2015 Event Pope Francis appoints 20 new cardinals from a diverse array of nations, including Vietnam, New Zealand, Ethiopia, Tonga, Mexico, Myanmar, Uruguay, France and Thailand; three-fourths of the cardinals will have authority to vote on a papal successor 2014 Event U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announces his resignation after six years of service in the Obama Administration; Holder's resignation will take effect upon selection and confirmation of a successor 2013 Event A successor to the SR-71 Blackbird is being built by Lockheed Martin. The company's Advanced Development Programs, known by the alias Skunk Works, has taken on the challenge to builde the SR-72, capable of flying at mach 6 with expected delivery in 2023 2013 Event Current Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, prepares to leave office; Irakli Garibashvili, the current Interior Minister, is appointed as his successor 2013 Event In Rome, Italy, Roman Catholic Cardinals meet in a conclave to appoint a successor to Pope Benedict XVI 2013 Event More than 100 Catholic cardinals meet in Rome, Italy, to begin the process of selecting the successor to Pope Benedict XVI 2011 Event North Korea's Supreme Leader, Kim Jong-il, dies; Kim Jong-un is announced as his father's successor 1989 Event Premier Lubbers sees CDA-party leader Elco Brinkman as successor 1923 Event Turkey declares independence (successor state to Ottoman Empire) 1902 Birthday Georgy M Malenkov, Stalin's successor as head of CPSU, PM, 1953-55 705 Event Greek pope John VII chosen as successor to John VI 661 Death Ali ibn Abi Talib, the holiest meeting site of Islam, son-in-law, of prophet Muhammad, Muslim Sunni - Shi'a split occurred because Sunni's consider him 4th, last Rashidun, Shi'a's consider him first Imam, rightful successor to Muhammad, dies at age 62 634 Death Aboe Bekr Abd Allah, al-Siddik, friend/successor of Mohammed, dies 599 Birthday Ali ibn Abi Talib, born in Mecca, the holiest meeting site of Islam, son-in-law, of prophet Muhammad, Muslim Sunni - Shi'a split occurred because Sunni's consider him 4th, last Rashidun, Shi'a's consider him first Imam, rightful successor to Muhammad
