On this day
Babylon’s siege of Jerusalem ends following the destruction of Solomon’s Temple.
The Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, Alexander Nowell, perfects a way to bottle beer.
Captain James Cook begins his second voyage aboard the Resolution to the South Seas to search for Terra Australis (the southern continent).
200 die as a train derails near Tcherny, Russia.
Great Britain and Japan renew their alliance of 1902 for another four years; the reason Japan joins WWI on the Allies side.
The British airship R34 lands in Norfolk, England, completing the first airship return journey across the Atlantic in 182 hours of flight.
The first football World Cup competition begins in Uruguay (won by the hosts).
5 000 Jews of Rovno, in Polish Ukraine, are executed by the Nazis.
The greatest tank battle in history ends with Russia’s defeat of Germany at Kursk. Almost 6 000 tanks take part, 2 900 are lost by Germany. .................. 031 308 2332 .............................. Yogas Nair .. Philani Mazibuko ...... Kamini Padayachee .......... Se-Anne Koopman ......................... Glenn Schouw
Battle of the Kumsong River begins – last major battle of the Korean war.
The Transvaal Attorney-General announces that AWB leader Eugene Terre’Blanche and three associates will face terrorism charges, having been accused of attempting or planning to overthrow the South African government by violent means.
The last sitting of an all-white Parliament in South Africa.
“Live Aid” concerts held at both Wembley Stadium (London) and John F Kennedy Stadium (Philadelphia) raises over $70 million for African famine relief.
Zola Budd and Annette Cowley, South African-born runner and swimmer respectively, are banned from the Commonwealth Games. They had hoped to represent England.
Bruwer Engelbrecht, 75, former radio broadcaster who started broadcasting with Piet Pompies, dies of heart failure in Belville.
Fifa World Cup Final: Mario Götze scores an extra-time winner as Germany beats Argentina 1-0 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ............... 031 308 2004 ................... 080 020 4711 .......................................... 031 308 2022 ................ mercnews@inl.co.za www.facebook.com/themercurysa www.twitter.com/themercurysa