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Major Events of December 2013: 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 2013 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of December 2013: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Dec 2013 Euromaidan Protests in Ukraine: Approximately 100,000 protesters in Kiev demonstrated against President Yanukovych's decision to reject closer ties with the European Union. The protests escalated with violent clashes between demonstrators and police, with protesters storming the Kiev City Council buildings.
  • 02 Dec 2013 China Launches First Moon Rover Mission: China successfully launched its inaugural moon rover mission, marking a significant milestone in the country's space exploration program.
  • 03 Dec 2013 Potential HIV Treatment Breakthrough: Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine discovered that radioimmunotherapy could potentially kill HIV cells, offering a promising avenue for treating one of the world's most deadly diseases.
  • 04 Dec 2013 Rocket Attack in Aleppo during Syrian Civil War: A devastating rocket attack on the government-controlled Aleppo area killed 18 people, including civilians, further highlighting the brutal nature of the Syrian Civil War.
  • 05 Dec 2013 Death of Nelson Mandela: Nelson Mandela, Nobel Peace Prize winner, anti-Apartheid revolutionary, and former President of South Africa, passed away at the age of 95 after a prolonged illness. His death marked the end of an era for South Africa and global human rights advocacy.
  • 06 Dec 2013 First Recorded Ebola Death in Guinea: A tragic milestone in the Ebola outbreak: a 2-year-old boy died in Meliandou, Guinea, marking one of the earliest documented cases of the deadly virus.
  • 07 Dec 2013 Typhoon Haiyan Devastation: Massive Loss of Life: The catastrophic Typhoon Haiyan has resulted in 5,800 confirmed deaths, 26,233 injuries, and 1,779 people still missing, underscoring the storm's unprecedented destruction.
  • 08 Dec 2013 Euromaidan Protests in Ukraine: Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians protest in Kiev, demanding government resignation over refusal to sign European Union association agreement. Protesters symbolically topple the last statue of Communist leader Vladimir Lenin in central Kiev.
  • 09 Dec 2013 NASA's Curiosity Rover Mars Discovery: NASA's Curiosity rover made a groundbreaking discovery, revealing evidence of an ancient freshwater lake on Mars, providing crucial insights into the planet's potential past habitability and geological history.
  • 10 Dec 2013 Nelson Mandela Memorial Service in Johannesburg: A memorial service was held in Johannesburg to celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela, marking a significant moment of global mourning and remembrance for the iconic anti-apartheid leader.
  • 11 Dec 2013 Syrian Civil War: Salim Idris Flees: In a critical moment during the Syrian Civil War, Salim Idris, the top commander of the Free Syrian Army, was forced to flee Syria as Islamist fighters seized his headquarters and key strategic warehouses, signaling a significant shift in the conflict's dynamics.
  • 12 Dec 2013 Nelson Mandela's State Funeral Preparations: Nelson Mandela's body is lying in state at the Pretoria federal government district, marking a significant moment in South African history as the nation prepares to bid farewell to its iconic anti-apartheid leader.
  • 13 Dec 2013 Nelson Mandela's Funeral Preparations: Nelson Mandela's body will be transported to Qunu, Eastern Cape, for his final resting place, marking the end of a historic journey for the anti-apartheid icon.
  • 14 Dec 2013 Nelson Mandela's State Funeral and Final Journey: Nelson Mandela's remains were transported to his ancestral home in Eastern Cape on the day of his state funeral in Qunu, marking the final farewell to the iconic anti-apartheid leader.
  • 15 Dec 2013 Nelson Mandela Laid to Rest: Nelson Mandela is buried in his ancestral home of Qunu following a state funeral, marking the end of a monumental life dedicated to ending apartheid and promoting reconciliation in South Africa.
  • 16 Dec 2013 Syrian Civil War Atrocities: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported devastating barrel bomb airstrikes by the Syrian government against Aleppo, resulting in at least 76 civilian casualties. This incident underscores the ongoing brutality of the Syrian Civil War.
  • 17 Dec 2013 Angela Merkel Elected Chancellor Again: Angela Merkel was re-elected as the Chancellor of Germany for her third term, solidifying her position as one of Europe's most influential political leaders.
  • 18 Dec 2013 Russia's Ukraine Bailout Sparks Protests: Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Ukraine a $15 billion bailout and reduced gas prices, strengthening ties with the financially struggling country. This move prompted significant protests in Kiev, with citizens angry about abandoning potential European Union relations.
  • 19 Dec 2013 Target Corporation Massive Data Breach: Target Corporation and the U.S. Secret Service confirmed a significant data breach affecting over 40 million debit and credit cards purchased in Target stores, raising serious concerns about consumer data security.
  • 20 Dec 2013 2013 North American Ice Storm: A devastating ice storm struck central and eastern Ontario, southern Québec, and New Brunswick, causing widespread power outages affecting over 600,000 customers and resulting in at least 27 deaths, primarily from carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • 21 Dec 2013 NASA Spacewalk to Repair ISS Coolant Pump: NASA astronauts began a series of critical spacewalks on the International Space Station to repair a damaged ammonia coolant pump, ensuring the continued functionality of this vital orbital research platform.
  • 22 Dec 2013 Target Corporation Data Breach: A massive cybersecurity incident involving Target Corporation resulted in the theft of credit and debit card data from 40 million customers. Stolen card information began circulating on the black market, with individual card details being sold for prices ranging from $20 to over $100.
  • 23 Dec 2013 Alan Turing Receives Posthumous Royal Pardon: Alan Turing, the brilliant British mathematician, computer pioneer, and World War II codebreaker who was previously persecuted for his homosexuality, was granted a posthumous royal pardon. This act symbolizes a significant step towards acknowledging historical injustices against LGBTQ+ individuals.
  • 24 Dec 2013 South Sudan Political Crisis Escalates: The United Nations reported discovering a mass grave with 75 bodies in Unity State, with two additional mass graves identified in Juba. Simultaneously, the South Sudanese government claimed its military had successfully recaptured the strategically important town of Bor from rebel forces, indicating the intense ongoing conflict.
  • 25 Dec 2013 Tetiana Chornovol Attacked During Euromaidan Protests: Ukrainian journalist and civic activist Tetiana Chornovol was violently attacked, being pulled from her car and beaten by a group. Authorities suggested this was part of a pattern of attacks against government opponents during the Euromaidan movement.
  • 26 Dec 2013 Shinzo Abe's Controversial Yasukuni Shrine Visit: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine, a location containing memorials to war criminals from World War II. The visit was strongly condemned by South Korea and China, and criticized by the United States, highlighting ongoing historical tensions in East Asia.
  • 27 Dec 2013 NSA Metadata Collection Ruled Constitutional: U.S. District Judge William Pauley ruled that the NSA's bulk metadata collection from telephone records after 9/11 was within constitutional limits, contradicting an earlier ruling by Judge Richard Leon.
  • 28 Dec 2013 Early Signs of Ebola Epidemic: In Guinea, the first documented signs of the Ebola epidemic emerged with the death of a 2-year-old child from an unidentified hemorrhagic fever, soon followed by infections in the child's mother, sister, and grandmother.
  • 29 Dec 2013 Michael Schumacher's Critical Skiing Accident: Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher suffered a severe head injury while skiing in the French Alps, leading to emergency brain surgery and placing him in critical condition. The accident shocked the global sports community and raised awareness about skiing safety.
  • 30 Dec 2013 Volgograd Trolleybus Bombing: A devastating terrorist bombing occurred in Volgograd, Russia, where a bomb exploded on a trolleybus, killing at least 15 people. This was the second attack on the southern city within 24 hours, highlighting a significant security threat.
  • 31 Dec 2013 Public Papers of President Barack Obama for 2013 Published: The official Public Papers of the Presidents volume for Barack Obama was released, covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 2013. This publication is part of the historical series documenting presidential records and activities.