President Obama has launched a Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, with the group's first meeting to be set in Washington in April. This will be followed in July by a summit in Italy. Obama has invited the leaders of the leading industrial nations, as well as the secretary general of the United Nations, to participate in the forum. The White House has said that the forum was designed to 'help generate the political leadership necessary to achieve a successful outcome' at the U.N. climate change negotiations that will be taking place in Copenhagen in December. It also wanted to explore 'concrete initiatives and joint ventures that increase the supply of clean energy while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.'

Two of Turkey's largest cities change their names ( Constantinople and Angora ). The City of Constantinople is changed to Istanbul The City of Angora is changed to Ankara