It happened on a… December 31 - Beinteractivegroup

2020

WHO grants the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine emergency authorization, paving the way for worldwide distribution.

1999

Russian President Boris Yeltsin resigned. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was designated acting president.

1997

Microsoft buys Hotmail email service for $400 million and re-launches it as MSN Hotmail.

1988

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Mario Lemieux becomes the only National Hockey League player to score goals in five different ways: even strength, shorthanded, power play, penalty shot, and empty net, during an 86 win over the New Jersey Devils.

1984

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen loses his arm in a car crash.

1967

Evel Knievel fails in his attempt to jump the Caesar’s Palace Fountain, Las Vegas, breaking his pelvis, femur, wrist, hip and both ankles

1961

The Beach Boys play their debut gig under that name

1946

U.S. President Truman officially proclaimed the end of hostilities in World War II.

1935

Charles Darrow patents the board game Monopoly, goes on to be the 1st millionaire game designer.

1923

In London, the BBC first broadcast the chimes of Big Ben.

1911

Marie Curie receives her second Nobel Prize, this time in Chemistry, for her work with radioactivity

1904

First New Year’s Eve celebration held in Times Square (then Longacre Square), in New York City.

1857

Queen Victoria chooses the town of Ottawa as the new capital of Canada.