2015 Event U.S. President Barack Obama bans the use of certain military equipment by police in the wake of recent deaths of unarmed black men by police officers; the move is meant to help communities see police as protectors rather than as an 'occupied force' 2014 Event Pope Francis gives his annual Christmas address from the Vatican, praying for groups that included refugees and exiles, persecuted Christian communities, and workers fighting the Ebola epidemic 1977 Event Belgium reapportions 2,359 communities into 596 1965 Event Generalissimo Francisco Franco meets with Jewish representatives to discuss legitimizing Jewish communities in Spain 1953 Birthday John Denham, born in Seaton, England, John Yorke Denham, politician, Labor Party, Member of Parliament for Southampton Itchen, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, served, then resigned as, Minister of State at the Home Office in 2003, over the Iraq War 1951 Event Last Belgian communities get electricity 1939 Birthday Leon Britain, vice president, Commission of European Communities 1918 Event Cloquet Minnesota and 25 other communities destroyed by forest fire, 559 die 1890 Event Austrian Jewish communities are defined by law 1881 Event Union of Baptists Communities forms in Foxholl 1808 Birthday Lambertus GC Ledeboer, Dutch vicar, Folies-old Calvinist communities
