July 2011 Current Events: World News
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Here are the key events in world news for the month of July 2011.
Strauss-Kahn Is Released (July 1): Fomer International Monetary Fund director Dominique Strauss-Kahn is released from house arrest in New York City. Prosecutors, who initially believed they had a strong case, acknowledge that the accuser has credibility issues. Since the hotel maid accused Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault in May, she has admitted to prosecutors that she lied about what happened after the incident. The woman also reportedly lied about her income to qualify for housing as well as the number of children she has to increase her tax refund.
Kvitova and Djokovic Take Wimbledon Titles (July 3): The Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova beat former Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova 6–3, 6–4 to win the women's singles title. It is the first Major win for 21-year-old Kvitova who says that Martina Navratilova, also from the Czech Republic, is her hero. Novak Djokovic, who won the Australian Open back in January, continues his successful year and dominating in a 6–4, 6–1, 1–6, 6–3 win over Rafael Nadal in the men's singles championship. This is Djokovic's first Wimbledon singles title, which makes him the #1 ranked player in the world.
South Sudan Becomes a Nation (July 9): After more than 50 years of struggle, the Republic of South Sudan declares its independence and becomes Africa's 54th state. Thousands celebrate in the streets of South Sudan's capital, Juba. Salva Kiir, South Sudan's president, signs the interim Constitution.
Scandal Brings End to The News of the World (July 11): The News of the World, a British newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch, closes after several allegations that the paper's journalists hacked into voicemail accounts belonging to not only a 13-year-old murder victim, but also the relatives of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prime Minister David Cameron orders two separate investigations. Murdoch's News Corporation feels an immediate impact as its stock price falls. (July 13): Murdoch's News Corporation withdraws its $12 billion bid to buy British Sky Broadcasting. (July 17): Rebekah Brooks, former editor of The News of the World, is arrested on suspicion of illegally intercepting phone calls and bribing the police. Her arrest comes two days after her resignation as chief executive of News International, which runs the British newspaper operations of Murdoch's News Corporation.(July 18): Paul Stephenson and John Yates, two Scotland Yard senior police officials, resign. Both officers have ties to Neil Wallis, a former deputy editor at The News of the World who was recently arrested on suspicion of phone hacking and bribery of police officers.
Japan Beats USA to Win Women's World Cup (July 17): Germany hosts the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup where 845,711 fans attend 32 matches to watch 16 teams battle for the trophy. In the final, Japan defeats USA in a post-match penalty kick shoot-out. Japan's win comes to a country desperate for good news after the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami earlier this year as well as the ongoing nuclear disaster.
Two Related Terrorist Attacks Shock Norway (July 22): Norway is hit with consecutive terrorist attacks. First, a bomb explodes in Regjeringskvartalet, the government quarter of Oslo. The explosion happens right outside the prime minister's office, killing eight people and wounding several others. Two hours later, a gunman disguised as a policeman opens fire at a camp for young political activists on the island of Utoya in Tyrifjorden, Buskerud. The camp is organized by the youth organization of the Norwegian Labour Party. The gunman kills 68 campers, including personal friends of Prime Minister Stoltenberg. Police arrest Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian who has been linked to an anti-Islamic group and may be connected to other terrorist groups and extremists.
Influential Singer Amy Winehouse Dies (July 23): The award-winning, internationally known singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse is found dead in her apartment in London. The cause of death is not immediately known. Although her musical talents and influence were eclipsed in later years by her public battle with drugs and alcohol, Winehouse's success is undeniable, selling five million records and becoming the first British female artist to win five Grammys. She revitalized the music scene in Britain, starting a retro-R&B trend as well as paving the way for other female artists such as Adele and Lady Gaga.
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