3 September 1959

North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test at Punggye-ri, causing a magnitude-6.3 earthquake.

The Troubles: Ulster loyalists resumed a picket outside a Catholic girls' primary school in the Protestant portion of Ardoyne, in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

A fire killed 25 people locked inside a burning chicken processing plant in Hamlet, North Carolina, U.S.

While he was abroad, Burundian president Jean-Baptiste Bagaza was deposed in a military coup d'état by Pierre Buyoya.

The Holocaust: In possibly the first Jewish ghetto uprising, residents of the Łachwa Ghetto in occupied Poland, informed of the upcoming "liquidation" of the ghetto, unsuccessfully fought against their Nazi captors.

On the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, British racing motorist Malcolm Campbell became the first person to drive an automobile over 300 mph (480 km/h).

At the Royal Exhibition Building (pictured) in Melbourne, the flag of Australia flew for the first time.

The passenger steamship SS Princess Alice sank in the River Thames after colliding (pictured) with the collier Bywell Castle, killing more than 600 people.

American Revolutionary War: The British Army and their Hessian allies defeated an American militia at the Battle of Cooch's Bridge.

English Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell (pictured) won the Battle of Worcester, the final battle of the English Civil War.

Under Oliver Cromwell, the English New Model Army ambushed a poorly prepared Scottish force at the Battle of Dunbar, the first battle of the Third English Civil War.

Arab–Byzantine wars: The Byzantine Empire decisively defeated the Emirate of Melitene at the Battle of Lalakaon, beginning the era of Byzantine ascendancy.

The Sicilian revolt against the Second Triumvirate of the Roman Republic ended when the fleet of Sextus Pompey, the rebel leader, was defeated at the Battle of Naulochus.

North Korea conducts its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.

The U.S. and China, together responsible for 40% of the world's carbon emissions, both formally ratify the Paris global climate agreement.

After taking off from Dubai International Airport, UPS Airlines Flight 6 develops an in-flight fire in the cargo hold and crashes near Nad Al Sheba, killing both crew members on board.

In Belfast, Protestant loyalists begin a picket of Holy Cross, a Catholic primary school for girls.

Vietnam Airlines Flight 815 (Tupolev Tu-134) crashes on approach into Phnom Penh airport, killing 64.

Cubana de Aviación Flight 9046 crashes into a residential area of Havana shortly after takeoff from José Martí International Airport, killing 150.

Varig Flight 254 crashes in the Amazon rainforest near São José do Xingu in Brazil, killing 12.

In a coup d'état in Burundi, President Jean-Baptiste Bagaza is deposed by Major Pierre Buyoya.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, an international bill of rights for women, is instituted by the United Nations.

During the Rhodesian Bush War a group of ZIPRA guerrillas shot down civilian Vickers Viscount aircraft (Air Rhodesia Flight 825) with a Soviet-made SAM Strela-2; of 56 passengers and crew 38 people died in crash, 10 were massacred by the guerrillas at the site.

Viking program: The American Viking 2 spacecraft lands at Utopia Planitia on Mars.