WORLD AGENDA FEBRUARY 2010

February 1, Wellington: Eighteen scientists from Australia and New Zealand set sail for Antarctica to conduct non-lethal studies of minke,humpback and blue whale populations. They plan to disprove Japan’s claims that whales must be killed to be studied.

February 3, London: Three works, each expected to fetch more than £10 million, go under the hammer at Sotheby’s. A rare bronze by Italian sculptor Alberto Giacometti forms the star lot alongside paintings by Paul Cezanne and Gustav Klimt.

February 5-6, Iqaluit: G7 finance ministers meeting in Canada are expected to put pressure on China to allow a more flexible yuan. Beijing has resisted pressure to strengthen its currency, which some economists say gives it an unfair export advantage.

February 6, Tokyo: The North Korean women’s soccer team is expected to travel to Japan to take part in the East Asian football championship finals despite a ban on visits. Sanctions were imposed after the communist state carried out nuclear tests in 2006 but visas have been granted to the players.

February 7, Florida: Europe’s final two major components for the International Space Station are flown to the platform on board the U.S. shuttle Endeavour. Tranquility is a connecting mode to house life support equipment while the Cupola is a robotic control room.

February 12-28, Vancouver: Bobsleigh, luge, ice hockey, skiing and snowboarding are just some of the 15 events competitors from around 100 nations will compete in at the 21st Winter Olympic Games in Canada. Women’s skijumping, despite an appeal, is excluded.

February 20, Reykjavik: Iceland is due to hold a referendum on whether to repay Britain and the Netherlands more than $5 billion their savers lost when Icelandic banks collapsed. Opponents say the payment plan could harm Iceland’s economy further.

February 27, Milan: Silvio Berlusconi is due in court accused of bribing a former tax lawyer U.S.$600,000 to lie in court in the 1990s.The Italian Prime Minister is on trial after his immunity from prosecution while in office was lifted last year.

Early February, Tehran: Iran says it is to hold “large-scale military exercises” to prepare its forces to repel an offensive by the nation’s enemies. The report comes amid escalating tensions over Iran’s refusal to address international concerns over its nuclear programme.

February (undated), South Africa: Caster Semenya, the athlete who has not competed since her gender was questioned after she stormed to 800m World Championship gold in 2009, may return to competition. The 19-year-old underwent gender tests but the results have not been released.
/ENDS