The Battle of Verrières Ridge was part of the Battle of Normandy, in northwestern France, during the Second World War. Two Canadian infantry divisions—with additional support from the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade—fought elements of three German SS Panzer divisions. The battle began on 19 July 1944 as part of the British and Canadian attempts to break out of Caen. The immediate Allied objective was Verrières Ridge, a belt of high ground dominating the route from Caen to Falaise, which was invested by battle-hardened German veterans. Over six days, Canadian and British forces made repeated attempts to capture the ridge, with heavy Allied casualties for little strategic gain. The battle is remembered for its tactical and strategic miscalculations, including a controversial attack by The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada on 25 July, the costliest single day for a Canadian battalion since the 1942 Dieppe Raid. ( Full article...)

Zhou Jin Tang Ji, calligraphy by Zhu Yunming

• ... that Zhu Yunming, an iconoclast known for his "wild-cursive" calligraphy (example pictured), was born with eleven fingers?
• ... that the United States Army's Six-String Soldiers once opened for Creedence Clearwater Revival's John Fogerty?
• ... that Soviet Jeltoqsan protester Qairat Rysqulbekov died in mysterious circumstances in his prison cell less than a year after his death sentence was revoked?
• ... that the CEO of Advanced Cell Therapeutics is on the Food and Drug Administration's Most Wanted List after selling stem-cell therapy to people fraudulently?
• ... that Sarah Louvion, playing principal flute with the Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester, recorded 20th-century French music with solo flute by André Jolivet, Jacques Ibert, and others?
• ... that Cline Falls and Cline Buttes in Central Oregon are named after pioneer dentist Cass A. Cline?
• ... that DNS Certification Authority Authorization was developed after a series of incorrectly issued digital certificates damaged public trust in issuing authorities?
• ... that Feras Antoon described one of his companies as "masters of the big-tit-MILF niche"?

France national football team

• In association football, the FIFA World Cup concludes with France (team pictured) defeating Croatia in the final.
• At least 154 people are killed and more than 220 others are injured in multiple bombings in Mastung and Bannu, Pakistan.
• Scientists announce the discovery of stone tools dating to 2.1 million years ago in Shangchen, China, the oldest evidence of hominins outside Africa.
• In Germany, the National Socialist Underground trial ends after more than five years with the sentencing of the main defendant, Beate Zschäpe, to life in prison.

July 19

SS Great Britain in 2005

• 998 – Arab–Byzantine wars: After an initial Byzantine victory in the Battle of Apamea, a lone Kurdish rider managed to kill Byzantine commander Damian Dalassenos, allowing Fatimid troops to turn the tide of the battle.
• 1843 – SS Great Britain (pictured), the first ocean-going ship that had both an iron hull and a screw propeller, was launched in Bristol, England.
• 1903 – French cyclist Maurice Garin won the first Tour de France.
• 1989 – After suffering an uncontained failure of an engine which destroyed all of its hydraulic systems, United Airlines Flight 232 broke up during an emergency landing in Sioux City, Iowa, U.S., killing 111 people.
• 2014 – Unidentified gunmen perpetrated an armed assault against an Egyptian military checkpoint in the Libyan Desert, killing at least 22 border guards.

Philippa of Lancaster (d. 1415) · Giuseppe Castiglione (b. 1688) · Khawaja Nazimuddin (b. 1894)