▁Security ▁Dec ision ▁Direct ive ▁ 1 7 ▁( NS DD - 1 7 ), ▁author izing ▁the ▁Central ▁Int elligence ▁Agency ▁to ▁rec ruit ▁and ▁support ▁Cont ra ▁reb els ▁in ▁Nic ar agua . ▁▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁torn ado ▁out break , ▁the ▁largest ▁recorded ▁torn ado ▁out break ▁in ▁European ▁history . ▁ ▁November ▁ 2 5 – 2 6 ▁– ▁A ▁group ▁of ▁mer cen aries ▁led ▁by ▁Mike ▁Ho are ▁take ▁over ▁Ma he ▁air port ▁in ▁the ▁Se ych elles ▁in ▁a ▁coup ▁attempt . ▁Most ▁of ▁them ▁escape ▁by ▁a ▁comm ande ered ▁Air ▁India ▁passenger ▁jet ; ▁six ▁are ▁later ▁arrested . ▁ ▁November ▁ 3 0 – Dec ember ▁ 1 7 ▁– ▁Cold ▁War : ▁In ▁Gene va , ▁represent atives ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁attempt ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁intermediate - range ▁nuclear ▁weapon ▁redu ctions ▁in ▁Europe ; ▁the ▁meet ings ▁end ▁incon clus ively . ▁ ▁December ▁▁ ▁December ▁ 1 ▁– ▁An ▁I nex - Ad ria ▁A vi op rom et ▁Mc D onn ell ▁Douglas ▁MD - 8 0 ▁strik es ▁a ▁mountain ▁peak ▁and ▁crashes ▁while ▁approaching ▁A j ac cio ▁Airport ▁in ▁C ors ica , ▁killing ▁all ▁ 1 8 0 ▁people ▁on ▁board . ▁ ▁December ▁ 4 ▁– ▁South ▁Africa ▁gr ants ▁C iske i ▁independence , ▁not ▁recognized ▁outside ▁South ▁Africa . ▁ ▁December ▁ 7 ▁– ▁Rot ary ▁International ▁char ters ▁the ▁Rot