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The Cleveland Bay is a breed of horse that originated in England during the 17th century, named after its consistent bay colouring and the Cleveland district of Yorkshire. It is a strong, well-muscled horse breed, the oldest established breed in England, and the only non-draught horse developed in Great Britain. The ancestors of the breed were developed during the Middle Ages for use as pack horses. These were crossbred with Andalusian and Barb blood, and later with Arabians and Thoroughbreds, to create the Cleveland Bay of today. Over the years, the breed became lighter in frame as they were used more as carriage and riding horses. They have been patronised by members of the royal family throughout their history, and some are still used to pull carriages in royal processions. Today they are used for farm work, driving, and under-saddle work, but are particularly popular for fox hunting and show jumping. The Cleveland Bay is a rare breed, and both the UK-based Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the US-based Livestock Conservancy consider the population to be at critical limits for extinction. (Full article...)

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National Aquatics Center

The International Olympic Committee selects Beijing as the host city of the 2022 Winter Games (National Aquatics Center pictured).
The Taliban confirms that its former leader, Mohammed Omar, died in April 2013.
Scientist and former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam dies at the age of 83.
In cycling, Chris Froome wins the Tour de France for a second time.
Pierre Nkurunziza is re-elected President of Burundi for a third term.
After a suicide bombing in Suruç that killed 32 people, Turkey launches airstrikes against ISIL and Kurdistan Workers' Party camps in Iraq.

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August 4

USS Maddox (DD-731)

AD 70 – First Jewish–Roman War: The Roman army, led by the future Emperor Titus, conquered the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple.
1790 – A newly passed tariff act in the United States established the Revenue Cutter Service, an armed maritime law enforcement service that was the forerunner of the U.S. Coast Guard.
1964 – A second U.S. Navy destroyer (USS Maddox pictured) was reportedly attacked by North Vietnamese forces in the Gulf of Tonkin, leading Congress to authorize the use of military force in Southeast Asia.
1995 – The Croatian Army initiated Operation Storm, the last major battle of the Croatian War of Independence and the largest European land battle since the Second World War.
2007 – Airport police officer María del Luján Telpuk discovered a suitcase containing US$800,000 as it went through an x-ray machine in Buenos Aires, sparking an international scandal involving Venezuela and Argentina known as "Maletinazo".

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Louis Armstrong (1901–1971) was an American jazz trumpeter and singer. Born into poverty in New Orleans, he developed his trumpet- and cornet-playing skills in a variety of locations, including dance halls and a juvenile detention center. In the 1920s, he gained prominence playing in Chicago and New York, where he was recognized for his inventive playing style and gravelly vocals. He remained active until his death, performing in hundreds of gigs a year, appearing in multiple films and television shows, and releasing his greatest hit, "Hello, Dolly!", in 1964.

Photograph: Herman Hiller; restoration: Lise Broer

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