November 23rd, 2008

Today in History

1985:
Gunmen hijack EgyptAir Flight 648 while en route from Athens to Cairo. When the plane lands in Malta, Egyptian commandos storm the hijacked jetliner, but 60 people die in the raid.

1981:
Iran-Contra scandal: Ronald Reagan signs the top secret National Security Decision Directive 17 (NSDD-17), giving the Central Intelligence Agency the authority to recruit and support Contra rebels in Nicaragua.

1980:
A series of earthquakes in southern Italy kills approximately 4,800 people.

1955:
The Cocos Islands are transferred from United Kingdom to Australian control.

1644:
Areopagitica by John Milton is published.