20 years ago,an overcrowded Indonesian fishing boat (later known as SIEV-X) sank en route to Christmas Island,resulting in the loss of 353 lives.
The invasion of Iraq began when at least five cruise missiles slammed into the heart of Baghdad.
In 1999,as part of a UN multinational peacekeeping force,Australian troops land in Dili in the biggest Australian military operation in decades.
For several months in 1982 the Australian public became a divided jury as it avidly followed the trial surrounding the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain.
When Iddin and Shahira were abducted by their father,Malaysian prince Raja Kamarul Bahrin,during an access visit in 1992,it became one of Australia's most notorious custody battles.
On July 22,a diplomatic crisis was building in the South Pacific. An Australian treasury report highly critical of the region's prominent figures was leaked.
On June 21st,2007,following a devastating report pointing to rampant abuse of indigenous children in the NT,John Howard announced an unprecedented intervention.
On this day in 1997,Papua New Guinea was on the edge of civil war. The Chan government's use of mercenaries led to open conflict with the army,rioting and threatened to topple the government itself.
Support for Mr Ricketson is growing in Australia where thousands of people have signed a petition calling for his release.
Amnesty International has slammed the first admission by Myanmar's military that its soldiers executed Rohingya villages in Rakhine state,saying it is just the "tip of the iceberg".