How Many Days Until December 31?

This day in history: December 31

1. 1986

   Three disgruntled employees set fire to the Dupont Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, killing more than 90 people and injuring 140 others, making it the second-deadliest hotel fire in American history.

2. 1993

   Brandon Teena, an American trans man, was raped and murdered in Humboldt, Nebraska; his death led to increased lobbying for hate crime laws in the United States.

3. 1998

   The European Exchange Rate Mechanism froze the exchange rates of the legacy currencies in the eurozone, establishing the value of the euro.

4. 1999

   Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin became acting president upon President Boris Yeltsin's unexpected resignation.

5. 1999

   In accordance with the Torrijos–Carter Treaties, Panama assumed full control of the Panama Canal Zone from the United States.

6. 2004

   Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan, opened to the public as the world's tallest building.

7. 2006

   War in Somalia: Transitional Federal Government forces attacked the last stronghold of the Islamic Courts Union in the town of Jilib.

Source: Wikipedia, text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.