Major Events of December 2005: Key Historical Moments from the Month
Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from December 2005 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.
Major Events of December 2005: Key Historical Moments from the Month
- 01 Dec 2005 South Africa Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage: South Africa becomes the fifth country in the world to legally recognize same-sex marriages, marking a significant milestone in LGBTQ+ rights and equality.
- 02 Dec 2005 Pentagon News Manipulation Revelation: The Pentagon acknowledged hiring the Lincoln Group, a U.S. public relations agency, to translate and place soldier-written articles in Iraqi media, raising significant ethical questions about information warfare.
- 03 Dec 2005 Global Climate Change Protest: Approximately 40,000 people protested in Montreal during the United Nations Climate Change Conference, with simultaneous worldwide demonstrations, including one in Hurricane Katrina-devastated New Orleans.
- 04 Dec 2005 CIA Extraordinary Rendition Allegations: A London tabloid reported allegations that the CIA used Scottish airports as part of a covert operation to transfer terrorist suspects to secret prison camps across Europe, involving Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Prestwick, and Glasgow International.
- 05 Dec 2005 First Witnesses Testify in Saddam Hussein Trial: In a landmark legal proceeding, the first witnesses in the trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein provide testimony, revealing horrifying details of systematic torture during his regime, marking a significant moment in international justice.
- 06 Dec 2005 Saddam Hussein Refuses Trial Appearance: Saddam Hussein, the deposed president of Iraq, refused to appear at his trial for crimes against humanity, further complicating the already complex legal proceedings and highlighting the ongoing political tensions in post-Saddam Iraq.
- 07 Dec 2005 Paul Martin Criticizes U.S. Climate Policy: At the Montreal climate change conference, Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin delivered a pointed critique of the United States' environmental stance. His remarks, including the statement about a 'global conscience', reportedly angered Vice President Dick Cheney and highlighted international tensions around climate policy.
- 08 Dec 2005 Hamas Ceasefire Announcement and Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Hamas leader Khaled Mashal announced at a rally in Damascus, Syria, that the informal ceasefire with Israel would not be renewed at year's end. Simultaneously, two Palestinian militants were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, and an Israeli soldier was fatally stabbed at a West Bank checkpoint, underscoring the ongoing tensions in the region.
- 09 Dec 2005 Dongzhou Protest Crackdown in China: Chinese security forces reportedly killed protesting farmers and fishermen in Dongzhou, Guangdong province. Protesters were opposing government plans to build a power plant and fill part of the bay. This was considered the most significant violent government action against civilians since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, with the town subsequently being closed off.
- 10 Dec 2005 2005 Nobel Prize Ceremony: The Nobel Prizes for various disciplines are awarded in Stockholm, recognizing outstanding achievements in Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, and Literature. Notable recipients include Barry J. Marshall, Robin Warren, Roy J. Glauber, and John L. Hall.
- 11 Dec 2005 Cronulla Riots: A significant racial conflict erupted in Sydney, Australia, involving approximately 5,000 youths. The riots represented a complex and volatile moment of ethnic tension, with widespread demonstrations and violent confrontations between different community groups.
- 12 Dec 2005 Assassination of Gebran Tueni: Gebran Tueni, a prominent Lebanese anti-Syrian parliament member and managing editor of the liberal An-Nahar newspaper, was killed in a car bombing attack in Beirut. Having been in Paris for months due to security concerns, Tueni had recently returned to Lebanon. This assassination followed a similar car bomb attack in June that killed another An-Nahar journalist, Samir Kaassir.
- 13 Dec 2005 Bush Acknowledges Iraqi Civilian Casualties: President George W. Bush publicly recognized approximately 30,000 civilian deaths in Iraq since the war's beginning, highlighting the conflict's human cost.
- 14 Dec 2005 Bush Acknowledges Faulty Intelligence for Iraq Invasion: U.S. President George W. Bush publicly acknowledged that the 2003 Iraq invasion was based on faulty intelligence, accepting responsibility while maintaining the decision's justification.
- 15 Dec 2005 Iraq's First Parliamentary Elections Under New Constitution: The first parliamentary elections were held in Iraq under its newly established federal constitution, marking a significant milestone in the country's post-Saddam democratic transition.
- 16 Dec 2005 Senate Rejects PATRIOT Act Extension: The United States Senate rejected the extension of the PATRIOT Act, with critics arguing that the legislation violated civil liberties and granted excessive governmental powers.
- 17 Dec 2005 Incident in Gaza Strip: A car carrying Khaled Abu Sitta exploded in the Gaza Strip, with conflicting reports about the cause. Palestinian sources claimed an Israeli air strike, while the Israeli Defense Force admitted to bombing roads, bridges, and shooting a suspect, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- 18 Dec 2005 Democratic Republic of Congo Holds Historic Election: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) holds its first democratic national poll in over 40 years, marking a crucial moment in the country's political development and potential path to stability.
- 19 Dec 2005 Voyager 1 Reaches Solar System's Edge: NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft reaches the outer boundary of our Solar System, marking a significant milestone in space exploration and humanity's furthest direct exploration of our cosmic neighborhood.
- 20 Dec 2005 Intelligent Design Court Ruling: In the landmark Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District case, US District Court Judge John E. Jones III ruled that intelligent design cannot be taught as science in public school classrooms, affirming it as a religious concept rather than a scientific theory.
- 21 Dec 2005 US Senate Extends PATRIOT Act: The United States Senate approved a six-month extension of the USA PATRIOT Act, allowing further legislative review and potential modifications.
- 22 Dec 2005 Tony Blair's Iraq Troop Withdrawal Visit: British Prime Minister Tony Blair made a surprise visit to Basra, Iraq, addressing 4,000 British soldiers and discussing potential troop withdrawal strategies based on Iraqi forces' readiness.
- 23 Dec 2005 U.S. Troop Drawdown in Iraq: U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced the first in a series of troop withdrawals following the Iraqi elections, signaling a potential shift in U.S. military strategy.
- 24 Dec 2005 Chad Declares War on Sudan: Chad officially declared a state of war against Sudan following a devastating attack on Adré on December 18, which resulted in approximately 100 fatalities, escalating tensions in the volatile border region.
- 25 Dec 2005 Horrific Familial Murder in Pakistan: Nazir Ahmad, a Pakistani laborer, confessed to murdering his four daughters aged 4, 8, 12, and 25, allegedly in response to his eldest daughter Muqadas Bibi marrying against his will. This tragic event highlights issues of honor killings and gender-based violence.
- 26 Dec 2005 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: A catastrophic magnitude 9.3 earthquake struck the Indian Ocean seafloor, triggering massive tsunami waves that devastated shorelines across multiple countries including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, and Somalia. This was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.
- 27 Dec 2005 Colombian Soldiers Killed During Coca Eradication Mission: Twenty-four Colombian soldiers protecting coca eradication workers were killed by rebel forces, highlighting the ongoing violent conflict between government forces and insurgent groups in the region.
- 28 Dec 2005 Giove-A Satellite Launch: Europe launched Giove-A, a satellite for the Galileo positioning system, designed to provide independent location and timing information, reducing dependence on the U.S. GPS system.
- 29 Dec 2005 Terrorist Attack at West Bank Checkpoint: A suicide bomber targeted a checkpoint near Tulkarm in the West Bank, killing one Israeli soldier, two civilians, and himself. The attack was claimed by Islamic Jihad. Additionally, al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for recent Katyusha rocket attacks on northern Israeli towns.
- 30 Dec 2005 Citigroup Acquires Stake in Chinese Bank: A consortium led by Citigroup successfully secured an 85% ownership stake in Guangdong Development Bank in China, outbidding a European-based rival group. This transaction represented a significant moment in international banking and cross-border financial investments.
- 31 Dec 2005 Shane Warne Cricket Milestone: Australian cricket legend Shane Warne became the first cricketer in history to take 1,000 international wickets, a remarkable achievement in the sport's record books.