July 1, South Africa: Leaders of more than 50 African countries will join 6,000 delegates in Durban for the inaugural summit of the African Union. Based on the EU, the new union will have an executive, central bank, monetary fund, parliament and court of justice.

July 1, Netherlands: The worldÕs first independent and permanent International Criminal Court comes into force in The Hague. Around 70 countries have so far ratified support for the tribunal, but America is refusing to sign up.

July 5, Austria: UN secretary general Kofi Annan expects Òa decisive meetingÓ in Vienna when he holds a new round of talks with IraqÕs foreign minister on the re-admittance to Baghdad of UN weapons inspectors.

July 6, Northern Ireland: The precarious power-sharing coalition risks being upended if disaffected Ulster Unionists proceed with a motion to the ruling council urging the party to quit the government.

July 6-7, Britain: Wimbledon, the (strawberries and) cream of lawn tennis, serves up its finals, with the women vying to net glory and £486,000, and the men giving their all for an extra 8 percent.

July 7, Malaysia: WomenÕs groups and the government will fight a bill, proposed by an Islamic party, requiring four male Muslim witnesses to prove a rape charge. The billÕs original draft says unmarried women who become pregnant Ð even through rape Ð should be whipped or stoned to death.

July 8, South Africa: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, ex-wife wife of Nelson Mandela, is scheduled to stand trial in Pretoria on charges of theft and loan fraud involving nearly one million rand (£100,000).

July 25, Britain: Queen Elizabeth II will be present in Manchester for the opening of the largest ever Commonwealth Games. Athletes from 72 nations are competing for gold in 14 individual sports and three team events.

July 27, New Zealand: Prime Minister Helen ClarkÕs centre-left Labour Party is expected to win Ð either outright or in league with the Greens Ð as the country votes in an early general election.