On this day — December 17

This act became the catalyst for the Tunisian Revolution and the wider Arab Spring.

resulting in the deaths of 44 people and over 28,000 animals.

Hong Kong.

His girlfriend, Maxine Carr, is found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

piloted by Brian Binnie, makes its first powered and first supersonic flight.

The Congolese parties of the Inter Congolese Dialogue sign a peace accord which makes provision for transitional governance and legislative and presidential elections within two years.

Fourteen members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement provoke a hostage crisis by taking over the Japanese embassy in Lima.

A Yakovlev Yak-42 crashes into the Pierian Mountains near Thessaloniki Airport in Thessaloniki, Greece, killing all 70 people on board.

Protests continue in Timișoara, Romania, with rioters breaking into the Romanian Communist Party's District Committee building and attempting to set it on fire.

Three police officers and three civilians are killed.