A Pakistan International Airlines flight crashed in Multan, Pakistan shortly after takeoff. All 45 people on board died in the crash.

A leaking oil pipeline in Nigeria, exploded, resulting in the death of more than 250 people who were scavenging the leaking fuel.

Boris Yeltsin began his term as Russia's first, elected, President.

American actor, Mel Blanc, died at the age of 80. He was a voice actor who provided the voices for hundreds of cartoon characters in for Warner Bros's and Hana Barbera's animated shorts. Most notably he provided the voices for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and Barney Rubble.

French foreign intelligence personnel bombed and sank the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior while it was located in the harbour of Auckland, New Zealand.

American conductor, Arthur Fiedler, died at the age of 84. He was the long-time conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, a symphony orchestra that specialized in popular music. Boston Pops Orchestra is probably the most financially successful orchestra group of all time.

A an accident at a small chemical manufacturing plant north of Milan, Italy resulted in resulted in one of the highest known exposures of dangerous toxins in the atmosphere. Although no direct fatalities were reported, several hundreds of cancer cases have been attributed to the accident and several thousands of animals had to be slaughtered.

The Bahamas gained full independence.

Telstar, the world's first communications satellite, was launched into orbit.

The Vichy France government was established. It was a government that had been established in collaboration with the Nazis after the invasion of France.

Indian spiritual master, Meher Baba, began his life of silence, which lasted the whole of the 44 remaining years of his life.

German composer, Carl Orff, was born in Munich. He was one of the major composers of the 20th century and is most famous for creating the extremely popular cantata, Carmina Burana.

Wyoming was admitted as the 44th US state.

Italian painter, Giorgio de Chirico, was born in Volos, Greece. He is widely acknowledged as one of the great painters of the 20th century as well as one of the leading pre-Surrealist artists.

French writer, Marcel Proust, was born in Auteuil. He is considered as one of the most influential 19th and 20th century fiction writers.

Serb-American inventor, Nikola Tesla, was born in Smiljan. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary scientists of the 19th and 20th centuries, who had a tremendous impact on the fields of electricity and magnetism.

French painter, Camille Pissarro, was born in Charlotte Amalie, Saint Thomas, an island in the Caribbean Sea. He is widely considered as one of the leading French Impressionist painters of all time.

A huge fire destroyed most of the city of London, England.