On this date in history:

In 1886, Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to U.S. federal authorities.

In 1958, Nikita Khrushchev replaced Nikolai Bulganin as premier of the Soviet Union.

In 1964, the strongest earthquake to hit North America -- magnitude 9.2 -- struck Alaska, killing 117 people.

In 1977, two Boeing 747 jumbo jets collided and exploded in flames on a foggy runway at Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, killing 583 people in the worst aviation accident in history.

In 1980, a Norwegian oil platform capsized during a storm in the North Sea, killing 123 people.

In 1993, Jiang Zemin was appointed president of the People's Republic of China.

In 1996, an Israeli court convicted Yigal Amir and sentenced him to life in prison for assassinating Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin Nov. 4, 1995.

In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Viagra for use as a treatment for male impotence.

In 2004, NASA's unmanned experimental hypersonic plane reached about 5,000 mph in a test flight -- more than seven times the speed of sound.

In 2005, ailing Pope John Paul II appeared at his apartment window before an Easter crowd in St. Peter's Square but was unable to speak. He silently blessed thousands of cheering people, many who wept. (The pope died six days later, on April 2. He was 84.)

In 2007, leaders of Myanmar staged a military parade to show off the new capital city, Naypyitaw.

In 2010, U.S. President Barack Obama announced an agreement with Russia to reduce the countries' nuclear weapons arsenals -- and have regular inspections.

In 2013, Julia Pierson became the first woman to head the U.S. Secret Service. (Pierson resigned in October 2014.)

In 2014, U.S. President Obama Barack Obama visited Pope Francis at the Vatican. It was their first meeting.

Copyright 2015 by United Press International