John Isner of the United States defeats Nicolas Mahut of France at Wimbledon, in the longest match in tennis history.

The Angora Fire starts near South Lake Tahoe, California, destroying over 200 structures in its first 48 hours.

In New York state, capital punishment is declared unconstitutional.

The Igandu train disaster in Tanzania kills 281, the worst train accident in African history.

A United States Air Force B-52 aircraft crashes at Fairchild Air Force Base killing all four members of its crew.

Yale computer science professor Dr. David Gelernter loses his sight in one eye, his hearing in one ear and part of his right hand after receiving a mailbomb from the Unabomber.

STS-51-G Space Shuttle Discovery completes its mission, best remembered for having Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the first Arab and first Muslim in space, as a Payload Specialist.

"The Jakarta Incident": British Airways Flight 9 flies into a cloud of volcanic ash thrown up by the eruption of Mount Galunggung, resulting in the failure of all four engines.

The Humber Bridge is opened to traffic, connecting Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It would be the world's longest single-span suspension bridge for 17 years.

An Eastern Air Lines Boeing 727 crashes at John F. Kennedy Airport, New York. 113 people die.

The United Kingdom grants Zanzibar internal self-government.

In Roth v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that obscenity is not protected by the First Amendment .

The first Television Western, ''Hopalong Cassidy'', is aired on NBC starring William Boyd.

Start of the Berlin Blockade: the Soviet Union makes overland travel between West Germany and West Berlin impossible.

Kenneth Arnold makes the first widely reported UFO sighting near Mount Rainier, Washington.

The Moscow Victory Parade takes place.

Siam is renamed to Thailand by Plaek Pibulsonggram, the country's third prime minister.

Pieces of a meteor, estimated to have weighed 450 metric tons when it hit the Earth's atmosphere and exploded, land near Chicora, Pennsylvania.

A bloodless Revolution instigated by the People's Party ends the absolute power of King Prajadhipok of Siam (Thailand).

The American Professional Football Association formally changes its name to the National Football League.

First airmail service in Canada from Montreal to Toronto.

World War I: the Battle of the Somme begins with a week-long artillery bombardment on the German Line.

Mary Pickford becomes the first female film star to sign a million dollar contract.

Greece and Serbia annul their alliance with Bulgaria.

King Edward VII of the United Kingdom develops appendicitis, delaying his coronation.

The first exhibition of Pablo Picasso's work opens.

Marie Francois Sadi Carnot is assassinated by Sante Geronimo Caserio.

First performance of ''O Canada'', the song that would become the national anthem of Canada, at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français.

Battle of Custoza: an Austrian army defeats the Italian army during the Austro-Prussian War.

Battle of Solferino (Battle of the Three Sovereigns): Sardinia and France defeat Austria in Solferino, northern Italy.

The Battle of Carabobo takes place. It is the decisive battle in the war of independence of Venezuela from Spain.

Battle of Beaver Dams : a British and Indian combined force defeats the U.S Army.

Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon's Grande Armée crosses the Neman River beginning the invasion of Russia.

Foundation of Bowdoin College.

The first Republican constitution in France is adopted.

John Wesley and his brother Charles open the Kingswood School in Bristol. The school later moves to Bath.

The Premier Grand Lodge of England, the first Masonic Grand Lodge in the world (now the United Grand Lodge of England), is founded in London, England.

Kingston, Jamaica is founded.

The colony of New Jersey is founded.

The Dutch attempt but fail to capture Macau.

Samuel de Champlain discovers the mouth of the Saint John River, site of Reversing Falls and the present day city of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.

The first Dutch voyage to the East Indies reaches Bantam (on Java).

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi founds Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines.

The Anabaptist state of Münster is conquered and disbanded.

Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon are crowned King and Queen of England.

Cornish rebels Michael An Gof and Thomas Flamank are executed at Tyburn, London.

John Cabot lands in North America at Newfoundland leading the first European exploration of the region since the Vikings.

King Henry VI of England founds Eton College.

A sudden outbreak of St. John's Dance causes people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapse from exhaustion.

Hundred Years' War: Battle of Sluys

First War of Scottish Independence: the Battle of Bannockburn concludes with a decisive victory of the Scottish forces led by Robert the Bruce, though England did not recognise Scottish independence until 1328 with the signing of the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton.

Battle of São Mamede, near Guimarães: forces led by Alfonso I defeat forces led by his mother Teresa of León and her lover Fernando Pérez de Traba. After this battle, the future king calls himself "Prince of Portugal", the first step towards "official independence" that will be reached in 1139 after the Battle of Ourique.

Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces, takes place.

The Aqua Traiana is inaugurated by emperor Trajan, the aqueduct channels water from Lake Bracciano, 40 kilometers (25 miles) north-west of Rome.