On this day in 1979, U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed into law the "Taiwan Relations Act" to resume arms sales to the ROC following the severing of diplomatic ties.
On this day in 1995, British Prime Minister John Major resigned as head of the ruling Conservative Party to conduct a party leadership election.
On this day in 2002, a 6.5-magnituede earthquake struck a region of northwestern Iran, killing at least 261 people and injuring 1,300 others.