FILE - In this June 23, 1974 file photo a small Indian child displays the result of smallpox at Hakegora village in India. Smallpox, one of the world's deadliest diseases, eradicated three decades ago, is kept alive under tight security today in the United States and Russia. Many other countries say the world would be safer if those stockpiles of the virus were destroyed and now for the fifth time, at a World Health Organization meeting on May 16, 2011, they will push again for the virus' destruction but it seems their efforts will be futile as U.S. and Russian government officials say it is essential they keep some smallpox alive in case a future biological threat demands more tests with the virus. (AP Photo/Santosh Basak)

By The Associated Press

Today is Monday, Dec. 9, the 344th day of 2024. There are 22 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 9, 1979, scientists certified the global eradication of smallpox, a disease which killed an estimated 300 million people in the 20th century.

Also on this date:

In 1965, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the first animated TV special featuring characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, premiered on CBS.

In 1990, Solidarity founder Lech Wasa won Poland’s first free presidential election since 1926.

In 1992, the first U.S. Marines made a pre-dawn beach landing in Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope; they were met by hundreds of reporters awaiting their arrival.

In 2008, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges, including attempting to profit from filling the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

In 2013, scientists revealed that NASA’s Curiosity rover had uncovered signs of an ancient freshwater lake on Mars.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Judi Dench is 90. Actor Beau Bridges is 83. World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Kite is 75. Actor John Malkovich is 71. Singer Donny Osmond is 67. Actor Felicity Huffman is 62. Empress Masako of Japan is 61. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is 58. Rock singer-musician Jakob Dylan (Wallflowers) is 55. Actor Simon Helberg is 44. Olympic gymnastics gold medalist McKayla Maroney is 29.