... 1985, shortly before midnight in Auckland Harbour, New Zealand, explosions 60 seconds apart exploded the stern of Rainbow Warrior (right), killing a crew member and sinking the flagship of an environment-focused nongovernmental organization, Greenpeace. The mining of the ship, which had been "preparing to visit Moruroa Atoll for a major campaign against French nuclear testing," later was linked to intelligence agents from France. France eventually paid New Zealand $7 million compensation.... 1992 (15 years ago today), a federal judge in Miami sentenced Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega, de facto leader of Panama until deposed by the U.S. military in 1989, to 40 years in prison following conviction on drug-trafficking and money-laundering charges. The sentence was later reduced, and Noriega's possible release this year has begun to stir debate in Panama.
