What's Happening Today - Thursday 16 December

Hong Kong:

Court pronounces sentence on Chan Yau-hei, man convicted of threatening on internet to bomb Beijing's Liaison Office

China: 

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visits (-17) 

India: 

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao continues three-day trip at head of large business delegation; holds talks with counterpart Manmohan Singh today; Wen goes on to Pakistan tomorrow 

India:

Reserve Bank of India holds mid-quarter policy review of interest rate policy.

Russia: 

Annual phone-in with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, broadcast live on TV and radio; starts at 0900 gmt

Armenia: 

National TV and Radio Commission announces winners of tender for 18 TV frequencies)

Iran: 

Ashura, Shi'i day of mourning, marking martyrdom of Imam Husain

Iran: 

Watching developments after up to 40 were reported killed yesterday in suicide attack in Chabahar, Sistan-Baluchestan Province

Turkey: 

First hearing of "Sledgehammer" case, in which retired and active officers stand accused of plotting to topple government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2003 

Turkey: 

Istanbul hosts Council of Europe conference on prevention of terrorism (-17); Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay, President of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe Mevlut Cavusoglu, Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland deliver opening speeches today 

Iraq: 

Around two million Shi'i pilgrims expected to visit Karbala to mark Ashura Day amid tight security

Lebanon: 

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hasan Nasrallah makes Ashura speech 

Israel: 

Arab League said there would be no resumption of negotiations between Palestinians and Israel until US offered "a serious proposal" for ending Middle East conflict; watching for reaction, comment

Egypt:

Arab Foreign Ministers meet to discuss lack of progress in peace talks in Arab League.

Algeria: 

African counterterrorism forum attended by representatives from Sahel countries 

Sudan: 

African Union's Peace and Security Council delegation visits ahead of 9 January referendum on South Sudan independence (-18)

Ethiopia: 

Fourth and final day of Fifth International Conference on Federalism, Equality and Unity in Diversity for Development held in Addis Ababa

Kenya:

International Criminal Court prosecutor on Wednesday named three Kenyan cabinet ministers and a former police chief among six suspects behind the 2007-8 post-election violence that claimed 1,500 lives; watching for developments, reaction

Zimbabwe: 

Second day of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party annual conference in Mutare; agenda expected to include campaign strategy for 2011 general elections, power-sharing deal with Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) (-18)

South Africa:

Congress of the People, a party which broke away from ruling African National Congress, holds conference to elect leadership; second and final day 

Ivory Coast: 

Supporters of internationally recognized President-elect Alassane Ouattara plan marches today and tomorrow to seize control of state-owned media and seat of government, still held by officials loyal to defeated presidential candidate, Laurent Gbagbo, who is refusing to leave office

Greece:

Athens public transport employees hold a 24-hour strike against austerity measures (0900).

Switzerland: 

Georgia, Russia hold another round of talks in Geneva following 2008 conflict over Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia, Abkhazia; Georgian National Security Council Secretary Giga Bokeria attends 

Sweden: 

Swedish intelligence service Saepo holds news conference on the weekend suicide bombing targeting Christmas shoppers

Germany:

European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) meeting.

Belgium:

EU Heads of State and Government Meeting (to Dec. 17).

EU: 

EU heads of State and Government, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy begin two-day summit in Brussels 

EU: 

Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat begins two-day visit to Brussels to meet EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fuele, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso 

France:

Report author Dick Marty gives news conference in Paris on Council of Europe report implicating Kosovo's prime minister Hashim Thaci in organ trafficking in the aftermath of the 1998-99 war 

France:

French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde meets Hungarian counterpart Gyorgy Matolcsy (1400).

UK:

A British court to decide whether to free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, on 200,000 pound ($317,000) bail over accusations of sex crimes in Sweden.

Brazil: 

Mercosur (Common Market of the South) summit held in Foz de Iguacu, western Brazil; Mercosur includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay (-17)

US: 

Moroccan officials, representatives from Western Sahara's independence movement Polisario Front begin three days of talks in New York 

US: 

President Barack Obama makes announcement on review of US strategy in Afghanistan; watching global reaction

US:

Commodity Futures Trading Commission to unveil its long-awaited revised plan to limit speculative positions held by commodities traders.

US:

A Florida judge expected to hear arguments on a lawsuit by 20 U.S. states seeking to block President Barack Obama's overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system.

US:

President Barack Obama hosts a conference of American Indian leaders.

US:

House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Espionage Act and the legal and constitutional questions raised by WikiLeaks.

Belize: 

Central American summit; agenda expected to include border controversy between Costa Rica and Nicaragua

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