WORLD AGENDA FEBRUARY 2014

February 1, Seoul: The United States sends 800 soldiers and armoured vehicles to South Korea as tensions rise on the Korean peninsula. The nine-month deployment comes after North Korea executed the powerful uncle of young leader Kim Jong-un in December.

February 2, Bangkok: Thailand goes to the polls amid a flare-up of eight years of unrest between the rural majority and middle class minority. The election is expected to return Prime Minster Yingluck Shinawatra to power but not resolve the conflict.

February 5, New York: Amnesty International attempts to revive the highly successful concerts that 25 years ago featured U2, Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Lou Reed to raise awareness of human rights. Imagine Dragons and Lauryn Hill headline the event.

February 7-23, Sochi: The Winter Olympics take place amid high security following Islamic militants’ threats to attack the event. President Vladimir Putin is staking his reputation on the success of the event to showcase modern Russia to the world.

February 11, Washington: French President Francois Hollande makes a state visit to the U.S. on his own having confirmed his split with longstanding partner Valerie Trierweiler. Their relationship ended following exposure of Hollande's affair with actress Julie Gayet.

February 19, Toluca: U.S. President Barack Obama travels to Mexico for a summit with President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The meeting, to deepen economic ties, comes after Mexico passed a series of major structural reforms including ending the 75-year-old state oil and gas monopoly.

February 23, Riyadh: Desalination and recycling could help the 780 million people without access to drinking water, the International Water Technology conference will hear. The UN says that by 2025, 30 countries will face acute shortages, 18 from the Middle East and North Africa.

February (undated), Bangui: A report on a possible United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic is due as sectarian violence there spirals. Mob rule between Christians and Muslims has left French and African Union peacekeepers struggling.

February (undated), Vatican City: Cardinals from around the world submit recommendations on reforming the Vatican to Pope Francis. The pontiff, elected last March, says the administration is too inward-looking and that priests should listen more to ordinary Catholics, especially the poor.

February (undated), Tehran: Talks on a final settlement to the long dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions are expected to start. The negotiations aim to prevent the West’s mistrust of the Islamic republic’s uranium enrichment programme turning to war.

February (undated), New Delhi: India is certified polio free by the World Health Organisation, leaving the entire South East Asia region clear of the disease. Figures show that in 2009 the subcontinent accounted for half the total number cases around the world.
/ENDS