February 2004 hotspots

Feb 6-7, Florida: How to reduce IraqÕs $120 billion debt will be high on the agenda when G7 finance ministers meet. Cutting off financing to terrorist groups and the falling value of the U.S. dollar are also on the agenda.

Feb 20, Iran: A boycott of national elections by President Khatami and fellow reformers is expected after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Council of Guardians Ð dominated by extremist mullahs Ð refused to reinstate thousands of banned candidates

Feb 23, The Hague: The International Court of Justice will rule on the legality of a 700km-long barrier Israel is building to keep out suicide bombers. Palestinians say the divider amounts to a land grab.

Feb 3, France: Despite protests, a law banning Muslim head scarves, Jewish yarmulkes and large crosses in public schools is due to go before parliament, with an easy passage expected.

Feb 16-18, Islamabad: India and Pakistan will hold talks on core disputes, in particular Kashmir, the key issue behind half a century of mutual hatred.

Feb 9, Saudi Arabia: Some 2.5 million Muslims will travel to the holy city of Mecca to perform the annual Haj.

Feb, Bangladesh: Wildlife workers will begin counting the number of endangered Royal Bengal tigers in the Sunderbans.

Feb 29, Los Angeles: The Return of The King, the final instalment in The Lord of The Rings trilogy, is tipped for Oscar success at the Academy Awards.

Feb 22, Kuala Lumpur: American pop diva Mariah Carey has promised not to wear revealing attire at her concert in Malaysia. Muslims called for the event to be cancelled, saying it would encourage moral degradation.

Feb 9, New York: A Beatles DVD, featuring footage of the Fab FourÕs first visit to the U.S., will be released to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the trip.

Feb, Georgia: The International Monetary Fund, which stopped lending the ailing Caucasus nation under Eduard Shevardnadze Ð because his government failed to stop corruption and tax evasion Ð has pledged to send a mission to meet the new president, Mikhail Saakashvili.

Feb, Philippines: Peace talks aimed at ending a Communist insurgency are due to resume, three years after they collapsed. The process is being brokered by Norway between the government of President Gloria Arroyo and the chief rebel negotiator Luis Jalandoni.

Feb 4-7, Delhi: The erratic changes in the earthÕs climate, the imbalances in its biodiversity and the alarming depletion of its natural resources will be in the agenda of the Sustainable Development Summit held in India.

Feb 19-26, Rio de Janeiro: A dazzling array of colour and costumes will be on display as the city stages its world-famous annual carnival 

February 10, Colombo: Bryan Adams will give a concert in support of Sri LankaÕs peace drive during a world tour. The eventÕs Indian promoters expect 15,000 to 20,000 fans to turn up.

February 10, 11, Moscow: Fans of Whitney Houston will pay up to US$1,300 Ð nearly 10 times the countryÕs average monthly wage Ð to see the US singer perform at the Kremlin Palace on her first visit to Russia. A third concert takes place in St Petersburg.