Today in History: The eradication of smallpox was announced on December 9.

 

NASA’s Curiosity rover discovered evidence of an old freshwater lake on Mars in 2013, according to experts.

Today’s Birthdays: Judi Dench, the actor, turns 90. Beau Bridges, an actor, is 83. Tom Kite, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, is 75.

John Malkovich, an actor, is 71. Donny Osmond is a 67-year-old singer. Felicity Huffman, an actress, is sixty-two. Japan’s Empress Masako is sixty-one.

Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, is 58 years old. Wallflowers’ Jakob Dylan is a 55-year-old rock vocalist and guitarist.

Simon Helberg, an actor, is 44. 29-year-old McKayla Maroney won the gold medal in gymnastics at the Olympics.

As it concentrates on fossil fuels, BP reduces its investment in wind turbines.

An ex-NYPD commander claims that the healthcare boss assassin’s escape path demonstrates the scope of his evil scheme.