Historical timeline for September 20

Roughly four million people, mostly students, demonstrate across the world to address climate change. Sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden leads the demonstration in New York City.

At least 161 people die after a ferry capsizes close to the pier on Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania.

Hurricane Maria makes landfall in Puerto Rico as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, resulting in 2,975 deaths, US$90 billion in damage, and a major humanitarian crisis.

The United States military ends its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, allowing gay men and women to serve openly for the first time.

A dump truck full of explosives detonates in front of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing 54 people and injuring 266 others.

Between 15,000 and 20,000 protesters march on Jena, Louisiana, United States, in support of six black youths who had been convicted of assaulting a white classmate.

Civil unrest in the Maldives breaks out after a prisoner is killed by guards.

In an address to a joint session of Congress and the American people, U.S. President George W. Bush declares a "war on terror".

The United Kingdom's MI6 Secret Intelligence Service building is attacked by individuals using a Russian-built RPG-22 anti-tank missile.

South Ossetia declares its independence from Georgia.

USAir Flight 5050 crashes into Bowery Bay during a rejected takeoff from LaGuardia Airport, killing two people.

A suicide bomber in a car attacks the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing twenty-two people.

NFL season: American football players in the National Football League begin a 57-day strike.

A French-supported coup d'état in the Central African Empire overthrows Emperor Bokassa I.

Vietnam is admitted to the United Nations.

Billie Jean King beats Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match at the Houston Astrodome.

Singer Jim Croce, songwriter and musician Maury Muehleisen and four others die when their light aircraft crashes shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches Regional Airport in Louisiana.

Having weakened after making landfall in Nicaragua the previous day, Hurricane Irene regains enough strength to be renamed Hurricane Olivia, making it the first known hurricane to cross from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific.

The Cunard Liner Queen Elizabeth 2 is launched in Clydebank, Scotland.

Following the Battle of Burki, the Indian Army captures Dograi in during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.