World Contraception Day – This day is observed to raise awareness about contraception and to enable young people to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.
European Day of Languages – This day is celebrated to promote the diversity of languages and to encourage language learning.
World Environmental Health Day – This day is observed to promote the importance of environmental health and to highlight the various ways in which the environment can impact human health.
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons – This day is dedicated to promoting the elimination of nuclear weapons and the importance of disarmament.
International Day of Sign Languages – This day is observed to raise awareness about the importance of sign languages and to recognize the contributions of deaf communities to society.
46 BC – Julius Caesar dedicated a temple to Venus Genetrix, the Roman goddess of love and fertility.
1580 – Francis Drake returned to England after completing his circumnavigation of the world.
1777 – British General William Howe captures Philadelphia during the American Revolution.
1907 – The New Zealand Parliament enacts an act giving women the right to vote.
1950 – United Nations troops recapture Seoul during the Korean War.
1983 – The Soviet Union’s early warning system erroneously reports the launch of incoming nuclear missiles from the United States, leading to a tense standoff between the two superpowers.
2009 – An earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale strikes the island nation of Samoa, resulting in a tsunami that kills over 180 people.