Proclaiming that death penalty process is arbitrary and immoral, the governor of Illinois, George Ryan, commuted the sentences of 167 death row inmates.

The world's first set of sextuplets that survived birth, were born in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Pakistani province of East Pakistan became the independent nation of Bangladesh after the Bangladeshi was of independence.

The United States Surgeon General issued the first ever government report that indicated that smoking may be hazardous.

A massive avalanche at the extinct volcano of Huascaran, in Peru, destroyed nine villages and caused the death of more than 2000 people.

Chad declared its independence from the rule of France.

In the course of Second World War, Japanese forces, captured Kuala Lumpur which was under British rule at the time.

King Constantine I of Greece died at the age of 65.

Insulin was first used to treat diabetes in a human patient.

American businessman, Ezra Cornell, was born in New York,. He was a business associate of Samuel Morse and made his fortune in the telegraph business. He was the founder of Cornell University.