What's Happening Today - Tuesday 18 January

Australia:

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Defence Minister Stephen Smith will host their United Kingdom counterparts Foreign Secretary William Hague and Defence Secretary Liam Fox at the third Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial (AUKMIN) consultations 

Japan:

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych visits, meets Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Emperor Akihito

South Korea:

Military drills on Yeonpyeong Island

Taiwan:

Live-fire surface-to-air and air-to-air missile tests held at Jiupeng base on Taiwan's southeast coast 

Hong Kong: 

Fourth Asian Financial Forum concludes 

Vietnam: 

Ruling Communist Party continues five-yearly national congress, where country's new leadership will be selected (-20) 

India:

Russian officials arrive to discuss various aspects of the UN, including reforms, which may lead to India becoming permanent member of Security Council

Azerbaijan:

Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze visits

UAE: 

Abu Dhabi hosts World Future Energy summit, attended by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (-20) 

UAE: 

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina continues visit (-19) 

Turkey:

Diyarbakir court resumes trial of Kurdish mayors and politicians; defendants reiterated request for permission to address court in Kurdish language; 32 international delegations attend trial 

Qatar: 

Argentinean President Christina Kirchner continues regional tour with "political and commercial" agenda (-22) 

Yemen:

Following as top security officer Colonel Atiq al-Amri killed by suspected al-Qaida rebels in Shabwa province

Jordan:

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is due to visit Jordan and Palestine (to Jan. 19).

Lebanon:

Retired Brigadier-General Fayez Karam goes on trial on charges of spying for Israel

Lebanon: 

POSTPONED President Michael Sulayman was to hold parliamentary consultations on new premier following collapse of unity government last week; delayed until 24 January to allow parties "more time to decide on candidates" 

Sudan:

Following as Sudanese security forces arrest opposition leader Hassan al-Turabi at his home ... again

Algeria:

Another two Algerians attempted to set themselves on fire, a Ghardaia man suffering a chronic illness was hospitalized with burns after setting himself on fire in a dispute over medical costs. Passersby in Mascara stopped a fishmonger who tried to set himself on fire using gasoline.

Nigeria: 

TENTATIVE Eight-member UN team is likely to arrive in Nigeria for three-day visit to look into illegal arms shipment from Iran, which was intercepted in October 

Nigeria:

The Nigerian Federal High Court in Abuja will resume the trial of four suspects, including Charles Okah, concerning the Oct. 1, 2010, bombings in Abuja.

Senegal:

An 18-member coalition of unions will organize a protest against the high cost of living.

Ivory coast

Ouattara calls for renewed general strike until Gbagbo steps down.

Mali:

ECOWAS has a standby troubleshooting force of 6,500 soldiers, which officials have said could be ready to deploy in Ivory Coast. Mali hosts meeting to fine-tune the logistics of any operation 

Greece:

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will pay a state visit following yesterday’s trip to Cyprus

Belarus:

Russian oil deliveries to Belarus will likely resume by this date, according to the head of Russian oil pipeline monopoly Transneft Nikolai Tokarev.

Poland:

After criticising Russian investigation into plane crash that killed the president, Sejm's Defence Committee will, most likely, reject report formerly

Belgium:

EU Economic & Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) Meeting.

France:

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso answers the questions of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).

UK:

Iraq Inquiry holds final public evidence sessions, through Feb. 4, with witneses including former prime minister Tony Blair.

Cuba:

Pretrial jurisdictional hearing in military commissions case against Noor Uthman, Sudanese detainee at Guantanamo accused of being an al-Qaida weapons instructor.

US:

Chinese President Hu Jintao visits the United States (to Jan. 21).

US:

China clean energy forum (to Jan. 19).

US:

Iraqi immigrant Faleh Hassan Almaleki goes on trial on charges of killing his 20-year-old daughter because he believed she had become too Westernized.

Venezuela:

The names of Venezuelan political opposition legislators leading legislative commissions will be officially announced.

Posted via email from luay's posterous