July 1996

1

United States: Former governor of New Jersey (1970-74) William T. Cahill dies.

3

Ghafoorzai

Afghanistan: President Burhanuddin Rabbani names a 10-man cabinet under the new prime minister, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Foreign minister: Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai; defense: Wahidullah Sabawoon; finance: Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal; interior: Yunus Qanuni.
Chad: Incumbent Idriss Déby wins 71.6% of the vote in the presidential election runoff between him and former foreign minister Wadal Abdelkader Kamougue, who wins 28.4%. Turnout is officially put at 77.7%, although observers say it was noticeably lower than the first round's 67.5%.
Russia: The presidential election runoff is won by incumbent Boris Yeltsin with 53.8%, compared to 40.3% for Communist Gennady Zyuganov, 4.8% voting against both candidates. Turnout is 68.9%.

4

Czech Republic: A new 16-member cabinet is sworn in. It is unchanged in the key positions except for the appointments of Miloslav Výborný as defense minister and Jan Kalvoda as justice minister. The right-wing coalition governs without a parliamentary majority.
India: Former Orissa governor (1990-93) Yagya Dutt Sharma dies.

6

Kategaya

Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni names a new 21-person cabinet. Prime Minister Kintu Musoke and Finance Minister Jehoash Mayanja Nkangi retain their posts, while new appointments include Eriya Kategaya as foreign minister and Tom Butime as internal affairs minister.

7

Ecuador: Abdalá Bucaram Ortiz of the Roldosista Party wins the presidential election runoff with 54.5% against 45.5% for Jaime Nebot Saadi of the Social Christian Party.

8

Niger: Presidential elections held July 7 and 8 are won by the incumbent, Gen. Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, with 52.3%, followed by former president Mahamane Ousmane (19.75%), former interior minister Mamadou Tandja (15.65%), former prime minister Mahamadou Issoufou (7.6%), and former foreign minister Adamou Moumouni Djermakoye (4.8%). Turnout is 66.3%.
Organization of African Unity: Paul Biya, president of Cameroon, becomes chairman.
Turkey: The government of Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan wins a parliamentary confidence vote 278-265.

9

France: Former president of the Regional Council of Champagne-Ardenne (1974-81) Jacques Sourdille dies.
Guinea: President Lansana Conté names Sidya Touré as prime minister. In the cabinet presented on July 17, Lamine Camara is foreign minister.

10

Mejía

Colombia: President Ernesto Samper names María Emma Mejía as new foreign minister.

11

Albania: President Sali Berisha names a new 25-member cabinet. Among the new ministers are Tritan Shehu as foreign minister and deputy premier, Ridvan Bode as finance minister, and Halit Shamata as interior minister.
Ukraine: President Leonid Kuchma names Oleksandr Kuzmuk as new defense minister, following the dismissal of Valeriy Shmarov.

15

Huckabee

United States: Mike Huckabee (Republican) is sworn in as governor of Arkansas.

16

Argentina: Defense Minister Oscar Camilión resigns. On July 21 President Carlos Menem names Jorge Domínguez as defense minister, with effect from August 7.

17

Alexander

India: P.C. Alexander, governor of Maharashtra, also becomes governor of Goa.
Russia: President Boris Yeltsin names Igor Rodionov as defense minister.

19

Azerbaijan: President Heydar Aliyev dismisses Prime Minister Fuad Guliyev. The following day he appoints first vice-premier Artur Rasizade as acting prime minister.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Biljana Plavsic replaces Radovan Karadzic as president of the Republika Srpska.
Mongolia: Parliament elects Mendsaikhany Enkhsaikhan as prime minister. Enkhsaikhan will also hold the office of foreign minister.
Slovenia: Parliament elects Davorin Kracun as foreign minister.

21

São Tomé and Príncipe: In the presidential election runoff, incumbent Miguel Trovoada wins 52.7% compared to 47.3% for former president Manuel Pinto da Costa. Turnout is about 76%.

22

Australia: Sir Eric Neal is sworn in as governor of South Australia.

23

Bangladesh: Shahabuddin Ahmed is elected unopposed as president, to replace Abdur Rahman Biswas, whose term expires on October 8.

25

Buyoya

Burundi: President Sylvestre Ntibantunganya is deposed in a military coup. Former president (1987-93) Pierre Buyoya takes over again. On July 31 Pascal-Firmin Ndimira is appointed as prime minister.

26

Dlamini

Swaziland: King Mswati III appoints Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini as prime minister.

27

Argentina: President Carlos Menem names Roque Fernández as economy minister, following the firing of Domingo Cavallo.

30

Jersey: Former bailiff (1962-74) Sir Robert Hugh Le Masurier dies.

31

Italy: Prime Minister Romano Prodi's government wins a vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies 319-284.
Nepal: Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat resigns.