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Mon, 20 Jul 2009
On Jul 20 during the Apollo 11 mission of 1969, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the Moon. Twelve US astronauts walked on the Moon during the six successful lunar landing Apollo missions. There is likely to be a 40th anniversary celebration at the White House, with the aging Apollo astronauts at the event lobbying the new president for funding so the United States won't be an "also ran" in the race to return to the Moon.
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Sun, 19 Jul 2009
On 19 Jul 1969, Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts drove his car off a small bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts, and his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned. The senator left the scene and did not report it to the police until the following day. Every fifth anniversary since has been a cue to the media and Kennedy's political opponents to revisit the accident. The question is whether the senator's dire health will win him a break on the 40th anniversary.
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Sun, 19 Jul 2009
The organizers of the Summer of Salsa have called for 2000 people or more to come to the stadium of the Worcester Warriors Rugby club in Worcester on Jul 19 for an attempt to break a Guinness Record for Salsa dancing. There are almost daily attempts on Guinness records. On Mar 17 A video game called House of the Dead: Overkill won the honor as the most profane ever, dropping the F-word 189 times. And on St. Patrick's Day in New York, 3,163 participants won the largest pub crawl record.
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Tue, 14 Jul 2009
President Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs on 14 Jul 1969 in a message to Congress. It became the War on Drugs in Jun 1971. Hundreds of billions of dollars and 40 years later, drug consumption and profits are booming. In these desperate economic times in the United States, Washington could see better use for the billions of dollars spent on the drugs war and argue that it is not working.
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Tue, 14 Jul 2009
Several Members of the European Parliament have proposed a rule change to prevent French far-right parliamentarian Jean-Marie Le Pen from presiding over the inaugural session in July. Under present rules, the oldest MEP opens the first session of the new legislature. At 81 (by July), the French National Front leader is due the honor. The main issues for MEPs in subsequent sittings are the results of June EP election and the decisions, if any, taken by G20 leaders at their London summit in April.
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Tue, 14 Jul 2009
As every year, Paris and all France will celebrate the country's commitment to Libert Egalit Fraternit . French jets sweep over Paris, and the country's president reviews a military parade down the Champs Elysees. President Nicolas Sarkozy can't count on a stellar Bastille Day in 2009. Strikes could spoil the party. And it follows the first anniversary of his moribund Union for the Mediterranean, the founding of which was celebrated at the 2008 Bastille Day parade.
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Mon, 13 Jul 2009
The controversial Union of the Mediterranean, initiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, is one year old on 13 Jul. It unites all European Union members with several non-EU countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. The new body almost died shortly afterwards. The French president relaunched the partnership on 25 Jun, hoping it will provide new impetus to regional cooperation by agreeing a set of priority development projects that create de facto solidarity between participating nations.
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Sun, 12 Jul 2009
Thousands of Jewish athletes from 50 countries will compete in the 18th Maccabiah Games in July. The event, sometimes referred to as the "Jewish Olympics," is held every four years. Worries that it represents a high-profile target for Palestinian militants seeking vengeance for Israel's destruction in Gaza, could decide some athletes against traveling to Israel. Athletes have been targets in the past, notably in 1972, when Palestinian militants killed 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics.
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Sun, 12 Jul 2009
The European Defence Agency came into being on 12 Jul 2004. The alliance it supports, the European Union's European Security and Defence Policy, was established five years earlier. Questions about whether both the ESDP and NATO are necessary could increase in this anniversary year, a time of economic crisis and military overstretch - particularly now France, a founding ESDP member, has rejoined the Alliance.
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Sat, 11 Jul 2009
NASA hopes to fix a hydrogen leak in time to launch shuttle Endeavour from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jul 11. The shuttle will deliver the final components of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory to the station. The platform will serve as a porch for experiments that require direct exposure to space. Expedition 19, STS-127, will double the size of the resident crew on the complex to six people. The leak delayed a planned June launch.
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Fri, 10 Jul 2009
John Calvin, a founder of the Protestant Reformation, was born in Noyon, France, on 10 Jul 500 years ago. His life and legacy will be celebrated around the world throughout 2009 with events described as international, interdenominational and interdisciplinary. The main events will be in Geneva, where the theologian found sanctury after fleeing from Catholic France. He wrote and preached in that city until his death in 1564.
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Wed, 08 Jul 2009
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi hosts the leaders of the G8 group of rich nations at the earthquake-hit town of L'Aquila. The economic meltdown will top an agenda that includes climate, energy and trade. United States President Barak Obama can expect a lecture on the need to adopt regulations to prevent economic catastrophes.
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Wed, 08 Jul 2009
Indonesia elects a president in an election distinguished by its logistical complexity. It involves some 180 million eligible voters casting ballots at all but a few of the 17,500 islands of the archipelago. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, formerly a high-ranking military official, is predicted to win. He is safe from his rivals for the present as the economy is still growing, albeit a little slower.
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Mon, 06 Jul 2009
The 58th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will be evaluating the results of a controversial legal sale of ivory and planning the agenda for the 15th CITES Conference of the Parties in 2010. Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe held the ivory sales in October and November 2008 under an agreement concluded in Jun 2007 at The Hague.
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Mon, 06 Jul 2009
United States President Barack Obama visits Russia for talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev aimed at cuttings stockpiles of nuclear weapons. The two leaders want a deal that would replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December. The remaining differences between the two sides are described as narrow. One of the sticking points is the US plan, made by the last US administration, to deploy an anti-missile shield in Europe.
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Sun, 05 Jul 2009
The Second Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algiers is the first since 1969. It is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world to celebrate what Algeria's culture minister Khalida Toumi describes as Africa's artistic renaissance. The event will feature thousands of notables in visual art, music, dance theater and poetry from Africa and the estimated 330-million-strong African diaspora. The last US presidential election could boost interest in the festival.
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Sun, 05 Jul 2009
Mexico's mid-term election for its 500-member Chamber of Deputies, six governors and mayors and local legislators in 11 states is scheduled for Jul 5. There was speculation that the ballot would be postponed due to the swine flu outbreak, but the rate of infection now appears to be ebbing. Swine flu could play into the results as opposition parties criticize the handling of the crisis by the governing National Action Party (PAN). The drug war could also play into the election.
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Sat, 04 Jul 2009
For the first time in its history, the Tour de France will start in Monaco. The 2174 mile race then passes through France, Spain, Andorra and Switzerland before finishing in Paris at the Champs Elysees. The seven times winner of the Tour, Lance Armstrong, will compete for an 8th win at the Tour, which has been tarnished by drug scandals. German broadcasters ADR and ZDF are ending their 7 million a year television contract with the Tour because of the scandals.
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Sat, 04 Jul 2009
Many cities and towns will cancel or trim their Independence Day fireworks spectaculars because of hard times, but New York won't be one of them. Department store Macy's plans to stage its Jul 4 pyrotechnics extravaganza as usual, but will move it from the East River to the Hudson River in the city to mark the 400th anniversary of English explorer Henry Hudson's voyage to New York. The reopening to visitors of the Statue of Liberty's crown is New York's other star turn on Jul 4.
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Fri, 03 Jul 2009
Ronnie Biggs, who achieved notoriety as a member of a 15-strong gang that attacked the Glasgow to London mail train at Ledburn on 8 Aug 1963, before making off with UK 2.6 million (US $3.8 million), is expected to be released from Norwich prison. He has served part of a 30-year sentence for his role in the best-known robbery in British history. His notoriety also stems from his escape from prison in 1965 and colorful years on the run. He turns 80 on 8 Aug, exactly 46 years after the heist.
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