expected to endorse Mugabe as the party's presidential candidate.

Zambia:

Great Lakes Regional Conference; will discuss illegal use of natural resources in the 10 member states at the Great Lake Region, which are Sudan, Angola, Burundi , the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia.

South Africa: 

Third and final day of visit by Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos; bilateral ties cooled under former President Thabo Mbeki, but are improving since Jacob Zuma came to power 

South Africa: 

Congress of People, a party which broke away from ruling African National Congress, begins two-day conference to elect leadership

Ghana:

Ghana will start commercial oil production from a field holding one of the largest discoveries in west Africa in recent years

Cyprus:

Turkish Cypriot President Dervis Eroglu and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias, meet ahead of unification meeting in Geneva at the end of January 2011 

Greece:

Private and public sector workers' unions GSEE and ADEDY stage a 24-hour general strike to protest against the austerity measures in the 2011 budget.

Romania:

Constitutional Court debates challenges to the IMF-mandated pensions reform recently approved by parliament.

Czech Republic:

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg to meet his British counterpart William Hague. A news conference to follow (1345).

Bosnia:

After almost two decades, Bosnians and Albanians are able to enjoy visa-free travel to the European Union. The EU's decision to end visa requirements for citizens of these two countries leaves now Kosovo as the last area of the Balkans without visa-free travel to the EU.

Kosovo:

Watching for reaction to Council of Europe report that accuses Prime Minister Hashim Thaci of heading an organised criminal group that has engaged in human rights abuses and trafficked weapons, drugs and human organs  

Holland:

Six Kenyan officials charged at The Hague over the 2008 post-election violence.

Belgium:

King of Jordan, Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, visit Brussels to meet with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and European Commission Vice President / High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

EU:

European Parliament considers sanctions against a group of Russian officials who are allegedly involved in the death of lawyer Sergey Magnitskiy in a remand centre.

EU:

Workers unions expected to go for a Europe-wide day of action against austerity plans.

France:

The former dictator of Panama, Manuel Noriega, to have his seven year sentence reviewed at Court of Appeal in Paris and could announce its decision on the same day.

France:

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan visits France, meets Defence Minister Alain Juppe (1100) and President Nicolas Sarkozy (1200).

France:

The European Parliament is set to vote on the 2011 EU budget at its plenary session.

France:

French Defense Minister Alain Juppe closes conference on fighting terrorism in the Persian Gulf

Ireland:

Lower chamber to vote on IMF/EU bailout.

UN:

Security Council meeting on Iraq

US: 

China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade meets in Washington; second and final day 

US:

President Barack Obama to host a summit of corporate chief executives as his administration steps up efforts to mend relations with big business and win their support for his economic policies.

Argentina:

Government considers tender to purchase 800,000 Magalhaes computers from Portugal; a company that has an interesting tax history

Bolivia:

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez visits Bolivia (to Dec. 16), meets President Evo Morales.

Cuba:

Assembly convenes for last of twice-yearly sessions before next year's Communist Party Congress. Raul Castro expected to speak at opening.

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