December 25, Northwest Airlines passengers foil underwear bomber
Today is Thursday, December 25, the 359th day of the year 2025. There are six days left in the year. It’s Christmas Day.
Today in history:
On December 25, 2009, passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 foiled an attempt to blow up the plane as it landed in Detroit by grabbing Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (OO’-mahr fah-ROOK’ ahb-DOOL’-moo-TAH’-lahb), who was attempting to set off explosives in his underwear. (Abdulmutallab later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.)
Also on this date:
In 1066, William the Conqueror was crowned king of England.
In 1818, “Silent Night (Stille Nacht)” was first performed publicly during Christmas midnight mass at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria.
In 1868, President Andrew Johnson issued an unconditional pardon to “any person who directly or indirectly” supported the Confederacy during the Civil War.
In 1776, General George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River for a surprise attack on Hessian forces at Trenton, New Jersey, during the American Revolutionary War.
In 1926, Hirohito became Emperor of Japan, succeeding his father, Emperor Yoshihito.
In 1989, deposed Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu (chow-SHES’-koo) and his wife Elena were executed following a populist uprising.
In 2021, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s largest and most powerful space telescope, was launched from French Guiana in South America with the aim of seeing the light of the first stars and galaxies and searching for signs of life in the universe.
Today’s birthdays:
- Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka is 79 years old.
- Country singer Barbara Mandrell is 77 years old.
- Actor Sissy Spacek is 76 years old.
- Former White House adviser Karl Rove is 75 years old.
- Actor CCH Pounder is 73 years old.
- Singer Annie Lennox is 71 years old.
- Country singer Steve Wariner is 71 years old.
- Model and businesswoman Helena Christensen is 57 years old.
- Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is 54 years old.
- Actor Jeremy Strong is 47 years old.
