WORLD AGENDA JUNE 2014

June 2, Washington: U.S. President Barack Obama is to unveil landmark rules to cut carbon emissions from power plants, the nation's largest source of greenhouse gases. The proposed rules are the centrepiece of Obama's climate action plan, aimed at reducing emissions by 17% by 2020, compared with 2005 levels.

June 2, Moscow: The deadline by which Russia has said Ukraine must pay $1.66 billion owed for gas or it will halt supplies. Previous disputes have left Europe, which gets a third of its gas from Russia, some via Ukraine, with limited supplies.

June 3, Damascus: Presidential elections look set to give President Bashar al-Assad a third term as carnage continues in Syria. Opponents have dismissed the ballot, which for the first time in half a century includes names other than Assad, as a farce.

June 3-4, Hong Kong: Tens of thousands will mark the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing despite Chinese government attempts to erase the event from history. Hundreds died when soldiers crushed unarmed pro-democracy protests in 1989. 

June 4, Bonn: Nations signed up to the UN Kyoto Protocol for Climate Change pact review their commitments. The EU, on course to reduce emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, is divided on cutting emissions by 40% in 2030. 

June 6, Normandy: Britain's heir to the throne and Vladimir Putin are due to meet at 70th anniversary D-Day landings commemorations just two weeks after Prince Charles likened the Russian President to Adolf Hitler. He was referring to his actions in Ukraine. 

June 10-13, London: Campaigners hope the taboo but widespread issue of sexual violence against men in conflict will shape debate at a global summit. The Refugee Law Project says abuse of men and boys can tear communities apart more than guns alone.

June 12, Brazil: The World Cup kicks off in the soccer-crazy nation of Brazil. Despite protests over high costs, setbacks over safety and late completion of many of the stadiums, the host nation is among the favourites to lift the trophy for a record sixth time.

June 14, Kabul: Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani face each other in Afghanistan's presidential run-off, expected to be hit by Taliban attacks. Voting comes as international forces prepare to leave at the end of 2014.

June 21, Nouakchott: Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, a key ally of the West in the fight against al-Qaeda in West Africa, looks set to win re-election. Most opposition parties plan to boycott the vote, saying it lacks credibility and transparency.

June 27, Tbilisi: Georgia and Moldova sign an EU Association Agreement amid the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War. In March Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region after protesters overthrew Kiev's Moscow-backed president who had rejected closer EU ties.
/ENDS