December 31
People born on this day are Capricorn.
- 1999
The first President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, resigns from office, leaving Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President and successor.
Wikipedia ↗ - 1999
The U.S. government hands control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2001
Rwanda adopts a new national flag and anthem.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2004
The official opening of Taipei 101, the tallest skyscraper at that time in the world, standing at a height of 509 metres (1,670 ft).
Wikipedia ↗ - 2009
Both a blue moon and a lunar eclipse occur.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2010
Tornadoes touch down in midwestern and southern United States, including Washington County, Arkansas; Greater St. Louis, Sunset Hills, Missouri, Illinois, and Oklahoma, with a few tornadoes in the early hours. A total of 36 tornadoes touched down, resulting in the deaths of nine people and $113 million in damages.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2011
NASA succeeds in putting the first of two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory satellites in orbit around the Moon.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2014
A New Year's Eve celebration stampede in Shanghai kills at least 36 people and injures 49 others.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2015
A fire breaks out at the Downtown Address Hotel in Downtown Dubai, United Arab Emirates, located near the Burj Khalifa, two hours before the fireworks display is due to commence. Sixteen injuries were reported; one had a heart attack, another suffered a major injury, and fourteen others with minor injuries.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2018
Thirty-nine people are killed after a ten-story building collapses in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, Russia.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2019
The World Health Organization is informed of cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause, detected in Wuhan. This later turned out to be COVID-19, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wikipedia ↗ - 2020
The World Health Organization issues its first emergency use validation for a COVID-19 vaccine.
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2002Ryan Flamingo, Dutch footballer
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2002Sophia Laforteza, Filipino-American singer
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2002Joe Scally, American soccer player
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2001Katie Volynets, American tennis player
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2000Alycia Parks, American tennis player
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1999Calvin Bassey, Italian-Nigerian footballer
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1999Leif Davis, English footballer
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1997Ludovic Blas, French footballer
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1997Cameron Carter-Vickers, English-American soccer player
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1997Bright Osayi-Samuel, Nigerian footballer
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1996J. J. Arcega-Whiteside, Spanish-American football player
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1995Gabby Douglas, American gymnast
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Data: Wikipedia “December 31” and “On this day”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia ↗