- 1991 – Eleven of the 12 former Soviet republics proclaimed the birth of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
- 1995 – The city of Bethlehem passed from Israeli to Palestinian control.
- 1996 – After two years of denials, U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich admitted violating House ethics rules.
- 1998 – Israel’s parliament voted overwhelmingly for early elections. It was the signal to the demise of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-line government.
- 1998 – A Chinese court sentenced two dissidents to long prison terms for attempting to organize an opposition party. A third man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on December 22, 1998.
- 1998 – The first vaccine for Lyme disease was approved.
- 2001 – The Islamic militant group Hamas released a statement that said it was suspending suicide bombings and mortar attacks in Israel.
- 2002 – Larry Mayes was released after spending 21 years in prison for a rape that maintained that he never committed. He was the 100th person in the U.S. to be released after DNA tests were performed.
- 2004 – Iraq War: A suicide bomber kills 22 at the forward operating base next to the main U.S. military airfield at Mosul, Iraq, the single deadliest suicide attack on American soldiers.
Celebrating Birthday Today
- 1981 – Cristian Zaccardo, Italian footballer
- 1982 – Philip Humber, American baseball player
- 1983 – Steven Yeun, American actor
- 1985 – Tom Sturridge, English actor
- 1988 – Perri Shakes-Drayton, English sprinter and hurdler
- 1989 – Mark Ingram Jr., American football player
- 1989 – Tamannaah, South Indian actress
- 1991 – Riccardo Saponara, Italian footballer
- 1995 – Ronnie Bassett Jr., American race car driver
- 1995 – Kelly Smith, English rugby union player