1978 CE - Following the murder of US Congressman, Leo Ryan, perpetrated by members of the Peoples Temple, Jim Jones leads his congregation of 918 people to commit mass-suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.
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A mausoleum submerged in a travertine pool at Hierapolis, Turkey.
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Hong Kong Clears Part of Protest Site, as Students Stand By
China's Top Domestic Security Chief Visits Iran to Push for Anti-Terror Cooperation
EU Targets Ukraine Separatists but is Split On More Russia Sanctions
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"I weigh the man, not his title; 't is not the king's stamp can make the metal better". --William Wycherley
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Director - George Clooney
Starring - Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Wiki of the Day
The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and the Zanzibar Sultanate on 27 August 1896. The conflict lasted around 40 minutes, marking it as the shortest war in history.[3] The immediate cause of the war was the death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini on 25 August 1896 and the subsequent succession of Sultan Khalid bin Barghash. The British authorities preferred Hamud bin Muhammed, who was more favourable to British interests, as sultan. In accordance with a treaty signed in 1886, a condition for accession to the sultanate was that the candidate obtain the permission of the British consul, and Khalid had not fulfilled this requirement. The British considered this a casus belli and sent an ultimatum to Khalid demanding that he order his forces to stand down and leave the palace. In response, Khalid called up his palace guard and barricaded himself inside the palace.
The ultimatum expired at 09:00 East Africa Time (EAT) on 27 August, by which time the British had gathered three cruisers, two gunboats, 150 marines and sailors, and 900 Zanzibaris in the harbour area. The Royal Navy contingent were under the command of Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson whilst their Zanzibaris were commanded by Brigadier-General Lloyd Mathews of the Zanzibar army (who was also the First Minister of Zanzibar). Around 2,800 Zanzibaris defended the palace; most were recruited from the civilian population, but they also included the sultan's palace guard and several hundred of his servants and slaves. The defenders had several artillery pieces and machine guns which were set in front of the palace sighted at the British ships. A bombardment which was opened at 09:02 set the palace on fire and disabled the defending artillery. A small naval action took place with the British sinking the Zanzibari royal yacht HHS Glasgow and two smaller vessels, and some shots were fired ineffectually at the pro-British Zanzibari troops as they approached the palace. The flag at the palace was shot down and fire ceased at 09:40.
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