1903⚡ Event
First successful airplane flight
The Wright brothers achieved the first sustained flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft.
technologyscience
This Week in History: Week 51
December 16 – December 22
Over 106 historical moments took place during these 7 days of the calendar year. Explore our curated digest of the most world-changing events, iconic births, and notable deaths.
Explore the Full Daily Timelines
Major Events (December 16 – December 22)(20)
1969⚡ Event
On Her Majesty's Secret Service Premiere
On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the sixth James Bond film, premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on December 18, 1969. It was the only film to star George Lazenby.
entertainment
1970⚡ Event
Gdynia massacre during Polish protests
Polish soldiers fired at workers emerging from trains in Gdynia. This event marked the beginning of a government crackdown on mass anti-communist protests.
politicswar
1971⚡ Event
Bangladesh Liberation War ends
The surrender of Pakistani forces in Dacca, East Pakistan, concluded the Bangladesh Liberation War and the India-Pakistan War.
warpolitics
1979⚡ Event
Assassination of Mohammad Mofatteh
Mohammad Mofatteh, an Iranian philosopher, was assassinated by the Furqan Group on December 18, 1979.
politicsreligionphilosophy
1983⚡ Event
Harrods bombing in London
The Provisional Irish Republican Army detonated a car bomb outside Harrods department store. The attack killed six people and injured about 90 others.
warpoliticsdisaster
1985⚡ Event
Aeroflot Flight 101/435 hijacked
Aeroflot Flight 101/435 was hijacked by its co-pilot; it landed in a cow pasture in China, where he was apprehended.
lawdisaster
1990⚡ Event
Same-sex marriage licenses sought in Hawaii
American gay rights activist William E. Woods brought three same-sex couples to fill out marriage licenses in Honolulu. This was a significant action in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
lawpolitics
1996⚡ Event
Oakland AAVE Resolution
The school board of Oakland, California, passed a controversial resolution on December 18, 1996, officially declaring African-American Vernacular English to be a separate language or dialect.
law
1997⚡ Event
UK bans beef on the bone
Amid an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the British government banned the sale of beef on the bone for human consumption.
lawdisaster
1997⚡ Event
Pokémon episode causes seizures
"Dennō Senshi Porygon", an episode of the Japanese television series Pokémon, induced epileptic seizures in 685 children.
entertainmentdisastermedicine
1997⚡ Event
SilkAir Flight 185 crashes
SilkAir Flight 185 crashed into the Musi River in Indonesia, killing 104 people.
disasterlaw
1997⚡ Event
Titanic film released
Titanic, the fourth-highest-grossing film of all time with a worldwide total of more than US$2.2 billion, was released in the United States.
entertainmentarts
2010⚡ Event
Arab Spring begins in Tunisia
Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor, set himself on fire in protest against police harassment. This act triggered the Tunisian revolution and the wider Arab Spring.
politics
2012⚡ Event
Delhi gang rape and murder
A woman was gang-raped and fatally assaulted on a bus in Delhi, generating protests across India against inadequate security for women.
lawdisaster
2013⚡ Event
Gaia spacecraft launched
The European Space Agency's spacecraft Gaia was launched with the goal of constructing the largest and most precise star catalogue ever made.
spacescience
2014⚡ Event
Lindt Cafe siege ends
A hostage crisis in a Lindt chocolate café in Sydney, Australia, ended with police storming the building, killing the perpetrator and one of the hostages.
disaster
2016⚡ Event
Irkutsk methanol poisoning begins
The first victims of a mass methanol poisoning which eventually killed over 70 inhabitants of Irkutsk, Russia, began arriving at hospitals.
disaster
2017⚡ Event
Amtrak Train Derailment
An Amtrak Cascades passenger train derailed near DuPont, Washington, on December 18, 2017. Three people were killed and sixty-five others were injured.
disaster
2023⚡ Event
Protests in Belgrade
A series of mass protests began in Belgrade, Serbia, on December 18, 2023, alleging electoral irregularities in the Serbian parliament and Belgrade city assembly elections.
politics
Famous Birthdays This Week(15)
2002🎂 Birth
Syd Hartha
Syd Hartha, a Filipino singer-songwriter, was born on December 18, 2002.
musicentertainment
Notable Deaths This Week(15)
2020🕊️ Death
Jeremy Bulloch
Jeremy Bulloch, an English actor, died on December 17, 2020. He was born in 1945.
entertainment
2023🕊️ Death
Ronaldo Valdez
Ronaldo Valdez, a Filipino actor, died on December 17, 2023. He was born in 1947.
entertainment
2023🕊️ Death
James McCaffrey
James McCaffrey, an American actor, died on December 17, 2023. He was born in 1958.
entertainment
2024🕊️ Death
Marisa Paredes
Marisa Paredes, a Spanish film actress, died on December 17, 2024. She was born in 1946.
entertainment
2024🕊️ Death
Slim Dunlap
Slim Dunlap was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.
musicentertainment
2025🕊️ Death
Lusanda Dumke
South African professional rugby union player who played as a flanker.
sports
2025🕊️ Death
Jim Hunt
Jim Hunt was an American politician and the 69th and 71st Governor of North Carolina.
politics
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