What's Happening Today - Thursday 27 January

Tonga:

Lord Tu'ilakepa, the former speaker of the Tonga Legislative Assembly, is to appear at the Fasi Magistrates' Court on charges relating to illegal firearms, illegal ammunition and illicit drugs.

China:

Geoffrey Ma Tao-li, the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, wraps up talks with Beijing judiciary

South Korea:

Officials in Seoul to decide whether captured Somali pirates should be taken back to Seoul when the Samho Jewellery arrives at the Omani port of Muscat. 

Vietnam:

State power utility EVN to open its emergency reservoirs to supply 2.72 billion cubic meters of water to irrigate rice fields as water levels in the Northern region dip drastically. [30% down on this time last year – sluice gates at three reservoirs - Hoa Binh, Thac Ba, and Tuyen Quang to be opened gradually]

Mongolia:

Five-day Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum annual meeting concludes

India:

Nepalese President Dr Ram Baran Yadav is all set to embark on visit to India 

Kyrgyzstan:

The prime minister and Cabinet members will be sworn in in front of President Roza Otunbayeva at a parliament session 

Kyrgyzstan: 

Armed forces hold command-and-staff anti-terror exercises (-12 Feb) 

Turkey:

2011 Winter Universiade or World Student Games (to Feb. 6).

Syria: 

Postponed Visit by French National Assembly (lower house) speaker Bernard Accoyer delayed indefinitely due to volatility in the region, particularly in Lebanon 

Jordan:

King to deliver political speech about the internal affairs and economic and political challenges facing the country

Egypt: 

Watching developments after police clashed with protesters in Cairo and Suez for second day yesterday; opposition leader Muhammad al-Baradai expected to arrive in Egypt today 

Sudan: 

President Umar al-Bashir hosts meeting on contested oil-rich region of Abyei following referendum on South Sudan's independence 

Tunisia: 

Reshuffle of interim government expected in bid to end continuing protests

Tunisia: 

Teachers go on strike calling for dissolution of interim government 

Morocco:

Doha Aboutabit and her French husband, Khalid Etefia, go on trial accused of helping Aboutabit's brother to go to Iraq to "commit acts of terrorism"

Morocco: 

Four trade unions go on strike, hold protest outside Ministry of Modernisation of Public Sector against "unfair decrees"

Ethiopia:

18th Session of the African Union Executive Council (to Jan. 28).

Kenya: 

Visit by Christian Wenaweser, president of Assembly of Rome Statute states, which set up International Criminal Court; follows controversy which erupted after ICC accused six prominent Kenyans of being behind violence that followed December 2007 election; first day of two

Nigeria:

Trial of Charles Okah and others accused of terrorist offences begins in Abuja

Nigeria:

Trial begins for Charles Okah and others accused in October 1 dual car bombing that killed at least 12 people in Nigeria's capital.

Nigeria:

International summit on climate change and food security in Nigeria, organized by the Agriculture Graduates Association of Nigeria (AGAN) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment.

Belarus: 

Parliament approves cabinet nominated by President Alyaksandr Lukashenka following re-election in December 

Austria: 

European Gas Conference continues in Vienna (-28); supporters of rival major European pipeline projects including Nabucco, South Stream and White Stream taking part 

Austria:

Tentative: Next court hearing in extradition of Croatian former PM Ivo Sanader takes place in Vienna

Hungary:

Demonstration against new media law takes place in Hungary; rallies expected in Budapest, Szeged, Pecs, Gyula [the law in question creates powers to monitor and fine the media. It creates the National Media and Communications Authority to keep watch on private and public media outlets]

Germany:

Trial of RAF terrorist Verena Becker over murder of federal prosecutor Siegfried Buback in 1977 resumes in Stuttgart

Switzerland:

Second Day of World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011.
    
Belgium:

Turkish EU affairs minister visits European Commission in Brussels

Belgium: 

Russia-NATO Council meets in Brussels at level of chiefs of general staff and envoys (-29) 

Belgium: 

Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Hryhoriy Pedchenko takes part in NATO Military Committee meeting, agenda includes missions to Kosovo, Afghanistan; last day of two 

Belgium: 

Kazakh Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev visits Brussels for talks with EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton on bilateral, multilateral cooperation and regional issues

France:

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso meets French Defence minister Alain Juppe (0930)

UK: 

The Iraq Inquiry into the Iraq war is scheduled to continue with its hearings in the QEII conference centre. Witness for today will be at 14:00 Admiral The Lord Boyce, Chief of the Defence Staff, 2001 to 2003.

UK: 

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits (-29) 

Cuba:

University students will hold the annual "March of Torches" at the steps of the University of Havana 

UN:

UN mediator in the name talks between Macedonia and Greece, Matthew Nimetz, will meet with countries' representatives - Zoran Jolevski and Adamantios Vassilakis 

US: 

Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Karti visits for talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, National Security Adviser Tom Donilon; final day

US: 

Economic Council of West African States (ECOWAS) delegation led by Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma meets UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Cote d'Ivoire post-election crisis expected to be discussed

US:

President Barack Obama meets with his national security team for his monthly meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan in the White House Situation Room

US:

Barack Obama gives press conference and answers questions from the public via YouTube (Questions can be submitted at YouTube.com/askobama or by using the hashtag #askobama on Twitter)

US:

US Senate homeland security committee debates Fort Hood attack in Washington

Ecuador:

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez meets Ecuador's Rafael Correa at the Ecuador-Venezuela Presidential Meeting to discuss bilateral projects.

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