Unix Timestamp: 1722211200
Monday, July 29. 2024, 12:00:00 AM UTC

Heavy monsoon rains begin to cause widespread flooding (pictured) in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Over 1,600 are killed, and more than one million are displaced by the floods.

Turkey bombs Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) positions in the north of Iraq, killing dozens of guerillas two days after the 2008 Istanbul bombings which Turkey believes the PKK is responsible for. //timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Turkey_bombs_Kurdish_areas_in_Iraq/articleshow/3302970.cms (AP via "Times of India")

Approximately 5,000 Brazilians demonstrate in São Paulo over the recent crash of TAM Linhas Aéreas Flight 3054. //news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6921584.stm (BBC)

An oil well explosion at the Pertamina-PetroChina oil refinery complex at Bojonegoro in East Java province of Indonesia leads to 150 people being treated at hospital and 6,000 people fleeing nearby villages. At this stage, there is no news of casualties. //www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1755598,00050004.htm (Hindustan Times)

The child protection portion of the Communications Decency Act (1996) is struck down as too broad by a U.S. federal court.

Sarah Balabagan returns to the Philippines.

A pro-democracy demonstration supporting Megawati Sukarnoputri in Indonesia is broken up by riot police.

The Israeli Supreme Court acquits accused Nazi death c guard John Demjanjuk of all charges and he is set free.

In New York, a grand jury indicts Bank of Credit and Commerce International of the largest bank fraud in history, accusing the bank of defrauding depositors of $5 billion.

A worldwide television audience of over 700 million people watched the Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

A worldwide television audience of over 700 million people watched the Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

In New York City, the Son of Sam pulls a gun from a paper bag, killing 1 and seriously wounding another, in the first of a series of attacks that terrorize the city for the next year.

Formula One racing driver Roger Williamson dies in an accident, witnessed live on European television, during the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix.

A national dock strike begins in Britain.

The United Kingdom opts out of the Space Race, with the cancellation of its Black Arrow launch vehicle.

Arenal Volcano erupts in Costa Rica for the first time in centuries.

Vietnam War: The first 4,000 101st Airborne Division paratroopers arrive in Vietnam, landing at Cam Ranh Bay.

The U.S. Congress formally creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The International Atomic Energy Agency is established.

The 1948 Summer Olympics begin in London, the first since the 1936 Summer Olympics

After being shut down on November 9, 1946, for a refurbishment, the ENIAC computer, the world's first electronic digital computer, is turned back on again. It next remains in continuous operation until October 2, 1955.

The BBC Light Programmeradio station is launched, aimed at mainstream light entertainment and music.

The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR institutes the Order of Suvorov, the Order of Kutuzov, and reinstates the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

The United States Bureau of Reclamation begins construction of the Link River Dam as part of the Klamath Reclamation Project.

In Ontario, Canada, a lightning strike ignites a forest fire that destroys the towns of Cochrane and Matheson, killing 233.

Russia orders full mobilization.

In Massachusetts, the new Cape Cod Canal opens it will shorten the trip between New York and Boston by 66 miles, but it also turns Cape Cod into an island.

King Umberto I of Italy is assassinated by the Italian-born anarchist Gaetano Bresci.

The first Peace Conference ends with the signing of the Hague Convention.

Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh dies near Paris, France, after shooting himself.

American Civil War: Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union troops and detained at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, DC.

The United States and Japan sign the Harris Treaty.

Annibale de Gasparis, in Naples, Italy discovers asteroid "15 Eunomia".

Young Irelander Rebellion: a nationalist revolt in County Tipperary against British rule is put-down by a government police force.ref name=CBH/

The Cumberland School of Law is founded at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. At the end of 1847 only 15 law schools exist in the United States.

The Spanish government auctions Catholic Church property.

Office of Indian Affairs organized in the United States.

John Graves Simcoe decides to build a fort and settlement at Toronto, having sailed into the bay there.

American Revolution ndash Skirmish at the House in the Horseshoe: A Tory force under David Fanning attacks Phillip Alston's smaller force of Whigs at Alston's home in Cumberland County, North Carolina (in present day Moore County, North Carolina). Alston's troops surrender after Fanning's men attempt to ram the house with a cart of burning straw.

August 21 ndash War of the Spanish Succession: Battle of Toulon ndash Allies are obliged to withdraw, but the French fleet is effectively put out of action.

July 31 ndash Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory, then imprisoned for four months for the crime of seditious libel, after publishing a politically satirical phlet (his release is granted in mid-November).

French king Louis XIV and Victor Amadeus van Savoye sign a peace treaty.

War of the Grand Alliance: The Dutch-English army led by King William III of England is defeated by the French at the Battle of Landen.

Mihai Viteazul becomes prince of Walachia.

The book Controversiae written by Robert Bellarmine.

The Long War breaks out in Hungary, between the Habsburgs and the Ottomans.

Henry Constable's "Spiritual Sonnetts" are written.

August 2 ndash A large Crimean Tatar–Ottoman army which invaded Russia is routed in the Battle of Molodi.

James VI is crowned at Stirling.

Mary, Queen of Scots, widowed, marries Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.

The Chinese Ministry of War under the Ming Dynasty orders ships having more than one mast sailing along the southeast coast to be seized, investigated, and destroyed this in an effort to curb piracy and limit private commercial trade abroad.

Over 75,000 peasants are killed in Germany.

The Bubonic Plague spreads in southern France.

European-brought diseases sweep through the Andes, killing thousands, including the Inca.

Mixco Viejo, capital of the Pocomam Maya State, falls to the Spanish Conquistadores of Pedro de Alvarado in what is now Guatemala after a 3-month siege.

Age of Samael ends and the Age of Gabriel starts according to Johannes Trithemius.

Santa Marta, the first city in Colombia, is founded by Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas.

The New Testament is translated into English by William Tyndale.

Francis I of France and Suleiman I strike an alliance against Habsburg Empire.

The first French ambassador arrives in Istanbul.

Earliest mention of Thalwil, Switzerland.

Byzantine Emperor Romanus III invades Syria and is defeated at the Battle of Azaz.

Henry I of France revolts against his father Robert.

Masud seizes the throne of the Ghaznavid Empire after the death of his father Mahmud.

The Song DynastyChinese historian and scholar Ouyang Xiu obtains his "jinshi" degree at the age of only 22 by passing the highest level examinations in the country (his third attempt), leading him into a distinguished path as a scholar-official.

Battle of Stiklestad (Norway): Olaf II of Norway loses to his pagan vassals and is killed in the battle. He is later canonized and becomes the patron saint of Norway and "Rex perpetuum Norvegiae" ('the eternal king of Norway').

The cities of Kaunas in Lithuania and Tartu in Estonia are founded.

Cnut the Great returns to Denmark.

In Kashmir, Abhinavagupta, the teacher of the poet Ksemendra, circulates his Greater commentary on the "Pratyabhijna Darshana".

The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Symbol of the Faith is used for the first time during the Roman Mass after Henry II, the newly crowned Holy Roman Emperor, asks the Pope to add it together with the filioque clause. Prior to this date, the Creed was not used at all during the liturgy.

In England, Archbishop Wulfstan preaches his Latin homily, "Wulf's Address to the English".

Holmgang is declared illegal in Norway.

Battle of Kleidion: Basil II inflicts not only a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian army, but his subsequent blinding of 15,000 prisoners reportedly causes Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria to die of shock, and earns Basil II the sobriquet 'Boulgaroktonos' (Bulgar-slayer).

Following the death of Sweyn I, Ethelred II returns to England and reclaims the English crown.

Hammad ibn Buluggin recognises the Abbasid Caliphate, beginning the split of the Hammadids from the Zirids.

Sack of Thessalonica: Saracen raiders under Leo of Tripoli sack Thessalonica, the Byzantine Empire's second-largest city, after a short siege, and plunder it for a week.

In Portugal, for the third time in less than 30 years, the Christians take control of Coimbra, this time for almost a century.ref name=picard2000

The Praetorian Guard stormed the palace and capture Pupienus and Balbinus. They are dragged naked through the streets of Rome and executed. On the same day Gordian III, age 13, is proclaimed new emperor. Timesitheus becomes his tutor and advisor.

The silver content of the Roman denarius falls to 28 percent under emperor Gordianus III, down from 35 percent under Alexander Severus.

In North Africa, Legio III "Augusta", is dissolved. Until its reconstitution in 253, Africa is defended by auxiliary forces only.

The Cao Wei general Sima Yi destroys the outlying northeastern Chinese warlord Gongsun Yuan in his Liaodong caign.

The Goths, coming from Ukraine, cross the Danube and devastate the Roman Empire up to the border with Anatolia.

The Colosseum is restored after being damaged.

Future Roman EmperorValerian becomes "princeps senatus".