Portal:Current events/2011 July 25

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 al-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 The President of the United States 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) Truong Tan 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)