Today in History

• 2000 Vladimir Putin is elected President of Russia

  The ex-KGB officer has been lauded for leading Russia out of the 1990 economic crisis and criticized for building a regime that many have described as authoritarian and undemocratic.

• 1995 The Schengen Agreement enters into force

  Within the Schengen Area, which encompasses most of Europe, regular border checks have been abolished.

• 1991 4 South American countries establish Mercosur

  Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay were the founding members of the Southern Common Market.

• 1979 The Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty is signed

  Egypt’s President Anwar al-Sadat and Israel’s Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the treaty, which ended 30 years of war between the 2 countries.

• 1975 The Biological Weapons Convention comes into effect

  The treaty bans the development, production and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons. It has now been ratified by most countries worldwide.