Today in History

July 2

1776 - The Continental Congress declares American independence. 1966 - France explodes an atomic bomb at a Pacific atoll in the first of a series of six tests.

1976 - North and South Vietnam are reunited officially after more than 20 years of war.

1985 - British racing driver David Purley dies in plane crash at the age of 40.

1990 - A stampede in a pedestrian tunnel linking Makkah and Mina leaves 1,400 pilgrims dead.

1992 - US completes a worldwide withdrawal of their tactical nuclear weapons, marking the end of an era.

1994 - Colombian soccer player Andres Escobar is slain in Medellin for accidentally scoring an own-goal against the US in a World Cup match.

2000 - Kuwait and Saudi Arabia reach an agreement over delineating their maritime border.

2006 - World Health Organisation chooses UAE as regional centre for blood transfusion services in the Middle East.