FRIDAY JULY 13 1930 First World Cup soccer competition held, in Uruguay. 1955 Ruth Ellis became the last woman to be hanged in Britain. 1978 The BBC banned the Sex Pistols single No One is Innocent. 2001 The International Olympic Committee gave the

FRIDAY JULY 13

1930 First World Cup soccer competition held, in Uruguay.

1955 Ruth Ellis became the last woman to be hanged in Britain.

1978 The BBC banned the Sex Pistols single No One is Innocent.

2001 The International Olympic Committee gave the running of the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing.

Deaths: Tom Simpson, British racing cyclist who collapsed during the Tour de France, 1967.

Today's Birthdays: Patrick Stewart, actor, 67; Harrison Ford, actor, 65, Michael Spinks, ex-world heavyweight boxing champion, 51; Ian Hislop, editor of Private Eye and panellist on Have I Got News for You, 47.

SATURDAY JULY 14

1963 The BBC announced plans to scrap the panel game What's My Line?

1990 Russian leader Boris Yeltsin quit the Communist Party.

1991 Nigel Mansell won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

2004 The Butler Report criticised the quality of intelligence given to Government minister to support the invasion of Iraq.

Deaths: William H Bonney, the US outlaw Billy the Kid, 1881; Adlai Stevenson, US vice-president, 1965; Richard McDonald, pioneer of the burger chain, 1998.

Today's Birthdays: Sue Lawley, broadcaster and ex-presenter of Desert Island Discs, 61; Julia Somerville, newsreader, 60; Bruce Oldfield, designer, 57.

SUNDAY JULY 15

1795 The Marseillaise was adopted as the French National Anthem.

1914 Paramount Pictures was set up in Hollywood.

1945 Black-outs ended in Britain.

Deaths: Anton Chekhov, Russian dramatist, 1904; Gianni Versace, designer, 1997; Alexander Walker, movie critic of the Evening Standard, 2003.

Today's birthdays: Prof Lord Robert Winston, fertility expert, 66; Linda Ronstadt, singer-songwriter, 61; Forest Whitaker, Oscar-winning actor for role in The Last King of Scotland, 46; Brigitte Nielsen, actress, 44; Shirley Robertson, British Olympic gold medallist in sailing, 39.

MONDAY JULY 16

1918 The last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II, was murdered by the Bolsheviks.

1945 First atomic bomb test, in New Mexico.

1965 The Mont Blanc tunnel linking France and Italy was opened.

1970 In the wake of dock strikes, Prime Minister Edward Heath declared a state of emergency.

1979 Saddam Hussein became President of Iraq.

1986 Dolly Parton's Dollywood amusement park opened in Tennessee.

Deaths: Anne of Cleves, wife of Henry VIII, 1557.

Today's birthdays: Margaret Smith Court, ex-Wimbledon women's champion, 65; Michael Flatley, creator of Riverdance, 49; Miguel Indurain, Tour de France winner, 43; Johnny Vaughan, broadcaster, 41.

TUESDAY JULY 17

1841 First edition of Punch published.

1868 Tokyo became Japan's capital.

1922 George V opened County Hall, the headquarters of the London County Council.

1967 First anti-litter week launched by the Keep Britain Tidy group.

1976 The Olympic Games opened in Montreal.

Deaths: James McNeil Whistler, painter, 1903; Billie Holiday, jazz singer, 1959; John Coltrane, jazz saxophonist, 1967; Juan Manuel Fangio, Grand Prix racing legend, 1995; Edward Heath, ex-Prime Minister, 2005.

Today's birthdays: Donald Sutherland, actor, 73; Peter Sissons, newsreader, 65; Camilla Parker-Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall, 60; Wayne Sleep, dancer, 59; Fern Britton, television presenter, 50; Natasha Hamilton, of Atomic Kitten, 25.

WEDNESDAY JULY 18

1919 The Cenotaph war memorial was unveiled in Whitehall.

1934 The Mersey Tunnel opened.

1936 Francisco Franco led an army revolt against the Republican government starting the Spanish Civil War.

1955 Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California.

1971 Pele made his last appearance for Brazil.

1987 Oxford University refused to give Margaret Thatcher an honorary degree.

1992 John Smith became leader of the Labour Party.

Deaths: Jane Austen, novelist, 1817; Thomas Cook, pioneer travel agent, 1892; Jack Hawkins, actor, 1973; Sir James Goldsmith, businessman and politician, 1997.

Today's birthdays: Nelson Mandela, ex-South Africa President, 89; John Glenn, US astronaut, 86; Martha Reeves, singer-songwriter, 66; Richard Branson, businessman, 57; Nick Faldo, golfer, 50.

THURSDAY JULY 19

1837 Isambard Kingdom Brunel's steamship The Great Western was launched from Bristol.

1903 First Tour de France took place.

1980 The Olympic Games in Moscow were boycotted by 65 nations protesting at the invasion of Afghanistan.

1996 The Olympic Games opened in Atlanta.

Deaths: J M Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, 1937; Richard Davis, National Hunt jockey, 1996.

Today's birthdays: George McGovern, ex-US presidential candidate, 85; Ilie Nastase, tennis player, 61; Brian May, of Queen, 60.