Saturday, December 13, 2025

Important Events From This day in History December 13th

 

  

1972 England -- Thalidomide

1972 : 300 British Thalidomide victims are being offered a compensation deal said to be worth £11.85 million over 10 years which is rejected by the victims. ( Eventually an agreement is reached providing £20.00 million.

Thalidomide became notorious in the mid 50's to early 60's when it was prescribed to pregnant women to ease morning sickness. and was marketed under the names Distaval, Talimol, Nibrol, Sedimide, Quietoplex, Contergan, Neurosedyn, and Softenon.

It was sold in 50 countries around the world and is blamed for causing approximately 10,000 children to be born with severe malformations.

Thalidomide is approved today for the treatment of Leprosy and Multiple Myeloma but strictly controlled in it's use. Find More What happened in 1972

1939 Gone With The Wind Premiers

Gone With The Wind Premiers in Atlanta, Georgia. The movie adapted from the novel by Margaret Mitchell published in 1936. The movie, starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, and Hattie McDaniel set in the deep south tells a story of the Civil War and its aftermath from a white Southern viewpoint.

1903 Tibet -- British Control

Great Britain wanted to maintain dominance in Tibet to counteract the Soviet Union's control over Manchuria and other parts of Asia. Tibet would also act as a buffer between Soviet controlled zones and India.

1924 Great Britain -- France Wartime Debt

France's World War I wartime debt to Great Britain amounted to 623,000,000 pounds and the French also owed the United States 798,000,000 pounds. Although the British government was going to approach France about repaying its debts, the British public was skeptical that France would ever pay anything back.

1930 U.S.A. -- Depression and Typhoid

Charlotte Dynn died in Milwaukee of typhoid fever and her family couldn't afford to feed their five remaining children, let alone pay for her funeral. However, during the Christmas season the funeral director, the cemetery's executive, and a pastor all arranged a free funeral for Charlotte.

1937 China -- Rape of Nanking

Japanese forces capture the city of Nanking and Japanese General Matsui Iwane orders the city of Nanking to be destroyed. Japanese troops launched a campaign of atrocities against civilians. including the massacre of an estimated 200,000 and the rape and mutilation of at least 20,000 women and girls of all ages .

1944 France -- Allied Prisoners of War Freed

In Sarreguemines, France one thousand allied soldiers who had been German captives became free as the 39th division stormed their prison. The liberated group included Russian, Polish, Italian, Serbian, and Yugoslavian soldiers who smiled at their new liberty.

1950 U.S.A. -- James Dean

1950 : James Dean who is still unknown at that time appears in a Pepsi commercial, dancing with other teens around a jukebox 5 years before he becomes an icon for the teenage revolution in such films as Rebel Without a Cause

1959 Cyprus -- Archbishop Makarios

1959 : Archbishop Makarios is elected as the first President of the Republic of Cyprus in free elections winning with over 66% of the vote. His vice president is Dr Fazil Kutchuk a leading political figure from the Turkish community.

1966 Saudi Arabia -- King Saud

1966 : King Saud, previous king of Saudi Arabia was overthrown by his brother Fiesal. Saud was ailing and wanted to live in Egypt. Egypt's president, President Abdul Gamel Nasser, who King Saud is suspected of trying to assassinate, allowed the ailing former king to come to Egypt.

1972 China -- Schistosomiesis Epidemic

Near Shanghai in communist China there was an epidemic of schistosomiesis, so of course when two specialists in this illness came to visit from the U.S., they instantly became celebrities. Dr. H. F. Hsu and is wife Dr. S. Y .Li Hsu were medical doctors born in China who became Americans and had not been back to China for 23 years. They received a very friendly reception while sharing their medical knowledge.

1978 U.S.A. -- Susan B Anthony Dollar

1978 : The first Susan B. Anthony ( a key figure in the woman suffrage movement )dollar is minted but is not accepted by the public due to it's very similar appearance to the quarter.

1981 Poland -- Martial Law Imposed

Martial law and a state of emergency is imposed by Poland's military rulers. Leaders of the Solidarity trade union have been placed under arrest for inciting the unrest and the army are on the streets in a massive show of military strength imposing strict censorship and a curfew.

1988 Switzerland -- Yasser Arafat

Following the refusal of the US to grant Yasser Arafat a Visitors Visa the United Nations is convened in Geneva, Switzerland so that PLO chairman Yasser Arafat can address the U.N. General Assembly .

1989 Syria -- Release of Amed Jibril

President Hafez Assad, Syria's president got an order from U.S. President George Bush to expel Amed Jibril or face being cut off from American diplomacy. Jibril was suspected of blowing up Pan Am flight 103 and killing 259 people, most of who were American citizens.

1995 England -- Brixton Riots

Hundreds youths take to the streets at Brixton, in south London attacking police, ransacking shops and burning cars

1996 U.S.A. -- Kofi Annan

The U.N. Security Council chooses Kofi Annan of Ghana to be the United Nations seventh secretary-general.

1996 Ireland -- EU Finance Ministers

1996 : In Dublin, fifteen EU finance ministers debated for eleven hours about imposing fines on EU countries whose poor accounting practices jeopardized EU stability. The new common currency of the EU, the Euro, was to be launched in 1999.

2000 U.S.A. -- Texas 7 Escapees

Seven prisoners escape from the John Connally Unit maximum-security state prison near Kenedy, Texas, they were captured in January and due to them shooting and murdering a police officer during a crime receive the death sentence.

2001 India -- Parliament Attacked

Gunmen have broken through tight security to attack the parliament building in the Indian capital, New Delhi leaving At least 12 dead and 22 injured.

2001 U.S.A. -- Osama bin Laden Video

The Pentagon released a captured videotape of Osama bin Laden in which the al-Qaida leader said the deaths and destruction achieved by the September 11th attacks exceeded his ''most optimistic'' expectations.

2001 U.S.A. -- Pulls Out Of Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty

President George W. Bush served formal notice that the United States was pulling out of the More News and Events From 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia.

2002 European Union -- 10 New Members

Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia are accepted into the European Union and will become members from 1st May 2004.

2003 Iraq -- Saddam Hussein

Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces at a farmhouse in Adwar, near his hometown of Tikrit.

2006 Iran -- Deny Holocaust

In Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to a crowd of people who deny the Holocaust ever existed and asserted, 'The Zionist regime will be wiped out the same way the Soviet Union was, and humanity will achieve freedom.' Hostility over this meeting could have sanctions placed on Iran by the United States.

2006 Belgian -- TV prank

Belgians reacted badly to the news that their country had been split in two. It wasn't until later that they were told it was part of a spoof. The Belgian public television station R.T.B.F. ran the bogus report, which said that the Dutch-speaking half of the nation had declared its independence. R.T.B.F. said that the program was meant to stir up debate, and thousands of people made panicked calls. Politicians made a complaint to the station.

2006 United States -- The political manipulation of scientific work

Some ten thousand researchers have signed a statement protesting about political interference in their scientific work. The statement, which includes the backing of fifty-two Nobel Laureates, demands a restoration of scientific integrity in government policy-making and announcements. According to the American Union of Concerned Scientists, a lot of data is being misrepresented for political reasons. Al Gore’s lecture on Climate Change: The Role of Science and the Media in Policy Making took place on the same day, where he said that it was imperative that scientists tell the people what is happening to the world.

2007 U.S.A. -- Wall Street Journal

Rupert Murdoch buys Dow Jones & Co. which includes The Wall Street Journal for $5 billion-plus

2007 U.S.A. -- Mitchell Report

Mitchell Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal use of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone by Players in Major League Baseball is released which names 89 Major League Baseball players who are alleged to have used them.

2007 U.S.A. -- Democratic candidates debate in Johnston, Iowa

The Democratic candidates for the presidency have held their last debate before the nominating elections begin with the Iowa caucuses of January 3rd. Their discussion was more polite and genial than their previous encounters. The candidates outlined their positions on issues ranging from the economy to Iraq, trade, energy and human rights. Recent polls in Iowa have shown Barack Obama edging ahead of national frontrunner Hillary Clinton. The participants were: Joe Biden (DE), Hillary Clinton (NY), Barack Obama (IL), Christoper Dodd (CT) and John Edwards.

2007 EU -- Lisbon Treaty

E.U. leaders have signed a treaty in Lisbon that is expected to alter the way in which the 27-nation body operates. The treaty creates an E.U. president, as well as a more powerful foreign policy chief. The document, signed at a ceremony at the city's Jeronimos Monastery, also scraps veto powers in many policy areas. It has been signed as a replacement for the E.U. constitution, which was abandoned in the wake of French and Dutch opposition to it.

2007 Pakistan -- Musharaff takes control of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal

2007 : Pervez Musharraf has put the country's nuclear weapons under the control of the president, rather than its prime minister. On issuing an ordinance the president must have it ratified by parliament within six months. This move comes amid concern abroad that the country's nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of Islamist extremists.

2009 England -- Buckingham Palace denies Prince William is taking on more duties

Buckingham Palace has that claims of Prince William taking over a substantial part of the Queen's duties are 'total and utter fabrication.' British Newspapers have reported that the Queen was passing on more tasks to her grandson. One newspaper has said that the monarch is cutting her workload owing to her age. A royal spokesman told the BBC that Prince William was gradually taking on more engagements but there were no plans to by-pass Prince Charles.

2011 Belgium -- Gunman Attacks Liege, Belgium Killing Four

2011 : A gunman fired on the center of Liege in Belgium and killed at least four people while injuring another 123. The man also threw grenades into the city center before he killed himself. The shooter was identified as Nordine Amrani, a 33 year old man who had previous firearms offences.

2012 United States -- TV Ads Volume Law

A law was implemented that would make it mandatory for television advertisements to be played at the same volume level as the main program. The FCC adopted the rules a year prior but allowed a one-year grace period to adjust.

2013 North Korea -- Top North Korean Official Executed

2013 : It was announced by the North Korean media that leader Kim Jong-un's uncle, Chang Song-thaek, was executed for "acts of treachery." It was reported that he confessed to trying to overthrow the government at a military trial and was then executed. Chang had reportedly been a close mentor to Kim Jong-un as he took power in 2011.


Today in Labor History December 13th, 2024

 


Samuel Gompers


Death in San Antonio, Texas, of Samuel Gompers, president and founder of the American Federation of Labor - 1924

Major League Baseball’s Mitchell Report was released, identifying 85 names to differing degrees in connection with the alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs, and more events that happened on this day in history.

In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson, right, arrived in France, becoming the first chief executive to visit Europe while in office.

In 1977, Air Indiana Flight 216, a DC-3 carrying the University of Evansville basketball team on a flight to Nashville, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 29 people on board.

In 1981, authorities in Poland imposed martial law in a crackdown on the Solidarity labor movement. (Martial law formally ended in 1983.)

In 2000, Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency a day after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida; Democrat Al Gore conceded, delivering a call for national unity.

In 2002, Cardinal Bernard Law resigned as Boston archbishop because of the priest sex abuse scandal.

In 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces while hiding in a hole under a farmhouse in Adwar, Iraq, near his hometown of Tikrit.

The House Judiciary Committee approved two articles of impeachment accusing President Donald Trump of abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress in the investigation that followed. 2020

Tuesday, December 09, 2025

Tuesday Morning in the Blogosphere

 





Turning ‘maybe later’ into ‘let’s get started’ - E&P Magazine

Important Events From This day in History December 9th

 

  


1993 - Space -- Hubble Telescope Repair
1993 : A historic mission to repair the Hubble Telescope has ended and is considered a complete success with Hubble back in action . The repair involved of a number of space walks with the longest made by Story Musgrave and Jeff Hofman spending seven hours and 21 minutes on their final task to unravel the 40 ft solar panels which power Hubble. Find More What happened in 1993
 

1963 - U.S.A. -- Studebaker Production Ends
1963 : The last American made Studebaker is produced, and the factory in South Bend, Indiana, is closed
 

1990 - Poland -- Lech Walesa
1990 : Solidarity founder Lech Walesa wins Poland's presidential runoff by a landslide
 

1992 - England -- Charles Diana Separation
Prince Charles and Princess Diana announce a formal separation
 


http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/december10th.html

1901 - Canada -- Military to South Africa
The Canadian Mounted Military was going to supply 600-900 of its troops to help in fighting in the 2nd Boer War, to South Africa. They also would send 900 extra horses.
 
1923 - Mexico -- Rebels
Insurgents and government soldiers fought in Vera Cruz. General Sanchez, leading the rebels, took the battle to Tampico near Mexico's oil fields. American troops sailed from New Orleans to Vera Cruz to protect American interests.
 

1930 - U.S.A. -- Lettuce Dress
A gorgeous dancer from Hollywood, Billie Stockton, fashioned herself a dress from an entire head of lettuce and played the part of Eve in the garden of Eden. Her backdrop was donated by the Chamber of Commerce. El Centro, where the unusual dress was from is famous for its lettuce
 


1947 - India -- Kashmir Not Resolved
Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sandar Valiabbhai Patel announced that for the most part India and Pakistan reached an accord on the division between the two countries. However, the issue of Kashmir had not yet been resolved.
 

1959 - Norway -- Ship Sinks
Severe storms in the North Sea sunk a Norwegian freighter and twenty seamen were lost in the ocean. The Norwegian Air-Sea Rescue had three search planes looking for survivors. Seven men from the ship were rescued off of the Scottish coast. Radios were jammed in Norway due to all the emergency calls.
 

1968 - Albania -- Chinese Troops
1968 : Diplomats thought that China and Albania have come to a consensus about stationing Chinese troops in Albania to counter Russian aggression.
 

1973 - Northern Ireland -- Sunningdale Agreement
1973 : Tripartite talks on Northern Ireland have end with the signing of the Sunningdale Agreement the historic agreement to set up a Council of Ireland. After less than 12 months following strikes and paramilitary involvement the Council of Ireland collapsed and direct rule was imposed.
 

1975 - U.S.A. -- New York Bankruptcy
New York City government avoids bankruptcy when President Gerald R. Ford signed a $2.3 billion seasonal loan authorization to prevent the City from having to default and debt restructuring by the Municipal Assistance Corporation, headed by Felix Rohatyn. The city was also forced to accept increased financial scrutiny by an agency of New York State
 

1981 - Sweden -- Soviet Submarine Grounded
A Soviet submarine, stuck in the mud off of Sweden's shores, provided a lot of sport for the pacifist nation. The Soviets had approached Sweden in a menacing manner with warships, however, Swedish authorities insisted on boarding the submarine. In the end the superpower's submarine crew had to ask for Sweden's help to get back to the Baltic Sea - a humbling experience.
 

1993 - U.S.A. -- Missiles Destroyed
The US Air Force destroys the first of 500 Minuteman II missile silos marked for elimination under the Soviet / US arms control treaty.
 

1994 - U.S.A. -- Joycelyn Elders
President Bill Clinton fires Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders after she tells a conference that masturbation should be discussed in school as a part of human sexuality.
 



1999 - England -- Tyson Fight
The British could look forward to a fight between Mike Tyson and Julius Francis on January 29 in the city of Manchester. The British Commonwealth Championship was at stake and it was Tyson's first fight outside America since his defeat by James "Buster" Douglas in Tokyo.
 

2002 - U.S.A. -- United Airlines
United Airlines files for bankruptcy protection after losing $4 billion in the previous two years.
 

2004 - Canada -- Gay Marriage
Canada's Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is constitutional
 

2006 - Afghanistan -- Schools Built
Schools in Afghanistan needed to be rebuilt especially for girls, who under the Taliban, had been deprived of any education. Thirty-seven year old Ben Tupper from DeWitt, a member of the 27 Infantry Brigade, volunteered his time to help with the reconstruction along with sixteen other volunteers from New York.

 

2008 - United States -- Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich Arrested
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is taken into federal custody at his Chicago home for trying to trade Obama’s Senate seat . Newspapers say that the action comes amid allegations that his pay-to-play politics could affect his pending choice of who will be selected for Barack Obama's Senate seat.

 

2009 - Norway -- Mysterious lights in sky over Norway
The Norwegian Metrological Institute has received hundreds of calls from confused observers, but so far has been unable to identify the origin of the skylights that have been seen. Some experts have speculated that the phenomenon might have been caused by a Russian rocket launch, although the Russian embassy has insisted such claims are completely unfounded. Neither meteorologists, astronomers, or the armed forces have offered a solution to the matter. The light was captured by amateur photographer while he was on his way to work at a salmon factory. 'The light appeared for two or three minutes. I could not believe my eyes, and got the shivers and was quite shaken by it,' he said. Another observor, who saw the light phenomena from Sortland in northern Norway, added: 'A large ring appeared, and then spread out, sending a green beam down to earth.'
 

2012 - United Kingdom -- British Astronomer Dies
Sir Patrick Moore, a broadcaster and astronomer, died at the age of eighty-nine. Moore was known for being the longest-running host of the same tv show of all time, having hosted The Sky At Night for more than fifty years.

 

2013 - Russia -- State News Agency Replaced
Russian President Vladimir Putin closed the state-run news organization, RIA Novosti, in a surprise decree. He declared that it would be replaced by a new organization called "Russia Today," to be run by Putin supporter Dmitry Kiselev. The Voice of Russia radio station was also closed.

Today in Labor History December 9th

 


Ratification of a new labor agreement at Titan Tire of Natchez, Miss., ends the longest strike in the history of the U.S. tire industry, which began May 1, 1998, at the company's Des Moines, Iowa, plant - 2001

James D. Hodgson
In December 1970, President Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act into law, a result of Hodgson's work as secretary of labor. Hodgson also led the expansion of employment and training programs for Vietnam-era veterans under the Emergency Employment Act of 1971.

Lech Wałęsa
  • In 1990, Wałęsa won Poland's first direct presidential election after leading Solidarity, Poland's first independent trade union. He also received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1983. 

Saturday, December 06, 2025

Saturday Morning in the Blogosphere


 I remember how this made our house smell





New York Times and Chicago Tribune join the fray against Perplexity AI - Vital Law

Public Media Advertising: Fears of the Past, Hope for the Future - Second Rough Draft

Half of U.S. teens think journalists make up quotes and do favors for sources - E&P Reports

Important Events From This day in History December 6th

 

  

1969 U.S.A. -- Altamont Rolling Stones Concert

1969 : A free concert organized by the Rolling Stones featuring Santana, Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and The Rolling Stones at the disused Altamont Speedway in Livermore, Calif., is marred by the deaths of four people, including a man who was stabbed by a Hell's Angel, The stage, which was only four feet high, was surrounded by the Hells Angels, who acted as security for the concert.

1947 U.S.A. -- The Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park in Florida is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. It contains the southern 20% of the Everglades which was established as a National Park in 1934. The park is dedicated by President Harry S. Truman after 14 years on this date in history .

1989 Canada -- Ecole Polytechnique massacre

A gunmen dressed in combat fatigues enters the Ecole Polytechnique a Montreal engineering school Cafeteria where he separates the male and female students and begins shooting the female students, he then went into other classrooms doing similar thing. By the end of his reign of terror he had killed murdered 14 women students and injured a further 12 before killing himself. The gunmen was 25 year-old Marc Lepine, armed with a legally obtained semi-automatic rifle.

1790 United States -- US Capitol Moves From New York to Philadelphia

The United States Capitol moves from New York City to Philadelphia where it stays as the capitol until 1800 when the District of Columbia is completed and becomes the capitol.

1900 Great Britain -- Queens Speech

1900 : The Earl of Halsbury read the queen's speech in the House of Lords. In this special session the monarch appealed for funds to keep the British army going in South Africa and China. A sizable number of women were present and the meeting was brief.

1917 Canada -- Munitions Ship Explodes In Halifax Harbor

A French munitions ship filled with highly explosive munitions--2,300 tons of picric acid, 200 tons of TNT, 35 tons of high-octane gasoline, and 10 tons of gun cotton, explodes 20 minutes after colliding with another vessel in Halifax Harbor killing more than 1,800 people and destroying more than 1,600 homes.

1921 France -- French Blue-Beard

A famous trial at Versailles pitted prosecutor Godefroy against a well known criminal Landru, referred to as the "French Blue-Beard". The prosecutor exclaimed, "The Landru who you have to judge is a savage beast tracked down in the midst of his career of crime. He is a murderer, a monster whose heart no human sentiment has ever touched." During the trial blue beard's face was impassive, although he knew he was headed for the guillotine.

1922 Irish Free State -- Created

1922 : The Irish Free State is created as a dominion with British sovereign authority under the terms of the Anglo Irish Treaty. Originally the agreement did cover Northern Ireland but Northern Ireland chose the option to opt out of the dominion.

More about the Irish Free State

1938 Lithuania -- German Control

1938 : The Lithuanian government was rearranged because of Nazi German insistence. Bronius K Balutis, who worked as an editor for a Chicago Lithuanian-American newspaper became deputy prime minister in order to maintain German control

1941 Tunisia -- Germans Move into Tunisia

The allies feared that German inroads in Tunisia would pave the way for Nazi control over Africa. President Petain of France let the Germans move into Tunisia, but he would not allow them to use the French navy against Britain.

1954 U.S.A. -- Wonder Dog

1954 : A wonder dog named "Kid" was astounding the public with her uncanny genius. Owner H.S. Catchell claimed the canine understood more than 2,000 words and was still learning. Kid came from Omaha, Nebraska and her mother was a Labrador-Airedale cross. Apparently, the dog can point to light switches, identify certain stripes of neckties, and retrieve maps from a pile of papers. Kid's owner claims that mutts are smarter than purebreds when it comes to learning human language.

1962 England -- Deadly Smog

The thick layer of smog which has covered London causing the death of 90 people for the last three days is spreading across the country. Due to the high concentration of sulfur dioxide in the smog the Ministry of Health has advised those who are vulnerable to stay indoors or make "do-it-yourself masks" such as thick cotton gauze or a scarf around the mouth and nose.

1966 Hawaii -- Pearl Harbor

Captain James L. Holloway III master of the globe's largest nuclear warship thinks that a second attack on Pearl Harbor on the scale of December 7th, 1941 was unlikely. He remarked, "Since World War II, we have been at war more than we have not been at war… This is the most proficient and most competent military that I can imagine has ever existed in history."

1975 England -- Balcombe Street Hostages

Four armed men believed to be members of an IRA hit squad accused of shooting dead TV presenter Ross McWhirter on the run from police burst into a flat in in Balcombe Street, central London and take two hostages, The siege lasts six days and ends when the men surrendered themselves to detectives.

1978 Spain -- Free Elections

Spaniards cast a vote for democracy and are expected to endorse a new constitution in the referendum ending 40 years of dictatorial rule.

1979 Israel -- Iranian hostage crisis

Israel was hoping that the Iranian hostage crisis would propel Jimmy Carter's government towards a more pro-Israel mode. For quite some time Israel had accused the president of leaning towards a pro-Arab stance.

1983 Philippines -- Lean Christmas

Ferdinand Marcos told Filipinos to have a lean Christmas without luxury items. On the list of luxuries not to be purchased were apples, grapes, oranges, some kinds of fish, certain meats and other items. The Philippines was in the midst of a foreign exchange crisis.

1990 Iraq -- Defiant To US

Although sanctions and diplomacy were tried with Iraq its dictator, Saddam Hussein, remained defiant. Therefore, the Bush government threatened to forcibly throw Iraq out of Kuwait by January 15 if it did not leave peacefully.

1992 India -- Hindu Militants

A mob of Hindu militants tears down the Babri mosque in Ayodhya and attacked Muslim houses and property in the area setting off two months of Hindu-Muslim rioting that claimed at least 2,000 lives.

1994 U.S.A. -- Orange County

Orange County, Calif. an affluent California community filed for bankruptcy protection due to investment losses of about $2 billion on its multi-billion-dollar investment fund.

1994 England -- Oil Found Under Windsor Castle

Studies have shown there could be up to £1bn of oil lying beneath the Windsor Castle, in Berkshire, and the Queen has given the go ahead for oil drilling to take place in the grounds of Windsor Castle

1998 Venezuela -- Hugo Chavez

Hugo Chavez Frías the leader of the left-wing Fifth Republic Movement is elected President of Venezuela

2002 U.S.A. -- Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder is sentenced to community service for stealing more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills.

2004 Saudi Arabia -- Al Qaida

Al Qaida struck the U.S. Consulate in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, with explosives and machine guns, killing nine people

2006 Iraq -- Calls for Arab Nations Support

Tehran urged Arab nations to stand together and reject U.S. military bases on their soil. Iran's chief security officer warned, "The security and stability of the region needs to be attained and we should do it inside the region, not through bringing in foreign forces."

2006 Space -- NASA displays images of water sediment on Mars

NASA photographs reveal the deposits seen in two gullies on Mars that suggest that they have carried water through them over the past seven years. These are of liquid water, and not the water ice and water vapor that were already known to have existed on Mars. The photos have increased speculation of the potential for microbial life on the planet. 'These observations give the strongest evidence to date that water still flows occasionally on the surface of Mars,' said one of the Mars Exploration Program's scientists.

2006 U.S.A. -- Clint Eastwood’s Letters from Iwo Jima wins best film at the National Board of Review awards

Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima has won one of the first major prizes of the film award season. The movie received first place in the National Board of Review (NBR) best film category. Letters from Iwo Jima tells the story of the battle for control of the island during World War II, and is told from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers. "Letters from Iwo Jima is probably Mr. Eastwood's masterpiece and perhaps one of the greatest films of our time," said NBR president Annie Schulhof.

2007 U.S.A. -- The C.I.A. admit to destroying interrogation tapes

The Central Intelligence Agency has destroyed at least two of the videotapes that documenting the interrogation of two al-Qaeda operatives in the agency’s custody. It took this step in the middle of Congressional and legal scrutiny about the agency’s secret detention program. The videotapes were said to show agency operatives subjecting terror suspects to effective interrogation techniques in 2002.

2007 U.S.A. -- Mitt Romney

The Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has sought to dispel public scepticism about his Mormon faith by promising to defend religious freedom. Speaking only twenty-eight days before the first nominating race, he says that he would serve 'no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest' if elected. But Mr. Romney also criticized those who called for the removal from public life of 'any acknowledgement of God.'

2009 Iran -- Restrictions made on Iranian Students’ Day

Akbar Rafsanjani has been speaking a day before the annual Student Day, when demonstrations against the rule of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, are expected to go ahead. Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former Iranian president and opposition member, has accused the country's rulers of being intolerant, when restrictions on journalists are being imposed by the authorities. 'The situation in the country is such that constructive criticism is not accepted,' Rafsanjani told students in Mashhad. He called on Iran's political groups to work together to 'create a climate of freedom which will convince the majority of people and erase ambiguities.' Several websites have urged people to gather on Student Day near Tehran University campus.

2009 U.S.A. -- Bin Laden Whereabouts Not Known

The United States has no idea where Osama bin Laden may be hiding, and has not had the benefit of any substantial intelligence on his possible whereabouts for years, the Secretary of Defence has conceded. The morning's talk-shows have been defending and explaining Barack Obama's new surge-and-exit strategy for the Afghanistan war, and Mr. Gates said that bin Laden's capture would remain important to the military effort in the region. He was quick to admit there had been no recent progress. 'The U.S. would go and get bin Laden if it could gather reliable information on his location,' he said. Asked how long it had been since the U.S. had reliable intelligence on his whereabouts, Gates admitted: 'I think it's been years.'

2011 Belgium -- Belgium Swears In New Government After 541 Days

Belgium swears in a new government after a record-breaking 541 days without one. Elio Di Rupo became the Prime Minister and was sworn in by King Albert II. Di Rupo became Belgiums first Socialist prime minister since 1974 and the first French-speaking prime minister in thirty years.

2012 United States -- Tea Party Senator Resigns

Republican Tea Party Senator Jim DeMint from South Carolina announced that he would resign from his office in order to take a job leading a conservative think tank.

2013 Mexico -- Suspects Detained in Radioactive Truck Heist

Six men who had reportedly suffered symptoms of radiation poisoning were detained by authorities in Mexico only a few days after a truck carrying radioactive medical waste was hijacked outside of Mexico City. The truck had been carrying "Colbalt-60" and it was unlikely that the thieves knew what was in the truck, authorities reported that anyone who had come in close contact with the substance would likely face deadly symptoms of radiation poisoning.


Today in Labor History December 6th, 2025


 Colored National Labor Union



African-American delegates meet in Washington, D.C., to form the Colored National Labor Union as a branch of the all-White National Labor Union created three years earlier. Unlike the NLU, the CNLU welcomed members of all races. Isaac Myers was the CNLU's founding president; Frederick Douglass became president in 1872 - 1869

 
The Washington Monument is completed in Washington, D.C. On the interior of the monument are 193 commemorative stones, donated by numerous governments and organizations from all over the world; one of them is from the Int’l Typographical Union, founded in 1852.  In 1986 the ITU merged into the Communications Workers of America - 1884
 
A total of 361 coal miners die at Monongah, W.Va., in nation's worst mining disaster - 1907


Int’l Glove Workers Union of America merges into Amalgamated Clothing Workers - 1961 United Mine Workers begin what is to become a 110-day national coal strike - 1997