In History, Today on December 3

France and Qatar signed a strategic partnership deal with a potential value of $4 billion for the sale of French armored vehicles and fighter jets to Qatar.

Following the shocking 'Green December' where Typhoon Nina had hit the Philippines, the Department of Social Welfare and Development activated a response to provide aid to affected regions.

The United Kingdom conducted its first airstrikes against ISIS in Syria after the UK Parliament approved military action.

The UN World Food Programme suspended food aid to more than 1.7 million Syrian refugees due to a funding crisis.

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity discovered evidence of ancient streambed on Mars, suggesting that water once flowed on the planet's surface.

A suicide bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia, killed at least 24 people, including three government ministers, highlighting the ongoing instability and violence in the region.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released a report stating that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, a significant development in international relations and nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

The X PRIZE Foundation announced the Google Lunar X Prize, aimed at encouraging privately funded spaceflight and robotic exploration on the Moon. Participants were tasked with developing new technologies to successfully land a robot on the lunar surface, travel at least 500 meters, and transmit high-definition video and imagery back to Earth.

Adventurer and businessman Steve Fossett completed his record-setting flight around the world in a hot air balloon, after overcoming many setbacks from his previous attempts. This time, the flight was successful under the sponsorship of his Solo Spirit project.

In Ottawa, Canada, 122 countries sign the Ottawa Treaty (also known as the Mine Ban Treaty), formally referred to as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction.

The first SMS message was sent by Neil Papworth, a test engineer for Sema Group, to Richard Jarvis of Vodafone.

The Bhopal disaster occurred when a gas leak at a pesticide plant in India exposed over 500,000 people to toxic chemicals.

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 begins with Pakistan launching preemptive air strikes on 11 Indian airbases.

The first successful human heart transplant was performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town.

British troops and their allies clashed with leftist forces (EAM-ELAS) in Athens, marking the start of the Dekemvriana conflict in Greece.

The birth of the Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments by Igor Stravinsky took place, with the composer himself performing the solo part in its debut.

Bulgaria signed an armistice with the Ottoman Empire, temporarily halting hostilities in the First Balkan War.

Modern neon lighting was first demonstrated by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show.

The first electric streetcars begin operation in San Francisco, replacing horse-drawn cars and marking a significant urban transportation development.

The first attempt to impeach British Secretary of War Edward Cardwell is filed in the House of Commons over his handling of the Arabi Pasha rebellion.

Oberlin College was founded by John Shipherd and Philo Stewart in northern Ohio.

Illinois was admitted as the 21st state of the United States.

The coup d'état of 18 Brumaire is declared to establish Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul of France, effectively ending the French Revolution.

The Council of Trent, initiated by the Catholic Church as part of the Counter-Reformation, was reconvened by Pope Pius IV after a suspension of nearly ten years. The council was originally convened in 1545 to address issues raised by the Protestant Reformation and was one of the Church's most important ecumenical councils.

Pope Adrian IV, the only English pope, crowns Frederick Barbarossa as Holy Roman Emperor.

Pope Zachary was elected as the 91st pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He played a significant role in the politics of the time, notably in the Lombard and Frankish territories.