WORLD AGENDA APRIL 2010

April 5, Los Angeles: A U.S. court begins hearings in the case of Conrad Murray, the physician charged with the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson. Murray has pleaded not guilty

April 8, Italy: One of Christendom’s most sacred relics, the Shroud of Turin, will go on display to the public for the first time since it underwent major restoration in 2002. Pope Benedict XVI will visit the exhibition, at Turin’s cathedral, on May 2

April 8, United States: Tiger Woods returns to professional golf after his career came to a halt in November following his admission of multiple extra-marital affairs. The world number one, who lost millions of dollars in sponsorship, tees off in the Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia.

April 11, Khartoum: Sudan’s first multi-party presidential and legislative elections in 24 years take place amid an upsurge in violence. Continued simmering tensions, five years after a peace deal to end decades of civil war was signed, have escalated as the poll approaches.

April 12, Florida: A possible date for the inaugural flight of Falcon 9, a privately developed rocket designed to fly cargo -- and possibly astronauts -- into space. Space Exploration Technologies has said its demonstration launch will take place this spring at its Cape Canaveral site.

April 12-13, Washington: U.S. President Barack Obama hosts a 43-nation summit to discuss the prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation. Hopes are rising that the U.S. and Russia will sign a replacement for the 1991 START treaty before the summit, with both sides signalling that a breakthrough in their long-stalled talks is near.

April 13-15, Mexico City: U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama visits Mexico on her first solo international trip since her husband became president. A White House statement said she would seek to “amplify the president’s commitment to advancing… mutual respect… between nations”.

April 15, Nanterre, France: Celebrity photographer Francois-Marie Banier is due in court accused of extorting 1 billion euros in gifts from France’s richest woman, the 87-year-old L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. Bettencourt’s daughter filed the suit arguing her mother was mentally incompetent.

April 23-24, London: Works of art from emerging powers go under the hammer under the title BRIC, the financial market term for the rapidly expanding economies of Brazil Russia, India and China. Auctioneer Phillips de Pury expects the sale to raise $15 million.

April 29, Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai hosts a “peace jirga” -- or large assembly -- to which he is expected to invite all the militant groups, including the Taliban. The West hopes that the negotiations, combined with greater force, will encourage insurgents to strike a peace deal.

April (undated), Cape Town: Legislators in South Africa, which hosts the soccer World Cup in June, aim to bring a new law against human trafficking into effect before the tournament starts. The bill is being fast-tracked amid fears that trafficking may rise during the month-long competition.

April (undated), Baghdad: Iraq invites foreign bids for the construction of a $6 billion port south of Basra connecting the Gulf with northern Europe. The project is part of a drive to kick-start Iraq’s economy following the recent signing of major oil contracts.
/ENDS