TODAY IN HISTORY

TODAY IS THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018 On this day in history: 1788 - Governor Arthur Phillip sends a despatch to the British under-secretary of state, detailing the dire situation with rations in the New South Wales colony.

1806 - A Spanish army repelled the British during their attempt to retake Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1811 - Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

1830 - France occupied the North African city of Algiers. 1832 - The German government began curtailing freedom of the press after German Democrats advocate a revolt against Austrian rule.

1839 - British naval forces bombarded Dingai on Zhoushan Island in China and then occupied it.

1865 - William Booth founded the Salvation Army in London. 1900 - British Parliament passes the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act.

1905 - Australia’s second Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin, commences his second term. 1940 - During World War II, Britain and the Vichy government in France broke diplomatic relations.

1941 - German troops reached the Dnieper River in the Soviet Union.

1943 - The battle of Kursk began as German tanks attack the Soviet salient. It was the largest tank battle in history.

1948 - Britain’s National Health Service Act went into effect, providing government-financed medical and dental care. 1962 - Algeria became independent after 132 years of French rule.

1975 - Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win a Wimbledon singles title when he defeated Jimmy Connors. 2000 - Jordanian security agents shot and killed a Syrian hijacker after he threw a grenade that exploded and wounded 15 passengers aboard a Royal Jordanian airliner. 2000 - 10 Bengal tigers, including 7 rare white tigers, died at the Nandankanan Zoo in India. The tigers died of trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness).

2000 - Euan Blair, the oldest son of British prime minister Tony Blair, was arrested after police found him drunk and lying on the ground in London’s Leicester Square.