We’ve witnessed some jaw-dropping business scandals that raised eyebrows and sent shockwaves through financial corridors. Picture this as an economic rollercoaster with twists, turns, and a fair share of ups and downs. So grab your seat belts as we ride through ten business scandals so big they shook the economy.

Related: 10 Scandalous Pyramid Schemes

10 Deepwater Horizon

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster was an event that sent shockwaves through the business world, leaving an impact on the economy. In April 2010, an offshore drilling rig operated by BP suffered a blowout, leading to a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The incident resulted in the loss of 11 lives and caused damage to marine life and coastal ecosystems.

At the heart of the scandal were oversights and negligence in safety procedures. The blowout preventer, a crucial safety device, failed to activate, allowing millions of barrels of oil to gush into the ocean for 87 days before the well was capped. The environmental fallout was devastating, with damage to fisheries, wildlife habitats, and the livelihoods of communities along the Gulf Coast.

BP faced immense public backlash, legal battles, and a significant financial toll. The company eventually pleaded guilty to criminal charges and agreed to pay billions in settlements and fines. The Deepwater Horizon disaster reminds us of the importance of corporate responsibility and the consequences that can arise from negligence in the pursuit of profit.

9 Lehman Brothers

In the mid-2000s, a financial storm was brewing. Lehman Brothers, a giant in the banking world, was at the heart of it. The scandal that rocked the economy was none other than the subprime housing crisis.

Lehman Brothers got tangled up in the subprime mortgage mess like many others. Banks were lending money to people who couldn’t afford it, particularly for homes. These were called subprime mortgages. Lehman Brothers invested heavily in these risky loans, thinking the housing market was invincible.

However, in 2008, the bubble burst. People couldn’t pay their mortgages, and the value of homes plummeted. Lehman Brothers faced a mountain of debt and, shockingly, filed for bankruptcy in September. This wasn’t just any bankruptcy. It was the largest in U.S. history at the time.

The Lehman Brothers collapse sent shockwaves through the financial world, triggering a global economic crisis. Many lost their jobs, homes, and savings. The subprime housing crisis taught us about the dangers of risky financial practices, leaving a lasting impact on how we view and regulate the world of finance.

8 Turing Pharmaceuticals

Turing Pharmaceuticals’ price gouging is a notorious chapter in business scandals that left a lasting impact. In 2015, the company, led by CEO Martin Shkreli, gained infamy for increasing the price of Daraprim, a life-saving drug used to treat infections. The price skyrocketed from $13.50 to a staggering $750 per pill overnight, causing an uproar across the nation.

This scandal shed light on the darker side of the pharmaceutical industry, where profit motives sometimes overshadow humanitarian concerns. Daraprim, a medication vital for those with a compromised immune system, became unaffordable, leading to concerns about access to essential healthcare.

The public outrage prompted investigations, and Shkreli, dubbed “the most hated man in America,” faced legal consequences. Turing Pharmaceuticals’ actions sparked a broader conversation about the ethics of drug pricing and the need for regulations to prevent such exploitative practices.

This scandal highlights the importance of ethical business practices and the potential consequences when companies prioritize profits over people’s well-being.

7 Bear Stearns

Bear Stearns Companies Inc., known for its role in the investment banking industry, faced a tumultuous downfall in 2008. At the heart of the scandal was the subprime mortgage crisis. The housing market collapse triggered a chain reaction across the financial sector.

Bear Stearns, heavily invested in risky mortgage-backed securities, faced severe financial strain. In a desperate attempt to stay afloat, the company faced a liquidity crisis as clients and investors began losing confidence. The situation reached a critical point in March 2008 when Bear Stearns teetered on the edge of bankruptcy.

The Federal Reserve and JPMorgan Chase stepped in with a bailout plan to prevent a complete financial catastrophe. JPMorgan acquired Bear Stearns at a mere fraction of its market value, marking one of the most significant moments in the 2008 financial crisis. The Bear Stearns scandal shows risky financial practices and the far-reaching impact a single company’s downfall can have on the broader economy.

6 Valeant Pharmaceuticals

Once hailed as a rising star in the pharmaceutical industry, Valeant Pharmaceuticals faced a staggering downfall. Their demise was caused by a scandal that left investors and the public in disbelief. At the heart of the controversy was Valeant’s aggressive drug pricing strategy. The company would acquire existing medications and then hike prices, sometimes by astronomical percentages. This garnered widespread criticism and drew the attention of regulators and lawmakers.

As investigations unfolded, it was revealed that Valeant had engaged in questionable accounting practices, creating a web of complex relationships with specialty pharmacies to boost sales. These practices inflated the company’s revenues, leading to a false portrayal of its financial health.

The fallout was swift and severe. Valeant’s stock plummeted, erasing billions in market value. Executives faced legal scrutiny, and the scandal sparked debates about ethics and corporate responsibility. The Valeant Pharmaceuticals scandal shows us what happens when companies prioritize profits over integrity. It left a lasting impact on the pharmaceutical industry and prompted a reevaluation of business practices to prevent such issues.

5 Barclays Libor Manipulation

The Barclays Libor Manipulation scandal is a shocking episode that shook the economy. Libor, or the London Interbank Offered Rate, is a global benchmark interest rate. In 2012, Barclays, a prominent British bank, faced scrutiny when it was revealed that they manipulated Libor rates to benefit their trading positions.

Essentially, Barclays dishonestly reported lower interest rates to appear more financially stable than they were. This deceitful practice had far-reaching consequences, impacting the integrity of the global financial system. The scandal tarnished Barclays’ reputation and raised concerns about the trustworthiness of other financial institutions.

As a result of the scandal, Barclays faced hefty fines and legal repercussions. The incident shed light on the need for stronger regulations and oversight in the banking industry. It served as a wake-up call for businesses and regulators alike, highlighting the importance of maintaining transparency and ethical practices in the financial world.

4 Enron

In the early 2000s, Enron was an energy company that, at its peak, was considered a model of success. However, it all came crashing down when it was revealed that executives had engaged in widespread financial fraud. They manipulated accounting practices to hide debts and inflate profits, painting a rosy picture of the company’s health when, in reality, it was on the verge of collapse.

The scandal led to thousands of employees losing their jobs and retirement, and investors faced significant financial losses. Enron’s tale serves as a reminder that even the mightiest can fall when honesty and integrity are compromised. The Enron scandal prompted a reevaluation of corporate governance and financial regulations to prevent such catastrophic events.

3 Facebook Privacy

Imagine sharing your secrets with a close friend, only to find out they’ve been telling everyone. That’s what happened when Facebook, the social media giant we all thought was keeping our secrets safe, was mishandling our personal information.

In 2018, it was discovered that a political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, accessed data from millions of Facebook users without their knowledge or consent. This data included personal details, likes, and even friend lists. It wasn’t just a small leak—it was a floodgate opening to potential misuse of information.

The scandal raised concerns about user privacy and sparked a global conversation about the responsibilities of tech companies. Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, faced scrutiny as he testified before Congress, promising changes to protect user data. This incident prompted users to rethink what they share online. It led to increased calls for better laws to safeguard our digital lives.

2 Baninter

In the early 2000s, the Dominican Republic faced a financial earthquake. Baninter (Banco International), once a respected bank, crumbled under the weight of fraudulent activities. In 2003, it was revealed that bank executives had been cooking the books, creating a façade of financial stability while hiding debts. The scam reached a staggering $3.7 billion, leaving investors and customers in disbelief.

As the truth unfolded, panic rippled through the nation. People who had trusted Baninter with their savings faced financial ruin. The government had to intervene, injecting billions to stabilize the economy and restore confidence in the financial system.

The Baninter scandal shook the Dominican Republic’s economy and underscored the need for stringent oversight to prevent similar catastrophes. This chapter in financial history teaches us that trust and honesty are the pillars of a stable economy. When those crumble, the repercussions are felt by everyone.

1 Jerome Kerviel

Jerome Kerviel, a former junior trader at Société Générale, found himself at the center of a financial storm in 2008. He accumulated a staggering €70 billion of unauthorized trades, surpassing the bank’s risk limits. His actions shocked everyone, as the losses jeopardized the stability of one of France’s leading financial institutions.

Kerviel’s risky maneuvers included fictitious trades and deceptive practices to hide his activities. When the truth came to light, it led to panic in financial markets. It prompted a massive bailout operation by Société Générale. The scandal exposed flaws in risk management systems within the banking industry and raised questions about accountability.

This real-life financial thriller drives home the need for transparency, oversight, and ethical behavior in business. The Jerome Kerviel trading scandal remains a landmark event that shaped discussions on financial regulations and the need for stricter controls to prevent such economic scares.

Rock ‘n’ roll makes the world go ‘round. Rock music has its own ‘personality’ and fans see it as the superior genre. It is also no secret that rock ‘n’ roll has influenced society in a way no other genre of music has. On this list are just some of the many rock songs that shook the world at one point in history.

Top 10 Performances In Rock Music History

10 “Helter Skelter” – The Beatles

“Helter Skelter” is regarded as a key influence in the development of heavy metal music. Paul McCartney found the inspiration for the song in a published interview with Pete Townshend from the Who and wanted “Helter Skelter” to be the loudest, most raucous song The Beatles had ever released.

The song was released in November 1968 and quickly became very popular. It wasn’t an easy road however, as it took 18 takes of around 5 minutes each to complete the recording. It has since been covered by a number of bands including Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, U2 and Oasis.

And while the seemingly innocent lyrics were about a playground slide as a metaphor for the rise and fall of an empire, mass murderer Charles Manson interpreted them very differently. To him, they incited murder and an inevitable race war. During his trial he stated “I hear what it relates. It says rise. It says kill. Why blame it on me? I didn’t write the music.”

9 “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” – The Darkness

In September 2003, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles chart. It was an instant hit and was eventually named 47th of the 101 Greatest Guitar Tracks in 2005. The song ranked number one on a list of ‘Greatest Rock Songs of the Noughties’ and according to a 2020 poll the song was ranked ‘The Greatest Song of the Century.’

The catchy tune was covered by many different artists including Panic! At the Disco, Hanson and Delta Goodrem and featured in several commercials. Sadly, the band saw a rapid decline in popularity, and disbanded in 2006 when frontman Justin Hawkins entered rehab.

In 2011, the original four members of The Darkness reunited and by 2012 they had returned to the UK charts with a new album titled “Hot Cakes”. A few months later they opened for Lady Gaga on her Born This Way Tour. To date they are still playing shows and touring the world.

8 “House of the Rising Sun” – The Animals

The Animals’ 1964 version of this traditional folk-rock song was the most successful version and hit number one on the UK Singles Chart. Distinctive vocalist, Eric Burdon, revealed during an interview that he’d heard the song sung by Johnny Handle and that the band had chosen to record it because of its ‘different’ sound. They started closing out their set with the song during their joint tour with Chuck Berry and was amazed at the overwhelming reaction from the audiences.
It is said that Bob Dylan was inspired to ‘go electric’ after hearing the Animal’s version of the song over the radio.

7 “Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes

The legendary first seven notes of “Seven Nation Army” have made the song a hit with football fans. The song wasn’t an immediate hit when released by rock duo The White Stripes, but it took a mere six months for the tune to become a staple of football matches. Its extreme popularity in football stadiums is credited to Belgian team Club Brugge, who sang the riffs of the song after celebrating their victory against AC Milan in 2006.

Eventually “Seven Nation Army” was named one of the best songs of the 2000s and greatly contributed to the popularity of The White Stripes.

6 “American Woman” – The Guess Who

During their most successful streak, Canadian rock band The Guess Who released a total of eleven studio albums. The most well-known of the lot is their 1970 American Woman album which quickly reached number one on the charts in Canada.

The song “American Woman” stayed at the top of the charts for three weeks and also performed very well in other parts of the world. There have been a lot of speculation surrounding the song’s lyrics, with some believing it was an attack on US politics and others seeing the lyrics as being exceptionally chauvinistic. When the band were invited to play at the White House in 1970, Pat Nixon made it clear that the song should not form part of the playlist.

Guitarist, Randy Bachman, said during an interview in 2014 that “American Woman” was an anti-war protest song and expressed the band’s feelings regarding the Vietnam War.

5 “We’re Not Gonna Take It” – Twisted Sister

Twisted Sister was originally known as Silver Star and shook up their member list quite a few times before settling on the line-up that most fans knew and loved. The heavy metal band disbanded in 1988 after their latest attempt at an album was a complete failure and fans started criticizing the pop sound of it.

Twisted Sister reunited in 1997 and recorded new albums, headlined benefit concerts and played several festivals. In March 2015, the band’s drummer A.J. Pero died in his sleep while they were on tour. A month later the band announced their final tour which included tribute shows in honor of Pero. Their final concert was played in November 2016.

Even though the band no longer performs, they will always be fondly remembered for their stand-out hit, “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” The inspiration for the song came from glam rock band, Slade, as well as the popular Christmas carol, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

The song was also used as the theme song for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign with reports saying that songwriter, Dee Snider, had given Trump permission to do so. He later retracted the permission and asked the presidential candidate to refrain from using the song during rallies.

4 “Pour Some Sugar on Me” – Def Leppard

Def Leppard are one of those bands parents warned their teenagers against. The band’s very famous song “Love Bites” was thought to contain subliminal satanic messages. There were rumors of posters featuring the band, catching fire for no reason or rolling up by itself.

Despite all these rumors, Def Leppard was and remains one of the most beloved rock bands in the world. Their signature song “Pour Some Sugar on Me”, inspired by Aerosmith and Run-DMC’s “Walk This Way”, was part of their Hysteria album which sold 3 million copies in 1988 alone.

Lead vocalist, Joe Elliott, and producer Mutt Lange, used microcassette players and ‘sang noises’ into it after which they swapped the players and tried to translate each other’s noises. This ultimately led to the writing of the hit song as we know it today.

3 “My Generation” – the Who

The Who is still considered one of the best and most influential rock bands of the 20th century. The band sold over 100 million albums and they are credited with the development of rock opera, the use of the synthesizer as well as the Marshall stack.

They are well known for songs like “Substitute”, “I Can See for Miles”, and “Pinball Wizard.”

Their highest-charting single in the UK, “My Generation”, includes a vocal stutter and became a massive hit. It has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and was also the center of a strange rumor that said the lyrics were inspired by the Queen Mother who had guitarist Pete Townshend’s Packard Hearse towed away from his house.

Townshend refuted this saying that the song was in fact about drawing a line between people who lived through WWII and people who were born at the end of it.

2 “Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd has been referred to as a band for the ages and remains extremely popular to this day. They were the force behind The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, among others, and are cited as the greatest progressive rock band of all time.

The band’s backstory includes very dark moments, including lead singer Syd Barrett’s mental health decline which forced him to retire from the band in 1968. These moments made their way into many of the songs recorded by Pink Floyd, sadness palpable in the lyrics.

In 1980, the band released what would become a monster hit: “Comfortably Numb.” The song is regarded as one of Pink Floyd’s best and many fans have stated that David Gilmour’s guitar solo is the best ever. Roger Waters who wrote the lyrics, said that he was inspired to write them by remembering how he felt as a child whenever he was sick with a fever.

1 “Under Pressure” – Queen & David Bowie

In 1981, Queen and David Bowie collaborated on one of the most unforgettable songs in music history. Freddy Mercury and Bowie decided that while recording improvisations, they each shouldn’t hear what the other had sung, which gave the song its unique construction. The name of the song was originally going to be “People on the Streets” but Bowie insisted that it be called “Under Pressure.” He also insisted on being present when the record was mixed.

The result of the collaboration at Mountain Studios in Switzerland was a song that remains a timeless classic, and exceptionally popular.

Top 20 Best Rock Bands Of All Time

2019 has seen a major rise in protest action throughout Britain. Over the past few months climate change activists have been out in full force. In April campaigners from political movement Extinction Rebellion blocked numerous roads and train lines in London; Using tactics that included gluing themselves to a lorry. Elsewhere crowds of young people have been following in the footsteps of Greta Thunberg and going on strike to demand that parliament declare a climate emergency.

These environmental rallies are hardly the first protests to happen in Britain, nor will it be the last judging from current enthusiasm. The divisive debate around exiting the European Union has sparked a number of marches from both pro-Leave and pro-Remain forces. Movements around a wide variety campaigns; Everything from Palestinian solidarity to the incarceration of Tommy Robinson – are a semi-regular sight in some city centers.

Britain’s history has been shaped by mass action and protest. Whether you think of the people involved as brave fighters taking a stand against worthwhile causes or just needless time wasters. Here are ten times that activists rose up in Britain.

10. General Strike, May 1926

The best part of a century ago, over one and a half million British workers took industrial action against insufficient wages and long work hours. On May 3rd 1926, a large contingency of coal miners made the decision to go on strike. Their bosses were making plans to slash their pay by 13%, whilst also adding an extra hour to their shifts.

In an act of solidarity, masses of other workers joined the miners in striking. Dock workers, builders, electricians and many more took to picket lines across the country. Without drivers, the trains and buses were brought to a standstill. Police and strikers clashed violently. A warship was sent to Newcastle to aggressively intimidate the strikers back to work.

In the end Britain’s Trade Union Congress brought the strikes to an end without any victories. By November miners were either unemployed or had returned to work under worse conditions. In the aftermath of the struggle prime minister Stanley Baldwin passed a law forbidding mass picketing, which is still in place today.

9. The Chartists, 1848

Nowadays almost every adult with British citizenship has the right to vote in elections; (Excluding prisoners and some people involved in the upper echelons of parliament). Historically this has not always been the case. From 1832 only 18% of adult men were allowed to vote. The working classes, who did not own property, were still without suffrage.

The Chartist movement aimed to bring this to an end. Their six key demands were listed in the People’s Charter, which called on votes for all men over 21 and votes by secret ballot amongst other things.

In 1848, having already been rejected twice, the Chartists presented their petition to Parliament. The petition had an estimated six million signatures, or so they claimed. The 20,000 Chartists who assembled on Kennington Common were met by 8,000 soldiers, and their petition was rejected once again.

In spite of this defeat many of those in Parliament still feared that the movement would escalate into a revolution. Riots had sprung up in Manchester and Preston. And at the time vast swathes of the working class were living in poverty and hunger. Several Reform Acts were passed throughout the remainder of the nineteenth century. And, by 1918 all but one of their demands had been met.

8. Poll Tax Riots, March 31st 1990

In her final few years in office, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher introduced a flat-rate poll tax – officially known as the Community Charge. First instigated in 1989, the tax was met by monumental opposition. Several different campaigns urged the public to refuse payment. Droves of activists took the streets to confront what they saw as a vicious attack on the working class.

Following on from various active demonstrations that had broken out in some pockets of the country, a mass protest was scheduled for March 31st 1990. On the day more than 200,000 incensed Brits marched across central London demanding an end to the poll tax. The police reacted with a vast display of force. Officers on horseback charged at the crowds, whilst others attacked the protesters with riot shields and truncheons. In the face of this provocation, the protesters responded by hurling impromptu projectiles like bottles, sticks and placards. The total 339 protesters were arrested.

In response to the public’s hostility, the Community Charge was dropped in 1993 after only a few years and replaced with the property-based Council Tax system.

7. Stop The War, February 15th 2003

The single biggest march ever to happen in Britain. In 2003 somewhere between 750,000 and two million protesters marched across London. The march – which was held in conjunction with hundreds of similar demonstrations globally – aimed to take a stand against the planned invasion of Iraq. Protestors flocked to the capital from 250 towns and cities to join in with the rally. Waving pro-peace banners and urging Prime Minister Tony Blair not to go to war.

Despite the enormous turn-out the march proved unsuccessful in preventing war. In March that year British troops carried out a ferocious incursion of the Iraqi province Basra. Bombs from coalition forces rained down on Baghdad on the spurious claim that Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. Years later Iraq remains ravaged by conflict, which has been exacerbated since the emergence of militant organizations such as ISIL.

6. Student Protests, November and December 2010

In 2010 the British government announced plans to triple university tuition fees to £9,000 and abolish the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for college students. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who had previously promised to oppose any attempts to hike tuition fees, refused to take a stand against the proposed raise.

Outraged by the decision, tens of thousands of students came out in protest against the education funding cuts. Towards the end of 2010 the National Union of Students and University and College Union held a series of demonstrations, particularly centered on London. The most prominent marches saw activists smashing windows, clashing with the police and on one occasion storming a government building in the centre of London.

Ultimately Parliament refused to meet the protesters demands. The cost of an undergraduate degree for home students now stands at up to £9,250 per year in England and EMA has faded to a long distant memory. On top of this the maintenance grant for students from low-income backgrounds was scrapped in 2016, and the education budget cuts show no sign of slowing down.

5. Brixton Riots, April 1981

Brixton in Lambeth, South London is one of the most multicultural and poorest districts in Britain. Over the past seventy years a large population of immigrants, particularly Irish, West Indian and Afro-Caribbean, have settled in the area. In the 1980s poverty there was rife. The borough of Lambeth was marred by poorly built and often dangerous housing and the levels of employment were worryingly low.

By spring 1981, following a step up in the use of stop and search, the strained relationship between black youths and white police officers in Brixton was threatening to spill over. These tensions reached breaking point on Friday April 10th 1981 when a group of black locals attacked a police vehicle, launching glass bottles at the windscreen.

Disturbances escalated over the course of the weekend. Protesters were set upon with police dogs, police vans were attacked with petrol bombs and bricks, and over a hundred businesses and vehicles sustained damage. An inquiry into the violence recommended that police should liaise more with Brixton locals to ease the animosity.

4. Peasants’ Revolt, 1381

Another British rebellion sparked in opposition to a poll tax, the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 saw artisans, villeins, laborers and the working classes conspire against young King Richard II. The protests broke out in May of that year and by June 13th had spread to the capital. Under the command of Wat Tyler, English rebels stormed into London, slaughtering several merchants and demolishing the palace of the Duke of Lancaster.

Over the following days the Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Sudbury was killed, as was Wat Tyler. However the momentum was short lived. After only a few days the king persuaded the rebel army to leave London, and by June the movement had been extinguished altogether.

In response to the revolt Richard II vowed to eliminate forced labor and encourage free trade, but he quickly went back on his promises. The only real success of the Peasants’ Revolt was to halt the spread of the poll tax.

3. Northern Ireland Conflict, 1968-1998

For thirty years nationalist and loyalist forces in Northern Ireland faced off in a volatile armed conflict that, at times, verged on civil war. During the so-called ‘Troubles’, Irish nationalists and other republican movements, most notably the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), fought against the Ulster constabulary and British Army for a unified Ireland. Meanwhile unionists and loyalists clashed with the republicans in favor of continuing the political relationship between Ireland and Britain.

Violent action including rioting, house burnings, shootings and bombings were performed by all sides. In 1972 alone, 480 people died at the hands of the conflict. On January 30 of that year the British Army massacred fourteen republicans in the city of Derry. This attack has since come to be known as ‘Bloody Sunday‘ and paved the way for a step up in militancy from all sides. Car bombings became a favored tactic of the IRA, who had killed over 100 British soldiers by the end of the year. In total more than 2,000 people died over the course of the 1970s, and despite several attempted ceasefires fierce battles continued for years afterwards.

Officially the conflict was brought to an end in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement. That said, in recent years a New IRA has started to emerge, signaling that disputes over the status of the six counties are far from over.

2. Miners’ Strike, 1984-1985

For Britain the 1980s were a time of intense political action. Of all the movements that stood against the neoliberal policies of Margaret Thatcher‘s government, the miners’ strike is one of the most commonly remembered.

On March 6th 1984, it was announced by the National Coal Board (NCB) that twenty pits would be closed down, putting 20,000 workers out of a job. In response miners called a national strike, laying down their tools and demanding job security.

The constabulary were relentless in trying to quash some of the striking miners, and their extreme actions remain a contentious topic to this day. One mass picket line in the Yorkshire village of Orgreave was charged by police riding horses and dressed in riot gear. On the other hand the strikers could also be brutal in their treatment of ‘scabs’; Anyone who decided to cross on the picket lines into work. A taxi driver died in South Wales. He died after a concrete post was dropped onto his car for driving a pair of scabs to the Merthyr Vale Colliery.

By the start of 1985, unable to afford to continue the industrial action, large numbers of miners were forced to head back to work. Mass pit closures followed and the coal mining industry fell into a rapid decline. Kellingley Colliery, the last remaining deep coal mine in Britain, ceased operation in December 2015.

1. The Suffragettes, 1903-1918

The Suffragettes were not the first movement to demand votes for women in Britain. However, they played a vital role in ensuring that demand was delivered. In 1903 the Pankhurst family; Mother Emmeline and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia – started up the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), one of the most militant organizations in the history of British politics.

For the first few years the Suffragettes’ actions were actually fairly non-violent. The main shift came in 1905 when Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney forcibly disrupted a political meeting in Manchester. From this point forwards the campaign became far more extreme in its actions. Protesters chained themselves to the gates of Buckingham Palace. They set churches ablaze, smashed windows on Oxford Street and attacked politicians all in the name of securing women’s suffrage. Their most notorious act of protest came in June 1913, when activist Emily Wilding Davison died after throwing herself under the horse of King George V.

By the end of the First World War suffrage had been granted to all women over 30 with property. While many in the movement saw this as a resounding success, Sylvia Pankhurst continued to fight. Her East London Federation believed in fighting for decent rights for women of all classes. Whereas other movements at the time were noticeably centered on the middle classes.

Source link

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or that is what Andy Williams merrily proclaims in his hit song that crashes face-first into all stores at the beginning of the festive season (and in some cases even before that). What is never mentioned in all the joyous writings of the jovial holidays and endless feasts is the stress it places on people, particularly their relationships. Rising costs and familial pressures to love everybody, allowing the family to take over your home for a few weeks could cause even the most solid parent to devour most of the eggnog, leading to fights and conflict.

In fact, Christmas is blamed for such levels of conflict that it’s considered a contributing factor in divorce shortly after that. Whether you are part of a family that loves to bicker or spend Christmas with smiles and hugs, here are 10 fights and battles fought around the festive season that might make you rethink your hate for the silly season.

10 Jack Johnson Beats Tommy Burns in a Fight

Leading up to the historic bout, Tommy Burns had defended his title against 12 men, no small feat. Yet on the day after Christmas in 1908, held in Australia, it was Jack Johnson who beat out his Canadian counterpart. But not before taunting him and allowing him a free shot or two just to rile him up and show him that there was no fear. Jack meant business. With racial tensions brimming (considering the time), the taunting that ensued after Johnson so soundly beat his opponent caused unrest to such an extent that the police eventually piled in and stopped the show.

On that day, Jack Johnson became the first black world heavyweight champion. Afterward, he had to endure an endless streak of white boxers being thrown at him in the racially motivated hopes of ending his reign. Johnson only left carnage in his wake, though. Ironically Boxing Day has nothing to do with boxing as a sport, but the day will live on in infamy among those who are aware of Johnson’s antics.^[1]

9 Soviets Invade Afghanistan

Being a predominantly Islamic country, the Afghans don’t celebrate Christmas. The Russians, however, do. Imagine eating yourself into a carb coma only to have to get into your full kit and invade a Middle Eastern country. On the eve of Christmas of 1979, the Soviets sent in around 30,000 troops, toppling the current government and installing a Soviet-friendly president named Babrak Karmal and plummeting the country into a civil war that cost an estimated one million civilian lives.

In what was ultimately a failed campaign for the Soviets, they battled the U.S.-backed mujahideen for almost ten years before an accord was struck with Pakistan, the United States, and Afghanistan. The withdrawal of the Soviet troops was completed on February 15, 1989, also effectively ruining Valentine’s Day.^[2]

8 Belgian Ship Leopoldville Torpedoed

Built in 1929 as a Belgian steam passenger ship, the Leopoldville was converted into a vessel ferrying troops to battle by the Ministry of War Transport in WWII. On its way to reinforce troops locked in combat at the infamous Battle of the Bulge (more on this later), the ship encountered a German U-Boat that fired two torpedoes, effectively ending the voyage in an explosive groan.

Some 2,235 officers and servicemen of the U.S. 66th Infantry Division—who were being transported to the upcoming battle—and a crew of 139 men were on board when the explosives struck. The British destroyer escort, the HMS Brilliant, attempted to rescue those stranded survivors. However, the rescue attempts were made difficult by the bobbing current. The master, 55 crew members, and 763 American soldiers perished at sea.^[3]

7 Battle of the Bulge

Many people, especially those in the southern hemisphere, dream of a white Christmas. The white decked trees, the fireplaces crackling in the living room, hot chocolate for the tummy-tums. That was not the case at the Battle of the Bulge. On December 16, 1944, Hitler launched what is known as the final Blitzkrieg of World War II. The large-scale attack by three German armies of hundreds of thousands of soldiers along the front of the Ardennes Forest of Luxembourg attempted to capture Bastogne and aimed for Antwerp in Belgium.

In what was eventually one of the single bloodiest battles of the war, the siege was eventually broken (but not ended) on the day after Christmas by Gen. George S. Patton Jr., whose third army came to the rescue, breaking through the Germans with his tank units.^[4]

6 Eggnog Riot

We touched on this matter earlier—the effects of too much eggnog turning even the most civilized of interactions sour. That is exactly what happened at the great eggnog riot, and it sounds like more fun than it actually was. ‘Twas the year 1826, at West Point, when the academy’s 260 cadets, known for their bodacious drinking, were snubbed by the powers that be. They had made the executive decision not to add alcohol to the traditional Christmas Eve eggnog. The cadets took it upon themselves to spike the nog, leading to copious amounts of alcohol consumption and ultimate riots, which included bouts of vandalism and assault on a superior officer.

Of the 206 cadets, as many as 90 could have been indicted. However, considering the poor reflection that would have on the academy, 19 of the most aggressive offenders were identified and expelled. Among those who seemed to have managed to escape the night relatively unscathed were Jefferson Davis (later president of the Confederate States president) as well as future general Robert E. Lee.^[5]

5 Christmas Raid

With the advent of railway transport that turned the gears of war, General John Hunt Morgan was entrusted to cut the supply lines of the Union army by attacking and destroying certain key points. In what is now known as the Christmas Raid, although it took place after Christmas day in the final days of December, Morgan took his cavalry and launched a raid into Kentucky.

The raid saw horsemen decimate Union supply convoys of food, forage, and supplies from Louisville, destroy essential trestles (or bridges), and fight a series of skirmishes that resulted in magnificent losses for the Union army. Before long, it was mission accomplished as Morgan took his command back to Tennessee.^[6]

4 Washington Crosses the Delaware River

One of the most celebrated moments of the American Revolution happened on Christmas Day in 1776. After several months of significant defeats suffered by Washington’s army, which resulted in their loss of New York City and other strategic points in the region, Washington took his army of around 5,400 troops in the hopes of surprising the Hessian force during their festive celebrations. Taking on the icy waters where heavy artillery, horses, and the support of experienced seamen, about 2,400 made it over the river. About 3,000 men and crucial artillery failed to reach the meeting point in time.

At 8 am on the morning of December 26, the groggy Hessian defenders were caught with their pants down, underestimating the patriot threat, and Washington’s men quickly overwhelmed the defenses. The failure of the artillery to arrive cost Washington dearly, and they were eventually forced to withdraw. However, news of the victory quickly spread and raised the spirits of the American colonists.^[7]

3 Sinking of the Scharnhorst

The Scharnhorst, one of the German fleet’s most vaunted and dangerous warships, had been tormenting the seas for the duration of WWII. In 1943, information reached the HMS Belfast that it had been deployed from a Norwegian base to intercept a convoy making its way back to Britain.

In a battle fit for a silver screen adaptation out of the Christopher Nolan playbook, the convoy—made up of numerous ships, including the Scorpion, Norfolk, Sheffield, and The Duke of York—left the Scharnhorst fleeing with its tail between its legs. A gun-blasting rabbit hunt ensued with direct hits and near misses, but in the end, it was the HMS Belfast that landed the killer blow and condemned the Scharnhorst to the depths of the icy ocean. Of the 55 torpedoes that were fired, 11 hit the target, and of the 1,968 men on board, only 36 survived.^[8]

2 Italy’s Invasion of Ethiopia

When Mussolini’s war in Ethiopia was already not going to plan when a 200,000-strong Ethiopian army launched a counter-offensive on Christmas Day in 1935. What was known by informed circles as the “Black Period” of the war, the counter-offensive gave rise to the “Harvest of Gold,” in which Mussolini asked his own countrymen back home to raise funds for the war as a pledge to his fascist regime. The public donated valuable personal effects, including wedding rings. In exchange for gold jewelry, they were given rigs of steel to show their commitment to the cause.

The counter-offensive was met with initial success, but the superior Italian weapons and the use of illegal chemical warfare ultimately crushed any chance of victory.^[9]

1 Takanakuy

In Quechua, the primary language in this particular region of Peru, the word Takanakuy means “when the blood is boiling” or “to hit each other.” In short, this day is celebrated (is celebrated the correct word?) annually on Christmas Day and involves people of all ages and sexes coming together and beating each other up, or at least watching people settle scores with their fists.

The ultimate aim of the event is to begin the new year in peace, allowing those who do not have access to law enforcement or alternative dispute resolution to settle their scores in a public arena. The conflict is mutual, and like any Christmas fight, it starts and ends with a hug. The festivities originated during colonial times, and to this day, the Peruvian tradition carries with it a festival of celebration, drunkenness, and religiosity to go along with the hitting.^[10]