Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill dies in London and is given a state funeral.
Valentina Tereshkova flies into orbit aboard Vostok 6, becoming the first woman in space.
Kenya became independent from Britain following the Mau Mau uprising, with Jomo Kenyatta as its first prime minister and later president.
Pope John XXIII opens the Second Vatican Council, which brings sweeping reforms to the Catholic Church.
A period of political liberalisation in Czechoslovakia under Alexander Dubček ends when Warsaw Pact armies invade the country.
Student protests and a nationwide general strike shake France, leaving a lasting mark on its culture and society.
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbits the Earth aboard Vostok 1, becoming the first human in space.