Cross Atlantic Communication Day U.S. - Jul 27
Today’s a good day to reach out and call (or Skype) that friend across the Pond. It’s Cross Atlantic Communication Day, marking the anniversary of the first sustained working telegraph cable between Europe and the Americas. Before 1866, it took ten days for a message to cross the Atlantic by ship. An early form of the telegraph had been used in Germany as early as 1809, but it wasn’t until the 1830′s that related crucial innovations made the invention commercially viable. Charles Wheatstone and William Cooke patented the first commercial telegraph in the UK in 1837. That same year inventor Samuel Morse developed a telegraph system in the US, using the language that would come to dominate the wires: Morse Code. In 1844 the U.S. installed a telegraph wire from Washington DC to Baltimore, whereupon Morse relayed its first now-famous message: “What hath God wrought?” The idea of trans-Atlantic cable connecting Europe and the Americas appealed to several luminaries, but it’s generally seen as the brain-child of entrepreneur Cyrus Field, who raised the cash and made the first attempt in 1857. The 1,700m miles of cable was too big for any one ship to carry, so two were employed, the USS Niagara and the HMS Agamemnon. The two ships met up in the middle of the Atlantic, their two wires were spliced together, and they headed out in opposite directions, laying cable as they went. The cables broke multiple times, and the mission was eventually abandoned. The following summer, after several trials of errors, they set out again, and this time completed the mission, connecting a spliced cable from Newfoundland to Ireland. On August 16, 1858, the first trans-Atlantic telegraph message was sent: “Glory to God in the highest; on earth, peace and good will toward men.” Followed by messages of goodwill and congratulations by Queen Victoria and President Buchanan. “May the Atlantic telegraph, under the blessing of heaven, prove to be a bond of perpetual peace and friendship between the kindred nations, and an instrument destined by Divine Providence to diffuse religion, civilization, liberty, and law throughout the world.” — President James Buchanan The two countries celebrated, but over the next few weeks the connection deteriorated, and finally gave out. No one tried again for several years, and a Civil War engulfed the States. But in 1865, Cyrus Field tried again. Now there had been built one ship large enough to carry the whole cable: the Great Eastern, which was four times larger than any other ship in existence. Captain by Sir James Anderson, the Great Eastern traveled from Ireland to Newfoundland laying cable as it went. The Great Eastern arriving in NewAfter over 1,000 miles the cable snapped, and the mission was foundland, July 1866 abandoned. The mission finally succeeded the following year when the Great Eastern lay another, more durable cable between the two coasts. The first sustained trans-Atlantic telegraph cable was completed on this day, July 27, 1866.
Lu Pan Day China - Jul 27
Lu Ban (simplified Chinese: 鲁班; traditional Chinese: 魯班; pinyin: Lǔ Bān; Wade–Giles: Lu Pan) (507–440 BC) was a Chinese carpenter, engineer, philosopher, inventor, military thinker, and statesman. He was a contemporary of Mozi, and is the patron saint of Chinese builders and contractors. Lu Ban was born in the State of Lu to a renowned family during the chaos of the Spring and Autumn Period civil wars. His original name was Gongshu Yizhi (Chinese:公輸依智). He was also referred to as Gongshu Ban (公輸班), Kungshu Pen (公輸般) and Kungshu Pun (公輸盘), but was most commonly known as Lu Ban. According to tradition, he was responsible for several inventions, as described in Chapters 49 and 50 of Mozi: Cloud ladder—a mobile, counterweighted siege ladder. • Grappling hooks and ram—implements for naval warfare. • Wooden bird—a non-powered, flying, wooden bird which could stay in the air for three days. It has • been suggested to be a prototype of a kite. Other inventions were also attributed to him, such as a lifting implement to assist with burial, a wooden horse carriage and coachman, and other woodworking mentioned in various texts, which thereafter led Lu Ban to be acknowledged as a master craftsman: The Book of Lineages (世本), written circa the 3rd century BC. • The Tales of the Marvellous (述异记), by Ren Fang, written circa the 5th century AD. • The Records of Origin on Things and Affairs (事物纪原), by Gao Cheng, written circa the 11th century. • The Origin on Things (物原), by Luo Qi, written circa the 15th century. • The Treatise of Lu Ban (鲁班经), attributed to Lu Ban, written in the 13th, 14th, or • 15th century.
Revolution Day Cuba - Jul 27
On July 26, 1953, Cuba exploded into revolution when Fidel Castroand about 140 rebels attacked the federal garrison at Moncada. Although the operation was wellplanned and had the element of surprise, the greater numbers and weapons of the army soldiers, coupled with some remarkably bad luck afflicting the attackers, made the assault a near-total failure for the rebels. Many of the rebels were captured and executed, and Fidel and his brother Raúl were put on trial. They lost the battle but won the war: the Moncada assault was the first armed action of the Cuban Revolution, which would triumph in 1959.
Independence Day Vanuatu - Jul 30
Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu (French: République de Vanuatu,Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some 1,750 kilometres (1,090 mi) east of northern Australia, 500 kilometres (310 mi) northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea. Vanuatu was first inhabited by Melanesian people. The first Europeans to visit the islands were the members of a Spanish expedition led by Portuguese navigator Fernandes de Queirós who arrived in Espiritu Santo in 1605 claiming the archipelago for Spain and bestowing that name to the island. In the 1880s France and the United Kingdom claimed parts of the country, and in 1906 they agreed on a framework for jointly managing the archipelago as the New Hebrides through a British–French Condominium. An independence movement arose in the 1970s, and the Republic of Vanuatu was created in 1980. The nation's name was derived from the word vanua ("land" or "home"), which occurs in several Austronesian languages, and the word tu ("stand"). Together the two words indicated the independent status of the new nation.
History The prehistory of Vanuatu is obscure; archaeological evidence supports the commonly held theory that peoples
speaking Austronesian languages first came to the islands some 4,000 years ago. Pottery fragments have been found dating back to 1300–1100 BCE. The Vanuatu group of islands was discovered by Europeans in 1606 when the Portugueseexplorer Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, working for the Spanish Crown, arrived on Espiritu Santo and called it La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo or "The Southern Land of the Holy Spirit", thinking he had arrived in Terra Australis or Australia. Europeans did not return until 1768, when Louis Antoine de Bougainville rediscovered the islands. In 1774, Captain Cook named the islands the New Hebrides, a name that would last until independence. In 1825, trader Peter Dillon's discovery of sandalwood on the island of Erromango began a rush of immigrants that ended in 1830 after a clash between immigrants and Polynesian workers. During the 1860s, planters in Australia, Fiji, New Spain, and the Samana Islands, in need of labourers, encouraged a long-term indentured labour trade called "blackbirding". At the height of the labour trade, more than one-half the adult male population of several of the Islands worked abroad. Fragmentary evidence indicates that the current population of Vanuatu is greatly reduced compared to pre-contact times. It was in the 19th century that both Catholic and Protestant missionaries arrived on the islands. For example, John Geddie (1815–1872), a Scots-Canadian Presbyterianmissionary, landed on the island of Aneityum in 1848 and spent the rest of his life there converting the inhabitants to Christianity. John Gibson Paton was a Scottish missionary whose life work was devoted to the region. Settlers also came, looking for land on which to establish cotton plantations. When international cotton prices collapsed, planters switched to coffee, cocoa, bananas, and, most successfully, coconuts. Initially, British subjects from Australia made up the majority, but the establishment of the Caledonian Company of the New Hebrides in 1882 soon tipped the balance in favour of French subjects. By the turn of the century, the French outnumbered the British two to one. The jumbling of French and British interests in the islands brought petitions for one or another of the two powers to annex the territory. In 1906, however, France and the United Kingdom agreed to administer the islands jointly. Called the British-French Condominium, it was a unique form of government, with separate governmental systems that came together only in a joint court. Melanesians were barred from acquiring the citizenship of either power. Challenges to this form of government began in the early 1940s. The arrival of Americans during World War II, with their informal demeanour and relative wealth, was instrumental in the rise of nationalism in the islands. The belief in a mythical messianic figure named John Frum was the basis for an indigenous cargo cult (a movement attempting to obtain industrial goods through magic) promising Melanesian deliverance. Today, John Frum is both a religion and a political party with a member in Parliament. The first political party was established in the early 1970s and originally was called the New Hebrides National Party. One of the founders was Father Walter Lini, who later became Prime Minister. Renamed the Vanua'aku Pati in 1974, the party pushed for independence; in 1980, amidst the brief Coconut War, the Republic of Vanuatu was created. During the 1990s, Vanuatu experienced political instability which eventually resulted in a more decentralised government. The Vanuatu Mobile Force, a paramilitary group, attempted a coup in 1996 because of a pay dispute. There were allegations of corruption in the government of Maxime Carlot Korman. New elections have been called for several times since 1997, most recently in 2004.
Father-in-Law Day U.S. - Jul 30
National Father-In-Law Day is an annual holiday celebrated every July 30. This day is dedicated to your spouse’s father; your father-in-law. Whether grumpy and gruff, quite and sweet or the handiest man around, remind him how much he is loved and appreciated this Father-in-Law Day. Today you can enjoy spending some extra time bonding with and strengthening your relationship with your father-in-law. This could be a day of golfing, hiking, playing cards, going to a movie, drinking tea on the back deck, fishing, having lunch and stopping at the pub for a beer or anything you enjoy doing together. If your father-in-law is no longer living, today remember him in a special way.
Upswing of the Revolution Republic of the Congo - Jul 30
Republic of Congo is a central African country also known as CongoBrazzaville. The land of Congo is former French colony, which became the republic upon independence in 1960. It became a multi-party democracy in 1992. The Upswing of Revolution took place in the Congo Republic against the foreign rule, which brought independence in 1960. July 31st is celebrated as the Upswing of the Republic.
History The territory was originally inhabited by the Nigrito Tribals, before the
Background
Fulgencio Batista was a military officer who had been president from 1940 to 1944 (and who had held unofficial executive power for some time before 1940). In 1952, Batista ran again for president, but it appeared that he would lose. Together with some other high-ranking officers, Batista smoothly pulled off a coup that removed President Carlos Prío from power. The elections were cancelled. Fidel Castro was a charismatic young lawyer who was running for Congress in Cuba’s 1952 elections and according to some historians, he was likely to win. After the coup, Castro went into hiding, knowing intuitively that his past opposition to different Cuban governments would make him one of the “enemies of the state” that Batista was rounding up.
Planning the Assault
Batista’s government was quickly recognized by various Cuban civic groups, such as the banking and business communities. It was also recognized internationally, including by the United States. After the elections were cancelled and things had calmed down, Castro tried to bring Batista to court to answer for the takeover, but failed. Castro decided that legal means of removing Batista would never work. Castro began plotting an armed revolution in secret, attracting to his cause many other Cubans disgusted by Batista’s flagrant power grab. Castro knew that he needed two things to win: weapons and men to use them. The assault on Moncada was designed to provide both. The barracks were full of weapons, enough to outfit a small army of rebels. Castro reasoned that if the daring attack were successful, hundreds of angry Cubans would flock to his side to help him bring Batista down. Batista’s security forces were aware that several groups (not only Castro’s) were plotting armed insurrection, but they had little resources and none of them seemed a serious threat to the government. Batista and his men were much more worried about rebellious factions within the army itself as well as the organized political parties that had been favored to win the 1952 elections.
The Plan
The date for the assault was set for July 26, because July 25 was the festival of St. James and there would be parties in the nearby town. It was hoped that at dawn on the 26th, many of the soldiers would be missing, hung over, or even still drunk inside the barracks. The insurgents would drive in wearing army uniforms, seize control of the base, help themselves to weapons, and leave before other armed forces units could respond. The Moncada barracks are located outside of the city of Santiago, in the Oriente province. In 1953, Oriente was the poorest of Cuba’s regions, and the one with the most civil unrest. Castro hoped to spark an uprising, which he would then arm with Moncada weapons. All aspects of the assault were meticulously planned. Castro had printed copies of a manifesto, and ordered that they be delivered to newspapers and select politicians on July 26 at exactly 5:00 am. A farm close to the barracks was rented, where weapons and uniforms were stashed. All of those who participated in the assault made their way to the city of Santiago independently, and stayed in rooms that had been rented beforehand. No detail was overlooked as the rebels tried to make the attack a success.
Belgians invaded it. It was a land of grace and prosperity under the Pygemis, who were local people. In 1887, an American correspondent navigated through the Congo River and set the way for invaders. With the age, the Republic of Congo had been conquered by other states like the English, Portuguese and French. They have exploited the natural resources and the people for their selfish needs and aristocracy. At first, relationships were beneficial with the foreigners, but with time, they dominated the kingdom and looted away all resources. Relations with the invaders gradually changed with time. With the increase of excavations by the Portuguese, their need for black slaves increased, which was supplied by the local king, to work in Portuguese plantations and establishments. The slaves were never treated with humanity and this became a practise. Gradually, the whole population was in trouble and even royal family members of Congo were also driven as slaves. This lightened the internal fire for independence. With the series of racial discrimination, the Congo people revolted against this inhumanity in 1665 under the leadership of Tchimpa Vita, local tribal leader. 20,000 Congo residents fought for independence but everything in vain. The war ended with the early death of the then Congo king. The revolt emerged again in 1684 with Tchimpa Vita trying to regain their lost position preaching as a nun. But she was condemned as a witch and burnt to death. She died but set the examples of revolt among all Africans to regain their independence. Due to repeated protest by the tribal and local residents, the Portuguese lost their existence in the territory. They also got into other confusions of politics in world stage. Gradually, the territory got divided into small kingdoms, which became dominant in later years and wiped out the invaders. After much fight and sacrifice, the Republic of Congo got independence. Today, it is a multi party democratic country. Hundred and thousands of civilians, peasants and slaves were exploited and died of starvation, work pressure. However, they stood at their feet to oppose the foreigners and snatch away independence from them. This is a historical example to show the strength and urge for independence.
Flag Day in Hawaii U.S. - Jul 31
The flag of the state of Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian: Ka Hae Hawaiʻi) is the official standard symbolizing Hawaiʻi as a U.S. state. The same flag had also previously been used by the kingdom, protectorate, republic, and territory of Hawaiʻi. It is the only US state flag to feature the Union Flag of the United Kingdom, a holdover of the period in Hawaiian history when it was under the influence of the British Empire.
Ka Hae Hawaiʻi day
In 1990, Governor of Hawaiʻi John D. Waihee III proclaimed July 31 to be Ka Hae Hawaiʻi Day, the Hawaiian Flag Day. It has been celebrated each year since then.
Independence Day Benin - Aug 01
The Attack In the early morning of July 26, several cars drove around Santiago, picking up rebels. They all met at the rented
farm, where they were issued uniforms and weapons, mostly light rifles and shotguns. Castro briefed them, as no one except a few high-ranking organizers knew what the target was to be. They loaded back in the cars and set off. There were 138 rebels set to attack Moncada, and another 27 sent to attack a smaller outpost in nearby Bayamo. Despite the meticulous organization, the operation was a fiasco almost from the start. One of the cars suffered a flat tire, and two cars got lost in the streets of Santiago. The first car to arrive had gotten through the gate and disarmed the guards, but a two-man routine patrol outside of the gate threw the plan off and the shooting started before the rebels were in position. The alarm sounded and the soldiers began a counterattack. There was a heavy machine gun in a tower which kept most of the rebels pinned down in the street outside the barracks. The few rebels who had made it in with the first car fought for a while, but when half of them were killed they were forced to retreat and join their comrades outside. Seeing that the attack was doomed, Castro ordered a retreat and the rebels quickly scattered. Some of them simply threw down their weapons, took off their uniforms, and faded into the nearby city. Some, including Fidel and Raúl Castro, were able to escape. Many were captured, including 22 who had occupied the federal hospital. Once the attack was called off, they had tried to disguise themselves as patients but were found out. The smaller Bayamo force met a similar fate as they, too were captured or driven off.
Aftermath Nineteen federal soldiers had been killed and the remaining soldiers were in a murderous mood. All of the prisoners
were massacred, although two women who had been part of the hospital takeover were spared. Most of the prisoners were tortured first, and news of the barbarity of the soldiers soon leaked to the general public. It caused enough of a scandal for the Batista government that by the time Fidel, Raúl and many of the remaining rebels were rounded up in the next couple of weeks, they were jailed and not executed. Batista made a great show out of the trials of the conspirators, allowing journalists and civilians to attend. This would prove to be a mistake, as Castro used his trial to attack the government. Castro said that he had organized the assault in order to remove the tyrant Batista from office, and that he was merely doing his civic duty as a Cuban in standing up for democracy. He denied nothing, but instead took pride in his actions. The people of Cuba were riveted by the trials and Castro became a national figure. His famous line from the trial is “History will absolve me!” In a belated attempt to shut him up, the government locked Castro down, claiming he was too ill to continue with his trial. This only made the dictatorship look worse when Castro got word out that he was fine and able to stand trial. His trial was eventually conducted in secret, and despite his eloquence, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Batista made another tactical mistake in 1955 when he buckled to international pressure and released many political prisoners, including Castro and the others who had participated in the Moncada assault. Freed, Castro and his most loyal comrades went to Mexico to organize and launch the Cuban Revolution.
Legacy Castro named his insurgency “the 26th of July Movement” after the date of the Moncada assault. Although it was
initially a failure, Castro was ultimately able to make the most out of Moncada. He used it as a recruiting tool: although many political parties and groups in Cuba railed against Batista and his crooked regime, only Castro had done anything about it. This attracted many Cubans to the movement who may have otherwise not gotten involved. The massacre of the captured rebels also severely damaged the credibility of Batista and his top officers, who were now seen as butchers, especially once the rebels’ plan – they had hoped to take the barracks without bloodshed – became known. It allowed Castro to use Moncada as a rallying cry, sort of like “Remember the Alamo!” This is more than a little ironic, as Castro and his men had attacked in the first place, but it became somewhat justified in the face of the subsequent atrocities. Although it failed in its goals of acquiring weapons and arming the unhappy citizens of Oriente Province, Moncada was, in the long run, a very important part of the success of Castro and the 26th of July Movement.
Victory Day - Jul 27 North Korea
The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁 or 조선전쟁, Hanja: 韓國戰爭 or 朝鮮戰爭; 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953[a]) was a war between the Republic of Korea (supported primarily by the United States of America, with contributions from allied nations under the aegis of the United Nations) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (supported by the People's Republic of China, with military and material aid from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). The Korean War was primarily the result of the political division of Korea by an agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. The Korean Peninsula was ruled by the Empire of Japanfrom 1910 until the end of World War II. Following the surrender of the Empire of Japan in September 1945, American administrators divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel, with U.S. military forces occupying the southern half and Soviet military forces occupying the northern half. The failure to hold free elections throughout the Korean Peninsula in 1948 deepened the division between the two sides; the North established a communist government, while the South established a capitalist one. The 38th parallel increasingly became a political border between the two Korean states. Although reunification negotiations continued in the months preceding the war, tension intensified. Cross-border skirmishes and raids at the 38th Parallel persisted. The situation escalated into open warfare when North Korean forces invaded South Korea on 25 June 1950. It was the first significant armed conflict of the Cold War. In 1950 the Soviet Union boycotted the United Nations security council, in protest at representation of China by the Kuomintang / Republic of China government, which had taken refuge in Taiwan following defeat in the Chinese Civil War. In the absence of a dissenting voice from the Soviet Union, who could have vetoed it, the United States and other countries passed a security council resolution authorizing military intervention in Korea. The United States of America provided 88% of the 341,000 international soldiers which aided South Korean forces in repelling the invasion, with twenty other countries of the United Nations offering assistance. Suffering severe casualties, within two months the defenders were pushed back to a small area in the south of the Korean Peninsula, known as the Pusan perimeter. A rapid U.N. counter-offensive then drove the North Koreans past the 38th Parallel and almost to the Yalu River, when the People's Republic of China(PRC) entered the war on the side of North Korea. Chinese intervention forced the Southern-allied forces to retreat behind the 38th Parallel. While not directly committing forces to the conflict, the Soviet Union provided material aid to both the North Korean and Chinese armies. The active stage of the war ended on 27 July 1953, when the armistice agreement was signed. The agreement restored the border between the Koreas near the 38th Parallel and created the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 2.5-mile (4.0 km)-wide fortified buffer zone between the two Korean nations. Minor outbreaks of fighting continue to the present day. With both North Korea and South Korea sponsored by external powers, the Korean War was a proxy war. From a military science perspective, it combined strategies and tactics of World War I and World War II: it began with a mobile campaign of swift infantry attacks followed by air bombing raids, but became a static trench war by July 1951. Mao Zedong's decision to involve China in the Korean War was a conscientious effort to confront the most powerful country in the world, undertaken at a time when the regime was still consolidating its own power after winning theChinese Civil War. Mao primarily supported intervention not to save North Korea or to appease the Soviet Union, but because he believed that a military conflict with the United States was inevitable after UN forces crossed the 38th parallel. Mao's secondary motive was to improve his own prestige inside the communist international community by demonstrating that his Marxist concerns were international. In his later years Mao believed that Stalin only gained a positive opinion of him after China's entrance into the Korean War. Inside China, the war improved the long-term prestige of Mao, Zhou, and Peng. China emerged from the Korean War united by a sense of national pride, despite the war's enormous costs. The Chinese people were educated to believe that the war was initiated by the United States and Korea, and not by a fraternal communist state in the north. In Chinese propaganda, the Chinese war effort was portrayed and accepted as an example of China's engaging the strongest power in the world with an under-equipped army, forcing it to retreat, and fighting it to a military stalemate. These successes were contrasted with China's historical humiliations by Japan and by Western powers over the previous hundred years in order to promote the image of the PLA and the CCP. The most significant negative long-term consequence of the war (for China) was that it led the United States to guarantee the safety of Chiang Kai-shek's regime in Taiwan, effectively ensuring that Taiwan would remain outside of PRC control until the present day. The Korean War affected other participant combatants. Turkey, for example, entered NATO in 1952 and the foundation for bilateral diplomatic and trade relations was laid. The beginning of racial integration efforts in the U.S. military began during the Korean War, where African Americans fought in integrated units for the first time. Among the 1.8 million American soldiers who fought in the Korean War there were more than 100,000 African Americans. Post-war recovery was different in the two Koreas. South Korea stagnated in the first post-war decade, but later industrialized and modernized. Contemporary North Korea remains underdeveloped. South Korea had one of the world's fastest growing economies from the early 1960s to the late 1990s. In 1957 South Korea had a lower per capita GDP than Ghana, and by 2010 it was ranked thirteenth in the world (Ghana was 86th). Korean anti-Americanism after the war was fueled by the presence and behavior of American military personnel (USFK) and U.S. support for authoritarian regime, a fact still evident during the country's democratic transition in the 1980s. In a February 2002 Gallup-Korea poll, one-third of South Koreans viewed the United States favorably. In addition a large number of mixed race 'G.I. babies' (offspring of U.S. and other western soldiers and Korean women) were filling up the country's orphanages. Korean traditional society places significant weight on paternal family ties, bloodlines, and purity of race. Children of mixed race or those without fathers are not easily accepted in Korean society. Thousands were adopted by American families in the years following the war, when their plight was covered on television. The U.S. Immigration Act of 1952 removed race as a limiting factor in immigration, and made possible the entry of military spouses and children from South Korea after the Korean War. With the passage of the Immigration Act of 1965, which substantially changed U.S. immigration policy toward non-Europeans, Koreans became one of the fastest growing Asian groups in the United States. In 2011, some former members of Chinese People's Volunteer Army, who had battled there, revisited North Korea. Afterwards they said that they were "very sad", unsatisfied with the post-war development of North Korea. "(We) liberated them, but they're still struggling for freedom", said Qu Yingkui.
Fall of Fascism San Marino - Jul 28
Benin (formerly, Dahomey), officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, by Nigeria to the east and by Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. A majority of the population live on its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin. The capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, but the seat of government is in Cotonou, the country's largest city. Benin covers an area of approximately 110,000 square kilometers (42,000 sq mi), with a population of approximately 9.05 million. Benin is a tropical, sub-Saharan nation, highly dependent on agriculture, with substantial employment and income arising from subsistence farming. The official language of Benin is French, however, indigenous languages such as Fon and Yoruba are commonly spoken. The largest religious group in Benin is Roman Catholicism, followed closely by Islam, Vodun and Protestantism. Benin is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, La Francophonie, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States, the African Petroleum Producers Association and the Niger Basin Authority. From the 17th to the 19th century, modern day Benin was ruled by the Kingdom of Dahomey. This region was referred to as the Slave Coast from as early as the 17th century due to the large number of slaves shipped to the New World during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. After slavery was abolished, France took over the country and renamed it French Dahomey. In 1960, Dahomey gained full independence from France, bringing in a democratic government for the next 12 years. A Marxist-Leninist dictatorship called the People's Republic of Benin existed between 1972 and 1990. This regime led to repression and the collapse of the economy. The Republic of Benin was formed in 1991 which brought in multiparty elections.
History The Kingdom of Dahomey formed from a mixture of ethnic groups
on the Abomey plain. Historians theorize that the insecurity caused by slave trading may have contributed to mass migrations of groups to modern day Abomey, including some Aja, a Gbe people who are believed to have founded the city. Those Aja living in Abomey mingled with the local Fon people, also a Gbe people, creating a new ethnic group known as "Dahomey". The Gbe peoples are said to be descendents of a number of migrants from Wyo. Gangnihessou (a member of an Aja dynasty that in the 16th century along with the Aja populace had come from Tado before settling and ruling separately in what is nowAbomey, Allada, and Porto Novo) became the first ruler of the Dahomey Kingdom.Dahomey had a military culture aimed at securing and In 1892, the French, led by Colonel eventually expanding the borders of the small kingdom with its capDodds, a Senegalese mulatto, inital at modern day Abomey. The Dahomey Kingdom was known for its culture and traditions. vaded Dahomey. Young boys were often apprenticed to older soldiers, and taught the kingdom's military customs until they were old enough to join the army. Dahomey was also famous for instituting an elite female soldier corps, called Ahosi or "our mothers" in the Fongbe language, and known by many Europeans as the Dahomean Amazons. This emphasis on military preparation and achievement earned Dahomey the nickname of "black Sparta" from European observers and 19th century explorers like Sir Richard Burton. The kings of Dahomey sold their war captives into transatlantic slavery; otherwise the captives would have been killed in a ceremony known as the Annual Customs. By c.1750, the King of Dahomey was earning an estimated £250,000 per year by selling Africans to the European slave-traders. Though the leaders of Dahomey appeared initially to resist the slave trade, it flourished in the region of Dahomey for almost three hundred years (beginning in 1472 with a trade agreement with Portuguese merchants), leading to the area being named "the Slave Coast". Court protocols, which demanded that a portion of war captives from the kingdom's many battles be decapitated, decreased the number of enslaved people exported from the area. The number went from 20,000 per year at the beginning of the seventeenth century to 12,000 at the beginning of the 19th century. The decline was partly due to the banning of the trans-Atlantic slave trade by Britain and other countries. This decline continued until 1885, when the last Portuguese slave ship departed from the coast of the present-day Benin Republic. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Dahomey started to lose its status as the regional power. This enabled the French to take over the area in 1892. In 1899, the French included the land called French Dahomey within the French West Africa colony. In 1958, France granted autonomy to the Republic of Dahomey, and full independence as of August 1, 1960. The president who led them to independence was Hubert Maga. For the next twelve years, ethnic strife contributed to a period of turbulence. There were several coups and regime changes, with four figures dominating — Hubert Maga, Sourou Apithy,Justin Ahomadegbé and Emile Derlin Zinsou — the first three representing a different area and ethnicity of the country. These three agreed to form a presidential council after violence marred the 1970 elections. On May 7, 1972, Maga turned over power to Ahomadegbe. On October 26, 1972, Lt. Col.Mathieu Kérékou overthrew the ruling triumvirate, becoming president and stating that the country will not "burden itself by copying foreign ideology, and wants neither Capitalism, Communism, nor Socialism". On November 30, however, he announced that the country was officially Marxist, under the control of the Military Council of the Revolution (CNR), which nationalized the petroleum industry and banks. On November 30, 1975, he renamed the country to People's Republic of Benin. In 1979, the CNR was dissolved, and Kérékou arranged show elections where he was the only allowed candidate. Establishing relations with the People's Republic of China, North Korea, and Libya, he put nearly all businesses and economic activities under state control, causing foreign investment in Benin to dry up. Kérékou attempted to reorganize education, pushing his own aphorisms such as "Poverty is not a fatality", resulting in a mass exodus of teachers, along with a large number of other professionals. The regime financed itself by contracting to take nuclear waste from France. In 1980, Kérékou converted to Islam and changed his first name to Ahmed, then changed his name back after claiming to be a born-again Christian. In 1989, riots broke out after the regime did not have money to pay its army. The banking system collapsed. Eventually Kérékou renounced Marxism and a convention forced Kérékou to release political prisoners and arrange elections. The name of the country was changed to the Republic of Benin on March 1, 1990, once the newly formed country's constitution was complete, after the abolition of Marxism–Leninism in the nation in 1989. In 1991, Kérékou was defeated by Nicéphore Soglo, and became the first black African president to step down after an election. Kérékou returned to power after winning the 1996 vote. In 2001, a closely fought election resulted in Kérékou winning another term, after which his opponents claimed election irregularities. Kérékou and former president Soglo did not run in the 2006 elections, as both were barred by the constitution's restrictions on age and total terms of candidates. Kérékou is widely praised for making no effort to change the constitution so that he could remain in office or run again, unlike many African leaders. On March 5, 2006, an election was held that was considered free and fair. It resulted in a runoff between Yayi Boni and Adrien Houngbédji. The runoff election was held on March 19, and was won by Boni, who assumed office on April 6. The success of the fair multi-party elections in Benin won praise internationally. Boni was reelected in 2011, taking 53.18 percent of the vote in the first round—enough to avoid a runoff election, becoming the first president to win an election without a runoff since the restoration of democracy in 1991.
National Day Switzerland - Aug 01
People's Liberation Army Day China - Aug 01
The People's Liberation Army (PLA; simplified Chinese: 中国人民解放军; traditional Chinese: 中國人民解放軍; pinyin: Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn) is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The People's Liberation Army's insignia consists of a roundel with a red star bearing the Chinese characters for "Eight One", referring to August 1 (Chinese: 八一), the date of the 1927 Nanchang Uprising. The PLA is the world's largest military force, with approximately 3 million members, and has the world's largest (active) standing army, with approximately 2.25 million members. The PLA comprises five main service branches, consisting of the PLA Ground Force, PLA Navy (PLAN), PLA Air Force (PLAAF), Second Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), and the PLA Reserve Force. Military service is compulsory, in theory, for all men who attain the age of 18; women may register for duty in the medical, veterinary, and other technical services at ages as young as 14. However, a draft in China has never been enforced due to large numbers of volunteers from China's huge population. Demobilized servicemen are carried in a ready reserve, which is reinforced by a standby reserve of veterans and by the militia. The PLA is formally under the command of the Central Military Commission of the CPC; there is also an identical commission in the government, but it has no clear independent functions. The Ministry of National Defense, which operates under the State Council, does not exercise any authority over the PLA and is far less powerful than the Central Military Commission (CMC). The ministry assures continuing CPC control over the armed forces, and its primary role is that of a liaison office with foreign militaries. The political and military leadership have made a concerted effort to create a professional military force restricted to national defense and to the provision of assistance in domestic economic construction and emergency relief. This conception of the role of the PLA requires the promotion of specialized officers who can understand modern weaponry and handle combined arms operations. Troops around the country are stationed in seven military regions and more than 20 military districts. Chairman Hu Jintao has defined the missions of the PLA as: Consolidate the ruling status of the Communist Party • Help ensure China's sovereignty, territorial integrity, • developand domestic security in order to continue national ment Safeguard China's expanding national interests •
History
The People's Liberation Army was founded on 1 August 1927 during the Nanchang Uprising when troops of the Kuomintang (KMT) rebelled under the leadership of Zhu De, He Long,Ye Jianying and Zhou Enlai shortly after the end of the first Kuomintang–Communist alliance. They were then known as the Chinese Red Army (simplified Chinese: 红军;traditional Chinese: 紅軍; pinyin: hóngjūn). Between 1934 and 1935, the Red Army survived several campaigns led against it by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek and engaged in the Long March. During the Second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 to 1945, the Communist military forces were nominally integrated into the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China forming the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army units. During this time, these two military groups primarily used guerrilla warfare, fought a few battles with the Japanese while consolidating their ground by annexing nationalist troops and paramilitary forces behind the Japanese lines. After the end of the Sino-Japanese War, the Communist Party merged the two military groups and renamed the multi-million strong force the "People's Liberation Army" and eventually won the Vintage Chinese propaganda poster, Chinese Civil War. A number of military regions were established showing the PLA. The caption reads, in 1949. On 11 November 1949, the Air Force leadership structure "An Army of the People is Invincible". was established and the Navy leadership the following April. In The soldier on top is shown to be 1950, the leadership structures of the artillery, armored troops, air holding a copy of Quotations from defense troops, public security forces, and worker–soldier militias Chairman Mao Zedong. were also established. The chemical warfare defense forces, the railroad forces, the communications forces, and the second artillery, as well as other forces, were established later. During the 1950s, the PLA with Soviet help transformed itself from a peasant army into a modern one. Part of this process was the reorganisation that created thirteen military regions in 1955. The PLA also contained many National Revolutionary Army units and Generals who had defected to the PLA. Ma Hongbin and his son Ma Dunjing (19061972)were the only two Muslim Generals who led a Muslim unit, the 81st corps to ever serve in the PLA. Han Youwen, a Salar Muslim General, also defected to the PLA. In November 1950, the PLA or People's Volunteer Armyintervened in the Korean War as United Nations forces under General Douglas MacArthur approached the Yalu River. Under the weight of this offensive, Chinese forces drove MacArthur's forces out of North Korea and captured Seoul, but were subsequently pushed back to a line just north of the 38th Parallel. That war also served as a catalyst for the rapid modernization of the PLAAF. In 1962, the PLA also fought India in the Sino-Indian War successfully neutralizing Indian defenses and achieving all objectives. Prior to the Cultural Revolution, military region commanders tended to remain in post for long periods. As the PLA took a stronger role in politics, this began to be seen as something of a threat to party (or, at least, civilian) control of the gun. The longest serving military region commanders were Xu Shiyou in the Nanjing Military Region (1954–74), Yang Dezhi in the Jinan Military Region (1958–74), Chen Xilian in the Shenyang Military Region (1959–73), and Han Xianchu in the Fuzhou Military Region (1960–74). Establishment of a professional military force equipped with modern weapons and doctrine was the last of the Four Modernizationsannounced by Zhou Enlai and supported by Deng Xiaoping. In keeping with Deng's mandate to reform, the PLA has demobilized millions of men and women since 1978 and has introduced modern methods in such areas as recruitment and manpower, strategy, andeducation and training. In 1979, the PLA fought Vietnam over a border skirmish in the Sino-Vietnamese War where it was reported by Western media that China lost more than 20,000 soldiers. Both sides claimed victory. During the Sino-Soviet split, strained relations between China and Soviet Russia resulted in bloody border clashes and mutual backing for the opponents enemies. China and Afghanistan had neutral relations with each other during the King's rule. When the pro Soviet Afghan Communists seized power in Afghanistan in 1978, relations between China and the Afghan communists quickly turned hostile. The Afghan pro Soviet communists supported China's enemies in Vietnam and blamed China for supporting Afghan anti communist militants. China responded to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by supporting the Afghan Mujahidin and ramping up their military presence near Afghanistan in Xinjiang. China acquired military equipment from America to defend itself from Soviet attack. The People's Liberation Army trained and supported the Afghan Mujahidin during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. China moved its training camps for the mujahideen from Pakistan into China itself. Hundreds of millions worth of anti aircraft missiles, rocket launchers and machine guns were given to the Mujahidin by the Chinese. Chinese military advisors and army troops were present with the Mujahidin during training. The People's Liberation Army regularly intrudes into the Indian territory of Arunachal Pradesh. It threatens locals, destroys boundary walls and engages in bullying tactics. It also supports Maoist terrorists by supplying arms and ammunition and imparting training to them, and in many other covert ways to destabilize India. In the 1980s, China shrunk its military considerably to free up resources for economic development, resulting in the relative decline in resources devoted to the PLA. Following the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, ideological correctness was temporarily revived as the dominant theme in Chinese military affairs. Reform and modernization have today resumed their position as the PLA's priority objectives, although the armed forces' political loyalty to the CPC has remained a leading concern. Another area of concern to the political leadership was the PLA's involvement in civilian economic activities. These activities were thought to have impacted PLA readiness and has led the political leadership to attempt to divest the PLA from its non-military business interests. Beginning in the 1980s, the PLA tried to transform itself from a land-based power, centred on a vast ground force, to a smaller, mobile, high-tech one capable of mounting operations beyond its borders. The motivation for this was that a massive land invasion by Russia was no longer seen as a major threat, and the new threats to China are seen to be a declaration of independence by Taiwan, possibly with assistance from the United States, or a confrontation over the Spratly Islands. In 1985, under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the CMC, the PLA changed from being constantly prepared to "hit early, strike hard and to fight a nuclear war" to developing the military in an era of peace. The PLA reoriented itself to modernization, improving its fighting ability, and to become a worldclass force. Deng Xiaoping stressed that the PLA needed to focus more on quality rather than on quantity. The decision of the Chinese government in 1985 to reduce the size of the military by one million was completed by 1987. Staffing in military leadership was cut by about 50 percent. During the Ninth Five Year Plan (1996–2000) the PLA was reduced by a further 500,000. The PLA had also been expected to be reduced by another 200,000 by 2005. The PLA has focused on increasing mechanization and informatization so as to be able to fight a high-intensity war. Jiang Zemin in 1990 called on the military to "meet political standards, be militarily competent, have a good working style, adhere strictly to discipline, and provide vigorous logistic support" (Chinese: 部队要做到政治合格、军事过硬、 作风优良、纪律严明、保障有力;pinyin: bùduì yào zuò dào zhèngzhì hégé, jūnshì guòyìng, zuòfēng yōuliáng, jìlǜ yánmíng, bǎozhàng yǒulì). The 1991 Gulf War provided the Chinese leadership with a stark realization that the PLA was an oversized, obsolescent force. The possibility of a militarized Japan has also been a continuous concern to the Chinese leadership since the late 1990s. In addition, China's military leadership has been reacting to and learning from the successes and failures of the American military during the Kosovo War, the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and the ongoing Iraqi insurgency. All these lessons inspired China to transform PLA from a military based on quantity to one based on quality. Chairman Jiang Zemin officially made a "Revolution in Military Affairs" (RMA) part of the official national military strategy in 1993 in order to modernize the Chinese armed forces. A goal of the RMA is to transform the PLA into a force capable of winning what it calls "local wars under high-tech conditions" rather than a massive, numbers-dominated groundtype war. The Chinese military planners call for short decisive campaigns, limited in both their geographic scope and their political goals. In contrast to the past, more attention is given to reconnaissance, mobility, and deep reach. This new vision has shifted resources towards the navy and air force. PLA is also actively preparing for space warfare and cyber-warfare. For the past 10 to 20 years, the PLA has acquired some advanced weapons systems from Russia, including Sovremenny class destroyers, Sukhoi Su-27 and Sukhoi Su-30aircraft, and Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines. It has also completed several new destroyers and frigates including 2 AAW Type 052C class guided missile destroyers. In addition, the PLAAF has built an indigenous J-10 fighter aircraft. The PLA launched the new Jin class nuclear submarines on 3 December 2004 capable of launching nuclear warheads that could strike targets across the Pacific Ocean. In August 2010, PLA Daily suggested that Chinese military strategy was out of date, and that China must "audaciously learn from the experience of the information cultures of foreign militaries"
Virgin of the Angels Day Costa Rica - Aug 02
Virgen de los Angeles Day is a Costa Rican holiday celebrating Costa Rica's patron saint, the Virgen de los Angeles, also known as La Negrita. According to tradition, La Negrita, the Black Virgin, is a small (less than a meter tall), probably indigenous, representation of the Virgin Mary found on this spot on August 2, 1635 by a native woman. As the story goes, when she tried to take the statuette with her, it miraculously reappeared twice back where she’d found it. The townspeople then built a shrine around her. In 1824, the Virgin was declared Costa Rica’s patron saint. La Negrita now resides on a gold, jewel-studded platform at the main altar in the Nuestra Señora de los Angeles Basilica in Cartago. Each August 2, on the anniversary of the statuette’s miraculous discovery, pilgrims from every corner of the country (and beyond) walk the 22km from San José to the basilica. Many of the penitent complete the last few hundred meters of the pilgrimage on their knees. This basilica is equally visited by tourists and locals.
PHOTO NEWS
JULY 26: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (L) shakes hand with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) during a meeting in Paris.
JULY 25: A group of Libyan people stage demonstration to protest the clashes happening in Libya, and demand the end of these clashes for peace in Tripoli, Libya.--AA
The Swiss National Day (German: Schweizer Bundesfeier; French: Fête nationale Suisse; Italian: Festa nazionale svizzera; Romansh: Fiasta naziunala Svizra) is the national holiday of Switzerland, set on August 1. It is an official national holiday since 1994, although the day had been suggested for the celebration of the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy as early as 1889.
History The date is inspired by the date of the Federal Charter of 1291, placed in
"early August" (primo incipiente mense Augusto). The document is one of several dozen pacts attested for the territory of Switzerland in the period of the mid 13th to mid 14th century. The foundation of the Old Swiss Confederacy had been mostly associated with the Bund of Brunnen of 1315, or with the Rütlischwur, dated to 1307 by Aegidius Tschudi. The Federal Charter of 1291 first assumed great importance in a report by the Federal Department of Home Affairs of November 21, 1889, suggesting a celebration in Bern in 1891 that would combine the city's 700th anniversary with the Confederacy's 600th anniversary. The date of the Federal Charter came to replace the formerly more prominent, traditional date of November 8 Rütlischwur, 1307 in popular consciousness in the 20th century, specifically after the 650th anniversary celebrations of 1941. 1 August is today celebrated each year with paper lantern parades, bonfires, hanging strings of Swiss flags and fireworks.
celebrations Town-specific The day of independence is typically celebrated at a local, municipality
level though certain events draw nation-wide attention. Since the mid-nineteenth century, the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen has illuminated its 25 meter high waterfalls for special events. Beginning in 1920, the waterfall has been regularly lit for the national holiday and since 1966 is now lit only for this holiday. At the historic location of Rütli Meadow above Lake Lucerne, a representational celebration is staged in the location where the legendary pledge of alliance, theRütlischwur is said to have taken place. "1.
JULY 25: Armed rebel members of Berkut, Ukraine's disbanded elite riot police force, secure the the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 where Dutch, Australian and American investigators examine. Augustweggen",
bread
baked to celebrate Swiss NaSwiss National Day celebrations tional Day the world around The largest Swiss National Day event in the USA is organized and held annually by the Swiss Benevolent Society
Anniversary of the Fall of Fascism is on July 28th. San Marino sent volunteers in First World War. At End of the war it had unemployment. In 1922 San Marino Fascist Party was founded. In 1923 Grand and General Council was formed and translated into Main and Sovereign Council. Fascist government grew and became more strong, on July 28, 1943 they conducted an important political demonstration. After that grand and general council delegated powers to State Council. San Marino introduced a law for women in 1957. That law was right to vote to the women. But, it was effective on January 1st 1960.
of New York. Usually held in Manhattan, New York, the event draws thousands of Swiss, Swiss-Americans and Friends of Switzerland from around New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. This tradition goes back several decades, and was originally held at their former hospice in Mount Kisco, New York during the 1970s. Celebrations are also held in Washington, District of Columbia by the Swiss Club of Washington D.C. on the Swiss Embassy grounds, and in the Los Angeles suburb of Whittier, in Swiss Park. The Swiss Park celebration features Swiss cultural events and games, including a crossbow competition.
Independence Day Peru - Jul 28
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Peruvian territory was home to ancient cultures, spanning from the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America. The Spanish Empire conquered the region in the 16th century and established a Viceroyalty, which included most of its South American colonies. Afterachieving independence in 1821, Peru has undergone periods of political unrest and fiscal crisis as well as periods of stability and economic upswing. Peru is a representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions. Its geography varies from the arid plains of the Pacific coast to the peaks of the Andes Mountains and the tropical forests of the Amazon Basin. It is a developing country with a high Human Development Index score and a poverty level around 31%. Its main economic activities include agriculture, fishing, mining, and manufacturing of products such as textiles. The Peruvian population, estimated at 29.5 million, is multiethnic, including Amerindians,Europeans, Africans, and Asians. The main spoken language is Spanish, although a significant number of Peruvians speak Quechua or other native languages. This mixture of cultural traditions has resulted in a wide diversity of expressions in fields such as art, cuisine, literature, and music.
History The earliest evidences of human presence in Peruvian territory have been dated to approximately 9,000 years BCE.
The oldest known complex society in Peru, the Norte Chico civilization, flourished along the coast of the Pacific Ocean between 3,000 and 1,800 BCE. These early developments were followed by archaeological cultures such as Cupisnique, Chavin, Paracas, Mochica, Nazca, Wari, and Chimú. In the 15th century, the Incas emerged as a powerful state which, in the span of a century, formed the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. Andean societies were based on agriculture, using techniques such as irrigation and terracing; camelid husbandry and fishing were also important. Organization relied on reciprocity and redistribution because these societies had no notion of market or money. In 1532, a group of conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro defeated and captured Inca Emperor Atahualpa. Ten years later, the Spanish Crown established the Viceroyalty of Peru, which included most of its South American colonies. Viceroy Francisco de Toledo reorganized the country in the 1570s with silver mining as its main economic activity and Amerindian forced labor as its primary workforce. Peruvian bullion provided revenue for the Spanish Crown and fueled a complex trade network that extended as far as Europe and the Philippines. However, by the 18th century, declining silver production and economic diversification greatly diminished royal income. In response, the Crown enacted the Bourbon Reforms, a series of edicts that increased taxes and partitioned the Viceroyalty of Peru. The new laws provoked Túpac Amaru II's rebellion and other revolts, all of which were defeated. In the early 19th century, while most of South America was swept by wars of independence, Peru remained a royalist stronghold. As the elite hesitated between emancipation and loyalty to the Spanish Monarchy, independence was achieved only after the occupation by military campaigns of José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar. During the early years of the Republic, endemic struggles for power between military leaders caused political instability. National identity was forged during this period, as Bolivarian projects for a Latin American Confederation floundered and a union with Bolivia proved ephemeral. Between the 1840s and 1860s, Peru enjoyed a period of stability under the presidency of Ramón Castilla through increased state revenues from guano exports. However, by the 1870s, these resources had been squandered, the country was heavily indebted, and political in-fighting was again on the rise. Peru was defeated by Chile in the 1879–1883 War of the Pacific, losing the provinces ofArica and Tarapacá in the treaties of Ancón and Lima. Internal struggles after the war were followed by a period of stability under the Civilista Party, which lasted until the onset of the authoritarian regime of Augusto B. Leguía. The Great Depression caused the downfall of Leguía, renewed political turmoil, and the emergence of the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA). The rivalry between this organization and a coalition of the elite and the military defined Peruvian politics for the following three decades. In 1968, the Armed Forces, led by General Juan Velasco Alvarado, staged a coup against president Fernando Belaunde. The new regime undertook radical reforms aimed at fostering development but failed to gain widespread support. In 1975, General Francisco Morales Bermúdez forcefully replaced Velasco, paralyzed reforms, and oversaw the reestablishment of democracy. During the 1980s, Peru faced a considerable external debt, ever-growing inflation, a surge in drug trafficking, and massive political violence. Under the presidency of Alberto Fujimori (1990–2000), the country started to recover; however, accusations of authoritarianism, corruption, and human rights violations forced his resignation after the controversial 2000 elections. Since the end of the Fujimori regime, Peru has tried to fight corruption while sustaining economic growth.
National Day Faroe Islands - Jul 29
Ólavsøka is a national holiday of the Faroe Islands, celebrated on July 29. It is the day when Løgting, the Faroese Parliament, opens its session. The literal meaning is "Saint Olaf's Wake" (vigilia sancti Olavi in Latin), from Saint Olaf's death at the Battle of Stiklestad in 1030 (see Olsok), but the Løgting predates this event. Like several other Faroese holidays, the vøka begins the evening before, so Ólavsøka always starts on July 28 with an opening ceremony. Ólavsøka is the day of the year when many Faroese crowd into the capital Tórshavn. There the national rowing competition finals are held, which is one of the highlights in Faroese sports. In addition, there are art exhibitions, folk music, and Faroese chaindance performances. The salute for Ólavsøka in Faroese is Góða Ólavsøku! (Good St. Olaf's Wake!). The stamps shown on the right were issued by Postverk Føroya on 18 May 1998, and the artwork was produced by Edward Fuglø.
Parent's Day - Aug 01 Zaire (Democratic Congo)
Parents Day is celebrated all over the world. In the same way Parents Day is also celebrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (Sometimes it is referenced as DR Congo.) The day is basically dedicated to the parents. In our fast moving life, this one day makes us relax and think of those people, who give us birth and brings us up to face this challenging world.
History
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Parents Day is celebrated on August 1 every year. This day is dedicated to the parents throughout the country. The history of the country does not suggest practice of any such day in the country, but in reality, there is a day called Parents Day. It is also a public holiday for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The history of the country shows that only hunters and gathers used to reside in the country. The civilizations were settled after the migrations of various tribes. These tribes used to settle along the river sides or near the edges of the forests. But then gradually, many kingdoms and rulers were established. In 1884-85, a king named Leopold claimed his power in the Berlin discussion, and thus recognized the country (formerly known as Zaire) as a free Congo state in front of the Europeans. After that, he found that he was not sufficiently funded to develop the state and thus had to ask support. That led the country to go under the hands of Belgians. Gradually, with many revolts, the country got independence, but the conflict after that lead the U.N. to get involved and solve the matter. Thus, gradually the conflict ended and people finally were freed from any undesirable pressure.
JULY 25: Shinzo Abe (L), Prime Minister of Japan, lays a wreath at the Altar of the Fatherland on July 25, 2014 in Mexico City, Mexico. Abe will be on the 11- day central and south America tour to Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Chile and Brazil.--AA
Celebrations
Thus, Parent’s Day being celebrated in such a country does sound a bit awkward, but it is a reality. Parents Day is celebrated here with equal emphasis and enthusiasm like in any other country or any other part of the world. Parents are not only the person who gave you birth and brought you up. They are those, who laid the building blocks of your life. Nobody can deny the fact that whatever we are today and whatever we will be tomorrow is all because of our parents. Thus, a day to them is nothing in return of what they give us. The Parents Day is celebrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on a huge scale. Cards with beautiful quotes and pleasing lines to reflect the feelings and respect towards the parents, wonderful gifts that makes them feel special, and an atmosphere, which makes them realize that they are not taken for granted and always respected loved and cared. Parents Day has huge importance and thus, the people get a public holiday on this great day.
Lammas Scotland - Aug 01
In some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day (Anglo-Saxon hlaf-mass, "loaf-mas"), the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop, which began to be harvested at Lammastide. The loaf was blessed, and in AngloSaxon England it might be employed afterwards to work magic: A book of Anglo-Saxon charms directed that the lammas bread be broken into four bits, which were to be placed at the four corners of the barn, to protect the garnered grain. In many parts ofEngland, tenants were bound to present freshly harvested wheat to their landlords on or before the first day of August. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is referred to regularly, it is called "the feast of first fruits". The blessing of first fruits was performed annually in both the Eastern and Western Churches on the first or the sixth of August (the latter being the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ). Lammas coincides with the feast of St. Peter in Chains, commemorating St. Peter's miraculous deliverance from prison.
JULY 25 : Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and his wife Emine Erdogan wave to crowd as they arrive at Bilecik HighSpeed Train Station in Bilecik, Turkey on July 25, 2014. The longawaited 8.6 billion lira high-speed train link between Istanbul and Ankara has finally been opened to packed rallies along the route and national TV coverage.--AA
History In mediæval times the feast was sometimes known in England and Scotland as the "Gule of August", but the meaning
of "gule" is unclear. Ronald Hutton suggests following the 18th-century Welsh clergyman antiquary John Pettingall that it is merely anAnglicisation of Gŵyl Awst, the Welsh name of the "feast of August". OED and most etymological dictionaries give it a more circuitous origin similar to gullet; from O.Fr. goulet, dim. of goule, "throat, neck," from L. gula "throat,". A Welsh derivation would point to a pre-Christian origin for Lammas and a link to the Gaelic festival of Lughnasadh. Several antiquaries beginning with John Brady offered a back-construction to its being originally known as Lambmass, under the undocumented supposition that tenants of the Cathedral of York, dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula, of which this is the feast, would have been required to bring a live lamb to the church, or, with John Skinner, "because Lambs then grew out of season." This is a folk etymology, of which OED notes that it was "subsequently felt as if from LAMB + MASS". For many villeins, the wheat must have run low in the days before Lammas, and the new harvest began a season of plenty, of hard work and company in the fields, reaping in teams. Thus there was a spirit of celebratory play. In the medieval agricultural year, Lammas also marked the end of the hay harvest that had begun after Midsummer. At the end of hay-making a sheep would be loosed in the meadow among the mowers, for him to keep who could catch it. In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1.3.19) it is observed of Juliet, "Come Lammas Eve at night shall she [Juliet] be fourteen." Since Juliet was born Lammas eve, she came before the harvest festival, which is significant since her life ended before she could reap what she had sown and enjoy the bounty of the harvest, in this case full consummation and enjoyment of her love with Romeo. William Hone speaks in The Every-Day Book (1838) of a later festive Lammas day sport common among Scottish farmers near Edinburgh. He says that they "build towers...leaving a hole for a flag-pole in the center so that they may raise their colors." When the flags over the many peat-constructed towers were raised, farmers would go to others' towers and attempt to "level them to the ground." A successful attempt would bring great praise. However, people were allowed to defend their towers, and so everyone was provided with a "tooting-horn" to alert nearby country folk of the impending attack and the battle would turn into a "brawl." According to Hone, more than four people had died at this festival and many more were injured. At the day's end, races were held, with prizes given to the townspeople.
JULY 25 : U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L), U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (R), Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil alAraby (not seen) and Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri (C) attend a press conference in Cairo, Egypt on July 25, 2014.--AA
Neo-Paganism The Ólavsøka concert on 27 July Lammas is a Neo-Pagan holiday, often called Lughnasadh, celebrating the first harvest and the reaping of grain. It Some of the festivities start some days before, depending on which day in the week Ólavsøka is. There is usually
also an Ólavsøka concert in Tórshavn on 27 July in the evening. In 2010 the concert started at 20:00 and ended at around 3 in the morning, according to the schedule.
is a cross-quarter holiday halfway between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Autumnal Equinox (Mabon). In the northern hemisphere, Lammas takes place around August 1 with the Sun near the midpoint of Leo in the tropical zodiac, while in the southern hemisphere Lammas is celebrated around February 1 with the Sun near the midpoint of Aquarius. On the Wheel of the Year, it is opposite Imbolc, which is celebrated on February 2 in the northern hemisphere, and late July / early August in the southern hemisphere.
The Ólavsøka Eve Procession and Opening on Tinghúsvøllur on 28 July Other uses Normally the opening of Ólavsøka starts with a procession of sports people from Tórshavn, city council members, a Lammas leaves or Lammas growth refers to a second crop of leaves produced in high summer by some species of brass band and people riding on horses. They walk in procession from the public school Kommunuskúlin down to the centre of town to Tinghúsvøllur on Vaglið, where people are waiting for the procession to arrive. The people who walk in procession then gather on the triangle-shaped Tinghúsvøllur in front of the parliament building (Løgtingshúsið og Tinghúsið), there will be a speech by someone who is appointed, and this person will officially open the Ólavsøka. A brass band normally plays at the opening.
The Ólavsøka Boat Race on 28 July The Ólavsøka Boat Race is always held on the eve of Ólavsøka on 28 July. Be-
fore the Ólavsøka festival there have been several other village festivals around the islands, where the Faroese boat race has been going on, starting at the Norðoyastevna in Klaksvík, which is either in the beginning of June or in the end of May. In the end of June there is an island festival in Suðuroy which is called Jóansøka. This festival is celebrated every second year it; is held in Tvøroyri (odd years) and every second years in Vágur (even years). The rowing competition on Jóansøka is always held on a Saturday. The Faroese boat race is in several parts, divided into groups of children, boys, girls, men and women. The boat races are also grouped by the size of the boats. All the boats are wooden rowing boats, the rowing people are sitting together two and two, and one person is steering the boat in the back of the boat. In Faroese the boats are called 5-mannafør, 6-mannafør, 8-mannafør and 10-mannafør. The boats who win the Ólavsøka Boat Race win a trophy and the boats who become Faroese Champions also win another trophy. Sometimes the same boat is the winner of both trophies. The rowing people who win also get medals. The distance which the boats are rowing is 1,000 meters at the Ólavsøka Boat Race, except for the children who row a shorter distance. In some places the larger Sunleif Rasmussen directboats row longer distances. The 8-mannafør row 1,500 meters and the 10-maning the Olavsoka Cantata nafør row 2,000 meters. But this is not possible in Tórshavn.
trees in temperate countries to replace those lost to insect damage. They often differ slightly in shape, texture and/or hairiness from the earlier leaves.
National Day Macedonia - Aug 02
Republic Day or the Day of the Republic (Macedonian: Ден на Републиката, Den na Republikata) is a major national holiday of the Republic of Macedonia. It is celebrated on 2 August, which is also a major religious holiday – Ilinden (Macedonian: Илинден; St. Elijah day), according to the Julian Calendar. It commemorates two major events in the establishment of the statehood of the Republic of Macedonia, and which took place on this date: •The Ilinden Uprising of 1903 which was organized by the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization against the Ottoman Empire, and during which a short-lived republic was proclaimed, and •The First Assembly of ASNOM of 1944, during World War II, which laid the foundation of the modern Macedonian Republic. Macedonians have traditionally celebrated this day, also called Ilinden, because of its religious significance which has its roots in the Christian St. Elijah (Macedonian: Св. Илиja, Sv. Iliya), and also in the earlier pagan traditions. It has been proclaimed a national holiday since 1944. Major gatherings are held in the monasteries, and there is a march of horsemen from Skopje, the capital, to Kruševo, where the core of the Ilinden Uprising leaders established the Kruševo Republic. The main celebration takes place in Kruševo, in the area called Mechkin Kamen (Bear's Rock), where a major battle with the Ottoman army took place in August 1903.
JULY 25: Muslims live in Moscow perform the last congregational Friday prayers in the holy month of Ramadan at the Central Mosque in Prospekt Mira, Moscow, Russia--AA
2009.
The Ólavsøka Procession and The Ólavsøka Cantata on 29 July On 29 July the Faroese Løgting (parliament) will open again after the summer holiday. The Faroese Prime Minister
(Løgmaður) will give his speech, and the politicians will have the opportunity to comment on it the following days. But before the opening of the Løgting, there is a ceremony, which starts just before 11 in the morning, where the Faroese priests, the members of the Faroese Parliament, the head of the Police, some Danish officials and some other important people will walk in procession to the Cathedral of Tórshavn (Dómkirkjan, earlier called Havnar Kirkja). After the service in the church these people will walk in procession to the House of Parliament, which is called Tinghúsið. They will line up just outside the Tinghús facing the crowd of people who are standing around the Tinghúsvøllur. And then it is time for some classical music and choir music, the Olavsoka Cantata, which starts at 12 or just after 12. In 2009 it was the 100 year birthday of the Municipality of Tórshavn, and one of the most famous Faroese composers Sunnleif Rasmussen composed and directed the Ólavsøka Cantata, which was based on the history of Faroese music, back to the Folk Songs and the Psalms of Kingo and up to the present time with modern music. There were 160 choir singers, which came from all of the country.
St. Olav's Day Norway - Jul 29
Olaf II Haraldsson (995 – 29 July 1030), later known as St. Olaf, was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae (English: Norway's Eternal King) and canonized in Nidaros(Trondheim) by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. His remains were enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral, built over his burial site. Olaf's local canonization was in 1164 confirmed by Pope Alexander III, making him a universally recognized saint of the Catholic Church. The exact position of Saint Olaf's grave in Nidaros has been unknown since 1568, due to the Lutheran iconoclasm in 1536–37. Saint Olaf is symbolized by the axe in Norway's coat of arms, and the Olsok (29 July) is still his day of celebration. The Order of St. Olav is named after him. Modern historians generally support that Olaf was inclined to use extensive violence and brutality. This was, however, not unusual among Olaf's contemporaries. Earlier scientific presentations of Olaf are accused of undercommunicating these aspects of Olaf. A symbol of national independence and pride, not least during Romantic Nationalism, Olaf had to be presented in a way that better suited contemporary authorities.
JULY 24: Muslims perform prayer at the Masjid al-Haram, the largest and oldest mosque surrounding Islam's holiest place, the Kaaba, during the Laylat al-Qadr in the holy month Ramadan in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.--AA
BEIRUT, LEBANON - JULY 24: Lebanese Christian people stage a demonstration to protest Islamic State militants, threatened Christians living in Iraq's Mosul, outside the United Nations Economic and JULY 24: President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta (3th L) and other leaders Social Commission for Western Asia (UN-ESCWA) building, headquar- attend International Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) summit in Nairobi, tered in Beirut, Lebanon on July 24, 2014..--AA Kenya.--AA