All - Leep Calendar

Employees, suppliers and organizations of the United Kingdom's beloved National Health Service set aside one day a year to celebrate their accomplishments and find ways to reduce waste and increase the sustainability of the service. Suggestions include: Have a cycle to work day! Cut meat from the staff or patient menus for a day! Encourage staff to walk or cycle to work and leave the car at home! Plant a tree! Reduce paper usage across the organisation! Host a recycling scheme! Run a ward v ward competition on who can save the most energy! The day is about looking toward the future and keeping the NHS cost efficient, healthy and productive.

Africa

Jun

Oceans Day, World: June 8

06:20 AM | -

World Oceans Day is a United Nations recognized event that aim to protect the ocean. It seeks to remind people that: 1) Everyone is responsible for the ocean; 2) The ocean plays an important role in everyday life; 3) All should be accountable for the sustainable management of the ocean.

Africa

Jun

Tribeca Film Festival (US-NY): June 8-19

06:20 AM | -

Africa

Jun

Upsy Daisy Day: June 8

06:20 AM | -

Africa

Jun

USS Liberty (1967): June 8

06:20 AM | -

On June 8, 1967, a foreign nation launched a surprise 75-minute air and sea attack on an American naval ship, the USS Liberty, in international waters. The United States was not at war in the region. Ultimately, 34 men died, and 172 were wounded. The American government opted to bury the assault for diplomatic favor and assuage a foreign nation's vanity following the attack. The USS Liberty story epitomizes bravery and beating the odds. It is the kind of story Hollywood loves, and Hollywood tried to tell the Liberty's story in the mid-1980s. Interests benefiting from silence threatened participants in the film with blacklisting, effectively shutting it down. One gruesome threat arrived via a decapitated cat thrown on a survivor's front porch. The intimidation of the survivors and producers of the Liberty feature film exemplifies why it is difficult to speak about the attack and why most Americans do not know about it. THE ATTACK On June 8, 1967, the USS Liberty sailed quietly in the eastern Mediterranean, going about its business monitoring events in the region. It was a perfect late spring day, and the ship was in international waters, well away from the shore. Preceding the ambush, the crew felt safe, having observed up to nine reconnaissance flights by the Israeli air force, in marked planes, over the ship throughout the morning. Israel was currently in combat with Egypt and Syria, but the Liberty was outside the territorial waters of the combatants. On its mast hung a giant ceremonial American flag (20 by 38 feet, six by 11.5 meters). Israel was and continues to be an ally of the United States; the Israelis were watching out for them, the crew thought. The US was not at war in the region, and the ship, lightly armed, was no threat. With lunch concluded and the galley cleared, several off-duty crewmen were sunbathing on the main deck. Suddenly, at 14:00 hours, unmarked fighter jets descended upon the ship and attacked. Under fire, the communications room frantically called for help using both military and international civilian maritime frequencies, only to discover their communications were jammed. Jamming civilian frequencies violates international law, and only an ally might know the Liberty's top-secret military frequencies. Yet, both were jammed. The Liberty found itself alone, without comms, and fighting for its life against an unknown enemy. The nearest American aircraft carrier was 500 miles (805 km) away. The jets attacking were modern, fast, and agile; the Liberty's crew could see this much. But who was shooting, and why? Was it the USSR or another state actor with an advanced air force? Nobody on the Liberty knew, nor would they know for most of the 75-minute strike. The attacker concealed the identifying markings on their planes, making them ghost planes, unknown. Three military ships, as yet unidentified, were spotted approaching quickly on the horizon. The crew of the Liberty scrambled to hold the ship together, destroying sensitive documents and attending to the wounded as bullets and napalm engulfed the deck. The ship's armaments were useless, designed to repel boarders, not a sustained air and sea attack. The Liberty was not a warship; it was an intelligence ship. One of the first targets hit in the attack was its primary gun, and both gunnery technicians died instantly. THE REVEAL An hour into the assault, the crew discovered their attacker's identity, the air and naval forces of the state of Israel. The markings on the nearest warship became visible. One of the Liberty's officers noted its Star of David as he witnessed it using its deck guns to shoot the crewmen attempting to launch the lifeboats (a war crime). The gunfire rendered the dinghies unusable, trapping the Liberty's crew on the ship. Ultimately, the Israeli navy fired five torpedoes at the American ship. Four missed, but one hit the Liberty mid-ship, punching a 45 ft (13.7 meters) hole in its side and killing at least twenty instantly. The vessel was taking on water fast. Israeli forces were close to sinking the ship when Israeli command intercepted communications confirming the American Air Force was on its way (the Liberty crew jury-rigged a radio and finally got a call out). The Israeli attack boats and planes retreated. Some minutes later, a helicopter appeared to check on the ship. The note dropped from the aircraft landed in a bundle beside a severed leg on the main deck, and the Liberty's captain picked it up. "Do you have any casualties?" it asked cheekily. Reading it, Captain William McGonagle paused, looked up, and presented the hovering airship with a pronounced, sustained, and defiantly blatant bird (middle finger). Upon receiving the message, the helicopter slithered back to its base. McGonagle and the crew went to work navigating the severely listing ship to safe harbor, six days away in Malta. The rescue never arrived. On the orders of US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, the US government pulled the rescue jets back once they confirmed who was attacking. The attack was over, but the drama was just beginning for the survivors. Within hours of their arrival in Malta, US intelligence forbade the survivors from telling their stories. Years later, Lt. James Ennes, who was on the bridge of the USS Liberty during the attack, defied the gag order. He authored the first book on the attack, published in 1980, Assault on the Liberty. The US government's handling of the atrocity, including calling back the rescue planes upon confirmation that Israel was the belligerent, is unprecedented in US military history. A TRAGIC CASE OF MISIDENTIFICATION... The state of Israel said it misidentified the USS Liberty, believing it to be a civilian Egyptian freighter. Accepting this premise requires factual gymnastics. First, aside from no similarity in ship silhouette, civilian ships do not use military grey; it is camouflage. Second, the ship's oversized standard would need to change to an Egyptian flag, not American. Other than the color red, the flags of Egypt and the United States have nothing in common. Next, in the first two minutes, the single gun turret and all communications antennas were disabled in precision airstrikes. Some freighters may have deck-mounted machine guns; they do not have a military-grade canon, even a small one, like the Liberty. Nor did 1967-era civilian freighters have dozens of high-tech antennas emanating from the bridge and upper decks. Finally, if the Israelis believed the ship to be an Egyptian freighter, why jam US military communications channels? To do so required knowledge of its top-secret frequencies, and a civilian freighter, particularly one of a foreign nation, would not know these or use them. None of these facts mattered. Israel insisted the attack was a massive error, a misjudgment. It was simple incompetence. Israel's version became the accepted narrative. ONE SHIP, 239 COMMENDATIONS CLANDESTINELY AWARDED Upon their return to the United States, the Liberty and its captain, McGonagle, received the Medal of Honor (MoH) for guiding the heavily damaged ship from the eastern Mediterranean to Malta. Typically, as they are so rare, MoH awards are awarded by the President of the United States in a public ceremony. The Department of Defense awarded the Liberty's in a clandestine ceremony. In addition to the MoH, crew members received two Navy Crosses, eleven Silver Stars, twenty Bronze Stars, nine Navy Commendation Medals, two hundred and four Purple Hearts, and the ship received the Presidential Unit Citation. None of these ceremonies occurred publicly. The awards were secret, under threat of court-martial or imprisonment if the recipients disclosed how or why they received their commendations. EPITAPH The Israeli pilot transcripts debunk the misidentification lie and several others. American intelligence acquired access to these shortly after the attack. The transcripts prove Israeli command knew it was an American ship when they attacked with gunfire, bombs, torpedos, and napalm. Their mission, confirmed by the pilot transcripts, was to sink the ship. Why continues to be speculation. As a spy ship, the logical conclusion is that Israel was about to engage in something it didn't want to be recorded, even by its closest ally. After the first few days, the media could not tell this story due to US censorship. More recently, avoidance is due to aggressive activities by the Israel lobby. Lobby activities focus on defamation, slander, and libel of crewmen and journalists who dare report on it. An intensive disinformation campaign via books, videos, and speeches on the attack, is also part of the strategy. Ironically, one diplomat was horrified by the attack, and he did take action. Officially protesting Israel's assault and the subsequent US whitewash of the event at the time, he implored Tel Aviv to come clean and make amends. Who was this man of character and gravitas? Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Avraham Harman. Harman tried, and he was one of few who officially did. In 1968, after nine years in his post, he was succeeded as ambassador by Yitzhak Rabin. Since the attack, the survivors and the families of the USS Liberty have lobbied the US government for full recognition. As of May 2022, despite it being one of the most decorated ships in US history, there is no official US memorial commemorating the survivors or the attack. The US government has not publicly and formerly recognized the USS Liberty in totality, removed the gag orders, or publicly celebrated the crew's extreme bravery, endurance, and fortitude on that day. Nor has it defended and protected the crew and their families from defamation by interests associated with the attacking nation. Fifty-five years later, the survivors and the families of the slain continue to fight, hoping the American people will push their government into acknowledging them publicly and end the harassment. LEARN MORE A) For more information on the USS Liberty, see the survivor's site at: http://www.gtr5.com. B) Al Jazeera's (AJ) 2014 fifty-minute documentary is the most recent and concise: The Day Israel Attacked America: https://youtu.be/tx72tAWVcoM on YouTube with commercials. Or on AJ without commercials: https://www.aljazeera.com/program/featured-documentaries/2014/10/30/the-day-israel-attacked-america The AJ special report includes the actual Israeli pilot radio calls with control. It is the first to publish these. C) The 2002 BBC documentary USS Liberty, Dead In the Water is available here: https://youtu.be/kjOH1XMAwZA The BBC documentary came out before Admiral Thomas Moorer's testimony and the leaking of the Israeli pilot transcripts a few years later. It is also good but not as current or detailed as the AJ special report.

Africa

Jun

Archives Day, Intl.: June 9

06:20 AM | -

International Archives Day celebrates the work of archivists and the importance of record keeping to culture, history and education. The International Council on Archives describes their work as follows: "Archives are the documentary by-product of human activity retained for their long-term value. They are contemporary records created by individuals and organisations as they go about their business and therefore provide a direct window on past events. They can come in a wide range of formats including written, photographic, moving image, sound, digital and analogue. Archives are held by public and private institutions and individuals around the world. For archives to be of value to society they must be a trusted resource. To achieve this they must have the following qualities: Authenticity - the record is what it claims to be, created at the time documented, and by the person that the document claims to be created by. Reliability - they are accurately representing the event, although it will be through the view of the person or organisation creating that document. Integrity - the content is sufficient to give a coherent picture. Sadly not all archives are complete Usability - the archive must be in an accessible location and usable condition. Earthquakes, hurricanes and war, for example, can all render archives useless." Learn more at: https://www.ica.org/en/what-archive

Africa

Jun

Ascension Day (JO)(1999): June 9

06:20 AM | -

The Kingdom of Jordan celebrates the accession of King Abdullah II, June 9, 1999. This is a national holiday.

Africa

Jun

Bach Fest, Leipzig (DE): June 9-19

06:20 AM | -

Every year since 1904, the city of Leipzig, Germany has hosted a music festival celebrating composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It was in this city that Bach composed many of his most beloved pieces. Food, music and entertainment, this is a true family affair.

Africa

Jun

CMA Music Festival (US-TN): June 9-12

06:20 AM | -

Each June the CMA Music Festival showcases country music artists like Luke Bryan, Jake Owen, The Band Perry, Eric Church, Dwight Yoakum, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Reba McIntyre, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Tim McGraw, and Trace Adkins. The CMA Music Festival Four Days of Live Music (Thursday-Sunday) 4 nights of all-star shows at LP Field Daytime concerts at Riverfront Park, Bridgestone Arena Plaza, The Buckle Stage, and more.

Africa

Jun

Coral Triangle Day: June 9

06:20 AM | -

The Coral Triangle is one of the most important epicenters of marine biodiversity in the world and it is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste. Coral Triangle day seeks to raise awareness about this global treasure and safeguard the aquatic life and environment it encompasses. Observed worldwide. In region you'll also find beach clean-ups, seafood events, bazaars and parties in the affected countries.

Africa

Jun

Donald Duck Day (1934): June 9*

06:20 AM | -

Africa

Jun

Fes Music Festival (MA): June 9-12

06:20 AM | -

The Fes Music Festival, held in Fes, Morocco, began in 1994 as a celebration of cultural music traditions from around the world. It attracts over 65,000 visitors every year. The Festival brings together all the great traditions of sacred music, spiritual music, and world music. Sufi Nights are free daily concerts that occur during the festival and are a favorite with attendees. Included in Fes are exhibitions and film screenings throughout the city. UNESCO participates in this event.

Africa

Jun

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day: June 9

06:20 AM | -

On Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day people bake strawberry rhubarb pie. This sweet and tangy pie that was first introduced in the early 1800s.

Africa

Jun

Sundance Film Festival, London (UK): June 9 - 12

06:20 AM | -

The Sundance Film Festival in London is organized by the Sundance Institute. It showcases the work of European and International indie filmmakers. Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. PLEASE NOTE: All televised and venue specific events (sporting, concerts, trade shows, etc.) should be treated as estimated, even if the dates are set. Several factors can cause an event to change dates at the last minute including weather, strikes, natural disasters, political upheaval, conflicting programming and current events. Because of this, always verify the event with the promotor prior to committing resources. In many cases we must estimate the dates based upon previous years' schedules, as the final dates are not set until a few months or weeks prior to the event. If the date is known to be estimated, you will see an (est) following the date in the title.

Africa

Jun

Alcoholics Anonymous Founders Day (1935): June 10

06:20 AM | -

Africa