 » Greece was again hit by strikes, protests and rioting, as the parliament voted in favour of a crucial new round of austerity measures and economic reforms. The European Union and the IMF are now expected to release the latest tranche of bail-out funds that Greece needs in order to avoid defaulting on its debt payments. Meanwhile, the French banking industry floated a proposal for an orderly restructuring of Greek debt that would involve private investors rolling over their holdings in bonds. See article » In Britain public-sector workers ranging from teachers to court officials to immigration officers went on strike against the government's proposed changes to their pensions. See article » Wen Jiabao, the Chinese prime minister, travelled to Hungary, Britain and Germany, signing billions of euros' worth of trade and investment deals and promising that China would lend a "helping hand" to troubled euro-zone peripheral countries. See article » Martine Aubry, leader of the French Socialists, said she would stand for the party's nomination to run against Nicolas Sarkozy in next year's presidential election. The Socialists will choose their candidate in a primary vote in October. See article
The patient » Venezuela suspended a development summit scheduled for July 5th because Hugo Chávez, the president, is still in Cuba recovering from surgery for a pelvic abscess. Mr Chávez has been out of the country for weeks, but Elías Jaua, the vice-president, has rejected calls to be sworn in as interim president during his absence. » The outgoing government of Alan García in Peru rescinded a silver-mining concession granted to a Canadian company. The decision followed violent protests in the region of Puno to demand the cancellation of all mining and hydroelectric contracts in the country, which left five people dead. » The Court of Appeal in Belize ruled that the country's 2009 nationalisation of Belize Telemedia was unconstitutional. The government says it will not return the company to its prior private owners unless they secure a separate judicial enforcement order. See article
 Looking for justice » The International Criminal Court at The Hague issued arrest warrants for Libya's leader, Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, his son, Saif al-Islam, and his intelligence chief, Abdulla al-Senussi, on charges of crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, rebel forces continued to advance on the capital, Tripoli. France confirmed that it had air-dropped weapons—mainly light arms and ammunition—to the rebels. See article » More than 1,000 people were injured in clashes in Cairo's Tahrir Square between police and people protesting against the slow pace of reform. Egypt's prosecutor-general said he would form a committee to investigate the violence. » At least 150 Syrian opposition figures met in public for the first time in the capital, Damascus, to declare their support for the uprising and call on President Bashar Assad to end his government's crackdown. Syria's army and security forces withdrew from Hama, the country's fourth-biggest city, where at least 73 people were reported to have been killed in clashes in June. » Nigeria's government imposed a curfew on Abuja, the capital, after a series of attacks by Boko Haram, an Islamist sect. On June 26th, 25 people were killed when a beer-garden was bombed in the city of Maiduguri in the state of Borno; another ten people died in another attack in the city on the same day. » Under an agreement brokered by the African Union, Ethiopia pledged to send 4,200 troops to keep the peace in the violently disputed oil-rich province of Abyei, which straddles the border between Sudan and South Sudan. » The UN said that a drought in the Horn of Africa was the worst in more than 60 years and was affecting 10m people.
A green but unpleasant land » Myanmar's state newspapers ran commentary warning Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the opposition democracy movement, that her continued political activity is unlawful and that her plan to tour the country could provoke chaos. The last time she toured the countryside her motorcade was attacked by a mob, apparently aligned with the government. Miss Suu Kyi was blamed for that incident.  » Hu Jia, a prominent Chinese dissident, was granted a provisional form of release after three-and-a-half years in prison. Mr Hu was convicted of trying to subvert state power, after taking up the causes of AIDS patients and the environment. He was let out of prison only days after Ai Weiwei, a famous artist and activist, was allowed home on bail. » Lee Teng-hui, who became president of Taiwan after a long period of rule by Chiang Kai-shek and his son and who is widely credited with advancing democracy in the country, was indicted on charges of embezzlement. Mr Lee, with pro-independence views, remains a powerful political voice in Taiwan. » A UN-backed court in Cambodia conducted preliminary hearings in "Case 002", against the leaders of the Khmer Rouge for crimes committed in 1975-79. The case brings to trial the four highest-ranking members of the regime who are still alive, all of them old. Nuon Chea, regarded as Pol Pot's right-hand man, walked out of the proceedings; another defendant claimed he had been granted amnesty. See article » In Afghanistan NATO helicopters were called on to help repel an attack by suicide-bombers and gunmen on the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul, where many Westerners stay. At least 22 people were killed, half of them civilians. The Haqqani network, an insurgent group with ties to the Taliban, is suspected. See article
 Pride » New York's legislature passed a bill legalising same-sex marriage that was quickly signed into law by Andrew Cuomo, the governor. The act doubles the number of gay American who can marry if they now wish. It is the biggest advance for gay rights in America since Massachusetts legalised gay nuptials in 2003. See article » The first ruling by a federal appeals-court on Obamacare decided that the mandate that Americans must have health insurance is constitutional. The matter is expected to end up in the Supreme Court. | 
The wrong bet 
