December 18: What Happened on This Day in History

• 2014: Boko Haram militants launched a devastating attack on the remote village of Gumsuri in northwestern Nigeria on December 14, 2014. The assault resulted in the killing of at least 33 civilians and the abduction of approximately 200 people, highlighting the terrorist group's brutal tactics in the region.
• 2011: The Arab League warns Syria that if it does not agree to proposals to end the crackdown against the ongoing uprising, the League will escalate the matter to the United Nations within two weeks.
• 2004: Anthony Sampson, a renowned British journalist and biographer who provided insightful perspectives on social and political issues, passed away at the age of 78. Known for his investigative writing and comprehensive biographies, Sampson was a significant voice in British journalism during the late 20th century.
• 2002: Ray Hnatyshyn, who served as the Governor General of Canada, passed away at the age of 68. He was a significant figure in Canadian political history.
• 1999: NASA successfully launched the Terra Earth Observation satellite platform into orbit on December 18, 1999. This sophisticated mission carried five advanced scientific instruments: ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer), CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System), MISR (Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer), MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), and MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere). The Terra satellite represents a significant milestone in global environmental monitoring and climate research, providing unprecedented data about Earth's complex environmental systems.
• 1995: On December 18, 1995, a Lockheed L-188 Electra aircraft crashed in Jamba, Cuando Cubango province, Angola, resulting in a tragic loss of 141 lives. This devastating aviation accident represents one of the deadliest air disasters in Angolan history, highlighting the significant aviation safety challenges of the mid-1990s.
• 1994: The theatrical production 'Comedy Tonight' premiered at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater in New York City, scheduled for a limited run of 8 performances.
• 1988: The Seattle Seahawks clinched their first-ever division title with an impressive 9-7 record, marking a significant milestone in the team's history.
• 1985: Xuân Diệu, a prominent Vietnamese poet known for his significant contributions to modern Vietnamese literature, passed away. Born in 1916, he was a key figure in the Vietnamese poetry movement of the 20th century.
• 1981: On December 18, 1981, the Soviet Union achieved a significant milestone in aviation history with the inaugural flight of the Tu-160 strategic bomber. This remarkable aircraft was groundbreaking in multiple dimensions: it was the world's largest combat aircraft, the largest supersonic aircraft, and featured the most advanced variable-sweep wing design of its era. The Tu-160, nicknamed 'White Swan' by Soviet pilots, represented a pinnacle of Soviet aerospace engineering and military technological prowess during the late Cold War period.

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December 18th marks the 352nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (or the 353rd in case of leap years).

There are 13 days remaining until the end of the year.

December 18th is the 18th day of the month of December.

What day of the week is December 18?

On December 18th, 2025 the day of the week is Thursday.

Holidays and Observances on December 18

The zodiac sign associated with December 18th is Sagittarius according to the Western Zodiac.

More about December 18 zodiac

What is special about the Sagittarius sign?

• Sagittarius personality traits and attitude
• Sagittarius most and least compatible signs
• Why December born are so special