ON THIS DAY

622: The traditional starting day of the Islamic Era, when a persecuted Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina. 1723: Sir Joshua Reynolds, English portrait painter who was elected first President of the Royal Academy in 1768, was born. 1918: The last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, was murdered by the Bolsheviks along with his entire family in the cellar of a house in Ekaterinburg. 1935: The world’s first parking meters went into service in Oklahoma, devised by newspaper editor Carlton Magee. 1945: The first atomic bomb was detonated at an airbase in the desert of New Mexico. 1953: Hilaire Belloc, writer of many talents, died. He had written his own epitaph, which read: ‘’When I am dead, I hope it may be said, his sins were scarlet but his books were read.’’ 1965: The seven-mile Mont Blanc road tunnel was opened, linking France with Italy. 1970: The first state of emergency in Britain since 1926 was called by Prime Minister Edward Heath as dockers went on strike. BIRTHDAYS: Sir George Young, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal, 75; Frank Field, MP, 74; Ruben Blades, actor, 68; Lorraine Chase, actress, 65; Stewart Copeland, rock musician (The Police), 64; Michael Flatley, dancer, 58; Miguel Indurain, former cyclist, 52; Johnny Vaughan, TV and radio presenter, 50. QUOTES OF THE DAY: “France is in tears. It is hurting but it is strong, and she will be strong, always stronger than the fanatics who wish to hurt us” - French president Francois Hollande on the Nice terrorist attack. “This is war. If you look at it, this is war coming from all different parts. And frankly it’s war and we’re dealing with people without uniforms” - Donald Trump, the potential Republican candidate for the White House, on the Nice terrorist attack. “The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we’re very happy. That’s the truth. It’s not a publicity stunt” Actor Tom Hiddleston. “This is a moment of deep peril for Labour, if we carry on as we are the party I love will end up in a disastrous spilt. I am not prepared to let that happen” - Labour MP Owen Smith ,a possible challenger to Jeremy Corbyn. “After a vote like the referendum result it is inevitable there is going to be a certain amount of plaster coming off the ceilings in the chancelleries of Europe, it wasn’t the result they were expecting and clearly they are making their views known in a frank and free way” - Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. “Don’t mess with the people of Scotland” - AlexSalmond’s warning to Theresa May.