Fiji's interim government agrees in principle to elections in 2009, following a Pacific Islands Forum assessment, and calls for assistance from the European Union and Pacific nations like Australia for funding. //www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081sid=apppFZOgUTSgrefer=australia (Bloomberg)
The fast food chain McDonald's wins a partial victory in its libel trial, known as the McLibel case, against two environmental caigners.
Wednesday, June 19, 1996
Boris Yeltsin emerges as the winner in Russia's first round of presidential elections.
Thursday, June 19, 1986
American college basketball player Len Bias suffers a fatal cardiac arrhythmia from a cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after being selected 2nd overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Draft.
Three civil rights workers, Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney, are murdered near Philadelphia, Mississippi, by local Klansmen, cops, and a sheriff.
U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, 32, is seriously injured in a private plane crash at Southton, Massachusetts the pilot is killed.
Wednesday, June 19, 1963
Valentina Tereshkova the first woman in space, returns to Earth.
Monday, June 19, 1961
The British protectorate ends in Kuwait and it becomes an emirate.
Glenn Dunnaway wins the inaugural NASCAR race at Charlotte Speedway, a 3/4 mile oval in Charlotte, North Carolina, but is disqualified due to illegal springs. Jim Roper is declared the official winner.
In an attempt to stop the banking crisis in Central Europe from causing a worldwide financial meltdown, President Herbert Hoover issues the Hoover Moratorium.
Saturday, June 19, 1926
DeFord Bailey is the first African-American to perform on Nashville's Grand Ole Opry.
Canadian Confederation: British North America Act of 29 March comes into force, creating the Dominion of Canada, the first independent dominion in the British Empire.
Constitution of the North German Confederation comes into effect, creating a confederation of states under the leadership of Prussia and Otto von Bismarck.
July ndash Columbia University is founded as King's College by royal charter of King George II of England. The college is originally located in Lower Manhattan. Instruction is suspended in 1776 and the school reopens in 1784 as Columbia College. With the college's growth in the 19th Century, it is renamed Columbia University in 1896.
In London, a city ordinance decrees that heating with coal is forbidden when parliament is in session (the ordinance is not particularly effective).
Wednesday, June 12, 1269 (Julianian calendar)
King Otakar II of Bohemia inherits Carinthia and part of Carniola, making him the most powerful prince within the Holy Roman Empire the empire lacking an emperor during the ongoing "great interregnum", Otakar II is one of the most powerful men in Europe.
John Comyn begins the construction of Blair Castle in Scotland.
King Louis IX of France orders all Jews found in public without an identifying yellow badge to be fined ten livres of silver.
To finance his crusade, Edward I of England obtains the right to levy a twentieth of the value of the Church’s wealth in England. That sum turns out to be insufficient and Edward has to borrow to reach his target.
Afonso I is recognized as the true King of Portugal by Pope Alexander III, bringing Portugal the protection of the Catholic Church against the Castilian monarchy.
Battle of Kalvskinnet (outside Nidaros, Norway): EarlErling Skakke is killed, and the battle changes the tide of the civil wars.