International and Bilateral Issues:

For Bangladesh, December 2011 is a landmark; the country celebrates its 40th independence anniversary.
It also faces the gigantic challenge of moving ahead with the historic trial of the local agents of the Pakistani army who killed, raped and maimed hundreds of thousands during the liberation war of 1971 — an uphill task in the face of organised resistance by the main Opposition party.
After a shocking delay in reckoning with the atrocities of 1971 — much of which was due to Bangladesh's about-turn following the 1975 bloody coup — the present government led by Sheikh Hasina initiated the move towards justice.
It is true that evidence to convict a suspect may be difficult to get as the events are 40 years old. Much of the key evidence was destroyed by the perpetrators when they, or their allied political forces, were in power.
However, the horror unleashed by the army did not succeed. India opened its borders and sheltered 10 million refugees, and helped the Bengali freedom fighters. Under Indira Gandhi, India intervened militarily in the decisive weeks after it was attacked on the western front.
For Bangladesh, December has been a month of joy and tragedy.

India and Russia will focus on deliverables in defence and strategic communications besides taking forward talks on partnerships in nuclear energy and hydrocarbons spheres during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Moscow .
Dr. Singh will also meet Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, architect of restoring India-Russia ties that were in disarray during the Yeltsin era.
Having expressed disinterest in gas deposits in Yamal Peninsula on account of extreme weather conditions, given its energy woes, India is now keen on discussing modalities for teaming up with Novatech for exploration.
The two sides will try sorting out the taxation problems facing Imperial Energy, bought in haste by ONGC and an important vehicle for taking forward India's quest for fossil fuels in Russia.

Global politics will be high on the agenda of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Russia in the context of shifting power equations in the world
The international agenda of talks acquires special relevance in the light of India taking the Chair of BRICS in 2012 and hosting the group's next summit in late March
It will be the 12th bilateral summit since 2000 when the two countries agreed to hold top-level meetings annually.
Global challenges make it imperative that we further intensify our dialogue on issues such as the need to revive the world economy, the situation in West Asia and North Africa, challenges in neighbouring Afghanistan, cooperation within BRICS, as well as new threats posed by climate change and piracy.
The changes under way offer an opportunity to bring about an international order that is democratic, inclusive, based on the supremacy of international law and consistent with the objectives and principles contained in the U.N. Charter.
Indian Premier is expected to discuss bilateral cooperation in defence, space, atomic energy, hydrocarbons, and science and technology
The two countries hope to double bilateral trade to touch $20 billion by 2015 and diversify their economic cooperation.
In particular, there are ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral linkages in sectors such as steel, fertilisers, pharmaceuticals, coal, diamonds, telecommunications, oil and gas, and IT

In land conflicts in China's villages, it is the farmers who are usually evicted.
But in the southern Chinese village of Wukan this week, a first-of-its-kind rebellion by 20,000 villagers over a land conflict has forced out the entire local government
The siege of Wukan was the denouement of more than three months of protests over land acquisition
Local authorities had recently appeared willing to address grievances over what villagers said was inadequate land compensation, when they welcomed a group of residents, elected by the local community to represent the farmers' interests, to negotiate.
However, the chief negotiator, Xue Jinbo, was subsequently held by authorities and died in custody this week.
The meeting, chaired by President Hu Jintao, concluded with a declaration that the focus of China's economic development in the coming year would be “making progress while maintaining stability.”

Considering the country's strategic and security requirements across the China-India border, the Centre has embarked on works to develop infrastructure
Conscious of China developing infrastructure in the border regions opposite India in Tibet and Xinjiang Autonomous Regions there, the government was “giving careful and special attention'' to the development of infrastructure in the border areas opposite China, “to meet our strategic and security requirements and also to facilitate the economic development of these areas
the infrastructure development included the Qinghai-Tibet railway line, with proposed extension up to Xigze and Nyingchi besides roads and airport facilities.
The States, where the government is focussing on include Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.