December 2008 in History

Events in History

Dec 1 The US economy has been in recession since December 2007, the National Bureau of Economic Research announces today
Dec 2 Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigns after the 2008 Thailand political crisis

Historic Event

Dec 5 Human remains previously found in 1991 are finally identified by Russian and American scientists as those of Tsar Nicholas II

Dec 8 Kirsty Williams elected as Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. The first female leader of a political party in Wales.

Historic Event

Dec 9 Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, is arrested by federal officials for a number of alleged crimes, including attempting to sell the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama

Historic Event

Dec 11 Bernie Madoff arrested and charged with securities fraud in $50 billion Ponzi scheme

Dec 12 Andrei Klepach, Deputy Economic Minister of Russia, states that Russia has entered a recession, with two quarters of contraction expected, meaning Russia will fall short of reaching the 6.8% growth forecast for 2008

Conference of Interest

Dec 14 President George W. Bush make his fourth and final trip to Iraq as president and is almost struck by two shoes thrown at him by Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi during a farewell conference in Baghdad

Historic Event

Dec 19 Chanda Kochhar is named as the successor of K. V. Kamath to the post of CEO and Managing Director of ICICI Bank

Dec 27 Israel launches Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip, beginning with an airstrike that hits 100 targets in 220 seconds killing around 250 people

Deaths in History

Dec 1 Joseph B. Wirthlin, American businessmen, religious leader, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church), dies at 91
Dec 2 Kathleen Baskin-Ball, American United Methodist Pastor
Dec 3 Robert Zajonc, Polish-American social psychologist (b. 1923)
Dec 5 Patriarch Alexy II of Russia, head of the Russian Orthodox Church (b. 1929)
Dec 5 Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu, Romanian politician and president of the Association of Romanian Former Political Prisoners. (b. 1928)
Dec 9 Yury Glazkov, Soviet Air Force officer and cosmonaut (Soyuz 24), dies at 69
Dec 11 Ron Carey, American labor leader (International Brotherhood of Teamsters), dies of lung cancer at 72
Dec 12 Avery Dulles, American clergyman, Roman Catholic cardinal, theologian, and educator, dies at 90
Dec 12 Tassos Papadopoulos, Cypriot lawyer and politician (President, 2003-08), dies at cancer at 74
Dec 15 León Febres Cordero, Ecuadorian politician (President of Ecuador 1984-88), dies at 77
Dec 15 Geraldine McCullough, American painter and sculptor (Phoenix), dies at 91

Dec 18 Mark Felt, the infamous "Deep Throat", American FBI official and whistle blower during the Watergate Scandal dies aged 95

James Bevel

Dec 19 James Bevel, American civil rights activist (Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Direct Action), dies of cancer at 72

Dec 19 Carol Chomsky, American linguist and education specialist (b. 1930)
Dec 22 Lansana Conté, Guinean politician, dies at 74
Dec 23 Eric Charles Twelves Wilson, English British Army officer (awarded Victoria Cross), dies at 96