Portal:Current events/July 2011

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July 2011 was the seventh month of that common year. The month, which began on a Friday, ended on a Sunday after 31 days.

Portal:Current events

This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from July 2011.

Current events of July 1, 2011 (2011-07-01) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights claims the Congo government troops raped 121 women between June 11 and 13 then pillaged their villages. (AP via The Washington Post) Arab Spring: 2011 Syrian uprising: Hundreds of thousands of people protest against the regime nationwide as the crackdown against civilians continues. (BBC) The death toll is reported to be at least 11 in Syria today. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Libyan civil war: Rebels withdraw from the town of Bir al-Ghanam, 80km south of Tripoli after coming under rocket attack from forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi. (Reuters) Muammar Gaddafi, speaking via an audio message broadcast to a square in central Tripoli, calls on NATO to stop its bombing campaign or he will target European "homes, offices, families". (BBC) (Al Jazeera) Members at the African Union summit in Equatorial Guinea express annoyance at NATO's intervention in Libya over fears that it is only making the situation worse. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Bahraini uprising: Some expatriate Bahrainis are sent "loyalty pledges" in light of the uprising. (MSNBC) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Demonstrations are held in the capital Sana'a and across the country, while protesters in Ta'izz chant slogans against a possible Saudi Arabian intervention, "Tell Saudi Arabia that Yemen is a republic" and "Yemen is not Bahrain", in reference to Saudi Arabia's suppression of the Bahraini uprising. (Al Jazeera) Freedom Flotilla II: Activists increase their guard of the remaining boats bound for Gaza following the alleged sabotage of other boats. (The Jerusalem Post) (Al Jazeera) Greek authorities prevented a US-flagged vessel, The Audacity of Hope, carrying dozens of U.S. activists, from departing for the Gaza Strip, towing it back to the port of Perama after commandos, reportedly carrying weapons, intercept it. (Al Jazeera) (The Jerusalem Post) Arts and culture Albert II, Prince of Monaco weds Charlene Wittstock, the Olympic swimmer, at the royal palace; Wittstock becomes Her Serene Highness, Princess Charlene. (BBC) Business and economy Bank of Moscow, the fifth largest bank in Russia, in record bailout of $14 billion, after the discovery that almost a third of the bank's assets are "problematic," the Central Bank of Russia said.(BBC)(Moscow Times) A Bank of Japan survey shows that business confidence has fallen markedly since the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. (Washington Post) Manufacturing activity in the People's Republic of China is at its lowest level in more than two years after three successive months of falls indicating a continued slowdown. (Wall Street Journal) (Financial Times) Disasters The towns of Colman and Flandreau in the US state of South Dakota are hit by a heavy storm resulting in the loss of power for several days. (Argus Leader) International relations The Yonhap News Agency reports that North Korea is tightening border controls with South Korea to stop defections. (Yonhap News) Poland takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months. (BBC) Law and crime A Moscow court declares books and brochures by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard as "extremist", banning them from distribution in Russia. (The Moscow Times) (AP) The Australian Federal Police charges six senior executives, all former employees of two companies owned by the Reserve Bank of Australia, Securency and Note Printing Australia, in relation to alleged bribery of officials in Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. (Sydney Morning Herald) (Herald-Sun) Dominique Strauss-Kahn The New York Times reports that the sexual assault case against former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn is on the verge of collapse due to concerns over the credibility of the alleged victim's testimony. (The New York Times) A judge releases him from house arrest as prosecutors said that the maid had made false statements. (Reuters via Montreal Gazette) (France 24) The Chosunilbo newspaper in South Korea reports that Kim Pyong-il, the half-brother of current North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, is under house arrest in Pyongyang. (Kyodo News) Italian police arrest the Mafia boss of Corleone in Sicily. (AFP via France 24) Danish drug company Lundbeck restricts use of its Nembutal drug to stop its use in lethal injections in some US states. (AFP via France 24) A US Federal Appeals Court overturns the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative banning the use of race and gender preferences in college admissions and government hiring and contracting in the US state of Michigan. (Detroit News) Former British Conservative peer and leader of Essex County Council, Lord Hanningfield is jailed for nine months for fiddling his parliamentary expenses. (BBC) Politics and elections Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez makes his first speech since receiving treatment for cancer in Cuba. (BBC) Canada celebrates the 144th anniversary of the enactment of its Constitution Act. (CBC) The government of the U.S. state of Minnesota is to shut down as a result of a budget dispute between Democratic Governor Mark Dayton and the Republican Legislature. (Star-Tribune) (AP via Google News) (Politico) Morocco votes in a constitutional referendum. (Al Jazeera) The British Labour Party's Iain McKenzie wins the Inverclyde by-election with a majority reduced from 14,416 in 2010 to 5,838. (BBC) Leon Panetta is sworn in as the new United States Secretary of Defense, succeeding Robert Gates. (BBC) Sport In basketball, owners in the North American National Basketball Association commence a lockout after failing to reach a collective bargaining agreement with players. (The Wall Street Journal) In tennis, Rafael Nadal defeats Andy Murray in the semi-final of Wimbledon. (BBC Sport) Current events of July 2, 2011 (2011-07-02) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks Arab Spring: 2011 Libyan civil war: According to The Daily Telegraph, the Sudanese army invades Libya, taking control of the southeastern town of Al-Kufra. (The Daily Telegraph) Libyan rebel leaders welcome an African Union offer to open talks with the Government in Tripoli without the direct involvement of Muammar Gaddafi. (BBC) 2011 Syrian uprising: The President of Syria Bashar al-Assad sacks Ahmad Khaled Abdel Aziz, the governor of the city of Hama, after mass anti-government demonstrations occurred there yesterday. (Gulf News) (Syrian Arab News Agency) (BBC) (Al Jazeera) 2011 Moroccan protests: Demonstrations are called for following a constitutional referendum on greater freedoms held yesterday. (Reuters) Somali and African Union forces make gains against al-Shabaab rebels in Mogadishu. (Al Jazeera) 11 members of one family are killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan while traveling to Pakistan. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture Albert II, Prince of Monaco marries Charlene Wittstock, the Olympic swimmer, again, this time in a religious ceremony attended by 3,500 guests, including royalty and celebrities. (BBC) Business and economy European sovereign debt crisis: Eurozone finance ministers agree to give a further €12 billion over the next two weeks to Greece as it fights bankruptcy. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority grounds all Tiger Airways flights in the country until July 9 due to a range of safety concerns. (AAP via The Sydney Morning Herald) Disasters 3 coal miners are killed and 40 others are trapped in separate incidents in the People's Republic of China. (AP via Newsday - sub. req.) (China Daily) Mexican authorities have confirmed 11 deaths from Tropical Storm Arlene. (AP via USA Today) ExxonMobil workers attempt to contain an oil spill on the Yellowstone River in the US state of Montana. (Los Angeles Times) Law and crime 228 people are arrested during a large demonstration in Hong Kong amid frustration with government policies and rising property prices. (AFP via Google News) (Reuters) China jails a Tibetan writer for editing a banned magazine regarding unrest in 2008. (AFP via Google News) (Reuters) (BBC) Politics and elections Former President of Brazil and current Senator Itamar Franco dies of complications from leukemia; seven days of mourning are declared by current president Dilma Rousseff. (CNN) (BBC) Campaigning closes ahead of Thailand's general election tomorrow. (Al Jazeera) Freedom Flotilla II: Greek port authorities arrest the captain of the US-flagged vessel The Audacity of Hope, the latest incident to befall the flotilla following two counts of alleged sabotage and the towing back to port of this ship yesterday. (Al Jazeera) (The Jerusalem Post) Serbia and Kosovo sign the first accords between the two nations since Kosovo's declaration of independence three years ago. (Al Jazeera) Sports In tennis, Petra Kvitová defeats Maria Sharapova to win the Wimbledon championship in women's singles. It is Kvitová's first Grand Slam victory. (BBC Sport) (The Guardian) In motorsports, David Ragan holds off teammate Matt Kenseth to win the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway for his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win. The win redeemed Ragan for a costly mistake in the 2011 Daytona 500. Current events of July 3, 2011 (2011-07-03) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Dozens of people are arrested and tear gas is used during Independence Day celebrations in Belarus after a "clapping" protest. (Al Jazeera) (BBC) Police and protesters clash in Bangladesh over a gas exploration deal with ConocoPhilips; 150 people are detained. (BBC) (Bangladesh News) Arab Spring: 2011 Syrian uprising: The Syrian army encircles the city of Hama after one of the largest protests against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. (CBC) 2011 Bahraini uprising: Violent clashes erupt in a Shia village during a "national dialogue" in Bahrain. (The Financial Times) 2011 Moroccan protests: The February 20 Movement rejects last Friday's constitutional referendum as nationwide demonstrations against the regime continue. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Libyan civil war: Turkey recognizes the National Transitional Council of the anti-Gaddafi forces, with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu meeting with rebel leaders in Benghazi and offering at least $200 million in aid. (Al Jazeera) (BBC) Freedom Flotilla II: Members of the Dutch-Italian vessel issue an open letter to the Greek prime minister Georgios Papandreou following the alleged sabotage of two ships and the prevention of the rest from setting sail for Gaza. (Al Jazeera) (Malaysia Star) (ABC News) Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman, speaking on radio, welcomes a diplomatic victory after its attempts to stop the flotilla from setting sail to Gaza are assisted by the Greek ban on the ships from leaving port. (The Daily Telegraph) According to reports in the Toronto Star, the flotilla is to make an attempt to set sail on Monday. (Toronto Star) At least 5 people are killed and at least 10 others are wounded in a bomb attack on a bar in Maiduguri, Nigeria. It follows a bomb that killed 25 people this day last week. (BBC) (Reuters) (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture A. E. Hotchner, a friend and collaborator of the Nobel Prize-winning writer Ernest Hemingway, writing in The New York Times on the 50th anniversary of Hemingway's death, expresses his belief that the J. Edgar Hoover-led Federal Bureau of Investigation's surveillance "substantially contributed to his anguish and his suicide", with Hotchner saying he "regretfully misjudged" Hemingway's fear of the FBI. (The Observer) American televangelist Robert H. Schuller is ousted from the board of the Crystal Cathedral. (Orange County Register) Disasters Mount Soputan, a volcano in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province, erupts. (AFP via France 24) At least 10 people have been killed in a series of bombings and shootings in northeastern Nigeria. (Voice of America) Storms in the region of Washington, D.C. in the US kill one person in Montgomery County and cuts power to 40,000 homes. (Washington Post) A tourist boat sinks in the Sea of Cortez off the coast of Baja California in Mexico with 23 people missing. (Reuters) (CNN) International relations South Korea announces plans to submit a claim to the United Nations to a larger portion of the East China Sea in a move which is likely to be disputed by the People's Republic of China and Japan. (Yonhap) The Swiss Government blocks 27 million Swiss francs worth of assets linked to senior Syrian officials. (AP via Metro News) Politics and elections Voters in Mexico go to the polls for local elections in the states of Mexico, Coahuila, Nayarit, Puebla and Hidalgo. (Reuters) Opposition PRI sweeps the three gubernatorial elections in the State of Mexico, Coahuila and Nayarit. (Americas Quarterly) Eruviel Ávila Villegas of the PRI is elected Governor of the State of Mexico, defeating Alejandro Encinas of the PRD by 40 points. (Americas Quarterly) Rubén Moreira Valdez of the PRI is elected Governor of Coahuila. Roberto Sandoval Castañeda of the PRI is elected Governor of Nayarit. Thailand votes in its 26th general election with results showing the Pheu Thai Party loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra winning a majority. Yingluck Shinawatra, the opposition party leader, is expected to be the first female Prime Minister of Thailand. (Thai News Agency) (BBC) (Bangkok Post) (Bloomberg) (ABC News Australia) (Al Jazeera) In Lebanon, Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah rejects the indictment and arrest warrants served by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon three days earlier against the party's four senior members. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (The Daily Star) British Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has warned Downing Street that plans to cap Housing Benefit could result in 20,000 people in the UK being made homeless. (BBC) Sport An executive and her director boyfriend working with the Olympic Park Legacy Company are reportedly suspended following claims that they were paid by West Ham United F.C. to secure the use of the 2012 Summer Olympics stadium after the games. (Sky News) In tennis, Novak Djokovic of Serbia wins the Men's singles at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships defeating Rafael Nadal of Spain 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, and becoming number 1 on the ATP World Tour. (Today Online) (BBC Sport) (Al Jazeera) Current events of July 4, 2011 (2011-07-04) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring: 2011 Moroccan protests: Democracy campaigners dismiss as "unbelievable" government figures showing that 98 per cent of voters backed Morocco's constitutional referendum amid allegations of multiple voting, with people marching through Rabat, Casablanca and Tangier chanting "The interior minister is a liar". (BBC) 2011 Syrian uprising: Government troops arrive in Hama in buses to raid houses and arrest civilians following the mass popular anti-government protests there on Friday. Tanks laying siege to the city move north to other villages. (BBC) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Thousands of people rally against authority in Sana'a, marching towards the residence of Vice-President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi since Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled the country for 33 years, remains in Saudi Arabia receiving treatment for his wounds. (BBC) 2011 Libyan civil war: NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen defends the group's presence in Libya during a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Sochi, claiming that its mission is in "strict conformity" with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. (BBC) 2011 Egyptian revolution: Clashes break out at a courthouse as 7 police officers, suspected of killing protesters in Suez during the popular revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak from power, are released on bail by a judge in Cairo. (BBC) (The Times of India) (AP via The Washington Post) Tunisian revolution: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia as his regime was ousted from power in a popular revolution, is convicted in absentia on charges of possessing illegal drugs and weapons and sentenced to 15 years in jail at a court in Tunis. (BBC) (AP via New York Times) Saboteurs bomb an Egyptian pipeline at Nagah in the Sinai Peninsula delivering gas to Israel and Jordan. (AFP via Jakarta Post) (Al Jazeera) A corporal in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps goes on a killing spree while on duty at a guard post on South Korea's Ganghwa Island, killing 3 people and injuring 2 others. (Yonhap News) (BBC) Freedom Flotilla II: The Greek Coast Guard pursues with water cannons then boards the ship carrying activists from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Switzerland and Turkey after an unsuccessful attempt to leave Crete harbour. (Al Jazeera) Australian Army soldier, Sergeant Todd Langley, is killed in fighting in Afghanistan, bringing Australian casualties in the war to 28. (The Daily Telegraph) Arts and culture Religious conservatives in Pakistan condemn as "cultural terrorism" the recent support shown for LGBT rights in Islamabad. (BBC) J. K. Rowling leaves her agent Christopher Little after 15 years. (The Guardian) Business and economy Sony Corp. says that it will fully restore all the PlayStation Network videogame services in Japan, which will complete worldwide restoration of those services, disrupted in April. (Reuters) Disasters At least 2 people are killed and 4 others are declared missing after a landslide in a village in western Nepal. (AP via The Washington Post) Several African countries experience their worst drought in 60 years, with millions of people affected. (BBC) International relations Israel announces that it will transfer the bodies of 84 Palestinian militants to the Palestinian Authority, apparently as a diplomatic gesture to the Palestinians ahead of Ramadan. (Ynetnews) A statue of former President of the United States Ronald Reagan is unveiled at a ceremony outside the American embassy in Grosvenor Square, Central London, opposite a statue of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Those invited include Margaret Thatcher and Condoleezza Rice, while a piece of the Berlin Wall also features. (BBC) Law and crime Trial of Ratko Mladić in The Hague: Former Bosnian Serb Colonel General Ratko Mladić is scheduled to enter a plea on charges of genocide in the Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian war at a United Nations war crimes court. (Reuters via France 24) Ratko Mladić is removed from his hearing after he is ruled to have spoken out of turn while asking that he have his own lawyer instead of one appointed by the court, then quarrelling with the judge to be allowed speak. (BBC) Sir Hugh Orde, President of the UK's Association of Chief Police Officers, announces that key policing services are being left "unfunded" as a result of cuts. (BBC) At his trial Japanese man Tatsuya Ichihashi admits to killing British teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker whose body was found in a bathtub in 2007. (BBC) Lawyers for French novelist Tristane Banon say that she will file a criminal complaint accusing former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn of attempted rape. (MSNBC) Politics and elections Thai general election: Abhisit Vejjajiva, the outgoing Prime Minister of Thailand, resigns as the leader of the Democrat Party following a heavy defeat in yesterday's general election. (Bangkok Post) The presumptive Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announces a five party coalition led by her Puea Thai Party which will have a membership of 60 per cent of the Thai parliament. (Reuters) At least 88 lawmakers in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh resign en masse in support of the creation of a new state called Telangana. (BBC) (The Times of India) (The Hindu) Karim Wade, son of Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade, issues a strong denial of speculation that his father plans to pass on power to him as if he were a monarch. (BBC) President of the United States Barack Obama is falsely declared dead by the Twitter account of the U.S. broadcaster Fox News in a series of messages stating, "@BarackObama has just passed. The President is dead" and "BREAKING NEWS: @BarackObama assassinated, 2 gunshot wounds have proved too much". Hackers are blamed though the messages remain online several hours later. (BBC) (AP via The Sydney Morning Herald) (CNN) Return of Hugo Chávez: President Hugo Chávez returns to Venezuela after undergoing surgery for cancer in Cuba. (BBC) Thousands of people turn out to cheer on Hugo Chávez upon his return to Caracas; he vows to win back his health and describes the support of his people as "the best medicine for whatever illness". (BBC) The UK government will introduce emergency legislation designed to reverse a controversial judgement on police bail for debate in the House of Commons on Thursday. (BBC) Science Experts declare that drugs used during in vitro fertilisation for older women may increase the risk of Down syndrome for their baby. (BBC) Sport In tennis, Novak Djokovic returns home to Serbia and is welcomed by tens of thousands of people in Belgrade, one day after winning Wimbledon by defeating Rafael Nadal. (BBC News) In American football, retired National Football League players take legal action against current players and team owners in efforts to preserve current pension entitlements. (New York Times) Current events of July 5, 2011 (2011-07-05) (Tuesday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring: 2011 Syrian uprising: Demonstrators against the regime in Hama are met with tanks and troops that surround the city. (Al Jazeera) Amnesty International calls for a United Nations investigation into allegations of human rights abuses in Syria. (BBC) At least six people are killed and at least 20 others are arrested as regime forces attack Hama. (BBC) 2011 Libyan civil war: Government spokesperson Moussa Ibrahim states that two boatloads of arms intended for use by anti-Gaddafi forces have been seized near Janzour outside Tripoli. (Al Jazeera) At least 11 people killed near Misrata. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Egyptian revolution: 3 ministers from the regime of Hosni Mubarak, ousted from power by a popular revolution, are acquitted in court of the misuse of public money. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) A F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force based in Naha Air Base on Okinawa crashed on a training exercise on the East China Sea, leading to Japan grounding all F-15 while investigating the cause. (Kyodo News)(San Francisco Chronicle) At least 35 people are killed and 28 others are wounded during two explosions in Taji, Iraq. (Al Jazeera) (BBC) Northern Province of Sri Lanka, severely affected by the civil war, is opened to foreigners and journalists who hold passports. (BBC) Israeli forces kill two Palestinian militants and wound one more in the Gaza Strip. (BBC) Freedom Flotilla II: The Dignite al Karama, the French vessel, manages to set sail for Gaza without being obstructed. Those on board include Olivier Besancenot and MEP Nicole Kiil-Nielsen. (Al Jazeera) Greek port authorities prevent the Swedish vessel "Juliano" from joining the flotilla at the Port of Athens. (Ynet News) Arts and culture Ghulam Nabi Azad, health minister of India, describes homosexual sex as "unnatural" and homosexuality as a "disease" which is "spreading fast" throughout the country. (BBC) (AP via The Washington Post) (The New Zealand Herald) (The Irish Times) Venezuela celebrates 200 years of independence from Spain featuring street parties and a military parade. (BBC) Sting cancels a performance in Astana, Kazakhstan, in support of striking oil and gas workers and calls for "the spotlight of the international media [to be shone] on their situation in the hope of bringing about positive change". (The Guardian) Sony Music Ireland investigates a possible hacking incident after the early morning appearance of stories relating to R. Kelly, The X Factor and the hoax deaths of members of The Script on its website. (The Irish Times) (RTÉ) Business and economy Christine Lagarde officially starts as managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). (RTÉ) (The Irish Times) (BBC) European sovereign debt crisis: Bailouts for Greece's financial system are challenged in a German court amid concerns that the result may rock the European Union. (The Guardian) Concerns grow that Portugal's banks may need another bailout after it is downgraded to "junk" status. (BBC) Trainmaker Bombardier Transportation cuts 1,400 jobs from its United Kingdom factory in the English city of Derby after missing out on the £1.4bn Thameslink project. (BBC) (Channel 4 News) Barclays Capital raises its forecast for crude oil prices, referring to the "intensification of the geopolitical background" for the market. (Reuters) Disasters A 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurs 30 kilometres west of Taupo in the Waikato Region of the North Island of New Zealand. (TV New Zealand) The Japanese media reports that Ryu Matsumoto is to resign as Minister of State for Disaster Management after making insensitive remarks while touring areas hit by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. (AP via ABC News America) (BBC) (Al Jazeera) President of Argentina Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announces social benefits and tax deferments designed to assist those affected by the eruption of Puyehue-Cordón Caulle. (BBC) Brian Schweitzer, the Governor of the US state of Montana declares a state of emergency in counties affected by an oil spill in the Yellowstone River. (CNN) The US city of Phoenix, Arizona is hit by a large dust storm leaving thousands of people without power and grounding flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. (Arizona Republic) (ABC) One person is killed and 29 injured in an escalator malfunction on the Beijing Subway at Beijing Zoo Station. (The Guardian) Law and crime News of the World phone hacking affair: British tabloid the News of the World faces fresh allegations linking it to hacking activities, this time after it emerges that the mobile phone of murdered 13-year-old schoolgirl Milly Dowler was interfered with and messages left by relatives were deleted. This gave relatives the false impression that Milly Dowler was still alive when she was not. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) Colin Stagg, the man who was falsely accused of Rachel Nickell's 1992 murder on Wimbledon Common, is informed that he too had his phone hacked by the News of the World, as many as six years after he was acquitted. Robert Napper later admitted responsibility. (The Guardian) It is revealed that police have contacted the parents of murdered schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman amid concerns that the News of the World tabloid also hacked them. (The Guardian) (Channel 4 News) (BBC) (The Belfast Telegraph) Peta Buscombe, Baroness Buscombe states in an interview on the BBC that the News of the World tabloid told lies to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), an alteration in opinion. (The Guardian) David Cameron and Ed Miliband condemn the continuing revelations concerning the News of the World's alleged hacking activities. (The Guardian) (Channel 4 News) In an unusual move, House of Commons Speaker John Bercow allows an emergency debate to discuss the possibilities of a public inquiry and of a cover-up, occurring in the House of Commons tomorrow. (The Guardian) Ford Motor Company announces it is pulling all advertising from the News of the World tabloid following reports that it allegedly hacked the voicemail of murdered 13-year-old schoolgirl Milly Dowler; mobile communications company T-Mobile, Currys and PC World all consider joining Ford. (The Financial Times) (The Daily Telegraph) Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator at the centre of the allegations, apologises for any hurt he has caused. (The Telegraph) The family of a victim of the 7 July 2005 London bombings allegedly had their phones hacked. (Sky News) Both The Sun and Daily Mirror tabloid newspapers are accused of being in contempt of court for publishing articles about the arrest of Christopher Jefferies in relation to the murder of Joanna Yeates; Jefferies was later released without charge. British Attorney General Dominic Grieve is seeking to bring charges against the newspapers. Judges will make a decision on the case at a later date.(BBC) (The Belfast Telegraph) 13 UK Uncut activists appear in court on charges of aggravated trespass after peacefully occupying the luxury London food retailer Fortnum & Mason during a protest against tax avoidance in March. More than 100 other activists are also expected to be put on trial later, with Labour MP John McDonnell claiming such a trial would be "outrageous" and "fly in the face of public opinion". (The Guardian) The Netherlands is held responsible for the deaths of three Bosniaks during the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia, according to a court ruling in The Hague. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (Reuters via The Guardian) 25-year-old navy medic Michael Lyons is found guilty in Plymouth of refusing to attend rifle training; Lyons says he developed a moral objection to the war in Afghanistan due to revelations made public by WikiLeaks. (The Guardian) New South Wales police are given more powers to remove burqas as anyone refusing to do so faces fines of thousands of dollars or months behind bars. (BBC) (AFP via France 24) (The Guardian) Up to 7,000 police march on Yonge Street in Newmarket, Ontario, including some Royal Canadian Mounted Police and American officers, accompanied by thousands of spectators for the funeral procession for Canadian YRP police Constable Garrett Styles, killed when a 15-year-old underage driver accelerated during a traffic stop. (CBC) (The Toronto Star) (The Hamilton Spectator) The Supreme Court of England and Wales dismisses an attempt by police to suspend a legal ruling limiting the powers of police bail. (BBC) A Somali man, Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame, is charged in the US city of New York with assisting the terrorist groups Al Shaabab and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. (New York Times) Casey Anthony is acquitted of murder in relation to the death of her daughter Caylee, but guilty on four counts of misdemeanor providing false information to a law enforcement officer. (AP via Detroit Free Press)(USA Today) Sport A United Kingdom House of Commons inquiry into allegations of corruption associated with bids for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments accuses FIFA of trying to dismiss the allegations and questions FIFA President Sepp Blatter's commitment to reform. (Reuters vis TV New Zealand) Yuri Ogorodonik is sacked as the coach of India's track and field squad after eight athletes were suspended within a week for failing doping tests. (AP via USA Today) Current events of July 6, 2011 (2011-07-06) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Arab Spring: 2011 Libyan civil war: Rebels launch an offensive in the western Nafusa Mountains. (Reuters) al-Qwalish is taken by anti-Gaddafi forces, who make gains of 12 kilometres, after a battle lasting 6 hours. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Syrian uprising: A Syrian human rights organisation claims that Syrian Army troops have killed 22 people in the town of Hama since yesterday. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Egyptian revolution: A court in Suez upholds the release of police accused of killing 17 people during the popular revolution that ousted the regime of Hosni Mubarak from power; family members attack police cars and the court building as a result. There is a call for 1 million people to demonstrate in Tahrir Square on Friday. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) Nigerian Sharia conflict: An explosion and gunfire are heard in the northern Nigerian town of Maiduguri, amid activity by Islamist group Boko Haram. (Malaysia Star) Arts and culture Iconic Indian filmmaker Mani Kaul dies in Delhi. (BBC) (The Times of India) (Economic Times) (The Telegraph) Business and economy The European Commission denounces international credit ratings agencies as "questionable" after Portugal is downgraded by Moody's, while Greece's foreign minister Stavros Lambrinidis calls their behaviour "madness". (BBC) Japan's Jiji Press reports that the country will conduct stress tests for all nuclear reactors in the country. (Reuters) Disasters Authorities report that a cargo plane has crashed in eastern Afghanistan with casualties feared. (AP via The Washington Post) 7 people are killed during heavy floods in Sichuan Province in the People's Republic of China. (Xinhua) A Bell UH-1Y Venom helicopter crashes on a training flight at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near the US city of San Diego with one person dead and five people injured. (Sign On San Diego) Law and crime The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals orders the Obama administration to cease its enforcement of the ban on gay men and women in the military ("Don't ask, don't tell"). (BBC) (Daily Mail) 5 Belarusian journalists are sentenced to administrative arrests ranging from 3 to 12 days for attending unsanctioned rallies in Minsk and other cities. (RIA Novosti) 7 people are jailed before a trial into suspicions of match-fixing in the Turkish League. (Al Jazeera) Russian government daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta publishes a list of individuals and companies allegedly involved in money laundering and financing of terrorism. (RIA Novosti) The perjury trial of retired star baseball pitcher Roger Clemens commences in the U.S. over allegedly false statements made to a United States Congress Committee over use of performance-enhancing drugs. (Reuters via Yahoo) Nine Germans are convicted in absentia in Verona Italy for killing hundreds of civilians during World War II. (BBC) Politics and elections News of the World phone hacking affair: Members of the United Kingdom House of Commons discuss a Labour Party proposal to set up a public inquiry into the News of the World phone hacking affair. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) News International uncovers emails indicating that thousands of pounds were paid to Metropolitan Police officers by News International staff for information. (BBC) (BBC) Vauxhall, Mitsubishi, the Co-op, Lloyds TSB and Virgin Holidays all join Ford in suspending advertising with the News of the World. (BBC) The Daily Telegraph reports that phones belonging to the relatives of British soldiers killed in combat were hacked. (BBC) Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, calls the allegations "deplorable and unacceptable". (BBC) Nepalese authorities ban exiled Tibetans from celebrating the Dalai Lama's birthday for fears that the gatherings will turn anti-Chinese. (MSNBC) Irish government lawmaker Denis Naughten votes against his own government over cuts to a hospital, amid protests by hundreds of people outside Dáil Éireann; he now faces expulsion from Fine Gael with the hospital's emergency department to close on Monday. (Irish Examiner) (The Irish Times) (RTÉ) Freedom Flotilla II: The French ship Dignity Al Karama is reported to have successfully reached international waters and is heading for the Gaza Strip, with hopes expressed that the remaining unsabotaged ships currently being held by Greek authorities will soon join it. (The Voice of Russia) Israel announces the deportation of 5 people involved in activism to Belgium and France amid reports that hundreds more are to fly in from Moscow and New York. (Channel 6 News) Israeli officials are reported to be boycotting a United Nations official over an unpublished report concerning the part played by Israeli forces in the recent deaths of 7 Palestinian protesters during the annual Nakba commemorations. (BBC) China blocks mentions on the Internet to Jiang Zemin due to speculation of his death. (BBC) Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announces the new cabinet of Turkey. Sport Pyeongchang, South Korea is named as host of the 2018 Winter Olympics. (AP via ESPN) (BBC Sport) (Al Jazeera) In rugby league, Queensland defeat New South Wales 34–24 in the decider of the State of Origin series. It is the sixth consecutive series win for Queensland. (Australian AP via Fox Sports Australia) Current events of July 7, 2011 (2011-07-07) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Over a thousand people flee Hama in fear of a government attack by the Syrian Army. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Libyan civil war: Russia announces plans to send another planeload of humanitarian aid to the Libyan cities of Benghazi and Tripoli. (RIA Novosti) NATO bombs Libyan oil facilities for the first time. (The Independent) 2011 Yemeni uprising: Security forces clash with rebels near the town of Zinjibar with eight dead including one soldier. (Al Jazeera) War in Afghanistan: Canada ends mission in Afghanistan and withdraws 2850 troops. (CBC News) (Washington Post) Thirty-four people are killed in attacks on buses and houses in Karachi, Pakistan, with a total three-day death toll of 63. (Dawn) Business and economy Japanese automaker Toyota announces plans to fully restore production from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in October, one month earlier than previously announced. (Japan Times) Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority applies to extend grounding of Tiger Airways services in Australia to August 1. (BBC) NYSE Euronext shareholders approve of the acquisition of that company, parent corporation of the New York Stock Exchange, by Deutsche Boerse AG. The deal still needs to receive the approval of the acquiring firm's shareholders. (Reuters) News of the World phone hacking affair: News International shuts down the British newspaper the News of the World, as a result of a phone hacking affair, with the final edition coming out Sunday. (The Guardian) (BBC) (The Jerusalem Post) The Metropolitan Police are contacting up to 4,000 people whose names appear on documents which were seized from the News of the World in 2005. (BBC) Disasters A 7.6 magnitude earthquake occurs off the coast of New Zealand's Kermadec Islands resulting in a tidal surge. (TV New Zealand) At least 36 people are trapped underground in a coal mine in China's Shandong Province after a fire breaks out. (AFP via Straits Times) At least thirty people are feared dead after a collision between a passenger train and a bus in Uttar Pradesh, India. (The Times of India) In Enschede the Netherlands part of the roof of the stadium of football club FC Twente De Grolsch Veste collapses leaving persons dead and a dozen injured. (NOS) A heavy storm in the US city of Denver, Colorado, causes localized flooding and causing 10,000 houses to lose power. (Denver Post) International relations South Korea starts work on a new facility to rehouse refugees from North Korea to avoid both food shortages and political oppression. (Yonhap News) Janet Napolitano, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, rolls out the Obama administration's strategy to curb drug smuggling on the Mexican border. (Reuters via MSNBC) Law and crime Australia bans eight types of synthetic cannabis from tomorrow. (News Limited) A man holds thirty children and teachers hostage in a kindergarten in the city of Muar in Malaysia's Johor state; the hostages are all later rescued when police storm the classroom. (Edmonton Sun) Seven people are shot dead in the US city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, with Rodrick Dantzler the suspect committing suicide and hostages being released. (AP via Google News) (Grand Rapids Press) Humberto Leal García, a Mexican national, is executed in the US state of Texas despite concerns over whether the circumstances of his execution would breach international law. (BBC) Casey Anthony is sentenced to four years for lying to law enforcement regarding the death of her child Caylee in the U.S. state of Florida but after credit for time served will be released on July 17. (Orlando Sentinel) Politics A general strike continues in Bangladesh over a proposed change to the electoral system. (CNN) The People's Republic of China dismisses reports of the death of former President Jiang Zemin as "pure rumour". (AFP via Yahoo! News) Freedom Flotilla II: The Greek Coast Guard prevents the ship Dignity Al Karama from sailing to the Gaza Strip after it stops to refuel in Crete. (aljazeera) (The Jerusalem Post) The southern branch of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party announces its split from the northern party ahead of South Sudan's independence (Al Jazeera). Science The molecular basis for the breakage of DNA, an important process in the development of cancer, has been identified by Hebrew University of Jerusalem scientists. (The Jerusalem Post) Current events of July 8, 2011 (2011-07-08) (Friday) Arts and culture Former First Lady Betty Ford, wife of former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford, dies at 93. (USA Today) Business and economy A court in France announces a delay of an investigation into whether Christine Lagarde abused her authority as Finance Minister of that country. Lagarde is the new Director of the International Monetary Fund. (The New York Times) Disasters Tropical Storm Calvin forms off the Pacific coast of Mexico. (National Hurricane Centre) A Hewa Bora Boeing 727 airliner crashes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo killing 74 people. (Reuters) International relations The United Nations Security Council discusses sending a peacekeeping force to the Republic of South Sudan when it becomes an independent nation tomorrow. (AP via Washington Post) Law and crime News of the World: Former editor of the News of the World, Andy Coulson, is arrested for questioning due to alleged involvement in a phone hacking affair. (The Guardian) (Sky News) Police also arrest former News of the World reporter Clive Goodman and raid the London offices of the Daily Star, Goodman's current employer. (Sky News) The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron announces that a judge will lead an inquiry into the scandal. (BBC) Prosecutors ask Strathclyde Police to investigate claims of phone hacking in Scotland by the News of the World. (BBC) Politics A large protest with as many as a million people participating is planned for the Egyptian capital Cairo over perceived lack of progress since the 2011 Egyptian revolution. (Reuters) Science The Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off for the final mission of the US Space Shuttle program. (Reuters) (NASA) Sport London Olympics More tickets go on sale for the 2012 Summer Olympics in the United Kingdom in the "second chance" phase. (BBC) The International Olympic Committee adopts a "no needle" policy preventing athletes from possessing syringes and other equipment that can be used for doping. (AP via USA Today) Current events of July 9, 2011 (2011-07-09) (Saturday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Human Rights Watch issues a report claiming that Syrian Army soldiers have been issued orders to shoot protesters participating in demonstrations. (AP via MSNBC) Argentine singer-songwriter Facundo Cabral is assassinated in an apparent ambush in Guatemala City. (BBC) Business and economy Inflation in China rises to its highest level in three years. (Reuters) (Xinhua) A Milan court orders Fininvest, Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi's family company, to pay 560 million euros in damages to Compagnie Industriali Riunite in a long running legal dispute. (Dow Jones via Wall Street Journal) International relations South Sudan secedes from Sudan, becoming a sovereign state. (Los Angeles Times) Politics Malaysian police fire tear gas and arrest hundreds of people as more than 20,000 people march in the 2011 Bersih 2.0 rally demanding electoral reform in Kuala Lumpur. (Bloomberg via Business Week) (AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer) (BBC) Sport The Queensland Reds of Australia defeats the Canterbury Crusaders of New Zealand 18-13 to win the Super Rugby championship. (The Roar) Derek Jeter, shortstop for the New York Yankees, becomes the 28th member of the 3,000 hit club in Major League Baseball history by means of a home run off David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays. (The New York Times) Current events of July 10, 2011 (2011-07-10) (Sunday) Armed conflicts and attacks Bangladeshi police fire tear gas at Islamist activists trying to enforce a general strike in the town of Keraniganj with dozens hurt in the riots. (AP via Washington Post), (Reuters) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): Three NATO service members are killed in separate attacks in Afghanistan. (AP via Washington Post) Business and economy News International The final edition of the News of the World is published in the United Kingdom. (The Guardian) The Government of the United Kingdom looks for ways to stop News International taking over BSkyB as evidence emerges that senior executives mounted a cover-up of the News of the World phone hacking affair. (The Independent) Disasters A strong earthquake of 7.1 magnitude occurs off the coast of Honshu in Japan sparking a tsunami warning. (AP via Washington Post) A fire in a retirement home in the village of Beloye in the western Ukraine kills 16 people. (RIA Novosti) A hundred people are injured as the Kalka Mail is derailed near the town of Fathepur Malwa in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. (IBN Live) The cruise ship Bulgaria sinks in the Volga River near Bolgar, Russia. At least 110 of the 196 on board go down with the ship and drown, while 80 were rescued alive. (BBC Europe) Law and crime Twenty prisoners escape from a jail in the town of Tumaco in Colombia's Nariño Department with three people recaptured. (BBC) Politics The Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard announces the details of a plan to introduce a carbon tax. (Sydney Morning Herald) Pro-Palestinian activists begin a week of protests on the West Bank. (Jerusalem Post) Sports In association football, Mexico wins the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, defeating Uruguay 2–0 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. (Official FIFA U-17 World Cup Website) Current events of July 11, 2011 (2011-07-11) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Protesters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in the 2011 Syrian uprising break into the United States embassy in Damascus and try to break into the French embassy. (The Australian) Pakistan jails a doctor who helped the US Central Intelligence Agency confirm that Osama bin Laden was living in Abbottabad. (McClatchy) Business and economy Sanofi announces positive results of the late-stage trial of Lemtrada, its new multiple sclerosis treatment. (Press Release) Disasters The death toll from a train crash in India's Uttar Pradesh state rises to 69. (Economic Times) Captured explosives from Iran stored in a Cyprus Navy base munitions dump catches fire, when a wildfire reached the military base, causing massive explosions. (Reuters) (The Telegraph) (Los Angeles Times) The head of the Cyprus Navy, Andreas Ioannides and the Commander of the Evangelos Florakis Navy Base, Lambros Lambrou, are reportedly killed in the blast. (BBC News) Cypriot National Guard chief of staff Petros Tsalikidis and Cypriot Defense Minister Costas Papacostas both resign from office. (BBC News) Heavy damage is reported to the nearby Vassilikos power plant, which provides 60% of Cyprus' electricity. (BBC News) Heavy thunderstorms with 75 mph winds, in the US city of Chicago, Illinois, cut power and disrupt transport. (Chicago Tribune) International relations The Israeli parliament passes a controversial law that will punish any Israeli individual or organisation boycotting West Bank settlements. (BBC) The Republic of Korea Air Force announces that it will conduct regular midair refuelling drills with the United States Air Force commencing later this year. (Yonhap News) Canada will boycott the United Nations Conference on Disarmament to protest against North Korea being named its chair. (CBC) Law and crime News International privacy breaches Ten members of the British royal family including the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are believed to be among the victims of the News of the World phone hacking affair. (The Guardian) News International publications including the News of the World and The Sunday Times are revealed to have improperly accessed private information of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Gordon Brown. (The Guardian) British Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt refers News Corporation's bid to take full control of BSkyB to the Competition Commission. (BBC) Twenty-three people allegedly linked to the Mexican Los Zetas Cartel are indicted in the US state of Colorado for allegedly trying to smuggle marijuana in the United States. (Reuters) Sports Baseballer Robinson Canó of the New York Yankees wins the 2011 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. (ESPN) Current events of July 12, 2011 (2011-07-12) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 7 people are killed and 3 others are injured by a United States drone attack in Pakistan's South Waziristan region. (Dawn) Miners clash with police in Chile. (Euronews) Thousands of people flee Maiduguri in Borno State after recent deadly attacks there. (BBC) United Nations special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Juan E. Méndez suggests the United States is violating UN rules by refusing unmonitored access to imprisoned United States Army private Bradley Manning, the young serviceman the Obama administration accuses of passing classified information on secret U.S. activities to the WikiLeaks whistleblower website. (BBC) (United Nations Human Rights Council) It is reported that the U.S. government's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) deployed a fake vaccine programme in Abbottabad ahead of its assassination of Osama bin Laden in an effort to obtain a DNA sample from his family. (BBC) Arab Spring 2011 Egyptian revolution: A large protest with as many as a million people participating is planned for the Egyptian capital Cairo over perceived lack of progress since the 2011 Egyptian revolution. (Gulf News) An evening rally is held in Tahrir Square. (BBC) Egypt's deputy prime minister Yehia El-Gamal resigns on the fifth day of the sit-in at Tahrir Square in Cairo. (Al Jazeera) 3 former Egyptian ministers - former interior minister Habib el-Adly, former finance minister Youssef Boutros Ghali (in absentia) and former prime minister Ahmed Nazif - from the Mubarak regime are given jail sentences. (News 24) Armed gunmen blow up an Egyptian natural gas pipeline to Israel and Jordan in the town of El-Arish in the Sinai Peninsula. (AP via MSNBC) 2011 Libyan civil war: Muammar Gaddafi sends a delegation to Israel; they hand over digital material to Tsipi Livni.(The Jerusalem Post) The National Assembly of France votes to approve continued participation in NATO operations in Libya. (AFP via France 24) Suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen abduct two United States citizens and a Filipino relative from an island village in Zamboanga City in the Philippines. (Philstar) War in Afghanistan: President of France Nicolas Sarkozy visits Afghanistan to meet with the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai and commander of the International Security Assistance Force David Petraeus before visiting French troops stationed in Surobi. (Reuters via Alertnet) Nicolas Sarkozy announces the withdrawal of 1000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012. (Reuters) The Taliban claims responsibility for the death of Ahmad Wali Karzai, the brother of Hamid Karzai, and one of the most powerful people in Afghanistan. (Dawn) (BBC) Arts and culture A British ticket scoops the largest ever lottery prize in Europe, the £161,653,000 EuroMillions jackpot, by securing all five numbers and both Lucky Stars. (BBC) American television producer Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch, dies in Los Angeles, California. (Herald Sun) Business and economics Ireland's debt rating is reduced to "junk" status by Moody's. (RTÉ) (BBC) Apple's chief patent lawyer is leaving the company, Reuters reports, amidst a slew of patent-related conflicts with Google, Samsung, Nokia, others. (Reuters) Japanese officials announce their intention to send the country's whaling fleet back to Antarctica later in the year; the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is also to return. (BBC) Disasters Evangelos Florakis Navy Base explosion: Thousands of people march on the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, Cyprus; police fire tear gas at the demonstrators who tie a banner to the palace gates stating "Christofias [their ruler] is a murderer and must go to jail". (BBC) Four earthquakes ranging from 5 to 6.2 in magnitude hit the Philippines. (AFP via ABC News) (The Times of India) Sinking of Bulgaria: Russian state television reports that at least 59 bodies have been recovered from the sinking of the cruise ship Bulgaria on the Volga River, with more than 200 people on board. (CNN) Russia observes a day of mourning after the disaster. (BBC) The United States Coast Guard ends aerial searches for seven Americans still missing after a charter fishing boat sank in the Sea of Cortez off Mexico on July 3. (AP via MSNBC) International relations New Zealand refuses entry to Sri Lankan asylum seekers detained in Indonesia who claimed to be heading there. (SBS) Law and crime Julian Assange appears in London's High Court to begin his appeal against extradition to Sweden as his UK house arrest enters its 216th day. (ABC News) (The Guardian) The Knesset approves a new boycott law which would allow Israeli courts to impose heavy sanctions on Israeli individuals or organizations whom would initiate or promote a boycott against Israeli companies and entities.(The Guardian) Guatemalan police arrest two men in relation to the assassination of Argentine singer Facundo Cabral as fans across the continent mourn his shooting and a tribute concert is held in his memory. (BBC) (BBC) (BBC) A three judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rules that Jared Lee Loughner, the suspect in the 2011 Tucson shooting, has the right to refuse antipsychotic medication while he appeals the treatment prescribed by prison mental health authorities. (Los Angeles Times) U.S. actress Halle Berry is granted a restraining order against a convicted felon arrested on her Hollywood Hills property on Monday. (Los Angeles Times) CNN reports that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has lost track of 1,400 guns involved in Operation Fast and Furious aimed at tracing the flow of weapons to Mexican drug cartels. (CNN) Politics and elections Voters in California's 36th congressional district go to the polls for a special election to replace former Rep. Jane Harman with Democrat Janice Hahn defeating Republican Craig Huey. (Politico) (AP via Houston Chronicle) The UK Government states its intention to support a Labour Party motion in the House of Commons calling for the withdrawal of News Corporation's bid to take over BSkyB. (BBC) The funeral of former U.S. First Lady Betty Ford, wife of Gerald Ford, occurs. (BBC) In Northern Ireland, riots mark the culmination of the Belfast marching season. (Euronews) U.S. Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul announces that he will not stand again for his Texas district in 2012. (The Wall Street Journal) (Christian Science Monitor) The Governor of the U.S. state of Arizona calls a recall election for state Senate President Russell Pearce known for his immigration legislation. (AP via The Arizona Republic) Science NASA astronauts on board Atlantis complete the final spacewalk of the Space Shuttle era, recouping an ammonia pump on the International Space Station (ISS). (BBC) Sports Former Wales rugby union international Richard Parks becomes the first person ever to complete the Explorers Grand Slam — climbing all of the Seven Summits and reaching both the North and South Poles — in a single calendar year. (ESPN Scrum) Current events of July 13, 2011 (2011-07-13) (Wednesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 13 July 2011 Mumbai bombings: Several explosions shake Mumbai, India, killing 20 and injuring over 100 persons. (NDTV) (Al Jazeera) (BBC) (The Guardian) The blasts hit the Zaveri Bazaar, Dadar and Opera House areas of the central business district. (IBN) Arab Spring: 2011 Syrian uprising: Fire damages a pipeline in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, according to regime officials and state media. (BBC)(SANA) 2011 Egyptian revolution: Several hundred police officers are dismissed in concessions to protesters. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Libyan civil war: The President of the United States Barack Obama expresses support for Russia acting as a mediator in the uprising. (White House) Anti-Gaddafi forces reclaim Qawalish from Gaddafi forces hours after they took it. (Al Jazeera) In response to rocket fire into Israel, a Palestinian woman is injured in an airstrike on Gaza. (BBC) Arts and culture The house in Tutshill near Chepstow where J. K. Rowling grew up is for sale. (The Guardian) Business and economics Moody's threatens to cut the debt rating of the United States. (BBC) Disasters Sixteen people are killed when Noar Linhas Aéreas Flight 4896 crashes in Recife, in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. (BBC) Five people are killed in an explosion at an industrial estate in Boston, Lincolnshire. (Channel 4) (BBC News) (The Guardian) International relations South Sudan is admitted to the United Nations, the first new member since 2006. (BBC News) Law and crime Sir Christopher Rose is to investigate reports that surveillance tapes recorded by UK police spy Mark Kennedy were suppressed by prosecutors. (The Guardian) The High Court of Malaysia sets dates for the trial of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim on sodomy charges from August 8 to 26. (The Star) Sexual abuse scandal in Cloyne diocese: Ireland prepares for the release of a 400-page report into the sexual abuse of children by priests. (The Irish Times) (Irish Independent) (Irish Examiner) Bishop John Magee, a former private secretary of Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II, is found to have deliberately misled an inquiry into child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. (RTÉ) (The Belfast Telegraph) The Vatican is strongly criticised in the report. (The Guardian) A Palestinian university student is killed as he attempts to defy arrest after residents throw stones at Israeli soldiers in a community north of Nablus. (BBC) Mexican Drug War Mexico's federal police capture a man who was allegedly the top hitman for the Knights Templar drug cartel. (AP via Washington Post) Twenty-one people are killed in the town of Ciudad Juarez in an ongoing war between the Juárez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel. (Yahoo News) U.S. senators call for a legal investigation into allegations that Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation hacked victims of the September 11 attacks as the phone hacking scandal continues. (The Guardian) David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, makes a statement to the House of Commons in relation to the judicial inquiry into the News of the World phone hacking affair, hours before the announcement that Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation had withdrawn its bid to take full ownership of BSkyB. (BBC News) (The Washington Post) Politics and elections Norman Moore, a senior politician in the Australian state of Western Australia, calls on the state to consider secession. (Western Australia Today) Thailand's Election Commission fails to endorse 142 prospective members of the House of Representatives including incoming Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. (Bangkok Post) Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan tells a news conference of his plans to wean the country off nuclear energy after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. (Al Jazeera) The President of the United States Barack Obama reportedly walks out of negotiations with Republican Party leaders on tackling debt and deficits as Moody's Investor Services warns of a potential loss of a AAA credit rating. (Reuters) Science Two studies show that antiretroviral drugs taken to treat AIDS can also be used to prevent infection with HIV. (Washington Post) Sports North Korea announces that it would like to co-host the 2018 Winter Olympics which is scheduled to be held in the South Korean alpine town of PyeongChang. (Yonhap News) Current events of July 14, 2011 (2011-07-14) (Thursday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Several deaths are reported as a security crackdown continues against anti-government protests in Syria. (Al Jazeera) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): A suicide bombing at a mosque in Kandahar, Afghanistan, kills four people and injures 11 including the head of the provincial religious council while they were praying for Ahmed Wali Karzai. (Reuters via The Guardian) At least six Yemeni militants are killed following an air strike on a police station in the Abyan Governorate that the militants had overrun. (Al Jazeera) Kurdish–Turkish conflict: Kurdistan Workers Party fighters ambush the Turkish Army in Diyarbakır Province, resulting in the death of 13 soldiers and five militants. (Reuters) Libyan Civil War: Mikhail Margelov, the President of Russia's special envoy on the Libyan uprising, claims that Muammar Gaddafi has a "suicidal plan" to destroy Tripoli if the rebels seem likely to capture it. (Al Jazeera) The Israeli Air Force bombs the Gaza Strip after Hamas militants launch a missile attack on Israel. (Al Jazeeera) Arts and culture The poet Liao Yiwu tells the BBC of how he fled China via Vietnam and other countries and arrived in Germany after his struggles with Chinese authorities who have spent decades suppressing his work and imprisoning him. (BBC) A rare manuscript of an unfinished Jane Austen novel has sold for £993,250 (US$1.6m) in London. The work, The Watsons, was sold at Sotheby's for three times its estimated price. (BBC) Business and economy Singapore's economy falls by 7.8% due to declines in manufacturing output and the services sector. (Market Watch) Borders Group, the once-major bookstore chain now in chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States, says that its arrangement with stalking horse bidder Najafi Companies has collapsed, and it will seek a modification of bid procedures. (Reuters) International relations Chairman of Ireland's governing Fine Gael parliamentary party Charles Flanagan calls for Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Leanza to be expelled from the country after the publication of a report into the sexual abuse of children by priests in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne, while Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore attacks the Vatican's interference in the scandal. (RTÉ) Japan's foreign ministry plans to boycott Korean Air services for one month in response to a demonstration flight of a Korean Air Airbus A380 over the disputed Liancourt Rocks, beginning on Monday. (MarketWatch) India and Bangladesh commence a joint census to resolve claims over disputed border areas. (BBC) The General Assembly of the United Nations votes to admit South Sudan as a member of the United Nations. (CNN) Law and crime U.S. security manufacturer Armor Holdings pays a $16 million fine to settle bribery charges relating to the payment of a United Nations official. (BBC) BBC reporter Urunboy Usmonov is released on bail in Tajikistan but still faces trial. (BBC) (The Guardian) (The Daily Telegraph) (Reuters) News of the World phone hacking scandal: News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch, his son James, and News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks all agree to appear before British MPs next week to answer questions on the News of the World phone hacking affair. (BBC) Neil Wallis, former deputy editor of the News of the World under Andy Coulson, is arrested and questioned by police investigating the scandal. (The Guardian) The FBI is investigating reports that News Corporation sought to hack the phones of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. (BBC) In his first major interview on the phone-hacking crisis, Rupert Murdoch says his company has handled it "extremely well" and that News Corp will recover. (BBC) U.S. district court judge Reggie Walton declares a mistrial in the perjury trial of former baseball star Roger Clemens after prosecutors present evidence that Walton had previously ruled inadmissible. Walton will hold a hearing on September 2 to determine whether to hold a new trial. (ESPN) At least thirty-two Chilean police and 54 demonstrators are arrested in a demonstration demanding more funds for higher education. (Antara News) Politics and elections The Italian Senate approves an austerity budget aimed at preventing the need for a financial bailout for Italy. (BBC) The Welsh Conservative Party chooses Andrew R. T. Davies as their leader in the Welsh Assembly. (BBC) The President of the United States, Barack Obama, gives Congressional leader 24 to 36 hours to reach an agreement on debt reduction as credit agency Standard & Poor's places the US on a downgrade watch. (Reuters), (Washington Post), (NPR), (Marketwatch) The Democratic Governor of Minnesota Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders reach a budget deal which will end a shutdown of the US state government within days. (Reuters) Science Neptune completes its first orbit of the Sun since its discovery in 1846. (ABC Online) A lost rainbow toad thought to have become extinct after its last sighting in 1924 is rediscovered in Borneo by scientists from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and photographed for the first time. (BBC Nature) Current events of July 15, 2011 (2011-07-15) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks Indian troops report three deaths in Maidanpora, Kupwara, Kashmir. (BBC) International campaigners against the drone attacks, carried out by the United States in Pakistan, launch their attempt to have former CIA legal chief John A. Rizzo arrested and charged with the murders of hundreds of people after his admission in Newsweek that he approved attacks each month since 2004. (The Guardian) Soldiers, air force bombers and helicopter gunships begin a major offensive in south-eastern Turkey as the country's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vows to seek vengeance on Kurdish rebels. (BBC) 2011 Syrian uprising: At least 14 people are killed in the latests attacks by regime forces on demonstrations in cities nationwide. More than 10,000 people are held in prisons by the regime. The demonstrations are reported to be among the largest yet in the ongoing effort to topple the government. (BBC) 13 July 2011 Mumbai bombings: Indian investigators check CCTV footage in their search for clues into Wednesday's triple bombing in Mumbai. (BBC) Arts and culture Europe's biggest lottery jackpot, £161 million (US$260 million), is scooped by a couple from Largs, Ayrshire, in Scotland. (BBC) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is released in theaters as the final installment of the famous Harry Potter franchise. Business and economy 8 European banks fail stress tests that could leave them open to another financial crisis, while another 16 are in a "danger zone". (BBC) (RTÉ) BBC journalists strike against layoffs being forced on them by the corporation. (BBC) Royal Dutch Shell reveals plans to construct a 600,000-tonne floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) platform, a world's first for off the coast of Australia. (BBC) BHP Billiton buys U.S. based petroleum company Petrohawk for $12 billion. (The Sydney Morning Herald) News International phone hacking scandal: Rebekah Brooks resigns as chief executive of News International as a result of the News International phone hacking scandal. (The Washington Post) (AFP via France24) (The New York Times) (The Guardian) The family of Jean Charles de Menezes, killed by police bullets in London in 2005, write a letter to prime minister David Cameron calling for police actions surrounding his death to be investigated in the wake of the News Corp phone hacking scandal that has so far claimed the News of the World. (BBC) UK prime minister David Cameron paid for his "friend", the former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, to stay with him at his country residence of Chequers, two months after Coulson resigned as Cameron's media chief. Coulson has since been arrested for his part in the phone hacking scandal. (The Guardian) Rupert Murdoch meets the family of Milly Dowler and gives them what their solicitor calls a full and sincere apology. (BBC) (BBC) Rupert Murdoch attacks former UK prime minister Gordon Brown in The Wall Street Journal in his first interview on the scandal and accuses British MPs of telling lies. (The Guardian) There are concerns over a donation believed to be at least £100,000 given by James Murdoch towards Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United Kingdom last year; Murdoch was then introduced to Benedict. (The Guardian) The Guardian reveals the advertisement Rupert Murdoch intends to run in British newspapers at the weekend apologising for "serious wrongdoing". (The Guardian) Les Hinton, who ran News International from 1997 to 2005 during which the hacking took place, resigns as CEO of News Corp's Dow Jones entity. (The New York Times) (AP via ABC News) (BBC) The actor Jude Law has filed a lawsuit against The Sun over allegations of phone hacking. (The Independent) Disasters 2011 Horn of Africa drought: Drought fleers located at camps in Mogadishu are struck down by days of killer rain. (BBC) The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 5 million people are at risk of developing cholera in Ethiopia, with the breakout of acute watery diarrhea. (Reuters) The Kenyan government announces the opening of a fourth refugee camp at Dadaab in the North Eastern Province. (The Guardian) Landslides in two remote Nepalese villages kill six people and injure another ten. (AP via The Guardian) Mount Lokon on Indonesia's Sulawesi island erupts prompting thousands of people to flee. (AFP via ABC News Online) (CNN) Four pilgrims die when a boulder falls on them at a voodoo festival in Saut d'Eau, Haiti. (Atlanta Journal Constitution) A magnitude 6 earthquake occurs off the coast of Chile near Valparaíso. (CNN) A portion of the Zendstation Smilde in Hoogersmilde, Netherlands collapses in a fire. (CNN) International relations Ireland's Taoiseach Enda Kenny attacks the Vatican's approach to the child abuse scandals in the country as "absolutely disgraceful", while the Socialist Party's Joe Higgins tells Dáil Éireann that people were "throwing their hands in the air" after the report into the sexual abuse scandal in Cloyne diocese was published this week. (The Guardian) 2011 Libyan civil war: The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton meets with NATO leaders to try to find a solution to the Libya crisis. (BBC) The United States recognizes the Libyan National Transitional Council as the legitimate governing authority in Libya. (The New York Times) Intragalactic relations U.S. president Barack Obama makes a phone call to the International Space Station (ISS) and jokes with astronauts about pizza. (BBC) Law and crime Charlie Gilmour, the son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, is jailed for 16 months for violent disorder during the student protests against tuition fees in London late last year. (BBC) (Daily Telegraph) Politics and elections Italian MPs in the lower house approve tough budget cuts with 314 votes in favour and 280 against. (BBC) Current events of July 16, 2011 (2011-07-16) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring 2011 Egyptian revolution: Protesters heckle Tareq al-Mahdi of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces as he attempted to address crowds in Tahrir Square. (AFP via Google News) 2011 Syrian uprising: At least one person is killed as Syrian security forces open fire on protesters in the eastern town of Albu Kamal. (CNN) 2011 Libyan civil war: Ten rebel fighters are killed and 172 injured during an attack on the eastern town of Brega. (Al Jazeera) Heavy fighting takes place in the western mountains. (Arab News) 2011 Yemeni uprising: A coalition of protest groups form a transitional presidential council to prepare the country for when President Ali Abdullah Saleh is toppled. (Al Jazeera) Two people are killed in a bombing near police headquarters in Bordj Menaïel, Algeria. (IOL) Business and economy Thousands of people are expected to demonstrate in Dublin against European Union / International Monetary Fund budget cuts. (The Journal) (The Irish Times) Disasters Ohi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan is being shut down due a technical fault, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Only 18 out of 54 nuclear plants in Japan are currently producing electricity. (BBC) (CNN) Nearly 5,000 people are evacuated after Mount Lokon in Indonesia erupts. (Jakarta Globe) (Economic Times of India) Seven people are killed and two injured after a customs boat sinks near the coast of North Sumatra Province in Indonesia. (AFP via NewsInfo) International relations Quadriga is not to be awarded this year due to the backlash sustained by organisers for giving it to Prime Minister of Russia and former KGB spy chief Vladimir Putin. Among the upheaval Danish artist Olafur Eliasson gave back his award and Václav Havel was reported to be considering doing that too. (BBC) (Deutsche Welle) (The New York Times) (Reuters) (The Washington Post) The President of the United States is set to meet with the Dalai Lama in Washington DC despite a warning from the People's Republic of China. (BBC) (AP via Yahoo! News) Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez arrives back in Cuba for chemotherapy treatment. (UPI) Politics and elections News International phone hacking scandal: British Foreign Secretary William Hague defends Prime Minister David Cameron following revelations he has met senior News International executives on 26 occasions since becoming Prime Minister, and entertained Andy Coulson at Chequers following his resignation as Director of Communications. Hague says he is "not embarrassed" by the extent of Cameron's dealings with News International. (BBC) Several British newspapers run full page adverts with a signed apology from Rupert Murdoch for the News of the World's "serious wrongdoing" (BBC) The Telegraph reports that Metropolitan Police Chief Sir Paul Stephenson stayed at a luxury health spa courtesy of a former News of the World deputy editor. (The Telegraph) The funeral of Otto von Habsburg, final heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, occurs in Vienna, attended by monarchs and members of the political elite; his corpse is to be buried in the Imperial Crypt. (BBC) Sport Three more members of the North Korea women's national football team fail drug tests at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. (Yahoo sports) Current events of July 17, 2011 (2011-07-17) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks Arab Spring 2011 Egyptian revolution: Ousted Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak suffers stroke, falls into coma. (Haaretz) (ABC) 2011 Syrian uprising: Syrian forces mass in the east of the country near the Iraqi border where dozens of soldiers have defected. (New York Times) Troops storm a town near the border with Lebanon, rounding up more than 500 people. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Libyan civil war: NATO planes destroy a military storage facility and other targets on the outskirts of Tripoli. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Bahraini uprising: The Shia al-Wafiq opposition group quits national talks aimed at ending the political crisis in the country. (BBC) Arts and entertainment Warner Bros. has reported that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the final instalment of the Harry Potter film series has broken box office records, taking $92.1m (£57m) in North America on Friday, its opening day. (Box Office Mojo) Disasters The United Nations delivers aid to parts of Somalia controlled by al-Shabab militants for the first time since they ended the ban on food supplies. (BBC) A passenger bus collides with a truck near Mashkovo in Russia's Tambov Oblast with at least 5 people dead and 17 injured. (UPI) Mount Lokon, a volcano on Sulawesi in Indonesia erupts again sending ash 3,500 metres in the air. (AFP via Google News) Tropical Storm Bret forms off the coast of the Bahamas. (National Hurricane Centre) At least two people are killed and 35 injured due to a bus crash on Interstate 390 near the US town of Bath, New York. (Democrat and Chronicle) At the conclusion of Ottawa Bluesfest, strong winds from a sudden thunderstorm cause one of the main stages to collapse at around 7:30 pm EDT, injuring three people. (The Toronto Star) Law and crime Crowds gather outside the jail in Orange County, Florida for the release of Casey Anthony who was recently cleared of murdering her daughter Caylee. (Fox News) (Reuters) Politics News International phone hacking scandal British Home Secretary Theresa May will address MPs on Monday following revelations that the Metropolitan Police hired former News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis to give PR advice. (BBC) Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation takes out a second series of adverts in Britain's Sunday newspapers apologising for wrongdoing at the News of the World. (CNBC) Former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks is arrested by police investigating phone hacking and corruption at the organisation. (Sky News) (Mail Online) (BBC) Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson resigns over the phone hacking affair. (BBC) Former Uruguayan dictator Juan María Bordaberry dies under house arrest for murders committed during his time in power. (AFP via Google News) Voters in São Tomé and Príncipe go to the polls for a presidential election with a runoff election necessary with the leading candidate Pinto da Costa failing to achieve an absolute majority. (AFP via France 24) Sports Japan wins the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 by beating the United States 3-2 in the Penalty Shootout. (NBC Sports), (Wall Street Journal) Northern Ireland golfer Darren Clarke wins the 2011 Open Championship. (Herald-Sun) Current events of July 18, 2011 (2011-07-18) (Monday) Armed conflicts and attacks Arab Spring: 2011 Libyan civil war: Rebels claim victory in the eastern town of Brega. (Reuters) Former Foreign Minister Abdel Rahman Shalgham says that the Libyan government was responsible for the bombing of UTA Flight 772 in 1989 over Niger. (Al Arabiya) 2011 Syrian uprising: 50 protesters arrested in the city of Hama are released. (BBC) Qatar suspends operations at its embassy in Syria, after it was attacked by government supporters. (Gulf News) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): US General David Petraeus hands over command of NATO forces in Afghanistan to United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General John R. Allen. (CNN) Rioting at a police station in Hotan in the Xinjiang region of western China kills at least four people. (BBC) (Times of India) (Xinhua) Arts and culture Nine months after a goodwill gesture Japan and South Korea will commence negotiations in August on the return of more than 1,200 volumes of ancient Korean royal archives taken during Japanese rule between 1910 and 1945. (Yonhap News) The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Cardinal Justin Rigali will resign five months after a U.S. grand jury accuses the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that he heads of failing to investigate claims of sexual abuse of children by clergy in the diocese. (Philly.com) Business and economy Cisco Systems announces plans to cut 11,500 jobs including transfer of a plant employing 5,000 people in Juarez, Mexico, to Foxconn. (CNBC) Disasters The eastern United States will have a heat wave this week which has already commenced in the Plains States and Midwest. (USA Today) The U.S. city of Phoenix, Arizona, is hit by a haboob or dust storm. (Fox News) International relations The Vatican and Malaysia establish diplomatic relations. (Bernama) (AP via Google News) Iran claims to have taken control of three Iranian Kurdish PJAK camps inside Iraq. (Al Arabiya) The President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev commences a two-day visit to Germany. (RIA Novosti) The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in India for two days of talks with the Indian government. (IBN Live) Law and crime The trial of five bloggers in the United Arab Emirates for advocating democratic reforms resumes. (Al-Jazeera) A Somali man Omer Abdi Mohamed pleads guilty in the US city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, to helping recruit people to travel to Somalia to assist the terror group al-Shabab. (AP via Google News) The San Francisco County Superior Court in the US state of California announces plans to cut 200 jobs and close 25 out of 63 court rooms due to budget problems. (ABC News America) An Israeli rights group, "No Minor Matter", criticises the Israeli government for jailing Palestinian stone throwers under the age of 14. (BBC) Politics and elections A new Cabinet is sworn in in Egypt, with half the former members being replaced due to ongoing protests since the 2011 Egyptian revolution. (Al-Jazeera) United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence, Liam Fox announces plans to reduce the British Army to its smallest size since the start of the Second Boer War just over a century ago. By 2020, troop numbers will be reduced from the present 101,000 to 82,000, with a greater reliability on Territorial Army soldiers. (Sky News) (The Guardian) News International scandal: David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, cuts short a tour of Africa due to the News of the World phone hacking affair inquiry. (The Guardian) Assistant Commissioner John Yates is called in for questioning for his links with former News executive Neil Wallis and later resigns. (The Telegraph) (BBC) News of the World phone-hacking whistleblower Sean Hoare is found dead at his home. (The Guardian) LulzSec hackers attack The Sun website posting a story about the fake death of Rupert Murdoch. (News Limited) (The Guardian) (The Telegraph) Bob Stenehjem, the Senate Majority Leader in the US state of North Dakota, is killed in an accident in Alaska. (AP via Greenfield Reporter) Science The Dawn spacecraft takes its first photo of the asteroid 4 Vesta. (USA Today) Sports Iranian athlete and Iran's Strongest Man Rouhollah Dadashi is killed in a fight which started as an argument with another driver and his passengers. Two of them are arrested by police. (Blogspot) Current events of July 19, 2011 (2011-07-19) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Security forces shoot dead at least 10 people in Homs. (Emirates 24/7) (AP via Google News) Forces loyal to Guinean President Alpha Condé repel an attack by unknown assailants on his residence in Conakry. (BBC) A leaked United Nations report suggests war crimes may have been committed in South Kordofan in Sudan during a recent conflict. (Al Jazeera) War in North-West Pakistan: Eight Pakistani employees of the United States based American Refugee Committee are kidnapped in southwest Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan. (Reuters) Israel's navy confiscates a French yacht bound for Gaza, which departed from Greece and attempted to run the blockade after repeated warnings to make for Ashdod instead. No casualties are reported. (AFP via Google News) Disasters A 6.1 magnitude earthquake strikes in southern Kyrgyzstan, near the border with Uzbekistan. (AP via Google News) Typhoon Ma-on, the second typhoon of the 2011 Pacific typhoon season, approaches the main Japanese island of Honshu leading to cancellation of air services. (APA) (Japan Times) Tropical Storm Dora becomes a hurricane with a tropical storm watch issued for southwestern Mexico. (National Hurricane Centre) International relations ASEAN foreign ministers get together for their annual summit on the island of Bali in Indonesia with concerns over territorial claims on the South China Sea. (AP via Sydney Morning Herald) (BBC) Law and crime The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrests an alleged agent of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence in the US state of Virginia for making illegal campaign contributions. (MSNBC) Sixteen alleged members of the computer hacking group Anonymous are arrested in FBI raids across several states in the US. (CNN) (US Department of Justice) A protest in the US city of San Francisco turns violent resulting in the arrest of 35 people. (NBC) Politics Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping says the Chinese government will "smash" attempts for an independent Tibet in a speech outside the Potala Palace. (BBC) (Journal of Turkish Weekly) Northern Mariana Islands Governor Benigno Fitial and Guam Governor Eddie Calvo state that they are in serious talks to potentially merge the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. (Saipan Tribune) News Corporation affair News Corporation Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch and his son James Murdoch appear before a select committee of the United Kingdom parliament over the News of the World phone hacking affair. Murdoch Senior apologises for the scandal, but says he is not responsible for it. (Reuters) (BBC) A man attacks Murdoch during the final part of questioning with a shaving cream pie. (Los Angeles Times) Appearing later at the same hearing former News International Chief Executive Rebekah Brooks says NI acted "quickly and decisively" in dealing with "abhorrent" phone-hacking at the News of the World. (BBC) Voters in the 30th Senate district in the US state of Wisconsin go to the polls for the first recall election for Democrat Dave Hansen. (New York Times) US budget debate The President of the United States, Barack Obama, endorses in principle a bipartisan proposal developed in the United States Senate to cut debt. (Washington Post) The United States House of Representatives votes to approve the "Cut, Cap and Balance Act" by 234-190 but it is unlikely to pass the United States Senate. (Washington Post) (CNN Political Ticker) Religion Pope Benedict XVI appoints Charles J. Chaput, the current Archbishop of Denver, as the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia replacing Cardinal Justin Rigali. (AP via Google News) Science Iran says it has installed faster nuclear centrifuges to enrich uranium. (AFP via Google News) The Space Shuttle Atlantis undocks from the International Space Station for the final time in the history of the space shuttle program. (NASA) Sport The Japan women's national football team returns home to be greeted by thousands of fans after winning the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. (AP via Straits Times) Current events of July 20, 2011 (2011-07-20) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Troops surround the Harasta suburb of the capital Damascus. (Al Jazeera) Riots erupt in Malawi in protest against the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika. (BBC) Iranian Ali Aghazadeh Dafsari claims that Revolutionary Guard forces shot down a U.S. spy drone over the Fordo located uranium enrichment facility. (AP via Google) Up to 80 people, including soldiers, are arrested in Guinea after a failed assassination attempt on President Alpha Condé on 19 July. (Reuters) Arts and culture British artist Lucian Freud dies at his home in London following a brief illness. (New York Times) Disasters 2011 Horn of Africa famine: The United Nations declares a famine in southern Somalia. (Al Jazeera) Typhoon Ma-on hits Japan, landing in Tokushima Prefecture; at least 47 people are injured and 1 person is left missing before the typhoon is downgraded to a tropical storm. (Kyodo) (PhilStar) (US NO) Hurricane Dora strengthens to a Category 4 hurricane as it travels towards Mexico. (NHC) A 6.1 magnitude earthquake occurs near the Uzbekistan city of Fergana killing 13 people in Uzbekistan and one person in Tajikistan. (AP via The New York Times) International relations A South Korean official accuses North Korea of breaking international sanctions by importing luxury goods for senior officials. (Yonhap) Malaysia bans the import of horses from Australia following an outbreak of Hendra virus. (AAP via The West Australian) Law and crime Australian Federal Police officers fire tear gas to subdue a riot by asylum seekers at the Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre. (Herald-Sun) Serbia arrests Goran Hadžić, a Croatian Serb wartime leader, indicted for alleged crimes against humanity during the Croatian War of Independence. (Reuters via ABC Online) The Supreme Court of the US state of Georgia has agreed to the execution of Cobb County killer Andrew Grant DeYoung to be videotaped. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Politics News International phone hacking scandal: The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron faces questions in parliament over his decision to hire Andy Coulson, a former editor of the News of the World at the time of the phone hacking affair. (Reuters) A report by the Home Affairs Select Committee of the United Kingdom House of Commons accuses the Metropolitan Police of a "catalogue of errors" in relation to the affair. (BBC) In Australia, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says that News Limited – the Australian arm of News Corporation – will face "hard questions" in the wake of the phone hacking scandal. (BBC) Sport Chinese basketball player Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets National Basketball Association team announces his retirement in Shanghai. (AP via USA Today) In golf, the LPGA announces that the Evian Masters, a tournament held in France that is a major championship on the Ladies European Tour, will become the LPGA's fifth major in 2013. (AP via ESPN) Japanese baseball player Hideki Matsui of the Oakland Athletics hits his 500th career home run in his professional career playing in both North America's Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball in his homeland. (Kyodo News) Science The 2011 Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Paris, France announces that Samantha Burnham and others at the Australian national science agency, CSIRO, working with several universities, have produced what may one day become a routine, valid blood test for nine hormones and proteins that, when too high, can serve as predictors of the presence of the hallmark beta amyloid plaques of Alzheimer's disease. Current events of July 21, 2011 (2011-07-21) (Thursday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: Gunfire and arrests take place in Syria's third largest city of Homs against anti-government protests. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Libyan civil war: Rebels report "fierce" counter-attacks on the eastern front. (Reuters) 2011 Malawian protests: At least eighteen people are killed during mass protests in Malawi. (AP) The army has reportedly been deployed in the capital, Lilongwe. (BBC) Senegal bans demonstrations in the capital Dakar ahead of planned opposition protests against the regime of President Abdoulaye Wade. (BBC) Arts and culture Author Lee Child – creator of the Jack Reacher series – wins the novel of the year award at the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival for his book 61 Hours. (BBC) Business and economy Euro zone leaders secure a €109 billion bailout for Greece with the country going into default for a short period, but with increased powers for the main European rescue fund to assist countries that have not been bailed out, such as Spain and Italy. (New York Times) Disasters The Government of Japan publishes a reconstruction plan for areas devastated by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. (NHK World) Two dozen people have died this week in a heat wave in the United States. (New York Times) Law and crime Australian radio host Derryn Hinch is sentenced to five months home detention for broadcasting the names of two sex offenders. (News.com.au) Three Russian police officers are convicted for abuse of office in Khabarovsk in the Far Eastern Federal District. (RIA Novosti) Another riot occurs at Australia's Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre overnight with tear gas again used to quell inmates. (Herald Sun) A Japanese court sentences Tatsuya Ichihashi to life imprisonment for the murder of British teacher Lindsay Hawker. (Sky News) News International phone hacking scandal MSNBC reports that the United States Department of Justice is investigating claims that News Corporation's advertising arm repeatedly hacked into the computers of competitors. (MSNBC) Two former News International executives have called into question certain aspects of the evidence given by James Murdoch to a House of Commons select Committee earlier this week. (BBC) Politics The Central Bank of Iran launches a website, intending to poll the Iranian public about planned economic reforms and a change of national currency. (Tabnak) Science Space Shuttle Atlantis lands at the Kennedy Space Center, concluding its final mission and marking the end of the 30-year Space Shuttle program. (USA TODAY), (CNN) Sport Team owners in the National Football League have voted to approve a 10-year deal with the National Football League Players Association and to end a lockout if players approve. (AP via Atlamta Journal Constitution), (Washington Post) The 2000th match in the history of Test Cricket starts at Lord's Cricket Ground in London between England and India. (Daily Mail), (ESPN Star) Current events of July 22, 2011 (2011-07-22) (Friday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Norway attacks An explosion damages government buildings in Oslo, Norway at 15:25; at eight people are killed and several are reportedly injured. (Al Jazeera) (Sky News) A gunman opens fire at a Labour Party camp in Utøya with 69 people killed. (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian) Police arrest a Norwegian man Anders Behring Breivik for the shooting at Utøya with reports of links to right-wing extremism. (CTV News) (Sky News) 2011 Syrian uprising: Hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets after Friday prayers in cities across Syria. (Reuters) 2011 Malawian protests: Authorities block a mass funeral for seven people killed during anti-government riots. (News 24) Arts and culture China is to ordain seven more bishops, amid a dispute with the Vatican. (AFP via Google News) Elliot Handler who cofounded Mattel with his wife dies at age 95. (The New York Times) Business and economy Qantas pilots commence industrial action for the first time in 45 years. (AFP via The West Australian) General Electric reports stronger than expected earnings, largely due to industrial sales outside the United States. (Reuters) Disasters and accidents At least 41 people are killed in a fire on a bus in Xinyang City, central China. (BBC) (Xinhua) Nepalese officials say monsoon rains have swollen two major rivers in the country and have increased the threat of widespread flooding. (IOL) 2011 Horn of Africa famine The al-Shabaab Islamist militant group in Somalia says a ban on aid groups working in parts of the country remains. (Al Jazeera) Canada is giving C$50 million more, in addition to the $22 million it has already donated, to aid agencies working in East Africa (CBC News) International relations ASEAN Regional Forum South Korea seeks a bilateral meeting with North Korea to discuss nuclear issues at the sidelines of an ASEAN Regional Forum in Bali, Indonesia. (Yonhap) The United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praises the People's Republic of China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations members for agreeing on guidelines aimed at defusing tensions over the South China Sea. (AFP via Yahoo News) North Korea appoints Ri Yong-ho as its new negotiator in the Six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear weapons program. (Yonhap) Law and crime Up to 100 asylum seekers, many from Iran, riot again at Australia's Christmas Island Immigration Reception and Processing Centre. (AAP via WA Today) Serbia extradites suspected war criminal Goran Hadžić to The Hague to face trial. (BBC) News International phone hacking scandal The Crown Office confirms that Strathclyde Police will investigate phone hacking and breaches of data protection in Scotland. (BBC) British Labour MP Tom Watson says he is contacting Scotland Yard after two former News of the World executives contradicted James Murdoch's evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee. The Independent Two Mexican police officers assigned to guard the United States consulate in Monterrey are killed in a drive-by shooting while off duty. (AP via SF Gate) Politics Debt negotiations between President of the United States Barack Obama and Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner collapse. (Washington Post) Current events of July 23, 2011 (2011-07-23) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Norway attacks: The death toll from the shootings on Utøya and bombing in Oslo reaches at least 92. (BBC) (AP via MSNBC) Anders Behring Breivik, the man arrested in connection with terrorism in Norway, reveals himself as to have anti-Muslim and right-wing extremist views, stating that the attacks were "atrocious, but necessary." (Dokument) (Dagbladet) (Daily Mail) 2011 Syrian uprising: The United Nations says Syrian forces may have committed crimes against humanity amid the ongoing protests. (Capital FM Kenya) (Times of Oman) 2011 Libyan civil war: Rebels claim to have fired rockets at a meeting of senior Gaddafi-regime officials in the capital Tripoli. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Mumbai bombings: The death toll from the attacks rises to 22. (AFP via Google News) (Times of India) Gatluak Gai, a key South Sudanese rebel leader who signed a peace deal with the Sudanese government this week, is killed. (BBC) Arts and entertainment English singer Amy Winehouse, 27, is found dead at her London home. (BBC) (News24) Business and economy Workers at the Escondida copper mine in northern Chile vote to continue a strike for a second day. (AFP via France24) Disasters Two CRH bullet trains collide in near Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China, killing at least 35. (AFP via Google News) (VoA) (Xinhuanet.com) (New York Times) 2011 Horn of Africa famine Unicef states that a child dies from malnutrition every six minutes (250 a day) in Somalia. (The Sun) Somalia's Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali accuses al-Shabab of preventing people from leaving the region in search of food as central government condemns militants from blocking aid workers. (Voice of America) International relations Kim Sung-hwan, the South Korean Minister for Foreign Affairs, meets with Pak Ui-chun, his North Korean counterpart, on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting in Bali, Indonesia. (Yonhap) Law and crime Asylum seekers at the Scherger Immigration Detention Centre near Weipa in the Australian state of Queensland start harming themselves in protest. (AAP via Sydney Morning Herald) News International phone hacking scandal Claims of phone hacking at the Daily Mirror and other Trinity Mirror publications are made by former Mirror journalist James Hipwell. (The Independent) (BBC) (The Guardian) A gunman fatally shoots six people, including himself, and wounds four others in a shooting in Grand Prairie, Texas. (The Guardian) Daryoush Rezaei, an Iranian scientist, is shot dead outside his home in Tehran. It was reported that the scientist had links to the country's nuclear programme. (BBC) Politics Nearly 4,000 employees of the US Federal Aviation Administration are furloughed due to Congressional authorisation for its programs lapsing. (FAA) Voters in Sri Lanka go to the polls for local elections, with one person dying in clashes between supporters of rival parties in the Anuradhapura district. (BBC) Voters in Latvia go to the polls for the Latvian parliamentary dissolution referendum with 95 per cent of voters supporting dissolution of the Saeima. (AP) General John M. Shalikashvili, a Polish-American former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Bill Clinton during the Post-Cold War years and the Bosnian conflicts who had suffered a major stroke several years ago, dies. South Vietnamese premier and general Nguyễn Cao Kỳ dies at age 80 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Science CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) produces notable fluctuations in search for Higgs Boson particle. (BBC News) Sport Australian cyclist Cadel Evans wins the right to wear the yellow jersey on the final stage of the 2011 Tour de France. (News Limited) The world footballing body FIFA bans former presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam for life over claims he tried to buy presidential votes. (BBC) Current events of July 24, 2011 (2011-07-24) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks A Thai military helicopter crashes near the Myanmar border, the third in a week, with three people feared dead in the latest crash. (AP via MSNBC) A car bomb in the Yemeni port of Aden kills at least eight Army soldiers and wounds scores. (Canadian Press via Winnipeg Free Press) Arts and culture Japanese television switches totally to digital television from midday. (Japan Times) Politics Timothy Geithner, the United States Secretary of the Treasury, says that President Barack Obama will not invoke the United States Constitution to raise the debt ceiling unilaterally. The idea has been under consideration due to the 14th amendment requiring that "the validity of the public debt of the United States [...] shall not be questioned." (Reuters) Democratic Party leaders call for the United States House Committee on Ethics to investigate claims that Rep David Wu of Oregon had sexually assaulted a teenager. (Washington Post) Sport The 2011 Tour de France finishes in Paris with cyclist Cadel Evans becoming the first Australian to win the event. (Herald Sun), (AP via France24) Uruguay defeats Paraguay 3-0 in the finals of the 2011 Copa América, capturing their 15th title and becomes the nation with most Copa América titles. (AP via NBC Sports) Science The Tevatron collider near Chicago produces results similar to recent results from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in the on-going search for the Higgs Boson. (BBC News) Current events of July 25, 2011 (2011-07-25) (Monday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising: State media announce a new law permitting the formation of political parties. (BBC) 2011 Bahraini uprising: A panel begins work an inquiry into the crackdown on protests. (Al Jazeera) Arts and culture Greek-Cypriot filmmaker Michael Cacoyannis who was nominated for five Academy Awards for his films including Zorba the Greek dies in Athens aged 89. (AFP via Google News) Business and economy Moody's cuts Greece's credit rating further to Ca on the grounds that a proposed debt swap is equivalent to a default. (BBC) Disasters 2011 Horn of Africa famine: The World Bank promises $500 million in aid to drought victims in East Africa as a United Nations agency hosts an emergency meeting aimed at fighting famine. (CBC News) International relations South Korea and the People's Republic of China will hold inaugural defense strategic meetings this week. (Yonhap) Australia and Malaysia sign a pact to exchange asylum seekers in Kuala Lumpur. (Associated Press) Law and crime 2011 Norway attacks Anders Behring Breivik attends court for the first time in connection with the attacks. (AFP via France24) Trond Berntsen, the stepbrother of Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway, was among the 68 people killed in the attack on the island of Utøya. (AP via Miami Herald) Police revise the death toll from the attack down to 76. (The Telegraph) An Egyptian court decides to try former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak and Interior Minister Habib el-Adly together on charges relating to the death of protesters in the 2011 Egyptian revolution. (AFP via Maan News) Politics 2011 US debt ceiling crisis United States President Barack Obama cancels fundraising dinners due to the ongoing debt crisis. (CNN) President Obama gives a televised address to the United States warning of "incalculable damage" if the debt limit is not raised. (AFP via Sydney Morning Herald) Republican Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John Boehner puts forward a plan based on spending cuts. (Washington Post) Canada's Leader of the Opposition Jack Layton announces that he will take a medical leave of absence and an interim leader of the New Democratic Party will be appointed. (CTV News) The Obama Administration released a Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (whitehouse.gov) Trương Tấn Sang becomes the new President of Vietnam. (Associated Press) Sport In American football, the NFL Players Association executive unanimously accepts a 10 year pay deal with team owners in the US National Football League. (ESPN) In softball, the United States defeats Japan 6-4 to win its fifth straight World Cup. (ESPN) Current events of July 26, 2011 (2011-07-26) (Tuesday) Armed conflicts and attacks Police in Norway begin naming the victims of the 2011 Norway attacks. (BBC) Business and economy The Reserve Bank of India increases interest rates to 8% in an effort to contain inflation which is currently at 9.44%. (BBC) Britain's Trinity Mirror reviews its editorial guidelines in light of the News of the World phone hacking affair. (AP via Yahoo News) U.S. Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, in a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission, demands that they block the effort of telephone giant AT&T to buy rival T-Mobile USA. (Reuters) Disasters A Moroccan military transport plane crashes into a mountain in the south of the country killing 78 of 81 on board. (BBC News) (Al Jazeera) International relations Senior North Korean diplomat Kim Kye Gwan heads to the United States for discussions on reopening the six party talks on his country's nuclear weapons program. (Yonhap News) Law and crime Senegalese rapper and government critic Omar Toure is arrested. (BBC) Sri Lankan police hunt for 20 local television actresses alleged to be part of a prostitution ring. (Xinhua) A shootout at a prison in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, leaves 17 dead. (Fox News) David Cecil, an unemployed truck driver, is charged with hacking into Platform Networks's network. (Kansas City Star)(CBS News)(The Australian) Politics Nguyen Tan Dung is re-elected Prime Minister of Vietnam. (Government Web Portal of Vietnam) David Wu resigns as a member of the United States House of Representatives following allegations of an unwanted sexual encounter with an 18-year-old. (New York Times) Luis Gutiérrez, an Illinois member of the United States House of Representatives, is arrested outside the White House in Washington D.C. during protests calling for immigration reform. (Rollcall) Science A dog is discovered carrying the hendra virus in the Australian state of Queensland near the town of Beaudesert. It is the first time the virus has been detected in a species other than flying foxes, horses or humans. (AAP via News Limited) Current events of July 27, 2011 (2011-07-27) (Wednesday) Armed conflict and attacks 2011 Norway attacks Norwegian police start releasing the names of the victims of the 2011 Norway attacks. (AP via News Limited) The Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg promises to set up a security review. (Reuters via France 24) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): Ghulam Haidar Hameedi, mayor of Kandahar, is killed in a suicide bombing. (AFP via Gulf News) NATO intervenes in the border clashes between Kosovo and Serbia. (BBC News) Business and economy The Australian dollar reaches a post-float record against the United States dollar based on higher than expected consumer price index figures and concerns over a US default. (AAP via Yahoo Finance) Disasters Seventeen people are killed in landslides in South Korea caused by heavy rain including eight in the town of Chuncheon. (Yonhap) (AP) The United Nations World Food Programme prepares an airlift to Mogadishu in Somalia to help relieve the 2011 Horn of Africa famine. (AFP via France24) At least seventeen people are dead and 25 missing after Severe Tropical Storm Nock-ten (Juaning) hits the Philippines. (Xinhua) A tropical storm watch is issued for Tropical Storm Don in the US state of Texas between Port Mansfield north to San Luis Pass. (National Hurricane Centre), (AP via Houston Chronicle) International relations The Government of the United Kingdom expels Libyan diplomats loyal to Muammar Gaddafi from the United Kingdom and recognises the National Transitional Council. (The Globe and Mail) Law and crime The Israeli army arrests two men involved in running the Freedom Theatre founded in Jenin by murdered Israeli actor Juliano Mer-Khamis. (Ma'an) (Ynet) An unruly crowd riots on Hollywood Boulevard outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California after being refused admission to a documentary on the Electric Daisy Carnival. (CBS Los Angeles), (NBC Los Angeles) Two men are convicted in St John's, Antigua of the 2008 murders of British honeymoon couple Ben and Catherine Mullany. (The Telegraph) News International phone hacking scandal Former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan says comments he made in 2009 on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs do not suggest he printed stories obtained through illegal reporting. In the programme, he had spoken of "running the results" of work by third parties who did "rake through bins... tap people's phones". (BBC) An 18 year old man in the Shetland Islands of Scotland is arrested on suspicion of launching multiple distributed denial of service attacks in association with LulzSec and Anonymous. (BCC) Politics Republicans in the United States House of Representatives announce they will delay a vote on extending the debt ceiling until Thursday due to concerns over level of proposed savings not being sufficient. (Washington Post) Spanish protesters known as the "Indignants" begin a march from Madrid to Brussels in Belgium to protest at cuts in government expenditure in Spain. (BBC) Current events of July 28, 2011 (2011-07-28) (Thursday) Armed conflict and attacks At least seven Philippine Army soldiers are killed and 21 injured in a confrontation with Abu Sayyaf militants on Jolo Island. (DPA via Monsters and Critics) The United Nations accuses Eritrea of attempting to bomb an African Union summit in Ethiopia. (BBC) Assassins kill the military commander of Libya's National Transitional Council General Abdul Fatah Younis and two other officers. (New York Times) War in Afghanistan (2001–present): A Taliban attack in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province kills 21 people including a BBC reporter Ahmed Omed Khpulwak. (The Telegraph) Business and economy Swiss bank Credit Suisse announces plans to cut 2,000 jobs due to poor profit results. (Reuters) Japanese electronics company Sony reduces sales and profit forecasts due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, a computer hacking attack and slowing demand in the US and Europe. (Bloomberg) Disasters Asiana Airlines Flight 991 crashes in the Pacific Ocean, near Jeju Island, South Korea, killing 2 onboard. (France24) At least 57 people are dead and 12 are confirmed missing in the Seoul and Siheung region of South Korea due to landslides caused by heavy rain. (CTV News)(News Limited) (The Weather Network) At least 17 people are killed and 30 injured after a truck collides with a bus in the Bogra District of Bangladesh. (Xinhua) 2011 Horn of Africa famine: African Union peacekeepers launch a major offensive against Al-Shabaab militants in Mogadishu, Somalia, in order to reduce threats to relief efforts. (BBC News) Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo say more than 100 people are feared dead after two boats collided on Tshuapa River. (Fox News) International relations South Korea resumes sending food aid to North Korea to assist with chronic food shortages. (Yonhap News) Law and crime News International phone hacking scandal: Police tell the mother of murder victim Sarah Payne that her mobile phone details have been found in notes made by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire. (BBC) Lord Justice Leveson sets out some of the details of the forthcoming inquiry into the phone hacking affair, which will begin in September. (BBC) In a legal milestone, the High Court of England and Wales rules that BT Group must block access to Newzbin 2, a members-only website providing links to pirated movies. (BBC) The Supreme Court of England and Wales grants veterans involved in Britain's nuclear weapons tests during the 1950s leave to appeal in their fight for compensation. (BBC) Former President of Tunisia Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is sentenced to 16 years in absentia for corruption and property fraud. (Times of India) Politics John Boehner delays a vote on the United States House of Representatives debt ceiling legislation with the issue deferred until at least Friday. (New York Times), (AP via Washington Post) Science Astronomers using the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer telescope identify a Trojan asteroid, calling it 2010 TK7, orbiting on the same path as the Earth around the Sun. The rock poses no danger to the Earth since it sits in a what is termed a gravitational "sweet spot". (BBC) (Nature) Sport In swimming, Ryan Lochte of the United States sets a new world record in the 200-meter individual medley in winning a gold medal at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Lochte becomes the first person to set a long-course world record since FINA banned rubberized swimsuits in 2010. (USA Today) In soccer, Bob Bradley is dismissed as manager of the United States men's national soccer team. (ESPN) Current events of July 29, 2011 (2011-07-29) (Friday) Armed conflicts and attacks 2011 Syrian uprising An oil pipeline near the city of Homs is blown up by "saboteurs", according to the state news agency. (Reuters) Syrian forces kill at least 20 civilians in attacks on several pro-democracy demonstrations across Syria. (Reuters) 2011 Bahraini uprising: King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa approves parliamentary reforms, which are rejected by opposition groups. (Al Jazeera) 2011 Tunisian revolution: Former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali is sentenced in absentia to 16 years imprisonment for corruption. (Xinhua) Business and economy Johnson & Johnson announced that it will lower the maximum daily dosage of one of its signature products, Extra Strength Tylenol, in order to reduce the risk of liver damage. (Reuters) Pay-TV company BSkyB secures a seven year deal to share the United Kingdom broadcasting rights of Formula One racing. From March 2012 half the races will air on Sky, while the BBC retains the right to show the other half. (Bloomberg) Disasters A Polish report into the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash that killed President Lech Kaczyński blames the Polish crew and Russian air traffic controllers for the accident. (UPI) The Prime Minister of South Korea, Kim Hwang-sik, calls for an overhaul of disaster management following the death of 59 people in floods and landslides caused by heavy rain in recent days. (Yonhap) At least twenty coal miners are killed and seventeen are missing following two accidents in the Ukraine. (CTV News)(AP via Google News) International relations South Sudan joins the African Union as its 54th member. (The Hindu) North Korea threatens to dispose of South Korean assets at the jointly-run Mount Kumgang resort. (Reuters) The Chief of the armed forces along with the heads of the army, navy and air force all resign in Turkey. (BBC) Law and crime Ajmal Kasab, the last surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, launches an appeal against his death sentence in India. (Times of India) (Sky News) News International phone hacking scandal The legal team representing Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator at the centre of claims of phone hacking, says that he "acted on the instructions of others". (BBC) MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee vote not to recall James Murdoch after his evidence was called into question by two senior News International executives. However, he may have to appear again later after more evidence is heard. (BBC) Baroness Peta Buscombe announces her intention to step down as Chair of the Press Complaints Commission following criticism about the way she handled the scandal. (BBC) Broadcaster BSkyB announces its intention to return $1bn to shareholders angered by the recent fall in its share prices. (BBC) Appearing in court, protester Jonathan May-Bowles admits to throwing a foam pie at Rupert Murdoch as he gave evidence to a Parliamentary Committee. (BBC) Christopher Jefferies, an early suspect in the investigation into the murder of Joanna Yeates, accepts "substantial" libel damages from eight British newspapers after they published details of his private life. The Sun and Daily Mirror are also fined for contempt of court in their reporting of the investigation. (BBC) UK based Internet blogger Bilal Zaheer Ahmad is sentenced to 12 years imprisonment after admitting using his blog to solicit the murder of MPs who voted for the Iraq War. (BBC) A U.S. Court of Appeals holds that isolated DNA is "markedly different" in its chemical structure from the DNA within chromosomes, and thus is not simply a product of nature but of human ingenuity. According, the court upholds two patents held by Myriad Genetics against challenge. (New York Times) Movies The Movie Premiere of The Smurfs Politics The United States House of Representatives votes to increase the debt ceiling but the Senate rejects it. (WTSP) The Prime Minister of Spain José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero calls an early election for November 20 rather than 2012. (EFE via Fox News) Sport Jürgen Klinsmann is named head coach of the United States men's national soccer team, one day after Bob Bradley was relieved as coach. (ESPN) Current events of July 30, 2011 (2011-07-30) (Saturday) Armed conflict and attacks Libyan Civil War: (NATO claims to have destroyed three television distribution facilities in an airstrike on Tripoli, Libya. (NATO) At least thirteen people are killed when gunmen open fire at passengers near a bus stop in Quetta, Pakistan. (Xinhua) Suspected Communist Party of the Philippines New People's Army forces attack a police station in Agusan del Sur killing a civilian and wounding two police officers. (Xinhua) Arts and culture Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, marries England rugby union international Mike Tindall in a ceremony at Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, Scotland. (BBC) Disasters At least 17 people are killed in a fire at a shoe factory in the Vietnamese city of Hai Phong. (BBC) Law and crime News International phone hacking scandal The Metropolitan Police launches Operation Tuleta to investigate allegations of computer hacking by News International journalists. (BBC) The Mexican media reports that hitman José Antonio Acosta Hernández, associated with the La Línea gang, is arrested in Chihuahua in connection to killing United States consular official and murders at a Juarez birthday party. (El Paso Times) Four people are shot and one killed after a George Clinton concert in the US city of Cleveland, Ohio. (19 Action News) Sports In mixed martial arts, Dan Henderson defeats fellow former Pride Fighting Championships title holder Fedor Emelianenko via knockout in the first round of their bout at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson. (Sherdog) In Round 19 of the Australian Football League season, Geelong defeats Melbourne by a near-record 186 points; the loss results in Dean Bailey being sacked as coach of the latter team the following day. The Australian Current events of July 31, 2011 (2011-07-31) (Sunday) Armed conflict and attacks At least 9 people including a suspect are killed and 28 others are injured in a knife attack in Kashgar, west Xinjiang, China, marking the second attack of the month in Xinjiang. (CRI) (Xinhua) (The Washington Post) Ramadan Massacre: At least 121 people are killed in a Syrian Army tank raid on the town of Hama and over 150 people are reportedly killed across the country. (Al Jazeera), (Al-Jazeera), (Al-Arabiya) Disasters and accidents At least seven people drown after a collision between a pleasure boat and a barge in central Moscow, Russia. (The Moscow News) (The Jerusalem Post) No-one was killed when a Caribbean Airlines Boeing 737 plane crashed and split in two at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Guyana (The Trinidad Guardian) Law and crime Mexican Federal Police say suspected cartel leader José Antonio Acosta Hernández, who was arrested on Friday, has confessed to ordering the murder of 1,500 people in the country's northern state of Chihuahua. (BBC) Politics 2011 U.S. debt ceiling crisis The Senate of the United States fails to pass legislation lifting the debt ceiling with compromise talks continuing. (CNN), (New York Times) Barack Obama, the President of the United States, and Congressional leaders reach a deal on extending the debt ceiling. (Economic Times), (Washington Post)

July 2011 S M T W T F S             1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10     11     12     13     14     15     16     17     18     19     20     21     22     23     24     25     26     27     28     29     30     31                Ongoing events Disasters Horn of Africa famine Economic 2011 US debt ceiling crisis Global financial crisis European sovereign debt crisis Greek economic crisis Medical HIV/AIDS in Africa Haiti cholera outbreak Political Anti-austerity protests Greek protests Spanish protests Arab Spring Bahraini uprising Egyptian revolution Jordanian protests Libyan civil war Moroccan protests Syrian uprising Tunisian revolution Yemeni uprising Belgian political crisis Chilean student protests Freedom Flotilla II Kurdish protests News International phone hacking scandal Scientific Expedition 28  Recent deaths August 1: Clyde Holding July 28: Abdul Fatah Younis 27: Richard Chavez 27: Ghulam Haider Hamidi 27: Hideki Irabu 27: Polly Platt 27: Bejaratana Rajasuda 27: John Stott 26: Margaret Olley 25: Michael Cacoyannis 25: Jeret Peterson 24: G. D. Spradlin 24: Dan Peek 23: Bill Morrissey 23: John Shalikashvili 23: Amy Winehouse 22: Linda Christian 22: Charles Taylor Manatt 20: Lucian Freud 18: Bob Stenehjem 18: James Wong 17: Juan María Bordaberry 17: John Kraaijkamp, Sr. 16: Rouhollah Dadashi 16: David Ngoombujarra 15: Cornell MacNeil 15: Googie Withers 13: Jerry Ragovoy 12: Allan Jeans 12: Ahmed Wali Karzai 12: Sherwood Schwartz 11: George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood 10: Roland Petit 9: Facundo Cabral 9: Würzel 8: Betty Ford 7: Manuel Galbán 7: Dick Williams 6: Josef Suk 6: Mani Kaul 6: John Mackey 5: Neil Dougherty 5: Armen Gilliam 5: Mika Myllylä 5: Cy Twombly 4: Otto von Habsburg 3: Anna Massey 2: Itamar Franco  Ongoing conflicts Global War on Terror Terrorist incidents Operation Active Endeavour Operation Enduring Freedom War on Drugs Africa Libyan civil war Tunisian revolution Maghreb insurgency OEF - Trans Sahara Casamance conflict Niger Delta conflict South Kordofan conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Somalia: Civil war Somali Civil War (2009–present) Piracy OEF - Horn of Africa Europe Basque conflict Real IRA North Caucasus insurgency Ingushetia civil war Middle East Iraqi insurgency Iran-Jundallah conflict Fatah–Hamas conflict Arab–Israeli conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israeli–Lebanese conflict Palestinian political violence and rocket attacks Yemen: Terrorism and al-Qaeda crackdown South Yemen insurgency Shia insurgency Kurdistan: Turkey–PKK conflict Iran–PJAK conflict Asia Afghanistan War Military operations Taliban insurgency Pakistan: Terrorism North-West War Balochistan conflict Drone attacks Sectarian violence India: Terrorism Jammu and Kashmir insurgency Naxalite-Maoist insurgency Northeast India insurgency Nagaland ethnic conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict Korean maritime border incidents Southeast Asia: Laos insurgency Burma internal conflict Burma border clashes South Thailand insurgency Cambodian–Thai border dispute Philippines insurgency OEF - Philippines Papua conflict Americas Colombian conflict Plan Colombia FARC Mexican Drug War Mérida Initiative Peru internal conflict  Elections Recent: July 1: Morocco, Constitutional referendum 3: Thailand, General 17: São Tomé and Príncipe, President (1st round) 23: Latvia, Parliamentary dissolution referendum 25: Vietnam, President (indirect) Upcoming: August 7: Cape Verde, President 7: São Tomé and Príncipe, President (2nd round) 12: Guyana, Parliament 23: Liberia, Constitutional referendum 26: Abkhazia, President 29–30: Estonia, President (indirect)  Trials Recently concluded Cambodia: Kang Kek Iew Germany: John Demjanjuk Indonesia: Abu Bakar Bashir Netherlands: Geert Wilders United Kingdom: Levi Bellfield United States: Faisal Shahzad, Noshir Gowadia, Buju Banton, Barry Bonds, Raj Rajaratnam, Rod Blagojevich, Casey Anthony Ongoing Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Tribunal Canada: Russell Williams China: Organized crime in Chongqing France: Church of Scientology Germany: Heinrich Boere Iraq: Supreme Criminal Tribunal Iran: Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Malaysia: Anwar Ibrahim Netherlands: Thomas Lubanga (ICC), Radovan Karadžić (ICTY) Palau: Tommy Remengesau Peru: Joran van der Sloot Philippines: Andal Ampatuan Jr. Russia: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Platon Lebedev Sierra Leone: Charles Taylor (SCFSL) Singapore: Tak Boleh Tahan Thailand: Thaksin Shinawatra Turkey: Ergenekon network United States: David Headley, Ahmed Ghailani, Jared Lee Loughner, Charles P. White, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Roger Clemens Upcoming Egypt: Hosni Mubarak, Alaa Mubarak, Gamal Mubarak Sudan: Lubna al-Hussein Tunisia: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali United States: Viktor Bout, Allen Stanford, Nidal Malik Hasan, Conrad Murray, John Edwards  Holidays  and observances Recent