WORLD AGENDA APRIL 2015 ---------------------------------------------- 1 Apr 1, New York: Hillary Clinton is expected to launch her presidential campaign for the 2016 election, the first Democratic candidate to do so. The former First Lady enjoys 50-60% support in the party, partly because of the Clinton name but also from grassroots popularity 2 Apr 10-11, Panama: The 7th Summit of the Americas will see U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro at the same table, amid a thaw in relations between the two countries. Washington hopes to open a U.S. embassy in Cuba by mid-April 3 Apr 7-8, Accra: Leaders of Central and West African states meet to agree a common strategy to combat the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram. April 15 marks the first anniversary of the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by the group 4 Apr 13-15, Khartoum: Presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place with President Omar al-Bashir, who has ruled Sudan for 25 years, seeking another term. Opposition parties are boycotting the polls 5 April, Dubrovnik: Croatia awards its first licenses for offshore oil and gas exploration in the Adriatic amid fears the move is “tourism suicide” for one of Europe’s top holiday destinations. The newest EU member hopes the process will bring in £1.7bn in investment 6 Apr 24, Space: The Hubble Telescope, which enabled astronomers to peer back 10 billion years, turns 25. Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope is expected to be in orbit by the time Hubble falls back to Earth between 2030 and 2040 7 April, Canada: An underwater exploration of Sir John Franklin’s doomed ship Erebus, discovered last year, and a search for its sister ship Terror, takes place in the Arctic. Both vessels disappeared, with all 129 crew, 170 years ago 8 April, London: Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are expecting their second baby. The child will be fourth in line to the throne ------------------------------------------------- Source: Kate Edgley Pictures: Getty Imaqges, AP, Parks Canada words 333