17 The Romanian Revolution continues in Timișoara when rioters break into the building housing the District Committee of the Romanian Communist Party and cause extensive damage. The military is called in but fails fully to control the situation. Brazil holds the second round of its first free election in 29 years; Fernando Collor de Mello is elected to serve as president from 1990. December 19 – Romanian Revolution: Workers in the cities go on strike in protest against the Communist regime. On December 20 about 100,000 occupy Timișoara. December 20 – The United States invasion of Panama ("Operation Just Cause") is launched in an attempt to overthrow Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. December 21 – Nicolae Ceaușescu addresses an assembly of some 110,000 people outside the Romanian Communist Party headquarters in Bucharest. Unprecedentedly, most of the crowd turns against him. December 22 After a week of bloody demonstrations, Ion Iliescu takes over as President of Romania, ending the communist dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu, who flees his palace in a helicopter after the palace is invaded by rioters. Most of the army has joined with the rioters in Bucharest. The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin is reopened. Two tourist coaches collide on the Pacific highway north of Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia, killing 35 people. December 23 – Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu are captured in Târgoviște. December 24 – Charles Taylor's troops cross into Liberia from the Ivorian border, launching their first attack, sparking the First Liberian Civil War. December 25 Trial and execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu: Deposed Romanian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife are summarily tried and executed outside Bucharest. Bank of Japan governors announce a major interest rate hike, eventually leading to the peak and fall of the economic bubble. December 28 A magnitude earthquake hits Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, killing 13 people. Alexander Dubček is elected Chairman of Czechoslovakia's Federal Assembly (Parliament). December 29 Czech playwright, philosopher and dissident Václav Havel is elected the first post-Communist President of Czechoslovakia. Riots break out after Hong Kong decides to forcibly repatriate Vietnamese refugees. Nikkei 225 for Tokyo Stock Exchange hits its all-time intra-day high of 38,957.44 and closing high at 38,915.87. December 31 – Poland's president signs the Balcerowicz Plan, ending the Communist system in Poland in favor of a capitalist system, leading to abandonment of the Warsaw Pact. Date unknown The first Al-Qaeda-related cell in the United