HistoryFile is a resource for editors and artists involved in graphic planning, and also provides a source of additional data for the graphics series On This Day. Search for events by day or keyword using the search bar above.

HistoryFile is collated and monitored by Julie Mullins. Please contact Julie if you have any queries or comments about this service.
Date Event Anniversary
November 22, 2008 New Zealand sprang a surprise by defeating Australia 34-20 to win the Rugby League World Cup Final for the first time. Prior to the final New Zealand had never beaten Australia in a World Cup match, while Australia had held the trophy since 1975 and were undefeated in the current tournament, including a 30-6 win over New Zealand in their opening game 2 years ago
November 22, 2008 The government of Zimbabwe refused entry to three eminent individuals of The Elders group, namely former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and Graça Machel, the wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela. The three had planned to travel to Zimbabwe in an attempt to speed up humanitarian assistance to the country. They were able to meet with Zimbabwe Prime Minister Designate Morgan Tsvangirai, who said the crisis in his country had reached catastrophic levels. The downturn in the economy had steeply accelerated, the official inflation rate was pegged at 231 million percent in July and health services had virtually collapsed. A widespread cholera epidemic now gripped the country, which had so far claimed some 300 lives 2 years ago
November 22, 2005 Angela Merkel was formally elected Germany’s first female Chancellor by a majority of 397 delegates to 217 in the newly assembled Bundestag 5 years ago
November 22, 2003 England defeated Australia 20-17 to win the Rugby World Cup in Sydney, becoming the first northern hemisphere team ever to win the tournament 7 years ago
November 22, 2002 An study on dogs published in Science magazine suggested that all dogs are descended from a population of wolves that lived in East Asia between 15,000 and 40,000 years ago 8 years ago
November 22, 2001 The Prost Grand Prix team was placed into receivership with debts of around $27m. The decision by a court in Versailles marked the end of a dream for former F1 star Alain Prost, who had hoped to add success as a team owner to his four world titles as a driver 9 years ago
November 22, 2001 Pope John Paul II sent the first official papal e-mail from a laptop in his office in the Vatican 9 years ago
November 22, 2000 A car bombing in Israel destroyed a bus during the moring rush hour, killing two people and injuring more than 60 in the northern city of Hadera 10 years ago
November 22, 2000 Czech athlete Emil Zatopek, who won Olympic gold medals in the 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon at the 1952 Helsinki games, died in Prague aged 78 10 years ago
November 22, 1998 Videotape of a terminally ill man being given a fatal injection by Dr. Jack Kevorkian was shown on U.S. televison. Kevorkian, who chose to tape the incident, had assisted in over 130 previous suicides but this was the first occasion on which he had directly administered the lethal dose. Three days later Michigan police charged him with first degree murder 12 years ago
November 22, 1997 Michael Hutchence, lead singer of top Australian rock band INXS, was found hanged in a Sydney hotel room 13 years ago
November 22, 1996 An Australian court sentenced Port Arthur killer Martin Bryant to life in jail for the massacre of 35 people at a tourist site in Tasmania in April 1996 14 years ago

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