Today is Dec. 31.

~~~

With the expiration of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1979, the Republic of Panama assumed full control of the Panama Canal on this date in 1999. The U.S. Panama Canal Commission ceased to exist.

~~~

Three years after a federal judge ruled it a monopoly, the court-ordered breakup of the American Telephone and Telegraph Co. took effect at midnight on this date in 1983. AT&T was divided up into seven regional "Baby Bells," which were responsible for local telephone service. Americans would soon be able to choose which company they wanted to provide their long-distance phone service.