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From Wikipedia's newest articles:

• ... that the printmaking technique of mezzotint was invented in 1642 by professional soldier Lieutenant-Colonel Ludwig von Siegen (example pictured)?
• ...that Copeland Creek was significantly degraded by cattle overgrazing in the 19th century, but restoration efforts have reversed that trend?
• ...that Russian Indologist Gerasim Lebedev was the founder of the first European-style drama theatre in India and also the first printing house in Europe equipped with Indic scripts of Bengali and Devanagari?
• ... that Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting is the nephew of former player Greg Campbell?
• ...that eleven Pacific hurricanes have had their names retired, due to the damage they caused and other reasons?
• ...that Herbert Gutman co-founded the "new labor history" school of thought, which focuses on the effects that ordinary people have had on the history of labor?
• ...that Major General John Paton commanded the rear party during the evacuation of Anzac Cove in World War I and was one of the last Australian soldiers to leave the beach?

• Outgoing United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan (pictured), in his final speech in office, encourages the United States to return to its historic commitments to multilateralism and human rights.
• Former Chilean president Augusto Pinochet (age 91) dies one week after suffering a heart attack.
• Christer Fuglesang becomes the first Scandinavian astronaut in space as the Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on a mission to the International Space Station.
• Ethiopia begins to intervene in the Somali Civil War.
• The Iraq Study Group releases its final report, describing the situation in the Iraq War as "grave and deteriorating" and making seventy-nine policy recommendations.

December 12: Independence Day in Kenya (1963).

• 1531 - The Apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin saw the Blessed Virgin Mary outside of modern-day Mexico City.
• 1897 - Belo Horizonte, the first planned city of Brazil, was inaugurated.
• 1901 - Guglielmo Marconi (pictured) received the first trans-Atlantic radio signal, from Poldhu Wireless Station in Cornwall, England to Cabot Tower in St. John's, Newfoundland.
• 1915 - President Yuan Shikai of the Republic of China reinstated the monarchy and declared himself Emperor.
• 1964 - Jomo Kenyatta became the first President of the Republic of Kenya.

Recent days: December 11 – December 10 – December 9