Iran–Contra affair: 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.

The Iran–Contra Affair was a political scandal in the United States during the mid-1980s, centered around the covert sale of arms to Iran, which was under an arms embargo, and the illegal diversion of proceeds to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua. The Contras were fighting against the Sandinista government, which the U.S. opposed due to its socialist leanings. The scheme violated both the arms embargo and the Boland Amendment, which explicitly prohibited U.S. funding of the Contras. Orchestrated by senior officials within the Reagan administration, the affair involved a complex web of secret dealings, including the use of intermediaries and off-the-books transactions. When the operation was exposed in 1986, it caused a massive public outcry and led to congressional hearings, revealing a lack of oversight and accountability in the executive branch. While several officials were indicted, President Reagan denied direct knowledge of the scandal, though it significantly tarnished his administration’s reputation. The affair highlighted broader issues about executive overreach and the clandestine conduct of foreign policy.

MS Explorer, a cruise liner carrying 154 people, sinks in the Antarctic Ocean south of Argentina after hitting an iceberg near the South Shetland Islands. There are no fatalities and everyone was rescued.

The MS Explorer was not a typical cruise liner but rather a small expedition cruise ship. On November 23, 2007, the MS Explorer sank in the Antarctic Ocean. The vessel hit an iceberg near the South Shetland Islands, leading to its eventual sinking.

The ship was carrying 154 people, including passengers and crew, on a 19-day cruise to Antarctica. The collision with the iceberg caused a breach in the ship’s hull, leading to the flooding of the engine room. Despite efforts to contain the damage, the water ingress was too severe, and the decision was made to abandon ship.

Fortunately, there were no casualties, as all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated to lifeboats and later picked up by a passing cruise ship, the MV Nordnorge, and a nearby Antarctic research station. The crew and passengers endured extreme conditions in lifeboats and makeshift shelters before rescue.

The sinking of the MS Explorer highlights the challenges and risks associated with navigation in polar regions. It also underscores the importance of stringent safety measures and preparedness for extreme conditions when operating in such environments. The incident prompted discussions and reviews within the cruise industry regarding safety protocols for Antarctic and Arctic expeditions.

Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury announces in a statement that he is HIV-positive. He dies the following day.

French and Poles defeat the Spanish at Battle of Tudela.

The first smartphone, the IBM Simon, is introduced at COMDEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Mexican Revolution: The last of U.S. forces withdraw from Veracruz, occupied seven months earlier in response to the Tampico Affair.

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The Beatles release With the Beatles.
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A cyclone kills over 1000 people in eastern Sri Lanka.

The 1978 cyclone in Eastern province was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike Eastern province of Sri Lanka on November 23, 1978. The cyclone was started at local time 6.30 pm and continued to next day morning and damaged the areas from Trincomalee to Arugam bay. In eastern province, Akkaraipattu, Ninthavur, Kalmunai, Kaluwanchikuddy, Pattiruppu, Chettipalayam, Thalankudah, Kattankudy, Batticaloa, Eravur and Kalkudah were most affected area due to cyclone’s vortex zone.

Due to the cyclone, approximately a thousand persons died, more than one million people affected, nearly 250,000 houses partially and completely damaged, 240 school buildings damaged, one fifth of Batticaloa’s fishing fleet smashed up, 9 of the 11 paddy stores destroyed, 90 percent of the coconut plantation 28,000 odd acres of coconut plantation in the Batticaloa district destroyed. Government had spent over LKR 600 million in order to response to the disaster. A post cyclone survey found that approximately 130 miles of electric cables were laid, so many religious building were destroyed or damaged. The cyclone resulted to people suffer without electricity, water and debris of fallen buildings, trees, etc. TIROS-N was observation satellite during the disaster and it was able to inform and to capture images.

Due to Sri Lanka being very unprotected, it is prone to US Millions of damage.