http://www.newsahead.com/preview/index.php Future world news and world events content en-us Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:01:00 GMT Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:03:33 GMT dbCanvas News Blogger - http://www.dbcanvas.com webmaster@newsahead.com http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/04/01/united-kingdom-1-apr-2010-mandatory-national-carbon-trading-system-in-effect/index.php A mandatory national trading system for emissions of carbon dioxide that is related to energy consumption, rather than energy production, comes into effect in Apr 2010. Called the Carbon Reduction Commitment, it applies to non-energy intensive sectors not already covered by climate change agreements and the European Union Emissions Trading System. The threat of heat waves and floods with climate change has prodded the United Kingdom to push harder against the problem. Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:04:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/31/abu-dhabi-31-mar-2010-government-introduces-taxi-service-just-for-women-/index.php Women in Abu Dhabi will soon have taxis available for their exclusive use and for their children under 10. The emirate's taxi regulator, TransAd, promised in January that a fleet of so-called ladies' taxis will be on the streets by the end of March. The 70 pink-and-lavender taxis will be driven by women. Women passengers had complained about taxi drivers trying to strike up unwanted conversations during a trip, according to reports about the new service in Zawya and The National. Wed, 31 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/25/united-states-25-27-mar-2010-hollywood-vintage-glamor-photography-auctioned/index.php Profiles in History bills its March auction in Calabasas, California, as the "world's largest" collection of original vintage glamour photography. It includes iconic photographs and art prints of yesterday's and today's Hollywood stars by Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe, George Hurrell, Man Ray, Herb Ritz, Harry Langdon, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and others. The stars include Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, Angelina Jolie (at 15), Halle Berry, Cher, George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/25/brussels-25-26-mar-2010-eu-holds-first-general-post-lisbon-treaty-summit/index.php This first general European Union summit of the post-Lisbon Treaty epoch will be smaller than its predecessors. The first full-time EU president, Herman Van Rompuy, vows to shut ministers out of the meeting. He argues that leaders will accomplish more if they are eyeball-to-eyeball, a situation made possible by keeping summit numbers small. Economic growth and climate change will be summit priorities, with Haiti's needs a likely addition to the agenda. Demonstrators are expected. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/22/england-22-25-mar-2010-big-bang-telescope-astronomers-meet/index.php The scientists and engineers of the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project hold their annual meeting in Manchester, and will continue discussing where to site the array. The candidates are down to two - South Africa and Australia. The announcement about the winner is due in 2011. Fifty times more sensitive than any other telescope and one of the most ambitious science projects ever, the SKA will give astronomers a way to look back to the Big Bang. Construction starts in 2014. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/21/south-africa-21-mar-2010-south-africans-mark-50th-anniversary-of-sharpeville-killings/index.php Apartheid police gunned down unarmed protesters in the Transvaal township of Sharpeville on 21 Mar in 1960, killing 69 and injuring 180 others. The event popularly known as the Sharpeville Massacre is regarded as a watershed in the country's liberation struggle. The Pan Africanist Congress and African National Congress, both of which are in the news as houses divided, are likely to be leading the observances at Sharpeville and elsewhere on the 50th anniversary. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/21/iran-21-mar-2010-reuters-russia-could-start-up-irans-nuclear-power-station/index.php Reuters reports that Russia plans to start up Iran's first nuclear power station to coincide with the Iranian New Year on 21 Mar. The agency's sources say testing is under way. Start-up dates for Bushehr have been set several times and have come to nothing. It remains to be seen whether the start-up, if it happens, escalates or cools Iran's dispute with the West over uranium enrichment. The United States and several other Western powers suspect Tehran of seeking to build a nuclear weapon. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/17/world-17-mar-2010-parades-greening-of-iconic-buildings-mark-st-patricks-day/index.php Much of the world is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, and countless parades and parties mark the occasion. Dublin plans to outdo the rest with a festival that lasts several days. New York's Empire State Building, the London Eye, the Sydney Opera House and the CN Tower in Toronto will turn green for the day, a colorful ad campaign for Ireland tourism. In Washington DC, leaders of Northern Ireland's main political parties will celebrate the day with President Barak Obama. They can count on applause. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/16/vienna-16-17-mar-2010-opec-holds-ordinary-meeting/index.php Oil ministers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meet to set quotas and to continue devising stragegies to address a reduced demand for oil in the producers' traditional markets. The Ministerial Monitoring Sub-Committee meets on Mar 16 to begin the process. The decisions are likely to reflect a new reality for oil producers - that China and other developing nations will lead both the global economic recovery and the demand for oil in 2010, not the world's richest countries. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/15/australia-15-19-mar-2010-negotiations-begin-for-trans-pacific-strategic-economic-partnership-/index.php Melbourne hosts a meeting of trade ministers of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (TPP) at which the first formal round of negotiations for aspiring members of the bloc will be conducted. A regional free-trade agreement, the TPP started small with New Zealand, Singapore, Chile and Brunei Darussalam and entered into force in May 2006. Now the United States, Australia, Peru and Vietnam want to join it. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 05:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/14/colombia-14-mar-2010-colombians-vote-for-senate-and-house-lawmakers/index.php Colombia votes for Senate and House of Representative members on Mar 14. President Alvaro Uribe's high approval rating in his country is likely to keep the three parties in the right-leaning governing coalition on top, but Uribe's bid for a third term as president and a growing spying scandal could cut into the top parties' lead and help opposition parties increase their representation in the legislature. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/14/france-14--21-mar-2010-regional-elections-a-first-test-of-ruling-party/index.php France's regional election will signal whether the French left is recovering. It overwhelmingly won the last regional elections, but lost the presidency in 2007 because of chronic internal squabbling: Nicolas Sarkozy, the candidate of the center-right Union for Popular Movement Party, defeated S gol ne Royal of the Socialist Party. If the left loses again, it will mirror a trend. Germany recently re-elected a right-leaning government, and Britain seems poised to elect a Tory government. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/13/doha-13-25-mar-2010-qatar-hosts-meeting-of-parties-to-endangered-species-convention/index.php The 15th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species brings together experts from participating countries to consider proposals for tighter trade controls on Atlantic bluefin tuna, polar bears, sharks, corals and elephant ivory. CITES meets every three years to change trade rules through amendments to the CITES Appendices. Controversially, Monaco wants the large tunas on Appendix 1, the category that prevents all commercial international trade in the species. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/12/cairo-12-mar-2010-ministers-of-organization-of-the-islamic-conference-meet-about-darfur-aid/index.php Ministers of the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference meet in Egypt for an International Donors Conference for the Development and Reconstruction of Darfur. The International Criminal Court at The Hague appears to have backed away from its efforts to see Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir behind bars for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Sudanese province of Darfur, possibly as a result of the OIC's opposition to the ICC arrest warrant for Al-Bashir. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/07/united-states-7-mar-2010-hollywood-hosts-82nd-academy-awards/index.php The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony will be held at a later date than usual in 2010, one of two changes for the 82nd Oscars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The second change is described as the most radical revision of the Oscar-night ritual in recent memory. Aimed at winning back audiences for the live broadcast of the ceremony, it expands the pool of Best Picture nominees from five to 10. Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/07/nairobi-7-12-mar-2010-kenya-hosts-icann-meeting/index.php The recent approval of the use of non-Latin-character domain names eased one long-standing source of tension in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, but it introduces technical issues that will need to be aired at the Nairobi ICANN meeting. The introduction of the new characters introduces the biggest technical change to ICANN since it was launched 40 years ago. The change comes a month after the United States released sole oversight of ICANN. Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/06/iraq-7-mar-2010-iraq-due-to-hold-vital-post-war-parliamentary-election/index.php Iraq set a January date for an election for the country's 275-seat unicameral Council of Representatives, then changed it in December to March. Whenever the election happens, the potential for violence and boycotts is high. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Da'wa al-Islamiya Party and its allies made big gains in recent local elections, and is expected to do well again in this second post-Saddam legislative election. The new parliament will elect a prime minister and cabinet. Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/04/geneva-4-14-mar-2010-80th-international-motor-show-to-see-usual-makers/index.php Geneva's 80th International Motor Show looks set to go ahead, with a possible boost from a big anniversary year and spillover from the cancellation of the British International Motor Show in 2010. The global economic crisis has slowed car sales, and makers are unwilling to commit to the cost of exhibiting. As in 2009, the news from the 2010 show in Geneva and the many other auto shows around the world is likely to be about the automakers who decided not to exhibit rather than those that did. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/03/united-states-3-mar-2010-spacex-plans-maiden-launch-of-commercial-rocket/index.php SpaceX plans to launch its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Mar 3. A resoundingly successful launch of Falcon 9 threatens the future of NASA's Ares 1 rocket project, but might not silence critics of the private program. An independent advisory panel claims potential commercial crew transportation providers do not meet NASA safety standards for piloted vehicles. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/01/poland-1-mar-2010-frdric-chopin-born-200-years-ago/index.php Polish-French composer and pianist Fr d ric Chopin was born on 1 Mar 1810, and plans are under way in Poland for a year of concerts, recitals and conferences marking the bicentennial of his birth. The country's parliament has declared 2010 the Year of Fryderyk Chopin. A Chopin Centre and renovated Chopin Museum will be inaugurated to honor the great Romantic composer, whose work is regarded as a Polish cultural treasure. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/01/abu-dhabi-mar-2010-united-arab-emirates-hosts-third-indian-ocean-naval-symposium/index.php The third Indian Ocean Naval Symposium comes at a time when regional super-powers India and China are vying for more presence in an area stretching from Gulf of Aden to the Malacca Straits. The meeting is a cornerstone of the Indian Navy's aim to increase its influence in the region. Twenty-six littoral countries of the Indian Ocean comprise this pan-Asian maritime security forum. The meeting could upset the Arab world: Pakistan argues that IONS is grouped against the Islamic world. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/01/the-hague-1-mar-2010-karadzic-trial-resumes/index.php The trial of Radovan Karadzic at the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia resumes in March. The former Bosnian Serb leader boycotted the trial when it started in September, and the tribunal has appointed an attorney to represent him should he boycott the resumption of the case. Karadzic faces 11 counts of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity from the 1992-95 war in Bosnia-Herzigovina when he was president of a breakaway Serb republic. He faces life in prison if convicted. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/03/01/new-york-1-12-mar-2010-un-entity-examines-status-of-women-15-years-after-beijing-summit/index.php The United Nations General Assembly convenes a meeting during the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to mark the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration in 1995. The commemoration invites a look at wins and losses for women since since the declaration, a task the CSW will undertake at their meeting. The CSW has highlighted climate change as an emerging issue for women, nothing that it exacerbates pre-existing inequalities. Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:03:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/28/washington-dc-28-feb-2010-multi-billion-dollar-deal-for-native-americans-faces-deadline/index.php A settlement of one of the largest class-action lawsuit ever filed against the United States government would compensate some 300,000 Native Americans for billions of dollars in royalties owed to them over the last century for oil, mineral and grazing rights on tribal lands. But time is running out. The settlement of the 13-year suit will have to be renegotiated if Congress does not approve it by the end of February, according to Legal Times. Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/27/australia-27-feb-2010-anniversary-of-execution-of-two-soldiers-could-see-pardons/index.php Australian soldiers Lieutenants Harry Harbord ''Breaker'' Morant, Peter Handcock and George Ramsdale Witton were convicted of murdering Boer War prisoners in South Africa over a century ago. Morant and Handcock, the only Australians executed for war crimes, died by firing squad on 27 Feb 1902. The execution was deemed political, and has been the subject of books and an award-winning Australian film. There is a push to see the three pardoned, and it could happen by the February anniversary. Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/25/washington-dc-25-feb-2010-us-president-plans-bipartisan-powwow-on-health-care/index.php Congressional wrangling and the recent loss of the filibuster-proof majority previously held by the Democratic Party in Congress threaten Democratic President Barak Obama's plan to fix the country's healthcare system, regarded as the top domestic priority of his presidency. His invitation to opposition Republicans to a televised healthcare debate in February is seen as recognition that reform won't go anywhere without some bipartisan support. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/18/united-states-18-feb-2010-pluto-discovered-80-years-ago/index.php Amateur-astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto 80 years ago at Lowell Observatory in Arizona. Pluto's demotion in 2006 from a planet to a plutoid upset space enthusiasts all over the world, and trimmed the tail off the mnemonic device for remembering the order of the planets from the Sun: "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas." Pluto Day 2010 will cue another burst of anger about the demotion, and will see NASA's New Horizon spacecraft closer to the King of the Kuiper Belt. Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/15/england-15-feb-2010-protesters-plan-blockade-of-british-nuclear-bomb-factory/index.php War Resisters International, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and affiliates plan to blockade Britain's Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston to protest what they regard as the country's illegal development of nuclear weapons. A proposal for a long-term storage facility at Aldermaston for enriched uranium -- plus the approach of the pivotal Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May -- are likely to swell the numbers and increase the disruption and the arrests. Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/14/world-14-feb-2010-chinese-year-of-the-tiger-begins/index.php The Year of the Tiger begins 14 Feb 2010 and ends 1 Feb 2011. The birth sign for power and luck, it falls every 12th year of the Chinese calendar. China is more fortunate than its tigers -- the last sighting was 25 years ago -- and these striped cats are unlucky everywhere. They are protected but still hunted, and their habitat is disappearing. The tigers' year promises to heat up efforts to save them from extinction. It also could put the luck of famous and infamous Tigers under a spotlight. Sun, 14 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/12/vancouver-12-28-february-2010-canada-hosts-xxi-winter-olympics/index.php Canada is counting down to the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics with several early worries out of the way -- and a new one: warm weather. Canada's indigenous leaders had threatened to disrupt the Games with bridge blockades and airport protests, and construction strikes that would have delayed completion of the venues were a potential threat at one point. Both threats appear to have eased, but the lack of snow remains a worry. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/12/rio-de-janeiro-12-16-feb-2010-rio-holds-carnival-triumphant-but-anxious/index.php Rio's raucous Carnival kicks off in a celebratory -- but anxious -- mood. The city won the honor of hosting the 2016 Olympic Games, but drug-gang violence is sharing Page One headlines along with the triumph. Carnival 2010 will be seen as a test of the city's ability to keep visitors safe during 2014 World Cup and the Olympics. The 2009 Carnival champion, Salgueiro Samba School, will be defending its title at what is described as the world's biggest street party. It draws some 700,000 visitors. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/11/south-africa-11-feb-2010-nelson-mandela-released-from-prison-20-years-ago/index.php On Feb 2 in 1990, South African President F.W. de Klerk lifted the 30-year ban on the African National Congress, and black nationalist Nelson Mandela. He was released from prison on Feb 11 after 27 years behind bars. Mandela visited one of the prisons, Robben Island, on the 5th anniversary, and opened the Nelson Mandela Museum on the 10th. The 20th anniversary events have not been announced. They are likely to be determined by Mandela's health. He turns 92 in Jul 2010. Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/11/berlin-11-21-feb-2010-berlinale-celebrates-60th-anniversary/index.php Setting the dates for the Berlin International Film Festival 60th anniversary edition was complicated by the need to avoid an overlap with the popular Rotterdam and Sundance film festivals and the Academy Awards. The chosen slot avoids a clash that would have meant a shared spotlight for the Berlinale in its landmark year. The festival will screen a political thriller "Ghostwriter" from veteran director Roman Polanski, who is under house arrest. Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/11/brussels-11-feb-2010-european-union-leaders-meet-for-special-economy-summit/index.php European Union President Herman Van Rompuy chairs a special EU economic summit that will look for ways to bring the bloc back from the brink. As the EU's 10-year economic strategy expires in 2010, the leaders also need to discuss a replacement. Spain, EU rotating president, wants to see new banking and other rules in place to prevent another economic meltdown. The challenge is finding ways to stimulate growth without exacerbating unemployment or undermining the bloc's social security system. Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/09/united-states-9-feb-2009-launch-of-sun-watching-spacecraft-a-milestone/index.php When NASA launches its Solar Dynamics Observatory, a new Sun-watching spacecraft that is part of the agency's Living with a Star project, from Cape Canaveral in Florida, it will be the 20th launch for the Atlas V program. The milestone raises the question of whether the days are numbered for both the Atlas V and Delta IV rockets if NASA's Ares rocket is developed. Ares, an element of NASA's Constellation Program, is envisioned as the rocket that will carry astronauts back to the Moon. Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/08/spain-8-feb-2010-americas-cup-sailing-showdown-might-begin/index.php The best-of-three showdown for the America's Cup between Switzerland's Alinghi, the two-time defending champion, and its bitter American rival, BMW Oracle Racing, is due to start on 8 Feb off Valencia but could be delayed by the contestants' legal fight. This contest for yachting's most prestigious trophy started in the courts. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/08/united-states-8-feb-2010-first-boy-scouts-of-america-day-marks-centenary/index.php The United States Senate has designated 8 Feb 2010 as Boy Scouts of America Day, marking the 100th anniversary of the movement. Some 110 million American boys have taken the scouting oath. The centenary invites a review of the country's notables among that 110 million and a look at the BSA's exclusionary policies and robust legal efforts to protect its interests. Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/07/costa-rica-7-feb-2010-costa-ricans-vote-in-general-election/index.php Costa Rica votes for a president and legislature in an election that could give the region its first female president. The National Liberation Party, the governing party of President Oscar Arias Sanchez, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, chose Laura Chinchilla as its candidate. A Costa Rica vice president until she quit to campaign, Chinchilla holds a healthy lead in the polls. Newcomer Otto Guevara from the fringe Libertarian Movement is in second place. Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/07/united-states-7-feb-2010-nasa-plans-endeavour-shuttle-launch-despite-setback/index.php NASA wants to send Endeavour with the Italian-built Tranquility module from Cape Kennedy, Florida, to the International Space Station on Feb 7, but is facing issues with the ammonia lines and connectors that route cooling to and from the module. Attached to the left side of the central Unity module, Tranquility will house life support and exercise gear now housed in other modules. With the shuttles nearing their 2010 retirement, NASA is particularly eager to avoid launch delays. Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/06/united-states-6-feb-2010-special-coin-begins-observance-of-2011-ronald-reagan-centenary/index.php Ronald Reagan, the 40th United States president (1981-1989), who is venerated by conservatives for his fervent republicanism and appealing style, was born 100 years ago on 6 Feb 1911. He died in 2004. The birthday party starts early, with fanfare and the release of a commemorative US $1 coin on 6 Feb 2010. The coin is meant to build excitement for the big day one year later. The 11-member Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission is planning the federal observation of the centenary. Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/06/nigeria-6-feb-2010-questions-over-anambra-state-gubernatorial-election/index.php The gubernatorial poll in Anambra state is viewed as a test case for President Umaru Yar'Adua electoral reform plans, but his prolonged absence threatens the election, the reforms and democracy in Africa's most populous country. He promised the reforms following his win in 2007 in elections marred by allegations of fraud. Though allegedly flawed, the election was hailed as milestone, marking the first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's history. Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/05/canada-5-6-feb-2010-g7-finance-ministers-meet-in-remote-arctic-city/index.php Group of Seven finance ministers meet in remote Iqaluit, an Inuit city in Nunavut, at the start of the possible final year for the select group of rich countries. Consensus on global financial sector reform, strengthening international financial institutions and ensuring sustainable global recovery remains elusive. Britain wants G7-G20 nations to tax financial transactions, penalize big risk taking and limit the burden on taxpayers of bank failures. The United States says No to the measures. Fri, 05 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/03/moscow-3-5-feb-2010-government-business-notables-gather-at-2010-russia-forum/index.php The Russia Forum gives up to 1000 guests -- Russian and international business figures from some 30 countries -- an inside line on investment opportunities, credit issues, ruble movements, oil prices and Russian stocks. The organizers, the Troika Dialog Group, promise guests opportunities to rub shoulders with influential Russian government figures and notable participants. Speakers of previous years have included Aleksey Kudrin, Alan Greenspan, Richard Branson and Yoshka Fisher. Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/01/united-states-1-feb-2010-dramatic-new-credit-card-rules-in-effect/index.php The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act goes into effect on or about 1 Feb 2010, after which United States credit card issuers will find it harder to change the terms of consumers' credit card accounts. For one thing, issuers will no longer be able to raise interest rates on an existing balance if an account is paid on time. Ahead of the change, credit-card issuers are hiking interest rates, penalties and fees in full force, a practice Market Watch describes as gouging. Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/01/european-union-united-states-1-feb-2010-one-sided-interim-bank-transfer-deal-in-effect/index.php Brussels has agreed to a bank data transfer deal with Washington that allows anti-terrorist investigators in the United States to access European financial transaction data for nine months while a longer-term deal is negotiated. The deal formalizes a secret program introduced after the Sep 11 terror attacks in 2001, and it could be annulled before the nine months are up. The longer-term deal would allow European investigators access to US transfer information. Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/02/01/united-states-29-jan-2010-prohibition-era-began-90-years-ago/index.php The 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution ushered in the 13-year period known as Prohibition. Ratified on 29 Jan 1919, it went into effect on 29 Jan 1920. The National Prohibition Act banned, nationwide, the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption. The 90th anniversary invites a look at the unintended consequences of prohibition as a tactic, and could prompt new questions about whether the so-called war on drugs should be continued. Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:02:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/31/sri-lanka-31-jan-2010-government-sets-deadline-to-close-tamil-refugee-camp/index.php The Sri Lanka government plans to close the camps where it has detained internally-displaced Tamil civilians since the defeat in May of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Some 300,000 Tamils fled the fighting during the final offensive, and some 160,000 have been held in the makeshift camps. Criticised for detaining them, Colombo insisted that detention was necessary while the refugees were being screened for possible links with the rebels and while their home areas were de-mined. Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/30/united-states-30-jan-2010-second-man-on-the-moon-turns-80/index.php Buzz (Edwin) Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon, turns 80 a few months after the 40th anniversary of the feat. The former NASA astronaut, whose achievements include the first extravehicular space walk, in 1966, could use his 80th birthday spotlight to reiterate his objections to NASA's plans to return to the Moon: He wants NASA aiming instead for Mars. He could also speak out about coping with being second, not first, on the Moon, a challenge he writes about in Magnificent Desolution. Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/28/london-28-jan-2010-british-prime-minister-hosts-conference-on-afghanistan/index.php British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has invited Afghan President Hamid Karzai, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, NATO allies, Afghanistan's neighbours, regional powers and key international bodies to a conference in London on Jan 28 to set a political and security timetable for Afghanistan for 2010 and beyond. Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/28/canada-28-jan-2010-court-sets-deadline-for-participants-in-polygamy-case/index.php Jan 28, a deadline for applications from participants, begins a constitutional case that has implications for polygamous groups across Canada. The British Columbia Supreme Court will consider during 2010 whether Criminal Code provisions prohibiting polygamy are consistent with the guarantee of freedom of religion provided in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Winston Blackmore, Canada's best known polygamist, predicts doom for those who break up families or interfere with a person's freedom. Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/26/abu-dhabi-26-jan-2010-international-renewable-energy-agency-one-year-old/index.php The International Renewable Energy Agency, the first and only intergovernmental agency to focus solely on renewable energy development, was established officially one year ago. Enthusiasm appears to be waning. Only a handful of the signatories have ratified the treaty, which, as of Sep 2009, needs 25 more to come into force. IRENA is banking on a boost from its choice of Helene Pelosse of France as interim head and Abu Dhabi's very green Masdar City for its secretariat. Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/26/new-delhi-26-jan-2010-india-became-a-republic-60-years-ago/index.php India observes its 60th anniversary as a Republic on Jan 26 with a near two-hour military parade in New Delhi that will highlight its nuclear-powered arsenal. The display of India's advanced weaponry is intended to match China's show of the same during the 60th anniversary parade in Beijing in October. Maoists rebels (Naxals) in the hinterland states represent a potential threat to the commemorative events. Under pressure from the government, they will observe the anniversary as a Black Day. Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/26/sri-lanka-26-jan-2010-president-calls-early-presidential-election/index.php President Mahinda Rajapaksa, with two years left in his six-year term, in November called early presidential to take advantage of a rise in popularity after the army's defeat in May of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The defeat ended Sri Lanka's 25-year civil war. His main rival -- or perhaps only rival -- will be retired General Sarath Fonseka, who is credited with leading the final victory. Gen Fonseka says he has never lost a battle yet, and can win the election battle too. Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/26/brussels-26-jan-2010-european-commission-votes-on-candidates/index.php The European Commission began seven days of hearings on Jan 11 for 26 aspiring European Union commissioners, and the European Parliament will vote on the body as a whole on Jan 26. The nominees will be tested on their knowledge of their assigned portfolios. Once on the job, they will be expected to adhere to the aims of the Lisbon Treaty of Dec 1, a key goal of which is to give Europe a greater voice on the world stage in talks with major powers like China and the United States. Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/25/addis-ababa-25-jan-2-feb-2010-ethiopia-hosts-14th-ordinary-african-union-summit/index.php When the leaders of African Union countries gather in Addis Ababa, football could be the hottest topic. A good deal of Africa's prestige is riding on the success of the soccer 2010 FIFA World Cup, hosted by member country South Africa, and the leaders will be eager to hear that country's report on the preparations. Concerns about Niger, Guinea and Sudan could displace the official summit theme: Information and Communication Technologies in Africa." Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/24/brazil-24-28-jan-2010-world-social-forum-celebrates-10th-birthday/index.php The Greater Porto Alegre 10 Years Social Forum marks the 10th birthday of the World Social Forum. A global entity, it brings together anti-globalization, anti-capitalist and social justice movements to challenge the actions of the ruling elites of nations and corporations that meet each year in Davos, Switzerland. Instead of its usual vast gathering to coincide with the annual Davos forum, the WSF will hold seminar-type events in Brazil in January and similar events around the world during 2010. Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/22/canada-22-jan-21-mar-2010-cultural-olympiad-rings-in-the-winter-olympics/index.php Canada's 2010 Cultural Olympiad ushers in the Winter Olympics. The arts attractions run throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games concluding on March 21. The extensive program will include more than 600 ticketed and free performances and exhibitions in 50 venues in Metro Vancouver and British Columbia's Sea to Sky corridor. A highlight will be Canada's first theatre of ice and snow, which has the task of attracting spectators and keeping them warm on the shores of Whistler's Lost Lake. Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/22/india-22-25-jan-2010-war-resisters-international-holds-mobilizing-conference/index.php Ahmedabad hosts a conference of the venerable War Resisters International body, founded in The Netherlands in 1921, in a pivotal year. The 40th anniversary of the coming into force of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty falls in March, with a NPT review conference in May. WRI and affiliates are mobilizing for protests and events to highlight the anti-war movement and their opposition to nuclear weapons. Indian activists Arundhati Roy and Ashish Nandy will address the opening session. Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/21/switzerland-21-24-jan-2010-business-political-leaders-meet-at-40th-world-economic-forum/index.php Some 2500 leaders from economic, scientific and government circles in 88 countries, including heads of state or government, meet at the resort town, Davos, for the 40th annual World Economic Forum. The WEF's Global Redesign Initiative, "an unprecedented global multistakeholder dialogue to help establish processes and structures of global cooperation in the 21st century, is the formal focus of the gathering. The real drama of the event often comes with the deals and rows on the fringes. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/21/united-states-21-31-jan-2010-sundance-film-festival-opens/index.php The upcoming biography and recent marriage of Sundance Film Festival founder Robert Redford could perk up interest in the 26th running of the premiere event for independent film makers, which might otherwise suffer from being on the wrong side of the festive 25th anniversary event. The book, said to be frank about Hollywood, and the headlines about his July wedding to long-time girlfriend Sibylle Szaggars, a well-known German abstract painter, provide timely publicity for the 2010 festival. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/21/bahrain-21-23-jan-2010-gulf-state-stages-first-international-air-show-in-inauspicious-year/index.php The inaugural Bahrain International Airshow at the Sakhir Airbase will offer a totally new concept to the global aerospace community, according to its hosts. They describe the planned business-to-business setup at the show as unique. The brand new facilities do not include exhibition halls. The question is whether the new concept will offset two potential handicaps for the show -- its proximity to November's Dubai Airshow and the downturn in the global economy. Thu, 21 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/19/brussels-19-jan-2010-economy-and-financial-affairs-council-meets/index.php An early ministerial-level event of the post-Lisbon Treaty European Union, the Economy and Financial Affairs Council meeting has the task of preparing the agenda for the EU leaders, who will meet for a special economic summit on Feb 11. Reflecting a Treaty change, new EU president Herman Van Rompuy will attend this and all ministerial meetings with the aim of improving the continuity in the workings of the bloc. Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/18/abu-dhabi-18-21-jan-2010-world-future-energy-summit-dissects-renewable-energy-issues/index.php This third World Future Energy summit will dissect the implications of decisions taken at the Copenhagen climate change summit, and discuss alternatives to the product that has made the region wealthy. The thrust of the forum of world leaders, policy makers, industry experts, thinkers, investors and researchers from over 100 countries is that renewable energy is not a threat to oil producing economies, instead representing an insurance policy and business opportunities. Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/18/brussels-18-jan-2010-european-agriculture-and-fisheries-council-meets/index.php The European Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting could make history - the schedule is unsettled, so there's a chance another council meeting will be first - as the first ministerial event of the European Union in its post-Lisbon Treaty form. Whichever meeting is first will be scrutinized for signs that the hardwon Treaty is fulfilling a key aim - streamlining the workings of the 27-nation bloc. New EU president Herman Van Rompuy plans to attend all ministerial-level events. Mon, 18 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/17/ukraine-17-jan-2010-longtime-rivals-gear-up-for-presidential-election/index.php Ukraine's political rivals finally have agreed on January for the country's presidential election. The main players -- President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych -- have fought it out at the polls before. The president's and prime minister's rivalry is so extreme it has paralyzed the workings of government and worsened the country's severe economic woes, giving the opposition leader the edge. Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/17/rome-17-jan-2010-pope-benedict-xvi-visits-romes-synagogue/index.php Pope Benedict XVI will visit Rome's synagogue in January -- only the second pope in history to visit it. The visit comes a year after he outraged Jews by rehabilitating a British bishop who has made statements denying the full extent of the Nazi Holocaust of European Jews. In comments to Swedish television in Jan 2009, Bishop Richard Williamson said he believes there were no gas chambers, and that up to 300,000 Jews perished in Nazi camps, rather than the 6 million widely accepted. Sun, 17 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/15/space-15-jan-2010-first-solar-eclipse-of-2010-path-spans-two-continents/index.php The first solar eclipse of 2010 is annular, meaning the outside of the Sun will still be visible to eclipse watchers. It will make up for being the second-best kind of eclipse -- total solar eclipses, which turn day into night, are the favorites -- by offering exceptional duration. At its peak, over the Indian Ocean, it will last 11 minutes 8 seconds. This duration won't be exceeded for 1000 years. It lasts 10 minutes 45 seconds in Male, which has an airport. Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/11/south-africa-11-jan-11-apr-2010-south-africans-expected-to-hand-in-firearms/index.php The South African parliament has passed a firearms amnesty bill that allows authorities to destroy as many illegal weapons as possible by 11 Apr 2010. The amnesty period begins on Jan 11. South Africans must hand in the weapons regardless of whether they are licensed. The new law is aimed at reducing violent crime in the country by reducing the number of firearms in circulation. President Jacob Zuma said at a rally in October that there are too many guns in South Africa. Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/09/sudan-9-jan-2010-comprehensive-peace-agreement-five-years-old/index.php Jan 9 marks five years since the Arab Muslim north and non-Arab, non-Muslim south of Sudan signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended a civil war that killed some 1.5 million people. The pact established an autonomous south, and stipulated a unity government, national elections and a referendum to determine the future of the south. Census and voter-registration violence and a dispute over who can vote threaten the fragile unity government. Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/04/dubai-4-jan-2010-burj-dubai-worlds-tallest-building-due-to-open/index.php Burj Dubai will open as the tallest building in January after many postponements. The timing is unfortunate for the 2625-foot tower. Booming oil prices helped turn Dubai into Heaven for investors and playground for the ultra rich, but now the global economic downturn is buffeting the region. Property prices at Burj Dubai and in the surrounding developments have plunged. Analysts worry about the high debt the emirate has taken on to finance its explosive growth. Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/01/spain-1-jan-2010-spain-assumes-6-month-presidency-of-european-union/index.php Spain plans to promote a new economic model, reaffirm and strengthen social bonds and support the European Union as a single voice in a multipolar world during its 6-month presidency of the bloc, according to government statements. Madrid will seek to coordinate economic stimulus measures in the bloc and work to put in place mechanisms to avoid future crises by improving regulation and supervision of financial markets, according to the office of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/01/argentinachile-1---17-jan-2010-32nd-dakar-rally-starts-in-buenos-aires-starts-bicentennial/index.php Argentina and Chile see the start of the 32nd Dakar Rally as the formal start to their bicentennial year. Both countries launched revolutions in 2010 that led to independence. The 5,951-mile route for the 14-stage rally-type off-road auto race starts in Buenos Aires on Jan 1, traverses the Andes to northern Chile, heads south to crosses the Andes, then returns to Buenos Aires on Jan 17. Sand dunes are among the challenges for the 500-plus amateur and professional drivers. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/01/london-1-jan-2010-britains-royal-society-begins-350th-anniversary-year/index.php The 350th anniversary events of the Royal Society, recognized as the world's oldest scientific academy, begin in January. Royal Society fellows include Charles Darwin and DNA co-discoverer Francis Crick. Two United States scientists recently attracted Royal Society notice for showing that ants can accomplish a task more rationally than humans. On Jan 12-15, the society will host the inaugural event of the United Nations Year of Biodiversity, an IAP (InterAcademy Panel) conference. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/01/vietnam-1-jan-2010-socialist-country-assumes-presidency-of-asean/index.php Vietnam assumes the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Jan 1, turning a spotlight on Vietnam that could stoke unrest over human rights issues. Protests by the country's Catholics in Jul 2009 could be seen as a foretaste. As ASEAN president, the government will host two summits of the bloc, eight ministerial meetings and many other conferences. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2010/01/01/vienna-1-jan-2010-ecuador-minister-germanico-pinto-takes-helm-at-opec/index.php Ecuador's Minister of Mines and Oil, Germanico Pinto, takes the helm of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries on 1 Jan, replacing Angola s Jose Maria Botelho de Vasconcelo. He assumes the 1-year presidency in a high profile year for OPEC, as the organization turns 50 in 2010. Pinto plans to focus his attention on the fight against financial speculation in oil contracts, recently complaining that oil-consuming countries are not taking measures to rein in prices. Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:01:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/31/space-31-dec-2009-partial-lunar-eclipse-a-reminder-of-the-value-of-moon-property/index.php Lunar eclipses only redden the Moon as it aligns within Earth's shadow. They don't offer the drama of solar eclipses, which can turn night into day. The otherwise unexceptional partial eclipse on Dec 31 could make headlines, however, as it nearly coincides with other newsworthy lunar events of 2009. The first was the announcement in September that there is water on the Moon, a discovery that make lunar real estate more valuable and places pressure on the 1979 United Nations Moon Agreement. Thu, 31 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/26/indian-ocean-26-dec-2009-five-years-ago-tsunami-claimed-some-240000-lives/index.php A tsunami claimed 230,000 lives in 14 Indian Ocean countries five years ago. Memorials and a minute of silence for the victims will be held throughout the region on the anniversary. Warning systems have been under development there since the disaster, but a lethal South Pacific tsunami on 29 Sep 2009 showed that alert systems are not fail safe. The anniversary focuses attention on their limitations and on whether Indonesia will be ready to take over its own system in 2010. Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/24/french-guiana-24-dec-2009-esa-arianespace-mark-30th-anniversary-of-ariane-launcher/index.php The Ariane 1 launcher made its maiden space flight on Christmas Eve, 1979. In 30 years, Arianespace, the organization set up to manage it as a commercial venture, has established the Ariane family of launchers as the world's largest provider of commercial launch services. The December launch of an Ariane 5 GS with a French military payoad, the seventh Ariane launch of 2009, salutes the anniversary, which invites a look at what's next for the launcher. Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/22/luanda-22-dec-2009-angola-hosts-155th-opec-meeting/index.php A decline in the dollar is helping to offset weakness in the price of oil. Kuwait's oil minister, Sheikh Ahmad al-Sabah, told Bloomberg in October that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is likely to maintain oil production levels when it meets in Angola and that prices may stay near the October level. In support of his prediction, he described demand from Asia as good and exressed optimism that inventories will go down in the United States and Europe as their economies improve. Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/20/united-states-20-dec-2009-author-of-shocking-torture-study-died-25-years-ago/index.php Dec 20 is the 25th anniversary of the death of Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram, whose 1974 study exposed ordinary people as potential torturers. December also sees the first anniversary of findings that mirror Milgram's. His images of average people administering electric shocks in his "obedience study" have retained their power to shock through three decades. The photos of US military personnel abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq in 2004 were a jolting reminder. Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/18/united-nations-18-dec-2009-un-moon-agreement-opened-for-signatures-30-years-ago-property-rights/index.php The 30th anniversary of the 1979 United Nations Moon Agreement is a natural peg for exploring the lunar real estate business. It declares that the Moon is the common property of mankind. The potential exploiters of the ambiguous declaration include the private entities entering the space race in increasing numbers and vendors of lunar real estate. Companies are reported to be considering everything from mining the lunar surface to building resorts on the Moon. Fri, 18 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/16/strasbourg-16-dec-2009-european-parliament-awards-2009-sakharov-prize/index.php The European Parliament awards the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought to individuals or organizations fighting suppression, intolerance and injustice. Moscow-based NGO Memorial, after a bloody year for human rights activists in Russia, will receive the 2009 prize at a ceremony at the parliament on Dec 16. Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/15/berlin-15-16-dec-2009-g20-turns-10/index.php The inaugural meeting of the Group of 20 took place in Berlin on 15-16 Dec 1999, hosted by German and Canadian finance ministers. The year has seen two summits of G20 leaders in search of a global response to the economic meltdown. The year has also seen the G20, which groups leading industrialized countries with major emerging markets, overtaking the G7-G8 as the top financial forum. The issue of the moment -- with no consensus on action -- is the expansion of global economic governance. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/15/united-states-15-dec-2009-gone-with-the-wind-premiered-70-years-ago/index.php The classic movie Gone with the Wind premiered in Atlanta, Georgia, 70 years ago on Dec 15. It's the tale of a manipulative woman and a rogue who carry on a torrid love affair in the American south during the Civil War. The 3.5-hour epic had everything - romance, rape, drunkenness, moral dissipation and adultery. It won 10 Oscars - a 20-year record. Stars Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable have long gone, but the movie lives on; remastered for and rescreened on key anniversaries. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/13/chile-13-dec-2009-chileans-vote-for-president-legislature/index.php The legislative and presidential election in Chile at the end of 2009, almost 10 years since the country returned to democracy, could give South America a nudge to the right. Sebasti n Pi era of the National Renewal Party, Jorge Arrate of the Communist Party, Marco Enriquez Ominami, an independent, and Eduardo Frei of the Christian Democratic Party are vying for the presidency. The ruling center-left coalition La Concertaci n of President Michelle Bachelet, is ineligible for a consecutive term. Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/13/united-states-13-dec-2009-jewish-survivors-mark-70th-anniversary-of-ss-st-louis-voyage/index.php Notables from around the world gather in Miami Beach, Florida, to honor 32 suriviving passengers of the SS St. Louis on the 70th anniversary of its ill-fated voyage to Cuba. The ship, carrying some 900 passengers fleeing the Nazi, left Germany in May 1939. Arriving in Cuba in July, it was refused entry. The captain appealed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to let them enter the United States. The request was denied. The ship returned to Europe, where many of the refugees found asylum. Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/10/brussels-10-11-dec-2009-sweden-hosts-final-summit-of-its-eu-presidency/index.php The final summit of Sweden's six-month presidency of the European Union could be a triumphal affair as the bloc has succeeded in securing its Lisbon Treaty and has elected a president and foreign minister to preside over the soon-to-be streamlined body. The EU gathering parallels part of the Copenhagen climate change conference. Recriminations are likely to flavor the EU summit if no agreement is found in Copenhagen. Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/10/oslostockholm-10-dec-2009-nobel-prizes-awarded/index.php The Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded in a ceremony in Oslo, presided over by King Harald V of Norway, on Dec 10. On the same date in Stockholm King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden will present the Nobel prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences. Demonstrations can be anticipated in Oslo: US President Barak Obama receives the Peace Prize just days after announcing a troop surge in Afghanistan. Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/09/wellington-9-11-dec-2009-new-zealand-hosts-meeting-on-ship-borne-antarctic-tourism/index.php The country that serves as the main gateway to the frozen continent hosts the Antarctic Treaty Meeting of Experts (ATME) on the management of ship-borne tourism. The experts will be looking at ways to to limit threats to the frozen continent from too many visitors, oil spills, grounded ships and other accidents. Mandatory limits to the size of cruise ships and number of visitors are under consideration, but the tour industry can be expected to push back against mandated measures. Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/07/copenhagen-7-18-dec-2009-denmark-hosts-un-climate-summit/index.php Denmark, host of the United Nations Climate conference in Copenhagen -- COP 15, no longer expects the summit to result in a treaty to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Countries continue to squabble over targets and who will pay for what. They now are aiming for 2010 for a deal. Meanwhile, Denmark sees hosting the conference as an opportunity to show off its success at growing its economy -- 75 per cent in 25 years -- while barely changing its energy consumption. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/07/london-7-dec-2009-britains-top-art-prize-awarded-in-its-25th-year/index.php The judges of Britain's prestigious but controversial Turner Prize select their choice from among four finalists and present the award on the same day, 7 Dec. The award worth UK 25,000 Pounds (US $40,000) was set up in 1984 to celebrate new developments in contemporary art. It is best known for exhibits, such as pickled sheep and soiled beds, that are often described as incomprehensible. Damien Hirst, the 1995 Turner prize winner, attracted controversy for his exhibit of a pickled cow. Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/06/bolivia-6-dec-2009-bolivians-elect-president-both-houses-of-legislature/index.php When Bolivians go to the poll in December, leftist President Evo Morales will be standing again for the presidency. Divided Bolivia will be electing more members of the Senate than before and fewer members of the Chamber of Deputies in a new first-past-the-post system. The changes follow a constitutional referendum in Jan 2009, which also gave South America's first indigenous head of state the ability to run for reelection. Violence and an opposition election boycott are likely. Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/05/united-statesrussia-5-dec-2009-start-treaty-for-strategic-nuclear-weapons-expires/index.php The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, START, is a bilateral agreement between the United States and the former Soviet Union signed 31 Jul 1991. The United States and the countries with nuclear weapons following the Soviet break-up Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine signed a follow-up pact on 5 Dec 1994. The signatories are negotiating a replacement that further limits the weapons, but the talks are likely to involve horse-trading to resolve issues such as the US missile shield plan. Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/05/luxembourg-5-6-dec-2009-third-international-eurospaceward-conference-opens/index.php The Third International Conference on Space Elevator and Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Tether Design, organized by the EuroSpaceward Association, brings together experts in extreme Space engineering, nanotechnology and power-beaming from around the world. EuroSpaceward's flagship mission is to send astronauts and payloads spacewards on an Earth-tethered carbon nanotube or ribbon. The challenges include developing tethers that are both long enough and strong enough. Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/04/south-africa-4-dec-2009-fifa-announces-draw-for-2010-world-cup-football/index.php The F d ration Internationale de Football Association, soccer's global governing body, announces in Cape Town the match-up of the 32 men's teams that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup competition in South Africa in Jun-Jul 2010. There is particular interest in games where where the teams of mutually hostile countries are matched up, such as the United States vs. Iran or North Korea, and in which countries 2006 champion Italy will meet. Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/03/india-3-dec-2009-lethal-bophal-toxic-leak-happened-25-years-ago/index.php On 3 Dec 1984, a gas tank exploded at the Union Carbide pesticides plant in Bhopal. The lethal methyl isocyanate cloud killed nearly 3000 people and at least 15,000 died later from related causes. The leak remains the world's worst industrial disaster, and has become a cause for national and international NGOs. The 25th anniversary will see survivors and their supporters protesting in Delhi and other cities, and the plant will open for 15 days from Nov 25 to mark the anniversary. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/03/brussels-3-4-dec-nato-foreign-ministers-meet/index.php NATO foreign ministers will tackle the priorities of the Alliance's new Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, at their December meeting. They include assistance and troop training for Afghanistan, improving relations with Russia and with partner Muslim nations, and NATO's new push to define its purpose -- the Strategic Concept for the Alliance. The foreign ministers' work on the Secretary-General's priorities will form the backbone of the NATO summit agenda in 2010. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT http://www.newsahead.com/preview/2009/12/02/england-2-dec-2009-origin-of-the-species-published-150-years-ago-/index.php On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin was published 150 years ago on 2 Dec. The date closes out the Darwin year that began with the bicentenary of his birth on 12 Feb, but debate over how evolution is taught in United States public schools could continue until Doomsday. The 150th anniversary invites a look at how the Beagle project is faring. Darwin's world voyage in HMS Beagle gave rise to his theory of evolution, and the plan is to recreate the voyage in a replica of the 1813 vessel. Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT