One-Two-GO Airlines Flight 269 carrying 128 crew and passengers crashes in Thailand killing 89 people.

The Camorra organized crime boss Paolo Di Lauro gets arrested in Naples, Italy.

Black Wednesday: the Pound Sterling is forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism by currency speculators and is forced to devalue against the German mark.

The trial of the deposed Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega begins in the United States.

The railroad between the People's Republic of China and Kazakhstan becomes complete at Dostyk, adding a sizable link to the concept of the Eurasian Land Bridge.

The Montreal Protocol is signed to protect the ozone layer from depletion.

Sabra and Shatila massacre in Lebanon.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines join the United Nations.

An earthquake measuring 7.5 to 7.9 on the Richter scale hits the city of Tabas, Iran killing about 25,000 people.

Shavarsh Karapetyan saves 20 people from the trolleybus that had fallen into Erevan reservoir.

The first prototype of the MiG-31 interceptor makes its maiden flight.

The Cape Verde Islands, Mozambique, and Sao Tome and Principe join the United Nations.

Papua New Guinea gains its independence from Australia.

King Hussein of Jordan declares military rule following the hijacking of four civilian airliners by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). This results in the formation of the Black September Palestinian paramilitary unit.

The Metropolitan Opera House opens at Lincoln Center in New York City with the world premiere of Samuel Barber's opera, ''Antony and Cleopatra''.

Malaysia is formed from the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, British North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak. However, Singapore soon leaves this new country,

Juan Perón is deposed as the ruler of Argentina.

Typhoon Kathleen hits Saitama, Tokyo and Tone River area, at least 1,930 killed.

World War II: The surrender of the Japanese troops in Hong Kong. The surrender is accepted by the Royal Navy Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt.

World War II: concerned that Reza Pahlavi the Shah of Persia is about to ally his petroleum-rich empire with Nazi Germany during World War II, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union invade Iran in late August and force the Shah to abdicate in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

The Wall Street bombing: a bomb in a horse wagon explodes in front of the J. P. Morgan building in New York City

The American Legion is incorporated.

The General Motors Corporation is founded.

Settlers race in Oklahoma for prime land in the Cherokee Strip.

The Cornell Daily Sun prints its first issue in Ithaca, N.Y.. The Sun is the nation's oldest, continuously-independent college daily in the United States.

Robert College of Istanbul-Turkey, the first American educational institution outside the United States, is founded by Christopher Robert, an American philanthropist.

The Fire of Moscow (1812) begins shortly after midnight and destroys three quarters of the city days later.

With the ''Grito de Dolores,'' Father Miguel Hidalgo begins Mexico's fight for independence from Spain.

The first occupation by United Kingdom of Cape Colony, South Africa with the Battle of Hout Bay, after successive victories at the Battle of Muizenberg and Wynberg, after William V requested protection against revolutionary France's occupation of the Netherlands.

American Revolutionary War: the Battle of Harlem Heights is fought.

James Francis Edward Stuart, sometimes called the "Old Pretender", becomes the Jacobite claimant to the thrones of England and Scotland.

The Mayflower starts her voyage to North America

Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers.