On this day in history, May 15
1525 At the battle of Frankenhausen, a German peasant army is surrounded and 5 000 of their number are slaughtered, effectively ending the peasants' uprising.
1536 Anne Boleyn, the Queen of England, and her brother George, Lord Rochford, stand trial, accused of adultery and incest. She is condemned to death by a specially selected jury, freeing King Henry VIII to marry again.
1718 James Puckle, a London lawyer, patents the world's first machine gun. (What would a lawyer want with one? – Ed)1793 Spaniard Diego Marín Aguilera flies a glider for 360m, at a height of 5–6m, in one of the first manned flights.
1900 General Buller's troops capture Dundee and Glencoe from the Boers.
1911 More than 300 Chinese immigrants are massacred when Mexican revolutionaries take the city of Torreón from the Federales.
1928 Mickey Mouse's first appearance in the silent film, Plane Crazy.
1936 Pilot Amy Johnson lands after a record flight of 12 days, 15 hours from London to Cape Town and back.
1940 McDonald's opens its first restaurant in San Bernardino, California.
1945 The Battle of Poljana, the final skirmish of World War II in Europe, is fought in Slovenia.
1948 Neighbouring Arab states simultaneously attack Israel.
1990 Brothel keeper Lindi St Clair, aka Miss Whiplash, loses her 15-year battle against Britain's taxman, who was prosecuting her because it considered prostitution to be a trade, prompting St Clair to say the taxmen were 'nothing more than Her Majesty's pimps', a sentiment that might be widely agreed with.
2010 Jessica Watson, 16, becomes the youngest person to sail non-stop and unassisted around the world.
2018 The 19km-long Kerch bridge (the longest in Europe), linking Russia and annexed Crimea, is opened by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
2019 Findings from China's Chang'e-4 moonrover suggests a huge asteroid created the giant crater on the moon's far side with an impact so great that it cracked its crust and reached the mantle below.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Reviving Paradise: May you never…
'May you never lay your head down without a hand to hold, may you never make your bed out in the cold', the beautiful words of John Martyn remind us that the seasons are changing and we all have challenges. May always arrives with a huge golden burst of the magnificent Mexican sunflowers, which although they look wonderful and we can appreciate their beauty, don't belong here as the name indicates. Because they are fast-growing and aggressive, and compete against our equally gorgeous indigenous plants, they really need elimination. Classified Category 1B: May not be owned, grown, moved, sold, given as a gift or dumped into waterways. Must be controlled and eliminated wherever possible. Clearly local authorities and those responsible for this duty are not managing nor winning the battle. The scale of the infestation is ever-increasing and requires calm strategic management of available resources to remove (destroy on site?) and replace with the beautiful indigenous options like Tall March Senecio (Eng)/Inkanga (Zulu) which look similar, but don't take over. This plant features as our May indigenous gem in the The Green Net 2025 biodiversity calendar as a fine example of how we can substitute invaders with indigenous, and the reasoning behind the excellent information we share on each page. The last stock of calendars is on the shelves and we call on all concerned gardeners to grab a copy for only R50 from our various distributors. Although we might be halfway through the year, the information never goes stale and many people are filing the pages for future garden plans and planting seasons. TGN will be in Shelly Beach at the Lutheran Plant and Garden Fair this Saturday with the last lot, or ask at: Pennington Conservancy, Pumula Superette, Folly Fields (Umzumbe), Locals and South Coast Garden Centre (Southport), Pickled Chicken's Coop (Tweni), The Good Health Shop (St Mike's), Froggy Pond (Uvongo), The Bloom Pot (Ramsgate), Southbroom Conservancy, Irie Market (Marina Beach), Secret Sithela and Munster Motor Museum, The Farm Stall (Port Edward), or Leopard Rock (Oribi). We all need to take responsibility for what we grow in our gardens, what is on the pavements and in the parks, wherever we can help – this is a way for you to actively contribute to supporting local – people and plants. 'Oh please won't you, and please won't you bear it in mind, Love is a lesson to learn in our time…' HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Herald's Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
Minister orders removal of wrecked and abandoned vessels by June 16
Half sunken boats are seen at Hout Bay Harbour. Picture Henk Kruger/ Independent Media FILE Image: Henk Kruger/ Independent Media / FILE Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Dr Dion George has directed the urgent removal of wrecked and abandoned vessels that pose significant risks to navigation, marine ecosystems, and the safety of coastal communities. In a statement on Tuesday, the department said George was taking steps to address longstanding environmental and safety complexities in South Africa's proclaimed fishing harbors, including Gordons Bay, Lamberts Bay, Saldanha Bay, St Helena Bay, and Hout Bay. 'For too long, these derelict vessels have been a blight on our harbors, endangering our marine environment and the safety of those who rely on these waters,' said George. 'I am committed to reversing this legacy of neglect and ensuring our coastal infrastructure supports both environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.' Under the authority of the Wreck and Salvage Act 94 of 1996, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has issued Marine Information Notice MIN 08-25, directing the owners of identified wrecks to remove their vessels by June 16, 2025. Failure to comply by this date will result in further action by the authorities, with costs recoverable from the owners as stipulated in the Act. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The department said the initiative reflects the Minister's dedication to restoring the integrity of South Africa's coastal infrastructure. 'Our harbors are vital to our coastal communities and marine ecosystems. By removing these wrecks, we are safeguarding our oceans for future generations and creating safer, more sustainable hubs for maritime activities,' said George. The department said in consultation with SAMSA, it will ensure that the process is conducted responsibly, prioritising environmental protection and compliance with legal frameworks. George called on all vessel owners to cooperate fully with the directive and contact SAMSA promptly to arrange compliance by the deadline. 'I urge vessel owners to act swiftly and responsibly to meet the June 16, 2025 deadline,' George said. The SAMSA Marine Information Notice MIN 08-25 is available at or contact SAMSA at marinenotices@ for more information. Cape Times
The South African
5 days ago
- The South African
Urgent order to remove wrecked and abandoned vessels from SA harbours
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has directed the urgent removal of wrecked and abandoned vessels that pose significant risks to navigation, marine ecosystems, and the safety of coastal communities. These efforts reflect the bold steps being taken to address longstanding environmental and safety complexities in South Africa's proclaimed fishing harbours, including Gordon's Bay, Lamberts Bay, Saldanha Bay, St Helena Bay and Hout Bay. 'For too long, these derelict vessels have been a blight on our harbours, endangering our marine environment and the safety of those who rely on these waters. I am committed to reversing this legacy of neglect and ensuring our coastal infrastructure supports both environmental sustainability and economic prosperity,' the Minister said. Under the authority of the Wreck and Salvage Act 94 of 1996, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has issued Marine Information Notice MIN 08-25, directing the owners of identified wrecks to remove their vessels by 16 June 2025. Failure to comply by this date will result in further action by the authorities, with costs recoverable from the owners as stipulated in the Act. According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment the removal of these wrecks will enhance the safety of harbours, protect marine biodiversity, and support the livelihoods of communities that depend on these waters. 'Our harbours are vital to our coastal communities and marine ecosystems. By removing these wrecks, we are safeguarding our oceans for future generations and creating safer, more sustainable hubs for maritime activities,' George said. The department, in consultation with SAMSA, will ensure that the process is conducted responsibly, prioritising environmental protection and compliance with legal frameworks. The Minister has called on all wrecked and abandoned vessel owners to cooperate fully with this directive and contact SAMSA promptly to arrange compliance by 16 June 2025. 'I urge vessel owners to act swiftly and responsibly to meet the 16 June 2025 deadline. Together, we can restore the vibrancy of our harbours and protect the natural heritage of our coastline,' he said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
