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1 – Falklands War Between Argentina and the United Kingdom

The Falklands War was a ten-week war between Argentina and the United Kingdom over two British overseas territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands on April 2, 1982, when (also, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands) in an attempt to establish the sovereignty it had claimed over them.

The conflict lasted 74 days, ending with Argentinian surrender on June 14, 1982, returning the islands to British control.

In total, 649 Argentines, 255 British, and three Falkland Islanders died during the fighting.

Argentina still maintains the islands are an Argentine territory and saw this as an action to reclaim its own territory.

The British government regarded the action as an invasion of a territory that had been a Crown colony since 1841.

Falkland Islanders, who have inhabited the islands since the early 19th century, are predominantly descendants of British settlers, and favor British sovereignty.

There has been no change in either country’s position regarding the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. In 1994, Argentina’s claim to the territories was added to its constitution.

2 – The Body of God’s Banker, Roberto Calvi is Found Hanging Beneath Blackfriars Bridge in London

Roberto-Calvi
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Roberto Calvi was an Italian banker, dubbed ‘God’s Banker’  by the press because of his close association with the Holy See.

A native of Milan, Calvi had been Chairman of Banco Ambrosiano, which collapsed in one of modern Italy’s biggest political scandals.

On June 10, 1982, Calvi went missing from his Rome apartment, having fled the country on a false passport, fleeing initially to Venice. From there, he apparently hired a private plane to London via Zurich.

On June 18, a man was crossing London’s Blackfriars Bridge and noticed the body hanging from scaffolding beneath the bridge.

Calvi’s clothing was stuffed with bricks, and he was carrying around $15,000 worth of cash.

His death is a source of enduring controversy and was ruled a murder after two coroner’s inquests and an independent investigation.

In Rome, in June 2007, five people were acquitted of the murder.

3 – Massacre of Over 1000 Palestinian Refugees at Shatila & Sabra

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The Sabra and Shatila massacre was the killing of between up to 3,500 civilians, mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites.

They were killed by a militia close to a predominantly Christian Lebanese right-wing party in the Sabra neighborhood and the adjacent Shatila refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon.

The massacre was presented as retaliation for the assassination of newly elected Lebanese president Bachir Gemayel, the leader of the Lebanese Kataeb Party.

In 1983, a commission chaired by Seán MacBride, the assistant to the UN Secretary-General and President of the United Nations General Assembly at the time, concluded that Israel bore responsibility for the violence.

The commission also concluded that the massacre was a form of genocide.

Also, in 1983, the Israeli Kahan Commission found that Israeli military personnel, aware that a massacre was in progress, had failed to take serious steps to stop it.

The commission deemed Israel indirectly responsible, and Ariel Sharon, then-Defense Minister, bore personal responsibility, forcing him to resign.

4 – Princess Grace Dies After Her Car Plunges Off Mountain Road

Grace-Kelly
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Grace Kelly was an American actress who became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III, in April 1956.

Kelly retired from acting at the age of 26 to marry Rainier and began her duties as Princess of Monaco.

On September 13, 1982, she was driving to Monaco from her country home in Roc Agel when she had a stroke.

She lost control of her car and drove off the road, and falling down the 120 ft mountainside.

Her daughter, Stéphanie, who was a passenger, had tried to regain control of the car but failed.

When paramedics arrived, Kelly was alive but unconscious and in critical condition.

After arriving at the hospital in Monaco, doctors attempted to resuscitate Grace but because of the extent of her injuries, they were unable to save her life.

Doctors believe that she had suffered a minor stroke that caused her to lose control. Kelly died the following night, aged 52 after Rainier chose to take his wife off life support.

Stephanie suffered a hairline fracture on her seventh cervical vertebra. She was unable to attend her mother’s funeral because of her injuries.