EVENTS:
- 1575 – An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 8.5 strikes Valdivia, Chile.
- 1903 – Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel in Bombay first opens its doors to the guests.
- 1920 – The Haiyuan earthquake, magnitude 8.5, rocks the Gansu province in China, killing an estimated 200,000.
- 1946 – Thailand joins the United Nations.
- 1971 – The United Kingdom recognizes Bahrain‘s independence. This is commemorated annually as Bahrain’s National Day.
- 1979 – Libya joins four other OPEC nations in raising crude oil prices, which has an immediate, dramatic effect on the United States.
- 1991 – Kazakhstan declares independence from the Soviet Union.
- 2014 – Militants belonging to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan attacked an Army Public School in the Pakistani city of Peshawar killing 145 people.
BIRTHS:
- 1882 – Jack Hobbs, English cricketer and journalist (d. 1963)
- 1913 – Salik Lucknawi, Indian journalist and poet (d. 2013)
- 1917 – Nabi Bux Khan Baloch, Pakistani author and scholar (d. 2011)
- 1957 – H. D. Kumaraswamy, Indian social worker and politician, 18th Chief Minister of Karnataka
- 1958 – Bart Oates, American football player and lawyer
- 1962 – William Perry, American football player and wrestler
- 1966 – Dennis Wise, English footballer and manager
- 1969 – Simon Grayson, English footballer and manager
- 1969 – Craig White, English cricketer and coach
- 1972 – Željko Kalac, Australian footballer and coach
- 1980 – Danish Kaneria, Pakistani cricketer
- 1981 – Imran Nazir, Pakistani cricketer
- 1987 – Beau Dowler, Australian footballer
- 1992 – Anamul Haque, Bangladeshi cricketer
- 1994 – Elliot Lee, English footballer
HOLIDAYS and OBSERVANCES:
- O Sapientia (Anglicanism)
- Day of Reconciliation, formerly celebrated as Day of the Vow by the Afrikaners (South Africa)
- National Sports Day (Thailand)
- Victory Day (Bangladesh)
- Victory Day (India)
- Republic Day (Kazakhstan)
