The World This Week

The G8 summit begins in Toyako, Hokkaido, Japan. Japan will also host a meeting on African development on the sidelines of the summit. July 7 also marks the third anniversary of the bomb attacks on London’s transport network that killed more than 50 people. 

July 10

The one-off Best of the Booker award winners is to be announced in London, marking the 40th anniversary of one of the most prestigious literary awards. On the same day, again in London, John Lennon’s hand-written lyrics of the anti-war anthem ‘Give Peace a Chance’ will be sold by Christie’s auction house. Lennon wrote the song during the Bed-In, a 1969 anti-war protest in which he and Yoko Ono spent eight days in a bed, with their door open for journalists and politicians. 

July 11

Marks the second anniversary of the deadly series of attacks on Mumbai’s railway network, killing more than 180 people. 

July 12

The launch of a charity match to launchGoal4Africa, a new awareness campaign and charity fundraising scheme where soccer fans donate money for every goal scored. Goal4Africa will run for two years until the FIFA World Cup in 2010. It also marks the anniversary of the start of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon. 

July 13

A summit of Mediterranean and European Union countries will take place in Paris, designed to boost ties and promote development in North African and other countries of the Mediterranean. Pope Benedict embarks on an 8-day visit to Australia, the longest visit of his pontificate. The Miss Universe contest will be held on the same day at Nha Trang in Vietnam.