1169 - Sicily earthquake; strikes the Ionian coast of Sicily, causing tens of thousands of victims, especially in Catania.
1783 - Worst quake in 8 years kills some 50,000 (Calabria, Italy)
1794 - France abolishes slavery throughout all territories of the French Republic.
1797 - Riobamba earthquake; strikes Ecuador, causing up to 40,000 casualties.
1825 - The Ohio Legislature authorizes the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal and the Miami and Erie Canal.
1961 - Sputnik 7 launches into Earth orbit;
1967 - US launches Lunar Orbiter 3
1975 - Haicheng earthquake; (magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale) occurs in Haicheng, Liaoning China.
1976 - In Guatemala and Honduras an earthquake kills more than 22,000.
1993 - Russian space agency tests a 82-foot wide space mirror
1998 - Afghanistan earthquake; An earthquake measuring magnitude 6.1 on the Richter Scale in northeast Afghanistan kills more than 5,000.
Sri Lanka Independence Day
World Cancer Day
