26 July - 1 August 2014
Saturday
Fit for a king
He was an alleged murderer, the last Plantagenet king and his remains were discovered under a car park. The King Richard III Visitor Centre opened in Leicester - an ideal school trip for next year, perhaps?
Sunday
Rude awakening
Enjoying the lie-ins now that the holidays have started? In Finland, National Sleepy Head Day meant that the last person in a household to wake up could be thrown into a lake or the sea.
Monday
Life is sweet
Eid Mubarak! Muslims celebrated Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, Islam’s month of fasting. The festivities involved visiting family and friends and eating a special meal and sweets.
Tuesday
Seeing stars
On this day in 1958, US president Dwight D Eisenhower signed an act creating Nasa, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, paving the way for space exploration as we know it.
Wednesday
Call of the wild
Emily Bront, poet, novelist and sister of Charlotte and Anne, was born on this day in 1818. Celebrate by putting Wuthering Heights on your holiday reading list - or by wailing along to the Kate Bush song.
Thursday
Open houses
As MPs retreated to their constituencies, the Houses of Parliament in London opened to the public for the summer recess. Time for a visit to the iconic buildings, where all those education laws are made.
Friday
Nowt like it
It’s Yorkshire Day, honouring everything the county has to offer, from flat caps to puddings. The success of last month’s Yorkshire Tour de France tape put its residents in a jolly mood ahead of time.
2-8 August 2014
Saturday
What was it good for?
More than 100,000 Iraqi soldiers, backed up by 700 tanks, invaded Kuwait in the early hours of this day in 1990, triggering the start of the first Gulf War and a long-lasting train of consequences.
Sunday
Pass the baton
The Commonwealth Games closing ceremony will take place in Glasgow. The show, by thousands of volunteers, will mark the handing over of the event to the 2018 host, Gold Coast City in Australia.
Monday
Birthday fun in the sun
If you’re worried about summer-born children being at a disadvantage in school, take note: US president Barack Obama celebrates his 53rd birthday today. He was born in Hawaii in 1961.
Tuesday
Goodbye, Norma Jeane
Marilyn Monroe was found dead at her Los Angeles home on this day in 1962. The actor, whose films include Some Like it Hot and How to Marry a Millionaire, was a cultural icon and international sex symbol.
Wednesday
London burning
It’s the third anniversary of the start of the 2011 riots in London and other UK cities. The disturbances involved widespread violence and looting - and schoolchildren as well as adults took part.
Thursday
Doctor’s orders
Prepare to clamber behind the sofa: Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman, stars of Doctor Who, will attend the world premiere of the latest series in Cardiff. The show has been made in Wales for almost 10 years.
Friday
Capital days and nights
The Edinburgh International Festival starts today, with three weeks of theatre, classical music, opera, dance and art. The event runs alongside the Festival Fringe, which began on 1 August.
