<div id="subtitle">Chronology of news events in 2009</div><div><p>Dec. 16</p><p>Time magazine names Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke its Person of the Year.</p><p>Dec. 18</p><p>U.N. climate summit in Copenhagen ends with modest accord denounced by smaller countries.</p><p>Sign bearing Nazi slogan "Work Sets You Free" is stolen from Auschwitz; three days later, Polish authorities recover sign in three pieces and arrest five people.</p><p>Over 2,000 people are trapped and Eurostar service is halted for three days after snow leads to failure of five trains inside Channel Tunnel.</p><p>U.S. regulators shutter seven banks, bringing year's total to 140.</p><p>Charles Gibson retires from ABC's "World News," passing anchor desk to Diane Sawyer.</p><p>Dec. 19</p><p>Snowstorm paralyzes much of eastern U.S. on last holiday shopping weekend.</p><p>Dec. 20</p><p>Tremors from Mayon volcano in Philippines prompt highest warning short of major eruption following week of fresh lava flows and evacuations of tens of thousands of people.</p><p>Actress Brittany Murphy, who starred in "Clueless" and "8 Mile," dies at age 32.</p><p>Dec. 21</p><p>Anthony Marshall, the 85-year-old son of late socialite Brooke Astor, is sentenced to prison for plundering her fortune.</p><p>Vote by lawmakers makes Mexico City first Latin American capital to legalize gay marriage.</p><p>Dec. 24</p><p>U.S. Senate passes health care legislation in chamber's first Christmas Eve vote since 1895.</p><p>New Jersey man reunites with 9-year-old son in Brazil following five-year custody battle.</p><p>Dec. 25</p><p>After a failed attempt to detonate explosives on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 as it landed in Detroit, the 23-year-old son of a prominent Nigerian banker is subdued by fellow passengers.</p><p>Dec. 27</p><p>Amid Iran's worst violence in three decades, security forces fire on Tehran protesters, killing at least eight, and launch new wave of arrests.</p><p>Led by "Avatar," estimated weekend box office of $278 million shatters record of roughly $253 million when "The Dark Knight" was released in July 2008.</p><p>Dec. 28</p><p>In Argentina, men turned away in Buenos Aires are wed in Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, in Latin America's first gay marriage.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=66166720&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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