On This Day in History

Tanganyika Territory gained independence from Britain before becoming part of Tanzania three years later.

A large, brilliant fireball was seen by thousands in midwestern North America before landing in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania.

U.S. secretary of state William P. Rogers proposed a plan, later called the Rogers Plan, for a ceasefire in the War of Attrition; Egypt's and Jordan's acceptance of the plan over Palestine Liberation Organization objections led to civil war in Jordan in September 1970.

A World Health Organization commission of scientists certified the global eradication of smallpox (virus pictured), making it the only human infectious disease to date to have been completely eradicated.

Mumia Abu-Jamal was arrested for the murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner; his subsequent conviction and death sentence generated controversy in the United States.

In Serbia's first multi-party election, Slobodan Milošević won the presidential election and the Socialist Party of Serbia won the majority of seats in the National Assembly.

Rod Blagojevich, the governor of Illinois, was arrested on corruption charges, including for attempting to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by president-elect Barack Obama.

Park Geun-hye, the president of South Korea, was impeached, marking the culmination of the country's political scandal.

Same-sex marriage in Australia became legal as the Marriage Amendment (Definition and Religious Freedoms) Act 2017 came into effect.

Members of the European Parliament, including Vice President Eva Kaili (pictured), and their associates are arrested in connection with the Qatar corruption scandal.