In History, Today on February 5

The last execution of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan takes place in Nagasaki, Japan. These Christian missionaries and converts were executed by crucifixion on the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, marking a significant event in the history of Christianity in Japan.

An earthquake devastates the Italian city of Calabria, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.

Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte ascends to the throne of Sweden as King Charles XIV John.

The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia, opens to the public.

The largest alluvial gold nugget in history, known as the 'Welcome Stranger', is found in Moliagul, Victoria, Australia.

King Leopold II of Belgium establishes the Congo Free State as his personal possession, leading to significant exploitation and human rights abuses.

The first synthetic plastic, Bakelite, is announced by Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland.

The United States Congress passes the Immigration Act of 1917, which restricts immigration by imposing literacy tests and barring immigrants from Asia.

The Royal Greenwich Observatory begins broadcasting the hourly time signals known as the Greenwich Time Signal or the 'BBC pips.'

President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposes a plan to expand the Supreme Court, known as the 'court-packing plan'.

A hydrogen bomb known as the Tybee Bomb is lost off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, after a mid-air collision.

Astronauts land on the Moon during the Apollo 14 mission, becoming the third successful manned lunar landing.

The Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega is indicted on drug trafficking charges by a U.S. federal grand jury.

Byron De La Beckwith is convicted of the 1963 murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, over 30 years after the crime.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell presented evidence to the United Nations Security Council alleging that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, which was a pivotal moment leading up to the Iraq War.

A major tornado outbreak occurred across the southern United States, resulting in 87 tornadoes and causing 57 fatalities. It was one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in the U.S. in recent history.

The European Union imposed an oil embargo on Iran, aiming to pressure the country over its nuclear program. This was part of broader international sanctions against Iran.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the lifetime ban of cyclist Lance Armstrong, allowing him to compete in sports other than cycling.

Satya Nadella was appointed as the CEO of Microsoft, succeeding Steve Ballmer. Nadella became the third CEO in the company's history.

Pope Francis became the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula, holding a historic public mass in Abu Dhabi attended by around 180,000 people.

The United States Senate voted to acquit President Donald Trump on both articles of impeachment, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, concluding the third impeachment trial of a U.S. president.