Summary of the Day ✨ 26 December (26/12)
Israel made history by becoming the first nation to recognize Somaliland as independent, while China celebrated opening the world’s longest high-speed rail route connecting Beijing and Guangzhou. Meanwhile, Garland, Texas, experienced dual tragedies when a 14-year-old killed three people at a convenience store and an EF-4 tornado later struck the area, killing nine more and injuring nearly 500, as an Antonov An-12 aircraft crash in Russia claimed the lives of all nine people on board.
Historical Events 📜
- 2025: Israel recognises Somaliland as an independent state, becoming the first country to do so.
- 2021: Three people are killed when a 14-year-old opens fire on civilians at a Texaco convenience store in Garland, Texas.
- 2015: A violent EF-4 tornado hits Garland, Texas, killing nine and injuring almost 500 others.
- 2013: An Irkut-Avia Antonov An-12 crashes on approach to Irkutsk Northwest Airport, killing all nine people on board.
- 2012: China opens the world’s longest high-speed rail route, which links Beijing and Guangzhou.
- 2006: Two earthquakes in Hengchun, Taiwan measuring 7.0 and 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale kill two and disrupt telecommunications across Asia.
- 2004: The 9.1–9.3 Mw Indian Ocean earthquake shakes northern Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). One of the largest observed tsunamis, it affected coastal and partially mainland areas of Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia; death toll is estimated at 227,898.
- 2004: Orange Revolution: The final run-off election in Ukraine is held under heavy international scrutiny.
- 2003: The 6.6 Mw Bam earthquake shakes southeastern Iran with a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent), leaving more than 26,000 dead and 30,000 injured.
- 1999: The storm Lothar sweeps across Central Europe, killing 137 and causing US$1.3 billion in damage.
- 1998: Iraq announces its intention to fire upon U.S. and British warplanes that patrol the northern and southern no-fly zones.
- 1994: Four Armed Islamic Group hijackers seize control of Air France Flight 8969. When the plane lands at Marseille, a French Gendarmerie assault team boards the aircraft and kills the hijackers.
- 1993: Kuban Airlines Flight 5719 crashes during a go-around at Gyumri Shirak International Airport, killing 35 of the 36 people on board.
- 1991: The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union meets and formally dissolves the Soviet Union, ending the Cold War.
- 1989: United Express Flight 2415 crashes on approach to the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, Washington, killing all six people on board.
Famous Births 👶
- 2002: Josh Wilson-Esbrand, English footballer
- 2001: Aleksej Pokuševski, Serbian basketball player
- 1997: Tamara Zidanšek, Slovenian tennis player
- 1994: Colby Cave, Canadian ice hockey player (died 2020)
- 1994: Souleymane Coulibaly, Ivorian footballer
- 1992: Cecilia Costa Melgar, Chilean tennis player
- 1992: Jade Thirlwall, English singer
- 1991: Brandon Scherff, American football player
- 1991: Eden Sher, American actress
- 1991: Trevor Siemian, American football player
- 1990: Denis Cheryshev, Russian footballer
- 1990: Cory Jefferson, American basketball player
- 1990: Aaron Ramsey, Welsh footballer
- 1989: Yohan Blake, Jamaican sprinter
- 1989: Sofiane Feghouli, Algerian footballer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Pate Mustajärvi, Finnish rock singer (born 1956)
- 2024: Richard Parsons, American business executive (born 1948)
- 2024: Manmohan Singh, Indian economist and politician, 13th Prime Minister of India (born 1932)
- 2023: Lukas Enembe, Indonesian politician, Governor of Papua from 2013 to 2023 (born1967)
- 2023: Tom Smothers, American comedian, actor, and activist (born 1937)
- 2021: Giacomo Capuzzi, Italian Roman Catholic prelate, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lodi (born 1929)
- 2021: Paul B. Kidd, Australian author, journalist, and radio show host (born 1945)
- 2021: Karolos Papoulias, Greek politician, President of Greece from 2005 to 2015 (born 1929)
- 2021: Desmond Tutu, South African Anglican bishop, theologian and anti-apartheid and human rights activist (born 1931)
- 2021: Nell Hall Williams, American quilter (born 1933)
- 2021: Edward O. Wilson, American biologist (born 1929)
- 2020: Brodie Lee, American Professional Wrestler (born 1979)
- 2017: Irv Weinstein, American broadcaster and television news anchor (born 1930)
- 2016: Ricky Harris, American comedian, actor (born 1962)
- 2016: George S. Irving, American actor, singer and dancer (born 1922)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances:
Day of Good Will (South Africa and Namibia) - Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances:
Family Day (Vanuatu) - Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances:
Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands) - Christian feast day:
Abadiu of Antinoe (Coptic Church) - Christian feast day:
Pope Dionysius - Christian feast day:
Earliest day on which Feast of the Holy Family can fall, celebrated on Sunday after Christmas or 30 if Christmas falls on a Sunday.[citation needed] - Christian feast day:
James the Just (Eastern Orthodox Church) - Christian feast day:
Saint Stephen (Western Church) - Christian feast day:
Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church) - Christian feast day:
Vicenta María López i Vicuña - Christian feast day:
December 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
- Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Texas)
- Mummer’s Day (Padstow, Cornwall)
- Saint Stephen’s Day (public holiday in Alsace, Austria, Catalonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland), and its related observances:
Father’s Day (Bulgaria)