Summary of the Day ✨ 25 December (25/12)
On this day, aviation disasters struck as Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crashed in Kazakhstan killing 38 people, while a Russian military plane carrying the Alexandrov Ensemble crashed into the Black Sea, killing all 92 aboard. Meanwhile, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched into space, Typhoon Phanfone killed 20 people in the Philippines and left thousands homeless, and an explosion in Nashville injured three civilians.
Historical Events 📜
- 2024: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 crashes in Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 of its occupants.
- 2021: The James Webb Space Telescope is launched.
- 2020: An explosion in Nashville, Tennessee, occurs, leaving three civilians in the hospital.
- 2019: Twenty people are killed and thousands are left homeless by Typhoon Phanfone in the Philippines.
- 2016: A Russian Defence Ministry Tupolev Tu-154 carrying members of the Alexandrov Ensemble crashes into the Black Sea shortly after takeoff, killing all 92 people on board.
- 2012: An Antonov An-72 plane crashes close to the city of Shymkent, killing 27 people.
- 2012: Air Bagan Flight 011, a Fokker 100, crashes on approach to Heho Airport in Heho, Myanmar, killing two people.
- 2007: A Siberian tiger named Tatania escapes her exhibit at the San Francisco Zoo and attacks three people, killing one and injuring two more.
- 2004: The Cassini orbiter releases Huygens probe which successfully landed on Saturn’s moon Titan on January 14, 2005.
- 2003: UTA Flight 141, a Boeing 727-223, crashes at the Cotonou Airport in Benin, killing 141 people.
- 2003: The ill-fated Beagle 2 probe, released from the Mars Express spacecraft on December 19, stops transmitting shortly before its scheduled landing.
- 1999: Cubana de Aviación Flight 310, a Yakovlev Yak-42, crashes near Bejuma, Carabobo State, Venezuela, killing 22 people.
- 1996: The body of American child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey was found in her family’s Boulder, Colorado, home. Her murder remains unsolved.
- 1991: Mikhail Gorbachev resigns as President of the Soviet Union (the union itself is dissolved the next day). Ukraine’s referendum is finalized and Ukraine officially leaves the Soviet Union.
- 1989: Romanian Revolution: Deposed President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena, are condemned to death and executed after a summary trial.
Famous Births 👶
- 2000: Wilfried Singo, Ivorian footballer
- 1999: Adut Akech, South Sudanese-Australian fashion model
- 1996: Emiliano Buendía, Argentine footballer
- 1993: Emi Takei, Japanese actress, fashion model and singer
- 1992: Mitakeumi Hisashi, Japanese sumo wrestler
- 1991: Avu-chan, Japanese musician, songwriter, actor, model and producer
- 1988: Eric Gordon, American basketball player
- 1988: Lukas Hinds-Johnson, German rugby player
- 1988: Joãozinho, Brazilian footballer
- 1987: Ceyhun Gülselam, Turkish footballer
- 1987: Demaryius Thomas, American football player (died 2021)
- 1985: Martin Mathathi, Kenyan runner
- 1985: Rusev, Bulgarian-American professional wrestler
- 1984: Chris Cahill, Samoan footballer
- 1984: Alastair Cook, English cricketer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2024: Britt Allcroft, English writer (born 1943)
- 2024: Bill Bergey, American football player (born 1945)
- 2024: Jax Dane, American professional wrestler (born 1976)
- 2024: M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Indian author and screenwriter (born 1933)
- 2024: Osamu Suzuki, Japanese businessman (born 1930)
- 2023: Jim Breaks, British wrestler (born 1940)
- 2022: Fabián O’Neill, Uruguayan footballer (born 1973)
- 2021: Wayne Thiebaud, American artist (born 1920)
- 2020: K. C. Jones, American basketball player and coach (born 1932)
- 2019: Ari Behn, Norwegian writer (born 1972)
- 2018: Sulagitti Narasamma, Indian midwife (born 1920)
- 2017: D. Herbert Lipson, American magazine publisher (Philadelphia, Boston) (born 1929)
- 2016: Valery Khalilov, Russian military musician and composer (born 1952)
- 2016: George Michael, British singer and songwriter (born 1963)
- 2016: Vera Rubin, American astronomer (born 1928)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christmas Day, Christian festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. (Internationally observed)
- Christian feast day:
Anastasia of Sirmium (Catholic Church) - Christian feast day:
Stephen (Armenian Apostolic Church) - Christian feast day:
December 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Children’s Day (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Republic of Congo)
- Tulsi Pujan Diwas (India)
- Constitution Day (Taiwan)
- Good Governance Day (India)
- Quaid-e-Azam’s Day (Pakistan)
- Takanakuy (Chumbivilcas Province, Peru)