December 26 in history — What Happened Today in History

Kuban Airlines Flight 5719 crashes during a go-around at Gyumri Shirak International Airport, killing 35 of the 36 people on board.

The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union meets and formally dissolves the Soviet Union, ending the Cold War.

United Express Flight 2415 crashes on approach to the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco, Washington, killing all six people on board.

Witnesses report the first of several sightings of unexplained lights near RAF Woodbridge, in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom, an incident called "Britain's Roswell".

The inaugural Paris-Dakar Rally begins.

Tu-144, the world's first commercial supersonic aircraft, surpassing Mach 2, goes into service.

Vietnam War: As part of Operation Linebacker II, 120 American B-52 Stratofortress bombers attacked Hanoi, including 78 launched from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, the largest single combat launch in Strategic Air Command history.

The Communist Party of the Philippines is established by Jose Maria Sison, breaking away from the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas-1930.

Pan Am Flight 799 crashes during takeoff from Elmendorf Air Force Base, killing three.

The first Kwanzaa is celebrated by Maulana Karenga, the chair of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach.

The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" are released in the United States, marking the beginning of Beatlemania on an international level.

Cardinal József Mindszenty is arrested in Hungary and accused of treason and conspiracy.

The last Soviet troops withdraw from North Korea.

World War II: George S. Patton's Third Army breaks the encirclement of surrounded U.S. forces at Bastogne, Belgium.

World War II: German warship Scharnhorst is sunk off Norway's North Cape after a battle against major Royal Navy forces.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day in the United States.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

World premiere of Sibelius's tone poem Tapiola.

Babe Ruth of the Boston Red Sox is sold to the New York Yankees by owner Harry Frazee, allegedly establishing the Curse of the Bambino superstition.

Marie and Pierre Curie announce the isolation of radium.

Thespis, the first Gilbert and Sullivan collaboration, debuts.

American Civil War: The Battle of Chickasaw Bayou begins as Union General William T. Sherman starts landing his troops in an attempt to advance on Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Dakota War of 1862: The largest mass-hanging in U.S. history takes place in Mankato, Minnesota, where 38 Native American prisoners are hanged.

American Civil War: The Trent Affair: Confederate diplomatic envoys James Murray Mason and John Slidell are freed by the United States government, thus easing tensions between the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

First Rules derby is held between Sheffield F.C. and Hallam F.C., the oldest football fixture in the world.

The discovery of octonions by John T. Graves, who denoted them with a boldface O, was announced to his mathematician friend William Hamilton, discoverer of quaternions, in a letter on this date.

Advocates of liberalism in Russia rise up against Czar Nicholas I in the Decembrist revolt, but are later suppressed.

A theater fire in Richmond, Virginia kills 72 people, including the Governor of Virginia George William Smith and the president of the First National Bank of Virginia Abraham B. Venable.

Cory Jefferson, American basketball player

Aaron Ramsey, Welsh footballer

Yohan Blake, Jamaican sprinter

Sofiane Feghouli, Algerian footballer

Tomáš Kundrátek, Czech ice hockey player

Oskar Osala, Finnish ice hockey player

Joe Alexander, American-Israeli basketball player

Kit Harington, English actor

Hugo Lloris, French footballer

Selen Soyder, Turkish actress and beauty queen

Damir Markota, Croatian basketball player

Ahmed Barusso, Ghanaian footballer

Leonardo Ghiraldini, Italian rugby player

Irv Weinstein, American broadcaster and television news anchor (born 1930)

Ricky Harris, American comedian, actor (born 1962)

George S. Irving, American actor, singer and dancer (born 1922)

Sidney Mintz, American anthropologist and academic (born 1922)

Jim O'Toole, American baseball player (born 1937)

Stanisław Barańczak, Polish-American poet, critic, and scholar (born 1946)

James B. Edwards, American dentist, soldier, and politician, 3rd United States Secretary of Energy (born 1927)

Leo Tindemans, Belgian politician, 43rd Prime Minister of Belgium (born 1922)

Paul Blair, American baseball player and coach (born 1944)

Marta Eggerth, Hungarian-American actress and singer (born 1912)

Gerry Anderson, English director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1929)

Gerald McDermott, American author and illustrator (born 1941)

Ibrahim Tannous, Lebanese general (born 1929)