• Chinese president meets Chinese, Nigerian businessmen

China-Nigeria-diplomacy-oil
ABUJA
China's President Hu Jintao arrives in Nigeria for a visit to discuss oil and trade ties between Asia and Africa's most populous nations.
600 words 1430 GMT by Ola Awoniyi
SAfrica-politics-justice-Zuma
JOHANNESBURG
Prosecutors tell a South African court that former deputy president Jacob Zuma should be found guilty of raping a young HIV-positive woman as the trial of the one-time top presidential contender wraps up.
500 words 1030 GMT by Fienie Grobler.
Zimbabwe-politics-land
HARARE
Zimbabwe is ready to allow white farmers who were driven off their land under President Robert Mugabe's land reform programme to return, the agriculture minister tells AFP.
600 words 1030 GMT by Fanuel Jongwe and Godfrey Marawanyika.
-- AMERICAS --
US-attacks-trial-Moussaoui,newseries
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia
A US jury will get back to work, entering its second full day of work in the search for a verdict in the death penalty trial of Al-Qaeda plotter Zacarias Moussaoui.
550 words moved by Stephen Collinson
Document AFPR000020060426e24q002wt

UPDATE 5-Nigeria gives China oil rights for investment
By Tom Ashby

667 words

26 April 2006

05:27 AM

Reuters News

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English

(c) 2006 Reuters Limited
(Updates with signing)
ABUJA, April 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria agreed to give China four oil drilling licences in exchange for a commitment to invest $4 billion in infrastructure in a deal signed by President Hu Jintao on Wednesday, Nigerian officials said.
The oil deal was the largest of seven bilateral agreements signed by the giants of Asia and Africa, which also included Chinese help with Nigeria's fight against malaria and bird flu.
Analysts said the oil deal was a good fit for both countries. China, the world's most populous nation, needs more imported oil to fuel its rapidly growing economy. Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation but also one of the world's poorest, needs foreign investment to speed development.
"The main purpose of my visit is to deepen the Nigeria-China relationship and strengthen the partnership both politically and economically," Hu said through an interpreter during a signing ceremony with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Nigeria is Hu's latest stop on a world tour that has also taken him to the United States, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
Under the oil deal, Nigeria will give first right of refusal to state-run China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) on four oil exploration blocks at an auction next month. China will buy a controlling stake in Nigeria's 110,000 barrel-a-day Kaduna oil refinery and build a power station.
"The agreement is a formalisation of the four oil block contracts which includes the maintenance and management of the Kaduna refinery and setting up a power generation station," said Minister of State for Petroleum Edmund Daukoru.
Another agreement set up a $500 million export credit from the Eximbank of China to Nigeria for infrastructure development.
China will also grant Nigeria 40 million yuan ($5 million) for anti-malaria drugs, help train Nigerians to control malaria and bird flu, and cooperate in technology, according to other agreements signed.
OVERDUE
Hu is due to give a speech to Nigeria's National Assembly on Thursday, before flying to Kenya, in which he will outline China's relations with the world's poorest continent.
The trade relationship is booming. In 2004, Chinese exports to Africa hit $13.82 billion, up 36 percent over the previous year, while imports surged 81 percent to $15.65 billion.
Former Nigerian foreign minister Bolaji Akinyemi welcomed the deals with China, saying that stronger ties between the Asian and African heavyweights were long overdue.
"China is an emerging world power with a booming economy. She needs oil. Nigeria needs as much investment as possible, and to diversify the sources of its investment," Akinyemi said.
Almost all of Nigeria's current oil production is controlled by five Western multinationals, but China's CNOOC last week paid $2.7 billion for a 45 percent stake in a major offshore oilfield due to start pumping in 2008.
World oil prices hit record highs of $75 a barrel last week on concerns over tight global supplies. Rising prices have stoked fierce competition between Asia and the West over access to new reserves.
"In the Middle East, the United States regards China's incursion with alarm, but Nigeria is more virgin territory for suitors and Washington should not be too worried," Akinyemi said. "It insulates Nigeria from influence by one power."
Since last year, Nigeria has favoured Asian over Western investors because they are more prepared to offer major infrastructure developments in exchange for drilling rights.
The blocks on offer to China comprise two areas in the oil-producing Niger Delta, one onshore and one in shallow water, and two areas in the higher-risk inland Chad basin, where no oil is currently produced.
China also has major investments in Nigeria's fast-growing telecoms industry, and has found a ready market for cheap textiles and other finished goods.
ENERGY-NIGERIA-CHINA (UPDATE 5, PICTURE)|LANGEN|AFA|CSA|LBY|RWSA|RWS|REULB|GNS|ABX|BNX|SXNA
Document LBA0000020060426e24q000tz

DIARY - Energy - to July 20
1,457 words

26 April 2006

05:11 AM

Reuters News

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(c) 2006 Reuters Limited
Double click on [IND/DIARY] for an index of all diaries ** This diary has now been updated with NYMEX crude, gasoline, heating oil and natural gas futures expiry dates, and IPE Brent crude and gas oil futures expiry dates.
REUTERS DIARY OF ENERGY MARKET EVENTS
===================================== GENERAL / ECONOMIC EVENTS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 ABUJA- Chinese President Hu Jintao visits Nigeria (to April 27). NEW YORK- NYMEX May natural gas futures contract expiry. THURSDAY, APRIL 27 ABUJA/NAIROBI- Chinese President Hu Jintao discusses Chinese companies buying stakes in four on-shore oil fields and an oil refinery in Nigeria. Hu then travels to Kenya to discuss aid and economic cooperation issues. ISTANBUL- Fifth Energy Area meeting, attended by International Energy Agency President Claude Mandil among others (to April 28). FRIDAY, APRIL 28 CALIFORNIA- Deadline for enviromentalists to gather 598,105 signatures of registered Californian voters to get the "Clean Alternative Energy Act" on the Nov. 7 ballot. The measure if enacted would tax oil production to fund a range of alternative energy efforts. NEW YORK- NYMEX May Heating Oil futures contract expiry. SHANGHAI, China- 7th China International Water Supply, Drainage & Water Treatment Expo (to April 30). SATURDAY, APRIL 29 ABU DHABI, UAE- Middle East Petroleum Strategy Briefing 2006 (to April 30). Link: http://www.cconnection.org/ SUNDAY, APRIL 30 ABU DHABI, UAE- 14th Annual Middle East Petroleum & Gas Conference 2006 (to May 02). Link: http://www.cconnection.org/ SOFIA- Research Reactor Fuel Management - RRFM 2006 (to May 3). Link: http://www.rrfm2006.org/ [20060426 091159 GMT]
MAY 2006 BEIJING - China's Three Goreges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectricity project, expected to be completed by May. MONDAY, MAY 1 HOUSTON - Offshore Technology Conference (to May 4). Link: www.otcnet.org LOME - Closing date for applications for licences for open Togolese offshore deep water oil blocks. NEW YORK - GreenT Forum: Raising the Bar on Voluntary Environmental Credit Markets (to May 2). Focus on determining quality and developing quality standards for environmental commodities (e.g., carbon offsets, renewable energy certificates), and assessing their impact on creating viable voluntary markets for environmental credits. Link: www.greenTmarkets.com . TUESDAY, MAY 2 PARIS - Energy Week, hosted by Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of AREVA, the WEC Vice Chair, including: (1) Third WEC Regional Meeting on Global Energy Scenarios Study; and (2) WEC- Europe Regional Meeting. PARIS - Europe Regional Meeting organised by World Energy Council (WEC). WEDNESDAY, MAY 3 ABU DHABI - 1st Gulf Conference on Commercialisation of CNG 2006 PARIS - International Advisory Panel organised by World Energy Council (WEC) SUNDAY, MAY 7 QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA - The 46th APPEA annual conference (to May 10). Link: http://www.appea.com.au/2006Conference/eventoverview.htm TUESDAY, MAY 9 BRUSSELS - 3rd Annual Global Petrochemicals Conference - Technology Showcase (to May 11) WEDNESDAY, MAY 10 BRUSSELS - World Refining Association Global Petrochemicals Conference and Technology Showcase (to May 11). COLOGNE, GERMANY - Carbon Expo - Global Carbon Market Fair & Conference (to May 12). LINK: http://www.carbonexpo.com/ THURSDAY, MAY 11 LONDON - Finance and Investment in Kuwait conference (to May 12) with Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Minister of Energy of the State of Kuwait. LINK: www.ibcenergy.com/kuwait LONDON - IPE Gas Oil futures May contract expires. LONDON - The Romanian Utilities Conference, a one day conference to examine the Romanian utilities industry, and it's suitability for investors in the lead-up to EU accession. FRIDAY, MAY 12 PARIS - International Energy Agency to publish its monthly oil market report. SUNDAY, MAY 14 AMMAN - 8th Arab Energy Conference (to May 17). MONDAY, MAY 15 ABU DHABI - 6th Annual Oil and Gas Pipelines in the Middle East Conference (to May 16) TUESDAY, MAY 16 HAMBURG, GERMANY - WindEnergy - International Trade Fair (to May 19) LONDON - IPE Brent Crude futures June contract expires. TASHKENT - 10th Uzbekistan International Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference (to May 18) WEDNESDAY, MAY 17 KARACHI, PAKISTAN - 4th Pakistan Oil Gas & Energy Exhibition and Conference (to May 20) MARRAKECH - 4th Maghreb & Mediterranean Oil & Gas Conference (to May 18). LINK: www.petro21.com VIENNA - OPEC Monthly oil market report WASHINGTON - API Monthly Statistical Report. FRIDAY, MAY 19 OSLO - 4th Joint OPEC/IEA workshop focussing on global energy demand: outlook and uncertainties. MONDAY, MAY 22 DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA - 1st Regional Symposium on Carbon Management (to May 24). NEW YORK - NYMEX June Light Sweet Crude Oil futures contract expiry. NICE - McCloskey's European Coal Outloook Conference (to May 23). Link: http://conf.mccloskeycoal.com/ THURSDAY, MAY 25 ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND - All-Energy Exhibition and Conference (to May 26). GENOA, ITALY - 1st Genoa Renewable Energy Exhibition (to May 27). ISTANBUL - 12th International Cogeneration, Combined Cycle and Environment Conference and Exhibition (to May 26). FRIDAY, MAY 26 NEW YORK - NYMEX June natural gas futures contract expiry. MONDAY, MAY 29 BEIJING - 3rd Asian Renewable Energy Fair & Conference - REAsia 2006 (to May 31) BUDAPEST - Eastern Biofuels Conference & Expo II (to June 2) TUESDAY, MAY 30 ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND - International Symposium on Oilfield Corrosion / International Symposium on Oilfield Scale (to June 1), Link: www.spe.org LONDON - Equitorial Guinea Upstream 2006 (to May 31). LINK: www.petro21.com WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 NEW YORK - NYMEX June Heating Oil futures contract expiry. PARIS - CIS Oil and Gas Summit 2006 (to June 2) SURREY, U.K. - NOC-IOC Retreat 2006 'Pooling Strengths to Maximise Potential'(to June 1). E-mail: [e-mail]. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone] Link: www.thecwcgroup.com THURSDAY, JUNE 1 CARACAS - Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) meeting. MONDAY, JUNE 5 AMSTERDAM - 23rd World Gas Conference (to June 9) AMSTERDAM - International Gas Union holds its 23d World Gas Conference (to June 9). BANGKOK - Biofuels Markets (to June 6). Organiser: Green Power Conferences. TUESDAY, JUNE 6 BAKU - 13th Azerbaijan International Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference (To June 9). BAKU - 13th International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference (to June 9). LONDON - Troika Dialog holds the 3rd Annual London Conference to focus on distribution of Russian energy and resources to the world. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel (to June 7) NICE - The 10th European Power Generation Strategy Conference (to June 9). Link: http://www.wbr.co.uk/powereurope/index.html SUNDAY, JUNE 11 KUALA LUMPUR - Asia Oil & Gas Conference 2006 (to June 13). NEPTUN, ROMANIA - WEC Regional Energy Forum-FOREN 2006 (to June 15). MONDAY, JUNE 12 LONDON - IPE Gas Oil futures June contract expires. OSLO - OSLO CONVENTION AND CONFERENCE, "Regional Electricity Markets: A Stepping Stone to European Integration?" (to June 13). TUESDAY, JUNE 13 HONG KONG - Carbon Markets Asia (to June 14) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14 WASHINGTON - API Monthly Statistical Report. THURSDAY, JUNE 15 HONG KONG - Renewable Energy Finance Asia (to June 16). LONDON - IPE Brent Crude futures July contract expires. SUNDAY, JUNE 18 MONT TREMBLANT, CANADA - Energy Council of Canada - Board of Directors Meeting & Energy Forum (to June 20). MONDAY, JUNE 19 DARWIN, AUSTRALIA - SEAAOC conference on "Commercialising Regional Gas for a Global Energy Market" (to June 21). Link: http://www.seaaoc.com/ MOSCOW - 11th International Oil & Gas Exhibition - NEFTEGAZ 2006 (to June 23) TRONDHEIM, NORWAY - 8th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies (to June 23). VIENNA - OPEC Monthly oil market report TUESDAY, JUNE 20 MOSCOW - 4th Russian Petroleum and Gas Congress Alongside Neftegaz Exhibition (To June 22) MOSCOW - 4th Russian Petroleum Congress at the Neftegaz Exhibition (to June 21) NEW YORK - NYMEX July Light Sweet Crude Oil futures contract expiry. MONDAY, JUNE 26 STAVANGER, NORWAY - Oil and gas development in Arctic and cold regions conference (To June 27). www.informa.com SYDNEY - Australian Energy Summit (to June 27). WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28 LONDON - Oil, Gas and Natural resources in Kazakhstan (to June 30) www.ibcenergy.com/kazakhstan NEW YORK - NYMEX July natural gas futures contract expiry. THURSDAY, JUNE 29 LONDON - UK Energy Policy Review Workshop. Email: [e-mail] FRIDAY, JUNE 30 NEW YORK - NYMEX July Heating Oil futures contract expiry. WEDNESDAY, JULY 12 LONDON - IPE Gas Oil futures July contract expires. FRIDAY, JULY 14 LONDON - IPE Brent Crude futures August contract expires. MONDAY, JULY 17 VIENNA - OPEC Monthly oil market report WEDNESDAY, JULY 19 WASHINGTON - API Monthly Statistical Report. THURSDAY, JULY 20 NEW YORK - NYMEX August Light Sweet Crude Oil futures contract expiry.
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DIARY - ENERGY|LANGEN|ABN|O|OIL|ELE|ELN|DIA|DIARY-ENERGY =2|LANGEN|ABN|O|OIL|ELE|ELN|DIA|chained
Document LBA0000020060426e24q000t7

DIARY - Political and General News Events from April 26
6,944 words

26 April 2006

10:53 AM

Reuters News

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(c) 2006 Reuters Limited
*** Please note Reuters will issue this diary at an additional new time of 0630 GMT daily, followed by 0900 GMT, then 1430 GMT. ***
All times in GMT unless otherwise stated.
Items marked ** denote new or amended listings.
Media clients will also receive around 0700 GMT a daily REUTERS WORLD NEWS OUTLOOK which highlights key events for the coming week.
Please note that this diary is sent in six takes.
APRIL 2006
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 ** UKRAINE/BELARUS/RUSSIA - Events to mark the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush hosts teachers of the year at White House.
BEIRUT - First anniversary of withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon. Syrian troops had entered in 1976 to try to end Lebanon's civil war which began in 1975.
TOMSK, Russia - Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the western Siberian city of Tomsk (to April 27).
OSLO/HELSINKI - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visits Norway, news conference (1000). Abbas moves to Finland later.
BRUSSELS - EU Commission to give final decision on visas to be issued for third countries to stop human trafficking during World Cup 2006. ** BUCHAREST - Romania hands over the rotating presidency of the organisation of economic cooperation at the Black Sea to Russia for a six-month term. ** ABUJA - Chinese President Hu Jintao visits Nigeria (to April 27). ** PORT LOUIS - Mauritius hosts 25th Plenary session of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ** SANAA - Sanaa's primary court is to deliver verdict on Hamdi Al Ahdal, alleged to be second in command of Al Qaeda in Yemen. ** BERLIN - Activists and supporters of FOeJ (Freiwilliges Oekologisches Jahr) commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster as Greenpeace distributes video footage of a secret overnight activity. ** MINSK - Belarus opposition plan a rally in Minsk to protest the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko and demand a re-run of the March 19 polls. ** LONDON - Prime Minister Tony Blair takes questions in parliament. ** LONDON - Foreign Minister Jack Straw gives speech at Lord Mayor's Banquet, expected to cover international arms trade treaty and Iran. ** BAGHDAD - U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld makes an unannounced visit to Iraq. ** PARIS - Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha on state visit; meetings scheduled with Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy and President Jacques Chirac. ** ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and India hold talks on reducing the risk of an accidental nuclear conflict.
JOHANNESBURG - Former South African deputy president Jacob Zuma faces closing arguments in the Johannesburg rape trial. Zuma left the government in June 2005 after being linked to a high-profile graft case.
BRUSSELS - Appeal trial begins for five men convicted of belonging to a militant Islamist group linked to bombings in Madrid and Casablanca.
HELSINKI - Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga to give speech on Latvia in Europe at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (1300).
SOLOMON ISLANDS - Vote of no confidence in parliament moved by the opposition parties.
PORT LOUIS - The scientific panel that advises the United Nations on global warming meets in Mauritius (to April 28).
CAIRO - U.N. seminar on assistance to the Palestinian people (0800).
DUBLIN - New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters visits Ireland (to April 28).
PARIS - Opening of the Forum for Euro-Arab dialogue (to April 28). Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana expected to speak (0700).
RIYADH - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on visit to Saudi Arabia (to April 28).
MOSCOW - G8 Seminar and Conference on Global Monitoring of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiological Disaster Management (FINAL DAY).
THURSDAY, APRIL 27
SOFIA - Foreign ministers of NATO member-states meet (to April 28). U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to attend.
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush speaks at "Volunteer Week" event.
THE HAGUE - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende meets with Romanian counterpart Calin Tariceanu.
ABUJA/NAIROBI - Chinese President Hu Jintao discusses Chinese companies buying stakes in four on-shore oil fields and an oil refinery in Nigeria. Hu then travels to Kenya to discuss aid and economic cooperation issues.
MOSCOW - G8 Health Ministers meeting (to April 28).
ANKARA - Turkey's powerful National Security Council meets, expected to discuss army's spring offensive against Kurdish rebels and concern over Iraq and Iran.
PARIS - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visits France (to April 28).
BUDAPEST - Hungary's ruling Socialist Party to start coalition talks with the liberal Free Democrats.
SKOPJE - A group of EU lawmakers expected to visit Macedonia as part of their probe into allegations made by rights groups and newspapers that the CIA abducted prisoners in Europe, flew them to other countries and ran secret prisons in the bloc (to April 29).
CARACAS/WASHINGTON - Deadline for Venezuela and the United States to reach agreement on lifting restrictions on Venezuelan airlines flying to the United States. Venezuela has threatened to impose ban on some U.S. carriers if safety restrictions are not ended.
RIGA - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko visits Latvia (to April 28).
WEST BENGAL, India - Third phase of Assembly elections in West Bengal.
MOSCOW - Russia marks centenary of the State Duma (to April 28). President of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), Rene van der Linden visits to take part in celebrations.
ABUJA/NAIROBI - Chinese President Hu Jintao discusses Chinese companies buying stakes in four on-shore oil fields and an oil refinery in Nigeria. Hu then travels to Kenya to discuss aid and economic cooperation issues.
LUXEMBOURG - Luxembourg's Parliament is expected to vote on new takeover legislation, a law that could affect Mittal Steel's bid for Luxembourg-based Arcelor. ** PARIS - Aeronautics/defence conference organised by Les Echos newspaper. Speakers to include Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie. [20060426 145328 GMT]
FRIDAY, APRIL 28
UNITED NATIONS - IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei due to report to the U.N. Security Council by April 28 on Iranian compliance with a demand to halt uranium enrichment.
KATHMANDU - Nepal's dissolved parliament which was reinstated by King Gyanendra earlier this week will hold its first session. ** BANGKOK - Thailand's top judges to meet to find a solution to the country's political crisis in response to a rare intervention by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
WASHINGTON - The State Department issues its annual "Patterns of Global Terrorism" report, which includes a list of state sponsors of terrorism.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California Democratic Convention, to nominate a candidate to oppose Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger, begins (to April 30).
KUWAIT - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to visit Kuwait (to April 30).
BEIRUT - Self-set deadline by Lebanese political leaders to try to agree on the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud.
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush hosts counterpart Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan at the White House.
ROME - The new Italian parliament expected to convene for the first time following the April 9-10 general election. ** TOKYO - Japan's cabinet expected to approve a bill to revise the 1947 Fundamental Law of Education in what would be the first changes since its enactment during the U.S.-led postwar occupation. The revision calls for greater stress on the respect for tradition, love of the nation and contribution to international peace.
LONDON - Next Eritrea-Ethiopia talks in London with the Boundary Commission.
BRUSSELS - Brussels Forum event (to April 30); keynote addresses by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. ** PARIS - President Jacques Chirac meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. ** LONDON - Adel Yahya, accused of conspiring with five others to cause explosions on or before July 21 last year, makes next court appearance. ** HELSINKI - Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja is visited by Swedish counterpart Jan Eliasson. The foreign ministers will discuss the future of EU, the constitutional treaty and other EU issues.
CALIFORNIA - Deadline for environmentalists to gather 598,105 signatures of registered Californian voters to get the "Clean Alternative Energy Act" on the Nov. 7 ballot. The measure if enacted would tax oil production to fund a range of alternative energy efforts.
BERLIN - German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier meets his counterpart from Oman, Youssef bin Alawi bin Abdullah (1400).
SOFIA - Foreign ministers of NATO member-states meet (final day).
KIEV - President Viktor Yushchenko to chair a meeting with government ministers and regional governors.
BAGHDAD - First anniversary of the formation of Iraq's first democratically elected government in over 50 years.
HOLLYWOOD - 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
SATURDAY, APRIL 29
THAILAND - Next round of by-elections to fill 13 empty seats that are preventing parliament from meeting and prolonging a constitutional crisis.
DUBAI - The World Travel & Tourism Council sponsors a special meeting with prominent industry leaders from across the Middle East and the world.
ABUJA - Main opposition All Nigeria People's Party holds national convention to nominate presidential candidate and national officers.
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush addresses the annual White House Correspondents dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
BAIDOA, Somalia - Somali interim government and United Nations launch country-wide reconciliation effort.
ROME - Speakers of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies to be elected.
ADDIS ABABA - Japanese Prime Junichiro Koizumi to visit Ethiopia (to May 1).
NEW YORK - The March for Peace, Justice and Equality is held, a demonstration calling for an end to the war in Iraq and organized by United for Peace and Justice, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, National Organization for Women, Friends of the Earth, U.S. Labor Against the War, Climate Crisis and other groups. The march kicks off in Manhattan, just north of Union Square and proceeds along Broadway to Foley Square, where the Peace and Justice Festival takes place.
BRUSSELS - Brussels Forum event (second day, to April 30), speakers include European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Vice-President Guenter Verheugen, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. Also separate panel discussion with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, and WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy on "Can the EU and US save Doha?"
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES/BAHRAIN/KUWAIT - Greek President Karolos Papoulias on visit (to May 2).
KERALA, India - Second phase of Assembly elections in Kerala.
SUNDAY, APRIL 30
GENEVA - Deadline for WTO member countries to agree on a draft free trade deal. Trade ministers at the Hong Kong ministerial conference last year decided to put back the deadline for agreeing a draft free trade deal until the end of April.
LAOS - General elections.
UNITED NATIONS/TEHRAN - U.N.-deadline for Iran to abandon its uranium enrichment program or face sanctions.
STOCKHOLM - 60th birthday of King Carl Gustaf of Sweden.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan, Iran and India expected to hold talks on the proposed gas pipeline from Iran to India through Pakistan.
N'DJAMENA - Final day for U.S.-led oil consortium to pay Chad atleast $100 million to circumvent a World Bank freeze on oil profits or else face halt in oil production. The World Bank has frozen oil profits from a pipeline in Chad saved in a London escrow account in a dispute over how the revenues are spent and Chad has threatened to stop oil production if the payment is not made.
DOHA - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on visit (to May 1).
ABUJA - Deadline set by the African Union for the Abuja talks to yield a peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the rebel groups in Sudan's Darfur region.
HAITI - Elections for local government officials. BELGRADE - Deadline for Serbia and Montenegro to arrest former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic who is wanted by the United Nations war crimes tribunal to face charges of genocide.
NICOSIA - Women from Cyprus attempt to form the world's longest chain of bras with the twin aims of heightening awareness of breast cancer and winning a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The Cypriot, British and Dutch organisers hope to string together as many as 100,000 bras to beat the current record of 79,000 bras held by Singapore.
BRUSSELS - Brussels Forum event (final day) Panel on "The Middle East: From Europe's backyard to America's Front burner". Separate panel discussion on "Do we need a Transatlantic energy security policy?", and "Culture, Identity and Integration - a new transatlantic challenge", with Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
MAY 2006
UNDATED
KABUL - Britain assumes command of NATO mission in Afghanistan.
PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN - U.S. military plans to hold its first joint military exercises with Afghanistan and Pakistan along the border of the two countries.
MONDAY, MAY 1
WASHINGTON - Latino immigrants and their supporters stage a one-day strike and commercial boycott to pressure Congress to