December 3rd, 2008

Today in History

1992:
The Greek oil tanker Aegean Sea carrying 80,000 tonnes of crude oil runs aground in a storm while on approach to La Coruña, Spain, and spills much of its cargo.

1982:
A soil sample is taken from Times Beach, Missouri that would be found to contain 300 times the safe level of dioxin.

1970:
October Crisis: In Montreal, Quebec, kidnapped British Trade Commissioner James Cross is released by the Front de Libération du Québec terrorist group after being held hostage for 60 days. Police negotiate his release and in return the Government of Canada grants five terrorists from the FLQ's Chenier Cell their request for safe passage to Cuba.

1944:
Civil war breaks out in a newly-liberated Greece, between Communists and royalists.

1901:
US President Theodore Roosevelt delivers a 20,000-word speech to the House of Representatives asking Congress curb the power of trusts "within reasonable limits".