Today is Wednesday, July 22, the 203rd day of 2026. There are 162 days left in the year. Highlights in history on this date: 1099 — Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, during the First Crusade . 1298 — William Wallace, who led Scottish resistance against English rule, uses extra-long spears against mounted soldiers at the Battle of Falkirk. Wallace’s use of spears is depicted in the movie Braveheart as taking place at Stirling Bridge, where he was victorious, but they were actually used at Falkirk, where he was defeated. 1456 — The Hungarian army under Janos Hunyadi defeats forces of Sultan Murad II at the Battle of Nandorfehervar (Belgrade). 1793 — Scottish fur trader and explorer Alexander Mackenzie reaches the Canadian Pacific coast, becoming the first European to cross the North American continent north of Mexico. 1812 — The Duke of Wellington defeats French at Battle of Salamanca, Spain. 1864 — The Battle of Atlanta is fought just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia, when Union forces commanded by William T. Sherman, aiming to neutralise the important rail and supply hub, defeat Confederate forces defending the city under John B. Hood. After a prolonged siege by Union forces, and various attempts to seize railroads and supply lines leading to Atlanta, the city falls on September 2. 1894 — The world's first motoring competition takes place over a 126km course between Paris and Rouen. The contest was organised by the newspaper Le Petit Journal and preceded by four days of vehicle exhibition and eight 50km qualifying events over 50km that created great interest. The first driver across the finishing line at Rouen was le Comte de Dion but he did not win the main prize because his steam vehicle needed a ‘‘stoker’' and was thus ineligible. The fastest petrol powered car was a 3hp Peugeot driven by Albert Lemaître. 1917 — Alexander Kerensky becomes the prime minister of Russia, replacing Prince Lvov. 1933 — Unemployment in New Zealand peaks at 57,352 during the Great Depression. However, this figure inflates to more than 85,000 when youth, Maori and women are included. At the time, New Zealand’s total population was just over 1.5 million; US aviator Wiley Post completes the first solo aircraft flight around the world in seven days, 18 hours and 45 minutes. 1934 — FBI agents shoot and kill gangster John Dillinger as he leaves a theatre in Chicago. 1940 — Ballots for military service begin in New Zealand when enlistment ceases to be voluntary. The first conscription occurs in October. 1950 — King Leopold III returns to Belgium after six years of exile, but abdicates in August. His actions during World War 2 as commander in chief of the Belgian army during the German conquest aroused opposition. 1956 — Lake Roxburgh is formed when the sluice gates of the Roxburgh Dam on the Clutha River are closed. Thousands of people flock to Clutha River Valley on the chance of discovering gold in the dry riverbed, but with little success. 1959 — Ed Wood's cult classic Plan 9 From Outer Space, regarded by many as the worst film ever made, premieres. 1968 — An Israeli airliner bound for Israel from Rome with 48 people aboard is hijacked and diverted to Algeria. 1974 — Two days after invading Cyprus, Turkey accepts a United Nations resolution on a ceasefire. 1982 — The Rev Sun Myung Moon marries 2200 couples in New York City. 1983 — Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith makes first solo helicopter flight around the world. 1987 — The first Lotto tickets go on sale in New Zealand, offering a first-division prize of almost $360,000. 1989 — A New Zealand XV plays the California Grizzlies at Lancaster Park, but the country’s first national women’s rugby team is not officially recognised by the New Zealand Rugby Union. 1994 — Citing an economic crisis, Venezuelan president Rafael Caldera suspends constitutional rights. 2006 — A magnitude-5.1 earthquake hits a mountainous area in southwestern China, killing at least 19 people and injuring 60 as it topples homes and sets off landslips. 2011 — Centred at Dunsandel at a depth of 12km, a significant 5.1-magnitude aftershock wakes Cantabrians at 5.39am, serving as a reminder that the recent spate of earthquakes in the Canterbury region is not over yet; Norway is the victim of twin terror attacks, the first a bomb blast targeting government buildings in central Oslo, second a massacre at a youth camp on island of Utoya. 2019 — Superhero film Avengers: Endgame becomes the world's highest-grossing film, overtaking Avatar, by earning $US2.9 billion Today’s birthdays Leonard Williams, New Zealand missionary/linguist (1829-1916); William Cooch, New Zealand artist/architect/stamp designer (1898-1950); Sir Angus Tait, New Zealand businessman (1919-2007); Bob Dole, US politician (1923-2021); Oscar de la Renta, Dominican fashion designer (1932-2014); Louise Fletcher, US actress (1934-2022); Sam Chaffey, New Zealand alpine skier (1934-1998); Tuppy Diack, All Black (1930-2025); Gray Bartlett, New Zealand guitarist/entrepreneur (1942-); Bobby Sherman, US actor/singer (1943-); Sir Anand Satyanand, 19th New Zealand Governor-General (1944-); Danny Glover, US actor (1946-); Don Henley, US singer (1947-); Alan Menken, US composer (1949-); Stu Wilson, All Black (1954-2025); Willem Dafoe, US actor (1955-); Rena Owen, New Zealand actress (1962-); Steve Albini, US musician (1962-2024); Adam Godley, British actor (1964-); John Leguizamo, US actor (1964-); David Spade, actor/comedian (1964-); Rhys Ifans, Welsh actor (1967-); Willie Lose, Tongan rugby union international and New Zealand radio host/television commentator (1967-); Craig Baird, New Zealand racing-car driver (1970-); Scott Dixon, New Zealand Indy-Car driver (1980-); Colin de Grandhomme, New Zealand cricketer (1986-); Sam Bewley, New Zealand racing cyclist (1987-); Trent Boult, New Zealand cricketer (1989-); Israel Adesanya, New Zealand kickboxer/mixed martial artist (1989-); Selena Gomez, US singer/actress (1992-); Prince George of England (2013). Quote of the day: ‘‘It might just be me, but it's tough when you get drivers that don't stay where they should be.’’ — Sir Scott Dixon, New Zealand Indy-Car driver, who was born on this day in 1980. ODT and agencies
